Bare Nekkid Ladies

There is always excitement when a new doll arrives in the mail.  When I called home at lunch time, my husband informed me, "There's a doll box."  I couldn't wait to get home.  The rest of the afternoon just dragged on and on and on.  I think I may have even broke the speed limit a little on the way to release my newest acquisition.

As everyone knows by now, I have some difficulty taking dolls out of their boxes.  At least that's true with expensive or limited edition dolls.  I know it's crazy, but I have this phobia about it.

That's why it is so liberating to purchase a nude doll.  I don't have to worry about lowering her value or "messing" her up.  She doesn't have a "presentation".  She's NUDE.  BARE NEKKID! 

I recently purchased one of my grails from a poster named Adam on Vinyl Lounge/Pink Parlor.  I couldn't believe my luck.  She was nude, but she had already been placed on a tall articulated body.  SCORE!  And the price was fantastic.  I have been looking forward to her arrival all week.  Here she is ... Bodacious Adele.

When she arrived, I was so happy to see that she still had her original hairnet sewn into her hair.  Her hair had never been combed or touched.  What a beautiful doll!  I dressed her immediately for her first photo shoot. 

I love receiving a nude doll in pristine condition.  I went to my collection to review what other dolls I had purchased nude.  The first "nude" doll I ever purchased was Poesie Sans Coleur Vanessa.  I got her on e-bay.  The seller just wanted the wedding dress.  They had a collection of Silkstones ... all wearing wedding gowns.  They didn't want the doll.  I was so lucky ... I got her with "Buy It Now" at an incredible price.  I later upgraded her to a new tall body when I learned how to transfer heads.

The next doll that came to my home nude was Spectacular, Spectacular Eugenia.  I got her from Dawn on Doll Divas.  She was reducing her collection and listed Spectacular with several other dolls for sale.  I was the first to respond ... right place, right time.  I love this doll.

I got Firefly Agnes from someone on the doll boards as well.   The individual had removed her eyelashes, but I don't mind.  This doll is one of my very favorite dolls ever produced.  Her eyes are so intense.  She is probably my most photographed doll.

I was on e-bay one day, and Most Desired Eugenia came up.  Again ... she was nude and the Buy It Now price was super.  I had not considered adding this doll to my collection until I saw Jon's photos on Doll Divas.  He took such fantastic photos of this girl that I couldn't resist adding her to my collection.  At a nude price, I couldn't pass her up.

When I got divorced I had to sell many of dolls.  One of the dolls I sold was Diamond Dusted.  She was NRFB  and one of my very favorite dolls.  I had been wanting to add her to my collection for a long time and she came up on e-bay ... just her head.  It was being sold by Ann in Florida.  I knew her from Pink Parlor/Vinyl Lounge.  I got the head and put it on a replacement body.  I guess that would count as purchasing her nude.  I'm going to list her anyway!

The 2008 Integrity Convention theme was "The Heist".  One of my favorite dolls from that collection was Shirred, Not Shaken.  I believe she is a very under-appreciated doll.  That fire engine red hair is to die for!  For some reason, when I look at her I am reminded of Ann Margaret.  Another nude doll added to my collection.  I was beginning to be an old hand at buying nude dolls.

This year I had the worst purchasing experience of my doll collecting life.  A doll dealer in Australia offered an exclusive doll for sale.  It sold out quickly on line.  I got up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning to buy this doll.  I got my order in and everything seemed alright.  The dealer later canceled my order because she said she couldn't get my credit card information to process.  This has never happened to me before.  I wasn't even offered the opportunity to correct the problem, if there were actually a problem to begin with.  She said that the doll was sold out and that I could not buy one or go on a waitlist.  I don't understand this because the dealer is still selling these dolls on e-bay for $100 more than the retail price.  I can't believe Integrity is allowing this to happen.  I reported it and was told "Thank you for comments, we appreciate your input."  Yeah, right!

Anyway this doll was shipped and mold was discovered on many of the dolls when they arrived.  Then Integrity replaced dolls.  I was able to snag a replaced doll, NUDE, of course.   This is Regal Estate Agnes.  I believe she is one of the best Agnes dolls ever.  Agnes is my favorite character and this face-up is especially beautiful.

Following this year's convention, I fell hard for one of the table centerpiece dolls ... Smoke Screen Dania Zarr.  Found her nude on the doll boards and quickly added her to my collection.

I was surprised by how many dolls I had added to my collection as "nudes".  I had three blondes, three dark haired dolls, and two redheads.  How fortunate that I got Bodacious Adele ... another redhead ... when means I have an equal number of each. 

But what happens when I add another?  I guess I will need one of each of the other hair colors to compensate, right?  Naturally!

Happy Birthday, Miss Lucy

Today would've been my mother's 69th birthday.  I miss her terribly and couldn't let the day pass without some sort of celebration.  So ... Happy Birthday, Momma.  I love you and miss you.

Put Up or Shut Up

I have been snowed/iced in for a week now.  I'm tired of it.  Even my dolls are tired of it.   They may not look like it, but they are.

Well, I'm looking directly into the face of one of my New Year's Resolutions.  You know how it is.  We have good intentions when we make those.  We review our life, consider the future, and jump in with both feet!  This year, one of my resolutions was ... "No new doll will come into this house and remain in a box for more than two weeks.  Either she will come out of the box, or she will be re-sold."

My first doll of 2011 was purchased from a kind collector who posted some dolls for sale on the W Club.  I had been watching for this doll for a very long time.  Here is the stock photo from Integrity.

She is Blue Blood Elise Jolie from the 2009 Fashion Royalty Convention.  She was the actual convention doll that everyone got for their $350 registration fee.  She was a limited edition of 350.

When she was first released, it seemed feelings were very strong about her one way or the other.  Many people loved her.  Some disliked her stating that her eye makeup was too dark and dramatic.  I don't believe many remained on the fence.  When individuals started redressing her, others realized her potential.  Some brave collectors actually took her hair down.  Here is a photo used by permission from a W Club member.  The individual who posted this photo is Desiree "Des" Hussfeldt from Alicante, Spain.  She posts under the name "leiameow". 

After seeing this photo, I have always wanted Elise Jolie.  Unfortunately, her cost has always prohibited my purchase of her ... until the first week of January.   Here is the actual photo of my doll.  She is number 033 of 350.  I believe she has a beautiful presentation.

I'm not sure what Integrity was thinking when they included this?  I believe it is supposed to be a necklace.

I really like the shell.  It is a lovely color.

This suitcase was a wonderful addition.  I really like it.

I have the Successful Ascension ensemble from the same convention.  It had a cute little train case that is very similar.  I don't know why they would choose silver metal for the suitcase and gold metal for the traincase, but they did.  Not a good attention to detail.

Also included (in the bottom compartment are a pair of well-made shoes, a pair of black gloves, another set of hands, and a simple pair of black earrings.

Here is a closeup of Elise.  Those cheekbones could cut paper!  But ... now I have a decision to make.  I really like her ... but do I like her enough?   Does she come out of the box?  Or does she get re-sold? 

The hunt is over.  I have acquired my prey.  Do I release her back to the wild or mount her in the case?  I have another week to make up my mind.  Until then ... I am already on the scent of the next doll!