The next doll in my countdown was a 2019 W Club Exclusive that didn't arrive until January 2020.  (She was #5 of dolls added to my collection in 2020.)

In the past 10 years of my "Best of" countdowns, this character is tied with most appearances at eight times.   When you give us this mold in a giftset, it is a no-brainer.  And it doesn't hurt that this is the first time Agnes Von Weiss has appeared in this skin tone!

Here is Ocean Drive Agnes Von Weiss in her box:

And a full length photo.  

She comes with the most wonderful lavender colored bathing suit and wrap.  She even had shoes that matched her swimsuit!

... And the gown fits her like a glove.

Best of 2020 - Number 5: Ocean Drive Agnes Von Weiss

This doll has been so confused.  I can't believe there isn't more excitement about her.  I think she is totally stunning.   (I apologize up front because this doll's gown is very difficult to capture the color correctly.  It's a rich jewel tone purple - almost grape colored.)

Here is a photo of Haute Desire Dania Zarr in the box:

Those hazel eyes are phenomenal.   Let's see what that dress looks like?  

I think this is one of my very favorite gowns ever produced by Integrity Toys.  The color is so rich and luxurious.   The details are amazing.  The folds and train are perfect.   The intricacy reminds me of 2008's High Gloss gown worn by Agnes Von Weiss.  It's almost like origami.  

I hate to say this, but in my opinion, Jessy Ayala produced the better doll from the gala celebration.  The shoes are so beautiful.  The jewelry is amazing.  I'm so glad the gloves were already put on!

Added to my collection as number 33 and Best of 2020 - Number 4: Haute Desire Dania Zarr.

Ever since their debut in 2008, the twins usually travel together.  Even when sold separately, they sometimes mirror each other.  In the past 10 years "Best of" countdowns, they've shown up seven times.

Although a W Club Exclusive for 2019, I didn't receive Mademoiselle Eden Blair until July 2020.  Here is a closeup photo of her in the box

And a full length shot

When she is out of the box she comes to life!  

Those shoes are some of the best ever produced for 12" dolls, but it took forever to get them on.  Fortunately, I had read warning posts and used my jewelry pliers and a darning needle.  I did not include the white socks with the shoes.  I also had to add an extra jump ring to the choker.  

Such an exquisite doll!  Number 34 added to my collection in 2020, Mademoiselle Eden Blair.

A month later, her sister arrived.  Mademoiselle Lilith Blair was a W Club membership upgrade doll.

Closeup in the box

Full length in the box

A lot of collectors did not like her ensemble.  (Her shoes had zippers!)

Eden's equally beautiful sister, Mademoiselle Lilith Blair, was added to my 2020 collection as number 35.

Here are individual photos side by side.

Two shots of them together.

Best of 2020 - Number 2:  Mademoiselle Eden and Lilith Blair

I need to begin this post by stressing that I have been struggling with my top 2 decision all day.  I love each of these dolls for various reasons.  My Number 2 doll was just barely edged out of first place, which I will explain in my next post.

One of the perks of joining the W Club is the opportunity to purchase dolls offered exclusively to members.  Starting in 2015, Integrity Toys (IT) has partnered with the W Club to offer a special "upgrade" doll(s) for their annual convention.   If the member has purchased a convention registration, they get a discount on the cost.  The dolls are usually offered in the form of sketches to keep the actual production dolls as secret as possible.

This year, the W Club offered two dolls as reimaginations of the 2004 La Petite Robe Noire and La Petite Robe Blanche (Little Black Dress and Little White Dress).  I gave a mini-review of these dolls when I wrote a recap of the Legendary Convention: Legendary Convention Souvenir Dolls

Petite Robe Classique Jour (Little Classic Day Dress) Adele Makeda, mold 2.0, became an instant success.   Here she is in the box:

Adele Makeda (mold 2.0) is my second most favorite doll mold produced by IT.  Counting Petite Robe Classique Jour, there are 20 versions of her living here!

It is rare for a W Club Upgrade Exclusive to "steal the show" at a convention, but there is little doubt this doll was perfect from head to toe.

What an incredible screening!  The hairstyle is amazing. 

My very favorite FR doll of the past year.  She is number 36 added to my collection in 2020.  Best of 2020 - Number 2:  Petite Robe Classique Jour Adele Makeda.

When I got out of school for winter break, I decided to jump right on the task of developing my Best of 2020 list.  I pulled all the dolls that joined my collection this year and looked carefully at the reference sites.  

For such a lean year, I was completely surprised by how many beautiful dolls were produced in 2020.  As I made my choices for my countdown, I decided that I didn't want to have any mold represented more than once (in my mind it was only fair), which eliminated some amazing dolls.

Number 8's Little Day Ensemble Veronique eliminated Cover Story Veronique Perrin from the countdown.  (Collectors have waited almost 15 years for the production of this doll - and she did not disappoint!)

Number 7's Miami Glam Kesenia eliminated Ferocious Kesenia Valentinova:

Number 6's Retro Dimensional Vanessa eliminated Violet Obsidian Vanessa Perrin (one of my top 6 favorite dolls from the Legendary Convention):

Number 5's Ocean Drive Agnes Von Weiss eliminated Intimate Soiree Agnes (I still haven't added her to my collection due to secondary market pricing.  Photo property of IT.)

Number 3's Mademoiselle Eden and Lilith eliminated Not Pretending Eden Blair (most difficult choice to leave off the countdown - my doll is taking the scenic route through the USPS and hasn't arrived yet.  Photo property of IT.)

Number 2's Petite Robe Classique Jour Adele Makeda took Neo Look Adele out of the countdown.

Other notable omissions were Your Motivation Erin Salston:

Fashion Darling Giselle Diefendorf (one of my very favorite versions of this mold and another difficult doll to not include):

In My Skin Colette Duranger:

Make Me Blush Natalia Fatale:

Sweet Venom Jordan Duvall:

Le Tuxedo Eugenia Frost (how did I leave her off):

Celebration Aymeline (I'm finding it difficult to locate a version with perfect eye screening and smaller forehead at a price I am willing to pay), 

Style Legacy Isabelle Alves:

and Like No Other Nadja Rhymes:

At one time, I had considered giving Poppy Parker a separate post off the Best of 2020 list.   I left out dolls from "The Industry" and "Meteor" lines because there just wasn't enough room.  I didn't feel justified not including Late Night Dream Victoire Roux - Number 10 - since she got over 55,000 views in my Flickr account which is something I've never had happen before.    After finding their way into collectors' hands, the Legendary Style Lab dolls turned out to be much better than anticipated; however, I was unable to include one on my list.  

Although a lean year, it definitely left collectors feeling sated and satisfied.

Honestly, had I the time or energy, I could've created a Top 20 Countdown this year!  

As much as I love Petite Robe Classique Jour Adele Makeda, mold 2.0, I just couldn't ignore the effect the Number 1 doll has had on me.   I actually gasped the first time I saw a photo of this doll! 

It isn't easy to capture her inside the purple neon box liner.

Removing this doll and her accessories from the box was an out-of-body experience.   Upon releasing the doll and removing the plastic liner of the bodice, you realize the intricate details of the beading, under net, and fringe skirt.  My doll actually has twenty loops of beading.  There are 10 loops at the top and ten strands in the bodice.  This is where the inconsistency at the factory becomes apparent.  Some versions have less beading and it causes the top to look less "finished".   

Then there are the accessories ... the jewelry - where did they find these earring hoops?  Such lovely tiny little etchings.  The bracelets!  

Here is a full length photo (please know that I apologize for my lack of photographic skills with this nubian skin tone).

Then you move on to the shoes!  The neon yellow (which shouldn't work, but it does!)  The leopard print detail on the back which matches the lining of the purple faux fur.   It's hard to take in all the visual beauty of the different layers.   It's like they took the Byron Lars Barbie dolls and filled one with steroids!

I took her outside hoping to get a better picture.

I believe The Enchantress Nadja Rhymes elevated my doll collecting directly into art.  This isn't simply a beautifully dressed doll, it is truly an expression of creativity.   I am gobsmacked.  Speechless.  There just aren't words.  

This doll makes me want to be a better photographer.

I only wish I could afford two - one to redress and one to stand forever in my collection as presented. 

This doll is truly a feast for the eyes.

Best of 2020 - Number 1:  The Enchantress Nadja Rhymes.  

The last of my convention dolls finally arrived (one of them was mailed on December 7 and just arrived on Wednesday, January 6).   It is fair to say that the IT Legendary Convention hit me hard in my countdown and in my budget.  

I felt like I was doing alright with my rules.  42 dolls left my collection in 2020.  Some of my decisions were difficult but necessary.  I'm not sure how, but 59 dolls made their way into my house this year.

I think I will blame the pandemic!  "Sheltering In Place" was difficult.  Not being able to leave your house caused us to spend more time on the internet.  

Some older collections presented great pricing opportunities.  I was able to add three dolls from the Luxe Life Convention at below original retail cost:

#1 of 2020 Prosperous Complexity Kyori Sato:

#55 of 2020 Subtle Affluence Eugenia Frost:

#56 of 2020 Gilded Oligarch Tatyana Alexandrova (originally purchased as a body donor, but wears Sea Devil's ensemble so well):

Integrity Toys has had a substantial influx of younger collectors over the past couple of years.  Since these collectors were attracted by newer collections, many of them have no experience with the older body types, so they aren't invested in wardrobes to fit those dolls.  (Collectors who have been around longer have different body versions in their collections and are able to upgrade bodies as necessary.)  The prices of older dolls have come down.  I was able to add the following dolls at little cost:

#10 Perfect Skin Adele Makeda:

#15 Heat Seeker Natalia Fatale:

#47 Sweet Smell of Success Veronique Perrin:

#55 Heart Stopper Natalia Fatale:

But I didn't stop there.  Since I was at home on the internet so much, good pricing opportunities popped up on dolls that have been on my radar for several years.  Like:

#6 Heiress Erin Salston:

#14 Elyse Jolie Bergdorf Goodman Daywear:

#16 Chameleon Vanessa Perrin:

#17 Sunny Slickers Poppy Parker

#18 Smoke and Mirrors Lilith Blair

#52 Get Graphic Misaki

#53 Snowstopper Poppy Parker

#54 Origami Girl Misaki

I sort of dropped out of blogging existence from July 4 until the Legendary Convention in November.  I got a new puppy which required a lot of my time.   My mother-in-law lives with us and had some serious medical issues and complications (she is on the mend and doing well).  The Covid19 crisis continued to interrupt my normal life as my husband is part of the essential work force and was working 7 days per week for most of this time period.  Teaching in a digital environment required me to take some hefty staff development courses over the summer.  Things only started settling down a little in November.  (Unfortunately, all of these things caused an abrupt halt to listing and selling dolls from my collection.  The last doll that left here happened in early June.  I need to get my organizing back on track!)

I made up for lost time with the Legendary Convention collection.  It's hard to believe but I actually added 15 dolls from that convention to my collection!

Being a Fashion Royalty collector since 2005, I honestly felt nostalgic over the Style Lab dolls this year.   Fortunately, many newer collectors were quite disappointed in the Style Lab's return to original molds to celebrate their characters' 25th Year Anniversary, so I actually got some of them for retail price!  I couldn't resist that, right?!

#38 of 2020 Radiant Soul Kyori Sato (mold 1.0):

#39 of 2020 Violet Obsidian Vanessa Perrin (mold 1.0) One of my favorite dolls from the convention.

She is wearing the 2016 Pure Love Ensemble from the Supermodel Convention with Walking On Clouds Adele Makeda's boots.

#40 of 2020 Flawless Beauty Adele Makeda (mold 1.0):

I corrected her irises myself!  She is wearing the 2014 Gloss Convention Style Lab Ensemble Night Fever.

A few of the Style Lab girls haven't made it to the redress shelf yet.  

#41 of 2020 Cover Story Veronique Perrin (mold 1.0):

#42 of 2020 Acquired Traits Natalia Fatale (mold 1.0):

#43 of 2020 Exotic Interlude Anja Christensen:

#44 of 2020 Red Reign Korinne Dimas:

Personally, I didn't care for Social Standing Mme Margaret Jolie; however, I did acquire the ensemble "Social Behavior".  Although I was able to get the "...And Scene" ensemble at a great price, Body of Work Isha Kalpana Naryanan became a hit and her secondary market price keeps her out of range to add to my collection.

When I looked at the additions, I was surprised to find that 25% of the new dolls were Poppy Parker and 25% were NuFace.   Only about 1/3 of the new dolls were Fashion Royalty with the remaining coming from various other lines (East 59th Street, Misaki, or Meteor).

As I hit the reset button for 2021, I realize I am behind in sales and  need to find homes for 17 dolls to bring my collection back into balance.   Unfortunately, three other dolls are in the mail: Mothership Dania Zarr, Charmed Child Ayumi Nakamura, and Undercover Angel Poppy Parker.  Being so out of balance, I chose to not participate in the W Club lotteries for The Originals Adele Makeda or Veronique Perrin.  I also didn't pursue purchase of the Poppy Parkers, Enlightened in India or Outback Walkabout.  ... At least I'm trying, right?

We all know what it's like when you're waiting on your dolls to arrive and they are being held hostage by the postal system.  We often start lurking on doll sales boards and the dreaded e-bay.   

We have overspent on the Christmas holiday and secondary market prices are just too much ... There's nothing in our collection that we want to redress and play with ... We badly need a doll fix ...

It's at times like this we start wandering the local toy aisles at our retail stores.  Hopefully we'll find a new Mattel ensemble that might look nice on Poppy.  Maybe the new Made To Move Barbies will be out!   

I needed some school supplies for school, and I just happened to have a couple gift cards in my purse that were given to me by my students.  What could it hurt to check out the toy aisle?

There was very slim pickings in the Mattel aisle.  A few fashionistas that had been picked over.  Several Barbie Career dolls.   Some shoe packs.  Nothing interesting.

So I thought I would check out the other aisles.  Maybe I would be inspired to create a little diorama or add something to my displays.  

I went down the next aisle.  There were some cute little food items, but they had faces on them.  Let's try the next aisle.

BIG MISTAKE!  She looked directly at me.  She hypnotized me with those acrylic eyes.  She reeled me in with that flame red hair.   But the deal was closed the second I saw the red, black, and white cheerleader ensemble!  Her price tag, only $22.99.  I would even have gift cards left over!

This is Ruby Anderson, Rainbow High Cheer Squad.  I have avoided the Rainbow High dolls ever since they were first released in 2020.  They are produced by MGA Entertainment (the same manufacturer as Bratz).   I had picked up a couple of them in the store and carefully eyed the clothing, considering the possibility of use on Integrity Toys dolls.   But I REFUSED to get sucked into another play line.

As a teacher whose elementary school is close to a college town for a major university with a huge football following, I am easily drawn to things with this theme.  Ruby Anderson's cheer costume looks a lot like the UGA's.

I started off 2021 by breaking My #1 Rule "Focus my collecting.  If I don't already have one, I don't need one." This is not looking good.

... So, Ruby is obviously going to be displayed in her original ensemble.  When I was removing her from box (you need a lot of patience, a pair of scissors, and strong fingernails to complete that task), I realized she had quite a sturdy body for a play line doll.  It feels heavy and substantial.  It's also quite articulated.  I thought about undressing her and checking out her body, but I was afraid I might mess something up and the pompoms are attached to her hands by plastic. 

It turns out, some of my students had also given me some Amazon gift cards for Christmas.  Ruby obviously needs a friend.  She can't be all alone on the shelf.  The back of the box shows that there is a separate doll in the Cheer Series representing six colors of the rainbow.  

Ruby Anderson is Red, Poppy Rowen is Orange, Sunny Madison is Yellow, Jade Hunter is Green, Skylar Bradshaw is Blue, and Violet Willow is Violet.  The Indigo color is missing.  It seems that the manufacturer wanted to release a black doll for the Indigo version but had production problems.  These six original characters also appeared in Series 1 which included an additional ensemble for each doll.   

Before choosing I decided to do some online research.  My goodness MGA has quite a thing going with these dolls.  They have their own website:  Rainbow High Website.  There is even a Youtube channel for them with animated stories about the dolls!  Rainbow High Youtube Channel

In addition to the original six characters for Series 1, there have been three exclusives produced: Amaya Raine (Hair Studio), Avery Styles (Fashion Studio), and Kia Hart (Valentines Day).  The Second Series was also just released with six different dolls, including the much anticipated Krystal Bailey representing Indigo.

I decided that I wanted to get the most bang for my buck.  I had enough Amazon gift cash for Avery Styles Fashion Studio ($49.99 with free shipping).

I chose this doll because she was wigged (Rainbow High dolls have so much rooted hair, it is difficult to photograph the bodies).   I also wanted all those mix n match clothing pieces (the box cover says over 300 looks).  But the piece I most needed was that clothing rack!  (Its wheels even roll!)

Excluding the Cheer Squad, The Rainbow High dolls come with a stand.   (I am using it to hold the second wig in this picture.  I used a kaiser stand for Amaya.)  The shoes in the Fashion Studio come with really nice acrylic boxes!  

This is how she looks out of her packaging.

When you remove the wig (which is held in by a peg with a small hole in her head), you find that she has molded pink hair in a pixie cut!  Cute attention to detail here.  The head is not "rubbery" at all.  The plastic seems firm.  She has painted on panties for modesty.  The faces have a shimmery finish that I have read is easy to remove with acetone.  The eyes have beautiful eyelashes!

The arms are articulated at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist.  The hands can be removed to dress the doll.  This is very similar to Made To Move and Integrity Toys dolls.

Here is a comparative photo with a Made To Move Barbie body (on the right) and an Integrity Toys Poppy Parker body (in the middle).  

Rainbow high dolls are shorter.  They have bigger feet, shorter torsos, and slightly bigger hips (which looks more enhanced by the shorter torso).  Rainbow High dolls are missing the articulation at the breast plates and ankles.  Like the Made To Move body, they have the added twisting articulation at the thighs.

When redressing the Rainbow High dolls to try on other lines' clothing, the pants are usually too long, and sometimes the feet can't get through the holes.  Rainbow High dolls seem to fit the pants and skirts from the "Fresh" and Made To Move Curvy doll lines best.  (Photo comparison with Curvy Fashionista body)

Collectors have been looking at different wig possibilities for this doll.  I found out that Rainbow High heads are similar in circumference to the Wilde Imagination Ellowyne Wilde line (which is another line I collect).   Here is a wig I had purchased for my Ellowynes.

What do you think?

So... my final thoughts.  These dolls are actually excellent play line dolls.  They have nice articulation, acrylic eyes, and are quite sturdy.  Their clothing is well constructed "on a budget".   The regular line features one dressed doll, a stand, comb, and an extra ensemble that includes footwear.   At the price point of $26.99, they are comparatively priced to Mattel dolls and are a fraction of the cost of Integrity Toys products.  (Sadly, I have read that they are more expensive in other countries.)

Their bodies, heads, and feet are exaggerated but "fit their characters", making them unique among what is available to the general public.  (Their neck holes apparently allow for body switching if you are up to it and can find a good skin tone match.)  Improvements that I would like to see would include more articulation at the neck (their heads can only turn side to side).  There are youtube videos that provide guidance for removing and replacing the neck knobs that will fix this, but I think the manufacturer should correct this in the production process.  It would also be nice if they had articulated ankles.  At least one of the characters has flat feet, so they all cannot share footwear.  Articulated ankles would fix this.  I would also like them to have a breast plate articulation or a swivel waist.  It would allow greater poseability.

Now, for the $30 question.  What do other dolls look like wearing the Rainbow High clothing?  First, the Rainbow High pants look more like crop pants without boots.  Good boots will hide that they are too short.  The tops and skirts aren't too bad on smaller bodies.

Here is Summer Magic Poppy Parker modeling two of the pieces from the Avery Styles Fashion Studio.

This is one of those odd, but surprisingly not uncommon, times when a collector has a doll delivered in one year that was actually paid for in a previous year.   I do not like including dolls in either my sidebar list of "Added Dolls" or my annual countdown that I don't actually have in hand, so she is showing up in my 2021 list.

Charmed Life Ayumi Nakamura (mold 3.0) was the W Club Event Doll from the 2020 Integrity Toys (IT) Legendary Convention.  Since the Legendary Convention was held in a virtual platform, all W Club members were given the opportunity to purchase the luncheon ticket ($145) which included Charmed Life Ayumi Nakamura and the opportunity to pre-order Wicked Narcissism Eugenia Frost.   (In the past I always felt like the doll's value was closer to $125 since you were getting a meal.  Has anyone else figured out that IT was making solid profit on this convention since they were not paying staff travel, hotel, or food and were not including actual meals and space rental for the events?  Wonder why the prices didn't reflect a discount?   Just a personal musing ...)

Although the Legendary Convention was in early November, these dolls did not begin shipping until early January.   Here she is in the box.

As you can see, my doll had crooked bangs.  (Sadly, the lack of consistent quality control has become commonplace with IT.)  This doll's faceup has the top lip painted a different color than the bottom. I'm not really a fan of this technique.

I took a deep breath, some cuticle scissors (the best way to trim a doll's hair because you have more control and can only do a little at a time), put on my magnification goggles, and went to work.  Here she is out of box.

Here is the IT stock photo of the accessories.  The boots are nice.  I appreciated the cap and black gloves.  The charm necklace mirrors the doll's name, Charmed Life, which is a cute touch.

During the IT W Club Event, the designer, Jessy Ayala, reported that this doll was based on the 2007 version of Ayumi Nakamura (mold 1.0) Miracle Child.  Here is the IT photo of that doll.

I thought the dress looked more like the 2006 Fashion Royalty separate ensemble, Guaranteed Chic.

The dress is a little short for my liking.  It does have a built-in bodysuit.  With the hat and gloves, it comes across a little "costumey".  I tried adding the black slip from Guaranteed Chic.

I'm still not sold on the dress.

I'm also not a fan of the hairstyle (hime bangs on a doll = no ... just "no").  This doll has been compared to band member Lisa of the popular girls group, Blackpink.  Although this may be on trend, I really don't care for it.  

In my doll world, it's how the doll redresses that counts.  Since she has golden yellow eyeshadow, I reached for Elyse Jolie's On The Rise dress.

This is much better, don't you agree?  

I don't think I would've pursued purchasing this doll had she not been the "gift" doll with the purchase of the W Club Event.  I was excited about the hair color, but the style is just too difficult to work with.  I've really struggled with the Ayumi Nakamura mold and believe 2016's Total Betty

and 2017's Haungtingly Lovely

are still better versions of this mold.

I have decided that I need to ask myself two questions when deciding the fate of a new doll:

1) Does this release rank in the top 3 versions of this mold/character? Actually, I guess she does.  She would be my third favorite.

2) Would it be possible for this doll to make my Top 10 Countdown at the end of the year?  I hope not.  It wouldn't be a great year for collectors if Charmed Child Ayumi Nakamura is one of the best dolls received in 2021.

So, that is a split decision.  She will probably wind up either being sold or parted out.

To say this doll took her sweet time arriving, would be an understatement.   Mothership Dania Zarr was a W Club Exclusive that took over a year getting into the hands of collectors; the Retro Future line was previewed in mid December 2019.  I have read that the metal pieces had to be tooled multiple times to get everything fitting correctly.

After completing my Best of 2020 Countdown, I was saturated with new dolls that had just been deboxed.  It was a blessing in disguise that my first three dolls shipped in 2021 were held captive by the USPS for almost a month.

Here is a quick closeup photo of Dania in her box.

And a full length photo.

This doll's selling point is the accessories and ensemble.   (Photo property of Integrity Toys/IT)

The boots are Tom Ford, the visor is Alexander McQueen, the coat is a nod to Balenciaga, the belt is a Dior piece, and the metal corset is from the iconic Thierry Mugler.

I have heard that collectors have trouble getting the belt to close once it has been unhooked.  I looked at it and there is enough room to sew in additional loops to let it out a little.

So, here she is out of box in the coat ...

These boots are amazing.   I have read horror stories from collectors who have broken the straps trying to get them on.  I noticed that they do seem quite fragile.  This raises concerns about the life expectancy for them.  I don't think they would hold up to multiple redress uses.  That's why my Dania will be wearing them for a while.

Another closeup.

I'm not very fond of the hair.  I've seen a couple versions where the skunk stripes look well done.  Mine is sort of all over the place.  My doll's Certificate of Authenticity states it was product #20.  (We all know these number really don't mean anything, but it always feels nice to get a low number for some reason.)  I LOVE that they have returned to the Optic Clash lips.

The thing about Mothership Dania Zarr that elevates her above your average Fashion Royalty doll is the chrome bodysuit.  (Both the bodysuit and the necklace use magnets to hold them together.  VERY NICE!)

1) Does this release rank in the top 3 versions of this mold/character? There are currently six other versions of Dania Zarr in my collection.  

The thing that truly makes Mothership stand out is that iconic ensemble.   It leave me speechless.  I applaud IT (and especially designer Jessy Ayala) for successfully translating it into 1:6 scale.  It is spectacular.  If you take the doll presented in stock, the answer would be a definitive "yes".  Not including the ensemble, I'm not sure.  

2) Would it be possible for this doll to make my Top 10 Countdown at the end of the year?  Again, if you take Mothership Dania Zarr as "presented", it would be near impossible to leave her off the Top 10 list (if there are 10 better, this is going to be an amazing year for collectors).  Separate from her ensemble, she's a lovely doll, but I'm not sure she would make the Top 10.

Because I do not plan to redress her any time soon, Mothership Dania Zarr will be staying here, in stock, for a while!  

Registration for the W Club has been officially open for about a week, so I figured I needed to go ahead and share that information with anyone who is living under a rock.  The advertisements and announcements are all over social media, doll boards, and photo hosting sites.  

I can say with pride that I have actually been a member of The W Club since its beginning in 2006 - I still have my membership pin.   I also still have Dressing the Part Agnes von Weiss from that club year.

There are a lot of benefits to joining The W Club.  The most obvious one is having access to the W Club Message Forum.  It's a great place to share information, find answers to questions, get tips for dioramas, and just make some good doll friends.   It is an amazing resource and a must for anyone who collects Integrity Toys products. There is even a "Buy, Sale, and Trade Thread".

Another wonderful thing about the W Club is that you get on the "First To Know" list.  Whenever a new line of dolls is going to be introduced and sold publicly through dealers, The W Club hosts a "Reveal Event".   The W Club has an agreement with dealers that W Club members get an advance ordering window before the dolls become available to the general public.  (Most dolls are sold out before they even get advertised on websites!)

Whenever there is a W Club Reveal, there is usually an exclusive "Event Doll" that is offered to all W Club members.  That makes it very exciting.  Some of these dolls are the most sought after dolls in collections.   

Speaking of "Event Exclusives", The W Club guarantees five "made-to-order" exclusives sold only to W Club Members.  Some of these are phenomenal giftsets like:  Fame & Fortune Vanessa Perrin, The Faces of Adele Makeda, Split Decision Poppy Parker, Looks A Plenty Poppy Parker, Metamorphosis Erin Salston, etc.  Even dolls that aren't part of gift sets can be quite phenomenal.  Last year's Mademoiselle Lilith and Eden Blair dolls (sold separately) were #2 in my Best of 2020 Countdown.

In addition to "made-to-order" W Club Exclusives, there are W Club Lottery Opportunities of very limited dolls.  That's how Optic Verve Agnes Von Weiss made her way to my collection.  

Since there are several lottery opportunities offered throughout the year, most collectors choose to purchase multiple memberships.  It increases one's odds of winning.  I usually purchase two memberships, one for me and one for my spouse, in case we go to the convention together.  That way we both can attend The W Club Luncheon.  Did I forget to mention that another perk was there is a special luncheon at the IT Convention just for W Club members?  It always includes one doll in the cost of the luncheon and the opportunity to purchase the centerpiece!

And all of this can be yours for the paltry fee of $50.  But wait!  There's more!

When you register for The W Club, you get a $25 gift certificate for each membership that can be used for any purchase over $99.   (So your membership really only costs $25!)

And when you register, you get the option to purchase "Upgrade Dolls".   That's right!  From the very start you are given the opportunity to get new dolls!  For the past few years, there have been three different opportunities:  1 Fashion Royalty, 1 NuFace, and 1 Poppy Parker.  Two of my very favorite dolls in my collection were upgrades dolls:  Going Public Eugenia Frost and To The Fair Poppy Parker. When you register you can choose to buy any or all of these dolls.  If you purchase multiple memberships, you can purchase multiple upgrade dolls.  Registrants are required to pay a $25 deposit for each doll with their registration payment.  They are billed the remainder of the cost + shipping when the dolls are ready to ship.

Here are the Upgrade Dolls for 2021.  (All photos are property of Integrity Toys/IT)

First up, we have the Fashion Royalty Upgrade, Bijou Elyse Jolie.  

There was a lot of discontent last year because Elyse didn't show up at the convention.  Designer Jessy Ayala made up for that by bringing her to collectors as an upgrade.  Bijou Elyse Jolie is an interpretation of model Iman.  This is the first time Elyse has been produced in the A-Tone skin color.    She comes with some pretty cute accessories.

Her price is $140.  I really like the elegance of this version of Elyse.  In my opinion, the taste level of the ensemble is questionable.  Unless they lower the hem, my girl's gown will probably be sold on secondary market.  The doll, however, is breathtaking.  I knew I didn't want to take the chance of passing on this doll and then having to seek her out on secondary market after "in real life" photos started showing up when she was released.

The Nuface offering got me very excited!  This version is called Fit To Print Nadja Rhymes.  Nadja Rhymes has appeared in so many different skin tones!  This is her first time in Hungarian, and it is the first time "Cinnamon" has been used for a hair color.

A photo of her accessories.

Her price is also $140.  This purchase a "no-brainer".   Ever since Jessy Ayala started designing the NuFace line, my NuFace collection has tripled in size!  The Enchantress Nadja Rhymes from the 2020 IT Convention was my favorite doll of last year.  The "baby hair" is very on-trend right now.

The final doll is Pink Lemonade Poppy Parker.

This doll represents the pink haired companion doll to the 2019 Style Lab "Heads Up" doll with lemon yellow hair.   (She often sells upwards of $1000 when she can be found secondary market.)    I love the ensemble and the fact that she has high heel feet/ankles.  

Like her sister, she is in the Japan skin tone.  Her price is also $140.  Although I am a little concerned about the "nylon" hair, I need this ensemble in my life!

... So what are you waiting for?  You only have until March 8, at 5:00 p.m. EST to join.   I actually ordered all three dolls.  I'm rarely disappointed with W Club Exclusives.  Hope to see you in the forum!

Oops!  I guess it would help to have the website.  It's W Club Registration

As I explained in my last post, being a member of the W Club has many perks.  One of the best is the opportunity to purchase "made-to-order" exclusive dolls.   Unfortunately, due to shipping and scheduling, sometimes several dolls wind up arriving at the same time.  That was the case with Number 3, Number 4, and Number 5 dolls added to my collection in 2021.  When multiple dolls arrive simultaneously, it is very difficult to savor and enjoy each doll individually.   

I saved Undercover Angel Poppy Parker for last to review.  A lot of collectors passed on purchase of this doll because we've had several "green-eyed, blonde Poppy Parkers".  Some collectors said, "Looks A Plenty and Double Agent Poppy Parkers look just like her."  To me there was a big difference ... they were not Jill Monroe (Farrah Fawcett Majors).   They did not have the Hungarian skin tone; they did not have ash blonde hair in big curls.  Here is the original Integrity Toys Promotional Photo.

Here is Undercover Angel Poppy Parker in the box.

She was a mini-giftset.  She came with two pair of shoes, two sets of jewelry and red disco pantsuit.  Here is a closeup.

This is the promo photo of the accessories (property of Integrity Toys/IT).

The IT promo of the pantsuit.

I adore this version of Poppy Parker.  I love the Hungarian skin tone and this dolls just glows. 

Let's put her to the test:

1) Does this release rank in the top 3 versions of this mold/character?  I actually LOVE this version.  I own many Poppy Parker dolls and think Undercover Angel holds her own with any of them.  Not sure about Top 3, but definitely in the Top 10.

2) Would it be possible for this doll to make my Top 10 Countdown at the end of the year?  There's actually a good chance she might; I haven't gotten the chance to redress her, but I love her in the houndstooth jacket and jeans.

There's little doubt this is a beautiful and special doll.  I definitely see Undercover Angel Poppy Parker staying in my collection for a long time.

I have received comments from followers that they would like to see my collection and cabinets.  Unfortunately, I don't think anyone would be very impressed because I had been keeping my dolls, nude, in two bookcases. 

My dear sweet husband gave me a couple detolf cabinets for Valentine's Day.   He reasoned that the cabinets would help me organize my collection and get it under control.  Bless his heart!

So, I decided to start at the beginning.  

I pulled all of my older dolls out first.  It turns out I have 10 dolls from 2004 - 2005 that have been rebodied to taller bodies.   When possible, I decided to dress the dolls in their original ensembles.  (When a doll can no longer wear their original ensemble, I put them in an ensemble pre-2006.)

They all fit nicely on one shelf!  So Cabinet #1, Shelf #1 is finished:

Sheer Goddess Veronique Perrin (2004) in her original ensemble

Age of Opulence Isha Kalpana Narayanan (2005) in her original ensemble

Ginza Blonde Kyori Sato (2005) in her original gown

First, I need to point out that one of my very favorite NuFace dolls is Natural Wonder Rayna Ahmadi, which used the Hungarian skin tone with Dark Brown Hair and Brown Eyes.  Was Integrity Toys (IT) designer, Jessy Ayala, giving a nod to Rayna when he named his newest creation, Natural High Lilith Blair, Light Honey skin tone with Dark Brown Hair and Brown Eyes?  This Lilith has truly jumped straight to the head of the class in my NuFace collection and right up there with Rayna.

Natural High Lilith Blair is the sixth doll in the "IT Basics Collections" - there were two dolls in The East 59th Street line, two dolls in the Meteor line, and one Poppy Parker.   Natural High is the first NuFace to be offer as a "Basic" doll.   The "Basics" dolls are open editions and will probably continue to be produced until there is no interest in them.  Each "Basics" doll is sold directly to the public via a Google Form that collectors fill out on line.  There is no limit to how many of each version a collector can purchase.

Natural High Lilith Blair sold out in less than 3 minutes of the Google Form going live.   That's 2000 dolls in less than 3 minutes!   I was very fortunate to snag one for my collection.

What makes these dolls "Basic"?  The packaging is minimal and similar to the Style Lab dolls from an IT convention.  They come with plain, strappy shoes and simple jewelry.   Their clothing is less detailed and there are fewer accessories.  Their retail price is $99.  

I paid for my Lilith within minutes of being notified and she came early last week.  Here is a photo of her in her box.

Instead of a swimsuit like all the other Basics dolls released so far, Natural High Lilith comes with Yoga attire in a beautiful shade of bright pale blue.  

And a closeup.

Those brown eyes are amazing.  They remind me of two of my other favorite versions of this mold, Hard Metal Lilith Blair (Blue-eyed version from 2013) and Sweet Nothing Gretel Eden Blair (Green-eyed version from 2012).  

So how does she look out of the box?

Another closeup.

The proof of any doll in my collection is how she redresses.  How about just adding a little cardigan?

Let's try on some Hazelstreet jeans.

And something more fun ... A Rimdoll Dress with accessories by IT (Miss Behave Style Lab Accessory Pack).

Truly not so basic ...

Since I was able to fill up Shelf 1 with dolls pre-2006, I decided to see what I could do with dolls made with the original tall bodies (2006 - 2013).  These doll are still on those bodies because I like the clothing from that time period in Integrity Toys history.  I found it was easier to group dolls by years.  The second shelf of my cabinet will focus on Fashion Royalty dolls from 2006 - 2008 that are still on the original tall bodies.  I redressed several dolls because I was worried about staining from original ensembles or the they wore really big gowns.

Cabinet #1, Shelf #2

Back row:

I only have three dolls still living here from 2006 that are on original bodies.  They are:

Dressing The Part Agnes Von Weiss wearing her original ensemble.

Glow Vanessa Perrin (mold 1.0) wearing her original ensemble (eyes enhanced by Veronica Hage).

Sound Advice Veronique Perrin (OOAK named Ondine by Vin Trapini).  She is wearing the suit from Veronique Stylish Escape (2006).

I rounded out the back row with Gold Stroke Adele Makeda (2008) wearing Agnes Von Weiss's Festive Decadence (2009).

Second Row:

Fete Accompli Tatyana Alexandrova (2008) wearing her original ensemble.

High Drama Eugenia Frost (2007, edition size 180) wearing Criminally Chic Kyori's jacket (2007) with Sound Advice Veronique's skirt (2006).

Quicksilver Kyori Sato (2008) wearing Traveler By Nature Veronique's dress (2004)

Firefly Agnes Von Weiss (2008, edition size 300) wearing Riveting Premier Isha's dress (2005).

Front Row (These are four of my favorite IT dolls ever produced):

Paparazzi Bait Adele Makeda (2007) wearing Behind the Drama Agnes's gown (2008).

Shapeshifter Natalia Fatale (2008) wearing Dark Narcissus Kyori's dress (2007).

Fine Jewel Eugenia Perrin Frost (2008) wearing Business Class Anja's dress (2011)

The Royal Weiss Agnes Von Weiss (2007) wearing Jordan Duvall's Main Attitude (2012)

Back Row:

Dressing The Part Agnes Von Weiss (2006) Wearing Dressing The Part (2006) 

Glow Vanessa Perrin(2006) Wearing Glow (2006)

Sound Advice/Ondine Veronique Perrin (2006) Wearing Stylish Escape (2006)

Gold Stroke Adele Makeda (2008) Wearing Festive Decadence (2009)

Middle Row:   

Fete a Accompli Tatyana Alexandrova (2008) Wearing Fete A Accompli (2008)

High Drama Eugenia Perrin Frost (2007) Criminally Chic (2007)

Quick Silver Kyori Sato (2008) Wearing Traveler By Nature (2004)

Firefly Agnes Von Weiss (2008) Wearing Riveting Premier (2005)

Front Row:     

Paparazzi Bait Adele Makeda (2007) Wearing Behind The Drama (2008)

Shapeshifter Natalia Fatale (2008) Wearing Dark Narcissus (2007)

Fine Jewel Eugenia Perrin Frost (2008) Wearing  Business Class (2011)

The Royal Weiss Agnes Von Weiss  (2007)  Wearing Main Attitude (2012)

Agnes Von Weiss: 3

Vanessa Perrin: 1

Veronique Perrin: 1

Adele Makeda: 2

Tatyana Alexandrova: 1

Eugenia Frost: 2

Kyori Sato: 1

Natalia Fatale: 1

 Never has irony been more obvious with an Integrity Toys product than the name given this Rayna Ahmadi.   It has become an apparent joke among collectors regarding the coincidence that the factory worker who rooted this dolls' hair was "pretty reckless".  

It's safe to say that I am a BIG fan of the Rayna Ahmadi mold.  I own every version ever produced.   When Pretty Reckless was unveiled I knew I had to have her.  Imagine how fortunate I felt when I was able to purchase her at retail price!  

I was so looking forward to this amazing doll. Here is the promo photo from Integrity Toys.

Just look at that ensemble! And the doll is gorgeous.  Here is the IT closeup.

Unfortunately, the photographer for IT has been a little heavy handed with the filters and Photoshop aps lately.  This is the actual production doll.

Her hair is not the rich tone in the promo photo. It is truly platinum white; it's almost translucent. The eye makeup is much heavier.  It almost looks like its smudged.  She looks either hung over or like she's been on the losing end of a WWF wrestling match.

But the real problem is with the rooting of the hair.  Fortunately, the front of my doll's hair looks pretty good.  The right side is a mess.  You can see skipped stitches, crooked hairline, and the white painted scalp shows through the sparse rooting.  It's just not pretty at all.  From this angle, you also get an idea about the skin tone difference in the head and body, which IT now says is acceptable production deviation.

Here is the left side.  It is much better than the right.

I have seen much worse versions than mine.  Reluctantly I contacted Patient Care.  They gave me the directions for returning the head for a replacement.   I always hate the hassle of this.  You have to ship the head to Canada, send a copy of the receipt to Patient Care, and then wait for as much as 3 months for the replacement to arrive. More than a couple times, I have actually gotten a replacement that was worse than the original I mailed in.  It has been rumored that IT sometimes sends replacements from the "return" pile.  Add to this the pandemic, and I'm not sure I want to even put myself through these hoops.

When you pay upwards of $200 (which includes shipping) for a doll based on a promo photo, the production doll should be pretty close to what is advertised.  I think it's time, IT invested in better photo editing programs and tried to get the pictures as close to the production doll in hand as possible.

I am one disappointed collector in this purchase.  

You are probably wondering what happened to Cabinet 1 Shelves 3 and 4?  

When I started pulling my dolls to organize them, I wanted to keep them in order by year of production and then by body type.  I started with all the dolls pre-2006 that had replacement bodies to the Tall FR body.   There were enough to fill up an entire shelf (Cabinet 1, Shelf 1).  Organization, Cabinet 1, Shelf 1

The next shelf concentrated on dolls that were produced post-2005 that were still on the Tall FR bodies.  There were 12 dolls from 2006 - 2008 to fill Cabinet 1, Shelf 2).  Organization - Cabinet 1, Shelf 2

After completing Cabinet 1, Shelf 2, I realized that I had some pre-2006 dolls that still had not been put in the display cabinets.  The problem was that these dolls had all been put on FR2/FR6.0 bodies!   I knew I needed to figure out where to start displaying these dolls while leaving room on previous shelves for other dolls produced between 2006 - 2014 that were still on the Tall FR bodies.  Also, I have reserved the bottom shelf of Cabinet 1 for my dolls' wardrobe boxes.  

Cabinet #2, Shelf #3 - Back row:

Shock Bon Bon Vanessa Perrin (mold 1.0) from 2004.  She was put on one of the first released FR2 bodies because he skin tone is difficult to match.  Her original sweater still fits.  I added a Randall Craig skirt.

Bodacious Adele Makeda (mold 2.0) is from 2005.  She not only took the ensemble from Time and Again Adele (2015), she stole her body!  She was a difficult doll for which to find a body donor because there are some reddish hues to her skin tone; she cannot use the mass produced replacement bodies in the "Black" skin tone!

This brings me to my favorite dolls that have been put on FR2/FR6.0 bodies that were released prior to 2013.

Although she isn't a grail, Gold Glam Adele Makeda (mold 2.0) is from 2013 and was only produced in an edition size of 300.  Her replacement body was difficult to locate.  She is using Vivid Encounter Adele's body from 2014.  Her original dress looks great on the FR2/FR6.0 body!

Vanessa 1.0 - Two dolls

Luchia - One doll

Natalia - One doll

Korinne - One doll

Agnes - One doll

Adele 2.0 - Five dolls

Note:  Please forgive me for not including photos in this blog entry.  This was more of a soul searching ramble of words.

I have drafted this blog entry several times.  The past 18 months have been a very confusing time; it's hard to believe that the flu has caused such disruption in so many lives.  

Last year I was doing a great job keeping my collection balanced.  That is, I was doing a great job keeping my collection balanced until Covid19.   I was off to a great start in 2020, between January 1 and June 30, I sold 42 dolls!   

Our state went into "quarantine" in April.  Fortunately, I had completed enough reorganization to continue my sales through June.  Then my Covid19 puppy, Harleigh, came to live with us May 26.  She has become an amazing member of our family, but she needed a lot of attention during the adjustment period of those early months.

In July, our county went back to school; at least the teachers did, and we continued online instruction for the first few weeks.  Students came back the beginning of September.   Teachers had a whole new mess of problems:  students had to be socially distanced, surfaces had to be cleaned every time students changed class, teachers were quarantined after coming in contact with the virus, and everyone had to wear masks.   It was very stressful.  

Covid 19 meant business.  I lost a family member and a couple friends to it.  It's been a very scary time that has affected the entire world.  

For the first time, the post office no longer guaranteed services.  2-Day Priority Mail could take weeks to be delivered!  There were horror stories of buyers charging back to sellers successfully while receiving the doll weeks later, only to keep the merchandise and their money.   I was afraid to try to sell anything!  Instead, I have focused on organizing my collection into Detolf cabinets my husband purchased for me as Valentine's Day presents.  

Although I hadn't planned to do it, I retired on June 1, 2021.   I don't think it's hit me yet.  I have decided to take my collection into control this summer.  I've sold 19 dolls in two weeks!  

What am I doing with the "extra money".   Sadly, being sequestered at home leaves a whole lot of on-line shopping time.  I didn't get a ticket to the Integrity Toys Legendary Convention, so I spent more money that I had saved due to secondary market prices.  I have actually carried a credit card balance from October to now.   That's the first time I've had a credit card balance in years and was contrary to my retirement plans.  I rationalized, "I could catch the flu and die in a few weeks; I should buy what I want and enjoy my time at home." I doubt if I am alone in this thought process.

So, other than pre-order dolls, I am staying away from secondary market prices on dolls and am going to continue selling and hacking away at my credit card debt.  My goal is to have a 0 balance by July 31.   

Starting soon, I will be posting photos of the changes in my collection.  I hope you enjoy this journey with me.

I was going through all my records from this year and checking them against my blog.  If you haven't already done so, you need to keep records of your purchases (and sells).   Apparently, the latest Covid19 Relief Bill passed by Congress included some sneaky details that had nothing to do with the pandemic.  One of those details is that PayPal/E-bay must start issuing 1099 forms for all sales over $600 starting in 2022.   That's right gentle reader.  

Fortunately, I started keeping a spreadsheet of my collection in 2015.  I keep up with what I pay for a doll, taxes, and shipping.  I also keep up with doll sales with E-bay/PayPal fees, and shipping costs.   

My first resolve for organizing my collection this summer was that I wasn't going to buy any more dolls secondary market.  (That will probably change after the convention releases.)  As luck would have it, I finished my collection from the 2020 IT Legendary Convention this spring when prices settled down a little after the holidays.  Here is a quick look at those purchases.

#16 of 2021

Not Pretending Eden Blair

#17 of 2021

Fierce Zuri Okoty

#18 of 2021

Style Legacy Isabella Alves

#19 of 2021

Body of Work Isha Kalpana Narayanan

#20 of 2021

Celebration Aymeline

#21 of 2021

Lovely in Lilac Poppy Parker

#22 of 2021 

Black Tie Poppy Parker

It's hard to believe I accomplished this in the first few months of 2021.  (Unless you look at my credit card debt; then it is apparent how I did it!)   In addition to the last six Legendary Convention dolls added to my collection, I also picked up a couple other girls.

#24 of 2021

This doll rarely shows up on secondary market.   She is from the 2010 IFDC Convention collection, Curiouser & Curiouser Alice - Dynamite Girl Gavin.  Her edition size was only 300.  The ensemble is amazing in detail.

#27 of 2021

Colette Duranger (mold 1.0) is one of my favorite characters Integrity Toys has ever produced.  I initially passed on Lost Angel Colette Duranger because she has purple irises.  I've always considered adding her to my collection and getting her eyes repainted.  She recently turned up on secondary market at an excellent price.  She was "Mint in Box" with her complete ensemble.   I took the plunge, knowing that she would require a body change.  This is a photo of her redressed.

So ... I am almost caught up.  That completes my list of secondary market dolls purchased in 2021 (so far).   My Sales vs Added lists are actually balanced at this time: 27 in/27 out.  I realize I have several dolls on pre-order, so I need to get busy sorting.