Alyrenee's Copious Spare Time

  It is that time of year again...to join the W Club.  I will definitely be getting a membership.  In previous years, I had gotten more than one but since they got rid of the coupon, I don't see the need.  Club membership gets you access to several made to order dolls and then right to buy lottery opportunities for others. Club members also get first access to new doll lines dropping so that they can potentially secure preorders before the general public.  Onto the upgrade dolls: I am WIDELY UNDERWHELMED by the upgrade dolls. Not just one, but all three of the dolls are color variations. And variations that possibly no one wanted. I don't even have words really. Just meh.  The only thing giving me hope is that Poppy will be mod again. That will be great. I am hoping that the Poppy "rewind" moment that David mentioned is a companion piece for the Alien Poppy or Black/White Poppy from Stay Tuned...or a friend sculpt for the Palm Springs line.    You...

  The 2023 Club year was a bit of a sloppy drunk.  Let's call her Sheila. Sheila is generally good fun, but occasionally she takes FOREVER, says the wrong thing, over-serves herself, and then spends a lot of time apologizing. Get a hold of yourself, Sheila! Here is a photo showing what I ordered from this year (though it is missing the Wildflower Misaki doll which I did order. This is easily the least amount of stuff I have ordered in a club year. I really liked all of the True Industry line up but was trying to be good. I already have versions that I love of all of those characters and don't want to repeat sculpts with them. I did not have a Jasper or an Auden though and I liked them both enough to enter in the lottery. I got Auden but not Jasper sadly (hoping I will find a takeover later). At the slightly reduced club pricing, the sticker shock of the new high prices was not as bad for what is basically the same Dynamite Girls dolls we used to get for like $60 back in t...

Yeah, so it has been a while.  Honestly 2023 was a weird one.  I had a lot going on with the job and the life.  I ended up getting a new professor job at UW-Madison and moved to Wisconsin in August.  I also bought a house!  So about 4 months were spent packing and unpacking and the rest was spent stressing out, painting rooms, about making so many changes.   I purged a few dolls in the process.  Though I am also currently MISSING two pricey Hot Toys action figures (The first Avengers Hawkeye and the Infinity War Captain America).  I keep hoping that I just shoved them in a weird place in the attic or basement or something (Its a big old four square style house in a super cute Wisconsin small town...very Barbie Millicent Rogers hometown origin story house).  In a true mark of obsessive collector insanity, I went ahead and re-bought Captain America via eBay.  I found the exact same figure for about $150 LESS than what I paid for him ...

  So...yeah. While the doll is cute...and I love dark a-tone and the afro puffs...hell to the no on paying $175 for this fashion fever outfit at this price point. This is bland and BASIC. Mint fur on a tired faux Chanel boucle suit. We have had three Chanel looks in the last year between 2020 Not Pretending Eden and the Little Day Ensemble Veronique. Both of those were infinitely more inspired than this offering. I am just at a loss really.  How is East 59th priced at $160 and coming with accessories and all sort of details and we get $175 for a shirt without buttons? Nope. I have to draw a line in the sand. I am dreading what is coming for the W Club upgrade dolls.  Be as sassy as you want girlfriend...but that outfit is a no. Item # 82150 The NU. Classic Lilith Blair ™  Dressed Doll The NU. Face ™  Collection 2021  W   Club  Exclusive Doll Edition Size: To Be Determined Expected Ship Date: Late Summer/Early Fall 2022 Retail Price: $175.00 (Only...

  Well another gorgeous set of dolls from designer Christ Stoeckel. He and Mark Tinkey are definitely favs at the moment. The clothing here is lovely and highly detailed. We are getting two new characters which seem to be using some older sculpts.  I like them and I don't mind some stylization...but they do seem a touch out of step with the screening on Evelyn which seems more realistic.  I tried for Cora in the lottery and lost out.  I am hoping to jump on the wait list and maybe get lucky though. I am a big Mugler fan and this fashion on Cora is definitely a reference to a Mugler look as well as to Jerry Hall's locks (also a Mugler model). I missed out on preordering the rest of the ladies from the dealers.  I would really like to get Evelyn's outfit at some point.  I will be patient. Item # 73047 Arctic Moon Coralynn "Cora" Kwan™ Dressed Doll The East 59th® Collection  Limited Edition: 750 Dolls Expected Ship Date: Summer 2022 Suggested Retail Pricing:...

  For real y'all...these prices are ridiculous. I really cannot afford to buy dolls that I don't 100% love anymore.  I really feel like a sucker for buying this...but I desperately love the outfit...not all together but I want the pieces. I hate that bag and will be selling it. I have really failed to connect with the bulk of Jessy's design choices for most of this year. While all these pieces are interesting...would a little coherency kill them? These girls are looking like thy got dressed in the dark lately. Le sigh. Well who's the sucker? I still ordered her. I have not decided on keeping the doll yet. I do love Elyse and I do not have one like her currently but will wait to see her in person. Hmmm, I wonder if those gloves are the same mint shade as the purse from Violane A Fashionable Life set? That would be a nice bonus! Item # 91509 Glamour Coated Elyse Jolie ™   Dressed Doll The Fashion Royalty ®  Collection: Maison FR Edition Size: 1500 Expected Ship Date: ...