Alyrenee's Copious Spare Time

We are half way through Dolly Days. There was a special sale which started on Tuesday for W Club Members and is now open for all non-club members. While the timing of this sale is similar to other years, for some reason, this one feels particularly late and painful for my wallet.  I think this is mostly due to the fact that mainline collections may or may not be dropping this week which would mean paying for deposits and/or full amounts in order to secure the dolls that you want. Plus we have two club doll deposits (Eden and the new Ginger/Poppy set).  Meanwhile...Christmas is all like... Are you forgetting something? So yeah, clearly I should be spending money on my family and not on myself...or at least not ALL on myself.  So I am trying to be really REALLY restrained which is so so hard and so so NOT FUN. So it is with this restraint that I bought a cream Poppy body (planning to try it on the recent Yellow hair Poppy) and I also picked up two Color Infusion ...

Well. 2016 was not my favorite year. A lot of that was politics related. I finished my first year of my new job (which is great) but we are still not wild about Charlotte or the state of North Carolina. As is often the case when one is not completely happy, one compensates in other ways. To say that I indulged in plastic divas this year would be an understatement...I like to think it was no worse than previous years, but I know that is not the case.  However, I did purge at least a quarter of my collection before we moved here in the fall of 2015.  I then sold a good chunk of my Tonner collection too. I have a spreadsheet listing all my doll holdings and the number is relatively steady with outgoing dolls matching incoming for the most part. Of course, based on my financial realities, I should have sold everything and cut up my credit cards.  Best of intentions right? Maybe I will be better (stronger) in 2017? It could happen. Stop judging me. Here's What Was Good... ...

So it's been more than two weeks now, and still no tracking number for my pre-ordered convention collection and style lab from Integrity. The waiting is brutal. I know that this is a possibility when I pre-order to be shipped to my home after the con; however, the discount combined with not having to deal with the hassle of shipping things home is normally worth it.  I try not to be a complainer...but this is getting to be a little ridiculous.  I mean how hard is it to send an email saying..."hey girl, we know you want your dolls...but keep your pants on...we got a delay". Ugh. I had to pour a tumbler of three buck chuck just to write this post. So in the absence of my new dolls, I impulse purchased the Coven Marie Laveau doll after seeing some promising IRL photos on Flickr. She looks pretty nice. It seems that I am going to cave and get some more of the other dolls too.  I already have a deal for a split on Madison...but I might need a second one so I can have a Ch...

Unlike previous years, it seems the ladies were way more popular than the gents.  I still don't have mine in hand yet but I have a few ideas about who will be staying and who will be going. I picked up Jaeme and the Poison outfit at convention because I was so wild about them and wanted to be sure I got a good one. The dolls did not come with stands this year.  Not a problem for me since I use kaiser stands normally. Overall I think the fashions were pretty great. The women's looks especially.  I was sad to see no Asian sculpts and I was also really hoping for a dark AA woman with flocked hair a la model Alex Wek. Le sigh. Item # 85107 Monroe Jillian™ Nude Doll  Wearing... Item # 85120 Pure Love (Fashion Only) Love the Versace outfit.  So very cool.  I adore that they did a matching guy outfit too. Item # 85108 Dree Hill™ Nude Doll Wearing... Crazy Sexy Cool (Fashion Only)   Love the sneakers and the little cropp...

I have been a busy beaver this summer so far. While sewing some of my favorite cartoon outfits for my dolls, I just made a couple of extras of each one to sell.  I have quite a few in the pipeline in addition to the ones I have already listed on my new etsy store . Gimme Gimme Gimme~Smashin' fashion Only the Beginning~On Stage Fashion Accessory Pack Let's Rock This Town ~Flipside Fashion Flash & Sizzle Jem Let the Music Play~Smashin Fashion

Well it has NOT been a season of restraint for me.  While I managed to resist the recent Tonner sale, it was less about will power and more about all my doll funds going to Integrity . I picked up Jaeme Costas and Sterling Riese to be pals for Katy Keene.  They look fabulous and I am very pleased with the trio.  Jaeme is still available from Integrity last I checked...she is gorgeous.

Well, it is not fun being at home.  I had a whole year without a doll convention...and now I am in a new city without a doll club as well.  Basically I have no one around me who understands my 'crazy'.  Le sigh.  I really want to go next year if only to be among my people.  Here is hoping the location and my teaching schedule will let that happen.  If not, I may just get a proxy again.  Then I won't have to deal with the stress of getting stuff. Looking back on the offerings and news from the last few dolls, here are the things that excite me the most! Director's Cut Ace McFly: I am loving this one.  The outfit is amazing.  I think it would be awesome to pose Ace in this and a raven hair doll in and variation of the Wild One outfit but with a black t-shirt and white jeans...TWINSIES! They could be dates for Lilith and Eden.  I am trying to get my hands on this one via ebay, the forums, or a trade.  Moving onto the Style L...

Nigel North as Marlon Brando is the standout here.  He looks amazing. I kind of want the outfit so that I can make a custom Zipper for my Misfits. I also love Callum...love the Elvis thing with him. No Asian sculpt this year!  Crazy-ness. I am really glad I held onto the guy from last year. I will definitely keep some of these for Katy Keene.  I love the Lavender Lady look on Rebel Desire.  I will likely keep the gold gown too and maybe one of the black or the lovely brown gown with the nifty midriff modeled off a Lauren Bacall dress.  I think it's great they made several of the dresses into body suits and skirts.  It adds more versatility.  There is some great jewelry and footwear in this group too.  Glad I got these.  Now to hunt down the Wild One leather outfit and the James Dean Tropical Sunrise fashion.

So thanks to the magic of Flickr...We have already seen the bulk of the convention collection.  So far, nothing is making me weep with sadness that I won't have it. What a relief!  I mean SURE I would love to have some of them, but nothing is killing me.  The Agnes gift set is very cool with the lingerie and the Dietrich suit  but I prefer my Agnes more modern and less retro.   Giselle with the short hair is cute but I am not into the suit.  It is too much like the awesome tuxedo jumpsuit from last year's Elise centerpiece.  I swear I recognize Star Power Vanessa's dress from a film...but I have not been able to figure it out.  I think it is in one of my costume books at work. Currently I am most interested in the In Rouges Erin and the  Workshop Lilith .  I like the hair and the pleated skirt is adorable. Lash out Poppy Workshop doll is also gorgeous with the platinum hair and the green eye shadow. I do love that Agnes.  I am...

Current Doll Count: 38 Fashion Only Count: 13 Other: (3) High Frequency Kumi ITBE Cocktail Party LE215 Heart Stopper Natalia 1.0 Mold ITBE Cocktail Party LE215 Reigning Grace Eugenia-W Club Upgrade Doll Souvenirs: (4/1) On Set Blue Retro gown LE600 Out of Sight Nadja R. LE600 Paper Doll Poppy Parker LE600 Sneak Peak Eden LE600 Making an Entrance Carolin Stone (Nu face) LE600 Centerpieces: (4) Time and Again Adele Makeda  LE450 Love and Let Love Poppy Parker LE450 Stage Presence Veronique Perrin LE450 Starlet Elise Jolie Convention Collection: (7) LE 600 each Beautiful People Chip Farnsworth III In Rouges Erin Salston Inner Spark Natalia Fatale Feminine Perspective Agnes Von Weiss Giftset Perfectly Suited Giselle Diefendorf Sparkle, Poppy Sparkle! Poppy Parker Star Power Vanessa Perrin Workshop Dolls: (3) LE 450 each Director's Cut Ace Mcfly Up All Night Lilith Lash Out Poppy Parker IT Direct Salesroom (ticket to purchase): ...