Temperatures Below Freezing

It was a rough week here on the East Coast.  When Noelle, New Year New Look Ellowyne Wilde, arrived we were experiencing a warm front here in the south.  Temperatures plummeted yesterday, sending my girl running to the closet.

"Hey I'm a West Coast girl remember?   I have never felt so cold in my entire life!   You better have something warm in that closet!"

My other girls' ears perked up.  What?  Another diva in the house?

Noelle quickly found my stashed away fall purchase.

"We have these in California, but they are made from a different fabric.  We go surfing in them.  They are called wetsuits out west.  What is your name for them?"

The slang term is 'long johns'.

"Well they are nice and warm.  I think I'm ready to sit by the fire.   What do you mean, this is just the first layer?  I have a nice body.  I'm not ashamed of it."

"Alright … I like the skirt and vest.  I can see your point.  The additional socks over the drysuit are a little overkill, but it looks good.  I guess I can get used to this."

"I need to go check the mail.  What do I wear outside?"

What do you mean check the mail?  You shouldn't be getting mail.

"I just thought I would help out.  You look kinda old.  I'll just throw on this coat."

"This isn't so bad after all.   It even looks nice from behind."

"But what about my head … and I don't want to mess up my hair.  It's got a little detachable hood!"

"You know I will need additional pieces of clothing, right?  I am not going to wear this all winter."

I'm afraid I am going to go from Noelle to "No Money".

This ensemble is an early Wilde Imagination ensemble from 2009 called "Wrapped in Ennui".  The attention to detail and quality is phenomenal.  I recently purchased it from a new doll friend on the Ellowyne's Ennui message board named Julie in GA.

First "Purchased" Doll of 2015

The vast majority of my collection is 12 inch fashion dolls.  I have quite a bit of vintage Barbie, some play line, and a lot of Integrity Toys:  Fashion Royalty, Misaki, NuFace, Victoire Roux, and Poppy Parker.

Right after I started collecting Fashion Royalty dolls, a new girl came on the scene.  It was 2006, and Tonner launched its Wilde Imagination line featuring Ellowyne Wilde.  (Originally, she was named Gwendolyn - the actual name published in FDQ.  It turned out that the name Gwendolyn Wilde was a copyrighted name used for a children's book character.)  Although these dolls were 16", I immediately purchased one and an extra outfit.  Since that time, I have purchased a doll here or there that appeals to me.  Then lost interest as Integrity Toys launched several new lines.

Last year I was lured back to Ellowyne Wilde when I discovered some photos of the dolls with inset glass eyes.  I purchased a few older versions that I really liked and joined an online message board.  

Wilde Imagination just released their 2015 winter lineup.  Included in this lineup was a West Coast Exclusive that I immediately loved.  Had I relied on the promo photos from Wilde Imagination, I would never have purchased this doll.  This photo is the property of Wilde Imagination.

Fortunately, I had seen a picture on E-bay and knew there was much potential there.  Here is an actual photo of New Year, New Look NRFB.  This is a hairstyle I can really get on board with!

Another collector pointed out the way New Year, New Look’s hair had been rooted from behind.  My doll's hair also is very sparse with lots of bald spaces.  I believe it may have something to do with the hairstyle.   I took the liberty of taking a silk ribbon and tying my girl’s hair back into a loose ponytail.  I like the ringlets and was afraid they would wash out.  Here are profile shots showing the lovely attention to detail of the hairstyle.

I was so relieved to find that the stock hair ribbon had a snap.  It was easy to wrap it around my silk ribbon.  Here is the effect.  Voila!

I actually have fallen hard for this Ellowyne.  I don’t often get this excited about a doll.  Here she is out of her box.  The bodice of the blouse and the wristlets are lined in beige netting.  (I added the earrings.)  The boots are “to die for”.

I have named her Noelle.   I think she is remarkable!   (But I have a serious weakness for green-eyed blondes!)

First of 2015

I'm not exactly sure how to count this doll.  When she went on pre-order with the W Club, I think I rationalized myself out of ordering her.  It was at a time when I was experiencing production problems with several dolls that I had received.  She is similar to other Vanessa dolls that I already own.  Yadda Yadda Yadda.

When collectors started photographing her, I had "non-buyer's remorse".  Is there such a thing??

A friend had purchased multiples and willingly traded me head-for-head for High Visibility Agnes, with whom I wasn't bonding.  Unfortunately I do not have a NRFB photo or a photo of this doll in her original ensemble, but here is Edge Vanessa Perrin wearing Flawless Elise's little black dress.

I am very surprised that I like this doll as much as I do.   I used some clear plastic thread to tie her hair in place.  Had I owned Edge Vanessa when I was doing my 2014 Countdown, I may have listed Vanessa as Number 1.  She is quite lovely.

Since I traded a head for this doll that I already owned, I guess, at least according to my collection, it's a wash.

That would mean my first actual purchase of 2015 was an ensemble.  I have wanted Red Blooded Woman from 2004 for a very long time.  I decided to finally succumb to this outfit and probably paid too much for it.  Most Desired Eugenia is our model.  First, here is the complete ensemble.  (The original earrings were red studs, so I went with a more embellished FR paid.  The original shoes were plastic, so I used the red leather shoes from the Style Counsel gift set.)

Next, I wanted to show the ensemble without the fur.

And a closeup!