Best of 2014 - Number 5

My very favorite dolls molds were so well represented this year.    I do have more of one mold, though, than any other.   So the rest of my "Best of 2014" list will be given to characters, with my favorite version featured on my list.

The character today would have fared higher on my "Best of 2014" list had I not experienced so many problems with her issues this year.

The last W Club doll from 2013 was Touch of Frost Eugenia.  She arrived in late spring of 2014.   This edition slipped right through Quality Control with more eye issues than any IT product in recent memory.   I had to send mine to a friend who is a repaint artist to have her pupils corrected.  With the enhancement, she is perfect.

When Integrity Toys revealed their mainline collection, I knew City Prowl Eugenia was easily my favorite.  Those who have been following my blog, know that I had to return the first doll for a replacement, then the replacement had screening problems.  In fear that I would never get a good replacement, I even purchased an additional doll on secondary market.   When the third head arrived, I was so relieved.

Although I don't care for the sheer skirt, I love everything about this doll.  She has more of a scowl than some of the more recent Eugenia versions.

The third version of Eugenia was Cold Shoulder.  She part of the Gloss Convention Collection.  (I have to admit that I was surprised that she didn't show up on a table this year!)   I still haven't released mine from her box yet.  She will be the subject of a future blog, but here is a closeup.  She has a facial screening very similar to Fine Jewel while her coloring is similar to Most Desired.  Both of these dolls are "grails" for many collectors which has made Cold Shoulder very popular.   (I truly like this doll quite a bit and love the highlight and lowlight tones used in her hair! that is a very nice symmetry to her.)

Eugenia Perrin Frost is my Number 5 doll of 2014.   From the three offerings this year, my favorite would have to be ...

Best of 2014
Number 5
City Prowl Eugenia

Brown-Eyed Girls

I keep hearing the Van Morrison song today.  It's hard to get it out of your head!  

I guess the saying,"the third time's a charm", applied to my City Prowl Eugenia.  The second replacement came this week.   I was so pleasantly surprised when I opened the box from Asia.

I was very frustrated that it took several months to finally get a doll without flaws when I paid for her last spring.   It was fortunate that she was worth the wait.

I really do love this Eugenia.  I like the thinner eyebrows and neutral palette with dark liner.   I think she is actually one of the better screenings produced; she looks a little upset about something (probably that it took three heads to get a complete doll!).  I bet City Prowl will redress beautifully, but, for now, I am going to enjoy her in her original ensemble.

Also arriving last week was the first Gloss Convention doll that I purchased secondary market.  She was the table centerpiece at the Thursday night welcome dinner.  Her name is Sheer Sensuality Vanessa Perrin.

She is mold 1.0 (a personal favorite) and was limited to 350 dolls.  Attendees numbers were drawn to determine who could purchase her.

At my house, the dolls don't usually stand around in gowns.  The moment I purchased this doll, I had a specific ensemble in mind.

I so love Sheer Sensuality.   I don't have a Vanessa with this hair color or style.  Another beautiful brown-eyed girl!

Getting Discouraged ...

2014 has not been a good year for Integrity Toys at my house.   More Integrity dolls have left than have arrived.  Those that have arrived have been more a let down.

I have really enjoyed the dolls I have gotten from the ITBE line - Shimmering Copper Luchia/Isha, Second Skin Vanessa, Night Strike Monogram, and Gold Glam Adele.  For the price, they are a joy to redress.

The mainline FR2 dolls this year, with the exception of Montaigne Market Elise, have been a big disappointment.   Touch of Frost Eugenia had to take a trip to the spa to have her eyes corrected.  Although I received one of the better Fashion Explorer Vanessa dolls, her hair line is a little high on her "five head" and her screening makes her look like she is scowling.

When my City Prowl Eugenia arrived, you can't imagine how I felt when I opened her box to find that she had escaped her ribbon ties and was all messed up - one lash was barely hanging on.  Here is a photo.

I contacted the dealer and Integrity sent me a replacement immediately.  It arrived recently and was quite an improvement … until closer inspection.

Here is a photo of the doll in the the box.

And a close up.  (EDIT:  In response to comments:  You can see that the eyeliner on the right eye is missing from the corner of the eye up to the tip of the eyeliner which is magically there.  There is actually a gap in the eyeliner.  Patient Care has been contacted.  I guess we are on to City Prowl #3.)

Here are the accessories:

I'm not sure what Integrity is doing with these dolls' eyes now, but I am finding it more and more difficult to get good closeup photos.  The eyes are too shiny.   I usually have to do some photoshop magic to get a clear photo.

In the case of City Prowl Engenia, I actually had to take her outside.

This doll has a reputation for having mold under her corset (which is a knock off of an earlier Dania ensemble).  I took the corset off and there was some white on the underside.  There was also white powder on her skirt and legs.  Speaking of skirt … what's up with this???  There is no lining.  It just looks wrong.  Who's minding the store at Integrity Toys?

Her eyelashes weren't applied correctly, so one eye is more closed than the other.   The hair was messy.  The skirt looks unfinished.  The white accented jewelry doesn't seem to go with the ensemble unless you include the white powder all over the skirt, corset, and legs.  I'm just not so sure about this doll.  For my money, Diamond Society (with whom City Prowl is being compared by collectors) is a much nicer doll.

I guess I'm being so picky because this was the "replacement" doll.  If I owned a business and someone received a damaged item, I would make sure the replacement was excellent.  I don't like messy hair or eyes that are off.   I'm torn between putting her in the box and selling her or trying to fix her hair and redressing her.

Today, "Exploding Agnes" arrived.  This is the nickname given High Visibility Agnes.  Without informing collectors, Agnes and all future FR2 dolls have a body where all the limbs are removable.  Supposedly this is to help with redressing our dolls.  Had I known this was going to happen, I don't believe I would've purchased these dolls.  I still prefer the tall FR body, so the enhancement just makes me even more reluctant to continue collecting Integrity dolls.

Here is High Visibility Agnes still in her box.

Again, the eyelashes are all cattywompus.  The only good photo I could get was a profile shot.  That hair is just wrong!   You can see her white painted scalp in several places.  The lipstick isn't even on the mold lines.

I'm just not happy with the direction Integrity Toys is headed.  I have been fortunate to secure most of my favorite dolls from the earlier years of Integrity for my collection.  They won't be going anywhere soon.   I have enough of them to enjoy.  Unfortunately, the shoes and clothing from the FR2 won't fit these dolls, so there may be no need for me to purchase future dolls released on this body.  So sad!  I really loved Fashion Royalty.  It's seeming more and more a fading memory.

(Please know this post reflects my personal opinions and reviews of the dolls shown.  The photos are property of this blog and are original.  I do not mean to offend anyone, but I am just becoming very discouraged by a manufacturer whom I gave very strong support for many years.  I have been able to capture wonderful photos of dolls in my collection but something is just off with the current production of Integrity dolls; I apologize that the photos are not very good.)