"It's Rayna Dolls … hallelujah!"

To the tune of "It's Raining Men".  

I was disappointed that I wasn't drawn in the lottery to purchase the recent ITBE Fine Jewel Rayna.  I'm a fan of that mold and knew that the A-Tone version would be very popular.  Her prices NRFB on secondary market are triple her original retail price.  I just refuse to give someone that much of my hard earned money.  I don't like buying from speculators - I believe they are parasites preying on the collecting community.  (Was that too harsh?)

As a "seasoned" collector I know that patience is a virtue.  A collector recently offered this doll nude for a good price, so I grabbed her up.

I don't mind not having the dress.  The seller included the panties, original box, stand, and even the shoes.  I was very happy!  Her hair was a little greasy feeling, so I washed it out.   For some reason, she looks like a "label collecting girl", so Fine Jewel Rayna is wearing a Burberry style dress from Clear Lan.

I like buying dolls that are nude or have been displayed/redressed and loved.  There's no worry about devaluing them.  (I guess that may be why I don't like buying a new car.  When you drive it off the lot, it loses value!)  I have a couple dolls NRFB that I just cannot bring myself to take out because they are worth so much.    That is one of the reasons, I sold my NRFB High Toned Rayna last year.   I couldn't justify taking her out and redoing her hair when she was worth so much on secondary market.

I had seen someone on flickr post photos of a High Toned Rayna that was amazing.  You cannot imagine my excitement when this doll was listed on e-bay, BIN with free shipping.  The price was less than for what I sold mine.   She was complete, and her hair is perfection.  This High Toned Rayna has been very well cared for and just needed a new home.  I couldn't click that BIN fast enough.

This restyled doll is everything I wanted in a High Toned Rayna.  She is also wearing a Clear Lan fashion.

So, here at my house this week, "It's Rayna Dolls … hallelujah!"

Summer Vacation Day 14

With the IFDC going on in Las Vegas this weekend, I looked back over my collection to see which IFDC dolls live here.   Three posts ago, I spotlighted my favorite IFDC from last year, Bloodlines Tatyana.  To my surprise, I have spotlighted Day 57: Diamond Dusted Veronique/2004, Day 19: Born To Gamble Kyori/2005, Day 49: Dress Me Luchia/2007, Day 42: Go West Natalia/2011, and Day 56: Shake It Up Korrine/2012.   In addition, I have Long Cool Woman Kesenia/2012 on a NuFace body.  I also have two IFDC still NRFB:  Go Home Rayna/2011 and Checkmate - The Red Queen Tatyana/2010.    That makes ten IFDC exclusive dolls living here, including the subject of today's spotlight, Rock Me Baby Rayna.

Rock Me Baby Rayna is wearing a blouse and slacks created by Clear Lan.  I have broken my rule about only featuring FR dolls again.  Rock Me Baby Rayna was released on a Brides of Dracula body. It just didn't suit her at all.  I tried her on a NuFace body, a regular FR body, and a FR2 body.  As you can see the FR2 body suits this doll!

There have only been three issues of Rayna, and all three have been convention exclusives.   Go Home Rayna (a modern fashion interpretation of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz) is a serious collector favorite and often fetches $400+ on the secondary market.   She is a NuFace doll.

I recently sold my 2011 High Toned Rayna from the 2011 Jet Set Covention.  She was the first Rayna issued and had a tan skin tone.  The photos of her on secondary market are amazing where collectors have taken her hair down and relaxed it, but there was something about her face up that bothered me.

Rock Me Baby Rayna is probably my favorite of the three.  She loves the camera!