New Year … Same Song

I was so excited when I received Polarity Nadja.  Once I pulled her hair back, she just came to life for me.  I ordered a gown from Antonio Realli a few weeks ago.  I purchased it with Polarity in mind.  It arrived last week and I'm glad I waited to redress her.  She is divine in this gown.

I have since named this doll Cachet (ca-shay).  It's an unusual name and fits her personality.  She looks like she prefers the finer things in life.  I have decided to pull a wardrobe together just for her.  She is probably going to be a "staple" doll in my collection.  I really like her that much.  The only thing I would change is her lip color, but I can live with it as is for now.

When the NuFace line was originally promoted, the other doll that I was most excited about was Voltage Erin.  Here is the promo photo from Integrity Toys (IT).  My favorite hair color for a doll is strawberry blonde and they are few and far between.

When the first photos started showing up, it was obvious the production doll was very different from the promo by hairline and hair color.  I was very disappointed.  That disappointment was nothing compared to how poorly this doll is screened.

Look at how different her eyebrows are!  One eye has white under the iris, the other is set evenly.  I've never seen anything like it.   "Voltage" is the right name for her because it looks like she has been electrocuted.   At least it took my mind off her hair!  My 2nd doll of 2016 is a disaster - it appears quality control hasn't improved over last year.  I have already contacted patient care.  At $140, I am so disappointed!

"Anything You Can Do …"

First, I want to emphasize that I am not, in any way, inferring that my redressed dolls are "better" than the promotional Integrity Toys dolls.   The song I am referencing is more a song about playful competition and it's what I hum when I am trying to convince myself that I do not need to purchase another doll.

For those less familiar with Integrity Toys, there is a special "members only" W Club which affords many benefits to its members.  I will outline what I consider the most important features.

1.  You are on the "first to know" list.  Before dolls are advertised by dealers, W Club members get an exclusive preview.   This usually allows a member the chance to contact dealers first to place orders.  W Club members are also the first to know about convention registration.

2.  There are several "exclusive" dolls each year only offered to W Club members.  Additional purchase opportunities are offered through multiple lotteries.  Some of my very favorite dolls have been purchased this way.

3.  There is a wonderful private message forum just for W Club members.  Members share photos, reviews, custom clothing, etc.  It's a great way to get ideas for your own collection.  There is also a marketplace thread to buy and sell dolls for your collection.

4.  Any dolls not sold at the IT Convention are offered to W Club members first.  In the past,  this has been done both through a lottery and a "first come" basis.

The membership window has been open for a few weeks now, but the deadline is this Tuesday, February 16, at 9:00 p.m. EST.

There is a full-color online brochure that can be downloaded through this link:

http://www.integritytoys.com/wclubforum/2016club.pdf

Or you can access the you-tube video here:

https://youtu.be/emk4Rd9gjuE

The cost to join is only $50.   I have been a member of the W Club since it started in 2005.  Because IT dolls make up the bulk of my personal collection, I cannot imagine not joining.  Like most members, I own multiple memberships.  I have one for my husband in case we get to attend the convention.  It also increases a member's chances of winning a lottery to have more than one membership.

Every year, the W Club offers "upgrade" dolls to add to your membership.  You pay a $25 deposit for each upgrade doll and the remainder when the doll is ready to ship.  (Photos of upgrade dolls are the property of Integrity Toys.)

There are three upgrade possibilities this year.  The first is Take Me On Vanessa Perrin (mold 3.0):  Cost $130.

When considering the purchase of a new doll, I now ask myself some specific questions.  Do I already own a version of this mold with similar hair/makeup/skin tone?  Do I really prefer the newer version?  Do I own any clothing that could produce a similar redress effect?

The 2014 W Club Upgrade Doll, Fashion Explorer, is also brunette.  Even though I like Take Me On's face up better, Fashion Explorer is a beautiful doll.  I redressed her in Tatyana's Fete Accompli ensemble and saved myself $130.   (The Sound Advice Navy skirt also fits!  Which is very similar to skirt shown.)

The second upgrade doll is for all those Poppy Parker Fans. She is called Ma Petit Fleur:  Cost $120.  Apparently this doll is a version of Bridget Bardot.

One of my favorite Poppy girls is I Love How You Love Me.  Throw on a Barbie repro dress and voila!  $120 gets to stay in my bank account.

The final doll was a NuFace doll using the Imogen mold.  Her name is Be Daring:  Cost $120.  This ensemble continues the Balmain designs from the 2015 NuFace line.

Imogen is a favorite NuFace mold of mine, with Fame by Frame being one of my very favorite dolls in my collection (eye correction by Veronica Hage).   Even though Fame by Frame also uses a tan skin tone, Be Daring uses the Hungarian skin tone version which has never been used on a NuFace doll before.  The best I could do to duplicate the ensemble was Natalia's Femme Du Monde pantsuit.

I felt like Be Daring was different enough to justify her cost.  I do not have an Imogen similar, so I did upgrade my membership with Imogen.  I purchased two membership + one upgrade (Be Daring).

How did everyone else fare?