Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Almost like me / Prawie taka jak ja
W przeciwieństwie do mojego życia prywatnego, mam ostatnio szczęście na eBayu. To już drugi czy trzeci raz w ciągu ostatnich kilku dni, kiedy udało mi się upolować jakiś "skarbek" za bardzo przyjazną cenę. Jednym z takich trafów jest Kayla Secret Spells, lalka dość rzadka, wyróżniająca się i kontrowersyjna. Bardzo chciałam ją mieć, odkąd zobaczyłam jej zdjęcia w internecie, a kiedy w maju na lalkowym spotkaniu miałam okazję pomacać ją na żywo, wiedziałam już, że muszę ją mieć, ale zawsze wypadało coś ważniejszego. Nie będę rozwodzić się ze szczegółami nad Kaylą i całą tą serią lalek, jako że Rudy Królik tutaj zrobiła to doskonale. Dodam jeszcze tylko parę słów o kontrowersjach. Kiedy Trio Secret Spells (przez niektórych zwane żartobliwie "winylowym kowenem") pojawiło się na sklepowych półkach, spotkało się z dwoma zasadniczymi rodzajami reakcji. Wiccanie (i inni poganie), którym brakowało poczucia humoru oraz chrześcijańscy fundamentaliści, zasypali Mattel protestami, jak to źle te lalki oddziałują na wicca / chrześcijaństwo (wg pierwszych: spłycają i ośmieszają "czarostwo", magię i ich wiarę / wg drugich: propagują okultyzm, satanizm i pogaństwo, by opętać umysły małych dziewczynek i odciągnąć je od kościoła - prawie jak sekta toruńska ^^). Druga reakcja, wiccan (i innych pogan) oraz chrześcijan, posiadających zdrowe umysły i psychikę, poczucie humoru i dystans do własnej osoby, była pełna zachwytów. Cóż, to po prostu jedna z tych lalek, które się albo kocha, albo nienawidzi, tertium non datur. Kiedy połączone siły spiętych wiccan i fundamentalistycznych chrześcijan doprowadziły w końcu do wycofania lalek Secret Spells ze sklepów, kolekcjonerzy (wszelkich możliwych wyznań ^^), którzy mieli szczęście nabyć je wcześniej, zatarli łapki z radości i zaczęli wystawiać swoje lalki na eBay po bardzo nie playline'owych cenach. Po dodaniu kosztów przesyłki do Europy, można by za to spokojnie kupić dwie inne lalki.
So you can imagine my joy when I saw an auction listed as "some red hair princess" (I love it, when the sellers have no idea what are they selling ^^) starting at a very low price (and extra: with a very low international shipping fee as well). OK, the doll was deboxed and redressed but hey, I would recognize that face everywhere. I usually buy on eBay to get a perfect, NRFB doll, but I wasn't going to complain on that and let her go. I don't need the box anyway, if I can live without a fake potion, green scepter and bowl, then my doll also can, her original dress (the coat) is very nice but not appealing to me enough to spend some 40-45$ extra on it. And most probably thanks to the lack of correct description of the doll, I was the only bidder! ^^
Możecie więc wyobrazić sobie moją radość, kiedy zobaczyłam aukcję opisaną jako "jakaś ruda księżniczka" (uwielbiam, kiedy sprzedający nie wiedzą, co właściwie sprzedają ^^), zaczynającą się od bardzo niskiej sumy (i co więcej, z wyjątkowo niską opłatą za przesyłkę międzynarodową). Dobra, lalka była rozpakowana i przebrana, ale tę twarz rozpoznałabym wszędzie. Zwykle na eBayu kupuję lalki "doskonałe", nigdy nie wyjmowane z pudełka, ale nie zamierzałam narzekać, ani przegapić tej lalki. Pudełka w zasadzie i tak nie potrzebuję, jeśli ja mogę żyć bez oranżadkowej mikstury, zielonej różdżki i miski, to moja lalka też może, jej oryginalny strój (zielony płaszcz) co prawda bardzo mi się podoba, ale nie tak bardzo, żebym chciała za niego dopłacić dodatkowe 40-45$. No, a najprawdopodobniej przez kiepski opis lalki, byłam jedyną licytującą! ^^
After a few days she arrived. More amazing than I expected her to be. Just for the beginning she jumped into the only outfit I had at hand: a late FA sports set.
Po kilku dniach przybyła, bardziej zachwycająca, niż się spodziewałam. Tylko na początek wskoczyła w pierwszy strój, jaki miałam pod reką: zestawik sportowy późnego FA.
Look at her face. As Królik and I were talking, there is something magical about her. She tends to hypnotize a watching person, one can't stop staring at her, peeping at her, photographing her...
Spójrzcie tylko na jej twarz. Jak z Królikiem doszłyśmy do wniosku, w niej jest coś magicznego. Bestyjka jakby starała się hipnotyzować obserwującą osobę, trudno oderwać od niej wzrok, przestać zerkać, przestać fotografować...
Why is she almost like me not "like me" as Królik writes about her feelings towards her Kayla? Well, I'm not a redhead ^^. But it's easier to change hair color than one's belief, so more important is that I'm not a Wiccan, although I do respect it. And I do feel some kind of closeness and bonds with Wicca and Wiccans, as we share some common ideas and experiences, a common "root" of European pagan tradition. And that is why this doll is almost as important to me as it is to Królik ;). A kind of, sort of "soul mate" anyway, you know?
So, what kind of doll would be exactly like me? I haven't found such yet, looks like I'm gonna need to make an OOAK ^^. She could be a mixture of Kayla SS and the Valkyrie from my last post, plus: black hair, black cat, medieval Slavic dress , mjollnir on her neck and an album on Native Americans' cultures in hand ^^. And, yeah, that would be it ;). It looks like I talk too much about religion lately... I tend to do so, when I don't feel well and something is bothering me. I'll try to avoid it from the next post, promise ;).
Dlaczego jest prawie jak ja, a nie "taka jak ja", jak Królik pisze o swojej Kayli? Cóż, nie jestem ruda ^^. Ale łatwiej jest zmienić kolor włosów niż wiarę, dlatego ważniejsze jest, że nie jestem wiccanką, chociaż bardzo szanuję tę drogę. I odczuwam pewną bliskość i pewne więzy łączące z wicca i wiccanami, jako że pewien zasób idei oraz doświadczeń mamy podobny, mamy też rodzaj wspólnego "korzenia" europejskiej tradycji pogańskiej. I dlatego właśnie ta lalka jest dla mnie niemal tak ważna, jak dla Królisi. ;). Jest rodzajem winylowej "bratniej duszy" mimo wszystko ;).
A jaka lalka byłaby dokładnie taka jak ja? Jeszcze takiej nie znalazłam, wygląda na to, że będę musiała sobie wyprodukować OOAK ^^. Mogłaby być mieszanką Kayli SS i Walkirii z poprzedniej notki, z dodanymi czarnymi włosami, czarnym kotem, średniowiecznym strojem słowiańskim, mjollnirem na szyi i albumem o kulturach Tubylczych Amerykanów w ręce ^^. No i to byłoby mniej więcej to ;). Coś za dużo ostatnio mówię o religii... Zwykle się tak dzieje, kiedy jest mi źle i coś mnie dręczy. Postaram się tego unikać od następnej noty, obiecuję ;).
A bit later I've found a better dress for this doll. It's an outfit I've made a few months ago, based on Assire var Anahid's (of "The Witcher Saga") gown. But the doll got another name. Meet Morgana or Morgan Le Fay.
Trochę póżniej znalazłam lepszy strój dla tej lalki. To zestaw, który zrobiłam parę miesięcy temu, oparty na sukni Assire var Anahid z "Sagi o Wiedźminie" Sapkowskiego. Ale lalkę nazwałam inaczej. Poznajcie Morganę albo Morgan Le Fay.
Oh, and yeah, of course I swapped her head on to a fashionistas body ^^.
Aha, i oczywiście, przełożyłam jej głowę na ciało fashionistki ^^.
Down is the back of the coat. I was sewing such small items from wool for the first time and it was a little bit tricky, so I'm not 100% glad of the effect but she's going to stay in this outfit until I make something better.
Poniżej widać tył płaszcza. Po raz pierwszy szyłam tak małe rzeczy z wełny i momentami było ciężko ;). Nie jestem w 100% zadowolona z efektu, ale Morgan pozostanie w tym stroju, dopóki nie sfabrykuję czegoś lepszego ;).
It's not a crystal ball, only a globe, but maybe a witch can use it also to see?
To nie kryształowa kula, tylko zwykły globus, ale może wied(ź)ma może także i jego użyć, żeby zobaczyć?
And then the witch decided to go for a walk and perhaps some offerings or incantations to the nearest forest.
W końcu wied(ź)ma postanowiła pójść na spacer do najbliższego lasu.
Name: Morgan Le Fay
Model: Kayla Secret Spells
Catalog Number: ?
Year of production: 2003
Bought: in August 2010, at an auction
Body type: belly button, with Shani arms -> custom swapped on to a fashionistas body
Head mold: Kayla/Lea mold
Make-up: original.
Condition: used, but very good.
___
Edit:
I'm just finishing cleaning and sorting things and I think I shoul do it more often. I've collected four cartons (that's right, cartons not pockets) of doll-related stuff which I don't need to have. OK, almost full one carton takes the ferrari, but anyway... ;)
Kończę właśnie porządki i dochodzę do wniosku, że powinnam je robić częściej. Nazbierałam cztery kartony (tak, tak: kar-to-ny, nie pudełka) lalkowych klamotów i klamotków, których wcale nie muszę, a w niektórych przypadkach nawet nie chcę mieć. OK, niemal cały jeden karton zajmuje samochód, ale i tak... ;)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Growing collection
2009 was a different year. In 2009 I felt in love with Mattel's new playline - the Fashionistas Barbie. As I wrote before, they do need repainting and maybe even rerooting (I m still affraid to do that) but I do love their articulation and posing. And their price allowed me to buy 4 of them (Glam, Artsy, Girly, Sassy). They make great models for sewn outfits and dioramas (yes, I m going to make them too^^).
I also bought my two very first Collector Edition Dolls - the "2009 Holiday Barbie" and the "Generations of Dreams Barbie". I was lucky to find them at a very reasonable price in one of the supermarkets (quite strange, since the CED are quite rare and usually very expensive in Poland I haven't seen any model in a real-world, non-online shop before). I haven't deboxed them yet. I like the "Generations" doll's make-up and general appearance very much but her dress (so prised by some collectors) is not appealing to me so much. I quess I m going to sell off the dress (I know it would decrease general doll's value, but I m not going to sell her any time, for me she's a decorative doll not an investment, so what's the difference?).

But I think I m going to sell off the Holiday one after a year or two so I m not planning to debox her at all. She is a beauty, in stunning dress with wonderfull jewellery. But somehow her make-up and face mold is not catching my feelings as much as the delicate "Generations". I m also not so much for the "muse model" body type, so "2009 Holiday" doll definitelly can go to a new home ;).

And now 2010... Yeah. Interesting year it's gonna be I tell you... So far I've already bought:
1) another two Fashionistas (Cutie and one deboxed, naked Glam at an online auction),
2) a Fashionistas Ken (the one with a straw-like hat). I love him! Why not all Kens have a body like that? If only he had ball-jointed wrists as well, I would call him perfect.
3) a Fashion Fever Barbie with regular legs and ball-jointed elbows and wrists (she looks like a mixture of a belly-button barbie and a Fashionistas barbie)
4) a NRFB 1990 Western Fun Nia (at an online auction). She was quite expensive, but she was one of my "must haves". Back in the 90s she was my childhood dream (as I was always interested in all ethnic and in any other way different than the most popular blue-eyed blonde dolls). But then she was beyond my access - those "different" dolls were then always very rare in Polish shops and generally in the 90s the Mattell's dolls used to be expensive in the freshly turned to democracy and open market country. My parents could not afford buying me a new original doll every month or so... (and yet They were doing all they could to make me happy and I owe them so much)... So I did not get her or any other doll of that line (I got only one of the outfits) that time and for all of those years she was on my "wish list". One time in 2008 I saw her on an auction and I was even bidding (deboxed and in medium condition) but I lost in last few minutes. This time she was never removed from box and with an extra option "buy it now". So I bought ^^, didn't want to risk that I loose the chance again ;). And I tell you - it's a truly amazing feeling: get the item you wanted so desperately as a child, get it now, in the box of that times and everything and open it now... It's like a travel in time. The little girl inside me can't stop smiling untill now ^^.

5) A NRFB, excellent condition of the box as well, "2006 Gold Label Made For Each Other Barbie Doll Reproduction" for... something about 9$ ^^. Yes, in moments like this I m so happy that I live in a provincional part of Europe - people here sometimes just don't know what they are selling ;).

6) A 2000 Collector Edition "Bowling Champ Barbie" with a Silkstone-like head mold for about 10$ (also an auction finding).

Something tells me, I ll be a busy little bee for the next few months, sewing for all of them ;). Oh, and BTW, my photo-camera is not working properly so all the pics in this note come from the internet (from the Barbie Collector web page and from the auction which I won), as soon as I fix the camera, I ll put real photos of my girls (and a boy^^).
Saturday, December 26, 2009
I'm back
Recently one of my so called hobbies got my full attention. Dolls! ^^ Why? The reason is very, very simple. Shopping ;). Have you heard of the "Fashionistas" line of Barbies? Before I bought any of them, I had made a quick research over the internet. Yeah, I know, the Mattel's policies are quite strange - to start a new line of dolls with four (that's wright! 4!) blue-eyed blondes, one African American and one brown hair is something... well, let;s just say strange. I so much miss the 90s, when you could find few ethnic (or at least different hair colour) dolls in every their line. But, anyway I bought one of them. And then the second, and the third. And, yeap, that's wright, fourth. Why? Bugger the hair colour. Their bodies are great! So, soooooo many possibilities of posing, presenting clothes on them, putting them in dioramas, etc. What is also nice is that they have different head moulds. The AA ona has 2001 AA-mould, the brown-hair one has a 2003 mould, and the two blondes which I have, have the 1998 mould, which I always thought is cute. I don't know for the other blondes, but I quess they have the 1998 mould as well. As for their hair... I also miss the 90s dolls' hair, so thick and long. The Fashionistas girls have them quite short and very thin, the curls are going to uncurl very quickly and as far as the blondes are considered it's not that bad, but hte brown-hair one's hair is a tragedy. Not only short and thin but also every single hair has a different lenght. OK, I know, the modern, fashionable haircut and so on, one might say. But this makes it impossible to style her hair in any differetn way (without actully cutting them VERY short). Their clothes are OK, accessories also, althought I don't really know what happened with the jewellery which the company makes for their dolls. Back in the 90s (again!) dolls' necklaces etc were really nice, with good quality and design. Now? The Fashionistas necklaces remind me of the fake and semi-barbie jewellery for dolls, which that time was coming to Poland from the East. No quality, no design. It's a little bit better with their bags and shoes, though.
OK, so which of them did I actully buy? "Glam", "Girly", "Artsy" (the AA) and "Sassy" (the brown-hair).
Of course, I'm going to repaint them ;). And perhaps also reroot, if I only dare (haven't done this before). I'm planning at least to dye the blondes' hair.
But. But most of all, I bought them to sew for them ^^, because of their great posing abilities.
All the clothes I made myself and all are totally hand-made (I haven't even got a sewing machine ^^). So, here comes what I've done so far (inspired by "The Witcher's Saga" by Andrzej Sapkowski):
Model: Glam (temporary, she will go with the name Yennefer as soon as she gets black hair and a new makeup)Dress: loosely based on Yennefer's outfit in "The Last Wish" story.
It consists of:
white underdress (white georgette) with long skirt and splited, weavy sleeves,
black sleeveless blouse (black satin),
a black corset (black leather).
What's still to be done: shoes (of black leather), small bag, coat or a cape (black wool).
And here is back view:

And sitting (isn't her posing great? ^^):

And a close-up of front and back of the corset:


And here is the other one:

Model: Girly (she's goint to be Assire var Anahid or Filippa Eilhart some day, I haven't decided which one yet ^^).
Dress: outfit based on Assire's green dress.
It consists of:
long underdress (dark green, thin wool), inspired by a medieval "cotte simple" pattern, with long narrow sleeves
long coat (light green-turqoise thicker wool) with short sleeves, close-fitting upper part and a wide lower part.
bag (of both kinds of wool)
What's still to be done: shoes, belt (currently she's wearing Arty's belt ^^)
And here, presenting her bag:

And showing more of her underdress:

And back:
