Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Character Considerations

We usually impose a certain character on our doll. Our dolls, our rules. That's easy. Whenever I get a celebrity doll or a doll with a predefined character like those from the Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse line, I usually don't dress them with whatever. I always consider their character.

Midge likes retro fashion. I made a yellow high waist swimsuit with a bandeau top for her. Yellow is a sweet color which also matches her sweet personality. I wanted her to have a wide-brimmed hat but I don't have one. It's a good thing that it wasn't very sunny at the beach.


Raquelle stikes me as sassy. I made this one-piece asymmetrical swimsuit with a cut-out on one side for her. I know she likes animal prints so she will enjoy this snakeskin motif. The silver bib necklace and silver shoes adds an exclamation point to Raquelle's fashion statement.
 

Sporty girl Summer gets a two piece bikini in fun colors from me. The stripe is also reminiscent of her original dress. The top provides support for her active lifestyle. She gets a visor so she can have fun under the sun and a pair of rubber shoes for running around.
 

I made all those swimwear in one weekend. I was really inspired by the characters Mattel have given to these girls. Unfortunately, they now go to storage and I don't know when I will play with them again. Maybe when I have made or bought fitting clothes for them.

Friday, August 22, 2014

To Wait or Not To Wait

If you wait for the items to be discounted at the popular toy stores, you can save a lot, but there is a chance that the stock will run out before they offer a discount. Prices on the secondary market may end up higher than the toy stores'. Smart buyers always have this (and more) to consider when buying something frivolous as a toy. There are no hard and fast rules.

Sometimes, you have clues to help you make a decision. When I saw the Falcon figure, I instantly knew that I have to wait. First, it costs more than the regular Marvel Universe figure. Second, Falcon is not as popular compared to the other Avengers, specially those that have been featured in the movie. Third, there are relatively more units being sold compared to other characters (Black Widow). And lastly, I had the older version which I turned into another character, so I don't want him that bad. I do like the articulation in the new version. I waited and got 50% discount.


It was almost the same case for Whirlwind. The price is higher. Booo! The character is a villain and not a popular one at that, but I do know the character. He seems like a "good" foe for Wasp and I have been wanting to do a fight scene for Wasp. The reason I bought him right away is because I only found one Whirlwind figure in all 8 toy stores I visited. I have been seeing eBay sellers offering him for a lower price but I find the seller(s) too cocky with their fussy requirements.



Although I consider the supply when deciding to buy right away, experience told me that this is not always a reliable guide. Sometimes, they just display a few. Sometimes, there are more shipments later. This was what happened when I bought Wasp. Since she's a female figure, there was a smaller supply. She was even bundled with other figures (which I didn't want) and buying the set was the only way to get her.  Now, there are individual units for Wasp becoming peg warmers. I felt cheated. When I feel cheated, it discourages me to buy in the future.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Competitive

What I like most about the Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse dolls are not the eyelashes. I sometimes find them too obstructive, casting unwanted shadows on the eyes. I like most are new head molds used. There is Raquelle with her contemptuous smile, Teresa with her dorky face (which I will not buy) and Summer with her reserved smile. Initially, I thought that an enlarged version of the Goddess or Tango was used for Summer but the back of her head is marked "2012". Having similarities with those two, Summer can also be a versatile ethnic-bending doll mold.
I also like the playful colors of her outfit. It reminds me of the vintage Barbie dress called Fun N Games. Summer do likes games.
I also like her character in the series. Like Raquelle, Summer also can be competitive with Barbie, unlike her other friends. And like Raquelle, Summer has a brother (Blaine) who is ready to steal Barbie's heart from Ken.
The Summer shown here has been customized. Her head was shrunken and was repainted. Her eyelashes were also trimmed.

Blaine and Summer


Goddess and Summer comparison


Vintage Fun N Games dress