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Why we BUY!

whatever

Though only a year old this month since joining you in the Doll community online I started by selling my entire NRFB Barbie collection to try out the 16 inch girls my hope was to afford just ONE Sybarite.  Then I had hoped in my researching online and doll boards what line to concentrate on.  Deva, Avante Guards, Dollfie, Jamieshow, Tonner etc. It was overwhelming. Plus I was so excited to finally end last year following a fluke mess-up on my part the year prior to join the Integrity W Club. So I won’t lie when I learned the AG were absent this year and had no idea what direction to go.

  I had always coveted or dreamed of owning a Sybarite flipping thru the pages of Haute Doll years prior.  So my goal was to own just one plus on a fixed income it was not possible to just buy a new Sybarite or FBR as they were offered.  So this time last year SAGE was up on Ebay in my price range and my hope was to own a Sybarite by my birthday on Halloween. The Seller OKCJimbo you may know of him as we became fast friends and having never seen or held an actual sybarite.  It was fate when Jim put Sage up on Ebay and come to find out he lived just 15 minutes away.
  Try to imagine in your lifetime be it a toy, car, vacation etc. you always dreamed of and thinking it would never come to fruition and you settle on “maybe someday”.  In my case it was images torn from magazines in my craft room next to Madonna and Lady GaGa images.
(btw I am a gay Middle aged Madonna Wannabe Superdoll Monster man. LOL)
  Going to Jim’s home and walking back to a ROOM an ENTIRE ROOM for his collection of Sybarites was an out of body experience.  All beautifully dressed and styled to perfection in dark custom made display cabinets lit with LED lights.  A solid piece of glass covering the fronts with the option of having 3 glass shelves for 12 inch or 1 glass shelf for two 16 inch dolls etc.
  If I recall at the time he had 19? with Inque and Sage up for sale on Ebay. As if it were just yesterday remember my fear asking him to hold this doll from which I had coveted for years  It was Inque with whom I held first. The weight, the details, the joints, basically The DOLL was a revelation.  Now it is unfair for me to speak only of the Sybarites for this was my dream to own and I am obviously being bias, but having no experience with conventions, custom doll shops, or any doll taller than 12 and bought at Toys R US I hope you reading this can understand where I am coming from.
The last thing I want to start is a “my doll is better than your doll debate” as this story is coming from a sincere place and writing it or feeling the need to share it with you was inspired by 

HOW to Fix Doll wigs-hair.

 

 

When I began to collect a new line prior to my success selling my Barbie collection was financially limited.

Having a Wclub membership realized the Avant-garde 16 inch was more in my price range. But there were so many BJD’s to choose from.  My main focus was GORGEOUS High Fashion model looks with articulation.

The more she could pose the better.  Jamieshow had basically just launched a year prior and was made of a special Resin.  I had no idea what resin was and had thought it was porcelain.  NOT!

So I went to the Angelic Dreamz site where Jamie show is sold. Though the articulation was superior and lifelike I didn’t bond with the faceup.

I later would collect two 12 inch Demi Jamie show bodies to pop on a FR, Dynamite girl etc. head.

So early July I was wanting to get my first custom repaint.  I now owned 7 Sybarites and 2 Inooqui dolls.  The idea of repainting a Sybarite crossed my mind but why mess with perfection.

My first thought was an avant-garde, however their bodies are less than desirable and plastic. Then I thought Jamie show would be perfect.

To my excitement I was also taken aback at Jamie shows new basic dolls called St.Tropez collection.  There she was Angelica with her deep long black Saran hair.

I know had forgotten about a repaint and ordered her straight away.  An added plus was the girls have a magnetic rooted wig cap and a bald cap for wigs as well.

Which brings me to this post.  Sometimes doll manufactures overdue the “goo” in the dolls hair making it appear greasy and unmanageable.  Sadly I read on Terri golds blog her opinion on her brand new Jamie show dolls and how disappointed she was and basically advised not to invest in the other colored shapes and styled wig caps for $30.00 each

As a licensed Hair traffic controller from my youth thought if hair is involved I can fix it.  Integrity’s FR girls like Kesnia  and to my surprise Youthquake Poppy Parker had awful greasy looking hair.

Kesnia  worse than Poppy’s so I got to work.  Photos will post of them later today.  But not to keep you waiting here is my recipe for making Angelica’s or any other long haired doll or wig fierce, beautiful, and most important manageable.

SUPPLIES:
1. small amount of Dawn liquid soap. (Any dish soap which cuts grease will do.)
2. 1 quarter teaspoon of Downy fabric softener.
3. Hot water from tap
4. Hair dryer
5. Fine tooth comb
6. Wired dog or wig brush
7. Clothes Iron
8. Towel.

OKAY I think you get by my items listed above is to was the hair with Dawn soap in hot water running from the tap.

2. Now while rinsing use the brush while rinsing out the soap.
I did this step once and then repeated it.  You will know when this step worked when the hair seems to get stiff and tangly.
Remember whenever you are washing doll hair in water especially if it is rooted not to TUG the tangles out.

3.  After the hair is rinsed and combed thru take the 1/4 teaspoon of fabric softener and with the tap now running cool not COLD begin by pouring the softener from the crown down.
Work it in the hair easily and then comb not brush under the cool runnig water until rinsed out.

4. It is always best to use less softener than too much as is combing and brushing choice all depends on how much hair be it straight or cutlet.

5. With the hair now washed take a medium tea towel and allow it to absorb the water and shake the hair.

6. Blowdry on Med setting and brush or comb the hair.  Don’t put the hair or really any synthetic doll hair too close to the dryer and set too hot as well.
By doing that you are risking breakage and dryness making the hair dull with split ends.

7. Now taking the damp tea towel or actually a medium bath towel as I just glanced down to my own towel. You want to fold it in half and then turn on your clothing iron.  My iron is set to steam while hot it has the ability to add moisture.

8.  If you don’t have a clue on settings on an iron that’s okay. With the moist towel section the hair and lay on the towel combing it out straight.

9. Now take the double folded towels other side laying it over the hair.  Take the hot iron and move it around ontop the towel for a few moments.  As I said earlier if you have just a iron not knowing its settings but know it does get hot.  This is the reasoning for using the damp towel from the previous hair washing step.

(Pending on how anal you are such as myself I do this all in sections. Front, back, sides, top etc.)

10. FINALLY as you finish the first section I get my fine tooth comb and place it close to the folded towel where the doll/wig meet.  Taking the hair with my left hand I have my comb in my right hand then slowly pull the just ironed hot hair thru the comb.

That’s it.  I just realized I did not take a before photo of Angelicas hair but I do have kesnias hair as an example to be posted later.

Well I need to get back to Sunday doll play on this very sad day September 11th.  My hearts and prayers are with those lost and affected in this horrific tragedy.  God bless America!

My apology on the photo set styling as I have used my mobile phone camera and have not edited yet.  On the plus side if the hair looks this amazing in a camera phone imagine it under the right lighting and camera.

Always looking for the best way no matter how small to keep in touch! Sent 2 WordPress for Android