Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Heartbreaker T.J. at 1

Manufacturer: Integrity
Series: Dynamite Girls
Character Name: Heartbreaker T.J.
Box Year, if Noted: 2009

Why is T.J. on the Top Ten list?

Well, she's pretty and pose-able. I like her side-glancing eyes -- having attractive side-glancing is no small feat. Her overall coloring pleases - whoo hoo for red pepper lips instead of pink or tomato red. The red pepper color looks more sophisticated. And add a plus for her pouty-shaped mouth ... it gives her a stubborn, aloof air.




Why is T.J. first on the Top Ten list?



Let's see, Mai has the best articulation; Luchia has the most glamour. How did T.J. shoot ahead to Number One? The two winning factors are the Pout and the Connection.

The Pout is easy: it gives T.J. "attitude." "Attitude" as in hands on her hips and taking a stand and NOT backing down. The fight is on. Mai has a little attitude, too, but she's younger. Think teenager flouncing out a petulant "whatever." Luchia has Attitude Galore, but her attitude comes from confidence, maturity, and a little ennui. Luchia has world-weary captured. Arched eyebrow and curled lip ... how bored she is. T.J. has that I'm-not-getting-my-way-and-somebody's-gonna-pay look.

What cinched T.J.'s place though is the Connection. Not T.J. being brown-skinned or dark-eyed or dark-haired. But T.J. having small breasts. Luchia and Mai are both bosomy. T.J., on the other hand, revives the teenaged me. Back when I was "tall, thin, with not too much up there" as one stranger informed me many years ago. Like I needed him to tell me that. Think narrowed eyes rolling. Head shake. Back to the present. So that feature sets T.J. apart from the other top three. Did anyone see that coming?

Both Integrity Toys dolls, Fashion Royalty W Club 2008 Bewitching Hour Luchia and Dynamite Girls Heartbreaker T.J. can be found on eBay and possibly in online shops. They can be in stock one day and gone the next so my suggestion would be for interested buyers to do a Google or a Bing search for the dolls to have the most current information.

For those interested in reading other Top Ten Dolls/Action Figures/Toys, see the post initiator, Shaun Wong's blog for incredible photography and interesting reviews. Other doll and action figure collectors participating in the Top 10 of 2009 Reviews include:

Corsetkitten
Mick
Smidge Girl

2010 and New DAF Resolutions

The time has come for me to review my collection as I have never reviewed it before. Reading other collectors' stories and viewing their photographs helped me realize that I could be having more fun with my 1:6 scale companions.

Elizabeth Allen of Love has Fangs fame sent me a link to this article by Maria Greene discussing how to reduce a large doll collection.

Reading the article, I realized that

1. I have too many dolls to fit in my available display space.

2. Some of them are still in their boxes.

3. I've forgotten about some dolls I have.

4. I'm not giving them enough attention.


Sooo ... something has to change. I have to evaluate, to make and to execute certain resolutions. Here's a starter list:


1. Reduce, reduce, reduce.

2. Diversify.

3. Learn camera settings and improve on photography techniques.

4. Photograph DAFs in settings.

5. Write DAF stories.

6. Participate in online DAF groups - again.

I've begun the Reduce step by selling some DAFs online here.

The article also has tips on avoiding DAF overpopulation and suggestions on how to reduce a large collection. While the article was written with larger dolls in mind, it has advice that I or any playscale collector can use.

Happy reading and best wishes for any collection "weeding" that occurs.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Bewitching Hour Luchia at 2

Manufacturer: Integrity
Series: Fashion Royalty, W Club 2008
Character Name: Bewitching Hour Luchia
Box Year, if Noted: 2008

Why is Luchia on the Top Ten list?

1. She is gorgeous.

2. She has attitude.

3. She reminds me of a blond Emma Peel.

4. She has better articulation than I am accustomed to (think basic Barbies).

When I showed a relative a photo of Bewitching Hour Luchia, I was told that I would not buy that doll because that doll was the sort that men buy. Cocked my head to the side and looked at the doll again. Bouffant blond hair, [her] flesh-colored mini dress, black slatted knee high boots ... I could almost understand why my relative had that thought. In some circles, Luchia might look like a high priced um call girl. Hmmm .... Well. Okay, she still reminds me of Emma Peel of the Avengers, only Luchia's back story came from an American Anglophile. She should be in action movies where she should know umpteen martial arts AND fencing and spy stuff.


Why is Luchia second on the Top Ten list?

The doll that placed first has two advantages over Luchia.

Help Dolls of Color Create Janay Database

Dolls of Color blogger Therese seeks photos and information about Integrity's playline Janay doll for a Janay database. Yay Therese!

While I have several Janay and friends dolls, my Janay dolls all have the last Janay head mold stamped ©Integrity 2001. I recall reading doll descriptions on the Dolls, Dreams, and Cuddly Things web site several years ago that noted whether certain Janay, Alysa, and Jade dolls had the old, big heads or the newer, smaller heads. I also recall seeing web sites showing two Janay head molds different from the head mold I have. Check the Janay shown at this link; note the size of her head and her features. This is an early Janay. Perhaps some PhillyCollector readers collect or used to collect the Janay playline. If you do or did, and if you would like to contribute to this database, please check Therese's blog for contact information.

Here's to a Janay and friends database in 2010.

Dolls shown in the photo are the Dealer version of Fashion Insider Janay, Color Rave Alysa (2nd Alysa head mold), and Fashion Fling Alysa (3rd Alysa head mold).

New Liv Dolls with Better Outfits

You can find photos of two of the new Liv dolls on Charles' Page.

I'd like to get these and pop Barbie heads on them. The outfits look neater than those on the original dolls.

Barbie Basics in Wikipedia

Congratulations to Simon Farnsworth for his Barbie Basics article in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_Basics

Great to read a doll-related article on Wikipedia.

Guess I need to upload my revised Mixis article.

Joan Jett at Walmart - January 2010

Stopped by Walmart and found these dolls on the first of January:

Ladies of the Eighties: Joan Jett



I like the doll's strong face. The hatchet hairstyle looks interesting, too. I love her outfit and red sneakers. Emaciated body, but then I can either re-body her or give her a background where she's ill. I associate Joan Jett with the song, "I Love Rock n Roll," but other than that, she wasn't on my Eighties playlist. I do like the doll though. Someday ....


The African American version of Barbie H20




The African American version of Potty Training Pup Barbie




Three of the Barbie Basics Line




Roca Wear So in Style Chandra and Grace



No Trichelle, Kara, or Darren. Between Trichelle's cool outfit and her rougher hair and Darren's cool outfit, I was not surprised to NOT see them.


Wizards of Waverly Place Alex Russo in a new outfit



Yawn. Reporting this because it is a change, but I wish that Mattel would either add another doll to this series - one of the other characters - for variety or create a playset for her. The outfits are not spectacular enough to warrant buying multiple versions of the same doll over and over again.