Main Street Disneyana store. Crystal Sleeping Beauty Castle, Diamond Celebration version, by the Arribas Brothers. $37,500. Diamond Celebration merchandise In the Disneyana shop on Main Street.

I went with a fellow Disney collector to the 24-Event that kicked off the official Disneyland Resort 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration. It started on May 22, 2015 at 6 am and ended on May 23, 2015. However, we were only in DLR on May 22 until about 10 pm, being in the Parks for about 16 of the 24 hours.

We left the Hilton Anaheim Hotel at about 2:15 am, walked through Downtown Disney District and arrived at the security checkpoint for DLR at 2:30. The line was relatively short and quick, so we felt pretty good that were there early enough to get in near the head of the line. However, this was quickly dispelled when we saw how many people were in the entrance plaza between Disneyland Park and Disney California Park (also called the Esplanade). Rather than being allowed to line up in front of Disneyland Park, we were escorted to the other side of the plaza, to the shuttle bus area. There were many thousands of people there, in multiple long lines that stretched the length of the shuttle parking area. It reminded me of the lines outside the Anaheim Convention Center for the D23 event that I attended in August 2013. There was a Japanese TV crew roaming the lines broadcasting images of the crowd. At about 4 am, the lines started moving, and we finally entered the park at exactly 5 am.

We entered Main Street, waiting for the start of the celebrations at 6 am. Some stores were already open. In particular, there were very long lines formed to enter the Main Street Emporium. Only the south doors were open, trying to make the entry more orderly. It turned out that the people in line were trying to get the 24-hr exclusive merchandise, especially the LE pin of Dopey. We decided to wait by the flag pole at the center of the Main Street south plaza, which afforded us a good view of the Castle. The US and California flags were raised at sunrise, about 5:30 am.

They kicked off the celebrations at 5:55 am with a short burst of fireworks, followed by Disney movie music. The first song was A Dream is Wish Your Heart Makes, from Cinderella. The crowd on Main Street was then allowed entry into the other Park attractions, and we slowly started moving down Main Street. An overhead camera on a long boom recorded the crowd as it passed by. We passed close to the Castle, and turned into Tomorrowland. Our first stop was Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. My friend got more than 750,000. I got more than a million, but my score wasn't recorded, so I didn't get on the leader board. We wanted to get something to eat next, but every place that served real food had very, very long lines. So we settled on getting pretzels and slurpees. There was a piano player playing ragtime music as we ate. Later he left and a piano tuner came and started tuning the piano, which I've never seen before at Disneyland.

We visited some of the shops on Main Street, and noticed that many of the items that were available exclusively at the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event (May 20-21 at the Disneyland Hotel) were now being sold to the general public. At the Crystal Arts shop, we saw the same diamond shaped glass paperweight that we got at the event. Except that there was no dates etched on the surface. We were surprised that they also had two larger sizes of the diamond, one about twice as large (6 inches) and another about twice that again (12 inches). The small 3 inch diamond was $40, the medium $250 and the large was $2150. They are all very impressive in person, and the large one is massive. It is also limited edition. The one displayed in the front window of the store was labeled 1/60, which I didn't notice until I looked at the photos that I took.

We then did several more rides, including Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion. Above the entrance to the Pirates ride is a sign for the Dream Suite, which used to be the Disney Gallery, before it was moved to Main Street, next to Disneyana. One of the prizes in a sweepstakes being run during the Diamond Celebration is a stay at the Dream Suite.

We then split up. I did some more rides, including a second go at Buzz Lightyear. This time my score was recorded, and I got the #5 high score of the day. My favorite place to eat at Disneyland, Plaza Inn, had a very, very long line waiting outside. So instead I ate lunch at the Pizza Port, which had a short and quickly moving line. They had an Avengers inspired menu of desserts. Next store, there was an exhibit for the currently running Tomorrowland movie. I also did some rides in Fantasyland that I have not done in a long time. Snow White's Scary Adventures was great fun. I touched the golden apple at the entrance to the ride, which generated cackling and evil words from the Old Hag. Next was Alice in Wonderland, which has new very nice animated sequences that integrated nicely with the animatronics. The ride wait time was posted as 60 minutes, but it only took me 30 minutes to get on the ride.

I started browsing the 60th Anniversary merchandise in various shops on Main Street. The Showcase shop was entirely devoted to 60th merchandise. Since some fellow collectors were asking about the rotating castle diamond shaped globe, I took a good look at it and took photos. Unfortunately, none of them had working batteries, so I couldn't see the castle rotating or lit up. Next I went to Disneyana, where they had many of the items that were offered during the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event that I attended on May 20, including most of the limited edition items. They also had the $28,000 crystal slipper that was the grand prize of the Diamond Celebration Sweepstakes. It didn't look as impressive as I was expecting. It didn't help that it was all alone in a large glass case, without any identifying or promo placards. In the Ink & Paint booth there was a framed copy of the Diamond Celebration Tink Cel, with signed postcard and pin. I had preordered a copy of this exact same item, but the pin wasn't ready in time, so it will be shipped to me later. It is called "The Happiest Place on Earth", is limited to 1000 copies, and has a hand drawn Cel of Tinker Bell floating above a stylized map of Disneyland. The Tinker Bell pin is LE 750.

Next I entered Disney California Adventure Park (DCA), to meet up with my friend for dinner at 5:30 pm. I passed Carthay Circle Restaurant, which is extensively decorated for the Diamond Celebration, as the DCA counterpart to Disneyland Park's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The dessert for dinner consisted of four different small individual desserts.

Then at 7:30 we lined up to get a good spot for the World of Color show. It started at 9 pm, and lasted about 22 minutes. It was entirely redone, with Neal Patrick Harris and Mickey Mouse as the hosts. It was funny seeing the giant Mickey face on the ferris wheel being replaced by a screen, then the same image Mickey being projected onto it. The show was really entertaining. I liked the selection of movies that were presented. Snow White and Frozen had the most time allotted. They played almost the entire "Let It Go" scene, which looked and sounded great. The crowd cheered loudly when a brief glimpse of BH6 appeared. They also showed brief clips of Wreck-It Ralph, and had an image of the live action Cinderella in her ball gown that flashed on the water screen for a second or two. Then they had brief images from some popular DL attractions. Finally they had Walt Disney speaking a final message, which was very touching. I would say that this version is much better than the previous version. Neal Patrick Harris was a great choice as the host.

We then viewed the DL fireworks from just inside the entrance to DCA. We then split up again. I was disappointed that DL was at capacity, so they wouldn't allow me back inside. I had wanted to see the new Paint the Night, which is an updated version of the old Electrical Light Parade, which was one of my favorites when it was still being performed in DL and DCA. I am looking forward to seeing it in the near future. So I went back to my hotel room, and rested up. I only did 16 hours of the 24 hour event, but I felt very good about what I did experience.

I just realized that I forgot to do the preview for this lovely Eden. The truth is I preordered her in a second, so I thought that is done :)

Pros:

- Public Adoration is probably one of my favorite screenings for this sculpt,

- The outfit has so many layers, you can see that lots of thought has been put in designing it.

- The jewelry and shoes are so beautiful!

Cons:

- I am not quite sure I will like her haircolor, although I have Pubic Adoration, I never had purple haired doll before...

When I look at her now, I am very excited to get her, she will be beautiful in hand. Now, where is Lilith?!?

The four doll sets, with slipcovers on.

Photos of my preordered Designer Fairytale doll sets, that I received today. They came in a large square box weighing 20 pounds, with the individual doll sets in their own boxes. The four gift bags were in the same shipping box, tightly squeezed in the side. The carton number is 408, but the actual edition number for all four sets is 410 of 6000. All the dolls are in excellent condition, but there are small imperfections in a couple of the nameplates. These dolls I will leave untouched in mint condition, as I will debox the ones I've gotten from the store raffles.

When I saw her offer from IT, I preordered her in seconds, I was so excited to have her in my collection. I have always regretted not getting Noveau Regime and I wanted this one. Then she came home, and I was--OMG! I have to sell her. That hair looked horrid.

The holiday months were on us so I put her aside. Last week I took her out and started rearranging her hair. She slowly became likeable. I still don't LOVE her, but I don't know if I still want to sell her.

We got so few NuFace dolls this year that I preordered this Eden even though I wasn't convinced she is for me. Sometimes we should follow first hunch.

Makeup & Hairstyle - Wild at Heart is my favorite screening for the twins. Jessy updated the screening by adding small lines in the corners, under the eyes. That looked perfect on Public Adoration because lines were quite soft and fading. This time they are quite striking, full lines. Next to her dark skin they look... can I say aggressive?!? Either way, this Eden reminds me on convention Dominique and not in a good way. IMO she would have been much prettier without them, or if they were soft turquoise or sea foam green. Gold eyeshadow above eyes is quite nice. She wears lipliner, and again, I do not feel it, as the color is very similar to her skintone, hence it makes her lips very small/unfinished. This sculpt already has small lips, this way she looks like she doesn't wear lipstick. Hairstyle choice is fine having in mind construction of the blouse. However, braids are too thick and on my doll stick from her head like antennas, she does remind me on a certain comic book character - Mantis :) 8/10

Outfit & Accessories - my favorite piece is the blouse, just love it. I can see many dolls in it. Jeans to my surprise look nice, they are lined, unlike the ones from Doll's Life Vanessa. Still this shape is not my fav, because in doll size lower part always looks stiff. Love small heart pockets on the back. For an upgrade doll, she has nice selection of accessories. Purse is TDF. Stud earrings are also very nice. Sunglasses look ridiculous on her, too big for her fragile face, but one of my Poppys adopted them :) Sandals are nice, but they do tend to drop off. I might cut and glue hairband on the back to keep them on. With this doll we got new bracelets, one of the most ugliest ones I have ever seen in my life. 9.5/10

Production Quality & Issues - There is a difference in color between head and body. Additionally, her head is made of very greasy fabric, so her face is very shiny. I thought it might be hair product, but I applied alcohol and nope, its plastic. In line with previous :) her hair is very greasy and stiff, not sure what type of hair it is, not expert on that, but there is artificial feel to it. Clothing is well made. Heart crystal on necklace looks cheap - Darbie like, but crystals on earrings and bag are standard quality. 7/10

Overall - despite my huge love for twins and this screening, I would not get her if she wasn't already on preorder. Still, outfit is just what I like, it is cheerful and Summer ready. I can hear this song in my head when I look at her: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6NAcH-wQDo. Kind of sad she is not what I expected. Hope Jessy will get out of this phase of dark skinned dolls with too striking makeup.... 8/10

PS: before I completely dismiss her, I will try to update her makeup, remove silver liner, or repaint it.

So, I decided to get a few oldies. I think this one was the most popular in Style Directive collection back in 2012. I loved that one, but only preordered Eugenia and passed on this one. Sometimes when everyone is hyped about a doll, I immediately start to dislike her. Strange, I regret now. She is really everything I like. She features Adele 3.0 sculpt and unfortunately there is a clear mismatch in color of the head and body (it seems all of them have the same problem, not just mine). This is not my favorite sculpt, still like 2.0 much more, but I think this is the best version of this sculpt so far.

Makeup/Hairstyle: One of the reasons I am picking up older dolls is the complex and simply gorgeous makeup. When you zoom on her face you can see that she has seven different colors in her makeup, yet from far away the makeup looks very simple and polished. That is what I like, details! Love the arched eyebrows. She has lovely hazel eyes. The lips actually need more details, maybe some hint of darker pink in the corner of her lips, I will probably add that. The hairstyle is simple centerpart, she had a lot of product, so I had to wash her hair. The hair is really soft and it is actually pretty heavily rooted. 9/10

Outfit and accessories: Now this is one of the best outfits ever, IMO. It is inspired by Alexander McQueen look. It is perfect. The W sign on the skirt, top and jacket got me nostalgic. The details on the top are amazing. The construction of the jacket, skirt and top is impeccable. Very complex design, something we did not see in 2015 collection (for example Prestige Natalia's top, which is consisted of two parts of material stitched together, I counted 18 parts on this top). The ruffles on the skirt looks heavy, but in person are soft and playable. All materials used for this outfit are surprisingly very light and soft. The bag is replica of older Dior bags, I believe. The shoes are to die for again Alexander McQueen design , however, they have a flaw. The material used is extremely delicate, I ripped mine just by touching them. Look at those shoes, love the design of soles, which are used only on this doll, I think. We now have like 5 types of soles in current FR collections spinning around for three years... One of the reasons I got this set is the jewelry. I really like bling and this crystal adorned jewelry is right down my alley. I believe it is inspired by Dior haute collection from several years ago. Ohh almost forgot, the jacket has functional pockets! 10/10

Overall: I simply adore this doll, she is everything, classy, bitchy, elegant, gorgeous, everything! 9.5/10

Good morning !

Since most of the work for Feline Crusader has been finalised, I started to work on the next character right away! Now comes the Daddy's Little Monster many of you have been waiting for - and even preordered ♥ ♥

It will include 2 twin figures, with special features of swapping parts to create your unique style.

Make your order at www.belsminifigure.com now! It is limited to 80 sets only! Your lucky number could be gone at any second!

This year I made a list before BCEU so I wouldn't miss the things I really wanted and I sticked to it.

It was really hard to resist not buying anything else! :-P

My pre-ordered Snow White and Hag Doll Set. The slipcover has been removed to reveal the dolls in their display case.

My pre-ordered full set of the 2015 Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Heroes and Villains dolls arrived after a delay on November 6, 2015. I had ordered them at the D23 Expo on August 14, 2015. They are all edition number of 65 of 6000. They came in perfect condition, and I think most if not all the dolls are better than the ones I bought separately (which I have deboxed or will debox). By the way, I got 5 gift bags in this shipment, and got another 5 in a separate shipment. So like most people who pre-ordered the full collection, I am getting twice as many bags as I should have.

Here are my first photos of the set, taken with flash. They were taken in front of my KidKraft Snowflake Mansion. I will later take photos of my deboxed Designer dolls next to these dolls, which I will leave boxed. But before I do that I will have to debox the Rapunzel and Mother Gothel set and the Snow Queen Elsa and Hans set.

'Wandering Dreams' Framed Cel, with postcard and pin. Protective wrapping removed. Portrait view of Briar Rose and Prince Phillip, closeup view of the upper portion of the hand drawn cel.

I just picked up my preordered copy of the Sleeping Beauty 'Wandering Dreams' framed cel, with postcard and pin, from Disneyana on Main Street. I had ordered it on January 1, 2016, and got it on January 31, 2016, which is sooner than the estimated 6-8 weeks. It is by Disneyland Ink & Paint. The cel is LE 1000 (not individually numbered), and the pin is LE 600. The cel features a midrange image of Briar Rose and Prince Phillip holding hands, with Sleeping Beauty Castle in the background. The pin has a different pose of Phillip and Briar Rose in reversed positions, with a heart symbol between them, and the castle in the background. So it would be appropriate as a Valentine's Day pin. The frame has an antiqued silver finish, with 'D', heart and crown symbols in a repeating pattern. The contents are protected by clear plexiglass in the front. The backing is heavy cardboard, and there is a wire hanger in the back.

As with a lot of pieces, it looks even better in person. The cel has a 3D-effect being floated over the background. Aurora as Briar Rose has such a loving expression. The painting of the cel is flawless. The ornate silver frame is well matched with the blue matting, and is appropriate for commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Disneyland Resort.

I found these pictures of what looks like the actual promo pictures of the newest sets, & how awesome is the sword set? I preordered 2 of them, now I'm wondering if I want more LOL. And what I thought was a cat bed turns out to be a litter box! It's the skeleton version of the pooping kitty from the My Cats set :-) I still think the grave visit set is a little weird, but the hands I couldn't understand are actual skeleton hands for the skeleton which makes sense. All in all, I'm excited for these to come out.

I preordered this Dumpster Fire (from myplasticheart) last year. And oh, it is so appropos to the year 2020. I didn't know.

Cleaning/reorganizing the doll room sure helps you reconnect &amp appreciate the dolls you already own.

I remember preordering this doll (sight unseen - without a sketch). We were only given the dolls name and had the option of upgrading to a Deluxe Package when we purchased our Convention Ticket

The second W Club exclusive doll of the year. This here is Joyous Celebration Poppy Parker, the 5th year anniversary doll. She is hands down the best Poppy to be released this year. I am of course happy to see she shares a grand resemblance to BG Poppy.

I preordered Pullip Alura from JPGroove yesterday, her preorder closes like tomorrow. In the US preordering through JPGroove is the only way to absolutely guarantee you get her as Pullipstyle isn't going to know if they can offer her or not until some time after the preorder closes.

Trina Turk for Clinique cosmetic bag. Longchamp. Minolta XGM & 135mm lense.

TIME Magazine. Moleskine. Wallet. Receipt envelope/organizer.

Post-its. Colored pens. Rayban Clubmaster

Kindle. Blackberry Curve. Nokia. MAC MSF. BE dual radiance. Burt's Bees Lipbalms. Kiehl's Hand Salve. Card Holder. Earphones.

Cheers!

The area that can best define what you might picture as the setting for the classic American Western is Monument Valley. The area gets just a fraction of the visitors the Grand Canyon does, and as jaw-dropping amazing as the Grand Canyon is, this was the highlight of my whirlwind trip through the American Southwest.

Took this shot with my 3DR Solo drone. Frustrations continued unabated with this drone that promises so much. I'm still optimistic this will eventually work out, but I've largely been disappointed. While I'm still waiting on the gimbal, even though I preordered the drone on its initial day, I've found I can generally use it for photos as stabilization is less critical for photos than for video. The problem is, the drone is supposed to make it super simple to just connect your GoPro and smartphone, and have a live video feed stream to you to aid in flight navigation.

Read the rest of this entry at the Aisle Seat Please blog.

Inside Disney California Adventure Park (DCA). Dessert plate for two. Dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria Restaurant.

I went with a fellow Disney collector to the 24-Event that kicked off the official Disneyland Resort 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration. It started on May 22, 2015 at 6 am and ended on May 23, 2015. However, we were only in DLR on May 22 until about 10 pm, being in the Parks for about 16 of the 24 hours.

We left the Hilton Anaheim Hotel at about 2:15 am, walked through Downtown Disney District and arrived at the security checkpoint for DLR at 2:30. The line was relatively short and quick, so we felt pretty good that were there early enough to get in near the head of the line. However, this was quickly dispelled when we saw how many people were in the entrance plaza between Disneyland Park and Disney California Park (also called the Esplanade). Rather than being allowed to line up in front of Disneyland Park, we were escorted to the other side of the plaza, to the shuttle bus area. There were many thousands of people there, in multiple long lines that stretched the length of the shuttle parking area. It reminded me of the lines outside the Anaheim Convention Center for the D23 event that I attended in August 2013. There was a Japanese TV crew roaming the lines broadcasting images of the crowd. At about 4 am, the lines started moving, and we finally entered the park at exactly 5 am.

We entered Main Street, waiting for the start of the celebrations at 6 am. Some stores were already open. In particular, there were very long lines formed to enter the Main Street Emporium. Only the south doors were open, trying to make the entry more orderly. It turned out that the people in line were trying to get the 24-hr exclusive merchandise, especially the LE pin of Dopey. We decided to wait by the flag pole at the center of the Main Street south plaza, which afforded us a good view of the Castle. The US and California flags were raised at sunrise, about 5:30 am.

They kicked off the celebrations at 5:55 am with a short burst of fireworks, followed by Disney movie music. The first song was A Dream is Wish Your Heart Makes, from Cinderella. The crowd on Main Street was then allowed entry into the other Park attractions, and we slowly started moving down Main Street. An overhead camera on a long boom recorded the crowd as it passed by. We passed close to the Castle, and turned into Tomorrowland. Our first stop was Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. My friend got more than 750,000. I got more than a million, but my score wasn't recorded, so I didn't get on the leader board. We wanted to get something to eat next, but every place that served real food had very, very long lines. So we settled on getting pretzels and slurpees. There was a piano player playing ragtime music as we ate. Later he left and a piano tuner came and started tuning the piano, which I've never seen before at Disneyland.

We visited some of the shops on Main Street, and noticed that many of the items that were available exclusively at the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event (May 20-21 at the Disneyland Hotel) were now being sold to the general public. At the Crystal Arts shop, we saw the same diamond shaped glass paperweight that we got at the event. Except that there was no dates etched on the surface. We were surprised that they also had two larger sizes of the diamond, one about twice as large (6 inches) and another about twice that again (12 inches). The small 3 inch diamond was $40, the medium $250 and the large was $2150. They are all very impressive in person, and the large one is massive. It is also limited edition. The one displayed in the front window of the store was labeled 1/60, which I didn't notice until I looked at the photos that I took.

We then did several more rides, including Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion. Above the entrance to the Pirates ride is a sign for the Dream Suite, which used to be the Disney Gallery, before it was moved to Main Street, next to Disneyana. One of the prizes in a sweepstakes being run during the Diamond Celebration is a stay at the Dream Suite.

We then split up. I did some more rides, including a second go at Buzz Lightyear. This time my score was recorded, and I got the #5 high score of the day. My favorite place to eat at Disneyland, Plaza Inn, had a very, very long line waiting outside. So instead I ate lunch at the Pizza Port, which had a short and quickly moving line. They had an Avengers inspired menu of desserts. Next store, there was an exhibit for the currently running Tomorrowland movie. I also did some rides in Fantasyland that I have not done in a long time. Snow White's Scary Adventures was great fun. I touched the golden apple at the entrance to the ride, which generated cackling and evil words from the Old Hag. Next was Alice in Wonderland, which has new very nice animated sequences that integrated nicely with the animatronics. The ride wait time was posted as 60 minutes, but it only took me 30 minutes to get on the ride.

I started browsing the 60th Anniversary merchandise in various shops on Main Street. The Showcase shop was entirely devoted to 60th merchandise. Since some fellow collectors were asking about the rotating castle diamond shaped globe, I took a good look at it and took photos. Unfortunately, none of them had working batteries, so I couldn't see the castle rotating or lit up. Next I went to Disneyana, where they had many of the items that were offered during the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event that I attended on May 20, including most of the limited edition items. They also had the $28,000 crystal slipper that was the grand prize of the Diamond Celebration Sweepstakes. It didn't look as impressive as I was expecting. It didn't help that it was all alone in a large glass case, without any identifying or promo placards. In the Ink & Paint booth there was a framed copy of the Diamond Celebration Tink Cel, with signed postcard and pin. I had preordered a copy of this exact same item, but the pin wasn't ready in time, so it will be shipped to me later. It is called "The Happiest Place on Earth", is limited to 1000 copies, and has a hand drawn Cel of Tinker Bell floating above a stylized map of Disneyland. The Tinker Bell pin is LE 750.

Next I entered Disney California Adventure Park (DCA), to meet up with my friend for dinner at 5:30 pm. I passed Carthay Circle Restaurant, which is extensively decorated for the Diamond Celebration, as the DCA counterpart to Disneyland Park's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The dessert for dinner consisted of four different small individual desserts.

Then at 7:30 we lined up to get a good spot for the World of Color show. It started at 9 pm, and lasted about 22 minutes. It was entirely redone, with Neal Patrick Harris and Mickey Mouse as the hosts. It was funny seeing the giant Mickey face on the ferris wheel being replaced by a screen, then the same image Mickey being projected onto it. The show was really entertaining. I liked the selection of movies that were presented. Snow White and Frozen had the most time allotted. They played almost the entire "Let It Go" scene, which looked and sounded great. The crowd cheered loudly when a brief glimpse of BH6 appeared. They also showed brief clips of Wreck-It Ralph, and had an image of the live action Cinderella in her ball gown that flashed on the water screen for a second or two. Then they had brief images from some popular DL attractions. Finally they had Walt Disney speaking a final message, which was very touching. I would say that this version is much better than the previous version. Neal Patrick Harris was a great choice as the host.

We then viewed the DL fireworks from just inside the entrance to DCA. We then split up again. I was disappointed that DL was at capacity, so they wouldn't allow me back inside. I had wanted to see the new Paint the Night, which is an updated version of the old Electrical Light Parade, which was one of my favorites when it was still being performed in DL and DCA. I am looking forward to seeing it in the near future. So I went back to my hotel room, and rested up. I only did 16 hours of the 24 hour event, but I felt very good about what I did experience.

I preordered this gem on Amazon back in March. I wish I had gotten two.

The story with a happy ending:

When Sacred Lotus collection was revealed I literally fell in love with this Agnes. I liked everything on the prototype doll: lips, eyebrows, eyes, hair, outfit... everything. She casted shadow over all other dolls from that line and I preordered only her (huge mistake by the way as other dolls were very beautiful, later I entered lottery for Van and won and added Kyori and Nat, but it was too late for lovely Isha). The long wait was heart-breaking and finally I got my Agnes.

I was so disappointed I even didn't do the review, her eyes had grey sclera, they were kind of muddy and eyes color was lighter and made her look very distant and she reminded me on Night King from GOT. She was very similar to the prototype, but the yellow eyeshadow on the lids was much more pronounced, limited her redressing possibilities, too. Also, I waited so long for a FR with tattoos, her henna tattoos on the hands were not that nice in person and kind of made her look like she is wearing a costume. So, she she served as a body donor and her head went into a "for sale" box.

Many months later I decided to repaint her. Her eyebrows and lips are perfection, so the only thing that bothered me were her eyes and that yellow (yes, not gold not silver: yellow eyeshadow, quite weird if you ask me) eyeshadow.

For eyes screening I went for Silver Zinger eyes, of-course my repainting skills are quite poor, this is only the second time I repainted eyes fully. Although I used 0.0 paint brush size, my strokes are quite thick, I still use too much paint, hands are a bit shaking... :)

Choosing the eyes color was a bit problematic. First, I decided to give her green eyes, I thought they would look nice with her hair and lips color - wrong. Then I gave her light brown eyes, again - wrong. I realized her original eye color was a good choice, but one or two tones darker. She got white sclera, of-course. With her eyes facing foreword she looked too much like the original doll, so I decided to change the direction of her eyes.

Finally, I repainted dreaded yellow eyeshadow. The first choice was gold, than silver, then dark grey, mint green - all of them looked wrong. So, I opted for this light pink color and I think it made her look much more inviting and versatile. At the end, I like her much, much more now, she is quite inspiring me to have her redressed, so expect more photos of her.

So, what do you think?

The X-T2 with my WR 16mm F/1.4 (plus metal hood).

Can't wait until the WR 23mm F/2.0 comes out. (Yes, it's preordered)

Two and a half years ago I moved from being a long time Canon user to the Fuji system, and haven't looked back.

Minus the rare occasion when I had to send the X-T1 for service (which happened a couple times as it hit the 2-year old mark, likely due to heavy use) when I had to turn to my old Rebel T2i, my little baby held on following me to different gigs, celebrations and travels around the world (capturing thousands of delicious plates, sweeping landscapes, and portraits of many wonderful faces).

Alas, it's time move up.

I'd been excited (and I don't get excited for many things. I look forward to much, but excited is left for the extraordinary) since FujiFilm announced earlier this year that the X-T2 was coming out. Not only did the new model promise to have improvements on what I already loved about the X-T1, but the news came around the same times that my X-T1 started to fade. I knew it was a sign.

I placed my name on the waitlist and anxiously awaited the day of its release. It was like clicking refresh on the browser every minute sort of anticipation.

This is the result of many calls, emails and rush requests later.

Introducing, my dream machine, Ms. X-T2.

(The X-T1 will hang around. She'd been accessorized with an incredible thumb grip from Lensmate and a sexy red shutter soft release - bedazzlement that I'll adorn the new kid soon. Both have their own Nucis cork and leather shoulder straps.)

Shot taken with my X-T1.

CPKF Enforcer | BrickArms M41A Xeno Pulse Rifle & BA Space Magnum

A Commonwealth Peace Keeping Forces Enforcer on his way to work.

The photojournalist from CPKF NOW! was lucky enough to steal this snapshot of a friendly trooper from a the Grand Admiral / Senator Prime's personal guard.

Although the nature of their mission was was classified ultra super duper top secret, the trooper managed to spare a few fleeting moments to talk to us.

Us: Your weapons are really shiny, are they just for show?

Trooper: They're as effective as they are pretty to look at.

Us: Is it hard being part of the Commonwealth's Shock Trooping elite?

Trooper: Nope. We're Peace Keepers... We're more like "Stun" Troopers. You know... chrome is in fashion...

Us: Can you pick up chicks in a tank?

Trooper: As long as it ain't a fish tank... yeah.. I was told to say that... With these chromies... well magnetism isn't really an issue...

Us: Reach is in two days....

Trooper: Preordered. Game on... Might go to the midnight launch.. figure I'll be useless for a few weeks after Tuesday (what>) oh scratch that last statement...

Us: Uhhh... Okay.... And your opinion of the CPKF's use of psi-warfare?

Trooper: No Goats. No Glory.

Finally she arrived.

I preordered her in June 2016!

Over half of a Year and now she is here.

She is so pretty.

And i love her Outfits.

Only the Pink Shirt is not that pretty.

It reminds me of a Top of a Nurse.

Pictures are the property of IT.

Cinematic convention ended last night leaving fellow collectors with their hands full of lovely dolls.

To be honest, I did not plan to get any new NuFace, because I have on preorder almost all of the Electric collection (except Ayumi). However, I was very excited to see what will be in the shop.

First Blush Ayumi - I like her earrings and the bag, the dress looks interesting with chains. The screening is better in comparison to the previous releases. I like the sideways gaze and the absence of the white under the eyes. The bag is a piece of art. The only thing I do not like is the color of the lips, its too much orange. I might get her down the road, but not at the current prices.

Evening Blossom Dominique - I remember seeing Ayumi's picture, thinking she looks cool, and then, in the corner I saw a girl in black with short pink hair, I was stunned! I knew I had to have her, but could not tell who was that. Then I found out it was Dom, as I already preordered Electric Enthusiasm and this one shares her screening, I had a moment of doubt. Then I saw her green eyes... I new she is the winner. I think she is the BEST convention doll! Gorgeous!

Out of Sight Nadja - The outfit is not interesting to me. Black boots are a bit repetitive in this line. The skirt is bulky on the front and the chain necklace is not something new. I love her screening, the golden makeup and red lips, love it. And the fact she has flocked hair is a plus for her. I am still not 100% sure about her, have to see more IRL pics, might get her.

Perfectly Suited Giselle - I like her short blonde hair. Boots look strange with that suit, I would change that. The screening is not one of my favorite and combined with the white under the eyes, I decide to pass on her. Also, I have Energetic Presence on preorder and I consider her more beautiful.

In Rouges Erin - This was an easy pass for me. I preordered Voltage, which looks better on overall than this one. The upper part of the dress is gorgeous, love the straps on the back and front, but lower part looks weird with red boots. Yes, RED boots, red dress, reddish jacket, red lips... Too much red. I think brown shoes or sandals would look better. The fur is amazing. It seems to me that she has the same screening as the Tropicalia Erin. I like blue eyes. I think that she would look amazing with the short hair...

Up All Night Lilith - Love this outfit, it is clearly a homage to the Eugenia's (Grace Kelly) outfit. The screening looks strange to me, almost cartoony. The hairstyle looks OK, but I do not like the hair color, maybe red hair would give her a bit of life. Decided to pass on her.

Eden - Outfit? It would be cool if she had one. The screening is the same as the one on the Lilith. Together they look nice, almost like a gift set. It seems to me that they share Cream skintone, which I like. The moment I saw her I thought - Great Pretender, but with closer inspection my opinion changed.

Karolin - This is a new character revealed at this convention. It is unclear if she has new sculpt or she shares Nadja's. The reception seems to be lukewarm. But, that might change seeing her redressed or IRL pictures. I do not like her dress, too much black there, the shoes remind me of the ones used for FR2 Vero and Vanessa, a few years back. It would be cool if she had some jewelry with new mold. I was hoping to see new Colette, as she was my first Integrity doll. Not sure I like this sculpt, but I think she has potential, maybe we will see some incarnations in the future that might change my mind.

Overall, I think this collection is amazing. Which one is your favorite?

Here's where I am with the 2015 IT lines. Even though I am not a big Poppy fan, I liked the Poppy collection more than the FR one. And I preordered Out of this world almost right away.

Now comes the fun part-do I need anyone else or not? I think not, but I cannot seem to forget the other two dolls here.

Timeless Adele-After a very long time Adele has stood out in the line up. I love the color of the gown, I love her hair. But it's a gown and that's not Adele. And the lip color (although easily fixable) is not wowing me.

Fame Fable Kyori-How she belongs to this collection I can't quite figure out. In a sea of tweeds, she is like a simmering volcano. She looks bad***.

Can't decide! My original thought was to wait till I see them in person at my dealer's and then pick one. Not sure if that's the right thing to do.

Disclaimer: Photos property of Integrity Toys

I preordered Lego Batman 3, and got Super Mario Bros (NES) for my 3DS, and the poster is the Rick/Michonne Terminus poster.

~~~~~~

UPDATES: So I'be begun reading Vol. 3 of the Walking Dead and it's amazing, I redid comic Rick's face, and I've begun Negan. Also, to DeltaNightroam, sorry the Dk figure has been taking so long, it's my fault, I'm about as productive as a sack of oranges. I just need to finish the legs. :/

I've been taking my quarterlies at school and I hate it. There's too much homework, kill me now.

Big Bad Toy Store has her up for preorder, expected delivery of November.

Entrance to the Alice in Wonderland ride, in Fantasyland.

I went with a fellow Disney collector to the 24-Event that kicked off the official Disneyland Resort 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration. It started on May 22, 2015 at 6 am and ended on May 23, 2015. However, we were only in DLR on May 22 until about 10 pm, being in the Parks for about 16 of the 24 hours.

We left the Hilton Anaheim Hotel at about 2:15 am, walked through Downtown Disney District and arrived at the security checkpoint for DLR at 2:30. The line was relatively short and quick, so we felt pretty good that were there early enough to get in near the head of the line. However, this was quickly dispelled when we saw how many people were in the entrance plaza between Disneyland Park and Disney California Park (also called the Esplanade). Rather than being allowed to line up in front of Disneyland Park, we were escorted to the other side of the plaza, to the shuttle bus area. There were many thousands of people there, in multiple long lines that stretched the length of the shuttle parking area. It reminded me of the lines outside the Anaheim Convention Center for the D23 event that I attended in August 2013. There was a Japanese TV crew roaming the lines broadcasting images of the crowd. At about 4 am, the lines started moving, and we finally entered the park at exactly 5 am.

We entered Main Street, waiting for the start of the celebrations at 6 am. Some stores were already open. In particular, there were very long lines formed to enter the Main Street Emporium. Only the south doors were open, trying to make the entry more orderly. It turned out that the people in line were trying to get the 24-hr exclusive merchandise, especially the LE pin of Dopey. We decided to wait by the flag pole at the center of the Main Street south plaza, which afforded us a good view of the Castle. The US and California flags were raised at sunrise, about 5:30 am.

They kicked off the celebrations at 5:55 am with a short burst of fireworks, followed by Disney movie music. The first song was A Dream is Wish Your Heart Makes, from Cinderella. The crowd on Main Street was then allowed entry into the other Park attractions, and we slowly started moving down Main Street. An overhead camera on a long boom recorded the crowd as it passed by. We passed close to the Castle, and turned into Tomorrowland. Our first stop was Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. My friend got more than 750,000. I got more than a million, but my score wasn't recorded, so I didn't get on the leader board. We wanted to get something to eat next, but every place that served real food had very, very long lines. So we settled on getting pretzels and slurpees. There was a piano player playing ragtime music as we ate. Later he left and a piano tuner came and started tuning the piano, which I've never seen before at Disneyland.

We visited some of the shops on Main Street, and noticed that many of the items that were available exclusively at the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event (May 20-21 at the Disneyland Hotel) were now being sold to the general public. At the Crystal Arts shop, we saw the same diamond shaped glass paperweight that we got at the event. Except that there was no dates etched on the surface. We were surprised that they also had two larger sizes of the diamond, one about twice as large (6 inches) and another about twice that again (12 inches). The small 3 inch diamond was $40, the medium $250 and the large was $2150. They are all very impressive in person, and the large one is massive. It is also limited edition. The one displayed in the front window of the store was labeled 1/60, which I didn't notice until I looked at the photos that I took.

We then did several more rides, including Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion. Above the entrance to the Pirates ride is a sign for the Dream Suite, which used to be the Disney Gallery, before it was moved to Main Street, next to Disneyana. One of the prizes in a sweepstakes being run during the Diamond Celebration is a stay at the Dream Suite.

We then split up. I did some more rides, including a second go at Buzz Lightyear. This time my score was recorded, and I got the #5 high score of the day. My favorite place to eat at Disneyland, Plaza Inn, had a very, very long line waiting outside. So instead I ate lunch at the Pizza Port, which had a short and quickly moving line. They had an Avengers inspired menu of desserts. Next store, there was an exhibit for the currently running Tomorrowland movie. I also did some rides in Fantasyland that I have not done in a long time. Snow White's Scary Adventures was great fun. I touched the golden apple at the entrance to the ride, which generated cackling and evil words from the Old Hag. Next was Alice in Wonderland, which has new very nice animated sequences that integrated nicely with the animatronics. The ride wait time was posted as 60 minutes, but it only took me 30 minutes to get on the ride.

I started browsing the 60th Anniversary merchandise in various shops on Main Street. The Showcase shop was entirely devoted to 60th merchandise. Since some fellow collectors were asking about the rotating castle diamond shaped globe, I took a good look at it and took photos. Unfortunately, none of them had working batteries, so I couldn't see the castle rotating or lit up. Next I went to Disneyana, where they had many of the items that were offered during the Diamond Celebration Merchandise Event that I attended on May 20, including most of the limited edition items. They also had the $28,000 crystal slipper that was the grand prize of the Diamond Celebration Sweepstakes. It didn't look as impressive as I was expecting. It didn't help that it was all alone in a large glass case, without any identifying or promo placards. In the Ink & Paint booth there was a framed copy of the Diamond Celebration Tink Cel, with signed postcard and pin. I had preordered a copy of this exact same item, but the pin wasn't ready in time, so it will be shipped to me later. It is called "The Happiest Place on Earth", is limited to 1000 copies, and has a hand drawn Cel of Tinker Bell floating above a stylized map of Disneyland. The Tinker Bell pin is LE 750.

Next I entered Disney California Adventure Park (DCA), to meet up with my friend for dinner at 5:30 pm. I passed Carthay Circle Restaurant, which is extensively decorated for the Diamond Celebration, as the DCA counterpart to Disneyland Park's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The dessert for dinner consisted of four different small individual desserts.

Then at 7:30 we lined up to get a good spot for the World of Color show. It started at 9 pm, and lasted about 22 minutes. It was entirely redone, with Neal Patrick Harris and Mickey Mouse as the hosts. It was funny seeing the giant Mickey face on the ferris wheel being replaced by a screen, then the same image Mickey being projected onto it. The show was really entertaining. I liked the selection of movies that were presented. Snow White and Frozen had the most time allotted. They played almost the entire "Let It Go" scene, which looked and sounded great. The crowd cheered loudly when a brief glimpse of BH6 appeared. They also showed brief clips of Wreck-It Ralph, and had an image of the live action Cinderella in her ball gown that flashed on the water screen for a second or two. Then they had brief images from some popular DL attractions. Finally they had Walt Disney speaking a final message, which was very touching. I would say that this version is much better than the previous version. Neal Patrick Harris was a great choice as the host.

We then viewed the DL fireworks from just inside the entrance to DCA. We then split up again. I was disappointed that DL was at capacity, so they wouldn't allow me back inside. I had wanted to see the new Paint the Night, which is an updated version of the old Electrical Light Parade, which was one of my favorites when it was still being performed in DL and DCA. I am looking forward to seeing it in the near future. So I went back to my hotel room, and rested up. I only did 16 hours of the 24 hour event, but I felt very good about what I did experience.

Here are a ton of quick shots of Bijou Elyse for Dolldiva67 !

She is gorgeous! But… Mine needs some attention! There is a lot of fuzz stuck to her hair that will not just blow away, and she has some paint on her nose! I am so very tempted to leave the paint??

(So far of the two upgrades that I preordered, I like Nadja more? When I ordered it was the opposite and I was dying for this Elyse and just happy to have a new Nadja released. I do really love Elyse’s dress, it’s getting some hate but I think it’s a lot of fun!)

Okay, so I've made up my mind on Modern Sensibility Dasha & Only Natural (they NEED to be together) along with the Metropolitan fashion (haven't decided on Dominique yet.

As for Elise, I love both but will most likely keep either Flawless or Engaging. And her fashion is cute! I wish they made a doll like the one wearing Sheer Bliss!!

But with the new dolls being $175 each and the fashions running @ $100, I won't be able to get them all. And there's still the spring collection of FR and DG!

Anyways, discuss!! And how'd you guys fare in the preordering chaos?

Probably my favorite Fashion Royalty Doll of all time... the Stunning NIGHT WARRIOR VANESSA ❤

I remember preordering this one back in 2008.... *months* before the Japan Convention. We collectors had no idea what character it would be, or the theme...nada. Just the price. Back then, it was a TRUE gamble. No guarantee. Prepay in full + 40 shipping from Japan... then wait patiently.

This is the nature of collecting.

Gamble. Trust. Have Faith.

Sometimes, dreams come true...

Preordered all the new Integrity Jem dolls! They're a little Christmas gift to me and they will probably take a very long time to get here since they're on preorder and I live in Canada, But I'm still ecstatic!

I finally found this Disney designer Snow White at a price I could afford! I’ve been looking for her at a decent price for years just so I could make a modern curvy version of her. Her rounder face sculpt really looks great with the curvy barbie body. I’m waiting for a curvy made to move barbie body in that skin tone. I preordered the lighter curvy MTM barbie on Amazon but it’s hard to tell if it’ll be a match just by looking at the pics online. Here’s hoping!

Here are a ton of quick shots of Bijou Elyse for Dolldiva67 !

She is gorgeous! But… Mine needs some attention! There is a lot of fuzz stuck to her hair that will not just blow away, and she has some paint on her nose! I am so very tempted to leave the paint??

(So far of the two upgrades that I preordered, I like Nadja more? When I ordered it was the opposite and I was dying for this Elyse and just happy to have a new Nadja released. I do really love Elyse’s dress, it’s getting some hate but I think it’s a lot of fun!)

The Limited Edition Ariel and Eric Doll Set, #12 of 6000, in their display case, with the clear acrylic cover removed. None of the factory restraints have been removed, but I have cleaned up Ariel's face a bit, and cut off a loose thread from her blouse. Photographed using built-in camera flash.

My pre-ordered Ariel and Eric Doll Set, from the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection. It arrived on October 15, 2013, and I was thrilled to see that they are numbered #012 of 6000! It matches the number of the other doll sets in the pre-order, except that Snow White and the Prince is #4508 of 6000. There are some slight scratches on the gold nameplate and on the acrylic cover of the display case, but they are very minor, and don't diminish the look of the set. Ariel's head is posed a bit awkwardly, but I'll see if I can adjust it a bit without undoing any of the shipping restraints. There is also a loose thread hanging from the left sleeve of Ariel's blouse. Otherwise, Ariel and Eric look very beautiful, and in perfect shape. I'm so happy that I have them after failing to get them in the in-store raffle earlier in the day.

I'm not going to debox the dolls in this set, but I am going to take photos of it boxed, with the cover sleeve off, and with the clear acrylic cover off, to show off the dolls as much as possible without actually removing them from their factory restraints.

Ariel and Eric Doll Set

Disney Fairytale Designer Collection

US Disney Store

Release In-Store: October 15, 2013

Release Online: October 16, 2013 (at 12 AM PDT)

Sold Out Online: October 16, 2013 (by 12:15 AM)

Pre-ordered at the D23 Expo, August 9, 2013

Received October 15, 2013.

#12 of 6000

Product information from the US Disney Store website:

Ariel and Prince Eric Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection

$129.95

Item No. 6070040900891P

Above the sea

The red-headed Ariel gets her wish to be out of the sea and with her handsome prince, Eric, in this pair of limited-edition dolls. Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection, they feature elegantly detailed costumes.

Magic in the details...

Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.

As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Ariel and Prince Eric dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Disney's 1989 movie The Little Mermaid. The Disney Princess and handsome Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans, and every princess at heart!

•Global Limited Editon of 6000

•Includes Certificate of Authenticity

•Ariel features her signature red curls tied back with a blue satin bow

•Rooted eyelashes

•Lacey off-shoulder neckline

•Satin and velvet bodice with embroidery and rhinestone accents

•Embroidered taffeta overlay with printed inset hemmed with lace trim at the bottom

•Prince Eric features billowy satin shirt with embroidered detailing

•Crimson sash, belt and matching boots

•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Ariel and Eric

•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag

•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection

* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.

The bare necessities

•Plastic / polyester

•Ariel: 11 1/2'' H

•Prince Eric: 12'' H

•Imported

I preordered the Justice League vs Bizarro League DVD, so here's Batzarro! I LOVE this minifgure, especially because Lego recolored him slightly, to make him look more gaudish. Enjoy!

My first new DD in quite some time, I had originally preordered her but some irl expense got in the way at the time and I ended up having to cancel her. I always regretted having to cancel her, it was a complete fluke that I happened to find her recently at a price so good I couldn't resist any longer.

These aren't in the order I want them, this is just a general guide of my dolly #priororities.

1. Miles Morgan

Always had a soft spot for Miles. Looks slightly like Tom Welling, and a guy I know.

2. Fresh Ruruko 1802

She isn't very popular, I suppose that's because there are so many other brunette Rurukos. I love her though. I really hope I can bring her home!

3. Barbie Fashionistas Hot Mesh

I NEED the holographic skirt. The rest is cute too.

4. Asuka

I love this doll. It's so cute.

5. Mademoiselle Jolie

It looks like me, ok?! I love her!

6. Pastel Edge Momoko

That hair. The outfit. She's so cute.

7. Walmart exclusive Barbie truck

It's not staying pink.

8. Pure Neemo XS

I want one! I love these bodies.

9. Cabot Clark

I've been wanting him for months. He's sooo good looking.

10. MIZI

New line of collector dolls coming soon. Three other collections coming this year. Not sure I'll be able to get a first collection one, but I love them and plan on getting one eventually. They range from 69 to 79 USD, pretty affordable.

11. Peppa Mint Lil Secrets

I love the new line, and I love the color scheme of this doll. Reminds me of my Macy Macaron.

12. A kid's doll.

I'm a child for wanting this. ;)

13. Momoko WUD027

I love the lemon colors. And the romper.

14. Fashionistas XOXO

I own a lot of hoodie dresses, I want some for my dolls too. Plus she's cute.

15. Fresh Dolls accessory set.

I want it for the Elyse Jolie I preordered more than for my Fresh Dolls.

16. Action figure clothing

I need a Yankees jacket. Ok. Maybe not need.

I completely forgot, I NEED those Harry Potter dolls. Just the kids. But maybe multiples depending on how that body is in hand.

Barbie Collector members had the option to pre-order her by the 23rd and BAM! I did it. She is now open to the public but she is backordered until March 15, 2016. No using a reward on this lady- she's limited to 4800. She is really lovely and uses the Karl facemold. She is the Fourth in the Faraway Forest series...

The Preorder for TINY Implings, Willow, Ivy, and Maple in fair resin is now live!

Find the options at: www.themushroompeddler.com/currently-in-stock

They are available blank/nude, with faceup/nude, or as fullsets (includes faceup, wig sculpture, outfit, and wings if desired).

I haven't made any Tiny Fullsets yet, so that option has some examples from normal sized Implings as the images, but I will update the listing as soon as I have some finished

I have a special limited offer of $50 off if you preorder all three Implings together No code needed, just select the all three option in each listing.

Other doll shown here with Ivy is Nolan by Dream High Studio :)

by abeautifulmess ift.tt/1MUNOtH

If you purchase a full box set (unopened) of Re-ment from HLJ.com, you CAN get a secret set out of it!

When the Stationary/School supplies set by Re-ment came out, I immediately preordered on HLJ. After it came in and I got my set, I was surprised to find this in one of the boxes.

It wasn't on the back of the box and no one had posted about it (in english) online so I emailed my good friend, PJ/Koalajoe and asked her if she knew anything about it.

She immediately checked the japanese shokugan sites and found that it was a secret set! Wow, my first secret set! Little did I know it would be worth $$!

Sony NEX-5N

+ Electronic XGA OLED viewfinder with high resolution (2359K dots)

+ Voigtländer VM Nokton classic 40mm f/1.4 (M-mount)

+ Voigtländer VM Super Wide-Heliar 15mm F/4.5 (M-Mount)

+ Helios 44-3 58mm f/2 (M42 Mount) :

+ Sony-Carl Zeiss Sonnar 24mm f/1.8 (coming in December)

I have been anxiously waiting for this one. IT dolls have been stressful for a while, because flawless dolls from them are rare. And Nadja being a favorite, I was really worried. Thankfully, this girl has no issues at first glance.

The gift set is nicely put together. The doll is a stunner, a traffic stopper. Even after all the Nadjas I have, this one makes me smile. I'm super duper happy that I preordered this one.

Fashion Royalty Aerodynamic Vanessa (Future Perfect Collection), 2009

I MISS this kind of screenings SO MUCH! I miss the airbrush method. And this amazing quality...for $79 only. Wasn't it a dream? And it's amazing that they were brave enough to give us a doll with BLACK lips as a basic those days. I was thrilled, I was in love. I remember that I preordered her in a second. I miss this excitement.

She is still my fav Vanessa.

My pre-ordered 2016 Designer Fairytale Doll Sets. They have been untouched except for removing their slipcovers.

'Wandering Dreams' Framed Cel, with postcard and pin. Protective wrapping removed. Full view of cel and background art.

I just picked up my preordered copy of the Sleeping Beauty 'Wandering Dreams' framed cel, with postcard and pin, from Disneyana on Main Street. I had ordered it on January 1, 2016, and got it on January 31, 2016, which is sooner than the estimated 6-8 weeks. It is by Disneyland Ink & Paint. The cel is LE 1000 (not individually numbered), and the pin is LE 600. The cel features a midrange image of Briar Rose and Prince Phillip holding hands, with Sleeping Beauty Castle in the background. The pin has a different pose of Phillip and Briar Rose in reversed positions, with a heart symbol between them, and the castle in the background. So it would be appropriate as a Valentine's Day pin. The frame has an antiqued silver finish, with 'D', heart and crown symbols in a repeating pattern. The contents are protected by clear plexiglass in the front. The backing is heavy cardboard, and there is a wire hanger in the back.

As with a lot of pieces, it looks even better in person. The cel has a 3D-effect being floated over the background. Aurora as Briar Rose has such a loving expression. The painting of the cel is flawless. The ornate silver frame is well matched with the blue matting, and is appropriate for commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Disneyland Resort.

Fort Wayne Through Time, co-authored with Randy Harter, will be released October 29! The book of 86 sets of “then and now” photographs of Fort Wayne may be preordered through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. The book will eventually be available at the History Center and other stores, as well. We have book signings scheduled at Barnes & Noble on November 10 (1-3PM) and December 15 during the Authors Fair at the downtown Allen County Library (12-4PM).

In the spirit of the Halloween season, we share today's comparison that didn’t make it into the book….

The Lindenwood Crematory, Circa 1898 and 2018:

The modern cremation movement had a slow start in America in the 1870s. It took several Fort Wayne businessmen five years to persuade the Lindenwood Cemetery association that a crematory was not only beneficial, but would put the city in the prestigious company of larger metropolises like Chicago and Boston. In 1895, architectural firm Wing & Mahurin was tasked with designing the limestone Romanesque building. The contract was signed in August and Indiana’s first crematory was completed three months later. On July 1, 1897, John Powers became the first person in Indiana to be cremated.

Despite the success, cremation would not be widely accepted until the late 20th Century. In 1974, the crematory was renamed the Chapel of the Woods after an extensive remodeling. Over the following years, cremations were transitioned to more modern facilities offsite and, today, the old crematory serves only as a chapel.