Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Casting Call: Part 3

 

Supplying footgear for articulated dolls can be difficult.  I actually like Mattel poser bodies from the 1990s better than the Fashonista bodies, but since most of them were sold as cheerleaders, WNBA stars, and other athletes, they usually have flat feet.  Donor Liv bodies have jointed ankles that allow the doll to wear heels but the feet don’t fit standard fashion doll shoes so over the last month I have made about 8 dozen pairs of sandals! 

All of my Latina actresses are now on articulated bodies.


About 75% of the white actresses are also on articulated bodies.


Upgrading the black actresses is a much more difficult proposition.


First of all there are fewer articulated black bodies available.  Making good complexion matches further complicates the issue.  I'm hoping that when the Prettie Girls come out, they will provide more upgrade options. 

Here are five more of my starlets ready to strut their stuff!

Miranda



With her auburn hair and brown eyes, Miranda is a classic “autumn” in the Color Me Beautiful system.  Like her sister, Veronique, she was $4 at Big Lots circa 2005.


The corduroy jacket was probably a Kari Michelle fashion.


I paid $1 for it at the May 20th doll show.  I acquired the “leather” pants for .20 cents at the May 5th doll show.  The yellow top came with a Janay playline doll circa 2006.  Miranda has a small part as a servant in an upcoming episode for of "Playscale Crafting."



Kinja


Around 2005 Integrity Toys made a series of Asian princesses for Sears.  I missed them when they were in the stores but got this one for $10 NIB at a doll show in November.


Kinja quickly landed a small part as a ballerina even though I haven’t found the right complexion match to upgrade her to an articulated body


The quilted “down” coat is probably from the 1980s since it fastens with a metal snap.


I paid $1 for it at the May 20th doll show.

Olga


I bought one dozen doll busts at Dollar Tree so that I could display my wigs at the May 5th doll show. 


Of course I replaced the heads and painted the busts, but I was enchanted with Olga’s face mold and vivid coloring.


so she was quickly promoted out of the spare parts bin.


A nude Liv body that I purchased at the May 5th doll show became Olga's body donor.


I paid .20 cents for the pants at that show and $1 for the jacket at the May 20th doll show.

Arabella


Arabella was originally a fairy princess from Toys R Us circa 2005.  She won the lead role in Arabella’s Dance, which I am hoping to publish as an ebook.


In this children's story, Arabella is a ballerina who travels to Africa to study African dance.


The navy corduroy coat is probably a Kari Michelle fashion.


I paid $1 for it at the May 20th doll show.

Lupe del Rio Velez



I found Lupe at Wal-Mart circa 2006.  She promises to be a versatile and long-lasting star like Lupe Velez and Dolores del Rio.  In the last year she has accumulated an impressive number of credits.  She started out as a lingerie model.


Then she won a small part as a party goer in “Firehouse #5,”


she played a student in “Homage to Léon G. Damas,”


appeared as Emilio’s date in “New Year’s Resolutions,”


and worked with him again in some of my salt dough tutorials.


Lupe is on a Sporty Fashonista body that I bought on sale at Target.


The jacket and pants were .20 cents each at the May 5th doll show.  I believe the seller made them.  Amazingly enough, the jacket zipper really works!

Watch for "Casting Call:  Part 4" where I will introduce a papi chulo that I found at the May 20th doll show.  He is more than worthy of serving as Lupe's leading man!

À Bientôt

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing these ladies. Kinja is gorgeous!

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  2. Agree with Vanessa, Kinja is absolutely gorgeous. Will have to keep an eye out for her. Love the variety of colors of your sandals!

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  3. This is a wonderful cast of characters and great fashion deals. Like Frannie, I love the colors of the sandals.

    dbg

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  4. I love how you introduce to us your cast! Great characters!!

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  5. Oh, my eyes have been devouring your photos and texts. Seeing dolls I recognize like your Kinja (got mine from Kmart though) and your Lupe - so excited to share this ... she's Damita by Jakks Pacific - has had me popping up in my seat and scrolling back and forth.

    My favorite of your photos is the one with Arabella and the other dances performing an African dance. Feels like I just caught them in motion. And the different and bright cotton fashions look great against that tropical background.

    Lupe's silver jacket is a Get Real Girl separate fashion.

    Oh and I, too, hope that a. the Prettie Girls get produced and that b. they have range in complexions. I am worried about b. because in the first photos, it seemed as though Kimani was very dark and Lena was medium brown. In the last photos though, I'm not so sure.

    Thanks again for an enjoyable viewing and reading ;-D

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  6. Very nice intro of characters. I have Kinja and purchased mine from Kmarts like D7ana. I still have Lupe in her original outfit. I think she is such a pretty doll. I love your sandals...very nice colors. I must have missed the $.20 table. Lol!

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  7. Hi all,

    Thanks for your comments. Looks like Kinja deserves more screen time. Thanks to D7ana for identifying Lupe's jacket and also her face mold. I hope you will do a post on Damita soon so I can learn more about this beautiful doll.

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  8. Hello from Spain: how lucky you have all your dolls Latino articulated bodies. I still have not succeeded, the moment I have only my favorite dolls articulated bodies. I love Miranda in the garden. The bank is beautiful. The tree looks real. Kinja is a very attractive doll. I can not stop looking at your wonderful collection ... wow wow ... Keep in touch.

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  9. Love your casting calls. I also bought Kinja @Kmart. They had the dolls in their brand section. I know they had a variety of colors in the Asian Princess line. I couldn't resist her I picked up a few dolls from the Just Girlz line they sold. Nice to see that I'm not the only one with a spare parts collection. I have heads, bodies, etc in their containers

    I've said it before but I love the variety of dolls you have. I have some of these ladies because I love different faces. I do love the face on your wig model. I think I may have to go see if I can find her and add her to my collection :O)

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  10. Hola Marta,

    I am glad you like the park scene. I bought two of those benches at the May 5th doll show. Eventually I will do a tutorial on making the tree but it takes several days to make one so I haven't gotten around to it yet.

    Hi Dollz4Moi,

    Kmart was going out of business at the time I saw those Asian princesses there. I believe there were three colors. I wanted them all and I kept waiting for the price to come down more but it never got down to what I was willing to pay.

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  11. what type of doll is Lupe. Like what brand?

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    1. D7ana notes above that Lupe is Damita by Jaks Pacific. I bought her at Walmart under one of their store brands. You might be able to find a Damita on eBay.

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