We are thrilled to announce the debut of "Romantic Possibilities," one of eight highly anticipated dolls making her grand entrance at TonnerFest. Created by the renowned doll artist, Robert Tonner, Romantic Possibilities is a sight to behold.
Ellowyne Wilde Collector Questions Answered by Robert Tonner
It's an exciting time for doll collectors worldwide with the release of the 2021 Ellowyne Wilde Doll Collection. Many collectors have some burning questions, and Robert Tonner sat down and answered 10 of them in this blog.
Baby Doll Basic Blonde Ellowyne Wilde. Photo by Dolldom Photography.
1) The girls, Ellowyne, Amber, Prudence, Lizette, share the same birthday--October 31st. Why?
I can't really say. There is something about Prudence's mother being a bit psychic and visions of past relatives--that sort of thing--kind of explains their bond--there is something otherworldly about it. Or, it's just a really weird coincidence. :)
2) Is Ellowyne still in therapy?
Absolutely. I believe she's overdue for a therapy diary entry. Ennui does not go away quickly, but she's working on it.
3) Who really won Ellowyne's heart? Rufus or Penn?
I don't think anything has been settled. Sure, Penn's better looking than Rufus, but has anyone ever been as nice to Ellowyne s Rufus has? But I'm not taking sides.
Taking Shape Ellowyne wearing “Turning Heads” outfit. Photo by Dolldom Photography.
4) What was the inspiration for the girls' names - Ellowyne, Prudence, Amber, and Lizette?
When I was developing Ellowyne, I looked for a name I could use that wasn't already being used by another company for dolls. At the time, Mattel and MGA had used up all the common names--which was okay with me because I thought this new doll should have a unique name. I like to use vintage/historic names because, in a way, they sound new now. Anyway, after much thought, the doll was named. Gwendolyn Wilde. As you all know, that's not how it turned out. It seems that the name "Gwendolyn" was being used by a toy company for something called Gwendolyn Goose. Anyway, we had to make up a name. I believe Michelle Hodge's daughter came up with Ellowyne. (Michelle used to work with me). The other names were easier--just wanted names that fit into the Wilde world.
Basic Blonde Ellowyne wearing Face Time outfit | Photo by Dolldom Photography
5) What made you want to bring Ellowyne back to us?
I never really wanted to let her go, and of all the dolls I've done, she is my favorite character. Design-wise, she really pushed me to be more creative, and I still love designing for her. There are business reasons too. It's really difficult to do dolls these days that are relatively reasonably priced. I had to set up a new way of producing dolls, by myself, without my company (and it's taken me a while to do that). I didn't want to stop doing dolls altogether, and Ellowyne is a character I can handle doing by myself. Of course, it also helps that Rachel became a fan and can spread the word! Plus, I really don't think that collectors were finished with her.
6) Is Freddie still around?
Absolutely. He's a bit more grown-up, but he still has a touch of that nasty pyromania. Although she loves him very much, Freddy is the bane of her existence.
7) Has Amber calmed down, or is she still mean to Ellowyne?
Ellowyne hasn't said. However, although they have had breakthroughs in their relationship, Amber still has a tendency to be, well, mean.
Amber wearing Ello’s “Facetime” outfit. Photo by Dolldom Photography.
Amber wearing Ello’s “Babydoll Basic” ensemble. Photo by Dolldom Photography
8) Did Ellowyne get any more pets besides Sybil.
Sadly, no. Ellowyne doesn't trust Sybil with other animals. Do you know how Lizette loves birds and has many? Well, suffice to say that Sybil is no longer welcome at Lizette's house.
9) Where does Ellowyne get all these amazing fashions to wear?
Ellowyne has a great eye and picks up a lot of things at thrift stores and re-makes them (excellent sewer). Also, her grandmother owns a design firm--her line has a classic feel, but she loves to send Ellowyne samples she picks up from all over the world. Ellowyne has more clothes than she can ever wear, and she is very generous with them to her friends. Also, she has a tendency to overdress but feels as long as the outfit makes her happy; she doesn't care what anyone thinks.
2021 Ellowyne Collection - photo by Dolldom Photography
10) How old is Ellowyne?
She's not saying, but if I had to guess, I'd say somewhere in the late teens to the early twenties.
ROBERT TONNER DISCUSSES ELLOWYNE WILDE + SHOWCASES SOME OF HIS FAVORITE DOLLS IN HIS STUDIO FOR VIRTUAL DOLL CONVENTION 2021
Dress Pattern making workshop 101 with Robert Tonner for January 2020 Virtual Doll Convention
Indiana Doll Collector Adventure Blog | Virtual Doll Convention
If anyone can swoop in, get the doll stories, and get back home within 72 hours, it is Erik and me, Rachel. Over this past week, we flew to Indianapolis, Indiana, to work on an appraisal project and film two significant private doll collections for the Shoot for the Stars Virtual Doll Convention. We stayed in a cute Air B&B in the heart of downtown. On the first day of our project, we arrived at Cindy Bailey’s house at 9 AM. I was amazed at her range of vintage dolls, modern dolls, and choice antique dolls.
Cindy is such a lovely person, and her friend Kathy joined us to watch the ‘show’ as we filmed room after room of dolls. Halfway through filming, Erik’s belt broke, and Cindy went into her belt collection and gave him a new one. What a fantastic person! We filmed a program for our convention with Cindy giving us stories about her dolls, where she purchased them, and why she loves them. Of course, I loved them all, but my personal favorite was her Izannah Walker. Check out a couple more peeks below.
Our next stop later that afternoon was the home of Nicole Randall. I could NOT believe my eyes as we stepped into her first room of dolls. To start, she has the most Ellowyne Wilde dolls that I have ever seen in my life. She has the very first Ellowyne to EVERY Ellowyne. My jaw dropped! We filmed a program just on these dolls for the Ellowyne Wilde Block Party happening at the convention. YOU GO, GIRL!!!
Nicole Randall and Erik Sandoval filming a program for the Ellowyne Wilde Block Party for the Shoot for the Stars Virtual Doll Convention
Here is a couple more peeks into Nicole's Ellowyne collection. Fun fact: Robert Tonner started following Nicole on Instagram yesterday. Can you blame him? Nicole's Robert Tonner collection is iconic. She has lots of other characters besides Ellowyne, and it was cool to see our Deluxe Grace in her collection, too!
The next room in Nicole’s collection was a jam-packed adventure with modern fashion dolls from Integrity Toys, lots of Barbie (so many beautiful Silkstone dolls!) Smart Dolls, Poppy Parker, and SO much more. We filmed the room wall by wall for the Virtual Doll Convention, and Nicole is a wiz remembering the names of the dolls and their outfits.
Nicole’s house does not stop here. Her basement is full of American Girl dolls and their outstanding play accessories. My favorite was the Volkswagen bus with a working radio, working turn signals, and windshield wipers. Thank you so much, Nicole Randall, for inviting us to film at your home. Follow Nicole on Instagram today!
As you can imagine, we were tired. It was a 12 hour filming day with over 6 hours of footage, but we were also buzzing with excitement for all of the VDC Conventioneers who would love seeing what we filmed. We ordered pizza for dinner and tried to relax that evening because the next 48 hours would be just as busy. We had a 9 AM appointment with the family of Dolly Mama’s Museum of Dolls and Toys. I was hired to help them consult with the collection inside the building, and decide what to do with it. The doors have been locked for several years, and it is time to figure out the next steps. The family loved the idea of a Virtual Doll Convention and welcomed all the filming we wanted. I knew the Convention would love to see what the heck I was up to, and we filmed some entertaining and fun footage in here for you as I worked through all the items in the building, and consulted with the family. Can you find me in the photo?
Yes, it was epic. We called it an “off-roading” adventure in dolls, and it definitely was. No matter what you collect, this footage will be interesting and entertaining - we guarantee that! Here are a couple more photos and a beautiful video that we filmed for the family. Erik is an accomplished videographer and editor, and we are lucky to have him on our team.
We worked for two long days, and then went straight to the airport to come home before Colorado was supposed to have an epic snowstorm. I am thankfully home in my office right now, watching the snow come down, as I write this to you.
I hope you enjoyed this travel blog, and thank you so much for reading! We have FIVE beautiful programs for you coming to the Shoot for the Stars Virtual Doll Convention from our Indiana adventure, and I have never let you down when I have said, “you do not want to miss this.”
The Virtual Doll Convention is a completely virtual doll convention experience. Attendees experience the programs, seminars, and workshops through video either on Facebook or YouTube. There is a huge range of topics from early antique dolls through modern, and programming for teddy bears. We will have doll care and repair workshops from accomplished teachers, shopping from over 20 dealers with the BEST inventory in the land, exciting downloads, and loads of surprises. To really send you over the edge, we have the new collection of Ellowyne Wilde from Robert Tonner - exclusive to VDC to offer to collectors at the event to purchase.
To make our event as accessible as possible, we have a ‘tip jar’ registration so attendees can give us a tip from $5.00 to $50.00 to gain them access to the event, and help us offset the cost. There is no better place to be for a doll collector this month than the Virtual Doll Convention. We have been rewriting the rules for years, and this event is guaranteed to be an epic and unforgettable experience. REGISTER TODAY!
