Coming to a head.
It all began with me looking for an emerald cut Smoky Quartz pendant. You would think this would be relatively common and easy to find, but noooo.... In my searching, I came across this image:
Wow, I love that face, I thought. I decided this was a great way to display jewelry for photography, such that people could see how it would look without someone actually trying it on first. This is a thing on Etsy.
So after weeks of searching (this would be around March of 2012), I had found something actually close. Or rather two; both were beautiful.
I found a place that had the one on the right for $88. I thought oof, maybe I'll wait a bit. On that same site I found this one, which I decided might work.
While beautiful and much more affordable, I quickly discovered she had very little room for a longer necklace. She's good for my chokers and earrings, but I knew I needed something with a little shoulder and more of the torso.
On Amazon, I found this, $25, free shipping:
I was sent this:
Six Differences, quick, go!
Yeah. Her makeup is even worse in person (her eyes are a hideous single shade yellow brown), and she has no actual eyelashes. Even better, she's only 18" tall total, so long necklaces still didn't work. *sigh*
So I should just get one of the first ones, right? Wrong. She just disappeared. After months I finally found one place selling FH07 (the one on the right up top) for $112. Ow. I gave up and asked for it for my birthday.
"Oh, we're sorry, that item has been discontinued."
"And the FH03, too?" (the one on the left)
"Yeah, all the Euros."
"Thanks...." ...for keeping your website updated.
Cue more days and days of Google Image Searching. I have seen scary things. Expensive and scary things.
At the last minute, I magically found one site selling FH03s. So we ordered it.
"Oh, that's backordered."
"I...heard a rumor they've been discontinued."
"Hmm, I'll have to check with our vendor again. Call back in about a week?"
"Okay."
I got an email over a month after the order was placed, telling me "oops, that totally is discontinued, we may have something sort of similar?" She sends me a pic of this:
"Eh, I'll keep that in mind, thanks."
Ehrmagerd, there's GOT to be a bust/torso model with head.
Tried to order this from two different places, one in Canada:
"Discontinued."
"What about this one?" (just for fun! She's "P6", but I call her "Bitch, please.", and I would LOVE to find one!!!)
"Discontinued."
"Thanks."
I ordered a P6 from [name available on request], and the order sat. And sat. Their phone number connects to some random guy, but they won't fix it. He was kind enough to give me a number, which turned out to be their shipper. Which turned out to be the people I emailed in the previous paragraph.
"Huh, lemme ask them what's up with this order; call back in 10 mins."
I have him 20, and got a machine. I was never able to connect again. I sent an email. I sent two. I wasn't angry because I hadn't been charged. I just really wanted something to work, here. I love that smirking face. I get an email response.
"That item is backordered from our vendor."
"If your vendor is [name available on request], then he told me that one is discontinued."
"Oh, okay. We'll cancel your order, then."
Awesome.
(It turns out these businesses are essentially the same business, and the main store front is the first business I have ever seen to get an F from the BBB. No joke. I guess I was lucky to get away unscathed.)
The search term "Euro Mannequin FH07" or 03 or 11, were no longer producing any results at all. There are stock photos of them used to sell wigs, but that's it.
I felt pretty dejected, empty handed after all of that...so I decided to give up and try to get the full Euro Mannequin. Only one had the face. O. M. G.maybenot
I found it on sale and available from a local warehouse, saving me ~$200. After the rotten day yesterday, I asked if we could go look at it, and maybe we could split costs. I'm resigned to it at this point, thinking hey, she can model bracelets, anklets, and make people think we're home when we're not!
But I was reserving any cheer, given all else that has occurred on this path.
Imagine my shock to see FH07, FH03, and all the other models sitting out on the counter.
I think I said something like "!!!????!!!@#$@$%^#??!!" Or an interrobang on steroids.
The man helping us was so friendly. "Um, are you able or willing to sell these?" I explained that they've seemed to drop off the face of the Earth.
He nodded, telling me someone had broken in to their store, and for some weird reason, stolen most of them, and that these were the last of them....but he would see if they could sell them. That was a forever long 5 minutes or less. I just kept staring, FH07 was pristine, and FH03 had some damage from being knocked around.
He came back and quoted us prices for each. Together, the total was less than when I tried ordering one of them online. I caught my breath.
I'd walked in prepared to (think about) buy(ing) a ~$300 mannequin.
So...
I took a few shots from different angles and lighting, and they look SO realistic. The damage on FH03 is barely visible in photos. They are stunning. I'll get a better wig for the one on the left soon.
: I do Dance of Joy.
Wow, I love that face, I thought. I decided this was a great way to display jewelry for photography, such that people could see how it would look without someone actually trying it on first. This is a thing on Etsy.
So after weeks of searching (this would be around March of 2012), I had found something actually close. Or rather two; both were beautiful.
I found a place that had the one on the right for $88. I thought oof, maybe I'll wait a bit. On that same site I found this one, which I decided might work.
While beautiful and much more affordable, I quickly discovered she had very little room for a longer necklace. She's good for my chokers and earrings, but I knew I needed something with a little shoulder and more of the torso.
On Amazon, I found this, $25, free shipping:
I was sent this:
Six Differences, quick, go!
Yeah. Her makeup is even worse in person (her eyes are a hideous single shade yellow brown), and she has no actual eyelashes. Even better, she's only 18" tall total, so long necklaces still didn't work. *sigh*
So I should just get one of the first ones, right? Wrong. She just disappeared. After months I finally found one place selling FH07 (the one on the right up top) for $112. Ow. I gave up and asked for it for my birthday.
"Oh, we're sorry, that item has been discontinued."
"And the FH03, too?" (the one on the left)
"Yeah, all the Euros."
"Thanks...." ...for keeping your website updated.
Cue more days and days of Google Image Searching. I have seen scary things. Expensive and scary things.
At the last minute, I magically found one site selling FH03s. So we ordered it.
"Oh, that's backordered."
"I...heard a rumor they've been discontinued."
"Hmm, I'll have to check with our vendor again. Call back in about a week?"
"Okay."
I got an email over a month after the order was placed, telling me "oops, that totally is discontinued, we may have something sort of similar?" She sends me a pic of this:
"Eh, I'll keep that in mind, thanks."
Ehrmagerd, there's GOT to be a bust/torso model with head.
Tried to order this from two different places, one in Canada:
"Discontinued."
"What about this one?" (just for fun! She's "P6", but I call her "Bitch, please.", and I would LOVE to find one!!!)
"Discontinued."
"Thanks."
I ordered a P6 from [name available on request], and the order sat. And sat. Their phone number connects to some random guy, but they won't fix it. He was kind enough to give me a number, which turned out to be their shipper. Which turned out to be the people I emailed in the previous paragraph.
"Huh, lemme ask them what's up with this order; call back in 10 mins."
I have him 20, and got a machine. I was never able to connect again. I sent an email. I sent two. I wasn't angry because I hadn't been charged. I just really wanted something to work, here. I love that smirking face. I get an email response.
"That item is backordered from our vendor."
"If your vendor is [name available on request], then he told me that one is discontinued."
"Oh, okay. We'll cancel your order, then."
Awesome.
(It turns out these businesses are essentially the same business, and the main store front is the first business I have ever seen to get an F from the BBB. No joke. I guess I was lucky to get away unscathed.)
The search term "Euro Mannequin FH07" or 03 or 11, were no longer producing any results at all. There are stock photos of them used to sell wigs, but that's it.
I felt pretty dejected, empty handed after all of that...so I decided to give up and try to get the full Euro Mannequin. Only one had the face. O. M. G.maybenot
I found it on sale and available from a local warehouse, saving me ~$200. After the rotten day yesterday, I asked if we could go look at it, and maybe we could split costs. I'm resigned to it at this point, thinking hey, she can model bracelets, anklets, and make people think we're home when we're not!
But I was reserving any cheer, given all else that has occurred on this path.
Imagine my shock to see FH07, FH03, and all the other models sitting out on the counter.
I think I said something like "!!!????!!!@#$@$%^#??!!" Or an interrobang on steroids.
The man helping us was so friendly. "Um, are you able or willing to sell these?" I explained that they've seemed to drop off the face of the Earth.
He nodded, telling me someone had broken in to their store, and for some weird reason, stolen most of them, and that these were the last of them....but he would see if they could sell them. That was a forever long 5 minutes or less. I just kept staring, FH07 was pristine, and FH03 had some damage from being knocked around.
He came back and quoted us prices for each. Together, the total was less than when I tried ordering one of them online. I caught my breath.
I'd walked in prepared to (think about) buy(ing) a ~$300 mannequin.
So...
I took a few shots from different angles and lighting, and they look SO realistic. The damage on FH03 is barely visible in photos. They are stunning. I'll get a better wig for the one on the left soon.
: I do Dance of Joy.