Tatiana Nayara Oliveira A Gift From Me to Me

Tatiana Nayara Oliveira Dollfriend by Via E

When I preordered Tatiana in the spring of this year, I had no idea she would become a Christmas doll. Having arrived a few days prior to Christmas, I waited to open the shipper until Christmas morning.  It was the first "present" I opened.  I was pleasantly pleased as well as surprised.

Tatiana arrived with an unexpected surprise for me, a beading kit to adorn her mounds upon mounds of curly hair, which can best be styled by finger combing.  Details about hair care are included in the first paragraph of the separate doll care sheet that accompanied Tatiana.

Doll care sheet covers hair care and water play.

Because I was among the first 100 people to preorder, my name appears on the side panel of the box. My niece's name is there as well for the doll I purchased for her.  Reghan remains quite excited about that.

Ellen Callen, Tatiana's creator, also numbered and signed the top of Tatiana's box.  (This was another pleasant surprise.)

Doll Details

Tatiana is 19-inches tall, made of heavy vinyl, with articulated elbows and knees. She has hazel eyes that close when she is supine with upper eyelashes, and a smiling mouth with molded teeth.  

As mentioned previously, she has thick, curly rooted hair.  It is best to finger comb Tatiana's hair and detangle, if necessary, from the ends up.  

 

When she is not being manipulated, I have elected to keep the ends tied together with a satin ribbon or keep the hair under a thick hair net, like this one, to prevent tangles.

Tatiana wears a white blouse with cut-off denim shorts that have a metal snap button closure and multicolored cloth belt.

The denim shorts have two functional front pockets along with the metal snap button closure.

Tatiana's big and second toes are separate to allow wearing thong sandals.  

To prevent them from falling off her feet, Tatiana's sandals also have a clear band in back.  Care should be taken when removing the sandals from her feet to prevent popping the clear band off like I did (because I forgot it was there).  A quick fix was to Velcro it back in place.  

Tatiana also comes with a Qata purse, described in a Via E Facebook status update as "not a traditional purse. Qata is Inca for blanket...that's the closest word in English. It is really a functional woven piece used in many ways in the Inca life of past. A Qata is a blanket, a scarf, a cloth that is tied to carry berries, flowers, or other items gathered. The Qata could be wrapped to form a beach cover, halter top, scarf...or anything else you could imagine. Tatiana wanted to modernize her Qata so she went into her grandmother's sewing kit and added two orange buttons in the shape of flowers and then created six button holes; three on each side so she could attach a strap and then use that strap to make even more use of her Qata."

Tatiana holds her unfolded Qata.  I did not unbutton it for fear that I would not be able to fasten it back correctly.  

Body Construct and Redressing Attempts

Tatiana can stand alone without the assistance of a doll stand.  We know she can wear clothing designed for Alexis, the other Dollfriend by Via E, but we needed to know if she could wear clothing already on hand.  So she undressed to try on three different fashions.

First we tried on an 18-inch My Twinn Friend fashion.  The top and pants are both a little large on Tatiana's more slender frame.  We found the same held true for the next two fashions she tried on.

Tatiana wears an 18-inch Madame Alexander fashion.  The top and shoes fit.

Her slender waist leaves a bit of room in the waist of the pants which will easily fall off.

The tunic and boots of this American Girl fashion also fit Tatiana; however, the waist of the culottes is about an inch and a half too large for her as shown in the next photo.

A quick fix with a jumbo paper clip tapered the waist of the American Girl culottes as shown next.

Before returning her to her box, Tatiana redressed in her original fashion and shoes and protected her hair with the red satin ribbon tied at the ends.

For more information about the Via E Dollfriends, visit their website or Facebook page.  In March of this year, Ellen also introduced readers to Tatiana in a guest post, which can be read here.

Addendum 12/28/2015 11:37 a.m.

I knew I was going to forget something important.  I wanted to include that Tatiana's values are written in her native language, Portuguese, with an English translation for each on the inner lining of her box as illustrated in the above  image.  They are are:

Bondade (Caring)
Chefia (Leadership)
Excelência Excellence)
Alegria (Joy or Fun)
Compaixâo (Compassion)

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Check out my eBay listings here.

Tatiana Oliviera Update

Tatiana Nayara Oliviera (one of the 19-inch, vinyl Dollfriends by Via E) was first seen on this blog here in a guest post by her creator, Ellen Callen.  Ellen shared the above photo that illustrates the brown curly hair that will be used on Tatiana.  She also shared the following advanced ordering information:

There is only one more week left to get your name on Tatiana's Box. And the best part is that the Advanced Order Package is only $68.00 (plus shipping)! This price will never be offered again! Once Tatiana is finished, her price will go up to the introduction price of $95.00. Then when she is here and in stock the price will be $115.00. So don't miss this opportunity. Here is the link to get your name on Tatiana's box and the great price of $68.00 (plus shipping)! http://www.via-e.com/tatiana.html

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Guest Post: Meet Tatiana Nayara Oliveira

Ms. Ellen Callen, creator of a new line of Dollfriends by Via E, Inc., home of Alexis O'Shay, has stopped by to introduce readers to the second doll, Tatiana.  (Please note, all photos are courtesy of and copyright of Via E, Inc.)

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I’d like to introduce Tatiana Nayara Oliveira™, a new Dollfriend® from Via E™.  Tatiana will be about 19” tall, all vinyl and able to play in water.  She is strung with elastic and can bend at the elbows and knees 45 degrees.  Her legs will sit forward vs. out to the side.  Her fingers are individually molded and her big toe is separated from the rest of her foot for flip-flop sandals.  She has a French mani and pedi for a natural look.  Her eyes are sleep eyes and her hair is rooted.  She will fit many of the 18” doll clothing but is more to the slim side.  

Dollfriends, Tatiana and Alexis

Tatiana is the first friend of the main character Alexis who has been selling in the market for just over a year now and has received a lot of support from the families who brought her home.  The heads are able to articulate and if you pull back the lower part of the leg it will snap back to kick soccer or other balls.  She can hold her own purse in her hand and hold trays and small stuffed animals.  Tatiana weighs almost two pounds which makes her very durable and allows her to hold her poses on her own…without a stand…for days on end.  So far Tatiana is receiving good comments from the Alexis community.  

Prototype doll captures several poses without the use of a stand.

My goal was to create a darker skin doll that was worthy of the beauty of girls and women who are blessed with this skin tone.  When I was a young girl I always wondered why dolls did not reflect all the girls and their looks. So now my quest is to create dolls of all skin tones, hair and body types so every girl will find their own beauty represented.  Therefore, Tatiana is a complete new mold.  She is even a little bit taller and a little bit thinner than Alexis.  The next Dollfriend® will be a little bit chunkier than either Tatiana or Alexis.  It is a lot of work, time, money, risk but I think girls deserve the effort.

Above is an image of Tatiana’s mold features illustrating the detail of the hands and feet.  She can leave real footprints in the sand!  The prototype picture shown has black hair with a tight curl.  A second prototype with brown hair and loser curl is to arrive late March/Early April.  We will vote as a community as to what hair Tatiana should have. 

Hair texture/curl pattern

Cost

Alexis and Tatiana sell for $115.00 and free shipping.  So that puts them under the total price of American Girl dolls.  Right now they are handmade and I bring in small quantities.  I also have a line of care products that can remove scratches and treat for waterplay.  These Dollfriends have to last a lifetime…and more.

Advanced Purchase Advantages!

Advanced purchases are available now.  For only $68.00 Tatiana, signed and numbered, her introduction Storicolor® book and Karaoke CD will be shipped to those who are willing to wait and help bring her home.  Advanced purchasers even get their name on the outer box to forever record those who helped bring Tatiana home for the very first time.   I see Via E as a family and I personally respond to Facebook posts and phone calls.  It was a request of a few of our family members to create a dark-skinned Dollfriend…Tatiana was supposed to be the third Dollfriend made, but I moved her to number two because that is what the family asked for.  I don’t want to be a faceless company.  I just want to facilitate what moms and girls ask for in a way that is warm and real.   I hope I am doing a good job.  And I hope that you think so too.  Please help me bring Tatiana home by pre-ordering today.

To get your name or child's name on Tatiana's outer box, advanced orders may be placed at the next link:  http://www.via-e.com/tatiana.html

Please visit and Like us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ViaE.Dollfriends 

Warmly,

Ellen

Ellen Callen

Via E, Inc. 

Home of Alexis O'Shay

Coming Soon Tatiana Oliveira