Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Welcome Home, Sophie

I am up to my ears writing my next (really long--sorry) review, but I had to share this piece of news with all of you instantly.  You know I love Liv dolls, and maybe you remember that I have this strange desire to own all of the Liv Sophie dolls.  This obsession started when Spin Master released their second wave of Liv dolls, and I didn't think I should buy all of the characters again so soon.  I mean, the dolls look pretty similar from one wave to the next and they aren't free.  So, I decided to buy just Sophie from every wave, and then maybe other dolls now and again if there was one that really appealed to me.  That sounds almost reasonable, right?  Except that for some reason I decided that all of my Sophies should stay in their boxes.  This is edging towards the loony side of things, I realize, but once I embark on something, I find it difficult to stop.  So, I bought a Sophie from every wave and am keeping my Sophie army carefully stored in their boxes.  

Spin Master has made a lot of Sophie dolls.  Seventeen, to be precise (including the huge Sophie styling head).  I'll admit to feeling a little tiny bit relieved when the Liv line was discontinued, simply because there's not much room left in my house for more Sophies.

Some Sophies were harder for me to find than others, but really, none of the dolls posed much of a challenge except for one.  Girls Getaway Sophie evaded my searches and haunted my mind for over a year:

"Girls Getaway" Sophie with Sophie as Alice.
The Girls Getaway dolls are a basic wave of five dolls that was slated to be released in 2011, but (as far as I can tell) they never made it to the United States.  I could not find a single Girls Getaway doll anywhere.  They appeared in countries like Japan and the Philippines, but not here.  I know this because I checked local stores, online stores and eBay like a psycho.  I called and emailed Spin Master.  I also emailed a few toy stores in the Philippines until I'm pretty sure they started blocking my messages.  I even tried to translate a Japanese toy store site and place an order (fail).  I set up a trade with someone in the Philippines, but (after sending buckets of Monster High dolls off into the ether) communication stopped and I never saw my Sophie.

All hope was lost.
Then, THEN!  I found this amazing gem of a person on Flickr.  He will remain anonymous, but he is the best of the best.  My doll hero.  Not only did he agree to trade with me, which was generous enough, but he stuck to his guns until he found a way to get the doll shipped to me--which was no small feat.  It's crazy-expensive and complicated to ship things between the US and the Philippines.  If there's anyone out there trying to accomplish something like this, give Johnny Air a call before you promise your firstborn child to FedEx or UPS.


Today, on a day where a surprise like this could not have been more welcome, my epic quest ended and my last Sophie doll arrived on the doorstep.  

I think probably when my mom told me that I could do anything I put my mind to, obsessive shopping was not what she had in mind.  But still--it worked:


 Here's the tiny picture of all five Girls Getaway dolls on the back of the box.  I adore Daniela and her striped dress:

They're all dancing around the Trevi fountain in Rome.
Of course, all of these pictures are bad because I am unwilling to get Sophie out of her box...at least for now.  Sorry about that.

Please...let me out!
She has this adorable blue and white spotted sleeveless sundress:


A little pink clutch purse:


And matching pink sandals:


She also has cute white hoop earrings that coordinate with the polkadots on her dress.


She is perfect and wonderful.  Her eyes aren't even wonky.  It's like getting a new Liv release when the dolls have been discontinued for almost a year.  It is a dream come true.

There are a lot of fancy, gorgeous, expensive and rare dolls in the world.  Many of these dolls I simply cannot have.  For the past year or so, though, Girls Getaway Sophie is the doll I have wanted more than any other.  It's not that I couldn't afford her (she's probably only a $12-15 doll), but more that I couldn't find her.  What's so special about finally finding her is that getting her through my door took the extraordinary kindness and generosity of a complete stranger who lives half a world away.  To me, that makes this particular Sophie doll priceless.

I'd love to hear what your dream doll is right now, or hear your story about how a long sought-after treasure finally made it into your home.  It is a happy feeling.

66 comments:

  1. Congrats! I remembered tht you wanted her! She is a beauty, to be sure, but I just can't get over the stare of Sophie's. The Girl in Rocking Chair is beautiful, but wow, expensive! Her smile looks a bit off, though. I love your reviews and can't wait for your next! Oh, and I was looking at your Lorifina review soon after I recieved mine, and I found out Hearts for Hearts girls shoes fit. You really should open Dell, though. I have her (along with two others, haha) and she in georgeus. You can see pics of them and Lori, along woth my other dolls, on my blog.

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    1. Thank you, Eileen! I really should should let poor Dell out of her box! She's such a cutie. It's great that she can share shoes with Lorifina--not sure I ever would have thought to try that! You are quite the blogging powerhouse, by the way! Lots of fun blogs to explore. :)

      The rocking chair girl is by Anne Mitrani, who is know for those quirky smiles. She made a pair of vinyl sisters for Gotz a long time ago (Capucine and Myrtille?), and those two are pretty high on my dream list.

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  2. Congrats!!! its a great and rare doll! visit my blog! xoxo PONYfratz!

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    1. Thank you! Can't find a link to your blog, though. :(

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  3. Congratulations! I know the feeling of longing for a special doll that just keeps getting away. I wanted Superteen Skipper so much when I was a child and never got her. When I discovered Ebay (around 1997 or so) I started hunting for her. I eventually got her (and her boyfriend Scott) 2 years ago. I then suffered by leaving them in their boxes for another 3 months until my birthday. It was so nice to finally open them up and play with them.
    I hope you treasure Sophie always.

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    1. Thank you, April! eBay is so amazing for searching out those lost childhood treasures. I have spent hours on there looking at the Sunshine Family, those Wizard of Oz dolls and all of the cool toy horses I had as a kid. I am so glad you finally got your Skipper! It's one of the wonderful things about being an adult--some of those out-of-reach childhood dreams suddenly become realities. :)

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  4. I am so happy for you!!!
    I been searching for both original MH Toralei Stripes and the MH Werecat Fearleading 3 Pack. (Toralei and the twins come in this pack) I cannot find them in any store and the online prices are ridiculously high! Not one is under 250 and when I bid on EBAY I never win. Sigh...
    I've been obsessing over Toralei for sooo long. :-\

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    1. There is a new Toralei coming out in the new Superhero line, exclusive to Target. Image here:
      http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/TOcjirgSOyg/mqdefault.jpg

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    2. Thank you sooo much. I had no idea there was a new line out!!! I'm so excited, lol.

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    3. Yeah--that new superhero Toralei looks amazing! I checked my Toys R Us for the Fearleading pack for you yesterday, Sunny, but they didn't have any. They seem to have a million of the werecat twins packs now, so this gives me hope that the Fearleaders will be easy to find some day soon!
      I'll keep checking...

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    4. Aww, you're such a sweetheart Emily!! Thank you for trying. I wish Mattel would slow down and give collectors and children time to get a doll before throwing a new line at us. Yes, I have noticed more of the twin pack lately but they all have werid smudges. Very strange...

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  5. so happy for you finally getting your dreamed doll! She is fantastic,as all Liv dolls are :) I have never heard about this Liv's wave..... :) Now I'm smarter!! :D

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    1. Thank you, Urshula! Glad I helped you learn about this wave...I just hope I didn't start you on your own difficult quest to find one of these dolls! ;)

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  6. I am still looking for a Lagoona Blue wave one, just like a lot of other people. But I do not know why, it looks like I've been looking for her for ages. Okay, I think that I'm looking for her for one year.. I can not find her for a normal price; or complete. I have been asking all my friends for that one doll, but no one has her. :( Hopefully I find her soon and I can be as happy as you are with your new Sophie.(::

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    1. I have first wave Lagoona, but she's de-boxed, and I'm not sure if she's complete. :( Still, feel free to email me if you're interested in seeing the one I have! Waiting a whole year is a long time.

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  7. HeLlo from Spain, i have this same LIV. I bought IT because i like the polka doy dress. That dress looks great on Barbie. Congratulations getting your dream doll. Keep in touch

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    1. Oooh! You have her too? I love her dress. It is so cute! It's great to hear that it will work for Barbie, too.
      :)

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  8. AAAAAAH congrats Emily!! I'm so happy for you!!
    You're going to be even more happy soon, since I finally have that extra goodie I wanted to buy for you, plus the mystery doll, of course! I really hope you haven't got her yet, but even if you have she's just a delight to own.
    My dream doll right now? Apart from Eloise, it has to be Mattel's glam magic enchantix Musa doll. She's so freaking rare, it's hard to imagine! She sells for 100 up to even 200 euro's here! :O
    I'd also love to name MH dolls like Cupid and basic Spectra, heck even Catrine and Skelita are high on my wishlist, not to forget about all the other Mattel winx dolls I'd kill for. But glam magix enchantix Musa is one doll I can look at for days in a row and not even get bored. I just need her and Flora to complete the collection.

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    1. Thank you!! :)

      I did a search for that Musa, and you're right! She is very rare and expensive. I think the one I found was $250!! Yikes!! :-O She's really pretty, though.

      I figured you must have Skelita already--she seems like your kind of gal. :) I saw Catrine in person the other day and she is gorgeous. I love the colors in her hair.

      I hope some day you'll find that Musa. She looks like she's worth waiting for.

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    2. I know, and most of the time she isn't even complete :(
      You're right, she's worth waiting for. But I hope my waiting will be over one day :)

      Some Dutch flikr members told me that Scaris is already for sale at a certain toy store but I couldn't find any of it :( I'm going to visit the ToysXL soon (Dutch Toys R Us) and I hope they have Scaris there. People also told (and showed) me that Picture Day is out here and I saw 2 Draculaura's but the only one I really want is Spectra and of course, she's impossible to find.
      I'd also like to thank Mattel for making Catrine an exclusive.. not! :'(
      I hope I can find Skelita, I really like the other dolls from the Scaris line too but Skelita is my favorite. Maybe I'll even buy the cafe if they have it but it's a bit expensive and I don't want to spend all my birthday money in one time.
      By the way, you can keep track of my wishlist on flickr, if we do a trade you can see what I'm searching for ^^

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    3. Oh, I have Spectra. Theres about a million of tjem here, sorry there arnt any where you are!

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  9. Congrats!!! She is very beautiful!

    Best Regards!!!

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  11. just got you package Emily! I'm so happy, Eloise is even more beautiful in real and my parents really like her too, I promise to take very good care of her!
    I was also really surprised to see a cute little Cabbage Patch baby, She's really cute (yes, it's a she! her name is Breonna and her birthday is on February the 16th!)
    So her birthday is in three days, I have to get her a gift soon!
    Also, thank you for your sweet message. I know your house must be exploding because of your doll collection but I think the doll I want to send to you would be a great addition to the collection. You really deserve it Emily!

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    1. Oh, wow! Breonna's birthday is the day before mine! Cool. I like that name, too. It's very unusual and pretty. I'm so glad you told me what her name and gender are! A fun surprise!

      I am sure Eloise is much happier now. Glad she made the journey safely. :)

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    2. Really? Happy birthday in advance then! :D
      I still have to post the doll so I don't think it wil arrive on time for your B-Day but a late gift is better than no gift ^^

      She's standing on my shelf inbetween Robecca and Yasmina so she's a very happy girl ^^

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  12. Ah what a lovely post to wake up to :) I am so happy for you. I stumbled across a Liv Sophie doll in my local charity shop. Without your blog I wouldn't have even known who she was. I am delighted with her and hoping to buy another couple of Liv dolls before they all disappear. Someone is selling the School's Out set pretty cheaply on ebay.

    There are so many dolls on my wish list but I am really hanging out for a Blythe or a Pullip. I would love a Blythe rerooted with mohair.

    Looking forward to your next review. Please don't apologise about it being a long one. I could read your blog all day long. x

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    1. Thank you so much, Nat Kat! Blythe and Pullip are worth holding out for, in my opinion. I stumbled on a few cheap Pullips at Tuesday Morning a few months ago (Tinkerbelle and Peter Pan). If one of those would help you on the way to your dream, send me an email! :)

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  13. Emily, if only I've read your posts with more attention I could help you with Sophie. I live in Russia, and there're tons of Girls Getaway dolls in toy stores (also After school and Outdoors are there).

    If you need something, contact me and I can help. The only problem is that dolls more expensive than in UK\US

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    1. oooooo... Outdoors huh? Lucky. I've been hunting for a Outdoors Hayden. ;)

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    2. Outdoors Hayden is the Precept Ark now, but other girls are there :)

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    3. Oh, no way! I wish I had known!! You are so sweet to offer your help. Thank you!!

      Isn't it funny how some dolls are easy to find in some countries and hard to find in others? We should set up an exchange network. ;)

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    4. April--are you looking for It's My Nature Hayden? I have one in a badly damaged box. Send me an email if you're interested! :)

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  14. Congratulations, Emily! There's nothing like finding that long-sought-after doll. :) What makes it even more wonderful is the story that goes with it. I'm sure this particular Sophie will always hold a special place in your heart. :)

    At this point, the dolls at the top of my wishlist are some of the mini Lalaloopsy Fairytale dolls. I'm especially interested in Snowy Fairest, Curls n' Locks, the Cinderslippers and Prince Handsome set, and the Wacky Hatter and Alice set. None of them are an "I HAVE TO HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW!!" situation, but if I stumble across them somewhere I'll be extremely pleased. :)

    I came to Lalaloopsies late in the game (I keep discovering my love of certain doll lines either after they've been retired or after the certain ones I'm interested in are no longer being made!), so I missed out on these particular ones. I'm leaving this weekend on a combined birthday trip for my 3 daughters, so I'm hoping that I may be able to find at least one of these Lalas while I'm there. The funny thing is, 2 of my girls want some of the same sets, so of course I'll give them first pick. ;)

    Have a wonderful week and a Happy Valentine's Day! :)

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    1. Thank you so much, beastsbelle!! Those mini Lalas are super-cute. I have been looking for the Cinderslippers set. I found her in the store once, but the Cinderella doll had a bad facial mark, so I decided not to get her. I'll keep my eye out for those here in Maine! :)

      Sounds like a fantastic birthday adventure you have planned for your girls--have a wonderful time!

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  15. Congratulations! Finally getting a rare/discontinued doll that's been evading you is the best! ESPECIALLY when it comes from someone else's kindness. I had a similar happiness when my husband surprised me with my Britt BFC Pen Pal doll this Christmas after swearing that I was not getting a Christmas doll because he knows nothing about dolls and can't shop for them. He really, really convinced me. I was so excited and thrilled! I had my heart set on her for a customizing project, and since she's discontinued, I'd been watching her get harder and harder to find. So not only did the man buy me a doll, he bought one that he actually had to search for. He's awesome. =)
    Also cool was getting the Snowy Fairest Mini Lalaloopsy for a really, really low price on Ebay a few days ago--- that was much less special, but still exciting.
    Dolls I'm really wanting right now: Scary Tales Snow Bite Draculaura (yes, Snow White is my princess!) and a Hearts for Heart Lauryce for a normal price--- can't find her anywhere for less than $150! Which I am NOT paying.

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    1. Thank you, Jessie! That is the BEST feeling--when you are sure you're not going to get something and then...you get it!! I love torturing my kids with this for their birthdays and holidays. Hee hee. I talk about how expensive or hard to find something is, even though I know they're going to get it.

      I don't even know which doll Lauryce is--I guess I need to brush up on my Hearts for Hearts knowledge! I agree that $150 is way too much. I hope she turns up in a store at her regular price. Target had a few of the Scary Tales dolls, but I can't remember if they had Draculaura. Hmm. I'll check for you next time I'm there. I'm pretty sure it was just the Frankie Threaderella. She's my favorite, but she seems to be the least favorite overall.

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  16. Hi, Do you know about this website? http://mudoll.com/index.php, the doll´s wigs here are very nice. Some of the dotories line looks nice, greetings.

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  17. I just got my 'dream' doll. After few days of being annoyed by online stores, that jack up prices within few hour, after another few days of running around city and seeking in every toy store and supermarket, that carry dolls and getting traumatized footbridge over the street (I have terrible case acrophobia and I had to use footbridge to cross the street to check one stores) and not finding anything, I finally found my Scaris Ghoulia at first store I checked... (Good thing is that I checked it once more even if they didn't have her day before)

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    1. Yay! Congratulations! That's a good story, too! You earned that Ghoulia, for sure. I just saw her at the store two days ago--she's a really nice doll. So happy for you! :)

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  18. Another amazing review! Thank you so much for posting and sharing your thoughts about dolls. It's a big, BIG! help for me. Thank you so much!

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  19. I really want to have a Cleo De Nile doll for a very long time (2 years) but unfortunately, let's just say they are "extinct" and you could only buy them online, but online shopping is a HUGE risk! I don't know what to do right now, I really hope that someone would just knock on my door and tell me that I can have their Cleo de Nile doll. :(

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    1. All Cleo dolls are hard to find? Now that you mention it, I can't remember the last time I saw Cleo! Huh. I feel like maybe I saw Dawn of the Dance Cleo at Toys R Us the other day, but maybe I am thinking of Draculara from that line? Hmm. Are you in the US, or another country?

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  20. Even more than watching beautiful dolls, what I enjoy more is the story behind, the fence, the risk, the "I thought I would never get it". As a child I had not a lotof toys (We were not exactly poor´s but our family had to save the most we could). I happen to have a best friend (whom I really proud to have nowadays) who had absolutely everything (masters of the universe, secret wars, you name it, he had it), with a sister who had the same for a girl (we used to play with her perfectly stored, almost dusty and neglected dolls, having the time of our life). Being a boy, I always had to live a second life. Every doll was bought secretly, and maybe that´s why it was so fun.
    When I grew up and started to earn proper money, my thirst drived me forward. I could not stop. Discovering evil-bay was both my salvation and my perdition. I remember how I was so excited buying I could hardly breath (literally). Holy grails was suddenly at my fingertips (literally, again). In Spain we have almost nothing of the wide, huge variety of toys you have on the US. My barbie (Kayla and Steffie mainly) obsession nearly led me to prostitution/selling my organs, but I was worth it. I still remember with joy the day I finally got "Saint Seiya´s great patriarch" and "Billy boy´s feeling groovy Barbie" (funnily enough, from your fellow blogger D7ana, someone who have became a friend without phisically meeting). It´s hard to believe how much happiness could those little plastic things give.When I grow up and start earning proper money, my thirst drived me forward. I could not stop. Discovering evil-bay was both my salvation and my perdition. I remember how I was so excited buying I could hardly breath (literally). Holy grails was suddenly at my fingertips (literally, again). In Spain we have almost nothing of the wide, huge variety of toys you have on the US. My barbie (Kayla and Steffie mainly) obsession nearly leds me to prostitution, but I was worth it. I still remember with joy the day I finally got "Saint Seiya´s great patriarch" and "Billy boy´s feeling groovy Barbie" (funnily enough, from your fellow blogger D7ana, someone who have became a friend without phisically meeting). It´s hard to believe how much happiness could those little plastic things give.Keep on blogging! I really enjoy your dolls, but even more your exquisite sense of humour.
    Chicovintage

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    1. Wow! Thank you for sharing your wonderful, inspiring story! I think that if you have to work hard to get something you want, it is so much more valuable. Also, I totally agree that there is a "thrill of the hunt" element to doll collecting! I enjoy searching for rare dolls--I often don't even buy them when the hunt is over. Finding the doll is good enough. Dolls are so fun because they are toys, they are art, they are a commentary on society, and they sometimes present us with this wonderful, frustrating hide-and-seek game. I think they also show us something about ourselves if we're paying attention.

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  21. Another great review, thank you for sharing your story, and congratulations!
    That must be an amazing feeling. :D

    It was Jem that sparked my interest in dolls. At first I thought the Jem dolls were so ugly. The show-innacuracy made me scrunch up my face in mild disapproval, but I don't know, maybe it was because I love the characters, or maybe it was the vintage charm, but they stole my heart and won't let it go.
    Since I can't shop online, I am now on an endless hunt at thrift stores for any that might show up.

    My dream doll is Rapture from Jem. Of course, she and the other two Stingers never had their dolls released because the Jem toy line had gotten cancelled. I was so disappointed to learn that my favourite band (The Stingers) didn't have any dolls, and so I wouldn't be able to own them...
    but now Integrity is making a whole new line of Jem dolls, and they're absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately for me, they're also around $120 each, and can only be purchased online. When they make The Stingers, I will only be able to sit at my computer drooling at the pictures and wishing I owned one. XD

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    1. You know, I wasn't even aware of Jem until the Integrity line was announced. I have some serious catching up to do! I spent some time looking at pictures of the older Jem dolls online--Rapture in particular. The pictures of Rapture must all be prototype or repaint dolls?

      I can see how you might have been frustrated with the dolls initially--the faces are very different from the animation. I think some of them are really cool, though. The price differences on eBay are fascinating--the dolls seem to range from $4 to over $200! :-O I like "Danse" with her rainbow hair:
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Vintage-DANSE-Jem-Doll-with-outfit-and-boombox-radio-Jem-The-Holograms-/290861481902?pt=US_Dolls_Bears_Toys&hash=item43b8b1ffae

      I have no doubt that the Integrity dolls are wonderful. That is a top-notch company. I like Kimber the best so far--or maybe the original pink-haired Hollywood Jem from Comic Con.

      Thank you for inspiring me to look at these dolls more! They are really fun. I hope Integrity makes a Stingers doll some day and I really hope that you get one!

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    2. The pictures of Rapture and her two bandmates (Riot and Minx) are all prototypes. The characters in the cartoon were all based on photos of the prototypes of their dolls. :)
      (Rapture's prototype doll was pretty nice looking, too. It's a shame it was never released!)

      Yeah, the difference between the dolls and the cartoon designs are a little jarring, which was probably what caused my initial kneejerk reaction to them. Now that I'm warmed up to them, I think some of them are actually quite nice looking.
      Yeah, the prices of the vintage Jem dolls are erratic, and some are very reasonable. If I could use ebay, I'd probably have a shelf full by now. (I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing) XD

      I had never heard of Integrity until they announced their Jem line. (we're opposites!) I was very impressed with what I saw. So far I like Aja the most. I think they're going to release the Misfits next. I can't wait to see what Stormer looks like. She's my other favourite character next to Rapture. XD

      Thank you. :D
      I'd love to see a review if you ever decide to acquire any Jem dolls. You always make me laugh. :)

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  22. First off I love you blog! I accidentally found it a few days ago and have quickly gobbled up all of your posts! I feel like I look for the same things in a doll as you do, so they are a treat from beginning to end.

    I especially love how thorough you are with the hair. If you are making a play doll with hair then it should be of decent quality, brush able and moderately re-style able . Or what's the point of having a doll with hair? Also if it wasn't for you my Meyganas hair would still be a nightmare and she would be hidden from the world. But now she looks lovely and friends comment on how beautiful she is.

    And last but not least I love the beautiful photography on this blog. You take fabulous photos from the doll removal process to the final fun poses that inspire me to get out of 5 pose rut!

    So thank you! And congratulations on finding your doll!!

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    1. Thank you so much! I am so glad you agree about the hair!! Everyone likes to play with doll hair, and if the hair feels bad, the experience is ruined. I am so glad your Meygana's hair is fixed. I like that doll a lot and her hair was such an obstacle! It is so encouraging that the newer dolls have better hair.

      Thank you SO much for commenting on my photos, too. I can't tell you how much that means. I have been struggling with cameras and lighting for ages now and if things look good to you, something must be working! Yay! It inspires me to keep trying harder. :)

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  23. I love Liv dolls! but they have never, been sold in my contry. Im happy that you finally got your Sophie :)
    And I was wondering - why is it Sophie you have to have?

    Im becomming slightly obsessed, with its my nature Hayden and the horse Nutmek. I whanted its my nature hayden, to be my first Hayden. But I havent been able to find her on eBay. Liv doll horses, allso seem hard to find.
    I saw someone on eBay, selling a deboxed Its my nature Hayden and Nutmek. But this person will only ship to her/his own contry.
    I hope I will find, a liv horse one day.

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    1. Good question, Freja! I don't even think Sophie is my favorite character. I tend to like Daniela and Katie better. It must be that when I made my decision to buy one of the same doll every year, the second wave had just been released, and the Sophie from that wave was the prettiest doll. I still think that second wave Sophie is one of the best dolls Spin Master made.

      The Liv horses have become INCREDIBLY hard to find. I adore them, though. There are actually three on eBay right now...and this one says worldwide shipping! :D
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFUL-LIV-DOLL-HORSE-NUTMEG-WITH-SADLE-BRIDLE-SPINMASTER-A13-/380578169767?pt=US_Dolls_Bears_Toys&hash=item589c3a03a7

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    2. Ah okay :) my favorite characters is Katie and Hayden.

      Thank you verry much for the link :)

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  24. I am freaking out. I have liv dolls! For 4 dollars each! EEEKKK! So I went to ToysRus in search of the Calico Critters hedgehogs(which were not available....sigh) and there they were! Making Waves sophie and hayden. And there were at least 2 of each(which was good, because on of them had REALLY BAD wonky eyes.) I had been looking for liv forever and I thought all hope was lost.....but it wasn't!Well, of course you know what I did. am now at home, enjoying the wonderful articulation of a Liv doll(knee joints! Foot joints! waist joints!)
    As a side note, my dream doll is probably this one:
    http://www.masterpiecedolls.com/catalog/product_info_21.php?products_id=248

    Congratulations on getting Sophie!

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  25. Hello,

    I wonder if you can bring some light on this crazy thing that happened to me. Like 2 days ago I bought a Daniela, the one on your box with the red striped dress, today I went to store to buy Katie and all dolls were gone !!!! I was asking to employee what happened they did even know what Liv was... OMG...I live in Dubai ... Crazyyyy . You were saying that those dolls were discontinued... All of them?

    Btw love your blog!!

    Eduarda

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  26. Congratulations on finally finding your Getaway Sophie! She is very pretty. I love your picture of Sophie as Alice presenting her. Alice is one that I'd love to find! :)

    I wanted to say thank you for all the time you have put in to writing this blog. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read so far. I have been collecting Monster High for several months, and just a couple weeks ago, I found a Liv Sophie doll at Big Lots. I had never seen Liv dolls before, but I immediately loved her and had to bring her home. I started reading about them here and was hooked. I started researching more when I couldn't find them at Target, and was so disappointed to find out that they had been discontinued. I've searched every Big Lots, Ross, Marshall's, TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning that I could find, and I've found quite a few Liv dolls in the past 2 weeks. I thought I'd better get them now before they're all gone.

    While I was busy reading everything you have written about Liv dolls and hunting for them everywhere, I ran across your writings on the BFC Ink dolls. They look like a larger version of the awesome articulated Liv dolls, so I decided to get one. Then, I couldn't find them either and learned that they had already been discontinued too. I haven't been lucky enough to find even one BFC Ink item anywhere, so I ordered a doll for each of my 2 daughters from sellers on eBay. Unfortunately, they will be coming without clothes, so I still have to search for clothes and shoes for them.

    Then to top it all off, I read what you wrote about Blythe. I had seen the LPS Blythe dolls in stores before and liked them, but had never bought one. While looking for Liv dolls in the close out stores, I saw several LPS Blythe dolls and couldn't resist them any longer... So started my Blythe collection. I picked up quite a few for between 4.99 and 7.99 each. Then it happened again... I was in Target and stopped on the LPS aisle to see what they had, and there were no Blythe dolls at all. The only thing I found was a little figure with rubber hair and rubber clothes, with no resemblance to Blythe. Not her too?!?!

    So that's 3 things in a row that I've started collecting, only to find out that they were already discontinued before I even got started. So is that just crazy, or what? Well, I just wanted to share my crazy collecting experience with you, and tell you how much I love reading about your collecting here!

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  27. Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your nice comment about the blog. I'm glad it sent you on some fun doll adventures! I can picture you scouring all of the stores for Liv--sounds like me! :D I've never tried Big Lots, though! Good idea.

    It's very bizarre that everything you are interested in is being discontinued! I feel your pain! Of course I don't miss the BFC Ink dolls, but the absence of Liv and LPS Blythe is so sad. I've seen that new rubber-haired pseudo-Blythe dolls you mentioned and I am NOT a fan. Why would they change her??? I'm glad you found a few of the original cuties (at great prices!) before they all disappeared.

    What I've learned, though, is that discontinued doll are sometimes a good thing--there's always something new that I get interested in, and if the old dolls stayed on the shelves, too, I'd be broke!! ;)

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  28. The dream doll was for my mom and I saw an ad for Ebay on TV for Baby Boomers - "all your friends are here." My mom wanted her Betsy Wetsy with Teddy Brown lambswool hair and blue eyes circa 1956 from Ideal - her childhood baby doll. I had some surplus tuition lying around and calling out dolls for me so I hooked onto ebay for the first time and typed in a search for Betsy Wetsy and there she was - whoa the price - but this search had taken thirty years. my mom began looking when I was 7 and bought Mattel's modern baby Betsy Wetsy in the late 1970s or maybe 1981 or 1982. She bought Doll Reader Magazine and Doll Collector magazine and had several reproduction babies from Ashton Drake, the Danberry Mint, and a private artist. But, none were the Betsy Wetsy. I also had an angel for a seller. First it was a Buy it Now because I don't know how to bid. She mailed her before I mailed the money order the next morning. And she is truly perfect in every way. She's in our hutch protected by glass, but I do take her out and play with her. It's her sturdy construction, accessories (like a glass bottle), layette, and everything Ideal made in the 1950s that shocked me in its quality. Today, my dream is to own a Beatriz mold from My Twinn. It's been a 10 year search. Still, I think Bea will come to me one day. She's just waiting for me, is all.

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  29. I had wanted an American Girl for like, 3 years, and when i was six or seven I finally got one! Better yet, she looked like me! I say looked, not because she's gone or anything (I'm 11 now), i just got bangs.

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  30. LOL, I love your post. I also love LIV dolls and whenever I run across then at the Goodwill or Salvation Army I 'rescue' them!! ^_^ Fortunately I nabbed lots of wigs & accessories when the local WalMart discontinued them so there are plenty for the poor wigless rescued girls! Oh and sorry to post anonymously, but am at work...shhhh!!

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  31. Hola si te sirve de consuelo las muñecas que tu tienes yo no las puedo tener. sobre las livs yo me concentre en Daniela, y compre todas las que salieron en México, menos las de colores porque no tienen articulados los brazos, y otras que ya no estaban totalmente articuladas, solo tengo las de despues de la escuela (cerradas) y la del spa, más otras sueltas como 30 en total. saludos.

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  32. Well, as I catch up with your blog, I come across this one. How wonderful that someone was able to be your "Liv angel". They come from anywhere and everywhere, these mysterious and caring angels, don't they? I have had angels before and have even been lucky enough to be an angel on occasion. Either way is an uplifting feeling and brings great joy.

    I suppose my "dream" doll right now would be the first Tonner release of Tangled/Rapunzel. Her hair is just wonderful and so, so long. It begs to be brushed and played with, even though she is supposedly a collector doll. My dream has been fulfilled in that I did manage to get the second Tonner Tangled. Her hair might not be as long and up in a braid, but when I get over the shock of actually having her, I will release her braids and play, play, play. I play with the dolls, whether it's Ann Estelle or Betsy or Black Swan or Ellowynn or Amelia. I've been trying to figure out what dollhouse would fit Amelia Thimble so that she and her similar sized friends can have a place to hang out and I can play. Second and third childhoods can be wonderful! :

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  33. Nice post! I love the first picture-- So funny! I giggled at that. My dream doll is the Rainbow witty toys (Or Witty toys, Rainbow toys, etc.) Winx Bloom with her camper from 2009. I had seen YouTube reviews of it in Italian and instantly wanted it. Yet I was disappointed when I learned they don't make her anymore. I checked eBay, googled it, and did everything I could to find her and I could never see her. Maybe next time!

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  34. wow! i envy you. i am from Philippines but I am finding it hard to find that Sophie getway doll.
    Is there any chance you can share to me the name of that kind guy? :)

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  35. I found the same Liv Sophie getaway doll two weeks ago! She was new in the box but the box is pretty battered. The best thing is she was sold for 80ZAR. I don't think the flea market seller knew what he had. I am so lucky and plan to open her on the 25th.

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