Last year, when I was re-thinking this blog and figuring out how to keep it in my life, I made a few resolutions. One of them was that I would never feel obligated to buy another Disney Store doll. Why? Well, when I first started collecting these dolls (back in 2012), I was blown-away by the high-quality product that Disney could offer for under $13. Over the years, though, the dolls have suffered a lapse in quality and an increase in price…to the point where I started feeling bad every time I made a Disney Store purchase.
So why am I reviewing a Disney Store doll now? Well, frankly, it’s because I’m a total sucker for Disney movies, and I get a little obsessed when a new one comes out. When the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie was announced, I eagerly waited for the release of the associated dolls…and then bought all of them. I can’t say that this was a wise decision, but at least I’ll get to share what I learned with all of you. In a short series of (not necessarily sequential) posts, I'll look at both the Disney Store and Hasbro’s versions of Beauty and the Beast's main characters. I’ll start things off today with each company’s yellow-gowned Belle doll:
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Beauty and the Beast Dolls by Hasbro and the Disney Store: Belle
Labels:
Barbie,
Beauty and the Beast,
Beauty and the Beast doll review,
Belle,
comparison,
Disney,
Disney Store,
doll review,
Film Collection,
Hasbro,
Hermione Granger,
Made to Move,
Mattel,
Walt Disney
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Figuring Out Phicen (Part 3): The 6th Generation Females
Well, we've arrived at the third (and final) installment of my Figuring Out Phicen series. I published this review in small segments partly because I had too many pictures for a single post, but also because I've been crazy-preoccupied by our high school's spring drama show. Every year this fun event eats huge amounts of my time, and this year is no exception. So, if you feel like I've been distracted lately...you're absolutely right. Oh, and also: we're getting 21 inches of snow today in Maine. Same old, same old. So, basically, this review might not be my best work, but if I get it published before our power goes out, I'm gonna be psyched.
Regardless of distractions, I do read every comment on the blog, and I have to say: you guys are hysterical. The banter about Paul and his "bits and pieces" from the last review made my entire week. Aria, your thread made me laugh out loud more than once. I'll admit to having the same fixation on finally seeing the Phicen secret parts. And Alina_Mau: my apologies to you and our other day-glow pale sisters for all of the skin tone shaming. In my defense, I don't even know what a tan is. There's pale and then there's burned...right?
I'm afraid there will be even more skin tone discrimination in this review, though, because--spoilers--a Phicen suntan body found its way into my house and totally stole the show:
Regardless of distractions, I do read every comment on the blog, and I have to say: you guys are hysterical. The banter about Paul and his "bits and pieces" from the last review made my entire week. Aria, your thread made me laugh out loud more than once. I'll admit to having the same fixation on finally seeing the Phicen secret parts. And Alina_Mau: my apologies to you and our other day-glow pale sisters for all of the skin tone shaming. In my defense, I don't even know what a tan is. There's pale and then there's burned...right?
I'm afraid there will be even more skin tone discrimination in this review, though, because--spoilers--a Phicen suntan body found its way into my house and totally stole the show:
Phicen 6th Generation S17B Super Flexible body (suntan) with Kimi's Amanda Seyfried head. |
Labels:
6th generation,
doll review,
M33,
Phicen,
Phicen body review,
Phicen doll head,
Phicen doll review,
S01A,
S16A,
S17B,
Super-Flexible
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Figuring Out Phicen (Part 2): The Phicen M33 Male Body
Welcome to the second of three posts about the fabulous Super Flexible Phicen bodies! I started this series with the intention of simply finding a head for a pale female Phicen body. However, my choice of body (the S01A--which you can read about in Part 1) was far too similar to the only other Phicen body I own (the S01--which you can read about here).
So, in an effort to learn something new about Phicen, I went a little overboard and purchased a male body and two of the newest female bodies. Today I'll take a quick look at the male body I chose, the M33:
So, in an effort to learn something new about Phicen, I went a little overboard and purchased a male body and two of the newest female bodies. Today I'll take a quick look at the male body I chose, the M33:
Labels:
action figure,
Chris Redfield,
Eleven,
M33,
male,
Nora,
Paul Rudd,
Phicen,
S01A,
seamless,
stainless steel,
Super-Flexible
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Figuring Out Phicen (Part 1): Finding a Head for
a Phicen S01A Pale Body
I had my first experience with a Phicen Super-Flexible Seamless body back in the winter of 2015. Ever since my review of that doll (Leila, a stainless steel S01 figure) I've been considering another Phicen purchase. In fact, I bought another doll while I was reviewing Leila, but I sent her back immediately because I did not like the body shading or the head sculpt. I always assumed I'd give the brand another try, but there have been some obstacles along the way.
The first obstacle was that my older Phicen body is not holding up very well. I was never able to get the pencil stains off her leg, and her soft body has continued to separate along the side seams. Another hurdle is that the newer Phicen bodies do not come with heads...and Phicen doesn't sell heads separately. In theory, I was happy to purchase a head from a different company, but it's not so easy to tell which heads will go with which bodies, and the Phicen pale bodies seem particularly difficult to match.
My mission for this review was to order a new stainless steel pale body and then find it a head. Sounds simple, right? However, I'm not very good at keeping track of all the different types of Phicen body (or all of the different brands of heads, for that matter). My inexperience led to a few blunders that took me off on some unexpected tangents. By the time I figured out what was going on, I had way too many photographs for one post. I decided to split my discoveries into several short parts: Part 1 will be my quest for a decent head for an S01A body. Part 2 will feature a Phicen male body (and the selection of his head), and then Part 3 will look at two of Phicen's 6th generation female bodies...and a few more heads. It's going to be a full-blown Phicen overload.
The first obstacle was that my older Phicen body is not holding up very well. I was never able to get the pencil stains off her leg, and her soft body has continued to separate along the side seams. Another hurdle is that the newer Phicen bodies do not come with heads...and Phicen doesn't sell heads separately. In theory, I was happy to purchase a head from a different company, but it's not so easy to tell which heads will go with which bodies, and the Phicen pale bodies seem particularly difficult to match.
My mission for this review was to order a new stainless steel pale body and then find it a head. Sounds simple, right? However, I'm not very good at keeping track of all the different types of Phicen body (or all of the different brands of heads, for that matter). My inexperience led to a few blunders that took me off on some unexpected tangents. By the time I figured out what was going on, I had way too many photographs for one post. I decided to split my discoveries into several short parts: Part 1 will be my quest for a decent head for an S01A body. Part 2 will feature a Phicen male body (and the selection of his head), and then Part 3 will look at two of Phicen's 6th generation female bodies...and a few more heads. It's going to be a full-blown Phicen overload.
Phicen S01A body with middle-sized breast...and no head ($74.99). |
Labels:
1:6,
action figure,
Dreamer,
DSToys,
Emma Watson,
heads,
Leila,
Modular Art,
pale,
Phicen,
S01,
S01A,
seamless,
stainless steel,
Super Duck,
Super-Flexible,
VeryCool
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Zomby Gaga by Monster High and the
Born This Way Foundation
Whoa. What a wintry week we're having here in Maine! Thursday was the second snow day in a row for the local kids, and we're looking at another two feet of snow for tonight. I'm hoping to get this review posted before that storm hits! So far we've been fortunate enough to keep power (and avoid any more branches through the roof) so it's been an excellent time for me to work on my next several reviews. I'm really excited about all of the dolls that I have planned for the upcoming month...I just hope I can work as fast as my mind is racing!
This particular review has been a long time coming. I pre-ordered Monster High's Zomby Gaga back in October (after Dmitry's excellent suggestion). Zomby Gaga is a special edition doll meant to depict Lady Gaga from her Born This Way music video. Zomby Gaga arrived in early January, but I've had a hard time tracking down the other doll I needed for this review--Robert Tonner's Zombie Boy. Zombie Boy is the screen name of Rick Genest, the tattooed model who appears alongside Lady Gaga in her video. I finally found the Zombie Boy doll safely tucked away on a back shelf. He's fragile, and so I don't keep him on display.
The timing actually worked out really well, though, because the real Lady Gaga performed at the epic Super Bowl game last weekend, and so I've had her songs going through my head all week.
This particular review has been a long time coming. I pre-ordered Monster High's Zomby Gaga back in October (after Dmitry's excellent suggestion). Zomby Gaga is a special edition doll meant to depict Lady Gaga from her Born This Way music video. Zomby Gaga arrived in early January, but I've had a hard time tracking down the other doll I needed for this review--Robert Tonner's Zombie Boy. Zombie Boy is the screen name of Rick Genest, the tattooed model who appears alongside Lady Gaga in her video. I finally found the Zombie Boy doll safely tucked away on a back shelf. He's fragile, and so I don't keep him on display.
The timing actually worked out really well, though, because the real Lady Gaga performed at the epic Super Bowl game last weekend, and so I've had her songs going through my head all week.
"Zomby Gaga" by Monster High, $23.99. |
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Sunday Surprise: Twozies and Sonny Angel!
Whew. I was so emotionally bogged down by that Global Girl review (I dislike writing negative reviews...), I needed to do something fun immediately! So--I have a quick (Super Bowl) Sunday Surprise post for you!
This post happened out of the blue because of a lucky coincidence. I've been eyeing the Twozies surprise packs in the store for a while now, even purchasing one on a few different occasions with the idea that I'd add them to a Sunday Surprise post one day. Then, last week, as I was checking Amazon for the availability of L.O.L Surprise dolls (they're still so hard to find around here!), a new kind of doll popped into my suggestions list: Sonny Angel figures by Dreams Inc. I'd never seen these little cuties before...and they remind me a lot of the Twozies.
Both Twozies and Sonny Angel dolls are baby-like figures that come wearing animal (or plant) hats...and not much else. Twozies and Sonny Angel dolls are also both packaged in a blind box so you never know exactly which doll you're going to get. I thought it would be fun to de-box a few of these little ones and see how similar they actually are:
This post happened out of the blue because of a lucky coincidence. I've been eyeing the Twozies surprise packs in the store for a while now, even purchasing one on a few different occasions with the idea that I'd add them to a Sunday Surprise post one day. Then, last week, as I was checking Amazon for the availability of L.O.L Surprise dolls (they're still so hard to find around here!), a new kind of doll popped into my suggestions list: Sonny Angel figures by Dreams Inc. I'd never seen these little cuties before...and they remind me a lot of the Twozies.
Both Twozies and Sonny Angel dolls are baby-like figures that come wearing animal (or plant) hats...and not much else. Twozies and Sonny Angel dolls are also both packaged in a blind box so you never know exactly which doll you're going to get. I thought it would be fun to de-box a few of these little ones and see how similar they actually are:
Sonny Angel (left) and Twozies (right) blind box figures. |
Labels:
animal hats,
animals,
blind bag,
comparison,
mystery,
secret,
Sonny Angel,
Sunday Surprise,
Surprise,
Twozies
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Vivienne by Global Girl
I've been doing a lot of organizing and cleaning in preparation for the upcoming repair of my studio ceiling. All of this work has unearthed several dolls that I honestly forgot I owned. For example, I purchased the doll I'm reviewing today--Vivienne by Global Girl--back in the fall of 2014. At that time I was exploring many different kinds of 18-21 inch play dolls, and the Global Girl company was suggested to me as an interesting new addition to the market. The company's mission is to use dolls and books to expose kids to different cultures and countries around the world. This is definitely the kind of mission I appreciate. I also like to support new doll companies, and so I happily purchased Vivienne, Global Girl's character from France.
So why didn't I review this doll when I first got her? Well, first of all, I didn't have a great ordering experience with the company. I'll assume they've improved their customer service over the last few years and leave it at that. But, more importantly, when Vivienne arrived, I immediately took her out of the box to inspect her face...and discovered that she had terrible staining all around her neck from her dark scarf. So, I popped her back into her box and pondered what to do next. As a general rule, I don't like to review dolls that I know I'll dislike, especially when I'm dealing with a small start-up company. So, I tucked Vivienne away in a corner and procrastinated over the review...for two and a half years.
When I discovered Vivienne in her corner the other day, I figured it was time for her to come out of hiding and earn her keep. Another thing that prompted me to finally write this review is the fact that (from what I can tell) very few people have reviewed the Global Girls over the past few years, and most of those reviews come from sites that were given a doll for free. You know how I feel about that. So, for better or for worse, here's Miss Vivienne:
So why didn't I review this doll when I first got her? Well, first of all, I didn't have a great ordering experience with the company. I'll assume they've improved their customer service over the last few years and leave it at that. But, more importantly, when Vivienne arrived, I immediately took her out of the box to inspect her face...and discovered that she had terrible staining all around her neck from her dark scarf. So, I popped her back into her box and pondered what to do next. As a general rule, I don't like to review dolls that I know I'll dislike, especially when I'm dealing with a small start-up company. So, I tucked Vivienne away in a corner and procrastinated over the review...for two and a half years.
When I discovered Vivienne in her corner the other day, I figured it was time for her to come out of hiding and earn her keep. Another thing that prompted me to finally write this review is the fact that (from what I can tell) very few people have reviewed the Global Girls over the past few years, and most of those reviews come from sites that were given a doll for free. You know how I feel about that. So, for better or for worse, here's Miss Vivienne:
"Vivienne" by Global Girl, $89.99. |
Labels:
BFC Ink,
comparison,
eyes,
France,
Global Girls,
Hearts 4 Hearts,
Hearts for Hearts,
Karito Kids,
Maru,
Maru and Friends,
Raven,
Vivienne
Thursday, January 19, 2017
The Saskia Project Conclusion
As you might imagine, life has been a little disorganized around here lately. The same storm that put a branch through our roof actually left two more holes in the house, so we've had to replace the roof and do a few other maintenance things. Next week the hole in my studio ceiling will be patched up, so I should be able to get back to normal soon after that. The nice thing is that both our insurance company and our contractor are awesome, so things are about as good as they could possibly be given the circumstances.
With the roof construction underway, studio time has been scarce. This offered me the perfect chance to finish up the Saskia Project, though, because I'd already assembled Saskia and taken a few pictures of her before the storm hit. All I had left to do was snap a few photos outside in the sun--no studio necessary. This should have been an easy thing to do, but there was one small problem: as much as I love this doll and as cute as she is in real life, she's not at all photogenic...especially outside. I suspect this is mostly because I made her way too shiny with all of those layers of sealant. I'm also not accustomed to photographing baby dolls. They don't stand up on their own!
Anyway, in today's post I'll show you how I assembled Saskia and then share a collection of pictures that I took of her after she was finished. To put these pictures in some perspective, I took over 500 snapshots of this doll...and only about 50 of them turned out. Here's one of those 50:
With the roof construction underway, studio time has been scarce. This offered me the perfect chance to finish up the Saskia Project, though, because I'd already assembled Saskia and taken a few pictures of her before the storm hit. All I had left to do was snap a few photos outside in the sun--no studio necessary. This should have been an easy thing to do, but there was one small problem: as much as I love this doll and as cute as she is in real life, she's not at all photogenic...especially outside. I suspect this is mostly because I made her way too shiny with all of those layers of sealant. I'm also not accustomed to photographing baby dolls. They don't stand up on their own!
Anyway, in today's post I'll show you how I assembled Saskia and then share a collection of pictures that I took of her after she was finished. To put these pictures in some perspective, I took over 500 snapshots of this doll...and only about 50 of them turned out. Here's one of those 50:
"Saskia" reborn kit doll by Bonnie Brown (completed). |
Labels:
Baby,
baby doll,
Bonnie Brown,
project,
project series,
reborn,
reborning,
Saskia,
stuffing,
The Saskia Project
Friday, January 6, 2017
Mini Pals by Maru and Friends
Happy New Year! I hope 2017 has gotten off to a promising start for all of you. It's been a mixed bag around here...but I'll get to that in a sec. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments on the Christmas post! I was thrilled that many of you enjoyed hearing about Santa Mouse and his magic. That's a pretty special memory for me.
I want to start this year off right by reviewing two new dolls from one of my very favorite companies: Maru and Friends. As you might recall, the redheaded Savannah character from Maru's 18-inch line is one of my most treasured, beautiful play dolls.
Maru and Friends recently introduced a collection of mini dolls (the Mini Pals) who are 13-inch versions of the larger characters. So far Maru, Tanya, Savannah and a little boy (Chad) have been added to the website. I'm embarrassed to say that I've been pre-ordering these adorable Mini Pals as fast as Maru and Friends announces them. As advertised, the first two dolls in the series--Maru and Tanya--arrived at my house just in time for Christmas. Mini Maru arrived outfitted perfectly for the holiday, too, in a beautiful miniature of the Dazzling Holidays red taffeta dress:
I want to start this year off right by reviewing two new dolls from one of my very favorite companies: Maru and Friends. As you might recall, the redheaded Savannah character from Maru's 18-inch line is one of my most treasured, beautiful play dolls.
Maru and Friends recently introduced a collection of mini dolls (the Mini Pals) who are 13-inch versions of the larger characters. So far Maru, Tanya, Savannah and a little boy (Chad) have been added to the website. I'm embarrassed to say that I've been pre-ordering these adorable Mini Pals as fast as Maru and Friends announces them. As advertised, the first two dolls in the series--Maru and Tanya--arrived at my house just in time for Christmas. Mini Maru arrived outfitted perfectly for the holiday, too, in a beautiful miniature of the Dazzling Holidays red taffeta dress:
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Dolls Bearing Gifts!
When I was a little kid--maybe six or seven years old-- I had a good friend who really liked mice. She and I would pretend that we actually were mice, and we'd play through imaginary scenarios where evil cats (our older sisters) were chasing us or we had to go on an epic journey to find cheese (chocolate). We had a lot of fun together. One year, this friend came for a sleepover at my house the week before Christmas. My family had all of our Christmas decorations out, including a cute little mini tree that came with colorful lights attached to the branches. My friend thought that this was a perfect mouse-sized tree--and it was. We became obsessed with the tree and played with it all afternoon. As our game developed, we began to convince ourselves that mice had their own version of Christmas...which just happened to be the next day. This idea was beyond thrilling. By evening, we were dancing around the mini tree, chanting little songs and declaring that it was Mouse Christmas Eve: the night Santa Mouse would come bearing gifts for all of the well-behaved mouse children. We were so excited, and we were so sure that Santa Mouse would come.
The thing is, Santa Mouse did come that night. When my friend and I woke up the next morning and rushed into the living room to look at the tree, there were a handful of miniature wrapped presents underneath! We were beside ourselves. Each of the tiny packages had an even tinier gift inside--perfect for a pair of mouse friends.
To this day, I still have no idea how my parents pulled off Santa Mouse's late night, last-minute visit. What I do know is that the wonder of that morning gave me an enduring respect for the magic of Christmas--and a passion for tiny presents. Every time I see a small package that might contain a mystery gift, I remember my childhood friend and our Santa Mouse. In today's post, I'll de-box a couple of dolls (mostly Barbies) that come with little gift boxes. Some of these gift boxes might have a secret present inside...some might be empty props. But never fear! If any of the boxes yield disappointment, Santa Mouse will come to the rescue and make sure there's a good surprise for all of you to see.
The thing is, Santa Mouse did come that night. When my friend and I woke up the next morning and rushed into the living room to look at the tree, there were a handful of miniature wrapped presents underneath! We were beside ourselves. Each of the tiny packages had an even tinier gift inside--perfect for a pair of mouse friends.
To this day, I still have no idea how my parents pulled off Santa Mouse's late night, last-minute visit. What I do know is that the wonder of that morning gave me an enduring respect for the magic of Christmas--and a passion for tiny presents. Every time I see a small package that might contain a mystery gift, I remember my childhood friend and our Santa Mouse. In today's post, I'll de-box a couple of dolls (mostly Barbies) that come with little gift boxes. Some of these gift boxes might have a secret present inside...some might be empty props. But never fear! If any of the boxes yield disappointment, Santa Mouse will come to the rescue and make sure there's a good surprise for all of you to see.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Shibajuku Girls By Hunter Products
It's become a bit of a yearly tradition for me to make the toy store rounds just before Thanksgiving. I always like to see what's out there for the holiday shopping crowds, and this year I was also trying to find a Hatchimal. I did not find a Hatchimal (no surprise), but I did have a fun time looking through the impressively well-stocked South Portland Toys R Us. I've never seen this particular store so full of toys.
I had a great time wandering through all of the aisles, looking at the dolls and eavesdropping on earnest conversations and negotiations between little kids and their parents. So sweet. I also enjoyed seeing the new American Girl display, which takes up half of the front of the store now (and has displaced the Journey Girls completely). I got to see all of the WellieWishers characters and admire the ocean-loving Camille in person (her hair looks great!). It was a wonderful, indulgent morning.
As much fun as I was having on this outing, though, I found very few new items that I was interested in buying. Then, finally, on my second sweep of the Lalaloopsy aisle, I spotted a doll I'd never seen before--jammed in between the boxes of a different brand. She had pink hair and looked vaguely like a Pullip. The box revealed that she was a Shibajuku Girl by Hunter Products. I scoured all of the doll aisles one more time, looking for this doll's original shelf. Finally I found it: a spot on the very bottom row, tucked away and easy to miss. There were five or six more Shibajuku Girls there, some of the boxes tipped on their sides, some obscured by Miraculous Ladybug merchandise. I hunkered down in the aisle and carefully inspected all of the characters. After about twenty minutes of analysis and deliberation, I left with a big smile on my face and Shibajuku Yoko tucked under one arm:
I had a great time wandering through all of the aisles, looking at the dolls and eavesdropping on earnest conversations and negotiations between little kids and their parents. So sweet. I also enjoyed seeing the new American Girl display, which takes up half of the front of the store now (and has displaced the Journey Girls completely). I got to see all of the WellieWishers characters and admire the ocean-loving Camille in person (her hair looks great!). It was a wonderful, indulgent morning.
As much fun as I was having on this outing, though, I found very few new items that I was interested in buying. Then, finally, on my second sweep of the Lalaloopsy aisle, I spotted a doll I'd never seen before--jammed in between the boxes of a different brand. She had pink hair and looked vaguely like a Pullip. The box revealed that she was a Shibajuku Girl by Hunter Products. I scoured all of the doll aisles one more time, looking for this doll's original shelf. Finally I found it: a spot on the very bottom row, tucked away and easy to miss. There were five or six more Shibajuku Girls there, some of the boxes tipped on their sides, some obscured by Miraculous Ladybug merchandise. I hunkered down in the aisle and carefully inspected all of the characters. After about twenty minutes of analysis and deliberation, I left with a big smile on my face and Shibajuku Yoko tucked under one arm:
Shibajuku Girl "Yoko" by Hunter Products, $29.99. |
Labels:
articulation,
Groove,
Hunter Products,
Japan,
kawaii,
Namika,
Pullip,
Shibajuku,
Shibajuku Girls,
Toys R Us,
Yoko
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Lil Outrageous Littles (L.O.L.) Dolls!
I should never be allowed to do more than one thing at a time. This past week, I've been working on two reviews--one of them a Sunday Surprise, one a regular review. But I kept bouncing back and forth between the two posts, not staying focused enough to finish either one of them. Sigh. And now it's Sunday. And what was my solution to this problem, you might ask? Start a completely different Sunday Surprise review, of course! Why not?
So, out of the blue, today I will do a quick review of the Lil Outrageous Littles (L.O.L.) by MGA Entertainment! I want to thank Amy and Lilium for suggesting these toys to me. Each mystery doll, packaged in a softball-sized blind box, has seven accompanying surprises to uncover. They're the perfect little Sunday treat:
So, out of the blue, today I will do a quick review of the Lil Outrageous Littles (L.O.L.) by MGA Entertainment! I want to thank Amy and Lilium for suggesting these toys to me. Each mystery doll, packaged in a softball-sized blind box, has seven accompanying surprises to uncover. They're the perfect little Sunday treat:
Lil Outrageous Littles (L.O.L.) doll by MGA Entertainment, $7.99. |
Labels:
blind bag,
Bratz,
L.O.L.,
Lil Outrageous Littles,
Lil' Angelz,
LOL,
MGA,
MGA Entertainment,
Sunday Surprise,
Surprise
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Mommy-to-be Judith Dolls!
I realized yesterday that there are only two Sundays left until Christmas. Two. Can you believe that? It took me totally by surprise. It's much more typical that I'm waiting and waiting for Christmas, moping around the house because I feel like the big day will never come. Things seem to be happening faster than usual this year for some reason. Anyway, this realization threw me into a panic because I have a bunch of different Sunday Surprise toys that I wanted to chat about before the holidays, and now I can only look at two of them!
Today I want to show you something called the Mommy-to-be Judith doll. This doll was developed in Europe (I think?) and introduced into the United States in 1991 (back when I was a kid). There's not much information about these dolls on the internet, but there's a Chicago Tribune article from 1992 that's been archived online. This article states that Judith is believed to be the first pregnant play doll distributed in the United States. That's pretty cool! Of course Mattel came along a decade later with their pregnant Midge doll, but the Judith Corporation was apparently first on the scene.
So why is Judith a good doll for the Sunday Surprise? Well, because the gender and appearance of her little baby is a mystery! And, what makes this doll unusually fun is that the company put boy babies in half of their dolls and girls in the other half (according to the Tribune article). So I have an actual 50:50 chance of getting a little boy today! Better yet, I'm going to de-box two Judith dolls, and while this won't change the odds of either baby being a boy...at least I have two chances.
Today I want to show you something called the Mommy-to-be Judith doll. This doll was developed in Europe (I think?) and introduced into the United States in 1991 (back when I was a kid). There's not much information about these dolls on the internet, but there's a Chicago Tribune article from 1992 that's been archived online. This article states that Judith is believed to be the first pregnant play doll distributed in the United States. That's pretty cool! Of course Mattel came along a decade later with their pregnant Midge doll, but the Judith Corporation was apparently first on the scene.
So why is Judith a good doll for the Sunday Surprise? Well, because the gender and appearance of her little baby is a mystery! And, what makes this doll unusually fun is that the company put boy babies in half of their dolls and girls in the other half (according to the Tribune article). So I have an actual 50:50 chance of getting a little boy today! Better yet, I'm going to de-box two Judith dolls, and while this won't change the odds of either baby being a boy...at least I have two chances.
Mommy-to-be Judith doll (1991). |
Labels:
Baby,
Barbie,
eBay,
Judith,
Midge,
Mommy-to-be,
pregnant,
Sunday Surprise,
Surprise,
vintage
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
A Saskia Project Update
My youngest son and I are on the road for a few days, driving all over the Northeast. We spend a lot of time in each other's company at home, but we tend to stick to our routines. We're hard-core homebodies and creatures of habit, he and I. So, this trip is unusual for both of us, but it's so much fun! I love road trips: chatting, listening to podcasts, eating too much food. The only downside is that hotel-hopping leaves little time for blogging, and I've been really eager to show you my progress on the Saskia Project. At the moment, my son is catching up on some homework, so it's the perfect chance to give you the scoop!
For anyone who stumbled on this post but isn't familiar with the Saskia Project, I'll give a quick recap: my idea for this project was to purchase and complete a reborn doll kit--something I've never done before. These kits are popular (and can be expensive) and they only include the basic components necessary for making a baby doll. For example, my kit included unpainted vinyl limbs, an unpainted and eyeless vinyl head, and an un-stuffed cloth body. To successfully complete a reborn kit, a large investment of time and additional materials is necessary. I was curious about how accessible (and expensive) this whole process would be for someone with very little experience.
In the first installment (which you can read here), I was able to find Saskia some glass eyes and paint her limbs and head. After I painted her head, however, I got frustrated with her mouth and tried to erase most of the paint I'd applied. This is how she looked at the end of the last post, with her arms and head perched on a drying rack (or rather a paper towel roll holder):
For anyone who stumbled on this post but isn't familiar with the Saskia Project, I'll give a quick recap: my idea for this project was to purchase and complete a reborn doll kit--something I've never done before. These kits are popular (and can be expensive) and they only include the basic components necessary for making a baby doll. For example, my kit included unpainted vinyl limbs, an unpainted and eyeless vinyl head, and an un-stuffed cloth body. To successfully complete a reborn kit, a large investment of time and additional materials is necessary. I was curious about how accessible (and expensive) this whole process would be for someone with very little experience.
In the first installment (which you can read here), I was able to find Saskia some glass eyes and paint her limbs and head. After I painted her head, however, I got frustrated with her mouth and tried to erase most of the paint I'd applied. This is how she looked at the end of the last post, with her arms and head perched on a drying rack (or rather a paper towel roll holder):
Labels:
Baby,
Bonnie Brown,
hair,
micro-rooting,
project,
project series,
reborn,
reborning,
rooting,
The Saskia Project
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Sunday Surprise: A Few Loose Ends!
This week's Sunday Surprise is a mixed bag of goodies. First of all, I promised that I would find a way to share my remaining Toy Box Monthly subscription boxes with you, so I'll start things off by quickly (?) revealing those items.
The second part of the surprise will be a revisit of Magic Nursery dolls. The Magic Nursery poll is over, and it was a very close race! In the end, 211 of you guessed that the blue doll would be a girl while 179 bet on another boy. I'll de-box that baby at the end of the post, and also share another little Magic Nursery cutie who will help get us into the holiday spirit:
The second part of the surprise will be a revisit of Magic Nursery dolls. The Magic Nursery poll is over, and it was a very close race! In the end, 211 of you guessed that the blue doll would be a girl while 179 bet on another boy. I'll de-box that baby at the end of the post, and also share another little Magic Nursery cutie who will help get us into the holiday spirit:
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving!
I wish I had a new review to offer today. I have three things in the works--none of them quite finished yet. Despite that, I didn't want to let the day pass without expressing my heartfelt thanks to all of you. You've kept this blog alive with your encouragement and suggestions, and you make this a special place for me with your kind, cheerful, knowledgeable contributions. Thank you.
I'm visiting my family in Boston (and making lots of pie!) but did manage to sneak out and get a single photograph for you. This is my Pullip Eos doll. She's from the 2010 Steampunk collection. She's a doll with a lot of flaws (squeaky legs, fragile outfit, arms that fall out, terrible hair) but I still love her. I've actually kept her in the box for many years, but needed to get her out so that she could be in a comparison lineup for my next review. That's a little hint at what's coming...
I hope all of you have a relaxing, happy, safe Thanksgiving!
I'm visiting my family in Boston (and making lots of pie!) but did manage to sneak out and get a single photograph for you. This is my Pullip Eos doll. She's from the 2010 Steampunk collection. She's a doll with a lot of flaws (squeaky legs, fragile outfit, arms that fall out, terrible hair) but I still love her. I've actually kept her in the box for many years, but needed to get her out so that she could be in a comparison lineup for my next review. That's a little hint at what's coming...
I hope all of you have a relaxing, happy, safe Thanksgiving!
Pullip Eos (discontinued). |
Monday, November 14, 2016
Willa and the WellieWishers from American Girl
I've gotten sidetracked by a lot of different things--good and bad--over the last few weeks and haven't had nearly enough time for dolls. Most recently, the local high school's fall musical has taken a lot of my attention...in a good way. Every year I'm awed by the range of talents that teenaged kids possess--not just their skill in singing, acting, dancing and playing instruments, but also their aptitude with the intricacies of set design, lighting effects and sound engineering. It's amazing to watch.
Anyway, in the midst of this flurry of fall activity, I realized that American Girl had released a new line of play dolls: the WellieWishers. Before this discovery, I'd been feeling like I was probably done with American Girl dolls. My mini Kaya and my new diabetic Lea are wonderful, and I didn't feel the need for any new additions or reviews. But then I saw Melody (a new character in the Historical line) and her Recording Studio. Wow. She's incredible. Her introductory statement is, "Fairness and equality for all people sound like music to my ears." Indeed. Needless to say, Melody's 1960s world sucked me right back in. All of a sudden I was pouring over the catalog and searching the online store again, wishing I could try out Melody's piano or play with her detailed studio. And that's when I discovered the WellieWishers.
I would love to purchase Melody some day, although I'm not sure that a review of her would add much to what I've already said about American Girl dolls. I knew immediately that I wanted to review the WellieWishers, though. Why? Well, first and foremost, the dolls are completely new. They resemble regular American Girl dolls in some ways, but do not share any body components with them. Also, there's a great mix of characters, all of whom are wearing colorful, quirky outfit pieces. To top it off, the dolls cost $60--half as much as regular American Girls--and are available in stores like Toys R Us. And, of course, they're irresistibly cute:
Anyway, in the midst of this flurry of fall activity, I realized that American Girl had released a new line of play dolls: the WellieWishers. Before this discovery, I'd been feeling like I was probably done with American Girl dolls. My mini Kaya and my new diabetic Lea are wonderful, and I didn't feel the need for any new additions or reviews. But then I saw Melody (a new character in the Historical line) and her Recording Studio. Wow. She's incredible. Her introductory statement is, "Fairness and equality for all people sound like music to my ears." Indeed. Needless to say, Melody's 1960s world sucked me right back in. All of a sudden I was pouring over the catalog and searching the online store again, wishing I could try out Melody's piano or play with her detailed studio. And that's when I discovered the WellieWishers.
I would love to purchase Melody some day, although I'm not sure that a review of her would add much to what I've already said about American Girl dolls. I knew immediately that I wanted to review the WellieWishers, though. Why? Well, first and foremost, the dolls are completely new. They resemble regular American Girl dolls in some ways, but do not share any body components with them. Also, there's a great mix of characters, all of whom are wearing colorful, quirky outfit pieces. To top it off, the dolls cost $60--half as much as regular American Girls--and are available in stores like Toys R Us. And, of course, they're irresistibly cute:
Labels:
American Girl,
Hearts 4 Hearts,
Keira,
Kendall,
Lea Clark,
Mattel,
Melody,
WellieWishers,
Willa
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Sunday Surprise: A Mystery Reborn Baby!
I mentioned last week in my Saskia Project post that I've been anticipating the arrival of a surprise reborn baby for the past month. I ordered this baby because I adore surprises, of course, but also because I was curious to see another reborn doll up-close. I thought it might be helpful for me to see a reborn artist's work as I struggle with Saskia's paint. This mystery baby arrived a few weeks ago and I finally opened the box on Wednesday. It has definitely been helpful to look at how this baby was completed. I'm also very grateful for the tips and encouragement from all of you! I feel re-energized in my efforts to make Saskia as nice as possible. Thank you.
For anyone arriving late to this party, I'll quickly explain what a surprise reborn doll is. A reborn doll is a made-over play doll or a doll assembled from a kit. Typical reborn kits include a blank vinyl head and limbs and perhaps an unfilled cloth body. That's it. Artists and collectors paint these kits, add eyes and hair, and assemble the parts onto stuffed, weighted bodies. A surprise reborn baby is a completed doll offered for sale by a reborn artist, but all of the characteristics of the doll are left up to the artist to decide. These qualities are kept secret from the buyer...to add a fun element of mystery. So, I did not know this baby's gender, size or appearance until I opened the box!
I searched high and low for just the right surprise reborn doll. There are many different options out there--both on eBay and on Etsy. I spent a lot of time looking at artists' past work and reading their customer reviews. I finally found a shop with good prices, good reviews, and a light-handed painting technique that I admire: Brenda's Reborns over on Etsy (Brendasreborns). Brenda charges $130 for her surprise reborn babies, and also offers a large selection of custom dolls ranging from $130 to $300 (for a set of twins). I told Brenda that there was no hurry, but I still received my baby quickly--about three weeks after I placed the order.
For anyone arriving late to this party, I'll quickly explain what a surprise reborn doll is. A reborn doll is a made-over play doll or a doll assembled from a kit. Typical reborn kits include a blank vinyl head and limbs and perhaps an unfilled cloth body. That's it. Artists and collectors paint these kits, add eyes and hair, and assemble the parts onto stuffed, weighted bodies. A surprise reborn baby is a completed doll offered for sale by a reborn artist, but all of the characteristics of the doll are left up to the artist to decide. These qualities are kept secret from the buyer...to add a fun element of mystery. So, I did not know this baby's gender, size or appearance until I opened the box!
I searched high and low for just the right surprise reborn doll. There are many different options out there--both on eBay and on Etsy. I spent a lot of time looking at artists' past work and reading their customer reviews. I finally found a shop with good prices, good reviews, and a light-handed painting technique that I admire: Brenda's Reborns over on Etsy (Brendasreborns). Brenda charges $130 for her surprise reborn babies, and also offers a large selection of custom dolls ranging from $130 to $300 (for a set of twins). I told Brenda that there was no hurry, but I still received my baby quickly--about three weeks after I placed the order.
Surprise reborn doll by Brenda's Reborns ($130). |
Labels:
Baby,
reborn,
reborning,
Saskia,
Sunday Surprise,
Surprise,
The Saskia Project
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
The Saskia Project
It's time for another project series! I'm looking forward to this particular project because it addresses my very earliest adult doll interest: babies. When I began to pay attention to dolls in my early twenties, it was the realistic baby dolls (from companies like Lee Middleton, Gotz and Zapf) that grabbed my heart--probably because I was ready to have real babies of my own. I collected vinyl art baby dolls for many years, and even accumulated a few precious one-of-a-kind clay babies.
Right around the time that my doll preferences started shifting towards child and fashion dolls, the "reborn" phenomenon emerged. The process of "reborning" (terrible word, if you ask me) originally involved taking an inexpensive play baby, like a Berenguer, and making it over to look more realistic. The makeover could include a new coat of paint, new eyes, new hair, or even a new weighted body--many of the things I attempted in the My Twinn Project. However, as reborning became more and more popular, several well-known artists and doll companies began offering unpainted doll kits (basically just vinyl heads and limbs) to replace play dolls as the starting point for this process. I've re-painted and re-wigged a few $15 Berenguer play dolls in my day, but I've never purchased one of these premium doll kits...until now!
My mission in this series is to complete a popular doll kit--the "Saskia" sculpt by Bonnie Brown. I will attempt to paint this doll, find her some nice eyes, micro-root her hair (ahh! I am so nervous about this part!), assemble her onto a weighted body, and dress her to look cute (that part will be fun). I can tell you already, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.
Right around the time that my doll preferences started shifting towards child and fashion dolls, the "reborn" phenomenon emerged. The process of "reborning" (terrible word, if you ask me) originally involved taking an inexpensive play baby, like a Berenguer, and making it over to look more realistic. The makeover could include a new coat of paint, new eyes, new hair, or even a new weighted body--many of the things I attempted in the My Twinn Project. However, as reborning became more and more popular, several well-known artists and doll companies began offering unpainted doll kits (basically just vinyl heads and limbs) to replace play dolls as the starting point for this process. I've re-painted and re-wigged a few $15 Berenguer play dolls in my day, but I've never purchased one of these premium doll kits...until now!
My mission in this series is to complete a popular doll kit--the "Saskia" sculpt by Bonnie Brown. I will attempt to paint this doll, find her some nice eyes, micro-root her hair (ahh! I am so nervous about this part!), assemble her onto a weighted body, and dress her to look cute (that part will be fun). I can tell you already, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.
"Saskia" by Bonnie Brown. |
Labels:
Baby,
Bonnie Brown,
doll kit,
project,
project series,
reborn,
reborning,
Saskia,
Surprise,
The Saskia Project
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Magic Nursery Toddlers by Mattel!
My goodness, Sundays come around quickly, don't they? This used to feel like a bad thing because Sunday symbolizes the dwindling weekend. While Saturday morning is filled with possibilities, Sunday morning is time to clean the bird cages, vacuum the dog hair, and get ready for another week of work. Sundays have transformed a bit in my mind recently, though. I have a new-found appreciation for Sunday because this is the day when my son calls home from college...and also because it's the day when I get to look at another surprise doll!
The Sweet e.Baby that I reviewed during the last Sunday Surprise had a secret gender and a secret name hidden with a CD...technology that was new enough in 1999 to feel magical. In 1990, about a decade before the Sweet e.Baby, Mattel came up with a doll whose gender was hidden within another seemingly-magical concoction: a dissolving hospital gown. Yes, that's right--a gown that completely disintegrates in water to reveal the gender announcement (and a new outfit). Mattel called these babies Magic Nursery dolls.
The idea might sound far-fetched, but it was wildly popular. My parents should thank their lucky stars that I was not a child of the 90s, because this kind of toy would have been completely irresistible to me. It's even irresistible to me now, almost thirty years later, when unopened Magic Nursery dolls--with all of their surprises still hidden--can cost a small fortune.
The Sweet e.Baby that I reviewed during the last Sunday Surprise had a secret gender and a secret name hidden with a CD...technology that was new enough in 1999 to feel magical. In 1990, about a decade before the Sweet e.Baby, Mattel came up with a doll whose gender was hidden within another seemingly-magical concoction: a dissolving hospital gown. Yes, that's right--a gown that completely disintegrates in water to reveal the gender announcement (and a new outfit). Mattel called these babies Magic Nursery dolls.
The idea might sound far-fetched, but it was wildly popular. My parents should thank their lucky stars that I was not a child of the 90s, because this kind of toy would have been completely irresistible to me. It's even irresistible to me now, almost thirty years later, when unopened Magic Nursery dolls--with all of their surprises still hidden--can cost a small fortune.
Magic Nursery Toddler doll by Mattel (1990). |
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens 1:6 "Jakku Rey" by Hot Toys
I was nervous about watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as I imagine many children of the 80s were. The original Star Wars trilogy was such an important part of my childhood, I needed this continuation of the story to be good. And it was good, I thought. A bit predictable, certainly, but an awful lot of fun. I laughed and cheered and even gasped a few times. The thing on my mind as I was walking out of the theater had little to do with the plot or the well-loved older characters, though. I was focused primarily on Rey, the new female protagonist. She is awesome. I think Daisy Ridley's spunky and intelligent interpretation of this mysterious girl from Jakku transformed Force Awakens into much more than the simple nostalgia-ridden adventure than it might easily have been. Because of Rey, I'm impatiently eager to find out what happens next in this new saga.
My reaction to the Rey character might be exaggerated, but it compelled me to immediately start scouring the internet for Rey paraphernalia. I bought several of the less-expensive action figures (a few of which I'll show at the end of the post), but found their resemblance to Ms. Ridley disappointing. When I saw the promotional pictures of Hot Toys' Rey online at Sideshow Collectibles, I wasn't convinced that she was the perfect tribute to the character, either. However, after a few days' reflection, I decided that she was easily the best option out there, and so I placed my pre-order. I ordered Rey in January--a few weeks after I saw the movie--and she arrived in mid September.
Let's dig in and see if she was worth the wait...and the price:
My reaction to the Rey character might be exaggerated, but it compelled me to immediately start scouring the internet for Rey paraphernalia. I bought several of the less-expensive action figures (a few of which I'll show at the end of the post), but found their resemblance to Ms. Ridley disappointing. When I saw the promotional pictures of Hot Toys' Rey online at Sideshow Collectibles, I wasn't convinced that she was the perfect tribute to the character, either. However, after a few days' reflection, I decided that she was easily the best option out there, and so I placed my pre-order. I ordered Rey in January--a few weeks after I saw the movie--and she arrived in mid September.
Let's dig in and see if she was worth the wait...and the price:
Labels:
1:6,
action figure,
articulation,
comparison,
Hasbro,
Hot Toys,
Jakku,
Rey,
scavenger,
Sideshow Collectibles,
Star Wars,
The Force Awakens
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Sweet e.Baby From Playmates!
I've been having an incredible amount of fun hunting around for surprise dolls. The really good ones are rare, but exhilarating to find. I think the most intriguing examples I've found so far have been vintage items, many from the mid to late 1990s. Today's doll, the Sweet e.Baby from Playmates Toys, is no exception to that rule. This baby is from 1999 and features a computer CD containing...wait for it...the baby's secret gender and name! Oh, yay!
I have no idea how I got lucky enough to find this gem. I was browsing eBay for a Magic Nursery doll (coming soon!) and I stumbled on the auction for this little one. I'd never seen this type of doll before and I haven't been able to find another one for sale anywhere. I paid $45, which seemed like a fair deal given the doll's scarcity. I couldn't find any substantive information about this brand online. There are two pictures of dolls in their boxes--but that's it. It's almost like they never existed.
So, to put yourself in the mood for this review, think back (those of you who are old enough...) to 1999 and try to remember what the computer world was like back then. That was the iBook "Clamshell" era for Apple laptops--when portable computers weighed 7 pounds. It was before Stardoll, before Webkins, before Facebook. 1999 was also the heyday of Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Ricky Martin and Eminem. It was the year The Matrix came out--along with Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace and The Sixth Sense. It was before reality television, and in an age when kids were still excited about vinyl Pokemon figures. With all of that in mind, let's travel back in time and uncover this mysterious baby's seventeen-year-old secrets:
I have no idea how I got lucky enough to find this gem. I was browsing eBay for a Magic Nursery doll (coming soon!) and I stumbled on the auction for this little one. I'd never seen this type of doll before and I haven't been able to find another one for sale anywhere. I paid $45, which seemed like a fair deal given the doll's scarcity. I couldn't find any substantive information about this brand online. There are two pictures of dolls in their boxes--but that's it. It's almost like they never existed.
So, to put yourself in the mood for this review, think back (those of you who are old enough...) to 1999 and try to remember what the computer world was like back then. That was the iBook "Clamshell" era for Apple laptops--when portable computers weighed 7 pounds. It was before Stardoll, before Webkins, before Facebook. 1999 was also the heyday of Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Ricky Martin and Eminem. It was the year The Matrix came out--along with Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace and The Sixth Sense. It was before reality television, and in an age when kids were still excited about vinyl Pokemon figures. With all of that in mind, let's travel back in time and uncover this mysterious baby's seventeen-year-old secrets:
Labels:
1990s,
Baby,
CD,
computer,
discontinued,
Playmates,
Sunday Surprise,
Surprise,
Sweet e.Baby,
vintage
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
10-inch Miraculous "Marinette" and "Adrien" Dolls by Bandai
I suspect that for normal people, enthusiasm over a television show is what prompts interest in any dolls or toys related to that show. For me, though, things are often backwards: I see a doll I like, and then (maybe) I watch the television show associated with that line. That's what happened with the Miraculous dolls, anyway.
I was doing some college shopping at Target with my husband, and we, you know, just happened to pass through the toy aisle. He was geeking out over Project Mc2 Bryden's coding shirt while I wandered further down the aisle and discovered some highly-articulated dolls from Bandai that showed real promise: they had appealing anime faces, visible wrist and elbow joints (yay!), and only cost $14.99 each. There was even an intriguing ladybug theme...which I didn't quite understand. The only problem was that I had no idea who the characters--"Miraculous" Marinette and Adrien--were. Remember, I don't have cable television in my house, nor do I have any children under the age of sixteen.
I left these two in the store that day, but they were never far from my mind. A few weeks later, when life settled down a little, I finally watched the Miraculous show...and then quickly went back to the store and bought the dolls. This show is great--I love it! I think I even binge-watched it, although my kids tell me that I don't understand the true intensity associated with that term. I watched nine episodes in one day. Does that count? Regardless, the only question I had after watching the show was; are the dolls worthy? Today, I'll answer that question by taking a close look at both the Marinette and the Adrien doll from this series:
I was doing some college shopping at Target with my husband, and we, you know, just happened to pass through the toy aisle. He was geeking out over Project Mc2 Bryden's coding shirt while I wandered further down the aisle and discovered some highly-articulated dolls from Bandai that showed real promise: they had appealing anime faces, visible wrist and elbow joints (yay!), and only cost $14.99 each. There was even an intriguing ladybug theme...which I didn't quite understand. The only problem was that I had no idea who the characters--"Miraculous" Marinette and Adrien--were. Remember, I don't have cable television in my house, nor do I have any children under the age of sixteen.
I left these two in the store that day, but they were never far from my mind. A few weeks later, when life settled down a little, I finally watched the Miraculous show...and then quickly went back to the store and bought the dolls. This show is great--I love it! I think I even binge-watched it, although my kids tell me that I don't understand the true intensity associated with that term. I watched nine episodes in one day. Does that count? Regardless, the only question I had after watching the show was; are the dolls worthy? Today, I'll answer that question by taking a close look at both the Marinette and the Adrien doll from this series:
Marienette (left) and Adrien (right) from the Miraculous television series. $14.99 each. |
Labels:
Adrien,
articulation,
Bandai,
Cat Noir,
Ladybug,
Marinette,
Miraculous,
Miraculous Ladybug,
superhero
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Bratz Lil' Angelz!
Happy Sunday! Today's post was originally going to be short, but it's morphed into something a bit more substantial. I'll explain. What started me on this path was the discovery of a Bratz Lil' Angelz "Secret Surprise" set a few weeks ago. I flipped out. I mean, any toy that has both the words "secret" and "surprise" in the same sentence has got to be good. And this toy looks amazing: it has a small baby doll with a secret gender, a hidden eye color and a hidden hair color. The set also includes two shrouded pets of unknown species! Doesn't that sound like fun?? But the other thing that makes this set so great is the fact that I knew nothing about the Bratz Lil' Angelz dolls before I saw it. I have no idea how these babies escaped my radar, but I absolutely love discovering a new kind of doll.
Immediately after purchasing the Secret Surprise set, I made it my mission to learn more about the Bratz Lil' Angelz. In doing so, I realized that surprises are a bit of a theme with this line. I found two other sets (Pet Shop Surprise and Surprise Litter) that involve some kind of hidden feature. I bought an example of each of these toys to show you today. So, this post will feature three Bratz Lil' Angelz surprise toys, not just the set I originally bought.
The Bratz Lil' Angelz are all discontinued, but the silver lining is that none of the toys I'll show you today seem particularly expensive or hard to find at the moment. I have to say, though, I think I got really lucky with the Secret Surprise set. I found it for $10.24 on eBay, which is close to the original price. The only other example I've been able to find is a blue version on Amazon for $83. Yikes. Of course I'm going to save the Secret Surprise for the very end of the post, but here's a preview of the wonderfully mysterious baby from that set...who looks like he/she might have red hair!
The Bratz Lil' Angelz are all discontinued, but the silver lining is that none of the toys I'll show you today seem particularly expensive or hard to find at the moment. I have to say, though, I think I got really lucky with the Secret Surprise set. I found it for $10.24 on eBay, which is close to the original price. The only other example I've been able to find is a blue version on Amazon for $83. Yikes. Of course I'm going to save the Secret Surprise for the very end of the post, but here's a preview of the wonderfully mysterious baby from that set...who looks like he/she might have red hair!
Bratz Lil' Angelz Secret Surprise baby (discontinued). |
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
The My Twinn Project Conclusion
Here, at long last, is the finale of the My Twinn Project! Amidst back-to-school pandemonium, an emergency bathroom renovation and adventures with a sick parakeet, I finally found a free morning to take the My Twinn crew to a nearby state park for their final photo shoot.
My original intention was to re-publish all of the installments of this project as one big post--so you wouldn't have to click back and forth. However, since the installments ended up being longer than I intended (big surprise), I will just link back to part one and part two for those who would like to see all of the details. For anyone who has been following along, I'll simply supplement today's post with little reminders of what I've already done.
This project has been an incredible amount of fun. I gained a new appreciation for the My Twinn brand of dolls (at least the older ones) and learned a lot of restoration and cleaning skills along the way. I feel like I had varied success with my results, though, and I'll talk about that in some detail today. Are you ready? I certainly am! I'll jump right in with a sneak peek of my favorite (and the most dramatically improved) doll, Miss Tasha:
My original intention was to re-publish all of the installments of this project as one big post--so you wouldn't have to click back and forth. However, since the installments ended up being longer than I intended (big surprise), I will just link back to part one and part two for those who would like to see all of the details. For anyone who has been following along, I'll simply supplement today's post with little reminders of what I've already done.
This project has been an incredible amount of fun. I gained a new appreciation for the My Twinn brand of dolls (at least the older ones) and learned a lot of restoration and cleaning skills along the way. I feel like I had varied success with my results, though, and I'll talk about that in some detail today. Are you ready? I certainly am! I'll jump right in with a sneak peek of my favorite (and the most dramatically improved) doll, Miss Tasha:
Restored Denver era My Twinn Tasha doll. |
Labels:
23",
Ariel,
Audrey,
Danielle,
Denver,
Holly,
My Twinn,
My Twinn Project,
project,
restoration,
Tasha,
vintage
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Toy Box Monthly Subscription!
I'm sure many of you have heard of subscription boxes like Loot Crate and Birchbox. The idea is that you sign up to receive a mystery box of stuff every month. These subscriptions have become so popular, it's now possible to get boxes with just about any theme you can imagine: pet supplies, books, cosmetics, food, crafts...and toys.
My son and I tried a subscription a few months ago called The Mystery Experiences Company. This company sends out a detailed mystery to be solved every month--each with little puzzles, artifacts and clues to help with the solution. This was fun, but we discovered quickly that we didn't have the time or patience to dig into a complex new mystery every month. When I was canceling the mystery subscription, I spotted Toy Box Monthly. For $20 ($15 plus shipping), this company sends a little box of mystery toys every month. This sounded like the perfect thing for the Sunday Surprise!
I should mention right off the bat that the Shopkins Lil' Shoppie shown below did not come in the subscription box. So why am I showing you a picture of her? Well, I didn't want to give away what was in the subscription box (that would ruin the surprise!) but also, these Shopkins items will make an appearance at the end of the post. That's all I'll say for now.
My son and I tried a subscription a few months ago called The Mystery Experiences Company. This company sends out a detailed mystery to be solved every month--each with little puzzles, artifacts and clues to help with the solution. This was fun, but we discovered quickly that we didn't have the time or patience to dig into a complex new mystery every month. When I was canceling the mystery subscription, I spotted Toy Box Monthly. For $20 ($15 plus shipping), this company sends a little box of mystery toys every month. This sounded like the perfect thing for the Sunday Surprise!
I should mention right off the bat that the Shopkins Lil' Shoppie shown below did not come in the subscription box. So why am I showing you a picture of her? Well, I didn't want to give away what was in the subscription box (that would ruin the surprise!) but also, these Shopkins items will make an appearance at the end of the post. That's all I'll say for now.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Project Mc2 Update with Ember Evergreen
Well, this is the last week before I take my eldest son to college, so the blog is getting ignored a little bit. It's a crazy, emotional time and I don't want to miss anything with my kid. I should also explain my delay in posting the conclusion of the My Twinn Project. I haven't lost enthusiasm for my rejuvenated 23" girls by any means, it's just that I'm finding it difficult to choose a space where I can photograph four large dolls. I'll figure it out, though.
Some of you might be a little surprised to see that I'm reviewing more Project Mc2 dolls today. Even though I'm a huge fan of science and S.T.E.A.M.-related toys, I didn't have a completely positive reaction to the first wave of Mc2 dolls. As a quick reminder: I reviewed McKeyla McAllister and her lava lamp almost exactly a year ago, and was disappointed by the doll's floppy, flaky articulation and bad hair. I was also underwhelmed by the science content that accompanied the lava light project. However, the line redeemed itself somewhat because of the fun assortment of geeky clothing, the nice faces and inset eyes on the dolls, and the entertainment value of the project accessories.
I managed to observe the release of the second wave of Project Mc2 dolls with only mild interest and no purchases. However, when MGA Entertainment added a redheaded character to their most recent collection of dolls...my self control crumbled. Not only do I love the look of the new Ember Evergreen character, but I was also tempted by the most recent version of my favorite Project Mc2 girl, Bryden Bandweth. In this review I'll take a look at both of these dolls and their S.T.E.A.M.-related accessories.
Some of you might be a little surprised to see that I'm reviewing more Project Mc2 dolls today. Even though I'm a huge fan of science and S.T.E.A.M.-related toys, I didn't have a completely positive reaction to the first wave of Mc2 dolls. As a quick reminder: I reviewed McKeyla McAllister and her lava lamp almost exactly a year ago, and was disappointed by the doll's floppy, flaky articulation and bad hair. I was also underwhelmed by the science content that accompanied the lava light project. However, the line redeemed itself somewhat because of the fun assortment of geeky clothing, the nice faces and inset eyes on the dolls, and the entertainment value of the project accessories.
I managed to observe the release of the second wave of Project Mc2 dolls with only mild interest and no purchases. However, when MGA Entertainment added a redheaded character to their most recent collection of dolls...my self control crumbled. Not only do I love the look of the new Ember Evergreen character, but I was also tempted by the most recent version of my favorite Project Mc2 girl, Bryden Bandweth. In this review I'll take a look at both of these dolls and their S.T.E.A.M.-related accessories.
"Bryden's Speaker" Bryden Bandweth (left) and "Ember's Garden" Ember Evergreen (right) $24.99 each. |
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Sunday Surprise: Cabbage Patch Kids Surprise Newborn Twins!
I have a long-standing fixation on toys with surprises or mysteries. Things like Kinder Surprise eggs, for example, send me into fits of glee. I love blind bag toys, vending machines and grab bag specials, too. If a doll has a secret accessory or gift displayed in its box, odds are good that I'm going to want it. Because of this obsession, I've decided to introduce a new feature to the blog. It'll be called "Sunday Surprise" and will include short reviews of surprise-themed toys...on Sundays. I might not be able to come up with one of these every single Sunday, but that'll be part of the surprise! I already have a bunch of amazing toys that I can't wait to share with you. This whole idea is beyond exciting for me, so I really hope you'll enjoy it, too!
My favorite kind of toy surprise is probably the mystery name of a doll. You might remember how thrilling I thought the Cabbage Patch Babyland Mini dolls were with their little hidden birth certificates. I can't believe that those cuties were on the shelves for such a short period of time. I decided that the perfect toy to start this series would be another Cabbage Patch Kid mystery item: the Surprise Newborn Twins!
My favorite kind of toy surprise is probably the mystery name of a doll. You might remember how thrilling I thought the Cabbage Patch Babyland Mini dolls were with their little hidden birth certificates. I can't believe that those cuties were on the shelves for such a short period of time. I decided that the perfect toy to start this series would be another Cabbage Patch Kid mystery item: the Surprise Newborn Twins!
Cabbage Patch Kids Surprise Newborn Twins (discontinued) by Jakks Pacific. |
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
A My Twinn Project Update
I'm almost done with the My Twinn Project! For anyone who is just tuning in, today's story is the follow-up to a previous post (which you can find here). I really love projects like this--where something that has lost its shimmer becomes beautiful again. When I was a kid, I liked to flip through my mother's magazines to find the makeover stories. I've always been fascinated by the magical transformation of a good makeover. Not that show Extreme Makeover, though. I did not like that. Anyway, I suspect it's all wrapped up in my obsession with the Cinderella rags-to-riches story.
I feel a little bad for Curvy Barbie and Lammily, though. They're lovely dolls and I had a great time reviewing them, but I kept wanting to sneak away and work on the Twinns. And speaking of Barbie, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who informed me about the articulated Curvy Barbie (oh, yay!) and the hidden charms of the Petite and Tall Barbies. What wonderful news! I will have to check those out.
There will be one more My Twinn Project post after this one--a finale where I'll reveal the completed 23" dolls (and the baby). Today, though, I'll just be checking in with the larger girls and updating you on their progress. I'll also show you how the eye replacements turned out on my 18" dolls. And...maybe I'll introduce someone new. Because, as I mentioned, I always seem to go overboard with this kind of venture.
I feel a little bad for Curvy Barbie and Lammily, though. They're lovely dolls and I had a great time reviewing them, but I kept wanting to sneak away and work on the Twinns. And speaking of Barbie, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who informed me about the articulated Curvy Barbie (oh, yay!) and the hidden charms of the Petite and Tall Barbies. What wonderful news! I will have to check those out.
There will be one more My Twinn Project post after this one--a finale where I'll reveal the completed 23" dolls (and the baby). Today, though, I'll just be checking in with the larger girls and updating you on their progress. I'll also show you how the eye replacements turned out on my 18" dolls. And...maybe I'll introduce someone new. Because, as I mentioned, I always seem to go overboard with this kind of venture.
Holly with her new wig. |
Friday, August 12, 2016
Curvy Barbie Meets The New Lammily
I'm so happy that my project idea sounds fun to some of you! I'm certainly having a great time with the Twinns. The big girls have their wigs and the smaller girls have new eyes (for better or worse!). They should be ready for a quick update in a few days. In the meantime, there's a fun pair of fashion dolls that I'd love to talk about.
In addition to the new line of DC Super Hero Girls, Mattel has recently premiered a wider range of body types for the Fashionista Barbies. There are now Petite, Tall and Curvy characters. I was especially interested in the Curvy dolls because of my fascination with Lammily--the first fashion doll that attempted to represent realistic body proportions. The original Lammily doll made huge waves when she entered the market in late 2014, and I feel pretty certain that Mattel introduced their new Barbie bodies as a direct result of the popularity of Lammily. And there's nothing wrong with that--in fact, the more inclusive the fashion doll market becomes, the better.
The Lammily company has also been super-busy lately. They've introduced a wonderful line of fashions (including Olympic gear and some exclusive handmade dresses). There's even a bee keeper outfit! Their second female character, Photographer, was introduced for pre-order about a year ago and started shipping in early June. The first male Lammily doll (a young man who spends his time helping animals in need) is expected to arrive this November.
Since I've been away from the blog for so long, I figured I would try to catch up a bit by looking at Curvy Barbie and the Lammily Photographer in the same post. This might not be wise, but here it goes.
"So Sporty" Barbie, $19.99 (left), and Lammily "Photographer," $25.00 (right). |
Labels:
Aurelia,
Barbie,
comparison,
Curvy,
Fashionista,
Lammily,
Mattel,
Mia,
Photographer,
Ruby,
So Sporty
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
The My Twinn Project
One of my new ideas for the blog is to write about the doll-related projects in my life. I could call this series of posts "regular person attempts tricky things that you can learn from the internet!" but I'll probably just put the word "project" somewhere in the title. I love a good project. I've documented project-like things in the past, but I'd like to make it more of a regular occurrence. The basic formula will be to set the scene in a relatively short post and then publish a few progress updates--interspersed between my more conventional reviews. This way you'll get to follow along and share in the suspense as I succeed (or fail!) in my endeavors. When the project is complete, I'll put together a cumulative post with some concluding pictures and statements. Let's see how it goes!
The first project involves My Twinn dolls. My Twinn went out of business in January. I was sad to hear this news, but it didn't come as much of a surprise. By late 2015, the quality of the 18" dolls was plummeting, there was a glut of unsold, mega-browed 18" Adopt-A-Friends, and the company had ceased production of dolls with darker skin tones. The situation didn't look promising. The way I see it, My Twinn dolls were made great by four critical things: a great range of customizable options (including over 40 face molds), overall high quality of construction, beautiful inset eyes, and carefully hand-painted eyebrows. Many of these features had gone out the window by the time My Twinn closed its doors.
Like many collectors, I think the best versions of My Twinn dolls are the ones assembled in Denver, Colorado from 1995 through 2001. These dolls have high-quality vinyl, beautiful (durable) eyes, nice wigs, a variety of faces, and (occasionally) artist-painted eyebrows. To commemorate the end of My Twinn, I decided to add one more of these vintage gems to my collection. The Denver dolls are all at least 15 years old by now, though, so adopting one is likely to involve a bit of restoration. This project will document what kind of work can be required...and how I struggled through it.
The first project involves My Twinn dolls. My Twinn went out of business in January. I was sad to hear this news, but it didn't come as much of a surprise. By late 2015, the quality of the 18" dolls was plummeting, there was a glut of unsold, mega-browed 18" Adopt-A-Friends, and the company had ceased production of dolls with darker skin tones. The situation didn't look promising. The way I see it, My Twinn dolls were made great by four critical things: a great range of customizable options (including over 40 face molds), overall high quality of construction, beautiful inset eyes, and carefully hand-painted eyebrows. Many of these features had gone out the window by the time My Twinn closed its doors.
Like many collectors, I think the best versions of My Twinn dolls are the ones assembled in Denver, Colorado from 1995 through 2001. These dolls have high-quality vinyl, beautiful (durable) eyes, nice wigs, a variety of faces, and (occasionally) artist-painted eyebrows. To commemorate the end of My Twinn, I decided to add one more of these vintage gems to my collection. The Denver dolls are all at least 15 years old by now, though, so adopting one is likely to involve a bit of restoration. This project will document what kind of work can be required...and how I struggled through it.
My Twinn Audrey from 2001. |
Labels:
18",
23",
Annie,
Denver,
discontinued,
eBay,
face molds,
My Twinn,
My Twinn Project,
project,
restoration,
vintage
Friday, July 22, 2016
DC Super Hero Girls "Wonder Woman" by Mattel
Well, that was a long delay in between reviews. As many of you know, blogging was getting complicated for me, but then life got pretty complicated, too, and I needed to step away from the computer. But I can't seem to quit dolls, and I also miss you guys. So...I'm back. As a kind-of warning, though, I don't think the blog will be exactly the same as it was before. Specifically, I no longer think of this as my job, and can no longer attempt to buy and review everything new or popular. But I'd love to review and talk about whatever doll passion or project I happen to be wrapped up in at the moment--or share some of my older dolls with you. Despite the changes, I hope that this will still be a useful or diverting place for some. Thank you for coming back, and thank you for all of your kind messages and heartfelt concern. That's all I'll say for now because there are a lot of dolls to talk about!
While I've been away, Mattel has been taking the play doll world by storm. Specifically, the new Barbie body types and the awesomely powerful Super Hero Girls are turning a lot of heads...including my own. I actually want to credit Mattel (and a few others) for luring me back into active doll collecting. Today I'll be looking at two of Mattel's DC Super Hero Girls: Wonder Woman and Power Action Wonder Woman. This teenaged version of Wonder Woman is a main character in the new Cartoon Network series, DC Super Hero Girls, but I won't pretend I knew that when I bought the dolls. The fact is, I've always loved Wonder Woman more than the other female super heroes. I even had the Underoos, if you must know.
I'll do a thorough review of the debut Wonder Woman doll and then I'll take a look at the Power Action version to provide some comparison--and also to make up for lost time.
While I've been away, Mattel has been taking the play doll world by storm. Specifically, the new Barbie body types and the awesomely powerful Super Hero Girls are turning a lot of heads...including my own. I actually want to credit Mattel (and a few others) for luring me back into active doll collecting. Today I'll be looking at two of Mattel's DC Super Hero Girls: Wonder Woman and Power Action Wonder Woman. This teenaged version of Wonder Woman is a main character in the new Cartoon Network series, DC Super Hero Girls, but I won't pretend I knew that when I bought the dolls. The fact is, I've always loved Wonder Woman more than the other female super heroes. I even had the Underoos, if you must know.
I'll do a thorough review of the debut Wonder Woman doll and then I'll take a look at the Power Action version to provide some comparison--and also to make up for lost time.
DC Super Hero Girls debut "Wonder Woman," $19.99. |
Labels:
articulation,
comparison,
DC Super Hero Girls,
gymnastics,
Mattel,
Olympics,
super hero,
Wonder Woman
Saturday, February 13, 2016
"Hermione Granger" by Star Ace Toys
In my post about Mattel's 2001 Hermione Granger play doll, I mentioned that I had another Hermione to review. Several of you guessed correctly that it was Star Ace's new sixth scale figure from the My Favorite Movie series. Aside from the fact that both of these Hermione dolls portray Emma Watson's version of the beloved character from The Sorcerer's Stone, they have very little in common. First of all, the Star Ace figure costs about ten times as much as the Mattel doll: a whopping $210, to be precise. However, Sideshow Collectibles has a great payment plan, and so I was able to make this purchase slowly over a period of almost half a year. There are other differences--in size, quality and articulation to name a few, and also the fact that Star Ace's Hermione is not yet discontinued and can still be found for sale in several online locations.
The biggest difference between the two dolls, however, is that Star Ace's Hermione is strikingly realistic:
The biggest difference between the two dolls, however, is that Star Ace's Hermione is strikingly realistic:
Sixth scale Hermione Granger by Star Ace Toys, $209.99. |
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Hogwarts Heroes "Hermione Granger" by Mattel (2001)
The doll I'm going to review today is about the same age as my kids. She's an 8-inch Hermione Granger doll that was released in 2001, the year that the first Harry Potter movie (The Sorcerer's Stone) came to theaters. I always hesitate before I review an older, discontinued doll. Doing this can be confusing (since most reviews are of newly-released dolls) and also a little frustrating. Nobody wants to read a review, fall in love with a doll, and then not be able to find one for sale. However, I purchased my Hermione only about a year ago, so she's still out there. I paid $35 for her, and right now there are a few on Amazon and eBay in the $30-60 range. Her original price was $19.99.
I love discovering older dolls and reviewing them. This is because I really enjoy exploring the history of doll manufacturing, but also because it's refreshing to look at dolls that are removed from trends that dominate the current market. So many of the newest doll releases are bright and colorful with huge heads and exaggerated facial features. In contrast, Mattel clearly designed this Hermione to be realistic--and in the likeness of a young Emma Watson. I think they did a pretty good job:
Labels:
8",
articulation,
discontinued,
Harry Potter,
Hermione Granger,
Hogwarts Heroes,
Mattel,
Paradise
Saturday, January 23, 2016
American Girl's "Lea Clark," Sloth and Diabetes Kit
I want to say again how touched I am by the outpouring of advice and support following my last post. Thank you. I've been thinking a lot about many of your suggestions...and I haven't bought a new doll since January 8th. I also haven't set foot inside a toy store for more than a month, which--for me--is really good. The nice thing is, I still have a pretty big backlog of awesome dolls to review, so it's possible to continue blogging (as many of you mentioned) without constantly running out to buy the next new thing.
The doll I bought on January 8th is actually the doll I'm reviewing today--and I bought her for personal reasons that I'll explain along the way. She's Miss Lea Clark, the new American Girl of the Year. I think she's really pretty, but it was her pet sloth (along with one of the new Truly Me accessory sets) that really won me over:
The doll I bought on January 8th is actually the doll I'm reviewing today--and I bought her for personal reasons that I'll explain along the way. She's Miss Lea Clark, the new American Girl of the Year. I think she's really pretty, but it was her pet sloth (along with one of the new Truly Me accessory sets) that really won me over:
Girl of the Year Lea Clark with her pet sloth. |
Labels:
American Girl,
diabetes,
Girl of the Year,
Lea Clark,
Mattel,
sloth
Monday, January 11, 2016
Photo Mission! (With a Mini Review of Posea Reef)
It's been a bit of a rocky start to the new year for me. Family distractions caused me to take a step back and look closely at the blog. When I first started blogging, I read an article describing how it can take, on average, five years of hard work before it's clear whether or not a new blog will be successful. That seemed reasonable, and so I promised myself that I'd get to work and not worry too much about success (whatever that means) until at least four years had passed. Now, four years later, I find myself wondering about the success of my blogging approach.
There are so many things I love about this blog--things that I consider a huge success. First of all, I love to photograph dolls and write about them. And, there's an incredible selection of amazing dolls out there to review. I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy shop most days. In addition, I get a lot of visitors or "page hits" (the brass rings of blogging) and am about to hit the 6,000,000 mark, which is unbelievable. I also love you guys. I'd wager that few blogs have such an amazing, kind, insightful audience. But the bottom line is really all about...well, the bottom line. The harsh reality is that this blog is losing money. Lots of money. Breaking even would be one thing, but losing money is starting to be bad. This could be my fault, or just the way blogs are these days. I don't know. But I can no longer pretend that this is my job. It's kind-of the opposite.
I like blogging too much to give it up completely, but my approach definitely has to change. While I figure out what all of this means, I thought I would publish the wonderful contributions from the last Photo Mission. I asked to see pictures of the interesting dolls for sale in your part of the world. I added my own photographs to this post and will also include two short reviews. One of the reviews is of a doll that I found during the Photo Mission: Monster High's new mermaid, Posea Reef. Snapping pictures of Posea on the store shelf was not enough--I wanted to get a closer look at her:
There are so many things I love about this blog--things that I consider a huge success. First of all, I love to photograph dolls and write about them. And, there's an incredible selection of amazing dolls out there to review. I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy shop most days. In addition, I get a lot of visitors or "page hits" (the brass rings of blogging) and am about to hit the 6,000,000 mark, which is unbelievable. I also love you guys. I'd wager that few blogs have such an amazing, kind, insightful audience. But the bottom line is really all about...well, the bottom line. The harsh reality is that this blog is losing money. Lots of money. Breaking even would be one thing, but losing money is starting to be bad. This could be my fault, or just the way blogs are these days. I don't know. But I can no longer pretend that this is my job. It's kind-of the opposite.
I like blogging too much to give it up completely, but my approach definitely has to change. While I figure out what all of this means, I thought I would publish the wonderful contributions from the last Photo Mission. I asked to see pictures of the interesting dolls for sale in your part of the world. I added my own photographs to this post and will also include two short reviews. One of the reviews is of a doll that I found during the Photo Mission: Monster High's new mermaid, Posea Reef. Snapping pictures of Posea on the store shelf was not enough--I wanted to get a closer look at her:
Labels:
Disney Store,
Equestria Girls,
Ever After High,
Frozen,
Great Scarrier Reef,
Lalaloopsy,
Mattel,
Mega Bloks,
Monster High,
Our Generation,
Photo Mission,
Posea Reef,
Purrsephone,
Shoppies
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