Hearts for Hearts Consuelo

 I am having the most insane good luck at the thrift store lately.

This time I found a Hearts for Hearts doll Consuelo.

Yes, she in pretty rough shape. Her hair just needs to be brushed out, I think.

Her face is marked up, and her elastic is loose.

Since these dolls have just been discontinued for the second time, there's no way she wasn't coming home with me.

I don't have any other Hearts for Hearts that have had eyes that turned purple, so she is unique in my collection.

I also don't own the outfit that she is wearing, so that's a plus as well.

I also found a porcelain doll's tea set decorated with a Christmas theme.

The Christmas theme is what sold me on it, since after all, I take doll Christmas pictures ever year and can use some new props for that.

Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls

 I was lucky to find these Nancy Ann Storybook dolls at the thrift store.

These dolls are five inches doll. Mine are bisque; some of them are made of plastic instead.

I took this picture with mini Nanea to show the scale.

These dolls were made from 1936-1965, so the size and their age makes them perfect to be dolls for Nanea or Maryellen.

Their faces were hand painted to give them character. I like to think about how I am holding something that someone made over 50 years ago.

You can read more about their history here.

Their arms can move up and down. The rest of the bodies, including the head, torso and legs, are all one piece.

The heads are slightly tilted forwards, which annoys me that they look down and not straight ahead.

They look really cute with Nanea!

Their shoes are painted on. The dresses are a lot longer than their feet, which strikes me as very impractical. Even if they are dolls.

I have to be careful posing them with Nanea, because they are breakable.

They look cute with her, though.

I think I might name them Lily and Donna after her friends.

Replacement Truly Me # 80

 I did ask American Girl to exchange my Just Like You #80 for a doll with the good eyes.

They sent one with three day shipping, which was very nice of them. I am afraid I didn't adequately express gratitude to the customer service representative on the phone, as she was talking very fast and I was struggling to follow along.

To be honest, the only way that I was able to make that call was to wait until my workplace was closed and I made the call on the captioned phone they have for me there.

So they sent me a new doll, and she got here very fast. 

Unfortunately, her eyes are even worse.

Doll #1 on the left, Doll #2 on the right

I think I am going to keep doll #1. She looks good even though she has the bad eyes.

It's just that Aurelie's bad eyes bother me so much. I knew I would forever be mad at myself if I didn't try to get a doll with the good eyes. I bought this doll directly from AG because I thought that she would have the good eyes. I am disappointed. I am not usually someone who kicks up a fuss like this.

Here is a close up of doll #1.  She looks pretty good, but I was disappointed she has the bad eyes with the blindingly white whites of the eye. 

Here is doll #2. She has visibly crooked eyes, and you can see here eye posts.

I am disappointed in this transaction from AG, and that they are still making these dolls with the bad eyes.

At least they both have good teeth. Several people have gotten dolls lately with teeth that are off center or the teeth do not reach the bottom lip. I think overall, the eyes are more important to me than the teeth. The eyes really make a different for me in bonding with a doll.

Reading an American Girl Classic

 The American Girl 35th anniversary is making me, and many others, feel nostalgic.

It inspired me to take pictures of my dolls reading the American Girl books together with the mini dolls.

As usual, Molly is not my jam, so she gets left out.

The other original five AG dolls are all represented here.

It's just such a classic moment, I think, a girl reading with a doll next to a tree.

And I am proud of the four glass eyed mini dolls that I own. It's a very intentional small collection, and one that I love. I think they are very cute.

American Girl of Today #6, Anne, reads with Felicity Merriman.

American Girl of Today #2, Meg, reads with Kirsten Larsen.

Girl of the Year Kanani Akina reads with Samantha Parkington.

Girl of the Year Joss Kendrick reads with Addy Walker.

 

Girl of the Year Jess McConnell reads with Josefina Montoya.

Baby Fever

 I am still sad that I don't have Felicity's baby sister Polly, so I was excited to get the Caring for Baby set.

I like this baby's dark hair and eyes. The plastic body makes it easier to pose than the earlier eight inch AG babies with cloth bodies.

I immediately compared the baby to my Bouncin' Baby from 1991, Rachel.

I expected them to be about the same size, but Rachel was smaller.

This baby is the same size as a small Corolle doll that I have, which is a Corolle Les mini Calins Rose.

They are both eight inches long.

(I am really pleased that I can identify her: keeping the tag all these years paid off!)

Corolle Les mini Calins Rose, AG baby, Bouncing Baby

The AG baby can wear both the Corolle doll's hat and a red dress belonging to the Bouncin' Baby.

I am so proud that I have not lost this dress after 30 years. I was a doll collector from an early age.

AG baby wearing Bouncin' Baby dress

AG baby wearing a hat from Corolle Les mini Calins Rose

  

The AG baby needs a name. I have not thought of one for her yet.

She is really cute, and I like all of her accessories.

My one quibble is that I wish they had made the Caring for Baby book to look more like a mini book and less like a pamphlet. I would have been very excited to have another mini book to add to my collection.

Here is the baby with the high chair, bowl, applesauce, bottle and spoon.

Here is Joss, feeling a little nervous about changing a diaper.

This includes the diaper mat, wipes, one of two diapers included, and the Caring for Baby pamphlet.

It's quite a big set, and very nice. I hope that AG releases more baby items in the future, as this one has proved to be very popular.

Thrift Store Find: Mattel Felicity

 I have been very lucky at the thrift store lately.

I heard that thrift stores are getting a lot of donations as people are cleaning their houses, having been stuck inside them so long.

Be that as it may, this weekend I found a Felicity at the thrift store for $12.00.

Her hair was messy, although not really tangled.

She had marks all over her.

Her elastic is loose.

Her worst flaw is that she is missing eyelashes on one eye.

She also has this white, chalky substance all over her face and hairline.

So I went to work on her. 

I cleaned her with water and a toothpick, then rubbing alcohol, and the magic eraser

The magic eraser made the most difference, but it did not remove all marks. 

The mark that bugs me the most is a pink dot on her chin.

Here she is after my cleaning efforts:

She looks a lot better. I was even able to rescue one of her pin curls.

The missing eyelashes are pretty noticeable to me, even in pictures, but more so in person.

She's definitely a Mattel Felicity with laser green eyes.

I haven't decided what to do with her, and luckily there is no rush. I am still looking for the perfect wig for thrift store find Miranda.

I really don't care for the laser eyes, even if she had all her eyelashes. Maybe I will try an eye swap at long last. 

There can be no lower stakes project than a $12 thrift store doll, especially when nothing would ever make me replace my original Felicity.

I just hesitate to do anything that could damage a doll. This doll is a mess, but she has been loved, and that does make her special.

My other thrift store find this weekend was four small Wedgwood plates for $4 each. I really am having a streak of ridiculous luck.

Mara at the Park

 Mara's outdoor adventures continue.

I got to take her to my favorite park, which has the loveliest backgrounds for doll pictures.

I just love this picture of Mara and mini Luciana.

I need to photograph my mini dolls more.

This brick path is lovely.

Yes, there 's a caboose in the park, too!

We had a fun day.

Lottie Doll Canoe Playset Review

I have been eyeing the Lottie doll canoe playset. I really want it for Mia, because Mia is a wildlife photographer, and I like to take pictures of wild birds while I am canoeing.

The price seemed a bit high for me, though. So when I found a playset for a lower price on Amazon because the box was beaten up, I jumped on it.

The box is very pretty, but I am not keeping it.

The playset includes a canoe, two wetsuits, two life jackets, two paddles and two fishing poles.

I could have done without the wetsuits. I don't use them while canoeing and don't plan to use them on the dolls.

I first tried posing Lottie Dolls Wildlife Photographer Mia and Kid Activist Meg in the boat.

It it awesome. It has seats with backs, so the dolls sit up well.

The paddles can either be snapped in place on the side of the boat or they can be held by the doll.

I didn't test to see if it floats on its own, but it wouldn't surprise me.

The life jackets are easy to take on and off. 

I bet that the fishing poles would also snap into place on the side of the boat.

Next I tried it on the American Girl mini dolls.

They can also wear the lifejackets and hold the paddles! I was very impressed!

Then I tried it with the Ai dolls Lawn Daisy and King Protea. 

I didn't get them to hold the paddles, but I was very happy that they could also wear the life jackets.

It didn't matter too much that they can't hold the paddles, since they snap in place. It's very clever.

This is a really fun and versatile set. It can work with many varieties of small dolls.

I am so happy with this!

Mara Takes a Hike

 Mara loves the outdoors, and she had a really good time on this hike.

Unfortunately, her short legs meant that my arm nearly fell off carrying her.

She looks so cute, though!

It's nice that the weather allows us to be outside again!

Codes for AG Food Blind Bags

Here are some cheat codes for telling what items are in the blind bags for doll food that AG is selling.

You can see these codes stamped on the bag under the  bar code.

There are four numbers and then three letters. The letters will tell you what is in the bag!

These codes do not help you order the one that you want online, but if you are able to see the bags in the store, you can check to see what they are.

I used the codes to see what I got before I opened the bags, since you cannot return opened blind bags.

Sushi & Chopsticks - ZSC

Maple Syrup and Pancake - ZSA

Chocolate Pastry & Hot Chocolate To-Go Cup - ZSE
Sandwich and Carrots - ZSJ
Papaya & Coconut Drink - ZSH
Berries & Fruit Smoothie - ZSD
Burger and Chocolate Shake - ZSF
Popsicles - ZSB
French Fries & Strawberry Shake - ZS1
Chicken & Potato Salad - ZSG

This picture shows you where to find the code. This one is the sandwich and carrots.

I hope this helps identify your blind bag food! Happy hunting!

The Return of Betsy McCall

 I was recently able to visit the friend who has a Betsy McCall doll that I gifted her.

We took her to the park and did a photo shoot with her.

It was a lot of fun. We were both reminded how charming this 8 inch doll is.

Later on in the day, we hopped on the Internet and started looking at other Betsy McCalls  on ebay. She's an enchanting little thing!

I love how her knees bend for pictures, although they can make it harder to stand her up.

You can read my informative post about Betsy McCall dolls here.

Bad Eyes On New AG Doll

 I just got a brand new JLY 80 from AG.

I had a gift certificate from work, and I really planned and anticipated this purchase for a long time.

And she came with the bad eyes that are supposedly not in circulation anymore.

Come on, AG. You can do better than this.

I really don't want to call customer support to ask for an exchange, but I guess I have to.

It's easier to tell in person which eye are the bad eyes, because you can feel for the ridges between the irises and the whites of the eyes. The whites are also blindingly white. 

I know of two other people on IG who also got #80s with bad eyes this week. 

Some people have said that they keep their dolls as-is with the bad eye, but  it just really bothers me.

 My CYO Aurelie is the only doll I have with bad eyes, and she looks good in pictures, but it really bothers me in real life. I feel like I haven't bonded with her because of this and keep thinking about swapping out her eyes. This is complicated by the fast that Aurelie is a Jess mold, and they are hard to eye swap.

The Sublime Six

 The recent release by American Girl of its first six dolls in their original outfits hit me right in the feels.

I have five of those dolls, all but Molly.

I made sure to get the original dresses for each, although I don't always have the accessories.

I was inspired to change my five into their original meet outfits and take a group picture. 

All of these but Addy are the Pleasant Company dolls.

I just think they are beautiful, and they hit me right in the nostalgia feels.

I really used to memorize their catalogs.

So this release makes me very happy.

I don't think I am going to buy any of the re-released dolls myself. Money and space are an issue.

I am just really glad that the dolls are now available for everyone who wants one, everyone who wanted one as a little girl.

Laura's Little Loot Going Out of Business

 Laura's Little Loot is sadly no longer in business.

She has a few books left for sale, and I bought several. 

I thought I would give her a signal boost by sharing the rest of her stock, because these are amazing, well-made doll-sized books at fantastic prices. They are between $4- $6 each, plus shipping.

I just bought the following, so they are no longer available: Quidditch Through the Ages, Another Monster at the end of this book, Anna Karenina and the Tales of Beedle the Bard.

To purchase, e-mail her at cookieie2000@hotmail.com.

Felicity's Wardrobe: Felicity's Traveling Gown

 I rarely put Felicity in her purple gown.

I bought it when it was a limited edition gown called Felicity's Traveling Gown, and I was really annoyed when they turned a limited edition gown into her new meet outfit. I felt like I had been cheated a bit.

Plus, I don't think lavender is Felicity's best color. I do like it as a color, just not on Felicity.

It's a pretty gown, though!

When I put it on her, I was surprised to see the details. I remembered that it had real embroidery on it, not just printed on the fabric. I had forgotten that it had tucks in the bodice.

Anyway, I wanted to put her in a spring dress, and this made a nice change from her pink birthday gown.

Doll Giveaway at Blog

 There is an American Girl doll giveaway at Delightful World of Dolls. Check it out.

Vintage Arranbee Doll

 I found this doll at the thrift store, and I jumped on her.

I thought she looked like a vintage Madame Alexander, maybe the Margaret face mold.

It turns out that she is an Arranbee doll. there is an R&B on the back of her neck. 

R&B= Arrenbee. Clever.

I don't know for sure how old she is, but her dress is very 1950s, so that's where I would place her.

She feels very nicely, solidly made, and her elastic is still tight.

She is 14 inches tall, and her eyes are green.

I think she's really cute. I plan to name her Louisa.

Definitely a change in my doll collection, but I love her!

Melody's Wardrobe: Melody's Daisy Outfit

 I was really pleased to get Melody's Daisy Outfit. It's one of my favorite outfits from her collection.

It's even cuter in person!

The dress is very nicely made. I was really pleased to see that the yellow centers of the daisies are embroidered. I had kind of expected plastic.

The pleats are nicely done.

I was also surprised to see that it has a sash that ties in the back. It's seriously cute. I hadn't seen that in online pictures.

The dress comes with knee high socks and matching T-strap Mary Janes. I was happy to see knee socks rather than tights. They are easier to take on and off. Of course, you need to be organized to not lose one.

Not to worry, I have a box dedicated to Melody's clothes and only Melody's clothes. It has all the tiny accessories in it as well, so I don't lose anything.

The color looks great on Melody. 

At $28, this dress is less expensive than many current historical AG outfits, and it's worth every penny.