Madame Alexander Portrettes Colleen

 I found this Madame Alexander doll at the thrift store for $1.99.

This was really a steal. They usually put Madame Alexanders into the glass case and charge $14.99 for them.

This doll is named Colleen and she is from the Portrettes series in 1988. She is a Cisette doll and is 9.5 inches tall.

It appears to me that this series wore fashions meant to evoke historical fashions. I don't think that this dress represents one particular decade, though. It's like a 1830-ish ball gown seen through the lens of 1980s fashion. The blue eyeshadow is also very 80s.

She is missing a stocking and a shoe, and there is a dab of glue in her hair where it looks like there was some kind of ornament.

Overall, she's in good condition.

I was happy to find her!

My MCM Dolls 2021

 I don't know what is more fun- the MCM experience or the dolls.

Okay, it's the dolls. The usual MCM sale is usually a hot mess, but we love it anyway.

Here are the dolls that I got at the sale this year.

First, the CYOs. They all have the Jess face mold. I am partial, what can I say?

This is Nadia. She's a Jess mold with medium skin, dark brown eyes and dark brown hair.

She has earrings.

Her box said "eye shadow" on it. Her eyelids are a shade darker than her face, and she dos look like she has eyeshadow on! It's cute. I find it endearing.

Here is a comparison picture of Nadia and Danielle, a CYO I designed myself. I left Danielle's glasses off so you could see her face better.

Danielle has darker skin and hair, as well as freckles. Nadia has looser curls, although they have the same wig in different colors.

Danielle's face seems fuller.

They are very similar, but they do feel like very different dolls.

This is Fern. She lives on a farm and loves animals. Her character is Charlotte's Web inspired, and also a bit of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Fern has medium skin, freckles, grey eyes and brown hair in a short bob. Fern does not have earrings.

This is Steffi. She's a California girl who is friends with Joss.

Steffi has dark skin, dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. She also has earrings.

When I bought her, I thought from the picture that she had the new eyes and that they were crooked.

I have never been to happy to be wrong. She has great eyes!

Here are Fern and Steffi together.

Here's Jessenia! She's a JLY 85.

And here is the #62 who is going to live with a friend. She has the new eyes, but that's okay because she is going to get eye swapped.

Only one doll out of the group had the new eyes! I was very lucky.

I am very happy with all of the dolls I got!

You can read about my sale experience here.

Mini Mystery Packs: What's Cooking Codes

The third set of blind bags offered by American Girl is cooking themed.

Here are the codes if you want to try to buy a specific item.

This picture shows you where to find the code.

A- butter and knife

B- waffle iron

C - fry pan and egg

D- cheese and grater

E - olive oil and parmesan cheese

F - tea kettle and mug

G- milk and eggs

H - rolling pin and dough

I - sifter and measuring cups

J - salt and pepper shakers

MCM Doll Pick up!

MCM doll pick up went really well.

Luckily, they had lots of signs out, otherwise it would have been hard to spot the warehouse even with a GPS and the address.

I pulled up, didn't have to wait in a line, gave them my name and two volunteers dragged the bag of dolls out and put it in my trunk. It took less than five minutes.

I then pulled off to the side and checked my order. No problems at all.

I am happy with the dolls I got.

They all had good eyes except the #62 for my friend, which she is going to eye swap. Two of the CYOs had pierced ears. One of the CYOs has eyelids that are a shade darker than her skin tone, but honestly it looks like she has eye shadow and it's charming.

The only problem at all is some hairs on the front of the wig of Jessenia, the #85, but I can live with this at the price I paid.

Joss and the CYOs came with accessories, and Joss and the #85 came with books.

I am so excited, and I am already bonding hard with them.

I was a little sad that Clasen's European Bakery and the Mattel Toy Store were closed because it was Sunday, but the trade off in not waiting another week to get my dolls was worth it.

In case you missed reading about it, the reason that I was able to buy more than four dolls is that there was a second sale at 5 pm on the day of the sale, after all ticket holders had a chance to shop. They still had dolls left, even CYOs, so those were available at a reduced price. I bought two more dolls at that point.

Here is my post about the MCM online sale.