The Beauty of Scars......

As I was out and about today, I saw a woman whose face and upper body had been badly burned. The scars on her face could not be hidden by any amount of makeup, but the scars on her chest and shoulder could have been easily covered by clothing had she chosen to do so. However, it was a warm, Indian summer day and like myself, she chose to wear something to keep her cool - a tank top. I could not help but stare in awe at this woman. Not because she was scarred, but because I thought she was beautiful! You see, what made me notice her was her laugh. I was not privy to the conversation between her and her companion, but her laugh reverberated throughout the building. It was a hearty, unrestrained, and contagious laugh at that.

I marveled at her ability to laugh like that when she had obviously endured so much pain. It then occurred to me how truly beautiful scars can be. Scars don't form on dead flesh, so if you have a scar, it means that you survived whatever it was that caused it - that's beauty!

Avon Rose Splendor Barbie

When I first saw online pictures of this doll, I thought she was gorgeous! In the picture, the doll looked dark - almost espresso color and I was excited! I love dolls with really dark complexions, so I immediately emailed my daughter at work. She has a coworker who is an Avon rep, and I wanted to make sure I got one! The doll was ordered and I received her last week.

I was a bit disappointed because the doll is not nearly as dark as I had hoped. I'm thinking the other photographer had the same issue I did - not wanting to debox the doll for the photo. She had a plastic covering (removable) that I removed for the photo, but because she was still essentially in a box, the light did not surround and project a true color representation. She does have the Mbili face sculpt which I love, and her dress is more peachy than pink (another good thing). Oh, and she does have the model muse body.

All in all, she is a pretty doll, but had I seen her in person, I doubt I would have paid $40 for her.

Generation of Dreams Barbie

This doll is such an anomaly for me. I don't usually purchase duplicate dolls, but I have triplets of this girl - and today I decide that I don't even like her that much! I was drawn to her because of her dark skin tone and model muse body - I still like those things about her, but I think they distracted me from something much more important. SHE HAS TEETH!

Did I ever mention that I do not like dolls with teeth? Well, I don't. If a doll is otherwise beautiful or fierce, I can turn a blind eye to a bit of white between the lips, but I prefer my dolls with closed mouths. If they must smile, let it be like Mona Lisa.

But I digress. I bought the first of these dolls around this time last year as a Christmas gift for my daughter. Months later, I find her at Big Lots, only with a lovely cloisonne pendant! The doll was priced at less than half of what I paid for my daughter's doll, plus I wanted that pendant, so I purchased the second. The third dolls was purchased simply because I was giddy! During the Barbie Dream sale, she was marked down to a song and a dance. Since I love the model muse bodies for modeling my one of a kind fashions, and she was almost espresso in color, I could not pass up the opportunity to buy yet another.

So......since I now owned 2, I could de-box guilt free - which is what I did this morning. The first thing I noticed after liberating her was those Gawd awful pink lips! I have nothing against pink lips in general, but against a dark skin tone........its just icky! To add insult to injury, there was way too much white in between those pink lips!

Before tossing her into the heap of other "I-don't-want-to-be-bothered-with" dolls, I considered that maybe if she wasn't wearing the pouffy ball gown, I might like her better. I grabbed an outfit from my boutique diorama (still under construction) to see if she looked better more casually dressed. I don't know if she looks better or not! All I can see is pink lips and big ole teeth!

What do you think?

What's the Big Freakin' Deal?

For several weeks many of the fashion doll forums have been abuzz with folks tittering about Bratz' comeback. Many were excited about the dolls returning to their favorite toy aisle, but most were disappointed once they purchased the dolls. Complaints of everything from bad hair, horrific make-up, and boring fashions are more than plentiful. By contrast, there are some (mostly kids) who love them!

I confess that I am not a Bratz collector, or even a fan. A few of them have snuck (sneaked?) into my house over the years, but I took the stance of; "maybe if I ignore them, they'll go away." They didn't!

But any ole way, the past few days have been particularly stressful , and usually when I am stressed, i go trolling for sex ....oops, I meant dolls (really I did!) So I am at Target today strolling through the toy aisles (I told you it was dolls I was trolling for!), looking for nothing in particular. I suddenly see the dolls that are the subject of so much yammering. Supposedly 10-10-10 was the release date of 10 new characters, but Target only had 3. Lydia caught my eye, but she looked just like a Sasha who had been back-handed in the mouth! Sure, all Bratz have bee-stung lips, but this one looked like ....well just look at the freakin' picture! I saw nothing particularly wrong with her make-up, but what is up with the knee length hair? If she ever does get any attention from me, it will be with scissors in hand.

In conclusion, the new Bratz don't move or excite me any more than the old ones did. I really wish I could like them - the $10 I paid for her was a pretty cheap doll fix, except this one came without the new-doll high.........

Fabulous Finds and Franken-dollies!

click on pics to enlarge

One of my favorite weekend pastimes is going to garage sales, estate sales, flea markets, and thrift shops. Not sure why, but the trash to treasure thing really ignites my creativity. Though it happens quite infrequently, I get giddy with joy whenever I find something wonderful for almost nothing. Such was the case when I went to an estate sale a few months ago. I purchased close to 3 dozen vintage dolls, a drum set, and an incredible cedar chest and spent just under $60!

Pictured above are a few older African American fashion dolls I purchased - aren't they lovely! I'm not sure, but I think the second doll on the left may be gymnast Barbie, but it really didn't matter - her hair was a frizzy mess, but she had jointed elbows and knees - woo-hoo! She would certainly be the subject of my next Franken-dolly project.




Here she is with another Franken-dolly ( So In Style Trichelle with a fashionista body). Her head is an Asha face - before the heads got big, and she has been redressed in a Barbie ourfit and Bfc "Converse" Chucks. She tells me that she can't walk in heels, so she will never be a model. However, this girl has some stories to tell..........

Restyled Barbie Basics

click photo for larger view

On Monday evening, I went to Target in search of that elusive Moxie Teenz afro wig, but it was nowhere to be found. I didn't leave empty handed as they did have the Target exclusive Barbie Basic in red! I had seen online pics and knew that she must be added to my collection. First, because she has the Model Muse body - this is my second favorite Barbie body - second only the articulated ones. I also love her hair color and texture - a combination I had not before seen on a Barbie doll.

I decided not to delay her liberation from her box, and while I was at it, might as well free Barbie Basic #4 (now named Nnenna after one of my favorite America' Next Top Model contestants) Once free, I looked at them and immediately determined that something was very wrong! That black dress was not at all flattering against Nnenna's espresso hued skin and though "Red" - now named Camille), looked okay in red, I thought she would look much better in basic black. The ladies switched dresses, did a bit of accessorizing, and here is the result!

This may be the last time either of them appear publicly in those dresses as they will soon be modeling couture fashions created just for them......

Moxie Teenz Arizona and Bijou

I purchased Arizona (doll on left) along with Tristen (not shown) about 2 months ago, but Bijou was pretty elusive and did not make an appearance here until a few weeks ago. A number of people on various message boards made comments that MGA has a habit of being stingy with the African American versions of their dolls. The general consensus being that Bijou was the African American doll among them.

To be honest, I almost overlooked Bijou on TRU's shelves. I had made a habit of flipping through all of the Moxie Teenz dolls over the previous weeks in hopes of finding her. On all previous trips, only Tristen, Melrose, and Arizona were in attendance. Even after encountering the brown hand seen through the side of the packaging, I assumed that this search would prove as fruitless as all the others. It wasn't until something in my head clicked that Arizona was not wearing fur or pink sleeves that I actually took a closer look!

Indeed it was Bijou, but I quickly wondered what all the hoopla was about. Except for different eye colors and outfits, I could scarcely tell them apart! I would guess that Bijou might be a shade darker, but not much and her hair is actually straighter than Arizona's!

Whatever....they are both beautiful dolls, whatever their ethnicity and I like them both.

Evangeline Not So Ghastly!

She is finally here and I absolutely love her! I haven't yet had time to play with her, but she is fierce and appeals to my "dark side...."

De-box Frenzy!

Last week, I took advantage of the incredible sale on the Integrity Toys website. I ordered Monsieur Z Jungle Fever and Boogie Beach Reese (2nd and 3rd from the right). Upon their arrival, I started to place them on the self with my other MIB Integrity dolls, but had second thoughts; These dolls are meant to be enjoyed - not just looked at! So instead of finding shelf space for them, I liberated them from their boxes! After doing so, I heard the not-so-faint cries of the other Integrity girls saying "Me too! Me too!" Before I knew what was happening, the ITBE doll in red and Electro Pop Dayle in pink were both running around singing "Free at last, free at last!" Nadja and Adele had been de-boxed long ago, but were still packed away from last summer's move.


I simply had to find them so that they could join their sisters in a little impromptu photo shoot.



I absolutely love Integrity dolls for a number of reasons - one of which is the fact that Jason Wu seems to have an infinite number of face sculpts! Unlike Mattel and MGA, each character has her own face sculpt! I have one other Adele - an early one that I have yet to unpack, but my Integrity/Fashion Royalty collection is small in comparison to most others. Even so, the diversity is apparent. I realize that the economy has many doll manufacturers scaling back, but I am hoping that the diversity that has been a mainstay of Integrity Toys continues....

Monster High Dawn of the Dance

Finally received my pre-ordered Dawn of the Dance dolls from Angelic Dreams. I am so in love with these dolls - more so than I was with the first two - Clawdeen Wolf and Draculara! From online pics, I was preparing for Clawdeen's lime green hair to be some sort of molded helmet, but I am pleasantly surprised to find that even though it has been gelled to an insane harness, it is real hair! (In time, I will be washing the goop out).

The next thing that impressed me was the ease in which they came out of the box! I spent hours last evening de-boxing some Moxies and Moxie Teenz, and it was brutal! When I decided to de-box these, I sat down with the usual tools - sharp scissors, single-edge razor, and a small paring knife. I was shocked that I only needed the scissors briefly to cut the plastic thing holding her head to the back of the box, but none of the other tools! The dolls were not plastic-tabbed to death, sewn in, with all of that stuff taped down, but all I had to do was flip a few tabs, and the dolls were free!

I love the make-up on both dolls, and the shoes - especially Cleo's are fierce! I may purchase the other 3 characters at a later date, but it certainly won't be through Angelic Dreamz!

Moxie Teenz - Really MGA?

After seeing the gorgeous online pics of these dolls, I could hardly wait for them to show up in my local stores. I didn't have to wait long, as I found them in Toys R Us about a month ago - all but Bijou anyway. As luck would have it, they were on sale - buy one, get one half off, so I purchased Arizona and Tristan. Both dolls had lovely faces, articulated bodies, and wigs! You really can't ask for much more in a fashion doll, right? Er....uh....yes we can!

The dolls retail for $26.99 not a fortune, but quite a bit when you consider the quality (or lack thereof) and lack of accessories. The dolls came with the clothes on their backs, the wig on their head, purse, a brush, and a poster - no stand! You would think that since the dolls are an odd size (14" tall) that MGA would have included a stand for her as neither Barbie-size stands, nor those for 16" fashion dolls will work for these girls. Because they are so lightweight and have arched feet, they cannot stand on their own, so the only way to pose them is to have something to lean on.

By comparison, Liv dolls are a full 2 inches shorter and weigh approximately the same.

I am not impressed with the articulation either. Though the dolls do have jointed knees, ankles, wrists, and elbows, the range of motion is minimal. As you can see in the picture, Arizona cannot even strike a hand-on-the-hip pose - the elbows just don't bend enough! I was also not impressed with her clothes. Those lace leggings are attached to her skirt - what the heck is that? These dolls are supposed to represent young adults in college - not Garanimal wearing toddlers!

Now that I have gotten those things off my chest, I must say that I do like the dolls! The faces are gorgeous and I am delighted that the heads are in much better proportion than the Liv dolls. I love that they have "real" eyelashes and inset eyes. I also like the "look" of the jewelry, but it is of very poor quality. (one of the earrings literally fell apart as I was deboxing) The boots and bag are actually really nice. I love the idea of interchangeable wigs, but the hair on this one leaves a lot to be desired. I'm not sure of the fibers used, but it is just too soft and fine. I know its just a matter of time before it becomes a tangled, matted mess and I am and adult! Can you imagine what it will look like once an 8 year old plays with it?

At any rate, though I love the "look" of these dolls, I'm not sure if I will purchase Bijou if/when she becomes available. The quality of the product does not justify the price. I think MGA has a great concept in these dolls and may have just rushed them to market a bit too soon. If the quality improves, these may prove worth collecting.

Ellowyne finally arrived!

Even before she was officially named Ellowyne - when she was yet a prototype of Robert Tonner tentatively called Gwendolyn, I have longed for this doll. Upon her release, when all of the fashion doll message boards and forums were abuzz with the news, I was as excited as anyone, yet I waited. I have learned the value and virtue of waiting. In the case of dolls, waiting will sometimes net you better stuff at lower prices! Remember how expensive the first Fashion Royalty dolls were? Not only were they expensive, but they were stiff - no articulated bodies (except bending knees) back then. Also, (and this is just my humble opinion), Adele Makeda - the only AA doll in the bunch, was rather homely back then! Over time, she got prettier, more fierce, all of the bodies became articulated, and the prices came down!



So.....I learned that by waiting, I can get better dolls at lower prices, but I'm sure you already knew that, right? Back to Ms. Wilde: I loved her from the time I saw her grace the cover of Haute Doll magazine back in 2006. She was pretty, had an "emo" backstory, wide eyes, a big head, and just seemed a bit off - kind of like me, I guess. She was lovely, but I thought I would wait for one of 2 things: an incredible sale (a frugalista like myself rarely pays retail for anything), or for an ethnic friend to materialize. It didn't much matter to me whether the friend was Latina, Asian, or African American, but I want my Ellowyne (or friend) to be of color. Needless to say, that didn't happen. Her only friend is Prudence, and I find her a bit prudish (could that be what inspired her name?) and constipated looking. So I waited for a sale, but with the exception of a few gently used, nude dolls posted for sale on different message boards, her price was rarely significantly reduced.

Last week, I was killing time and browsing different doll-related websites, when I thought I would check out Wilde Imagination just to see what - if anything was new. Too my delight and surprise, they were having an incredible sale on their basic dolls. I immediatly added the red head to my shopping cart. (shipping was free too!)

She arrived today, and I just adore her. Her hair looked redder in the pictures, but other than that, I have no complaints. I was also pleased to discover that she and Goodreau's Mirror are close enough in size to share clothing! The downside is that because of her big ole Miss Peach head (you might want to google that if not familiar with the comic strip), Ellowyne looks a bit odd with Mirror, but viva la difference! Luckily for Ellowyne, I had been working on new outfits for Mirror, so she didn't have to hang around in her undies for long. (she doesn't need anything else to be blue about!)





The two of them; Ebony and Ivory, Salt and Peppa, Day and Night, Big Melon Head and Normal Head - whatever you choose to call them, are modeling their new outfits which are available at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/squarepeg78

Whatcha think?

Not a good sign for SIS- So In Style dolls....

Today as I went about my errands, I browsed to doll aisles of Target. They had nothing new, but what caught my eye were the bright red stickers on the So In Style Rocawear dolls. They were marked down to $9.08 from $12.99. This did not appear to be part of a weekly sale event, but permanent mark downs. Given that this line is less than a year old, it seems to me a bad omen of things to come.



I confess to having issues with the dolls - mainly that the dolls did not live up to the pre-release promotional hype. We were promised a new line of AA dolls with new sculpts and the promo pics of the latest releases showed the dolls with articulated bodies. The actual dolls - although pretty, were not what many collectors hoped. Instead of new face sculpts, each of the 4 characters share the Mbili face mold. I love this particular sculpt, but it is by no means, "new". None of the dolls have the articulated bodies as we were led to believe - though some do have jointed elbows.


Being a frugalista as well as a doll collector, I really wanted to purchase some of the dolls at the sale price, but I was just not inspired to do so! I had already purchased several of the dolls early on at retail prices and was disappointed with each purchase. I kept looking for the "new" but all I saw was old familiar face sculpts with old familiar bodies dressed up in new fashions.

I am certain that Stacy McBride-Irby, the designer of this line, did the best she could with what she was allotted. The facial screenings and clothing designs are current and fresh and I love that the dolls represent a variety of skin tones. I just feel that Mattel did not truly commit to the project and decided to minimize production costs by using old and familiar instead of really doing something new.

The result is that the dolls are now being discounted. Mattel will probably use this as an excuse for not releasing new ethnic dolls in the future. They will say they just don't sell - yeah, right! The truth is, many collectors were almost salivating at the prospect of something new from Mattel. Many like myself, ran out and purchased the new dolls at retail price as soon as they hit store shelves. We wanted Mattel to know that such a project would be well supported. I am certain that many people really like the dolls. The story lines are great and provide a positive message for young girls. However for collectors, I think the dolls fell a bit short of the mark.

New Dress for Bitty Belle Magnifique

I purchased Helen Kish's Bitty Belle Magnifique about a month ago. Although fashion dolls are my primary focus, Kish sculpts almost always elicit oohs and ahs from me. After finding this one on sale, I decided it was time she came to live with me. When she arrived, her face and hair were just as pretty - if not prettier than the online pics I had seen, however, her dress was dreadful!




I wasted no time creating a new wardrobe for her. Since I have made quite a few, I thought I would list this one on Etsy - just in case someone else finds that blue jumper as aesthetically unappealing as myself.




To see more pics of this outfit, or for purchase info, please follow this link:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/50971520/tossed-tulips-for-bitty-belle-11-inch

Take Care of Yourself Now - you may have to live in that body longer than you planned

I took my mother to the doctor this morning for a check up. After reading her lab report, the doctor said that her diabetes was well under control, but that he was concerned about her kidney function. He suggested taking her off Medformin for a couple of weeks to see how her glucose levels do without it; that this might be all that is needed to restore kidney function to normal.

I am convinced that the reason my mother's diabetes (type2) is under control is because she has alzheimer's disease and is dependent upon me to provide her meals. Before the dementia, she ate whatever she wanted and she loved sweets! This coupled with a sedentary lifestyle caused her to become morbidly obese and develop type 2 diabetes. Before my father died, he would indulge my mother and bring her chocolates, donuts, and whatever else she wanted - despite knowing that she shouldn't eat these things, and I will probably never understand why. I now prepare healthy meals and snacks for her and make sure she takes her meds as prescribed. As a result, she has lost 30 lbs over the last 3 months, and her blood glucose levels are normal.

After the doctor visit, I came home and did a bit of research on Medformin and kidney disease. It seems that the jury is still out on whether or not the drug actually causes the disease, but most of the data shows that long term use can result in some sort of kidney disease.

I can't help but wonder what would have been the outcome had my mother taken better care of herself when she was younger? I remember hearing George Burns, at the age of 90 something, quip: "If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." Had my mother been more active and ate a healthier diet, she probably never would have developed diabetes. Since some studies suggest that people with type 2 diabetes are 3 times as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, she may have spared herself that also!

I will never know how how my mother's life might have differed had she taken better care of herself, but I am now more committed than ever of taking better care of me....

Generation of Dreams Barbie Mystery

Sometime in October of last year, I purchased this doll at Costco.


It was to be a Christmas gift for my daughter who is also a Barbie collector. The price was significantly less that the suggested retail, so I thought I was getting a pretty good deal.


Last Friday, I was shopping my local Big Lots and found this:



Holy smokes! Not only was she priced at less than half of the one purchased at Costco, but this one included bonus jewelry - a really nice cloisonne pendant with the same motif as the dress. Nowhere on the box does it say that this was any particular store's exclusive, and I can find no information online about the doll with the bonus. One of these dolls is destined to be deboxed and become one of my models (love the ebony skin tone and the model muse pose), but I am unsure which to debox. It would make sense to leave the least common NRFB, but I would love to wear that pendant! Can anyone out there solve this mystery?

Emerald City Diorama

My daughter's favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz and it also ranks high on my list. Whenever I see anything related to the movie, I have to at least stop and look at it. If it is something doll related, it really gets my attention!



A few weeks ago, I was browsing The Doll Market's website, and came across this incredible playscape of the Emerald City! It was beautiful, manufactured by Madame Alexander, and it was deeply discounted - who could ask for more!



My daughter's birthday was almost 2 months away, and I thought this would be the perfect birthday present. Besides that, I kind of "owed" her one. I had given her a smaller Oz scape - made of resin, a couple of years ago to display our petite (5") Wizard of Oz dolls. Several weeks ago, a visiting friend accidentally shook the shelf on which it was sitting, and a few of the pieces were chipped. The damage was not that noticeable, but my daughter is anal and could only focus on the imperfections. I tried finding another, but since the set has been discontinued, the few that I found online were way over priced.



I was delighted to find this set at an affordable price. It is larger than the other, as it was made to display with 8-10" dolls, but it would make a lovely gift and suitable replacement for the set that had been damaged.



UPS delivered it last week and I hid the box out of site. I was going to wait until her birthday to present it, but after reading the terms on the packing slip, decided to give it to her early.

I only had a limited time to claim a refund if the item was damaged, and in order to check for damage, I would have to open the box and put the thing together. I wasn't going to do all of that only to take it apart and return it to the box, so she received it early.



My daughter is an adult, but she looked like a little kid at Christmas when she realized what was in the box and waisted no time setting it up.

What do you think?

Monster High Madness

A few weeks ago, I starte reading about, and seeing pictures of Mattel's soon to be released, Monster High dolls. I was immediatly smitten and pre-ordered 2 of the dolls from Angelic Dreams' website. On the website, it was noted that the dolls expected ship date was TBA (to be announced). That was a minor consideration for 2 reasons: First, because I had ordered dolls previously from AD and had no problems, I thought it safe to assume they would ship the dolls soon after release. Secondly, All of the information I had read online said the dolls were scheduled for May/June release, so again I made an assumption that AD would ship my dolls sometime in June.

Any ole way, a few weeks passed and other people started posting online that they had received their Monster High dolls, or had purchased them in their local stores! Of course I am wondering where mine are! I check the AD website and now instead of a TBA ship date, they have Sept/Oct listed as the estimated ship date!

When I could take it no longer, I go to my local TRU (Toys R Us) and sure enough, the dolls are there on the shelf! Not only are they in stock, but they shelf sticker lists the price at $19.99 whereas AD charged $24.99 plus shipping. So now I'm thinking that I have paid $10 more (I ordered 2) to be the last to get my dolls! I considered cancelling the order, but Angelic Dreams has some incredibly absurd terms, First of which, they will charge you 30% of your order as a "restocking" fee! Not only do I believe that to be unreasonable, but how can they justify a restocking fee when the items are not in stock to begin with? Secondly, they will not issue a refund, but will only give store credit. This is unacceptable to me because I do not envision ever doing business with this company again and will not recommend that anyone else of my acquaintance do so. Of course I fired off a strongly worded email to Angelic Dreams - to which I have received no reply, but all I really want are those adorable dolls! So I proceed to whine and vent to any and everybody who would listen. Finally my dear daughter got tired of my tantrums and purchased one from TRU as a Father's Day gift (hey, I raised her by myself for most of her life, so I guess she thinks me entitled). I was indeed a happy camper with the adorable Clawdeen Wolf!



Today I had to go to Walmart to fill a prescription and while I was waiting, took a stroll through the toy section. Lo and behold, even Wally World had the dolls in stock - at $17.99! Though I tried to resist, Dracu Laura flew into my cart! So now I am the proud owner of Clawdeen Wolf and Dracu Laura. When the AD order arrives, they will have plenty of company......

Here they are conspiring to get the "off the Hook" chick off the chaise so that they can watch horror movies on tv.

My Scene Clone Identity?

I purchased this doll last spring at either Big Lots, or DD's Boutique and paid $4 or $5 for her. She was the only one of her kind on the shelf and her box was trashed, but I still thought she was cute. Shortly thereafter, she was packed away with the rest of my dolls in preparation for the move to the new house. She has been imprisoned in a large cardboard prison with many other dolls until this week when I was determined to parole them all.

The packaging insert, accessories, and of course the doll all look like My Scene imitations and are actually of really good quality considering the price. I can only assumed that the box was discarded since it was in such bad shape, so now I am left wondering who she is, or what company made her. She has the typical My Scene belly button body with click knees, over-sized head, and big clunky boots on otherwise small, Barbie-size feet. Her only flaw is that her hair is thin. It is a good thing that it is so curly, otherwise I am sure that her scalp would be visible in spots.

Does anyone have a clue who this doll might be, or the company that manufactured her? The last picture shows her with My Scene Jai for comparison.

Dolls and Alzheimer's cont'd......

I don't remember exactly when I acquired these dolls. The months of February and March are pretty much a blur. Caring for my mother with dementia, going back and forth to the hospital to see my dad and consult with doctors, and shuttling relatives to and from the airport occupied most of my time. Somehow, these dolls managed to present themselves in the midst of the chaos!

Blythe has always been on my "must have" list. I wanted one as a child, but her production was ceased before I got my hot little hands on one. For the uninitiated, Blythe's eyes will change color and position with the pull of the string in the back of her head. As a kid, I thought that was the coolest thing - still do! I was delighted when I learded that Ashton Drake was going to make reproductions a few years ago, but I was not prepared for the price. Lukily, I found her on Amazon a few months ago at a price I could afford. Her arrival was a tiny glimmer of light during my darkest days watching my father deteriorate before my eyes.

The doll on the right (with glasses) is Calista, and she is a new girl in town. I'm guessing that MGA was preparing for the demise of Bratz dolls and released the new BFF line of dolls almost concurrently with Mattel's lawsuit victory. I believe there are 4 characters, but Calista seemed to have the most personality to me. I like her, but I wish she had more articulation. Besides the normal shoulder and hip joints, her ankles are jointed - weird? How about knee and elbow joints folks! Those wiggly ankles will only excite those with a foot fetish. Anyway, she is cute, I like her, and she is here. She and Blythe have been laying around in the buff for a couple of months at least. I wanted both to have new wardrobes, and I so desparately wanted to get my mind off my family issues, so I tried many times to design something for them. I got as far as drafting basic slopers for them, but never actually made anything. I grabbed what was handy to make them presentable for this photo shoot.

Dolls and Alzheimer's .......

Yes, I am a doll collector. I have been collecting for over 20 years and until recently, my hobby was well under control. Well, life happens and I now find myself more stressed than ever before. As my stress level increases, so do the number of dolls in my collection!

Last February, my father was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and passed away 2 months later. I became the primary caregiver for my mother who has Alzheimer's disease. I share the same birthday as Barbie (March 9), but because of all that was going on, I didn't really have an opportunity, or desire to celebrate. I did however, purchase a few new dolls. Liv dolls by Spin Master were about the same size as Barbie, but with bigger heads. They also have glass eyes instead of painted, and are fully articulated. I purchased the Hispanic, Daniela and the African American, Alexa because they were the cutest of the 4 characters. I was a bit disappointed in Daniela as her picture on the box front was much prettier than the actual doll, but I kept her anyway. The dolls are bald, but 2 wigs are included with each doll. These dolls are sure to be de-boxed, played with, and displayed in my dioramas soon.

I also purchased a couple of Juku Couture dolls, my very first Blythe, and a Moxie doll during the month of March, but I haven't yet taken pics of them yet.