Lots Of Uprdates!

 In this post we have a couple story updates, a few product reviews, and a new doll.  So let's get started.

We are just outside Ron and Robin's house.  Ron has already left for work.  Robin and Courtney are ready to leave.

Having only a large one car garage, Robin parks in the garage, while Ron parks in the driveway.  There is a little room for Ron's tools.

Courtney is sporting the black dress from the Monster High fashion pack.  Her red and white checked jacket is the shirt from the Fern doll in the "I Can Read" series.  Robin put her hair in three braids. 

They get in the car, and Courtney is trying to take off her backpack.

"Can you get it?  Here let me help."  (Robin)

They get the backpack off, and Courtney sits on her booster seat and buckles up.

"Let's get this show on the road."  (Robin)

"MOMMY!  I forgot my bunny for show 'n tell."  (Courtney)

"Sorry, sweetie. You will have to take it tomorrow.  We do not have time to go back and get it.

Robin is sporting the La Boutique March purse of the month.  It's only my second La Boutique purse.  I just couldn't pass this one up.

There's Halle.  She's chilling poolside with a good book and a nice cocktail.  Diego is off making reservations for some of the ship's activities.  We will see him next time.

I remembered  I needed to find Diana Ross a husband.  I was surprised how reasonably priced the boxed Lando dolls were.  I got this one for $19.99 and free shipping.

It's not the best Billy Dee sculpt I've seen, but Diana will be happy to see him.  The box says he's fully poseable.  I don't know what that means in terms of articulation.  I will be deboxing him soon. 

On to the Cutie Pops outfits I picked up a couple weeks ago for $5.  This is how the outfits came packaged.  The best doll I have that will fit these clothes is the older style Janet/Stacie doll.  I knew I would be cutting off the treats when I first saw this.

I didn't know that the treats just pop off.  Duh...  I will be using the treats as treats.  

The newer Stacie dolls can't fit the clothes, but she can wear the cool boots.

Here is the pajama set, as shown in the pack.  It comes with pop tarts and teddy bears.  What a combo.

Here it is without the treats.

These will come in handy for breakfast and decor.

Here are the purple bedroom slippers.

Last but not least, I told you I bought this car for $12.50.  I deboxed it.  Robin took one look at it and said, "I'm not driving that piece of crap."  I can't blame her.  This car was such a disappointment.  I can't even believe that Mattel has that car retailing for $41.  It is so cheap looking.  The plastic on the inside is poor quality.  I have nothing good to say about this car.  Don't waste your money.  I do like the outfit the doll is wearing, but that is it.  

Day in the Life: Robin Part 2 (Photostory) and A New Car!

When we left off with Robin's family, they were getting out of bed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

"So what's it going to be, waffles or cereal?"  (Robin)

"Ummm, do we have the cereal with all the colors?"  (Courtney)

"Well, let's check." (Robin)

 "I see Rice Krispies, Shredded Wheat, and way in the back is the cereal with the colors."  (Robin)

"Ooh goodie."  (Courtney)

Robin grabs, the cereal, a bowl, and the soy milk.

"Here you go.  You can get some juice after you eat."  (Robin)

Robin returns to the kitchen and gathers what she needs for the waffles.

"Ooh waffles."  (Ron)

"You want two or three?" (Robin)

"Sorry hon.  I can't stay for breakfast. We have a staff meeting this morning, and Lauren always provides breakfast.  Any chance you can stop by and have lunch with me, today?  We haven't done lunch at all this month."  (Ron)

"I don't think I can make it today.  I'm interviewing a new lady for the part time position, and the only time I could fit it in was on my lunch hour."  (Robin)

"Alright, then I will see you at home, later.  By the way, thanks for the shirt.  Where did you find it?" (Ron)

"It was in the closet."  (Robin)

"I don't know how I missed it.  Well I'm off.  Bye."  (Ron kisses Robin goodbye)

"Bye, Daddy!"  (Courtney)

"Ooh you have the good cereal.  Can Daddy have a taste? (Ron)

"I don't think so.  Mommy didn't give me a lot."  (Courtney)

"I sure hope you share better at school.  Now give me a hug goodbye."  (Ron)

 Ron leaves and Robin finishes fixing her breakfast of waffles, turkey bacon, and a banana.

 "Did you want a taste of my waffles?"  (Robin)

"No, but can I have a banana?"  (Courtney)

"I'll share mine with you."  (Robin)

 Robin breaks the banana in half and puts a piece in Courtney's bowl.

"And we need to hurry.  I still have to do something to your hair.  I should have combed it last night like I planned."  (Robin)

"Mommy, can my friend, Kourtney come over and play with me after school?"  (Courtney)

"Today?  I don't know about today.  I would need to talk to her parents first."  (Robin)

 

"Can you call her mom and ask her?"  (Courtney)

"If I get some time, I will.  If not, then we'll make plans for the weekend.  Now eat your banana, and go wash your hands.  I'll be there in a minute."  (Robin)

On another note.....I finally got the new Fiat and doll.  Mattel had it on sale for $12.50, down from $41.  I couldn't believe it.  The free shipping over $40 was still in play, so I bought a few Fashionistas that were on clearance.  I thought for sure they were clearing out these Fiats, but that's not the case.  It's now back to the $41.  So I guess Mattel will put certain things on special on certain days.  Most of the things I got on sale a couple weeks ago, are back to their original prices. 

This image is property of Mattel, Inc.

 I think we will see this car in action real soon.  Robin will be the first to use this one.

Liebster Award Nomination

Yesterday, Debbie of Black Doll Collecting, nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award.  Thanks, Debbie!  I am honored.  I am also torn, because in the past I have turned down this award because I thought my blog didn't fit in the under 100 follower guideline.  Seems like the rules have changed over the years.  Here is a link to the Wording Well blog that spells out the rules and guidelines.  It is also from this blog that I took the Liebster blog award image shown above.

Here are the questions Debbie posed to her nominees.

Questions for My Nominees

1. What prompted you to begin blogging?  Initially I started blogging because I needed to keep track of all the fashion doll families I had created.  I would name them, then forget their names pretty quickly.  I tried writing it down in a notebook, but I kept misplacing the notebook.  I felt a blog would be a reference I could access quickly.  The second reason for my blog was to help me market my Etsy shop.

2. When do you usually write your blogs?  I don't have a set time.  I try to blog at least every other day and post before 7pm on those days.

3.  What inspires or otherwise motivates you to publish a blog?  It's the dolls and their accessories that motivate me to continue with my blog.  Having a blog is the perfect platform to document and share my doll world.  Playing with dolls give me so much joy and this energizes me.  It's always nice to hear from readers that my blog inspires them.  This is definitely an added bonus to doing my blog, but I would still write my blog even without those accolades.

4. What is your favorite pastime?  Other than dolls, right now my favorite pastime is baking and cooking.  Of course this changes regularly.

5.  If your favorite pastime involves collecting dolls, answer this question and the next two (otherwise skip to question 8):  What dolls do you collect?  I no longer consider myself a collector, but I have dolls in every size and from various artists.  Back when I was collecting, I collected Barbie, Lee Middleton, Tonner, Gene, Indian dolls, and the list goes on.

6.  How long have you been collecting and what prompted you to begin?  The bulk of my collecting started over 22 years ago.  I remember being in a JCPenney store a week after Lee Middleton's death.  That was the first time I felt compelled to buy one of her baby dolls.  Priot to that I couldn't justify paying over $100 for a doll.

7.  Are your dolls confined to one room or are they in more than one room in your home?  Most of my dolls are in the basement and the family room.  There are two handmade ones on display in my living room.

8.  If questions 5-6 do not apply to you, but you are a former collector, why do you no longer collect?  As I mentioned above, I no longer collect.  This is mainly due to my illness.

9.  What was the last movie you saw either in a theater or on DVD?  The last movie I saw in the theater was Best Man Holiday.  Excellent movie.

10.  What was the last book you read?  I read constantly, but mostly how-to books.  My reference library is quite extensive.  A couple months ago, I read a fiction book for the first time in over 20 yrs.  It was called Beautiful Illusions.  

11.  If you could live anywhere other than your current location, where would it be?  I don't have a particular location, but I do have a type of location.  It would be a place with beautiful scenery.  It would be warm and sunny most of the time.  I would love to live on a farm, with a nice big house, where I could rescue and take care of dogs.  Part of this vision included adopting at least five boys between the ages of 12 - 16.  Now, I would just open up my house to teenagers who needed a place to retreat.

Now the next part of the award involves me nominating 5 or 11 blogs to receive the award.  This is where I am choosing to break the rules.  In light of the disgruntled blog reader I encountered a couple weeks ago, who was less than pleased with the attention I was showing her blog, I am not going to single out any blogs at this time.  I enjoy all the blogs I read, and I commend each and every one of you who choose to embark on this pastime.  Keep doing what you are doing, as long as it brings you joy.

MH Fashion Show

I recently purchased three sets of MH fashions, on sale.  I promised some readers that I would see which dolls could possibly wear the clothes, other than the MH dolls.  It was a mixed bag.  The new Stacie doll could wear some pieces and the old Stacie doll could wear some pieces.  Not necessarily the same pieces.  It all depends on the what fabric is used for the clothes.  I also tried them on the Only Heart kids (i.e. Nicole).   Forget about it.  They are too small for the OH dolls.  

 Newer Stacie tried on an outfit from Fashion Pack #1.  Looks great from the front.  It's a little snug in the back, especially for the skirt, but it closes. 

The older Janet doll tried on the second outfit from the first set.  Looks great from the front...

...but doesn't come close to closing in the back.  I still think it can be used.  We don't often see the dolls from the back.  The other thing you could do is throw on a sweater or jacket.

There are other cute accessories in the pack that will get some use.

Moving on to the second pack...

Janet tried on the cute red and black outfit.  It was a perfect fit.

Even in the back.  Never mind how sloppily I closed the outfit.  It fits.

I had to put the second outfit on my rebodied Barbie doll.  She has an MH body, and this dress couldn't fit any of the other dolls. 

I almost didn't show the third set, because it wasn't with the other two sets.  I decided to go find it, and shoot more pictures.

Janet tried on the dress.  It fits in the front.  I should have tried this on the new Stacie, but I didn't.  It is a really cute dress.

It doesn't fit Janet in the back, but I think it can still work.  It will also look nice on my doll with the MH body.  The second outfit in the picture looks like jean shorts, and I got excited looking at the picture.  When I got the package, they are far from jean shorts.  The odd thing is, no one could fit this outfit.  Not even my MH bodied doll.

So I thought about the SIS (Chelsea sized) kids and the Kelly sized kids.  Courtney was nearby, so she tried it on.  The neckline is a little too big, but if you add some leggings, this would be a cute outfit.  This would probably make a cute dress on a Kelly sized doll.  I didn't have one handy, and I was being lazy.  We will find out later.

Here is the complete outfit, which is a little big, but again it might work for Kelly.  These SIS dolls are much skinnier than the Kelly dolls.

So I had Courtney try on one of the other shirts.  Can you say adorable?  This is what she picked out to wear to school today.  Mom has to do her hair and change her earrings.

Here is the third shirt.  Again, add the black jeans I made for Julian, and she is all set.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT TO TAYLOR SMITH!!!  Her birthday was yesterday and she is a huge fan of VansDollTreasures.  Thanks Taylor.  Hope you had a wonderful birthday.

Day In The Life: Robin and Family (Photostory)

We are moving to our second official Day in the Life series, featuring Robin and her family.  We are starting in her daughter, Courtney's bedroom.

It's daybreak and the sun is shining through Courtney's bedroom window.

Robin enters Courtney's room and turns on the light.

"Good morning sleepyhead.  Time to wake up.  (time elapses)  Come on beautiful.  Time to get our day started."  (Robin)

Courtney stirs a bit then rolls over on her back.

"There she is.  Good morning.  Are you ready for a fabulous day?"  (Robin)

"No."  (Courtney)

"Honey! Where are you?"  (Ron from another room)

"I'm in Courtney's room."  (Robin)

"Oh there you are."  (Ron)

"Good morning, sweetie."  (Ron)

"Morning, Daddy."  (Courtney)

"Honey, where are my clean shirts?"  (Ron)

"You're not talking about the shirts you were supposed to pick up from the cleaners, are you?"  (Robin)

"Oh shoot!  I forgot to do that.  So what am I going to do now?  I don't have any clean shirts."  (Ron)

"There are other shirts in your closet you could wear."  (Robin)

"Can you find something for me to wear?  I'm going to hop in the shower."  (Ron)

"I'll be there in a minute."  (Robin) 

"What would you do without me?"  (Robin)

"Lucky for you, you will never have to find that out."  (Ron)

"Ha, ha."  (Robin)

She turns her attention back to Courtney, who has laid back down.

"Oh no you don't.  Get up."  (Robin)

Robin makes up the bed, while Courtney takes the little elevator down.

Courtney checks in on her friends.

"Mommy, can I take my new bunny to school for Show 'n Tell?"  (Courtney)

"I think that will be okay."  (Robin)

"Let's go get breakfast started."  (Robin)

"And we have to get Daddy a shirt.'  (Courtney)

"Yes, lucky us."  (Robin)

Epilogue

Initially, I was planning to use Chelsea's Clubhouse out in the yard, but decided it's perfect for a bedroom.  I added the mattress up top.  The bench that the stuffed toys are sitting on, is what was originally on top.  The dresser did not come with the set.  The good thing about this clubhouse is that it comes unassembled.  This makes it very easy to paint.  I was in a hurry to use it, so I'm using it as is for now.  It did give me a chance to use my castle fabric for the curtains.  

We will be checking back in on Halle and Diego.