tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57999642192900675602024-03-19T21:12:08.573-07:00Smaller PlacesMy fashion-doll passions are clones, failed lines, and thrift-store finds. Plus I do dollhouses in unpopular scales.Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-13889861478158321152024-03-08T20:04:00.000-08:002024-03-08T20:04:44.521-08:00The Maine Cottage<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1koEA7vggiOYCNvs0X6A9vBq5hFJIJcRed1LCefbwZBwtKmgrP2fxDvJVrJdaE33tziApe7fMQZOSzZNDJ3jxhFCcx-Xlnyq_xBa9Hzv77ci1dvsP328w8iBHjUSXxW-k8cb5WmfsfLORq5P3ZxpXZU5zLHRJ48HHx7Yoi6T4V466qcIHyGDGw3LFe7Bh/s3886/IMG_E3287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2914" data-original-width="3886" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1koEA7vggiOYCNvs0X6A9vBq5hFJIJcRed1LCefbwZBwtKmgrP2fxDvJVrJdaE33tziApe7fMQZOSzZNDJ3jxhFCcx-Xlnyq_xBa9Hzv77ci1dvsP328w8iBHjUSXxW-k8cb5WmfsfLORq5P3ZxpXZU5zLHRJ48HHx7Yoi6T4V466qcIHyGDGw3LFe7Bh/w400-h300/IMG_E3287.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>My project for the past month or so has been finishing up (more or less) the 1:24 Maine Cottage that I started in the fall of 2020. (It had a long hiatus from early 2022 to early 2024.) The base is a Melissa and Doug portable cottage that I'd been eyeing intermittently since the early 2000s. It showed up at the Savers on Boston Post Road for $4, missing one of its dormer roofs (since replaced by Dad's cutting me a new piece).</p><p>Since I'd just been to artist-colony Ogunquit, my plan at the time was to paint it blue-gray and make it an artist's retreat. This winter, I ended up picking a new shade of blue that's more in line with the vintage Marx furniture chosen for the house.</p><p>The resident, Augusta, is a vintage Tweakie Toy made by J. Chein for a single year, 1969. Her workers and repair people are Playskool Lil Playmates from 1978-84. As you can probably guess, I'm not aiming for realism.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga58Bp5VBut79XN2mvIkmrvCt0qu5_0FC8JxSpW1x1WUVV5Ek2MOQW7iMsrMIsN51zLaP7tkFQXLuSc4DdUBQzH9a28YnQ4TE3ZzEp-FBtV1yKC9QnkA_oLwVJLQY8ifxocHyXOGC9fwq8g9qagf5235pChYKRVHxSTHeQI8-OXCjFXZwfqHx_ACP37Qj2/s4032/IMG_E3280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2538" data-original-width="4032" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga58Bp5VBut79XN2mvIkmrvCt0qu5_0FC8JxSpW1x1WUVV5Ek2MOQW7iMsrMIsN51zLaP7tkFQXLuSc4DdUBQzH9a28YnQ4TE3ZzEp-FBtV1yKC9QnkA_oLwVJLQY8ifxocHyXOGC9fwq8g9qagf5235pChYKRVHxSTHeQI8-OXCjFXZwfqHx_ACP37Qj2/w400-h251/IMG_E3280.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Part of the appeal with this house is having space for a dining room. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOOxlBCAyuqhFJbKFGs_aF2lHY_HtuEEtoiMmP19T6LF36uqyF7AlPdvNAwIvMMACtaw1ofuitACZv6WGyVqM5NBMMcx50mfyCw3WSWfmYYPdE4x2QL37Ln7T5NZI2KZgM1xaYC77faydJDnKa3vYQ6N9mcrpRM6p3yFY3SgfH5Qjjy0vp-xWvODwgVg3/s4032/IMG_E3283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="4032" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOOxlBCAyuqhFJbKFGs_aF2lHY_HtuEEtoiMmP19T6LF36uqyF7AlPdvNAwIvMMACtaw1ofuitACZv6WGyVqM5NBMMcx50mfyCw3WSWfmYYPdE4x2QL37Ln7T5NZI2KZgM1xaYC77faydJDnKa3vYQ6N9mcrpRM6p3yFY3SgfH5Qjjy0vp-xWvODwgVg3/w400-h185/IMG_E3283.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The corridor kitchen is highly efficient. The "Milk Raw" sign is from an antique shop in Massachusetts. The astronaut just dropped in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4vUNnvwyhxfU78vZXom3Y2MJu_PwkXwzRk2LauyzBho-TgIGosOH_cMcCgzUCNVkzT0w-fOjLy0ljQUcfbMcjy7P6xH6vLtegWXsM_S_izAyjX6zA-bGWlAvcNg_LfBgM5MQFRZo7eSEbS0oW_B5tJyOreCifFDJrviJXhp17awtv-qYCyqLoO1kLq9a/s2535/IMG_E3276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2535" data-original-width="1700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4vUNnvwyhxfU78vZXom3Y2MJu_PwkXwzRk2LauyzBho-TgIGosOH_cMcCgzUCNVkzT0w-fOjLy0ljQUcfbMcjy7P6xH6vLtegWXsM_S_izAyjX6zA-bGWlAvcNg_LfBgM5MQFRZo7eSEbS0oW_B5tJyOreCifFDJrviJXhp17awtv-qYCyqLoO1kLq9a/s320/IMG_E3276.JPG" width="215" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Upstairs. the bath is barely visible. On next year's to-do list for this house is figuring out how to hang a bathroom mirror on a sloped wall.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtf77aqp17Xzw6GRrh8e7ZKscOVPs04kj03YJ4NNHeqSPTA2F1138sNUqGz5vEU72pJ5MzydGkM45oEUHHIhnezglQx6Df5adhClaaEbuzgzc8wPiPcQT_72BSkfh2kR6bNYWZIX61tofj33GfXTsVOGtT2fGcvx4BRDfBNbGjRnnIxtomuigBYFvlUSo/s2903/IMG_E3277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtf77aqp17Xzw6GRrh8e7ZKscOVPs04kj03YJ4NNHeqSPTA2F1138sNUqGz5vEU72pJ5MzydGkM45oEUHHIhnezglQx6Df5adhClaaEbuzgzc8wPiPcQT_72BSkfh2kR6bNYWZIX61tofj33GfXTsVOGtT2fGcvx4BRDfBNbGjRnnIxtomuigBYFvlUSo/s320/IMG_E3277.JPG" width="302" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the decorating challenges was that, if I put the bathroom and bedroom walls in reasonable spots, I was left with a large upper hall for the stairway. So I turned it into a little library.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfALgVM96N3quqZrOv33kLCQ-7Be2nkJD0oUX1xFouu65c22lA464iIt3ssuZXelh_rSDhb3OqgqrzdT_OM-upft6lrsm9LIAHNfo3X-X10-9GnO1waYoTp79d2DNFNAKRtSNKc_XgHI4SCv1wvjOMPqsiZi77kBHHj4a8eRVsw2PXVgD-eQOix7lFSdPA/s3291/IMG_E3278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3291" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfALgVM96N3quqZrOv33kLCQ-7Be2nkJD0oUX1xFouu65c22lA464iIt3ssuZXelh_rSDhb3OqgqrzdT_OM-upft6lrsm9LIAHNfo3X-X10-9GnO1waYoTp79d2DNFNAKRtSNKc_XgHI4SCv1wvjOMPqsiZi77kBHHj4a8eRVsw2PXVgD-eQOix7lFSdPA/s320/IMG_E3278.JPG" width="294" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The blue room is the bedroom of Augusta's adult son, Stanley. During the week, he lives in Boston, where he's a businessman. His hobby is photography.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gbGgzjU8I9gjrH9PPp8QNux7Ve3bmCMbCY3xoesTWhmbJUJdzY3GN14Z2YB1u1zhEUrOg-14T-19b3IkbsI4c9Y0zlPSVUfOz5L1REScZGsJose-wj64iMUWkY7JuBiyfKDZgcSPl_97F7kuukqdRN25x1qOyuPqM1aQ6ck4xj7CwYjQXQkXPkDGJ0U3/s2683/IMG_E3279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2651" data-original-width="2683" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gbGgzjU8I9gjrH9PPp8QNux7Ve3bmCMbCY3xoesTWhmbJUJdzY3GN14Z2YB1u1zhEUrOg-14T-19b3IkbsI4c9Y0zlPSVUfOz5L1REScZGsJose-wj64iMUWkY7JuBiyfKDZgcSPl_97F7kuukqdRN25x1qOyuPqM1aQ6ck4xj7CwYjQXQkXPkDGJ0U3/s320/IMG_E3279.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Here's Augusta's room. Long-term plan is to put a portrait of Augusta as a young woman over the fireplace, but nothing I try for that goes quite right.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCRuDK4DfdrQzziSQdQbrXRIJEgSlRYY2Koeefm4et9zpLwDgyp8xmpry8_ojbu6raYM4VwFyfT6QGaYOt4KL7mbCPg37GbJvA8KBzVek6qcaR24QaXA3xyddC3jA95iTdO1DyeZsmYmOfMFPUZ9mx6b-h5j5kgSPK61xpjawU3IQHt_zjnMQSAGIjkqc/s3903/IMG_E3285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3903" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCRuDK4DfdrQzziSQdQbrXRIJEgSlRYY2Koeefm4et9zpLwDgyp8xmpry8_ojbu6raYM4VwFyfT6QGaYOt4KL7mbCPg37GbJvA8KBzVek6qcaR24QaXA3xyddC3jA95iTdO1DyeZsmYmOfMFPUZ9mx6b-h5j5kgSPK61xpjawU3IQHt_zjnMQSAGIjkqc/w400-h310/IMG_E3285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's Augusta's studio. The brown desk has always been one of my favorite vintage Marx playset pieces, so it was one of the first things I hunted down. The easel is an improvisation, as the one I bought somewhere in late 2020 was in pieces and I could not figure out how to fix it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoGDzMmOEiQceY5LPiMPKWC_M_Ttlz0d7jJC3mDBopZksw53aWWOdUf-B77X7B1S6RhLFR-vs9O7w9GUz4rddZUZLs9KS4syUBdXZ9uTwN8QKi_vHGmH-xyTCprJzSnFtYrkMezORFPWWXYvRcV7jHvlfsc9-VplfSs74PYTBd8D4ktthMurOMha6P9OT/s3743/IMG_E3286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="3743" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoGDzMmOEiQceY5LPiMPKWC_M_Ttlz0d7jJC3mDBopZksw53aWWOdUf-B77X7B1S6RhLFR-vs9O7w9GUz4rddZUZLs9KS4syUBdXZ9uTwN8QKi_vHGmH-xyTCprJzSnFtYrkMezORFPWWXYvRcV7jHvlfsc9-VplfSs74PYTBd8D4ktthMurOMha6P9OT/w400-h316/IMG_E3286.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Having a <i>third</i> bedroom was the triumph of this floorplan. My closest prior approach to a 3-bedroom house was Mom's Arrow Dream Dollhouse that I'd furnished with vintage Renwal, but I sold it instead of wallpapering and accessorizing it. Please note Augusta's cat, Kittery.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsWR-4HR7ev8I-QgCAwXQ70Fho4pDWvKBjSXTRYgu3suSa1ZRp64206vZa_WQ617AP3unMxl1k2ZbLh8jFjdrJVsCLPI_c2b1SDnvvxXfC6ZVBrFl82lq4F-YLH9BYbNQhu9LqXkuahG32bYJgbiAqxlz8BBVkPwIdBPByscR6Dvm4UWq2KLjuOLq2Rlh/s3392/IMG_E3288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2999" data-original-width="3392" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsWR-4HR7ev8I-QgCAwXQ70Fho4pDWvKBjSXTRYgu3suSa1ZRp64206vZa_WQ617AP3unMxl1k2ZbLh8jFjdrJVsCLPI_c2b1SDnvvxXfC6ZVBrFl82lq4F-YLH9BYbNQhu9LqXkuahG32bYJgbiAqxlz8BBVkPwIdBPByscR6Dvm4UWq2KLjuOLq2Rlh/w400-h354/IMG_E3288.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Here's Stanley himself, showing off his toys in the garage. The birchbark canoe was another Massachusetts gift-shop find. The ATV is from one of the dollar stores.</div><div><br /></div><div>Barely glimpsed behind the vehicles is the laundry room. After taking pics, I finally realized I had the right tile for the laundry room floor, but otherwise, it's on next year's improvement list.</div><div><br /></div><div>With this "done," my major uncompleted dollhouse project is the little birdhouse village. Next up, it's time to sew clothes for the Kid Kore Katie Krew!<br /><p><br /></p></div>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-63661545623649012442024-02-11T13:21:00.000-08:002024-02-11T13:21:01.337-08:00Family portrait, February 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OVqOU9DEDTJ5OLJQAyNLyUgU889BRAq6fs5-Ht3FHmm6UsAM_NHKeEQXhAZudq5snWAz8JseOBHak375D9XOmU4k2JlNo6XVdzEfse8lJfcABPyqbcTg35CVW-F5x40CFWjvt9TdubS8Hgaxl2wrqzpCTcW6aCE1Grrjy2EMB9PaTIEEAhyphenhyphenDbXCT7fyv/s3776/Feb%202024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2482" data-original-width="3776" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OVqOU9DEDTJ5OLJQAyNLyUgU889BRAq6fs5-Ht3FHmm6UsAM_NHKeEQXhAZudq5snWAz8JseOBHak375D9XOmU4k2JlNo6XVdzEfse8lJfcABPyqbcTg35CVW-F5x40CFWjvt9TdubS8Hgaxl2wrqzpCTcW6aCE1Grrjy2EMB9PaTIEEAhyphenhyphenDbXCT7fyv/w640-h421/Feb%202024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />While I was tidying the cabinet where I keep fashion dolls, I posed the entire gang for a family portrait.<p></p><p><b>Back row, L to R.</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Kid Kore <b><i>Kelsey </i></b>with titian hair. Fully intended to be my only original-flava Kelsey ever, since IMHO she's the best Kelsey.</li><li>Kid Kore "Legends of Ancient Lands" blond gladiator, now named <b><i>Sylvester</i></b>, with the widest hips ever. I'm not looking forward to fitting pants on him; maybe he'd like to wear kilts.</li><li>Manbun Ken, a.k.a. <b><i>Kenzo</i></b>. </li><li>Kid Kore "Chief White Eagle" in his Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt, called <b><i>Brodie</i></b> by most friends outside his tribe. His hips are not quite as wide as Sylvester's.</li><li>Kid Kore Kelsey with inset eyes, now named <b><i>Kenzie</i></b>. This is a late 1990s iteration of the Kelsey idea.</li><li>Remco Babysitter's Club <b><i>Kristy</i></b>, younger sister of Kenzie. Kristy creates the dilemma that I now kind of want a Claudia (the Asian one), but their bodies are so meh and there's not a good substitute that keeps them young and short.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>Center row, L to R.</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Dollar Tree knee-jointed Black fashion doll with replacement Monique wig, named <b><i>Delilah</i></b>.</li><li>Dollar Tree knee-jointed Black fashion with darker skin, straight ponytail, and excellent shades, now named <b><i>Joy</i></b>. Second daughter of Delilah.</li><li><b><i>Elspeth</i></b>, consisting of a white-label clone head, an AliExpress jointed pregnancy body, and a Monique wig. Wife of Kenzo.</li><li>Fashionista <b><i>Teresa</i></b> from 2012. Half-sister of Kenzo.</li><li>Totsy Teen Fun <b><i>Lacey</i></b> from 1990s. Sister of Sylvester.</li><li>Cool Sitter Teen <b><i>Skipper</i></b> from 1998, girlfriend of Lacey.</li><li>Kid Kore Baby <b><i>Allison.</i></b> Daughter of Sylvester, niece of Lacey.</li><li>Creata Today's Girl <b><i>Hilary</i></b>. Younger sister of both Kenzie and Kristy. Grateful to have a name that doesn't start with K. When I bought her, I was so besotted with the look that I expected to get more of her size, but so far, I've resisted.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>Front row, L to R.</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Wulf, Kenzo's dog. A Target Xmas ornament some time between 2018 and 2021.</li><li><b><i>Ben,</i></b> a Kid Kore Katie who's socially transitioned to being a guy. Younger brother of Kelsey.</li><li>Tigger, Sylvester's tiger.</li><li><b><i>Evi Love,</i></b> youngest daughter of Delilah. </li><li><b><i>Neveah</i></b>, a Kid Kore Jodi of the early 2000s.</li><li>Simply Fresh <b><i>Kylie</i></b> on a MTM body. Oldest daughter of Delilah, half-sister of Kenzo, mother of Neveah.</li><li><b><i>Bette Mae</i></b>, niece of Brodie. A Kid Kore "Dancing Brook." Officially Seminole.</li><li>Mr. Peabody, pet dog of Skipper's family.</li><li><b><i>Brooke</i></b>, my first Kid Kore "Dancing Brook." Younger sister of Brodie.</li><li><b><i>Rosa Lee</i></b>, a Romany Kid Kore Katie.</li><li><b><i>Kelly</i></b>, younger sister of Skipper.</li><li><b><i>Lucky</i></b>, a Lucky Industries Tommy clone. Younger brother of Lacey and Sylvester.</li><li><b><i>Isabelle</i></b>, a Kid Kore Katie. Younger sister of Lacey and Sylvester, older sister of Lucky. It should be apparent that instead of buying more Today's Girls, I became addicted to Kid Kore Katies.</li><li><b><i>Joelly</i></b>, a Kid Kore Jodi with brown-red hair. Younger sister of Kenzie and Kristy. I thought when I bought her for $1 at the Alameda Point Antiques Fair that she was titian-haired and would be my sole Jodi as younger sister to Kelsey and Ben, but her hair is browner.</li></ol><p></p><p><br /></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-87654580631896972112024-01-15T21:49:00.000-08:002024-01-15T21:49:26.280-08:00More Dolly Insider questions, because I'm easily influenced<p>While I'm managing not to get around to a photoshoot for the Kid Kore Jodi I found for $1 at the Alameda Point Antique Faire, I've been experiencing feelings similar to the dismay of <a href="https://teatimetangentsandtoys.blogspot.com/2024/01/answering-questions-part-2-end-of-dolly.html#more">Teatime Tangents</a> at the Dolly Insider questions being a one-year series that ended with 2023.</p><p>Admittedly, my answers after a while get boring and predictable: I collect mostly 1990s clone dolls, particularly Kid Kore; I sew and do light customization; yay me.</p><p>So I grabbed a couple questions that made me pause to think.</p><p><b>35. What doll would you like to see re-released?</b></p><p>If Mattel were to do a Mod TNT head mold on a playline doll with articulation, I'd at least think about getting one. I'm not up for buying collector versions, though, which makes me useless to Mattel. Alternately, bring back the 2010-ish Fashionista articulation as the playline standard.</p><p><b>39. If you could visit any doll company, which one would you visit?</b></p><p>I'd want a full tour of one of the doll factories in China, including a meeting (with translators, as needed) with their VP in charge of strategy or marketing or sales -- whatever role(s) are involved in the decisions about what to clone, what to offer as white label, and when to hop on a new trend.</p><p>Failing that, I'd go for Simba Toys, makers of Steffi Love and Evi Love. I'd like to learn about how the Love ecosystem is developed, particularly why Steffi can come in a pregnant version without anyone raising a ruckus. Also, why are there so few non-white Steffi and Evi variants?</p><p><b>45. What five dolls would you like to add to your collection?</b></p><p>This is a tough question because I've managed to find cheap most of the dolls I want. Acquiring the two Kid Kore guys was a big step toward completion. Let's see:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Kid Kore Piper (dark-haired) or Morning Dove (Native American). This is the Skipper-equivalent.</li><li>Kid Kore Girls Club or Carla. This is the 6" doll with a Katie face and a suspiciously similar to Creata Today's Girls ballerina body. She precedes the existence of Mattel Stacie.</li><li>Creata Today's Girls "Middle School" sister. This is presumably a Skipper equivalent.</li><li>Totsy Asian 11.5" doll, presumably a Mulan clone. She's tremendously pretty , and I've seen her only in a large lot with dolls I didn't want.</li><li>Mattel Jazzy (Barbie's cool teen cousin in the 1980s). This is a maybe -- periodically I look at her on eBay, bookmark about twelve of them, then decide none of them quite hit right to buy.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><b>47. What long-discontinued doll line would you like to bring back?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I'd be most entertained by seeing a full revival of Topper "Dawn" and friends, but I don't think I'd personally buy it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>48. If you had $100 to splurge on doll items, what would you buy?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>A full 1:6 kitchen would be a good starting point. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>51. What were your 2023 dolly wins?</b></div><div>This was the year I got back into collecting, found a lot of neat stuff, and bought it because it didn't cost very much.</div><div><br /></div><div>The big cosmic win was when Dollar Tree started offering dolls with articulated knees, though.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>52. What doll goals do you have for 2024?</b></div><div>Sewing outfits for the oddly sized members of the herd. I don't think this is the year for build them a house, but I might surprise myself.</div><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-28648302046730996382024-01-01T06:30:00.000-08:002024-01-01T06:30:00.143-08:00Brodie, Kenzo, & Sylvester wish you a bountiful 2024<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L0kd4bJ6TZAGPn7_AdWOzZyXoUK4KKhYGYM3hb_YsF0PSuEWOWK_UvZ6dWvq4T4P4rlmu46znfLOn9fbJz6hPVlxUgGoueyZyEW9dSLNV_61JpsWUP-Wzg5yEJqMSEXlaNTUtzxjlnCppgaffV_KK4MHrdyAqlwgZ0_PddFYdGZulzk0I-er79JUdQDn/s3568/IMG_E2432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3568" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L0kd4bJ6TZAGPn7_AdWOzZyXoUK4KKhYGYM3hb_YsF0PSuEWOWK_UvZ6dWvq4T4P4rlmu46znfLOn9fbJz6hPVlxUgGoueyZyEW9dSLNV_61JpsWUP-Wzg5yEJqMSEXlaNTUtzxjlnCppgaffV_KK4MHrdyAqlwgZ0_PddFYdGZulzk0I-er79JUdQDn/w339-h400/IMG_E2432.JPG" width="339" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They're a bit of a ragtag crew at the moment. Kenzo is both thrilled and intimidated not to be the only adult male in the community. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'd been thinking about Kid Kore men for several months, mostly on the subject of "no." The reason for "no" was that I was intending to rebody Kenzo... only finding a body that's skinny and pale enough turns out to be a challenge. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">By December 26, Sylvester, who is the blond gladiator 1280 from Legends of Ancient Lands, had been on eBay for weeks with a 99-cent starting big and no takers. The end of the year is the logical time for sellers to move failed listings to the "donate" bin, and if he's donated it, he'll be somewhere far, far from here. So I bought him for 99 cents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At the same time, Brodie, who is Chief White Eagle. was given a substantial markdown that would take him below $20 with shipping. He's in good shape and I kind of love his jersey, so I bought him too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Skinny Ken looks very, very skinny between these boys. (Nude dolls after the jump.)</div></div><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6i-EMwf-vGUwR9HX3STtIsyxlYIwwoOan9chco7k6fhvBWAaXVHEqhykC8Lc1Kklr492gGMk4e19HtVM2RjVYSRKwJiwfs8a9BUzximlukraLtdWAjdecjzSFEvtmtT_1mBUY_XWpGnOd3WPlkvvHpMWF2eEGZu_lm4q334TSB49qYlvXAaN8pYeiBzw/s3533/IMG_E2424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3533" data-original-width="3020" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6i-EMwf-vGUwR9HX3STtIsyxlYIwwoOan9chco7k6fhvBWAaXVHEqhykC8Lc1Kklr492gGMk4e19HtVM2RjVYSRKwJiwfs8a9BUzximlukraLtdWAjdecjzSFEvtmtT_1mBUY_XWpGnOd3WPlkvvHpMWF2eEGZu_lm4q334TSB49qYlvXAaN8pYeiBzw/w343-h400/IMG_E2424.JPG" width="343" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If Skinny Ken weren't canonically an adult in my community, I'd be reconsidering his relationship with puberty. But we're diverse! He's a skinny grown-up. Brodie is a solidly built dude, while Sylvester is all about the pelvis.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brodie and Sylvester are not on the same body: Brodie is 1994 and Sylvester is 1995.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The difference becomes more apparent from the rear.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQC5Mrqqnw_d54iz1pjKT-1B69V2pNDVgd89RyAo_KzVMZNLiYpLVL2rRy8UR9B__jqBUDduXVrl8x8xkgU8UvUi7G1qW6oXqwAQ5sbrfLuc-VR64jYVMBjFbnPrcVpaHSx3Zja8aKRk4JfMSahbHPy3k0hgMY4V7T9WXWtdcWKzNU5X0mtS3NkDoUM3i/s3848/IMG_E2423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3848" data-original-width="3013" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQC5Mrqqnw_d54iz1pjKT-1B69V2pNDVgd89RyAo_KzVMZNLiYpLVL2rRy8UR9B__jqBUDduXVrl8x8xkgU8UvUi7G1qW6oXqwAQ5sbrfLuc-VR64jYVMBjFbnPrcVpaHSx3Zja8aKRk4JfMSahbHPy3k0hgMY4V7T9WXWtdcWKzNU5X0mtS3NkDoUM3i/w314-h400/IMG_E2423.JPG" width="314" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Both Kid Kore guys have more body mobility than Skinny Ken, thanks to twist-and-turn waists. Brodie has click knees that give me one click. Sylvester does not.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Kid Kores definitely have different head molds.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgls9Xrln5mtUg5JRuFGr3MeACANVfKLQm7W_kehr3NJws4XkEl9BbgDr27v9WadAnCp4cyF1gNXE6esE3KGVQl6i9NtQV65oyKxQ4f_VN8moZVGuYnBB0k_wTqxqnveirltDJO_7Xpv19t9iCojgkzHMvbb23Ud8-uGjGdZ5fX7YBn_3KYXkn2OZC0cwix/s3711/IMG_E2422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3711" data-original-width="3016" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgls9Xrln5mtUg5JRuFGr3MeACANVfKLQm7W_kehr3NJws4XkEl9BbgDr27v9WadAnCp4cyF1gNXE6esE3KGVQl6i9NtQV65oyKxQ4f_VN8moZVGuYnBB0k_wTqxqnveirltDJO_7Xpv19t9iCojgkzHMvbb23Ud8-uGjGdZ5fX7YBn_3KYXkn2OZC0cwix/w325-h400/IMG_E2422.JPG" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When I was washing Sylvester, I noticed that the tan on his face was coming off. Only the tan, not the face-up! I don't want to scrub it all off, as then he won't match his body, so it is what it is. (He's a 27-year-old doll I got for 99 cents before shipping, so hey). He now officially has vitiligo,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Brodie got his hair rebraided because his rooting doesn't support any other hair style.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Unusually, the guys are back in the clothing they arrived in because nothing in my Ken stash fits them! I thought Broad Ken clothes might work on Brodie, but his feet won't go through the legs of the pants. So I will be sewing pants for them once I've done dresses for the Katie Krew.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Sylvester's role in the community is undetermined as yet. Brodie is the big brother of Brooke and uncle of Bette Mae.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbwkJVoSP7GRC-nYiBDzgInTmNth-vEZG3XdPZJUQxNPWoWvGA8eknkyKIBvop3EtFD6HYa34sINxVBGqoGw2G01KRFR6xs9ssztJHMQi9XtgHU27-rgTbOZwChAv7VQViCCJcOKaqcHbqEwCarrKeVtA2UWIFUvLY4A9RsinhG9sDg8J6r2bLwSKco3i/s3614/IMG_E2433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3614" data-original-width="1919" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbwkJVoSP7GRC-nYiBDzgInTmNth-vEZG3XdPZJUQxNPWoWvGA8eknkyKIBvop3EtFD6HYa34sINxVBGqoGw2G01KRFR6xs9ssztJHMQi9XtgHU27-rgTbOZwChAv7VQViCCJcOKaqcHbqEwCarrKeVtA2UWIFUvLY4A9RsinhG9sDg8J6r2bLwSKco3i/w213-h400/IMG_E2433.JPG" width="213" /></a><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-62457970365427003842023-12-21T03:00:00.000-08:002023-12-21T03:00:00.138-08:00The Rococo AirBnB<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXfILxMMF5il3bebkV7K_eEUhjgIX7HM9EfAfyZLwbMUwXUV7krgQugnLuUQBWBLJBRpCC-ajT_IruDT0fBqeiHtKy8fVS4vcBwDSSUepNQiPDKmGbvnXwQQykd1o8N_iXn5w8RTDEzVHkBsvN7cNzcWT_cLZaLzSIDc6UZDcb1AAYDXAXjXNMyIoOI3I/s3978/IMG_E2355%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3978" data-original-width="2517" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXfILxMMF5il3bebkV7K_eEUhjgIX7HM9EfAfyZLwbMUwXUV7krgQugnLuUQBWBLJBRpCC-ajT_IruDT0fBqeiHtKy8fVS4vcBwDSSUepNQiPDKmGbvnXwQQykd1o8N_iXn5w8RTDEzVHkBsvN7cNzcWT_cLZaLzSIDc6UZDcb1AAYDXAXjXNMyIoOI3I/w253-h400/IMG_E2355%5B1%5D.JPG" width="253" /></a></div><br />Last year, when Target had these wooden trees in the impulse bins at the front of the store, I bought a single quarter tree, as I felt I could not justify the expense and space of buying four to make a whole tree. The tree has haunted me since, as it's too small for more than a little seating in 1:24 but too big for 1:48.<p></p><p>This afternoon I pulled out the 1:24-ish furniture bin to see if I wanted to do a coffeehouse or something, and I found my little porcelain furniture sets. These have been around since I was a tot, and Mom had sent them to me back around 2019, to make them my problem. So they've been across country and back, with no resolution.</p><p>They fit!</p><p>So I put up some scrapbook-paper wallpaper and found a few accessories to dress the place up. The poodle has been in my stash since I was a kid, though I don't recall why. The gal living there was being a dollhouse doll in one of Mom's dollhouses, and I'd kept her because she seemed like a good fit for smaller furniture.</p><p>This is one of those projects that doesn't accomplish anything of lasting artistic value but is soothing to do on a rainy afternoon.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-256090500830975612023-12-20T09:03:00.000-08:002023-12-20T09:03:52.967-08:00Answering Questions in Imitation of Teatime Tangents<p> I'm too lazy to take photos of the doll shoes I bought on Saturday, so I'm going to emulate <a href="https://teatimetangentsandtoys.blogspot.com/">Teatime Tangents and Toys</a>' use of interview questions from The Dolly Insider's backlog of Friday questions. It's cooler than anything else in my head right now! (I removed questions where my answer is a repeat of "not my branch of collecting.")</p><p><b>#1: Which doll do you wish you ordered when it was released?</b></p><p>It would have been a purchase rather than an order, but I wish I'd known about the Simply Fresh dolls (collab between The Fresh Dolls and Family Dollar) when they were new, so I could have gotten one of the dolls with curly hair at Family Dollar prices. Fond as I am of Kylie, she's yet another putatively Black doll with straight hair. I could buy a Fresh Doll or a Naturalista with curls, but they wouldn't be discount-store projects.</p><p><b>2. Were any of your dolls given to you as a gift? </b></p><p>Of the current batch, no. In the 2010s, my mother flooded me with doll gifts, which was awesome and generous but tended to end me up with dolls I wasn't that thrilled by.</p><p><b>4. Have you ever traveled with dolls?</b> </p><p>Yes, but mostly by accident. I do have an old blog post with Liv Sophie and Skelita Calaveras touring Old Town Scottsdale and riding the trolley in the off-season, back in the good old days when there was a trolley circling Old Town and the Arts District. Here it is: <a href="https://smallerplaces.blogspot.com/2014/12/skelita-is-proud-of-her-new-hat.html">https://smallerplaces.blogspot.com/2014/12/skelita-is-proud-of-her-new-hat.html</a></p><p><b>5. Straight or wavy? Which hair do you prefer on a doll?</b></p><p>Wavy because my focus is 1980s-1990s off-brand playline dolls, and wavy hair was <i>de rigueur.</i> I've also developed a passion for boil-curling doll hair.</p><p><b>6. Do you own any custom dolls?</b></p><p>Cinderelsa is my custom project doll. Ben is my Kid Kore Katie conversion into a boy. Delilah the Dollar Store Beauty recently got a new wig (still needs to be glued on). My customization is pretty mild! </p><p><b>7. Which doll has been in your collection the longest?</b></p><p>Manbun Ken has been in my personal collection the longest. Fashionista Teresa passed through my hands earlier, but she was in Mom's collection for about a decade. (I <i>really</i> culled over the course of multiple cross-country moves.)</p><p><b>8. Do you make dioramas for your dolls?</b></p><p>Long-term, I'm intending to construct a new house for a segment of the dolls, more elaborate than what I used to have for Liv Katie and Haley. At the moment, I just have a few pieces of furniture.</p><p><b>11. How do you display your dolls?</b></p><p>Due to 18 months of dealing with my late mother's overwhelming visual clutter in the family home (I did good -- we have three usable rooms that weren't usable before, plus much of the house is more efficient), I have very little tolerance for open display. Both my fashion dolls and my smaller dollhouses are in a line of cupboards with opaque doors. I take them out in batches to set up little scenes on my dresser, and then they get put away for house-cleaning.</p><p><b>13. Bangs or no bangs?</b></p><p>No bangs. Getting bangs properly cleaned and conditioned on vintage dolls is a pain. So I don't love bangs, but I have a lot of dolls with bangs.</p><p><b>14. Have you ever sold a doll you regretted selling?</b></p><p>Thinking both sales and donations, there's nothing that digs up major regret that'd justify an effort to rebuy. <a href="https://smallerplaces.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-arrivals-from-china.html">Gertrud</a>, my Macmillan doll via AliExpress, gets an occasional thought of regret, but the fact that she never got her own blog post tells you I didn't quite bond with her.</p><p><b>16. What are some of your favorite doll themes?</b></p><p>I'm about to go on a sewing binge for frilly little-girl dresses for my 7.5" Katie Krew. Because I no longer do fantasy-type dolls, they're not really themed. If I once get started sewing, though, I have plans for the adult women's Met Gala dresses.</p><p><b>18. What's something you wish you knew before starting to collect dolls?</b></p><p>There will always be more dolls. It is not vital to grab an example of every doll that's tangentially interesting. </p><p><b>21. Have you ever been to a doll event?</b></p><p>Not as an adult, though I've been to dollhouse shows, particularly Good Sam, and to some form of action figure show in Glendale, AZ, back in the day. I feel like I'm at such a low-end niche in the market that I'm not going to see products that interest me, nor find sympathetic pals.</p><p><b>22. What doll did you recently add to your collection that you've always wanted?</b></p><p>"Always" is pretty short-term around here. Cinderelsa is closest to a long-term want, because she represents a project doll where I did more than a basic thrift-store body swap.</p><p><b>23. Which dolls do you collect the most?</b></p><p>Kid Kore dolls of the 1990s dominate my collection, largely in the form of 7.5" Katies. This was an accident. Admittedly, I <i>started</i> with a couple Katies this summer, but the reason they multiplied so fast was that one would be thrown in with lots of something else I was looking for. </p><p><b>25. Does your collection have more girl dolls or boy dolls?</b></p><p>I have only three boy dolls, and one of them, I turned into a boy myself (the actual boy in that line is rare). Eventually Manbun Ken is going to get a friend at the same time I order him an articulated body.</p><p><b>27. If a doll comes in multiple versions, do you buy them all?</b></p><p>The official answer is "no," but anyone who looks at the Katie Krew is going to laugh at me. Katies are the exception, and still I have no plans to find a titian one, nor to replace the brunette I turned into Ben. The idea is to start with the variant I like best, so no more need to come home.</p><p><b>28. Do you rename your dolls? If so, how do you choose a name?</b></p><p>Sometimes. "Katie" is the 7.5" dolls' species, so they all have their own names, based mostly on vibes. Just to be inconsistent, "Kelsey" is <i>not</i> a species, so there's Kelsey (the first, earlier one) and her cousin Kenzie (the inset-eye one). Cinderelsa needs a real name of her own, and Babysitters' Club Kristy really badly wants to be Brenda, so she may get a name change.</p><p><b>30. What do you like most about collecting dolls?</b></p><p>Sewing clothes for them, which is why I need to actually pull out the sewing machine and do it! After Christmas, I should finally have time and space. Researching is up there, too -- I have massive Pinterest boards on clone lines that I don't intend to buy for myself but love looking at.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-15979782341663370092023-12-15T07:48:00.000-08:002023-12-15T07:48:09.342-08:002023 in review 5: 11.5" and 12" fashion dolls<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5af8kxrpBFBo3zo_aUjH6PAg0yfcwa52bMFjYr1fSWcruAAdpv0A33ENuUlBHwZ3PgAr2N0yYr1-2E4BZRBALXUD6YAl83Abq-14bUf_RRLaiDU92LRBClrQ7Amj-f-SX-BOKuVTmRfz7cktLwvJ6YRXVOHenAWggnTbkHml0xOTe1ydqrKIJ3VtmVzk2/s4032/IMG_E2334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2702" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5af8kxrpBFBo3zo_aUjH6PAg0yfcwa52bMFjYr1fSWcruAAdpv0A33ENuUlBHwZ3PgAr2N0yYr1-2E4BZRBALXUD6YAl83Abq-14bUf_RRLaiDU92LRBClrQ7Amj-f-SX-BOKuVTmRfz7cktLwvJ6YRXVOHenAWggnTbkHml0xOTe1ydqrKIJ3VtmVzk2/w268-h400/IMG_E2334.JPG" width="268" /></a> </p><p>The population feels like it grew fast, but it's still only 7 dolls.</p><p>Simply Fresh Kylie, now on her MTM body, is what touched off this wave of doll collecting. I still like the idea of the Fresh Dolls/Family Dollar collab, but I keep making changes to the actual doll. Kylie's face is very much in line with the mainline Fresh Dolls faces, though.</p><p>Delilah, now Kylie's mother because her new short wig makes her look older, was indulgence in a Dollar Tree Beauty to celebrate the new jointed knees.</p><p>Only the original head remains of Cinderelsa, because her concept ($2 at a thrift store) was compelling yet terrible. She is improved by a wig and a cheap articulated body. Cinderelsa is married to Kenzo, the Manbun Ken in the back row. He's my grail Ken and the only survival of Ken culls.</p><p>Teresa is the longest-owned doll in this group, as I found her in a thrift store and improved her back around 2014. She's Kenzo's half-sister by a common Latina mother, while Kylie is Kenzo's half-sister by a common father. Teresa's father was Latino. Kylie's mother is Delilah (Black) and her father was Hawaiian. </p><p>The back row gals, the two Kid Kore Kelseys, are where the fresh excitement is, but first, let's look at bodies, arranged from least to most articulated.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZbTtqNN0d2XqSiczPGqbiLrXLLhpzoi0UKQSttC9QfoQMU7AGiQA3gIQJ-KOQhfpF7hc1bURlTAoIlzhyphenhyphenwD45pme_3HKkJQFjbg10c9M3rgpaMkUazvGQW8uS11wCzEGlHmismAkCCnulThNEP0vQhyphenhyphenxotiuYv75qTkTStqxb5XoFALynfiR7qaG_ZVa/s3566/IMG_E2335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2676" data-original-width="3566" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZbTtqNN0d2XqSiczPGqbiLrXLLhpzoi0UKQSttC9QfoQMU7AGiQA3gIQJ-KOQhfpF7hc1bURlTAoIlzhyphenhyphenwD45pme_3HKkJQFjbg10c9M3rgpaMkUazvGQW8uS11wCzEGlHmismAkCCnulThNEP0vQhyphenhyphenxotiuYv75qTkTStqxb5XoFALynfiR7qaG_ZVa/w400-h300/IMG_E2335.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yaHMz_cp9whXxxoNVgA1leq5-4VTqq3zioedwpdoQ-z8obSMOc26ixrJe1LS35ytAjl8QD2RVW1ts78-ezvpxunGAYu0x29hberxQ-J7Vp4nE9gcRArRNsyU0iQAN69moMrg2JVGkPcYWIfL_U94kNYZEU1B3299fjZH8gb7NaChksI5anbh2lKKJxpa/s3729/IMG_E2336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="3729" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yaHMz_cp9whXxxoNVgA1leq5-4VTqq3zioedwpdoQ-z8obSMOc26ixrJe1LS35ytAjl8QD2RVW1ts78-ezvpxunGAYu0x29hberxQ-J7Vp4nE9gcRArRNsyU0iQAN69moMrg2JVGkPcYWIfL_U94kNYZEU1B3299fjZH8gb7NaChksI5anbh2lKKJxpa/w400-h320/IMG_E2336.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p>The 1990s girls really stand out from the post-2000 body molds. Kenzie's 1997 mold also varies significantly from Kelsey's 1991 mold, with a larger waist and lower bosom. (Yes, the second Kelsey is now Kenzie. This gives me Kelsey, Kenzie, Kenzo, Kylie, and Kelly, which is ridiculous! But no other name I try sticks, and I've called the original Kelsey "Kelsey" for so long that I can't make it a species name and give her a fresh name.)</p><p>From the back, we get to see different eras' views of doll buttocks. Kylie's MTM body is ridiculously modest, while Teresa has junk in the trunk.</p><p>The dolls who most need comparison are Kelsey and Kenzie, since they're iterations of the "same" doll: Kid Kore Kelsey, the big-sister equivalent to Barbie.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj7SA7ZDMKVCIIB_9aRz1QXeIeN8O9fah-zA07zLogzVyk_JhgkvdDl-w4R0FFXiCjX2yeXTv9SaeMVah9i6jj_yUDvozZV2RoFxIGHOyzRiyEK7BDisiddZQw-5rI_fN8dll3PSSPS0fiEFyTEWCze4f7G5bLZQNlrAJ1pEs7K4QiqK8QDf0zhiR9-2y/s4032/IMG_E2337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2610" data-original-width="4032" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj7SA7ZDMKVCIIB_9aRz1QXeIeN8O9fah-zA07zLogzVyk_JhgkvdDl-w4R0FFXiCjX2yeXTv9SaeMVah9i6jj_yUDvozZV2RoFxIGHOyzRiyEK7BDisiddZQw-5rI_fN8dll3PSSPS0fiEFyTEWCze4f7G5bLZQNlrAJ1pEs7K4QiqK8QDf0zhiR9-2y/w400-h259/IMG_E2337.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRciaTSBcjE0_e3YSLdWdbmmqDa44jTeXU87ZMLD4RrjYOaNGUCemBtf8-dn-pMJHTbo4XceWlVZS_QVD5JYy7ladEAo79sZSz04ZLrA8z6ysip6JmXZUeZVlu7lktCYiI0hYRLYmiT-LbX3p2NbKmFFGzN4xcjWJh6Hxs4zLGg-47740r4mt4TELu59vH/s3107/IMG_E2338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3107" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRciaTSBcjE0_e3YSLdWdbmmqDa44jTeXU87ZMLD4RrjYOaNGUCemBtf8-dn-pMJHTbo4XceWlVZS_QVD5JYy7ladEAo79sZSz04ZLrA8z6ysip6JmXZUeZVlu7lktCYiI0hYRLYmiT-LbX3p2NbKmFFGzN4xcjWJh6Hxs4zLGg-47740r4mt4TELu59vH/w389-h400/IMG_E2338.JPG" width="389" /></a></p><p>Kelsey definitely is the older and more sophisticated of the two!</p><p>The original appeal of Kenzie -- the reason I was eventually going to get one -- is the inset eyes. I took a look at <a href="https://fashiondollz.de/headmold-gallery/">FashionDollz</a> to see what changed in Barbie head molds in 1996-7, and the answer is... nothing. The new CEO head mold for Barbie is marked 1998. The change isn't Bratz-driven, either, as those aren't released until 2001. Kid Kore just launched a new head mold with inset eyes, using it largely on cheerleader dolls, because... they felt like it?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIyUxMb2fCDoE5Knghc5boZZnWWQOqHLAeh9UZjkRYRcYjI994vkdDa16ik_FAJFzJuNlmu4yjFpwsCJdYEc0wIKublfdANQmiVLOxo4rKDTniw-7kIua2IiCJ_RDPfJkqCuqPw0KpKKUuSLsjSPsQHvas1zYeg_thHyLb7mCzo8uD_pLTRudVd0neAPt/s4032/IMG_E2339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2341" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIyUxMb2fCDoE5Knghc5boZZnWWQOqHLAeh9UZjkRYRcYjI994vkdDa16ik_FAJFzJuNlmu4yjFpwsCJdYEc0wIKublfdANQmiVLOxo4rKDTniw-7kIua2IiCJ_RDPfJkqCuqPw0KpKKUuSLsjSPsQHvas1zYeg_thHyLb7mCzo8uD_pLTRudVd0neAPt/w233-h400/IMG_E2339.JPG" width="233" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Combined with her eBay lot-mate, Babysitters Club Kristy, and my Creata "Today's Girls" Hillary, Kenzie makes a reasonable "sisters" set! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">She's quite a different look from her more sophisticated cousin, Kelsey, though. I envision Kelsey as being in her early 20s, while Kenzie seems at most college freshman age.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32CPQxGzPh6R_M81jnGq-e_i1wqzBGO6TcMbmMLuZGU_9-9CgnwYt6w1noyLXqN7ORugFSZPfYb2OxT92k6i0ppbEu-4xS_8sfpmPeLg0HK6LQMa-WXnn8iA7P5i_3ANs-uCClYAz7yjWTK3klqMlo3_ebd5mjSuYWrAl8Heaf4P9vDDYrKljMBPcPpgU/s3568/IMG_E2340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3568" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32CPQxGzPh6R_M81jnGq-e_i1wqzBGO6TcMbmMLuZGU_9-9CgnwYt6w1noyLXqN7ORugFSZPfYb2OxT92k6i0ppbEu-4xS_8sfpmPeLg0HK6LQMa-WXnn8iA7P5i_3ANs-uCClYAz7yjWTK3klqMlo3_ebd5mjSuYWrAl8Heaf4P9vDDYrKljMBPcPpgU/w339-h400/IMG_E2340.JPG" width="339" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-87582871408580599092023-12-14T08:44:00.000-08:002023-12-14T08:44:21.068-08:002023 in Review, part 4: Teen Babysitters<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qO5f0cj1RUh7d6aVUxvIDAcpi7nZjltW1k6CVCWQgBLt31l8c1DlM5xWhJtWY0pdkDmWBKotsiCcWfZNoFocYn3eAM0jxFwW-R0IDWjo8r5dA10ta2RBHBDOn1JIGdAlAz665A1On0MAsu8Zyqkial4rUmvkvmcbm-CBh0xOehhdnf3h02cXJsvxluT6/s4032/IMG_E2329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2679" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qO5f0cj1RUh7d6aVUxvIDAcpi7nZjltW1k6CVCWQgBLt31l8c1DlM5xWhJtWY0pdkDmWBKotsiCcWfZNoFocYn3eAM0jxFwW-R0IDWjo8r5dA10ta2RBHBDOn1JIGdAlAz665A1On0MAsu8Zyqkial4rUmvkvmcbm-CBh0xOehhdnf3h02cXJsvxluT6/w266-h400/IMG_E2329.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">My teens got an unexpected addition late in the year with the arrival of Remco Babysitters Club "Kristy." She was in an eBay lot with unhelpful photos and limited description, but between the two dolls in it, at least one was definitely on my wish list as something, and the price with free shipping was great.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfclafsBfCm87LxKV9UGyXIawdQu12XAfeLJdh-HkwNtS_s-AuB6LP1Kx5e57LYM5mRK5mAIUsB5000TE35l66rzQ3yLl-X7QGyAiJ7KUEgreiqG1nNRaZX0ya5-75TyNvyC_Vegq2ZZVvgVlY14T3ljrBIXeu4syUBt68A_JaLxLEMe5pC_FkIcUHKJ3M/s4032/IMG_E2325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2610" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfclafsBfCm87LxKV9UGyXIawdQu12XAfeLJdh-HkwNtS_s-AuB6LP1Kx5e57LYM5mRK5mAIUsB5000TE35l66rzQ3yLl-X7QGyAiJ7KUEgreiqG1nNRaZX0ya5-75TyNvyC_Vegq2ZZVvgVlY14T3ljrBIXeu4syUBt68A_JaLxLEMe5pC_FkIcUHKJ3M/w259-h400/IMG_E2325.JPG" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61G8tvZsJE16WiG7YIokYGdH29mrWSlEG4MQv8_SYH0mabQHwohFvw0EV_nS3XHEELTdO14ReIi-eYYYWVePjROefM-eY8TnNYIE_3w6g-dP2yH9sD7Xn-E4-josXgFRsFFXhNkrW0OKXbFezZrPHPXKHNe5f1rY0doQSpUyXvU4KRMHK7SsHCbsSXPlx/s3872/IMG_E2326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3872" data-original-width="2809" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61G8tvZsJE16WiG7YIokYGdH29mrWSlEG4MQv8_SYH0mabQHwohFvw0EV_nS3XHEELTdO14ReIi-eYYYWVePjROefM-eY8TnNYIE_3w6g-dP2yH9sD7Xn-E4-josXgFRsFFXhNkrW0OKXbFezZrPHPXKHNe5f1rY0doQSpUyXvU4KRMHK7SsHCbsSXPlx/w290-h400/IMG_E2326.JPG" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Doing a body comparison with the two 10-inch girls reveals a lot of similarity. Lacy (Totsy) has bendier legs due to their internal wire, while Kristy (Remco) has regular click legs that don't click very well any more. Lacy has a more developed chest. Kristy's arms are set more "outward." These bodies are so similar, though, that I now wonder if Lacey is not a Skipper clone (since she's neither anime-eyed nor tall), but a Babysitters Club clone. The timing on mold stamps is plausible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A quick Googling for Babysitters Club dolls isn't showing me a short-haired blonde, but cloning is sometimes more of the concept than of the specifics. Lacey would have been compatible with them and able to wear most clothing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The addition of Kristy does raise the question of how much height equals age. Babysitters Club gals were canonically in junior high, so 14 at the absolute oldest. I've been treating Lacey as about 16, and thus old enough to date canonically 16-year-old Teen Skipper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m_rjAl497EsxEj36lfDonH6MxrJnCPhO6Ner2zXpms47UobK9UiMhKv7QUGizY68QhpgB6Vz6nI4DONugwRhyOagpP5zU2R7uhjfXvQVSxk0Y6DR8VyIKAMPw-3P5aXBOGM3oefdaPvi2SbR7jQG1bmwd8_MA8retS8djYbCZSsigRF0gjbh8NoSYJwi/s3671/IMG_E2328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3671" data-original-width="2740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m_rjAl497EsxEj36lfDonH6MxrJnCPhO6Ner2zXpms47UobK9UiMhKv7QUGizY68QhpgB6Vz6nI4DONugwRhyOagpP5zU2R7uhjfXvQVSxk0Y6DR8VyIKAMPw-3P5aXBOGM3oefdaPvi2SbR7jQG1bmwd8_MA8retS8djYbCZSsigRF0gjbh8NoSYJwi/w299-h400/IMG_E2328.JPG" width="299" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">From the faces, Kristy is significantly younger than Lacey, Honestly, Lacey's proportions look to me like she's the younger sister of a 14-inch adult, not a 12-inch adult. However, 14-inch is a size that doesn't interest me, so Kristy just hit her growth spurt, while Lacey is naturally petite.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Kristy is too young to be a rival in Lacey and Skipper's romance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfDAEm9pw9qf7bbGImvQr1kTd2a0nqz5bidCBe9h9WXxohf5kjICOuDB7ja43x8c7iH6q96n1jBet9aeDe7fSLnhGd2YfIilQMJjj1BQqF_ISkDitIerKTX28qTXs-613sy8iL6k6ULo68eoC2ylr3wlgV7SWq3jwlXzU_yLOtcCt_9XFQzGYZGJ6diAG/s3154/IMG_E2327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3154" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfDAEm9pw9qf7bbGImvQr1kTd2a0nqz5bidCBe9h9WXxohf5kjICOuDB7ja43x8c7iH6q96n1jBet9aeDe7fSLnhGd2YfIilQMJjj1BQqF_ISkDitIerKTX28qTXs-613sy8iL6k6ULo68eoC2ylr3wlgV7SWq3jwlXzU_yLOtcCt_9XFQzGYZGJ6diAG/w384-h400/IMG_E2327.JPG" width="384" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p>Kristy makes a reasonable sister for Creata "Today's Girls" Hillary, though Hillary's head is larger than Kristy's, and her expression looks more mature.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5nIfRk4SxfJv3kk_A6K-z7NFEfOHKVm3fvv5NrZ9brhZiBvPK_2fY0Db0kd419NBoGmXpmw3MKyoO_GgUvt69ExSDT6e2EWg7hTl0AuoY6yvne57Zs34Y9I4OiJU8xMiNdy541M_pShdvI-ideN49bCRTdu4sbfYAFRJJMnN-wMSeEKu92PbPZ2B7NKJ/s3994/IMG_E2332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3994" data-original-width="2813" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5nIfRk4SxfJv3kk_A6K-z7NFEfOHKVm3fvv5NrZ9brhZiBvPK_2fY0Db0kd419NBoGmXpmw3MKyoO_GgUvt69ExSDT6e2EWg7hTl0AuoY6yvne57Zs34Y9I4OiJU8xMiNdy541M_pShdvI-ideN49bCRTdu4sbfYAFRJJMnN-wMSeEKu92PbPZ2B7NKJ/w281-h400/IMG_E2332.JPG" width="281" /></a></p><p>The parentage of Kid Kore Baby Allison remains unknown, though she now is very well-supplied with sitters! Acquiring Baby Allison was one of those weird unexplained urges that hits a doll collector occasionally. If I were Mom, I'd soon have two of each Kid Kore baby, plus representatives from multiple other brands. However, I bought my favorite baby first, so there's no need for more. The only other baby that tempts me is the Totsy Native American baby, as that one also has hip and shoulder joints.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxD-oAytp2D5UPIgnVk-5FmuQ1ifSjEl8e9Go0JCojSZktPc5hHorDA4rHe1jQS8jhh_Uxc67NBGO328jgcX9Wv7IrrPaPbp8thUoW1R7getkFF3xwBbI8cjDVyDDzgQhphYb0qhHr2-B4Zs9ptCEFdE31XM2Val8M6JAdR20znCg_BlLe98oTgE_6gCb/s3332/IMG_E2330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3332" data-original-width="2362" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxD-oAytp2D5UPIgnVk-5FmuQ1ifSjEl8e9Go0JCojSZktPc5hHorDA4rHe1jQS8jhh_Uxc67NBGO328jgcX9Wv7IrrPaPbp8thUoW1R7getkFF3xwBbI8cjDVyDDzgQhphYb0qhHr2-B4Zs9ptCEFdE31XM2Val8M6JAdR20znCg_BlLe98oTgE_6gCb/w284-h400/IMG_E2330.JPG" width="284" /></a></p><p> </p><p>Over the long haul, if I keep Kristy, that skintone mismatch between head and body, plus the worsening condition of her legs, makes it likely I'd find a better articulated body for her. I'm not sure how well she fits into the community, but every time I question buying her, I notice she has amazing hair (much better quality than the usual 1990s fiber) and a sweet, if someone vacant, face.</p></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaeZhxNIL3AmWuR5YsUwzg84Lh2j3a1e3jczs0oX0DAUlQLdd3gRljBMwgPqPuNEMAzjc-9CnOBXyFU8r7IhmpiGzM7hXceVr6Eh7knDrVbvtDs_aGkyJi2sRkp2YQm2KHBqWMvNA0k0Z-wxW47roawZHaDUpKZkBeccX3jIY5inE62OqB_BbVTIOkMmB/s3783/IMG_E2333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3783" data-original-width="2606" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaeZhxNIL3AmWuR5YsUwzg84Lh2j3a1e3jczs0oX0DAUlQLdd3gRljBMwgPqPuNEMAzjc-9CnOBXyFU8r7IhmpiGzM7hXceVr6Eh7knDrVbvtDs_aGkyJi2sRkp2YQm2KHBqWMvNA0k0Z-wxW47roawZHaDUpKZkBeccX3jIY5inE62OqB_BbVTIOkMmB/w275-h400/IMG_E2333.JPG" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-46163769617608594722023-12-13T14:19:00.000-08:002023-12-13T14:19:35.948-08:002023 in Review 3: 6.25" and 7.5" dolls (the Katie Krew)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AcZes-rwGF8WF1roqR2YjkYizRtz_a8tbCMvkcGbm4MS0omG-yVNltpmwPe-XAFrDlHHWeZNG4Oqw8PJEJBa_BAq1xAiqq-s3hcS9ggp1Vzd8yRiR4_8NCvl5CuD0Vmw_rFCpT1pHe11c_he_BahAkbP02Frc7r94BoSLdeU7Qet4mb4yCMrGmSgzpzF/s3922/IMG_E2322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3922" data-original-width="2801" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AcZes-rwGF8WF1roqR2YjkYizRtz_a8tbCMvkcGbm4MS0omG-yVNltpmwPe-XAFrDlHHWeZNG4Oqw8PJEJBa_BAq1xAiqq-s3hcS9ggp1Vzd8yRiR4_8NCvl5CuD0Vmw_rFCpT1pHe11c_he_BahAkbP02Frc7r94BoSLdeU7Qet4mb4yCMrGmSgzpzF/w286-h400/IMG_E2322.JPG" width="286" /></a></div><p></p><p>The Katie Krew did not start out to be a krew.</p><p>When I first started thinking about getting back into dolls, I happened on a discussion of Creata's "clones" from the 1980s. Like a lot of fashion doll lines of the late 20th century, it's unclear how much the dolls were actual clones and how much they were simply fashion dolls doing their own thing. The rock 'n' roll Creata line, for instance, was probably a clone for Hasbro's Jem & the Holograms. But the Creata Flower Fairies? Much less clear.</p><p>Really unclear on its clone origins is the 6-1/4" doll at front left, with dark curled hair, wearing her karate practice outfit over a red striped top. That's Creata's "Today's Girls" Hillary. "Today's Girls" debuted several years before Stacie was a twinkle in Mattel's eye, but long after Todd and Tutti. There's really no Mattel niche that these dolls match! They were definitely also used as little sisters for the Flower Fairies, but mine was sold as a little equestrian (foreshadowing Kid Kore's horse riders).</p><p>My first Kid Kore Katie happened because I was researching Native American clone dolls (there were a lot in the 1990s). I bookmarked on eBay a cute and cheap brown-skinned doll with dark braids -- the doll now sitting in the front row wearing checked shorts and a blue and pink jersey, waiting for her hair to be rebraided. That's a Dancing Brook, the "little sister" of the Heartland families. She is now officially called Brooke.</p><p>Then it was a no-brainer to get a Rosa Lee, the Romani Katie. She's the curly haired brown girl behind Hillary, wearing a flowered dress.</p><p>The golden-blonde Katie, now named Isabelle, came as a lot with my Black(ish) 2002 Jodi, along with the brunette Katie that was shorn and flocked in titian to become Ben. Isabelle is at middle right, wearing an aqua gingham cowgirl outfit with gold trim. Ben is perched above her in khakis and a red and aqua sweater. (Katie originally had a brown-haired dude pal (Todd clone) named Kyle, who was also dressed in western wear as Pistol Pete. Kyle is hard to find, and it was more fun to make my own younger brother for my redheaded Kelsey.</p><p>Bette Mae, the brown gal with lots of straight black hair, wearing the pink striped shirt at middle left, is my second Dancing Brook. She's named for one of the leaders of the Seminoles in Florida, as I decided to have the two Dancing Brooks come from different tribes. She arrived with a large lot of vintage Katie clothes, which is why everyone here except Hillary has shoes!</p><p>Katies are absolutely, positively a direct competitor with Mattel's Stacie. They appear in a sister pack in 1992. However, Katie has a slightly younger sister, Carla, who was being sold as "Girls Club" before Stacie launched. Carla had a Katie head mold on what sure looks in photos like a Creata 6.25" body like Hillary.</p><p>The Katie Krew proved so compelling that I got rid of my 1990s Stacie and Whitney dolls, who'd once been major thrift finds (but Stacie had worn the same outfit for 10 years, so my enthusiasm wasn't as high as I thought). I'm still a little on the fence about Bette Mae, but every time I put her next to Brooke, I notice subtle differences in their face-up and decide she's uniquely adorable.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-64753673693259511582023-12-12T07:42:00.000-08:002023-12-12T07:42:00.136-08:00Sunflower Cottage is ready for Christmas<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjey9nVzNMX2Cay0PhiWsbmqA5uI3x8tekyV2xBkWexgbA7AoNI9__sVNuh9kk7qOGeIQXBNc95SvVXUDJzSM5Kwz4DAbAwo0l67y97zd6rZgTm8Tf-OiTS6OKUmVCl12xPhGXE87TVWO-efWwPMNugFoNAEyQ2MiKZa8_ne6jPy4esjBdWEi9reqaQbhH1/s3111/IMG_E2315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3111" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjey9nVzNMX2Cay0PhiWsbmqA5uI3x8tekyV2xBkWexgbA7AoNI9__sVNuh9kk7qOGeIQXBNc95SvVXUDJzSM5Kwz4DAbAwo0l67y97zd6rZgTm8Tf-OiTS6OKUmVCl12xPhGXE87TVWO-efWwPMNugFoNAEyQ2MiKZa8_ne6jPy4esjBdWEi9reqaQbhH1/w400-h389/IMG_E2315.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The Sunflower Cottage is my Christmas house, for no better reason than that I impulsively furnished it from my stockpile last December and it then stayed on my desk through the holiday season.</p><p>So this year... it's baaaaack!</p><p>This is one of my favorite projects ever, because while it's simple and took basically an evening, it achieves very much what I want it to do.</p><p>The inhabitant is the Tweakie Toy nurse. If you haven't seen Tweakie Toys before, they were a short-lived competitor to Fisher Price Little People. J. Chein made them for exactly one year in 1969, and my set was my favorite toy as a very small child. While the people originally came with little blocks lithographed as contemporary rooms, I never had the rooms, and my people lived in what's now the Modern Abode. I started rebuying them around 2019 and now have (I think) all of the variations, certainly enough to inhabit all of my half-scale houses.</p><p>What I loved about Tweakie Toys is that, unlike most dollhouse people who are fixated on being nuclear families, they are defined by their jobs. You can work out a multi-generational neighborhood however you like. The one downside is that they're all white. Had the line succeeded into the 1970s, this probably would have changed, but alas! Back then, it was unusual to include characters of color in an initial launch. Someday, I shall try plastic dye on some of my duplicates and get a little diversity in here.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTD-1W1h3Sp-YzVjR_wp9f4XdPW-foiE_QxjYQzaEIHu9aeZGAaRFdrWe2XLRj-WcVHLevgDO7nd5XdyMBrdwdAW5muEg8-WUj0AQ6VoVr7pARMYtGguF8bo1LxvIjk0HAI_-fmr88L5QhpWzmVqYpTbmolP0MgGPeA3NnwEJjH_UjUoRqGXC2kbeuEy1/s3043/IMG_E2319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3043" data-original-width="2046" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTD-1W1h3Sp-YzVjR_wp9f4XdPW-foiE_QxjYQzaEIHu9aeZGAaRFdrWe2XLRj-WcVHLevgDO7nd5XdyMBrdwdAW5muEg8-WUj0AQ6VoVr7pARMYtGguF8bo1LxvIjk0HAI_-fmr88L5QhpWzmVqYpTbmolP0MgGPeA3NnwEJjH_UjUoRqGXC2kbeuEy1/w269-h400/IMG_E2319.JPG" width="269" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bathroom may be where I started, as getting the flooring and walls i wanted was a project that involved finding a "generate your sample floor tile pattern" site. The furniture is vintage Marx.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fjUfUWMKNqW4rfy4vJgwi-VYiA21IX1rIVqvtv6iVrUYIqsaDBtRC-I_oUG4ckuBcEMQ0UsOLGfy-FJgfKt3mx-x3i5SCEd-EB1PfxD3Nt5zmMv7Ltq1KFziAESnRoa-hQb-DJ7ST0QzVoyFCgMdnAKi0Da24243-Cx6mWOS9ytyWDohOFZFlnoCJr6-/s3069/IMG_E2318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3069" data-original-width="2730" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fjUfUWMKNqW4rfy4vJgwi-VYiA21IX1rIVqvtv6iVrUYIqsaDBtRC-I_oUG4ckuBcEMQ0UsOLGfy-FJgfKt3mx-x3i5SCEd-EB1PfxD3Nt5zmMv7Ltq1KFziAESnRoa-hQb-DJ7ST0QzVoyFCgMdnAKi0Da24243-Cx6mWOS9ytyWDohOFZFlnoCJr6-/w356-h400/IMG_E2318.JPG" width="356" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bedroom absorbs my 2021 obsession with Marx beige furniture sets. The resident loves sunflowers, so all the major art pieces have them. She also has a Navajo rug, a souvenir of her jobs in Arizona, that matches her shades from the Dollar Tree sticker aisle. The blob on the highboy is a maneki nekko for luck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ny_BewCZ1T5MJaPvf2McDSd8DKRiukNQ6phQFYbdPVCrj49wmbgx_qrCBUHDoZdEIPd7ZH8PSdVdagRGfahHvYMn6r1JY6YWeyagF8HhvfRu7_psdi3dMhF2SFu0_5VQQsYwm1ZC_cu_IfBXsq_1-NYugW2MM_tDpZVq9t9DkH6h0yq8QxZCswuxFoae/s3165/IMG_E2316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3165" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ny_BewCZ1T5MJaPvf2McDSd8DKRiukNQ6phQFYbdPVCrj49wmbgx_qrCBUHDoZdEIPd7ZH8PSdVdagRGfahHvYMn6r1JY6YWeyagF8HhvfRu7_psdi3dMhF2SFu0_5VQQsYwm1ZC_cu_IfBXsq_1-NYugW2MM_tDpZVq9t9DkH6h0yq8QxZCswuxFoae/w383-h400/IMG_E2316.JPG" width="383" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The kitchen has (printed) authentic Armstrong vinyl flooring in the company's most popular style. The sunflower painting in the distance is off a calendar of New England photographs. When I remember where I put the double-sticky tape, I need to attach the kitchen floor better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN9dT94lMF1gvtLb4RSxPKCurHlXLB8DxGWO3v4GL3B_tydL1jHiVdpvCo0iRdUBboWdV5sCQR1MKI9FFB-i9iQMO4VVUG-GRxn_-z5zeBgLRojJTTgEfOoSRRQGkjrZ5VZTRZltnAQXKIiNk1sIPyeKTEa7O_N5dNcEQMsBoWc8ohFLLdQNvWQbEZXf6/s3312/IMG_E2317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3312" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN9dT94lMF1gvtLb4RSxPKCurHlXLB8DxGWO3v4GL3B_tydL1jHiVdpvCo0iRdUBboWdV5sCQR1MKI9FFB-i9iQMO4VVUG-GRxn_-z5zeBgLRojJTTgEfOoSRRQGkjrZ5VZTRZltnAQXKIiNk1sIPyeKTEa7O_N5dNcEQMsBoWc8ohFLLdQNvWQbEZXf6/w365-h400/IMG_E2317.JPG" width="365" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The actual inspiration for this house may have been the blue living room set, which is Arco and used to be an appalling shade of yellow before i hit it with the spray paint.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">If you squint at the right wall, you can see the nurse has her guitar handy for party sing-alongs. Later in December, she'll be throwing a party for her community of fellow Tweakies!</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-71831090860982043752023-12-11T06:49:00.000-08:002023-12-11T06:49:00.144-08:002023 in review 2: 4" mini dolls<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbI4cvdUCW4DtfoUgbMvktbUYGE5tanTjEIhhYpzSBNoDS8Uq5QjUl1po8nYArA_74PHxOsJwwCtnom6qm7wDW22avFylRhjqQXde7SSv8R7QegVqopGOVFrb5iVzLd03QfZ8ZkSOI70jT1C-UY8YJ2Un45tWZQpg3Ry1e0K8jOklJHLPeppMw861nFn4/s3699/IMG_E2300%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2435" data-original-width="3699" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbI4cvdUCW4DtfoUgbMvktbUYGE5tanTjEIhhYpzSBNoDS8Uq5QjUl1po8nYArA_74PHxOsJwwCtnom6qm7wDW22avFylRhjqQXde7SSv8R7QegVqopGOVFrb5iVzLd03QfZ8ZkSOI70jT1C-UY8YJ2Un45tWZQpg3Ry1e0K8jOklJHLPeppMw861nFn4/w400-h264/IMG_E2300%5B2%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This is a category where I culled and refined a lot. Mom had about 100 Kelly and Chelsea dolls in their costumes, and I'd had a bad habit of buying Sparkle Girlz Minis to reward myself for enduring grocery shopping at Walmart in Phoenix. (When I went to Kroger, instead I bought My Little Pony Minis. Since a girl has to eat, these things accumulated. I don't know where the ponies went, probably donated years ago.)</p><p>Our leftmost girl, Neveah, is a 2002 Kid Kore Jodi or Jodi-adjacent. She's the doll who touched off renewed interest in this size category, as she has a different face-up than the two traditionally used for Jodi dolls. I've been referring to her as Black, but I'm not sure that was her intent, and for 2024 she may be reclassified as a different ethnicity where straight hair is more usual.</p><p>The little blond boy, Lucky, is a Lucky Industries clone of Kelly's friend Tommy, in his original outfit. His rooting photographs badly but looks fine in person, and he has such a cute expression!</p><p>Evi Love was a standout pick because she's a Black mini with actual curls! Technically, her hair texture isn't authentic, but she's doing a better job of being a Black doll at this size than most others. </p><p>Kelly is my favorite of Mom's Kelly dolls and provides the body comparison for this size range.</p><p>Kelly has a vast wardrobe, while Neveah and Evi do better in the fashions for Dollar Tree's little science girls. Poor Evi still needs shoes that aren't hot pink! If Simba sold an Evi Love fashion pack with neutral shoes, I'd be on it.</p><p>Notably missing here are Scarlet/Ruby (I keep changing what I call her) and Jania, the two reps of different generations of Sparkle Girlz Minis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJrdFyk83pE5AawgIggJRslH_S4t21ZF9x2N39f3xOGU3-O1yGzn5oGt_EucrM1qrWSW_PZpT6v_6kLy4AXNBKyAFOu2Py2VcsL5g0ufFRe8rFtutiA3KPNilRcy6JCtnylJqwVInZqfUPqd0qMaR65zm9Qdu0EJx3h0lt6htnmnXX1fBtyiG6GC9VnZ0/s3303/IMG_E2297%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3303" data-original-width="2529" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJrdFyk83pE5AawgIggJRslH_S4t21ZF9x2N39f3xOGU3-O1yGzn5oGt_EucrM1qrWSW_PZpT6v_6kLy4AXNBKyAFOu2Py2VcsL5g0ufFRe8rFtutiA3KPNilRcy6JCtnylJqwVInZqfUPqd0qMaR65zm9Qdu0EJx3h0lt6htnmnXX1fBtyiG6GC9VnZ0/w306-h400/IMG_E2297%5B1%5D.JPG" width="306" /></a></div><br /><p>Ruby -- or Scarlet, it's a bad sign when I keep changing the doll's name -- was a sentimental save as one of the few dolls I bought in Connecticut, and one of the last generation of Funville dolls. Jania is a new Zuru Glitzeez, representing how the dolls changed after Zuru bought Funville.</p><p>On the one hand, I was really excited about doing a comparison of the two, and I did that thing.</p><p>On the other hand, they both look cheap and puffy-headed when compared to my fab four. Jania is very similar to Neveah and obviously inferior, both in quality and in interest: there aren't a lot of 2002 Jodi dolls running loose, and there are tons of Glitzeez. Ruby just... looks so stolid and unengaged. I was always having to do a little extra work to fit her into scenes with the fab four. So these two are going into the donation bin.</p><p><b>Important rule coming out of this:</b> Don't buy just to document a clone line's existence. A $3.75 purchase obviously isn't a big deal, but I feel kind of stupid about it. The upshot is that I will not buy anything from MGA's Dream Ella line, no matter how steeply discounted as it's closed out, as my role in life is not, repeat not, to document every short-lived knock-off-ish line of dolls.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-51080442106177570132023-12-10T08:34:00.000-08:002023-12-10T08:34:00.136-08:002023 in Review 1: the great decluttering of Mom's collections<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27ghfeNdm0g04tVgidsyvQu15gTkwLwmGFmUHT9czvQhXHpEp6yEvHSY2jfKcaODz_Nm1FmtYxhC5dhmJP6rhYgo3Ju5pZNEqgCUb6xkv43dCu3glKBsG3jj-Ez76DpQOnGLasgUNjVAisa4ZNeca50RFIKw3KrzLIf4X3ZSwVZx9RwqZxmMjPKvNA3io/s3383/OUQW9017%5B1%5D.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3383" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27ghfeNdm0g04tVgidsyvQu15gTkwLwmGFmUHT9czvQhXHpEp6yEvHSY2jfKcaODz_Nm1FmtYxhC5dhmJP6rhYgo3Ju5pZNEqgCUb6xkv43dCu3glKBsG3jj-Ez76DpQOnGLasgUNjVAisa4ZNeca50RFIKw3KrzLIf4X3ZSwVZx9RwqZxmMjPKvNA3io/w358-h400/OUQW9017%5B1%5D.JPEG" width="358" /></a></div><br /> These are the survivors from decluttering my late mother's <i>extensive</i> doll collection (we are talking over 1000 dolls spread across four rooms!) and my much smaller collection. Obviously, I've bought more dolls this year (at a pace I don't intend to sustain), but that's for another day.<p></p><p>This 2023 recap is a monument to having sold, donated, or given away on FBM so, so many dolls and dollhouses!</p><p>Some of my favorite moments:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>In selling the dollhouses and some of the Playmobil, I consistently met delightful buyers who were so excited to get a bargain. One of my happiest afternoons was sitting with two buyers and a box of furniture and accessories that I was letting them have free or cheap, listening to them be delighted over items I'd ceased to care about. This whole process has surely done something to boost dollhouse love among a younger generation. I met a number of lovely people as repeat buyers or freebie takers, too. And the son of one of Dad's friends is now the Playmobil Tycoon of his kindergarten.</li><li>Photographing vintage playsets was fun, and those buyers were nice enough.</li><li>Kelly collectors are adorable, and Kelly lots were the most fun to sell.</li><li>One My Twinn buyer told me about how she chose that doll because it reminded her of a childhood friend. There was also a buyer of over 100 vintage dollhouse dolls who was charming and saved me so much listing and shipping time.</li></ul><p></p><p>All this stuff is out in the world, giving more joy than it could possibly have given to me alone, even if I'd liked more of it.</p><p>The survivors are:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fashionista Teresa, who I'd found at a thrift store and given to Mom for a birthday.</li><li>Manbun Ken, my grail doll from the TRU going-out-of-business sale.</li><li>Articulated Kelly, who was a long-time grail doll from Mom's collection and makes a good body comparison doll. I'd originally intended to trade her in for a different doll from the same line, but she grew on me.</li><li>Scarlet the Sparkle Girlz Mini, who I bought in Connecticut. </li><li>Vinyl dog and white tiger from Mom's collection, because they're cute.</li><li>Felted dog from Target because I was totally taken with those when I bought it.</li></ul><p></p><p>What I learned was that I'm happiest with a leaner, more focused collection, where I have space and time to make clothes and furniture for them.</p><p>A later recap will discuss the dolls I've bought this year, which was definitely a pace I won't be keeping up in future years!</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-59097531387426126482023-12-09T05:15:00.000-08:002023-12-09T05:15:00.138-08:00The Katies have shoes!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJt-p9bfQ_KyoetnS5pZgAJLVcbnvCvfL1yWlVW44LlQpXkFznjU1YcRopklT4yCSuw-Jw5tivqfHN8RIv68e2Ajsy4TjHWfIvqIrS84VukpEeGwnFDZmtU6kddSgtai8-PDwLkUUU5CFJxcZTyqdWexmwoq9bDldFbrKNNE4SoRjFbvuig_GaVLLKyIr/s4032/IMG_2262%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJt-p9bfQ_KyoetnS5pZgAJLVcbnvCvfL1yWlVW44LlQpXkFznjU1YcRopklT4yCSuw-Jw5tivqfHN8RIv68e2Ajsy4TjHWfIvqIrS84VukpEeGwnFDZmtU6kddSgtai8-PDwLkUUU5CFJxcZTyqdWexmwoq9bDldFbrKNNE4SoRjFbvuig_GaVLLKyIr/w300-h400/IMG_2262%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />The huge lot of Katie clothes I bought on eBay -- with enough shoes for the entire Katie Krew! -- was accompanied by a Katie that I couldn't fully ID from the listing photos. She's the one on the right, with my original Dancing Brook on the left. As you can see, she's not the rare (and possibly hypothetical) Black Katie that I'd hoped from seeing long, textured hair. She's a second Dancing Brook with much, much more hair!<p></p><p>A full-day soak in fabric softener and a boil wash improved her hair texture remarkably, so I'm probably going to keep her even though she's technically a duplicate. Vintage fashion dolls with brown complexions are hard enough to find, so I feel she can represent other ethnicities if I don't want to pick two Native American tribes for the girls.</p><p>The <i>Pocahontas-</i>driven boom in Native American 1:6 dolls in the 1990s is a great boon in providing brown dolls, if one doesn't want to keep them in their original (inaccurate, often pink-and-teal) costumes. While none of the Native American dolls of this era would pass current benchmarks for cultural sensitivity, the clone brands did a better job than Mattel at offering a range of dolls of different ages, in family groupings, wearing varied costumes. </p><p>One of the common (highly legit) complaints about Native American representation at doll size is that Native American culture is treated as "historic," with everyone depicted in some attempt at historical costume. This is why my Dancing Brook is dressed in modern clothes, just like her same-size friends. She'll eventually get a dance costume that's as accurate as my sewing and research skills can make it, and all the Katies will also have dance costumes representing their backgrounds. This means I need to decide what Isabelle's backstory is, as well as naming the new arrival. Brooke is [choose a tribe], Rosa Lee is Romany, and Ben is obviously Irish as Kelsey's younger brother.</p><p>Anyway, the Katie Klothing haul was sufficient to give the entire Krew fresh outfits and shoes. Ben was especially delighted to get sneakers!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3nr77uqcFCTiX3uAUwLlk5BepPpA6-0VrBfieo_ExYlaJMXoRHJKa9aG0GBFP-K2fqRtl8X28sJeyrAOf1MWhyphenhyphenT3kNL5F65dWJ606tsbTzaglV1eD2yx6NkXuH1bEVbkgbCPt9DuIZYGYZzRhSH5n6ZFKsUy_HheXsv3BGBJZ5ItPctAo88ot9XfK3Gi/s4031/IMG_E2257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4031" data-original-width="2832" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3nr77uqcFCTiX3uAUwLlk5BepPpA6-0VrBfieo_ExYlaJMXoRHJKa9aG0GBFP-K2fqRtl8X28sJeyrAOf1MWhyphenhyphenT3kNL5F65dWJ606tsbTzaglV1eD2yx6NkXuH1bEVbkgbCPt9DuIZYGYZzRhSH5n6ZFKsUy_HheXsv3BGBJZ5ItPctAo88ot9XfK3Gi/w281-h400/IMG_E2257.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-32242448446730175062023-12-08T05:03:00.000-08:002023-12-08T05:03:32.356-08:00Rubber ducky, joy of joys<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpL74MzWiL3tmdLXd-f0zkEQK3u9sGtq_GcVk-wGOiEGRfWPux7pJfTVpUzDIyn099tSYGDz1Co-adadJS1CYGL7OlpTqAZ3E66VofmwpmUEIwxGQuzCd5Ez4jWYAZjp8MYh5R4dz6RosCFzSLjd5dsteGpmCFhZKfpSOzgCWT_nRMMBrSvFuGzJMdWREV/s4032/IHZF9144%5B1%5D.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2113" data-original-width="4032" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpL74MzWiL3tmdLXd-f0zkEQK3u9sGtq_GcVk-wGOiEGRfWPux7pJfTVpUzDIyn099tSYGDz1Co-adadJS1CYGL7OlpTqAZ3E66VofmwpmUEIwxGQuzCd5Ez4jWYAZjp8MYh5R4dz6RosCFzSLjd5dsteGpmCFhZKfpSOzgCWT_nRMMBrSvFuGzJMdWREV/w400-h210/IHZF9144%5B1%5D.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br />The rubber duckies were originally justified as pool floats for dollhouses, and as you see, I am supplied with multiple scales!<p></p><p>After resisting 20+ years of rubber ducky novelties -- they used to be all over the Castro -- I succumbed to a rubber ducky machine at the Musee Mechanique in San Francisco last year. Fortunately, I'm incompetent at claw machines and it's rare for duckies to show up in other vending formats, so there is a natural lid on how many duckies I can acquire. I refuse to buy duckies off the shelf, as there'd be no end then.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYFaaThwF3dLY2B64p7XNVyi8UbVJ_SLfxYuXNtCZORmzyKfv0GiAqoLBYX9lJ9Cpag3x_jyv3B3HRmyYzeHL5jn5TMW36jyzwZjI-w_Reg0skS2t7QkUfuhvSRYJfEkcCIMMg6_d1N2TbO_kv06ugFN6q3F8pWrBDfZj8rkIvu3dHC3z0qhUwecaljaH/s3195/IMG_E2278%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3195" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYFaaThwF3dLY2B64p7XNVyi8UbVJ_SLfxYuXNtCZORmzyKfv0GiAqoLBYX9lJ9Cpag3x_jyv3B3HRmyYzeHL5jn5TMW36jyzwZjI-w_Reg0skS2t7QkUfuhvSRYJfEkcCIMMg6_d1N2TbO_kv06ugFN6q3F8pWrBDfZj8rkIvu3dHC3z0qhUwecaljaH/w379-h400/IMG_E2278%5B1%5D.JPG" width="379" /></a></div><br /><p>If the Tampa airport gift shops had sold a flamingo ducky, I might have broken that rule. <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/entertainment/travel/2023/01/05/tampa-international-airport-flamingo-phoebe-winner-competition/">Phoebe the Flamingo</a> was impressive in person! The gift shops did have small plastic flamingos, but they were made of that thin, light, brittle-feeling plastic that you get on the $4 AliExpress articulated doll bodies. A Phoebe ducky would have had some level of playful irony.</p><p>The trip was extremely productive as a business trip, but the first time I've done nothing for non-biz fun in Tampa. When I staggered out of the airport on Sunday morning after my all-night flight (the least stressful way to get there, but <i>least stressful </i>doesn't mean <i>unstressful</i>), I felt like I'd been hit in the face with a massive hot sponge. My glasses fogged instantly. My clothing felt saturated. In past years, the weather's always been gorgeous, but this year, nope. I walked across the street from my hotel for brunch, reflected that Tampa bus service on Sunday sucks, and decided the Ybor Chickens wouldn't miss me.</p><p>On Tuesday after work, I got an absolutely brutal sinus headache -- but hey, I'm fortunate I <i>didn't</i> get it when I needed to be lively for meetings! -- and then I shipped out early Wednesday. Tampa's airport gift shops sells genuine "I Can Be..." Barbies rather than knockoffs, which removed any temptation there.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-28490475825380594042023-11-26T10:24:00.000-08:002023-11-26T10:24:59.030-08:00It's the most wonderful time of the Playmobil Christmas Market<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUc1gmcQhDcHVWJ20X7YJRVH6pzNmEXGePtsnAfJUeEvLkPFVUFZvJuYzSryi4Wd34tbCvln944HUJjMbkLgk7s5WhIoyP8h86kBO8QrerlpkDSQQuOwnmV0-Zwxr16N4P4cXc-utJuBqhyphenhyphenGyI0xKpPp2ReXKDGpNeVHGzJV58Ydo3wYFqEAi9KozYVjDx/s4032/IMG_E2238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2149" data-original-width="4032" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUc1gmcQhDcHVWJ20X7YJRVH6pzNmEXGePtsnAfJUeEvLkPFVUFZvJuYzSryi4Wd34tbCvln944HUJjMbkLgk7s5WhIoyP8h86kBO8QrerlpkDSQQuOwnmV0-Zwxr16N4P4cXc-utJuBqhyphenhyphenGyI0xKpPp2ReXKDGpNeVHGzJV58Ydo3wYFqEAi9KozYVjDx/w400-h214/IMG_E2238.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-nSzx7kA2tNirR175pgdfYAFJljGtQV_Na6ntHW5pgegscdtW4YRfXWKHFNTUVfrHj0xdxOQjsUB6PmXcwPjkhl5SeVJ6dUiuZyQDAds_vt3AGK0vqf5pcyngmBecPJzKamKCDHKqbB_P04_FmuklWwnql7K4xy4NWHULAWOE4rRUuIQchUATEvGDnxw/s4032/IMG_E2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2425" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-nSzx7kA2tNirR175pgdfYAFJljGtQV_Na6ntHW5pgegscdtW4YRfXWKHFNTUVfrHj0xdxOQjsUB6PmXcwPjkhl5SeVJ6dUiuZyQDAds_vt3AGK0vqf5pcyngmBecPJzKamKCDHKqbB_P04_FmuklWwnql7K4xy4NWHULAWOE4rRUuIQchUATEvGDnxw/w400-h240/IMG_E2232.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50mvmDk4HOvcM77Bs9DE-E3z6_46xfiT_J3OJgIr-LnTjUHpTMyrOQzOqJiLmxH0DbH_4XBW7CGFe7eruPh0c8OrWpeRDeukyvid4050ktU1qIC69YlUmyMBkSi07mLc1sJlyqwLomdGWzRZ-q6kNMSfoNsugMP2uCngSWlIUDTAqyj8wXXRRFLbKmrQX/s3544/IMG_E2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1886" data-original-width="3544" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50mvmDk4HOvcM77Bs9DE-E3z6_46xfiT_J3OJgIr-LnTjUHpTMyrOQzOqJiLmxH0DbH_4XBW7CGFe7eruPh0c8OrWpeRDeukyvid4050ktU1qIC69YlUmyMBkSi07mLc1sJlyqwLomdGWzRZ-q6kNMSfoNsugMP2uCngSWlIUDTAqyj8wXXRRFLbKmrQX/w400-h213/IMG_E2226.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsMTwWVLUaUt1umXwzdJY5QgXSvFgYWfXCLxIZpjZ1L2DkD43-XxlRBHHT5Jh6RvdENTpUCsL-zBZ3m8s9d6MjLhGFj0hMyWyviLwma5_U-N7tD1g47ExXnmgrQVY7S0cDlMxGZwfFEK-xgUuxpmQaCj1ZXELG2CLOgRdY-jxR-2GLN9xk2qMRrOgh974/s4032/IMG_E2223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="4032" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsMTwWVLUaUt1umXwzdJY5QgXSvFgYWfXCLxIZpjZ1L2DkD43-XxlRBHHT5Jh6RvdENTpUCsL-zBZ3m8s9d6MjLhGFj0hMyWyviLwma5_U-N7tD1g47ExXnmgrQVY7S0cDlMxGZwfFEK-xgUuxpmQaCj1ZXELG2CLOgRdY-jxR-2GLN9xk2qMRrOgh974/w400-h198/IMG_E2223.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>When Dad said "oh, we have to keep and use the Playmobil Christmas figures," he probably believed the box contained a Santa's house, a sleigh, and maybe a couple other things. </p><p>He was so, so wrong. Last year's diorama required three shelves in the dining room. This year, I found the 1980s medieval houses and decided to go for the gusto with an entire Christmas fair, which takes four shelves.</p><p>Santa's house has more furniture this year, thanks to finds while I was sorting boxes of Playmobil to sell or donate. It's also gained a home office, for keeping those naughty-or-nice lists in order.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V5Sp1mBQa8bYd6uCnBem42NCc2vB5tF_4M7Vxk8Jm4FbsmM8vr2vGyAgkaaOFmIV-Rr0WePT3FHbi4eGcESGWaHWeTk3opnOqn3V29W-sOjULLbukIZXkf40-hKTCCVtRLRYN8NZC1Ez4lWZvCkTEzjgLFza1w6uA5oKr_l1mlWH_3Zp4GqCEaEavovM/s3690/IMG_E2224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3690" data-original-width="2932" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V5Sp1mBQa8bYd6uCnBem42NCc2vB5tF_4M7Vxk8Jm4FbsmM8vr2vGyAgkaaOFmIV-Rr0WePT3FHbi4eGcESGWaHWeTk3opnOqn3V29W-sOjULLbukIZXkf40-hKTCCVtRLRYN8NZC1Ez4lWZvCkTEzjgLFza1w6uA5oKr_l1mlWH_3Zp4GqCEaEavovM/w318-h400/IMG_E2224.JPG" width="318" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QJAITYVNyeQO3I2c3aae6l-tw9SR95s7Izneu1RY-FrlaKKFIwP7Xx1s7w9OOzqDqPz8siMjDH31grdICIBGEZzHMoNA5Gl8pH0re6r04DG3lBlc4aF6hT6T0e9EqYIvJT3ZVLYkRtiAeBnuFl38FdoUs04U6Ejq9Xy7mmmKRpPo7wPtE_qvtCa7WZrY/s3656/IMG_E2225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3656" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QJAITYVNyeQO3I2c3aae6l-tw9SR95s7Izneu1RY-FrlaKKFIwP7Xx1s7w9OOzqDqPz8siMjDH31grdICIBGEZzHMoNA5Gl8pH0re6r04DG3lBlc4aF6hT6T0e9EqYIvJT3ZVLYkRtiAeBnuFl38FdoUs04U6Ejq9Xy7mmmKRpPo7wPtE_qvtCa7WZrY/w331-h400/IMG_E2225.JPG" width="331" /></a></div><br /><p>The ski and sledding slope is adjacent to an enchanted forest, so if you get up too much momentum downhill, you may end up as a guest of the fae.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dqcsc8QtzNIJNcp64jh-50h8-IHcDkWSQURi1UVRxs_3Pdu-JZ5nwM3wrW39VjJ491vUcpW6TFGMKuUr5eDyHknTnczKPp4MAclFV2eX3YNx9goqIihVrizfGwVyim5gkYuFs8lvCMUGH500WIynGUPhwKZLQ5-mA1BBRFujiYgODaKGyMfzRboz7cC_/s2820/IMG_E2227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="2425" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dqcsc8QtzNIJNcp64jh-50h8-IHcDkWSQURi1UVRxs_3Pdu-JZ5nwM3wrW39VjJ491vUcpW6TFGMKuUr5eDyHknTnczKPp4MAclFV2eX3YNx9goqIihVrizfGwVyim5gkYuFs8lvCMUGH500WIynGUPhwKZLQ5-mA1BBRFujiYgODaKGyMfzRboz7cC_/w344-h400/IMG_E2227.JPG" width="344" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVDe0SEr_2LmGrAF_DPtPOx16kiVB7_Tse87b6nE9zfg8h_x0BgYUUC9_i_r0wMZN2Tzbexz2w5J0IQoxzf9Ox0L0aCLYSFktRuKUBSmNtf1UnsS9R7iH0BA98OostmVnqHcrHTfiWPgp-WeIp9ybkkQHcEIi9Ju-sNDW3j05eAlA7U57KUG_VSApmjrK/s3207/IMG_E2228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3207" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVDe0SEr_2LmGrAF_DPtPOx16kiVB7_Tse87b6nE9zfg8h_x0BgYUUC9_i_r0wMZN2Tzbexz2w5J0IQoxzf9Ox0L0aCLYSFktRuKUBSmNtf1UnsS9R7iH0BA98OostmVnqHcrHTfiWPgp-WeIp9ybkkQHcEIi9Ju-sNDW3j05eAlA7U57KUG_VSApmjrK/w378-h400/IMG_E2228.JPG" width="378" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8zHKJ8MMEtbhN9Zm814VE7Z4UviZ_CvpmUjwey-Pmv7YZXI6OJOfwc3voDPMBYvNYUym_UIudmKMbWLeg4Ykuadyvjh4a9BoyrLtVTvQs0J_vvh2zHJ9FW4bO8FNrv2QE-xtIJAcJgWuBwZDxxFJByAQCYoOLP8N0jBJOcOv1LRW2BLC3UZGBSGgtHeC/s3230/IMG_E2229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3230" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8zHKJ8MMEtbhN9Zm814VE7Z4UviZ_CvpmUjwey-Pmv7YZXI6OJOfwc3voDPMBYvNYUym_UIudmKMbWLeg4Ykuadyvjh4a9BoyrLtVTvQs0J_vvh2zHJ9FW4bO8FNrv2QE-xtIJAcJgWuBwZDxxFJByAQCYoOLP8N0jBJOcOv1LRW2BLC3UZGBSGgtHeC/w375-h400/IMG_E2229.JPG" width="375" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gULjuvp0P-WvOyo9R_TCs7QjVK9wTPJaWJGh62Xu2Zqo06UqzTGRMu-G6RIA6iokzFI30pVR1Vb1yc1TNpPr1VySapUzscOo9l51DSb-JesQn2KmxxzLJ1m2xcsjFL-1k9qI2DjTBhoeLD7hnJBQlhFooYrI0hEHjxHKTd330CNKnRuwiuqbPBe47oPQ/s3004/IMG_E2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3004" data-original-width="2537" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gULjuvp0P-WvOyo9R_TCs7QjVK9wTPJaWJGh62Xu2Zqo06UqzTGRMu-G6RIA6iokzFI30pVR1Vb1yc1TNpPr1VySapUzscOo9l51DSb-JesQn2KmxxzLJ1m2xcsjFL-1k9qI2DjTBhoeLD7hnJBQlhFooYrI0hEHjxHKTd330CNKnRuwiuqbPBe47oPQ/w338-h400/IMG_E2230.JPG" width="338" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iIVU2fVNh682YiUPHbtPmXcRSHqkUiIXboINC0pbNsqbnmOvymoHLu9ahe7IXvOgPfahO9Xq3MZEXcmXgohoVGRvUVxuyIrJRlfTXp2nJb13MKqPzbgE8Wl3U8PPnDRcf4kzQJEwNhzA9o7gWGphF-QiseF4og-gzLKyUd5D-fGlhAdWMp5by8vlh-9a/s3560/IMG_E2231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3560" data-original-width="2782" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iIVU2fVNh682YiUPHbtPmXcRSHqkUiIXboINC0pbNsqbnmOvymoHLu9ahe7IXvOgPfahO9Xq3MZEXcmXgohoVGRvUVxuyIrJRlfTXp2nJb13MKqPzbgE8Wl3U8PPnDRcf4kzQJEwNhzA9o7gWGphF-QiseF4og-gzLKyUd5D-fGlhAdWMp5by8vlh-9a/w313-h400/IMG_E2231.JPG" width="313" /></a></div><br /><p>New this year are Black characters. Playmobil's history on diversity is mixed, and a lot of my parents' collection dates from decades ago. So when I found Black adults and kids in the go-away bins, I swapped all of them into winter outfits for this diorama, and they will be permanent members.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDRvmabQD9DqmEoy_R-ygZRQNqvfngWmQ-OIhvD3Zmg7Oa2XFcp6HR4Jce_-Eck3sdtL2nxIJu_aAC2SE9CATE2d8PWgXqHHGcCEMVVtRX_cASjthPWq0rvrZ0NhBcBRLNtCx9zJjBrUDlOVD4uknbbE4rpflC8yB4LU7LULiNlz15EVD0Y7Zzr4PzlNQ/s4032/IMG_E2234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDRvmabQD9DqmEoy_R-ygZRQNqvfngWmQ-OIhvD3Zmg7Oa2XFcp6HR4Jce_-Eck3sdtL2nxIJu_aAC2SE9CATE2d8PWgXqHHGcCEMVVtRX_cASjthPWq0rvrZ0NhBcBRLNtCx9zJjBrUDlOVD4uknbbE4rpflC8yB4LU7LULiNlz15EVD0Y7Zzr4PzlNQ/w290-h400/IMG_E2234.JPG" width="290" /></a></div><br /><p>Santa has sprung for rent on a garage and workshop. Mrs. Claus is relieved to have this part of the home business out of the home. (That's his sports sleigh parked in the garage, while the big family sleigh is upstairs by the house. Santa had a bit of a midlife crisis a few years back.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZy93H6qKeZHWRN0FMWNTkdxVXOFnlP5SsTCtZ3xOovMD2RL8RpJpAC8TqxUot9I4FANL7UxvHfoTk9XVnWZL-vY4EzXpsk-gK7UG1uQCGiNYdWpl-VEnegWsJT8yCVlkkhOrPB6n1t5dpUW69Og6CzsSyaOF2-KeH5dztt330seSgawfpIfgfenv-SJm/s3024/IMG_E2233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2885" data-original-width="3024" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZy93H6qKeZHWRN0FMWNTkdxVXOFnlP5SsTCtZ3xOovMD2RL8RpJpAC8TqxUot9I4FANL7UxvHfoTk9XVnWZL-vY4EzXpsk-gK7UG1uQCGiNYdWpl-VEnegWsJT8yCVlkkhOrPB6n1t5dpUW69Og6CzsSyaOF2-KeH5dztt330seSgawfpIfgfenv-SJm/w400-h381/IMG_E2233.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The Santa Band plays swing version of holiday classics. The band leader is a Dean Martin impersonator during the rest of the year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaUxWRbAWr1sy1Q3bVoMc2a1Yw2gPisUGCXvAla59PketlLgVmdkAuAezNxnCdNTfd68C2bSvjDpVB3c1qRsLAbcnDCmRQ0AygnbeAZHVluIvv2r5wXOKudriIVsTtwn1FuEOUvH93dokU1knrqUCGGTNfjyo7zHJ4kBMxMUfgFi5QFz_5if1IzKfI6P6/s3757/IMG_E2236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3757" data-original-width="2752" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaUxWRbAWr1sy1Q3bVoMc2a1Yw2gPisUGCXvAla59PketlLgVmdkAuAezNxnCdNTfd68C2bSvjDpVB3c1qRsLAbcnDCmRQ0AygnbeAZHVluIvv2r5wXOKudriIVsTtwn1FuEOUvH93dokU1knrqUCGGTNfjyo7zHJ4kBMxMUfgFi5QFz_5if1IzKfI6P6/w293-h400/IMG_E2236.JPG" width="293" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPR1DEX1zK_XwizTRQl9y4fY-BQZlg_j7GDvSvI44MLj487nMk9ShGuKdFVgiXPnRAL3ftlrAsCJc2m49zbgC-rhLDg7pBhbwbnNBLDEBzfEQWmCNXYFxYUJA8dsKSfSIHmhQFWEy_9MSfr4gJ7-n4nHmLj3hcMkeEBkToywv-SES6_Du8fH1qyncW5jQ/s3024/IMG_E2237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2900" data-original-width="3024" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPR1DEX1zK_XwizTRQl9y4fY-BQZlg_j7GDvSvI44MLj487nMk9ShGuKdFVgiXPnRAL3ftlrAsCJc2m49zbgC-rhLDg7pBhbwbnNBLDEBzfEQWmCNXYFxYUJA8dsKSfSIHmhQFWEy_9MSfr4gJ7-n4nHmLj3hcMkeEBkToywv-SES6_Du8fH1qyncW5jQ/w400-h384/IMG_E2237.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The second Tudor house is a vet's office with bookkeeping upstairs and examination room downstairs, convenient for treating reindeer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv4ND4KDLWCYBTfopjPttjhCS8NH2j2MRxTm0ekqCLFs4MW7NPadKj8PDmLI-Eunja8Kq7B4i4PMJZAzEVy4we-SR8YiT5a7Azt0_1cvvRaSEYU2plcHOw_74dG4oqdpqwvheA05BZaEDrSbz_WIjyuH8eQ260yFmbrB-WjM5BSmqX7X0CHTv1FLZWssj/s3024/IMG_E2239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3024" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv4ND4KDLWCYBTfopjPttjhCS8NH2j2MRxTm0ekqCLFs4MW7NPadKj8PDmLI-Eunja8Kq7B4i4PMJZAzEVy4we-SR8YiT5a7Azt0_1cvvRaSEYU2plcHOw_74dG4oqdpqwvheA05BZaEDrSbz_WIjyuH8eQ260yFmbrB-WjM5BSmqX7X0CHTv1FLZWssj/w400-h393/IMG_E2239.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Finding the porta-potty was a major motivator in increasing the size of the Christmas market.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBVuU3woeW5hlpklzCbQ8VdTgC32SAO0MWKzOzk6l-vcj-TG2DVZzuxT6iHOV7d1_S8S4crMOPdOuqEi-n8mpIXHXixIuGU7y2YUfhk4h74Z7sRpiNeuOwSfS9ccHdASzJ7x3qlDHTMLb4baUcRWM1RdY1ldNj3rv85S-E9zda3MwYP8SjLEAKxso428y/s3737/IMG_E2240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3737" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBVuU3woeW5hlpklzCbQ8VdTgC32SAO0MWKzOzk6l-vcj-TG2DVZzuxT6iHOV7d1_S8S4crMOPdOuqEi-n8mpIXHXixIuGU7y2YUfhk4h74Z7sRpiNeuOwSfS9ccHdASzJ7x3qlDHTMLb4baUcRWM1RdY1ldNj3rv85S-E9zda3MwYP8SjLEAKxso428y/w324-h400/IMG_E2240.JPG" width="324" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think the pizzeria furnishings were a set I gave Mom many years ago, and I'm particularly fond of it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0u2QyFNY5rz8-XFViGih7DNmi17vMyl7SSdXlhi1xfYrrvB_4zGkufRD8Cgw0wd8MBaTjWgZGUxAz-0TcXczczi36Z1c8cwFdnm2U245t5oSW45rQbeHlQfiT1SBkas0rGwEsxvs926VF4VGm3IGxmXMM1vA5-CPVm4QNkt7Syd5EGVmw0wOkgCbBm1M/s2695/IMG_E2241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2526" data-original-width="2695" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0u2QyFNY5rz8-XFViGih7DNmi17vMyl7SSdXlhi1xfYrrvB_4zGkufRD8Cgw0wd8MBaTjWgZGUxAz-0TcXczczi36Z1c8cwFdnm2U245t5oSW45rQbeHlQfiT1SBkas0rGwEsxvs926VF4VGm3IGxmXMM1vA5-CPVm4QNkt7Syd5EGVmw0wOkgCbBm1M/w400-h375/IMG_E2241.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The toy store is because Mom collected huge amounts of Playmobil "toys for the children in the dollhouse," and even after culling it substantially, there are still more than enough.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HES2VmB4Ad3yljKmoFdjeOlvcupAneR15EJTdYo3-PWrUw-od-tanLDFTZa8Eb0fFLxCuyEzMTv5B245l_3DRFIuIneFZDb1nsKOXpbMAHXSbVbpQVurLfi6e9ykyrCwjc5zehOxwrMQspB8WF5whM67ZQ-ZEZs9fY1yhH8njZdFqtUdw5bCPMyQocKS/s3038/IMG_E2242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3038" data-original-width="2291" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HES2VmB4Ad3yljKmoFdjeOlvcupAneR15EJTdYo3-PWrUw-od-tanLDFTZa8Eb0fFLxCuyEzMTv5B245l_3DRFIuIneFZDb1nsKOXpbMAHXSbVbpQVurLfi6e9ykyrCwjc5zehOxwrMQspB8WF5whM67ZQ-ZEZs9fY1yhH8njZdFqtUdw5bCPMyQocKS/w301-h400/IMG_E2242.JPG" width="301" /></a></div><p>Upstairs in the performance space at the pizzeria, an indie duo does their sound check. At least, we hope it's sound check, as there are no customers.</p><p>This all stays up until New Year's Day or Epiphany, whichever gives me the urge to take it down.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-11878970669218958932023-11-25T08:36:00.000-08:002023-11-25T08:36:35.505-08:00Kylie wants a new pair of shoes<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgku3BPASMvViY2pYQV3DnlNi_kfCbc95eHcNfqMLlH_f4kEzarHqIU_FjLfn0JEXviZr9KIIrxVWexwU5rBf-wbyiTczN3v7SVzNyLD82iFpviLiVCS_M36TUNOF8qC8NHyA7U0fl-Eox6_rgymp_ofSqW7DoGBTt7_PSBPd-2iC0exJTlLQkNqqlI-WL1/s3541/IMG_E2211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3541" data-original-width="2276" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgku3BPASMvViY2pYQV3DnlNi_kfCbc95eHcNfqMLlH_f4kEzarHqIU_FjLfn0JEXviZr9KIIrxVWexwU5rBf-wbyiTczN3v7SVzNyLD82iFpviLiVCS_M36TUNOF8qC8NHyA7U0fl-Eox6_rgymp_ofSqW7DoGBTt7_PSBPd-2iC0exJTlLQkNqqlI-WL1/w258-h400/IMG_E2211.JPG" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cinderelsa's having a baby, but I'm giving birth to success.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We went to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving because that's a thing people around here do. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On our prior trip to Reno, I'd picked up a couple 1:12-ish table top slot machines that have the name of the city as part of the design. Here's the Reno one in Arvin Lebec's apartment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu6DLVr-EcTxMsd7PK5_PzhgsCSUUhDx7Ok582xhySupiAaOUKTxMurq2T-PIskStTt9Hzt-rtcQ2GvalgR1AeQ5_MynR1apE9nHIGAYGIEDkxfu8c7AY8CJXF9j2K2v7C4EjdYtxWkvZ6dkm9FBO7yKuVabtXqhcYl_mHGsKtjK5WtpY2xlh9SGG3hO5/s2201/IMG_E2214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2201" data-original-width="2014" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVu6DLVr-EcTxMsd7PK5_PzhgsCSUUhDx7Ok582xhySupiAaOUKTxMurq2T-PIskStTt9Hzt-rtcQ2GvalgR1AeQ5_MynR1apE9nHIGAYGIEDkxfu8c7AY8CJXF9j2K2v7C4EjdYtxWkvZ6dkm9FBO7yKuVabtXqhcYl_mHGsKtjK5WtpY2xlh9SGG3hO5/w366-h400/IMG_E2214.JPG" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, Arvin makes "pull the handle, see if you get lucky" jokes to visitors.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This one was $5 at the car museum. I also have a silver one that says Virginia City, which set me back $10, but I was a little punchy at the time I bought that (plus everything is outrageously marked up in Virginia City, so hey). The Virginia City machine is in the game room of the Lil Bratz abode in the Playmobil Victorian Mansion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So once we crossed the Nevada border, I was keeping an eye out for more tiny slot machines. I don't really need more, but it's a cute souvenir. Primm Mall and Casino, where we stopped to charge the car, no longer has a gift shop. Various kitschy shops on the Strip were charging $10 and up for a Las Vegas mini-slot machine, and Bonanza the World's Largest Gift Shop wanted $7.99. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I was not vibing with this, as the more of these I have, the less novel the idea is, so at some point, they need to be $5 and under. There's a Walgreens across the street from Bonanza, so I said jokingly that we should check to see if it had a better price.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It had an entirely different machine.</div></div><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizA69fVnC84n1_O4b5ufv41Hm_yxwRSt3jrLQ_qKXnnZkX7g_FwREmjis4jDidfhCV_HSZJ0HOmPRbY1_L_ofj7Jk4RCZ6jRwwlpvD601T27qP0urwB8sfHdebWfmHgUcAYkVURyC8uZFqXUSdNk2oSNCOgxi013OPZ80qMtpa030dLoknv6iSHE7JsTMj/s2693/IMG_E2212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2693" data-original-width="2142" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizA69fVnC84n1_O4b5ufv41Hm_yxwRSt3jrLQ_qKXnnZkX7g_FwREmjis4jDidfhCV_HSZJ0HOmPRbY1_L_ofj7Jk4RCZ6jRwwlpvD601T27qP0urwB8sfHdebWfmHgUcAYkVURyC8uZFqXUSdNk2oSNCOgxi013OPZ80qMtpa030dLoknv6iSHE7JsTMj/w319-h400/IMG_E2212.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just the right shade of pink for Gambling Addiction Barbie.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one is more blatantly plastic than its smaller compatriot. It similarly has a working handle. I picked through the stock to find out with a clearly printed Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sticker and slot results that line up correctly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xgx4PFyeoGVcZsDBgRpA2LLXjQpZsHU75j5uqjnSxjmfMtCngxDrwhqJXQOYqO0Sc7eIr85w0aXa5-C9ZCo5ovBC0op456kyPrihl1VTq_QuXO9SBr2HE-7Yc_mPhGzGAhDeyEa-O7C8B_dWtCHvEqUaZ9d7FsMdZc02FqR8_r6nF5HOoX0rEJH55V79/s3222/IMG_E2213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3222" data-original-width="2594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xgx4PFyeoGVcZsDBgRpA2LLXjQpZsHU75j5uqjnSxjmfMtCngxDrwhqJXQOYqO0Sc7eIr85w0aXa5-C9ZCo5ovBC0op456kyPrihl1VTq_QuXO9SBr2HE-7Yc_mPhGzGAhDeyEa-O7C8B_dWtCHvEqUaZ9d7FsMdZc02FqR8_r6nF5HOoX0rEJH55V79/w323-h400/IMG_E2213.JPG" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This one-armed bandit moonlights as a pencil sharpener.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one is larger -- either a very large 1:12 or a small 1:6. It was also priced under $5. It came in Barbie Pink, so the 1:6 community can share in the gambling issues of the 1:12 and 1:18 dollhouse people. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05SFXNHw9zsf0p8s25Hug6XC7eH0Fr3el1W6sQh6AET7yIG8aN1x8jvzu6KLYDwDxnEfdwzezpsvT8v6t3LcVC4KaeypAGslz5W2HuE8WJQuw7okyYf4nVz4u99x0uoQ0NU_M8mevMhrXrv7ICW4z6t8QNyYdI5Lio3WnwJxHLrVsu4P18AK7U8Kak3Df/s3024/IMG_E2215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2094" data-original-width="3024" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05SFXNHw9zsf0p8s25Hug6XC7eH0Fr3el1W6sQh6AET7yIG8aN1x8jvzu6KLYDwDxnEfdwzezpsvT8v6t3LcVC4KaeypAGslz5W2HuE8WJQuw7okyYf4nVz4u99x0uoQ0NU_M8mevMhrXrv7ICW4z6t8QNyYdI5Lio3WnwJxHLrVsu4P18AK7U8Kak3Df/w400-h278/IMG_E2215.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-27914825790340288202023-11-20T13:34:00.000-08:002023-11-20T13:34:55.104-08:00It's a Boy!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcj3oFo7WRkwhq-82-FhR73oE3bjmw5Q9sQWJJFYpUui460St9nBR-D9uOAl-IpnEf2fgxTVKwaIJLfFTzELR07ILkkwuPCpkgS_HjfcNepK7LwDZeB4l8fQKEX0GdrWwvOesohRBxJqoW9otiOAcT8JFBK9UEuT0BmS6goKIaN_St3S7OTkVPN21m2GWJ/s3625/IMG_E2132%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3625" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcj3oFo7WRkwhq-82-FhR73oE3bjmw5Q9sQWJJFYpUui460St9nBR-D9uOAl-IpnEf2fgxTVKwaIJLfFTzELR07ILkkwuPCpkgS_HjfcNepK7LwDZeB4l8fQKEX0GdrWwvOesohRBxJqoW9otiOAcT8JFBK9UEuT0BmS6goKIaN_St3S7OTkVPN21m2GWJ/w334-h400/IMG_E2132%5B2%5D.JPG" width="334" /></a></div><br /> It turns out I don't have a natural talent for flocking doll heads. However, my extra Kid Kore 7.5" doll has now had his gender affirmed as Ben, a boy doll who has socially transitioned and takes his place in the community as Kelsey's younger brother. I've pleased with the match between their hair colors, and I'm close to what I wanted in giving Ben a curly texture.<div><br /></div><div>Kenzo, as the only adult male role model in the community, is ready to take Ben out to play catch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next year, I will probably remove and redo the flocking, but hey, let's give it a chance to flake off on its own. Building the crown of Ben's head with flocking so that the little plastic edge didn't make him look like the offspring of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_(folklore)">Kappa</a> was quite the project. (Monster High has lost an opportunity here.)</div><div><br /></div><div>For the next 3 weeks, personal and business travel rule out much in the way of crafting, so this is a good point for calling Ben's transition done and tidying up.</div><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-1006916722270425052023-11-17T19:00:00.000-08:002023-11-17T19:00:00.144-08:00Mama's got a new pair of knees<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UqCadfETvtYgrQsT0Ua8IjBQy0KCbMf8YgAgvjG-ig5BdmTKYk1MLI0ABkYarQFRbucdmkKAQObkWkT9EDqCmm_xwdgLVR99Zc-eEpGlfDXS1UsLPg9TwvkReAIczOjk6cQaDkVfp-dnVz2HJarSRkgNIbejhlu4u7e36DT6C8hC1HEn1-RL00_whFBW/s2988/IMG_E2102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="2490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UqCadfETvtYgrQsT0Ua8IjBQy0KCbMf8YgAgvjG-ig5BdmTKYk1MLI0ABkYarQFRbucdmkKAQObkWkT9EDqCmm_xwdgLVR99Zc-eEpGlfDXS1UsLPg9TwvkReAIczOjk6cQaDkVfp-dnVz2HJarSRkgNIbejhlu4u7e36DT6C8hC1HEn1-RL00_whFBW/w334-h400/IMG_E2102.JPG" width="334" /></a></div><br /> Simply Fresh Kylie can now touch her face, practice yoga to deal with her stressful entrepreneurial career, and wear standard Barbie clothes.<p></p><p>The catalysts for re-bodying her, in defiance of my original intention of keeping her as her maker intended, were two. First, when I took her out of the enclosed storage where my dolls spend most of their time, I discovered that her hair has become lighter and redder. Oxidation is not what I'd expect in a doll that was unboxed less than six months ago and has been kept out of sunlight, but here we are.</p><p>Second, Target had its "25% off any toy" offer for Circle members expiring this weekend, and it also had one single African-American MTM doll on the $16.99 card. While $12.75 to rebody a discount-store doll isn't the bargain of all time, it's also not bad, and it beats waiting for an AA MTM doll to show up at thrift. (My local thrift stores are so, so bad compared to the bounty I enjoyed in Arizona a decade ago. Plus AA dolls with any remotely desirable feature are less likely to show up at thrift anyway.)</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time to boil some water! Getting MTM's head off was easy, despite the head spike. Maybe beheading Barbie's is like riding a bicycle: once you get the knack, you never truly lose it. Kylie was another thing entirely. The one thing this low-end doll committed to fully was that her head will not come off in energetic play. She needed <i>four</i> dunks in boiling water and so, so much squeezing to get her head off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once off, heads went on their new bodies with much greater ease.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdfGB7T8XLpFsNkW-NE4kR3NdoBuOnyfHOXGfnt63BIITSstetefCq1Dc2LaSujFsZVGMenBvZgNDNw0BFhctYSg1Q0LKXmyWkNhtfA9m0hmu6V9N1d6j9uvwphX__SkbLXLhnhyphenhyphenlyKJsJUYOtnTNSsX8L4QgVnhjM1gd6my3d5w2RqQohFuWMWyB2l7M/s3433/IMG_E2086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3433" data-original-width="2486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdfGB7T8XLpFsNkW-NE4kR3NdoBuOnyfHOXGfnt63BIITSstetefCq1Dc2LaSujFsZVGMenBvZgNDNw0BFhctYSg1Q0LKXmyWkNhtfA9m0hmu6V9N1d6j9uvwphX__SkbLXLhnhyphenhyphenlyKJsJUYOtnTNSsX8L4QgVnhjM1gd6my3d5w2RqQohFuWMWyB2l7M/w290-h400/IMG_E2086.JPG" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It feels weird, but somehow... good.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Kylie's head is larger than MTM's head, but big doll heads have become so normative that I don't see it as any wilder than the Hasbro Disney Princess proportions were. MTM's smaller head makes her look like she got Amazonian proportions through some serious work at the gym.</p><p>I'm much happier with Kylie having motion, and this ups my enthusiasm for the 2024 rebodying of Manbun Ken.</p><p><br /></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-71268192432599549232023-11-16T13:54:00.000-08:002023-11-16T13:54:10.355-08:00Tribute to the Gray Mansard dollhouse<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQs9FffA-Zbi6vjTxp1hpFWTEmp53YRqVAixIUYmQTkG7IEuYjjaVp9Fjav-b9p53aJ8zvOCLU8RwSUpZurI1hSzqHkss_3vVrfGtMs5OHG4cFOzItvrdbtvBx4-xIs6-grZgzR39rFBdpb06L5ZZ2kLegO3kM0WeLz5ZpNa6M29_-Jj-Age1SGuBZVSm/s4032/IMG_E2088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2721" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQs9FffA-Zbi6vjTxp1hpFWTEmp53YRqVAixIUYmQTkG7IEuYjjaVp9Fjav-b9p53aJ8zvOCLU8RwSUpZurI1hSzqHkss_3vVrfGtMs5OHG4cFOzItvrdbtvBx4-xIs6-grZgzR39rFBdpb06L5ZZ2kLegO3kM0WeLz5ZpNa6M29_-Jj-Age1SGuBZVSm/w270-h400/IMG_E2088.JPG" width="270" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My mother used to buy dollhouse kits at antique stores and yard sales. When I was living in Arizona, I started a thing where I'd fly out for a 3- or 4-day visit just to build a dollhouse. This was the second one we did. It's built from an XL Machine "Petite Dreams Deluxe" kit, which is a mirror-image of the RGT Alison Jr. I believe it came with a lot of the trim already painted. Mom furnished it in a frontier style.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When Dad and I sold, gave away, and donated the very large quantity of dollhouses Mom had accumulated, I'd kept this one because it went with my bedroom, it offered a lot of space on a non-sprawling footprint, and I figured I'd have one 1:12 dollhouse to furnish with keepsake items I'd bought in Connecticut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Then three things happened:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dad found me the kit for my grail house, the Walmer "Mulberry Lane."</li><li>I kept trying and failing to furnish and decorate this house in my own style, and it always felt wrong.</li><li>I started resenting this house and missing my IKEA wall shelf house.</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When push comes to shove, I really only want one full 1:12 house. This will seem absurdly minimalist to dollhouse collectors, but it's what makes me most comfortable. So Arvin Lebec moved out and put his house on the market on FB Marketplace, partly furnished. He will eventually move into the Mulberry Lane, and I might at some future point also do a very small studio apartment.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGG1yXrO2-I32VUcRSPDjfV0JFSoIp89uOVgx1sBExgRrl1Nxxl0XfgB_V2XMpZgHKPopZUFqmPQIVc3YF-40_AQcChTuFaTnh3K85ZCEL_vBnomVHGwJc7ecP_lBVgruDTTIooNZIry-pr-Dmx-ecOk7WRbrv_9pRsCc8zpDJ1-NTIeXizRBXsOHyxRq/s4009/IMG_E2092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4009" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGG1yXrO2-I32VUcRSPDjfV0JFSoIp89uOVgx1sBExgRrl1Nxxl0XfgB_V2XMpZgHKPopZUFqmPQIVc3YF-40_AQcChTuFaTnh3K85ZCEL_vBnomVHGwJc7ecP_lBVgruDTTIooNZIry-pr-Dmx-ecOk7WRbrv_9pRsCc8zpDJ1-NTIeXizRBXsOHyxRq/w301-h400/IMG_E2092.JPG" width="301" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of my feeling now is relief (with renewed enthusiasm for other projects), but there's also this weird sense of having drawn a final line under something I hadn't previously admitted was finished.</div><br /><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-90126304691137589972023-11-13T19:56:00.000-08:002023-11-13T19:56:44.841-08:00Can we get a hallelujah for baby Allison?<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifThgbDtMV4LiB-uLSvzJCip9UtvIJrqpE8vP10CdpJTw6iSHxAkRz98GtQ6-XioJRAJOCmyPmtEgaCxFGoNGqlse8M_2T1-x8Kmti6QtTp7nhIZE3-n-rSENSRTv7KJHla7bygVtVaI-M9g0E6HfpXEKlS9HvhFixpmOCA6Dgugz7I17zy2Nt-zWI_ahQ/s2604/IMG_E2077%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="1869" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifThgbDtMV4LiB-uLSvzJCip9UtvIJrqpE8vP10CdpJTw6iSHxAkRz98GtQ6-XioJRAJOCmyPmtEgaCxFGoNGqlse8M_2T1-x8Kmti6QtTp7nhIZE3-n-rSENSRTv7KJHla7bygVtVaI-M9g0E6HfpXEKlS9HvhFixpmOCA6Dgugz7I17zy2Nt-zWI_ahQ/w288-h400/IMG_E2077%5B1%5D.JPG" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Girls, hit your hallelujah!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> My Kid Kore Allison -- blonde, with freckles -- arrived today, so I have to figure out how to make baby clothes.</p><p>Allison is not a Krissy clone. "How can that be?" you ask. "Kid Kore was a clone brand." Well, Allison precedes Krissy by four or five years. It's not just the head stamp date. There exists a verifiable playset, marked 1995 on the box, that includes Kelsey, a pair of Jodi, a lot of baby furniture, and baby Allison. (I'm not buying it because I don't buy NRFB.)</p><p>If Allison is a clone of anything, it's the babies included with some of the Mattel "baby sitter" and "Barbie as pediatrician" dolls of the mid-1990s. And here's the thing: while her head mold is similar, she's a better doll than her putative originals. Because Allison can move her arms and legs! The Mattel babies of her era can't.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-86765506955364682412023-11-09T09:23:00.000-08:002023-11-09T09:23:03.580-08:00Kenzo babysits Evi Love in her new Dollar Tree finery<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWr3PzoOP_q0w3LRfCbg-hczx5RvS_oKd5v9aZhhnU6Uf-Bp6RBFRwKt5_UKC-AT3kzbRCaAw-wZZhTgGOpS87EdPRsQqbeHCf1dNopR1oG0BtJaTzFR45DOB9QhPO20kpEjV_sYWNQYQY5ixE6IOKnD0ilzVPHH0nhPDSI7nLgg6uECmgqXrsqTTSrhq/s3925/IMG_E2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3925" data-original-width="2568" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWr3PzoOP_q0w3LRfCbg-hczx5RvS_oKd5v9aZhhnU6Uf-Bp6RBFRwKt5_UKC-AT3kzbRCaAw-wZZhTgGOpS87EdPRsQqbeHCf1dNopR1oG0BtJaTzFR45DOB9QhPO20kpEjV_sYWNQYQY5ixE6IOKnD0ilzVPHH0nhPDSI7nLgg6uECmgqXrsqTTSrhq/w261-h400/IMG_E2058.JPG" width="261" /></a></div><p></p><p>They have matching outfits!</p><p>Dollar Tree got in new winter outfits for their Friends Forever Club dolls, with pants and tights. I grabbed three that seemed most flexible.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2l-DBSs83MqFuU0H5andFQWj3vSc5fV-wtmScX6X5hWSU7PB4Av4BsTEZ7qc1QlmRCYQUKd7ZfkpUN3kXakF8Ndm0skEKhj1_6k2U3HvI5RiKM6p1aWM_WkVD7MTACpMc5Cx9NEIXKKZ5EhPbFlu92mJbV4YjsTHIFEfP_Pd5A7m4_z2NoOA13Gf1KGp/s4032/IMG_2052%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2l-DBSs83MqFuU0H5andFQWj3vSc5fV-wtmScX6X5hWSU7PB4Av4BsTEZ7qc1QlmRCYQUKd7ZfkpUN3kXakF8Ndm0skEKhj1_6k2U3HvI5RiKM6p1aWM_WkVD7MTACpMc5Cx9NEIXKKZ5EhPbFlu92mJbV4YjsTHIFEfP_Pd5A7m4_z2NoOA13Gf1KGp/w300-h400/IMG_2052%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>My original hope was that they might fit my 6.5" Creata "Today's Girl," who is obviously larger than Kelly but smaller than classic Stacie. However, one look at the pants next to Hilary's legs showed me that I don't have a good eye for doll sizing.</p><p>So it was time to try an outfit on Evi Love, who is a little too big for Kelly clothes. The pants are a titch long, but that looks cute on a toddler. Otherwise the top-and-pants (one piece) garment fits great. </p><p>Sleeves on the overshirt are too narrow for Evi's hands. Since these will never see rough play, I took a seam ripper and removed the first couple stitches at the end of the arm. Next time I'm hand-sewing, I'll put a knot to stop the seam from coming undone any further.</p><p>Alas, the shoes were not only too small for Evi's solid little feet but also too small for Kelly! So I'm back to square one on finding shoes for Evi, since hot pink is not an all-purpose neutral.</p><p>Meanwhile, Kenzo is looking a little stiff. I'm torn between wanting to give him an articulated body transplant ASAP and wanting to postpone decisions about a friend for him (which would need to be in the same AliExpress order) into the new year. Fortunately, apathy and indecisiveness will probably work in favor of the second option.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-63287364555122427812023-11-07T13:36:00.006-08:002023-11-07T13:38:12.569-08:00Christmas is coming, send in the clones!<p> Burlington recently replaced a Best Buy at one of the shopping centers around here, so I headed over to see if it's cleaner, neater, and politer than the other nearby one. They had done a real holiday inventory set-up!</p><p>It's holiday time, so we need Disney-esque princesses.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznF821EdBPqgabdZy5YrDjHwijRrzXp82CdylR4bDvFDxVXr8L6koA4no6UA-BGDszfitrSwOEJIEzQKzvYQ7MfM3hvTkqgdUuQDefmN5OmwasLhNeNZM2oQvM1LUL5c3ltQDSni-X-YjN9iH-OQtnyhM0xqQ3WtfTvg9Is0b-U7UTiqTPl8CABepHet6/s3024/IMG_E2029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2911" data-original-width="3024" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznF821EdBPqgabdZy5YrDjHwijRrzXp82CdylR4bDvFDxVXr8L6koA4no6UA-BGDszfitrSwOEJIEzQKzvYQ7MfM3hvTkqgdUuQDefmN5OmwasLhNeNZM2oQvM1LUL5c3ltQDSni-X-YjN9iH-OQtnyhM0xqQ3WtfTvg9Is0b-U7UTiqTPl8CABepHet6/w400-h385/IMG_E2029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>The edge gals are clearly Cinderella and Aurora. I kind of love the short versions of their typical outfits and may steal this idea for sewing projects. The gals in long dresses baffle me. The gal in aqua might be intended as Elsa? But who is a dark-haired princess in dark pink?</div><div><br /></div><div>It's almost as difficult to figure out the characters in Chic's Fantasy Fairytale sets, which have something I'm thrilled to see (and rarely get to): all-Black princesses!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fr80fkeRP8etfQkaRsBHoKwZlDooCv1XNoOfEXFlU7BoYD8iY7THqYtX0Q0YbVCsLNDvTIpVz-wigNORJULz3sUPg2TsUyUH75DwSTQzZ0VFx7DlNASZ1_63ebX8bK4PJfJ-wgGzsDcyYsu3kZo1HcpBGcnph73b2aXz3UH81hudPMQ8kd4kf7TToTMS/s4032/IMG_E2031.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fr80fkeRP8etfQkaRsBHoKwZlDooCv1XNoOfEXFlU7BoYD8iY7THqYtX0Q0YbVCsLNDvTIpVz-wigNORJULz3sUPg2TsUyUH75DwSTQzZ0VFx7DlNASZ1_63ebX8bK4PJfJ-wgGzsDcyYsu3kZo1HcpBGcnph73b2aXz3UH81hudPMQ8kd4kf7TToTMS/w400-h300/IMG_E2031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEiFqwibLA0iLQplGf1J_P9Ir-ngstQb2vLBGH9FoKQ62mwVbCD42hZoixypUihNnAXSka7yKZAvwOqEiG1wTAQUEq5RIgZgi9xZuZ9xLyTLNO6E5ZqNAEbCrZBifwu2VgSTpDDcxfo19KQmbCHZoPz9kopczLrsMdBg5hBn_vA919BGAhxpCCF39h9I9/s3024/IMG_E2034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="3024" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEiFqwibLA0iLQplGf1J_P9Ir-ngstQb2vLBGH9FoKQ62mwVbCD42hZoixypUihNnAXSka7yKZAvwOqEiG1wTAQUEq5RIgZgi9xZuZ9xLyTLNO6E5ZqNAEbCrZBifwu2VgSTpDDcxfo19KQmbCHZoPz9kopczLrsMdBg5hBn_vA919BGAhxpCCF39h9I9/w400-h383/IMG_E2034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-sAVQ9HQM957DwOCIWsFabWDJo9HjT4KKfwT6c4cEeMiksxaPfFVChKqAKP1ZIwaaoYa-Mpt8KAljuB4VynN3uKbChyphenhyphenAhDDEsHfYMDeOSeIXhRq49u1LPUgXJvSG820xq-AIGsry4k80xu29WyIP5knA_HREPMQoC_6czU7NMQQ6TLS2ER8FL2FdUQli/s3629/IMG_E2032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3629" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-sAVQ9HQM957DwOCIWsFabWDJo9HjT4KKfwT6c4cEeMiksxaPfFVChKqAKP1ZIwaaoYa-Mpt8KAljuB4VynN3uKbChyphenhyphenAhDDEsHfYMDeOSeIXhRq49u1LPUgXJvSG820xq-AIGsry4k80xu29WyIP5knA_HREPMQoC_6czU7NMQQ6TLS2ER8FL2FdUQli/s320/IMG_E2032.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Top left is clearly intended as Tiana, and top right is Ariel. Bottom middle is Belle, and bottom left is plausible as Cinderella. That leaves top center as Elsa (though the period of the gown is wrong), and bottom right... purple.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Have I so badly lost track of Disney princesses that there's someone famous in purple?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Meanwhile, Sparkle Girlz are going upmarket, into the boxed $8 price range. This one exploits the "surprise" element, because part of that sparkle is exploiting the trend of the moment.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NJdI0H4hJiW0AdTiZvhlkT_jFk5-IEcBfUr9MyEKWCThFsvrtiNBVMcnb4V6xDlbzrAnpfZrxCb-kTNsjwC7PSBPxW-wyEG1qNBGGu3CH54b4-gcovRyINOhbuJLAyj2Rg0Rj2A6z4q84-SmdSTS_7rW3GmFrsw7fVoNnAzqsvGwQP4Ag3MdWVGH4tyq/s4032/IMG_E2030.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2686" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NJdI0H4hJiW0AdTiZvhlkT_jFk5-IEcBfUr9MyEKWCThFsvrtiNBVMcnb4V6xDlbzrAnpfZrxCb-kTNsjwC7PSBPxW-wyEG1qNBGGu3CH54b4-gcovRyINOhbuJLAyj2Rg0Rj2A6z4q84-SmdSTS_7rW3GmFrsw7fVoNnAzqsvGwQP4Ag3MdWVGH4tyq/w266-h400/IMG_E2030.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's like if Madeline Hatter and Tinkerbell had a daughter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQki1WsvsH93LUHnNn5a6nMjdyQRQ53wDsGifd5rdNaVFyi7-k1ouDqGYk9QAbwG7hrMoslyVAcNeUuyrxMQ6o_HUjGyKoxsFa_ek9r4B5C9ltNKRLG-3bXA3ucHqXONg5gy3KeWz-uhNOhJP37xWZ-tComPbyaJAw8cr3QvoGViGruiuPh-AKpXTRGkE/s4032/IMG_E2035.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2683" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQki1WsvsH93LUHnNn5a6nMjdyQRQ53wDsGifd5rdNaVFyi7-k1ouDqGYk9QAbwG7hrMoslyVAcNeUuyrxMQ6o_HUjGyKoxsFa_ek9r4B5C9ltNKRLG-3bXA3ucHqXONg5gy3KeWz-uhNOhJP37xWZ-tComPbyaJAw8cr3QvoGViGruiuPh-AKpXTRGkE/w266-h400/IMG_E2035.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sparkle Girlz have also entered the standard clone fields of baby-sitting and dog-walking. Nobody in clone land wants to come up with a new body mold to do a real Skipper knock-off, so they reproduce Skipper's pastimes on their standard "teen fashion" doll.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk5hxAXzwOI5I309djJ5-REkSOqQEylmDYopUcrUxIwkYVn1k4L1DgON2qFghc8GtB-cf0ZronKlkdr1kyMxXAaENtGkKTFtHLkteTSHvdui8b8a4XLJElk-X3pyFpJuS8SwAh0lRG3UvUoZwkZPBxNVwTGhAniFYdNeq5wwWQqPlWqEUrtA1aU7I1a3E/s3034/IMG_E2036.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3034" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk5hxAXzwOI5I309djJ5-REkSOqQEylmDYopUcrUxIwkYVn1k4L1DgON2qFghc8GtB-cf0ZronKlkdr1kyMxXAaENtGkKTFtHLkteTSHvdui8b8a4XLJElk-X3pyFpJuS8SwAh0lRG3UvUoZwkZPBxNVwTGhAniFYdNeq5wwWQqPlWqEUrtA1aU7I1a3E/s320/IMG_E2036.JPG" width="319" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5Pz0ZzvCkvSTLFVu2veF5JFcImEKBfPvbNrqCKLefQsjax4fAr4LPkUkoPzMSUbyisyNH59-OapPw3aflFzznpkLnuXTaRzZ-LBLsIWrPwy-kP9BlbCTq7fC5Xnkt2eBzFLJf7w64b3BtQO6vbfyILpflBiRhfQ5CkTPtZ0BX-js1pbW7Zmu-Ic1yhZd/s3024/IMG_E2037.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2923" data-original-width="3024" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5Pz0ZzvCkvSTLFVu2veF5JFcImEKBfPvbNrqCKLefQsjax4fAr4LPkUkoPzMSUbyisyNH59-OapPw3aflFzznpkLnuXTaRzZ-LBLsIWrPwy-kP9BlbCTq7fC5Xnkt2eBzFLJf7w64b3BtQO6vbfyILpflBiRhfQ5CkTPtZ0BX-js1pbW7Zmu-Ic1yhZd/s320/IMG_E2037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Kudos to Zuru for committing to the Giant Heads, Giant Eyes schtick down to the level of babies and bulldogs, I guess. But has anyone at Zuru HQ ever seen a dog being walked?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Finally, no toy display is complete without a fairy. It looks like all of the design effort went into her wings. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO-y7gf8fV4T_iBIIZyku5O5IqAQeGFv2VZeK2u5D0yf97nLPdweroR8aIRPx-rwGhbolVO9TTZIsxc0ZEr2-TURjZU78Swcm6VZ2arTalpU57gTq5VdAv8wDcp4cFEDxFcsdOm2tn3clCTbPy_XjW_4dyoymIKso64Hp-q-THwCP5j5_6D2MscTYd9b5/s4032/IMG_E2038.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2706" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO-y7gf8fV4T_iBIIZyku5O5IqAQeGFv2VZeK2u5D0yf97nLPdweroR8aIRPx-rwGhbolVO9TTZIsxc0ZEr2-TURjZU78Swcm6VZ2arTalpU57gTq5VdAv8wDcp4cFEDxFcsdOm2tn3clCTbPy_XjW_4dyoymIKso64Hp-q-THwCP5j5_6D2MscTYd9b5/w269-h400/IMG_E2038.JPG" width="269" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my goals at Burlington was to look at socks for bargains that might work as winter sweaters and body-con dresses for my dolls. This was kind of frustrating, as girls clothing this season has a remarkably limited color palette based around ballerina pink, white, and tomato red.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBi6-_euZBGCBsL0bZJTX3grkN0pAudUaP5ba41-cInoRn8p-7z5i-ZXwqyR8VgKgkxnJureR_qz7iyTWM1MRN6W_YzCpPXZBEq_2umxY9i0FPG4_6IatUaFlggdrxy-DqwlVNqGiP8PmcOnSpdAHjnwHooCepwp7191q_tCgNWYoV76dHzxaIqHmQmFZh/s3024/IMG_E2039.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2159" data-original-width="3024" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBi6-_euZBGCBsL0bZJTX3grkN0pAudUaP5ba41-cInoRn8p-7z5i-ZXwqyR8VgKgkxnJureR_qz7iyTWM1MRN6W_YzCpPXZBEq_2umxY9i0FPG4_6IatUaFlggdrxy-DqwlVNqGiP8PmcOnSpdAHjnwHooCepwp7191q_tCgNWYoV76dHzxaIqHmQmFZh/s320/IMG_E2039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The entire women's and girls' sock aisles were like this! The color combo is pretty, but it's not one I especially want to do anything with. Perhaps I will reconsider and do pink-and-white ensembles for the Katie Kolony, but I'm not feeling the excitement on that one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then I found the pair of socks that's the exception to the universal color scheme!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HeuhKS0XA1_9V4E_l6h_6RRog_gUt2DRwaAL3II_7z01N0jWQ9teZTaN_pMXIrpmn_je7WeZGIWl-2itHfhzUPhHkesZYR2sd10QpyfSVssgr6hI8kODwRLumIrXlITD8UOG4XlNanGTe-sQ0IC-92CcjnS6CRIgeWeenWMa1ma2R5e7XZtZvsnDzNEE/s3491/IMG_E2043.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3491" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HeuhKS0XA1_9V4E_l6h_6RRog_gUt2DRwaAL3II_7z01N0jWQ9teZTaN_pMXIrpmn_je7WeZGIWl-2itHfhzUPhHkesZYR2sd10QpyfSVssgr6hI8kODwRLumIrXlITD8UOG4XlNanGTe-sQ0IC-92CcjnS6CRIgeWeenWMa1ma2R5e7XZtZvsnDzNEE/s320/IMG_E2043.JPG" width="277" /></a></div><br /><div><div>This four-pack was priced at $4.99, so it's the same $1.25 a pair I'd pay at the dollar store. Figuring one sock per outfit, I have enough socks for all seven adults and teens to have new winter sweaters at 75 cents an outfit, plus my time and patience.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm calling that a success, as well as an incentive to learn how to use the serger.</div></div><p><br /></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-42485910969259082762023-11-03T08:25:00.000-07:002023-11-03T08:25:01.057-07:00Cinderelsa's body is here!<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFZEoGDY1jDG_UPS-bjoNEKRFwvqVBc4uv5aYKSPhnsYoNyHiUYIWw0Zw7bDykgxLb8aDqUTQonWuAh3_LXGGcayo-lpH78dweQGKNdGgtJ2gdXzmgLT0g_T3oKvYqhcHUNo6VwL9YErvR1ExYnp3nnYNsMNqLa4hdZYj2XXk9k4Oz6U8VSKvYKZkY11u/s3822/IMG_E1954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="3822" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFZEoGDY1jDG_UPS-bjoNEKRFwvqVBc4uv5aYKSPhnsYoNyHiUYIWw0Zw7bDykgxLb8aDqUTQonWuAh3_LXGGcayo-lpH78dweQGKNdGgtJ2gdXzmgLT0g_T3oKvYqhcHUNo6VwL9YErvR1ExYnp3nnYNsMNqLa4hdZYj2XXk9k4Oz6U8VSKvYKZkY11u/w400-h315/IMG_E1954.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cheap articulated body variety pack!</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My AliExpress order arrived! All four bodies are here, undamaged.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The pinkish pregnant body is slated for Cinderelsa.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5HquiRH_0POBaMix6TN9Ww9_hyDXDUwQ1Hw2mGBNqZvoiWLx-wzWMe04zKjmiS9g6puynewZ9Xue2fwwXMCiW6pGg7LCHwarUAbB0hGLrZYpEvh-nwzxBb79882uW8zFj9yelEIoZ9E4TaXLv5L2g7XfifLUyj-iHCacleNUZRKcKEahHygUdPAcqChz/s3994/IMG_E1955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3994" data-original-width="2468" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5HquiRH_0POBaMix6TN9Ww9_hyDXDUwQ1Hw2mGBNqZvoiWLx-wzWMe04zKjmiS9g6puynewZ9Xue2fwwXMCiW6pGg7LCHwarUAbB0hGLrZYpEvh-nwzxBb79882uW8zFj9yelEIoZ9E4TaXLv5L2g7XfifLUyj-iHCacleNUZRKcKEahHygUdPAcqChz/w248-h400/IMG_E1955.JPG" width="248" /></a></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The baby bump comes off to reveal a flat stomach insert. I can hear rattling behind it but haven't yet figured out how to get the flat insert off to find a baby.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The quality is decent, not brilliant. The plastic is translucent, and the joints bend when they feel like it. This is still a huge improvement over Cinderelsa's original body! It's in line with what I expected in ordering $5 bodies from a toy distributor in Shantou. I wanted a Chinese body to give me the best chance of an acceptable color match with Cinderelsa's cheap clone head, which... well, it depends on the lighting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14EwUPGMwBdcSq9OXNhyphenhyphenvooQNkzG7iXqvaNsEQlQ4WcchVoNQmsFki4R4JF8Xg6dPgO1sYqGfbpn6jc4Uz5Cxd95tW6CT83vrvOx5TctCBtXqiNVGkyPAHrdIk_iT6mL8-KDgOGIpV4iSsMrGYBpU7LFizrhtih7LfzRE0grsijyGD11fAgd2OJdmO-JP/s4032/IMG_E1956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2748" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14EwUPGMwBdcSq9OXNhyphenhyphenvooQNkzG7iXqvaNsEQlQ4WcchVoNQmsFki4R4JF8Xg6dPgO1sYqGfbpn6jc4Uz5Cxd95tW6CT83vrvOx5TctCBtXqiNVGkyPAHrdIk_iT6mL8-KDgOGIpV4iSsMrGYBpU7LFizrhtih7LfzRE0grsijyGD11fAgd2OJdmO-JP/w273-h400/IMG_E1956.JPG" width="273" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Finally, I get to take a load off!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Her head is on! It has to be pushed down hard to stay on, but that's not a huge surprise in joining a cheap knock-off head with a cheap knock-off body.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In this light, her head looks noticeably pinker than the body. In other lights, it looks like a good match. Cinderelsa may take up high necklines. She is so very pink, and I ordered from a distributor whose positive reviews noticed that bodies ran pink, so there's no better I'm going to do.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdbwqXJtdm0q_k52M8oSbRKFwL6kkfkGrxqyYCNJnaH42OJbF965HH7MGadXqlJo0PlOvgyxpDClTibMFJl0ZAEkP5uf1N4osLHXY0mj9je9D0ZbtXHsfIKs4wVPciJR42FUbtS7qkozTNrSdDDltS59RV8zmW3TftFtjX9T6gnrRuBE4T9VwWkSXoZLc/s3798/IMG_E1957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3798" data-original-width="2433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdbwqXJtdm0q_k52M8oSbRKFwL6kkfkGrxqyYCNJnaH42OJbF965HH7MGadXqlJo0PlOvgyxpDClTibMFJl0ZAEkP5uf1N4osLHXY0mj9je9D0ZbtXHsfIKs4wVPciJR42FUbtS7qkozTNrSdDDltS59RV8zmW3TftFtjX9T6gnrRuBE4T9VwWkSXoZLc/w256-h400/IMG_E1957.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Practicing pushing and breathing.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cinderelsa can achieve a birthing position of sorts!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSgwleJKSyxMu1xB_pKiBId1r48H40R9VIVbA5ulmqfbuJfZ8Pv9CG6l1H6gKiy_vT5u7tDSuPLuMfy_X1NR2KpJivkeScmdcHoOcGndyl24f0MEB4tNIYVi0FYUb9PHd445TVDm4vRmwmZ_uW-naM6RqzMSM2bhInGqtcpsGMABqOn6uwhO6rlcgl63F/s3806/IMG_E1959%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3806" data-original-width="2541" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnSgwleJKSyxMu1xB_pKiBId1r48H40R9VIVbA5ulmqfbuJfZ8Pv9CG6l1H6gKiy_vT5u7tDSuPLuMfy_X1NR2KpJivkeScmdcHoOcGndyl24f0MEB4tNIYVi0FYUb9PHd445TVDm4vRmwmZ_uW-naM6RqzMSM2bhInGqtcpsGMABqOn6uwhO6rlcgl63F/w268-h400/IMG_E1959%5B1%5D.JPG" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kenzo is excited for fatherhood! Cinderelsa is awkwardly clothed in whatever fit, which was a pair of Broad Ken pants and a Curvy Barbie top. My long-term plan is to sew her a glamor wardrobe, but I'm supposed to be doing paid work today.</div><p></p><p>I'd hoped that these bodies would allow me to agonize in an ethical dilemma over whether or not to rebody Simply Fresh Kylie (merits of the authentic body as conceived by its designer versus allowing her to interact more freely with her peers through articulation). Alas, she is too sallow for both tones of brown, so original vision it is.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-68754346161240825462023-11-01T14:20:00.003-07:002023-11-01T14:20:22.281-07:00Arvin Lebec buys a Christmas tree<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZrsX6c-dLhag6kLoxUGDYoQrjQ0f9uNHxAbZCwvCVKuJv22dBn1LuUmS8VO3vzZf92MOx1BEfkBBZK7_z3A3fepsx0p0yjdgAP4TD4MG2O54c_h078xsli3LcGowg4zW31hM2i8GKJYAIGvx7Qm1pQal5lW1hR4Rk1A9-tpgVoj7cln-ygvK6GOR56kb/s3417/IMG_E1947%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3417" data-original-width="2527" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZrsX6c-dLhag6kLoxUGDYoQrjQ0f9uNHxAbZCwvCVKuJv22dBn1LuUmS8VO3vzZf92MOx1BEfkBBZK7_z3A3fepsx0p0yjdgAP4TD4MG2O54c_h078xsli3LcGowg4zW31hM2i8GKJYAIGvx7Qm1pQal5lW1hR4Rk1A9-tpgVoj7cln-ygvK6GOR56kb/w296-h400/IMG_E1947%5B1%5D.JPG" width="296" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It may be just barely after Halloween, but Christmas gear is already taking over stores, and Arvin Lebec has snagged his tree.</p><p>This 6" tree was at Walmart. It's not really good for decorating, but dollhouse-scale trees rarely are. It makes its own statement.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799964219290067560.post-14688474720329976122023-10-31T06:33:00.004-07:002023-10-31T06:33:53.867-07:00Happy Halloween!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnlrIvrTdcFY_Kbc94XTv6meAD4_04Y5rO_PdFS5csb-YHrla5NzjjL5Z6its7zmGo8YsYgenzjk5UCF0hIQL9indaWEdCJa4I78VaMS7tw7uv05gezpoaaJbslDqwAz-YNQBpESX6R7kVmR30nTSlzvwlCYadSQh0s3HyEoKS8eJ1GkvaHK0HdvdoKy-/s3878/IMG_E1937%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3878" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnlrIvrTdcFY_Kbc94XTv6meAD4_04Y5rO_PdFS5csb-YHrla5NzjjL5Z6its7zmGo8YsYgenzjk5UCF0hIQL9indaWEdCJa4I78VaMS7tw7uv05gezpoaaJbslDqwAz-YNQBpESX6R7kVmR30nTSlzvwlCYadSQh0s3HyEoKS8eJ1GkvaHK0HdvdoKy-/w313-h400/IMG_E1937%5B1%5D.JPG" width="313" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>While Kelsey takes three Katies and Hilary to the spa for intense hair treatments (the fourth Katie has a cold), the other grown-up and teen members of the community decided to throw a Halloween party. They grabbed whatever was at hand for costumes.</p><p><b>Kenzo:</b> Extra on <i>Supernatural</i> who gets killed in the teaser.</p><p><b>Kylie</b>: Sexy witch. She's regretting this and wishing she'd picked something with a serious message, or at least easier to sit down in.</p><p><b>Skipper:</b> Emmy award, mostly because she's been looking for an occasion to wear this dress.</p><p><b>Lacey:</b> Daughter of international diplomat, dressed for visit to Asian country.</p><p><b>Teresa:</b> Also a sexy witch. Not regretting it.</p><p><b>Cinderelsa:</b> Doesn't need a costume because being a bodiless head is creepy enough.</p>Smaller Placeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05920553947009088392noreply@blogger.com1