For the past two years, Barbee0913 and I have attended PUDDLE, a convention that celebrates Pullips and family.  It’s held yearly in Illinois and is a great way to meet other Pullip collectors.

Jane Easterly is one of the coordinators of PUDDLE. Jane was kind enough to answer a few questions for this little blog.

Question: Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been collecting? What brought you into the doll collecting hobby?
Answer: I have loved dolls since I was a kid. I have most of my childhood dolls, still in good shape although I played with them a lot. My first major purchase in life was Barbie’s British friend Stacey when I was in grade school!

Question: What kind of dolls do you focus on? What drew you to that particular kind of doll (or kinds of dolls)?
Answer: I used to collect Barbie mainly, but since I discovered Dal doll she is my focus (although unfortunately there have not been many Dal releases the last two years). I saw Hina Ichigo Dal in Haute Doll magazine and just flipped for her. I love that serious face – it makes her look like she is always thinking about something. I also like Dal’s age, 13. Still a kid, but growing up. She reminds me of my own childhood. I do also have a few BJDs, a few Monster High, and a few antique dolls.

Photo Credit: Jane

Question: How did PUDDLE come about? Can you share its origin story with us?
Answer: I love Dal doll so much that I wanted to meet more fans and share my love for her. I knew I could not start a convention for Dal alone, and I like Pullip and friends also, so I started PUDDLE in 2008. The first one was very informal. I picked a date and put out a call on various doll forums. About 35 people attended, from as far away as Minnesota , Indiana , and Ohio , and I could tell there was enough enthusiasm to hold another one.

Question: What goes into planning a convention like PUDDLE? Give us an idea of the process you go through when planning an event of its scale.
Answer: It’s a lot of work! I have to be very organized. Even though the registration fee is low, I take very seriously that people are paying to attend. I have to update the website, reserve the meeting and guest rooms at the event hotel, publicize the event, encourage people to register, solicit donations, keep track of who has paid and who has not, and lots more. Soliciting donations and thanking the donors is really important. Fortunately as the event has grown, so has the number of people helping in various ways. Babelglyph/Crayola Bolger is now the co-coordinator.

Dolls, Sept 2015, Coverage

Question: What is the aim of PUDDLE?
Answer: The goal of PUDDLE is to share our love for Pullip, Dal, Taeyang, Isul, and other Groove dolls and to have fun.

Question: Who attends PUDDLE? What should attendees expect during PUDDLE?
Answer: People who really love Pullip attend PUDDLE! We have women and men, girls and boys, old and young. People come alone or with friends, parents come with children – last year we had a father and son. The best way to know what to expect is to visit www.puddlestyle.com. We have contests, vendors, icebreakers, and lots of socializing. We have not yet had a workshop or panel, but if someone volunteers we’d love to include one.

Question: Are non-Pullip and family dolls allowed to attend the event?
Answer: Yep, all dolls are welcome at PUDDLE. We love dolls, and it’s the rare doll collector who collects only one type of doll. We love to see example of other dolls, like Blythes and BJDs, and of custom dolls of all kinds. One event, the dress-like-your-doll costume parade, can be entered with any kind of doll. Other contests are reserved for dolls from Groove.

Question: What’s the difference between PUDDLE and smaller fan meet ups?
Answer: One of the great things about PUDDLE is how many people attend – over 100 last year – and from how far away. We’ve had people from Canada , California , Florida , Louisiana , New York . We also have events on Friday from those who arrive early, and we party late into the night on Saturday, so it’s really a Pullip-intensive weekend. It’s also a great chance to buy dolls, outfits, wigs, bodies, and accessories. Seller Shifty Lizard brings two tables’ worth of dolls, and it’s fun just to see all those new dolls in one place!

2016 Theme

Question: Can you tell us anything about PUDDLE 2016? Do you have a theme?
Answer: PUDDLE 2016 will take place on June 4, at the Holiday Inn Chicago-Elk Grove once again. In honor of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary, the theme is Space: The Final Frontier, but the theme is very broad. Space, space travel, astronauts, science fiction, the planets, and fandoms like Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Sailor Moon.

Question: How does registration work for PUDDLE 2016?
Answer: Registration is open now!

Question: Where can readers go to find out more information on PUDDLE?
Answer: The best place to start is www.puddlestyle.com. You can also visit us on Facebook and Flickr. If anyone would like to receive email updates, you can email me at jane_easterly(AT)hotmail(DOT)com.

So, now that you’ve heard a little about PUDDLE, join in on the fun! If all goes well, I will be attending 2016’s convention.  You should, too! If you have other questions, feel free to leave them in the comment area or email Jane at the address above.

Have you attended PUDDLE? What did you think of the event? Share your thoughts below!

When Barbie was new and still growing into the brand it has become, they released some pretty awesome licensed merchandise. Some of those early products were tea sets. Between 1963 and 1967, Mattel released a number of Skipper themed tea sets. These tea sets included branded plates, along with generic accessories.

There’s no way to tell which specific sets my plates came from, as they used them across the board in some cases. My collection includes 5 small plates featuring Skipper’s face and 4 large plates with Skipper in her School Days outfit (possibly).  Barbie and Ken can be seen in the background of the plates.

One interesting thing to note is that while the design is the same for the plates, they don’t look identical.  Some are painted much heavier than others.  Were they in different sets?  I couldn’t tell you, since none of these were packaged mint in box.

Finding plates like these is easier said than done.  Their thin plastic makes them very fragile if stored improperly.  One of mine has a crack running through it, so I am always very careful with where these are displayed.

Do you own any of the vintage Barbie and friends tea sets?  Why do you think the paint differs plate to plate? Share your thoughts below.

It’s time to review Hasbro’s Disney’s Descendant 2-pack with Mal and Ben! Mal, Maleficent’s daughter, and Ben, the son of Beauty and the Beast, (spoiler alert) share a budding romance in the Disney Channel TV movie about the teenage descendants of everyone’s favorite heroes and villains.

Let’s start with Ben.  There’s something great about the design of this Ben doll. Yes, he looks like a total cartoon character, but you know what? I love it! Unlike the girls, Ben has molded brown hair with some light brown highlights painted in the front. I’m actually fine with the molded hair.  Many times, companies just don’t root and style boys hair properly when they try to use ‘real’ hair.

His long face features two thick painted eye brows, large eyes and a friendly smile.  He looks like a very handsome animated prince and fits in well with the girls.

I’m on the fence about the quality of Ben’s outfit.  It almost has a ‘craft project’ sort of feel to it.  The asymmetry of the collar is cool, but the blue fabric used to make the jacket with the attached white shirt is super thin and looks a little cheap. That being said, it fits him well.

Moving on to this body, Ben has joints in different places than the female Descendants dolls.  Ben’s head moves like the girls, fluidly in all directions.  He has joints in his shoulders and elbows, but not his wrists.  Ben also has joints in his hips, knees and ankles. I really, really miss the wrist joint.  Doll companies don’t realize how important it is to have a wrist joint, especially on the male dolls, when posing them for photos.

Ben comes wearing a solid pair of black dress shoes, a gold crown upon his head and a rose in hand for his lady love, Mal.

Mal has a head of black and purple hair.  It’s cut short in the back with long curls in the front. Surprisingly, it’s not sprayed down as much as I expected. The style is different, but I kind of like it.

Her heart shaped face is decked out for an afternoon date with Ben. Above her large, brown anime-esc eyes is a creamy pink shadow and long, thin purple brows.  Her painted lashes are long.  Mal has a light blush on her round cheeks and has a tight plum colored smile. The colors look great on her pale skin.

Mal wears a super cute light purple dress with short sleeves and a layered skirt. It’s a cute, innocent look for Mal, the daughter of one of the most villainous villains. The muted color scheme of her outfit is a surprise, but looks great with her hair.

Mal wears gold shoes with purple accents.  They are wedges, which make them great when it comes to posing her.   She stands on her own better than Evie.

One thing that I have to complain about when it comes to Mal is her body. It has more issues than the other Descendants girls I have tested. First, Mal’s elbows have a tendency to hyper extend. Second, because Mal was positioned in the box to look like she was holding Ben’s hand, her strangely long fingers are now bent in a weird way. Last, her hand sculpt is a little weird.

This is a pretty cute 2-pack.  Mal and Ben look good together and, in general, I like this set.  Ben’s look may be a bit polarizing to the masses, but I am a fan of his cartoonish design.  And Mal? Besides the issues I have with her body, her sculpt is nice and I like her anime-esc expression.

More Pictures can be seen here. Video Review:

What do you think of the Mal and Ben Descendants 2-pack?  Share your thoughts below.

*This product was sent to me for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I know Audrey is the ‘mean girl’ of Descendants, but I have to say, she’s the prettiest doll in Hasbro‘s Descendants Coronation series. Audrey, the daughter of Sleeping Beauty, is the most popular girl at Auradon Prep, a high school for the sons and daughters of heroes.

Her doll is adorable.  She looks like she just stepped out of an animated Disney movie!  It doesn’t at all remind me of her TV Movie persona, but you know what?  I don’t care. Her doll is probably my most favorite of the entire line so far.

Audrey has a lovely coffee colored skin tone.  She has a jointed vinyl body with joints at her shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. Her head moves fluidly left and right, up and down.

By far, my favorite thing about the doll version of this made for TV movie character is her face. Hasbro made a great creative choice by choosing to make the Descendants dolls in a cartoon-like manner. In Audrey’s case, she has large, anime inspired chocolate brown eyes. Above her eyes is a layer of light pink.  She has a heart shaped face with an open mouth grin.

Audrey’s hair is styled in a surprisingly well done up do. She has a head of chestnut brown hair with tan highlights. Audrey’s hair is pulled up into a side bun with a loose ringlet hanging down on either side of her face. There is a small plastic crown in her hair, held in with string.

Audrey’s coronation dress is a long pink dress with cap sleeves.  The skirt uses two different fabrics, which adds some depth to it.  She wears a bracelet, which seems like it’s molded to fit her forearm, making it non-removable. (Note: Apparently, you can take off their hands, so you can then take off their bracelets.) She also wears red flower earrings and a necklace.  Her necklace has a bad habit of spinning around and falling off.

Her shoes are white heels with blue bird like details.  The detail matches her purse, which has the same blue bird on the pink purse. The one downside of her purse is that it is kind of useless.  It is just molded plastic. It is very pretty, though.  I love the color combinations on the purse. Audrey comes with a ring for the a real kid to wear.  It’s very small and this is coming from a girl with very tiny fingers.  I don’t think this ring will easily fit many of the older children who may buy Audrey.

Overall, there are a lot of positives about Coronation Audrey.  Her face is super pretty and her hair is very well done. Her outfit is a great color for her skin tone, as well.

One thing Hasbro has to work on is the female body they’re using so far for the line.  Audrey will pose, but could move more fluidly. I had to really work at getting Audrey’s right leg to bend, to the point that I thought I may break it. Another smaller aspect I think Hasbro needs to work on are the girls hands. They look a little off. (But that may be just me who thinks that!)

Video Review:

For more pictures, click here.  Do you own Coronation Audrey from Descendants? What do you think of her? Share your thoughts below.

This product was sent to me for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was tagged by BlackKitty of The Multicrafteral Lab for The Liebster Award. This is a fun Q and A that has been going around the internet for sometime. I was tagged for this award before. Here’s a new set of questions, written up by BlackKitty.

The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog
2. Give your readers 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers to receive this award. (I’ll let you nominate yourselves!)
5. Invent 11 questions for your nominees.

Skipper, Barbie’s Little Sister

11 Facts About Me:
1-I’ve been blogging since 2010!  (Yikes)
2-Keep your eyes peeled for Disney Toy Reviews, which I’ll be reviewing for About.com!!!! (Exciting!)
3&4-I went through an anime and manga phase during high school. My favorite anime is Serial Experiments Lain. Currently, I’m creating a Makie to look similar to the title character, Lain. My favorite manga is Marmalade Boy.
5-Since blogging, my doll collection has grown so much and now encompasses many doll lines that I don’t think it would, had I not started this blog.
6-More specifically, I’ve gathered a lot more 15″ and taller dolls. Until blogging, my only ‘big’ dolls were Pleasant Company’s Samantha, Molly, Felicity and a Girl of Today. Now, I have a small army of big dolls, including A Girl for All Time and Maru and Friends. If only I had the space to really display them all properly!
7-My dolls are displayed in glass IKEA cases.
8-My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh.
9-I am hugely obsessed with television shows. My favorites are Once Upon a Time, Doctor Who, Roswell and The Amazing Race. I’m kind of a ‘tween’ at heart and can easily be sucked into shows that I’m way too old for, like Australia’s Dance Academy. (Oh, Sammy!)  I’m not immune to K-drama’s, either!
10-Once upon a time, I wanted to write for TV. I still may do that one day.
11-On the same note, for one brief shining moment, I lived in Burbank, CA, studied on the CBS lot and interned on the Warner Bros. lot.

Below are the answers to BlackKitty’s 11 questions:

1. Do you collect anything besides dolls?
Answer: I wish I could say no, but the answer is, oh boy, yes I do!  I collect: C3P0, cool wall art, neat Doctor Who stuff, 80’s cartoon/toy related products that tie into my childhood, cute Christmas’y things…  I guess I’m just a collector at heart.

2. What is your favourite part about the doll hobby?
Answer: My favorite part at the moment is customizing them. I’ve had so much fun creating my own Pullips (either from Make It Own kits or from stock bodies). I get an equal amount of enjoyment out of photographing dolls. I’m one of those that will go out of my way to get the photos printed through Shutterfly and the like so I have hard copies of some of my doll photos. I even have some photos on mugs and pillows.

3. What was the first doll you added to your collection as an adult?
Answer: Wow. That’s hard. That was a long time ago that I actively decided to collect (I was 16– which was literally 16 year ago. That’s so scary!) That’s when I started looking for vintage Skippers. I don’t remember my first Skipper purchased after that, but the first Skipper I spent good money on was a Japanese Skipper, a few years later. That was the first time I really invested in a hard to find doll for my collection.

4. How did blogging help you with your hobby?
Answer: Blogging has introduced me to so many new doll lines, it’s both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, my collection has diversified a lot, on the other hand, my wishlist is far longer than it would be without Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter. It has also helped me make friends with bloggers and even CEO’s of doll companies.

5. Name one doll or blog-related accomplishment that you’re very proud of.
Answer: The fact that I get to inspire doll collectors around the world every day is something I am very proud of. Also, because of this blog, I was able to pen an article on the hobby for Complete Wellbeing back in January. Without a blog, the magazine would have never been able to find me.

6. What is your favourite doll blog?
Answer: I plead the fifth! Because I’m working on stuff for my blog and (now) Disney Toy page much of the time, I feel like I don’t have enough time in the day to really browse other blogs. That being said, I do follow a few! I won’t tell you which, though! Every blog I’ve visited has been great in its own unique way!

7. When you get stuck on a project, how do you get it going again?
Answer: I stop working on it completely and do something else. Sometimes, I’ll start a new project. Other times, I’ll put on the TV and relax. I’m an ‘over-thinker’ and sometimes, all I need is a break from the problem to get started fresh again.

8. What new skill would you like to learn?
Answer: I would learn to master the Italian language or play the piano. Both of those things would be top on my list of things to learn. I feel like the piano would be pretty easy. The Italian language, not so much!

9. What are your 3 favourite books or authors?
Answer: Is it strange that I don’t really have favorite authors? I have favorite books. My absolute, all time favorite book is The Grey King, by Susan Cooper. It’s the fourth book in the Dark is Rising Sequence and the reason I’m obsessed with traveling to Wales. Another favorite of mine is Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. Everything about it is wonderful. One more… I guess, my next favorite book would be The Host, by Stephanie Meyer. The first 100 pages aren’t very good, but the rest of the novel is great. A Certain Slant of Light, by Laura Whitcomb would be a close fourth. That story is beautifully written. For all my favorites, visit here. (FYI, before this blog, I reviewed books! Visit the link to read some of my reviews.)

10. Which doll do you want the most at the moment?
Answer: So hard! A cool SD scale male BJD would be nice. Or a Maggie Made Doll. Both of those are high on my list!

11. If you had to evacuate immediately with no possibility of return, which is the one item you’d pack besides the emergency case?
Answer: Can my one item be a whole suitcase? As far as dolls are concerned, I’d grab my Madame Alexander Victoria I got when my brother was born and Stitches, a plush from my crib. And a Little Miss No Name. They’re all sort of small. I can hold them!  Maybe I can stuff some of my Hujoo’s in a hat or something, then ‘wear’ them to safety?

Lagoona

11 Questions for Others to Answer:
I am choosing to not nominate anyone.  If you want to answer these questions, go for it.  Share the link, so I can read your answers.

1-Are you a convention goer, doll themed or otherwise? What do you like most about the convention scene?
2-If you could customize your favorite movie or TV series into a doll line, what TV/Movie would it be and what doll line would be your inspiration?
3-If life were a Choose Your Own Adventure novel and you were told you could have your dream job, what job would that be?
4-We all have had a doll line ‘sneak’ up on us. What doll line ‘snuck’ up on you?
5-If you were told you could go anywhere in the world, where would that be?
6-Stock doll or Custom doll? Which do you prefer?
7-Are you more prone to reading reviews or watching reviews when browsing the web?
8-Do you have a dolly doppelganger? If not, do you have a real life doppelganger? Who?
9-How do you display your dolls?
10-What item currently tops your ‘Grail’ list?
11-How important are dolls to learning?

Big thank you to BlackKitty for nominating me!  For those without a blog, feel free to answer in the comment area. :)

In 1988, Mattel released Homecoming Queen Skipper. Homecoming Queen Skipper was manufactured in both white and black (aa) skin tones. Recently in an auction, I won a ‘lot’ of large eyed Skippers.  The lot featured two AA Homecoming Queen Skippers and, interestingly enough, they were not identical.
 

Homecoming Queen Skipper wears a long white dress with flower embellishments along the bottom of the skirt and by the neckline.  She wears flowers in her hair, as well. Mattel is never too far away from a gimmick and Skipper’s gimmick is found in her dress, which is designed to change lengths.

Skipper has long black hair with a bit of a wave, no bangs. Her eyes are a cool mixture of blue/grey.  Skipper comes with a comb, shoes and purse.

The flowers are where the outfits of these dolls differ. One has large, craft like flowers and the other has smaller, more traditional silk flowers.  Below are images of what I believe to be the first version of Homecoming Queen Skipper.

One major downfall of this first run? Her green legs. I took her out of her box to find her legs speckled with green spots.

While I can’t be certain, there are a few things about the above release that make me believe she was released first. First, there is the prototype.  The box graphics seem to feature a prototype doll that looks very similar to this. The rose details are nearly identical.

Another characteristic that leads me to believe that this version of Skipper came first is the fact that it seems like more fabric was used when you compare this dress to the other nearly identical dress. I see this mostly in the bodice area.
The purse this Skipper comes with is also longer than the purse issued with the other doll I’m going to show you next. Last, the paperwork that was packaged with this Skipper, the Skipper Teen Scrapbook, is, if I remember correctly, usually packaged with the older dolls of this Skipper era. The Skipper with the smaller, silk flowers was packaged with a poster insert that is more reminiscent of what they included with 90’s Skippers.

Ready to see photos of what I suspect was the second release? There are two things worth noting about this second edition besides the flower variation. First, her face is less glossy than the doll featured above. Also, she has no green spots on her legs.

Video Review Below:

Did you know Mattel tweaked the design for Homecoming Queen Skipper mid run?  Which Skipper do you prefer?  Share your thoughts in the comment area.

You can tell Christmas isn’t too far away, because new products are all over the place!  Here’s a few items I noticed while shopping recently.

Strawberry Shortcake

Last we saw the guy above, he was a cardboard cut out in a Toy Fair booth, I believe!  Look, here he is in 3D in this Toys R Us exclusive Berryella and Prince Charming set.  I think this set is “berry” cute!

CPK’s by Wicked Cool Toys

CPK by Wicked Cool Toys

Wicked Cool Toys Cabbage Patch Kids have hit stores!  Be very careful when buying a CPK up, though, as some of the Jakks Pacific dolls are still in stores, too. Make sure to check for the Wicked Cool Toys logo on the box.

Not Moxie Storytime Princess

This set was a bit of a head scratcher for me.  Made by MGA, these dolls are identical to Moxie Girlz.  It looks like they were rebranded for this Storytime Princess set.  The girls even have a castle available for purchase.  Both are exclusive to Toys R Us.

Scary Chewie

Of all the things I saw during Force Friday, this Mega Posable Talking Plush Chewbacca was the scariest.  What were they thinking?  This doesn’t even look like Chewie.

Meccano

Meccano’s were previewed in a Toy Fair video I posted from the Spin Master breakfast.  Looks like Meccanoid G15 is finally out and about for kids to play with.

Paw Patrol

This Paw Patrol Mission Chase is another thing we first saw at Toy Fair.  This will be a hot seller come Christmas time.

Lori

Lori

Lori seems to be a new doll line.  They’re not very big in scale and are made by the folks behind Our Generation.

Our Generation Kitchen

Scaled for the 18″ Our Generation dolls, here’s a super great looking set, the ‘Bite to Eat’ Diner.  Look at all the food items!!!

new MiWorld

Keep your eyes peeled for the newest MiWorld set, Paws and Claws.  It’s a Toys R Us exclusive.  I’m still waiting for the AMC Theater that was shown at Toy Fair.  This pet shop is pretty cute.  So colorful.

17″ Monster High

Have you seen these 17″ Monster High characters at your local stores yet?  They’re on their way!  Check the quality of the doll before buying it, though, because I found that some of the dolls seemed hastily packaged.

Descendants

Any Descendants fans in the house? Here are Audrey, Jane and Lonnie.  I know Audrey was supposed to be the ‘mean’ girl of the group, but I think her doll might be the prettiest of them all.

Ever After High

Ever After High

Ever After High

Mattel’s trend of releasing really nice looking Ever After High dolls seems to be continuing.  Heartstuck Cupid is so pretty, as is Sugar Coated Holly.  I would also like to give Mattel credit for the awesome box design of the Way Too Wonderland dolls.  I love how they’re posed in the box!

Create a Bratz

Apparently, you can now Create a Bratz on Target.com.

Bratz

Speaking of Bratz, they’re back.  And, I’m honestly not very excited about them. MGA may have played up the whole rebranding thing too much for my taste as they kind of look… the same.  There. I said it.  I still don’t care much for this line.  But I know some of you love it, so here are some pictures of what I’ve seen, Bratz-wise, around town!

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

And then there is the line below that has been making its rounds on the internet for a few weeks now, Project MC2.  They’re cute. I like the inset eyes and the fashions.  It will be fun to see what happens with this line.

new doll alert!

MC2

So, that’s a peek of what I’ve been spying at our local toy stores recently. What have you seen that’s caught your eye?  Share your thoughts below!

Today is Force Friday, an elaborate event planned by Lucasfilm and Disney to debut the new The Force Awakens toy line. I’m a huge Star Wars fan. It’s yet another thing my mother passed down to me. So, you’ll understand why I’m so excited about all the great things going on in the Star Wars universe.

TRU, 15 minutes to midnight

10 minutes to midnight, my mom and I drove into the Toys R Us parking lot. There were about 20 people standing in line, waiting for the store to open. All Toys R Us locations opened at midnight to allow fans to see and purchase the new toys.  Target, Walmart, Meijer and other stores had limited midnight openings.

There was far less fan fare to the event than I expected.   Attendees who went to larger stores probably saw a lot more hoopla at the event. Our tiny suburban Toys R Us held a pretty low key midnight release.

Now, the thing with me is that I’m not an all around Star Wars collector. I’m a collector of C3P0. (See, I’m all about choosing a niche to collect over a large, all encompassing brand.) There were many new toys on display at Toys R Us during the midnight opening, but not many were C3P0 related, so I left with only a small bag of items.

Cars

First, I picked up a cool Hot Wheels 2 set with cars inspired by C3P0 and R2D2. They are great examples of the quality of Hot Wheels. Both cars share characteristics with the Star Wars droids they are inspired by. Even cooler, they were designed to look like they were just off roading. I love them!

Mug

I also picked up a cold water mug that is made to look like a stylized C3P0.

Funko Pop!

Last, I picked up a new The Force Awakens C3P0 Funko Pop! Bobblehead. Notice C3P0’s new red arm.  When compared to my other Pop C3P0, they seem to have made improvements on the body. I love the small details in this new release.

Did you go to any Force Friday events? Are you excited about the upcoming Star Wars film? Share your thoughts below.

Baton Twirling Skipper was part of a ‘lot’ I won recently. Released in 1992 by Mattel, this Skipper was released in both a white and black (aa) skin tone.

While both versions wear identical outfits and share the same hair style, the black Baton Twirling Skipper has a pair of large purple eyes with some brown accents.

Baton Twirling Skipper wears a pink and orange uniform with long sleeves and silver accents. To top it off, she wears a tall pink marching hat and bright pink boots.

Her long black hair has some curl to it and a lot of bounce. And of course, being the early 90’s, Skipper has larger than life bangs.

One of the best things about this release is her baton! Skipper can hold her baton thanks to the skin tone colored plastic piece at the end that fits her molded hand. The baton spins fluidly after you give it a light push.

Video below:

Do you have Baton Twirling Skipper in your collection? Share your thoughts below.

For the past two years, Barbee0913 and I have attended PUDDLE, a convention that celebrates Pullips and family.  It’s held yearly in Illinois and is a great way to meet other Pullip collectors.

Jane Easterly is one of the coordinators of PUDDLE. Jane was kind enough to answer a few questions for this little blog.

Question: Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been collecting? What brought you into the doll collecting hobby?
Answer: I have loved dolls since I was a kid. I have most of my childhood dolls, still in good shape although I played with them a lot. My first major purchase in life was Barbie’s British friend Stacey when I was in grade school!

Question: What kind of dolls do you focus on? What drew you to that particular kind of doll (or kinds of dolls)?
Answer: I used to collect Barbie mainly, but since I discovered Dal doll she is my focus (although unfortunately there have not been many Dal releases the last two years). I saw Hina Ichigo Dal in Haute Doll magazine and just flipped for her. I love that serious face – it makes her look like she is always thinking about something. I also like Dal’s age, 13. Still a kid, but growing up. She reminds me of my own childhood. I do also have a few BJDs, a few Monster High, and a few antique dolls.

Photo Credit: Jane

Question: How did PUDDLE come about? Can you share its origin story with us?
Answer: I love Dal doll so much that I wanted to meet more fans and share my love for her. I knew I could not start a convention for Dal alone, and I like Pullip and friends also, so I started PUDDLE in 2008. The first one was very informal. I picked a date and put out a call on various doll forums. About 35 people attended, from as far away as Minnesota , Indiana , and Ohio , and I could tell there was enough enthusiasm to hold another one.

Question: What goes into planning a convention like PUDDLE? Give us an idea of the process you go through when planning an event of its scale.
Answer: It’s a lot of work! I have to be very organized. Even though the registration fee is low, I take very seriously that people are paying to attend. I have to update the website, reserve the meeting and guest rooms at the event hotel, publicize the event, encourage people to register, solicit donations, keep track of who has paid and who has not, and lots more. Soliciting donations and thanking the donors is really important. Fortunately as the event has grown, so has the number of people helping in various ways. Babelglyph/Crayola Bolger is now the co-coordinator.

Dolls, Sept 2015, Coverage

Question: What is the aim of PUDDLE?
Answer: The goal of PUDDLE is to share our love for Pullip, Dal, Taeyang, Isul, and other Groove dolls and to have fun.

Question: Who attends PUDDLE? What should attendees expect during PUDDLE?
Answer: People who really love Pullip attend PUDDLE! We have women and men, girls and boys, old and young. People come alone or with friends, parents come with children – last year we had a father and son. The best way to know what to expect is to visit www.puddlestyle.com. We have contests, vendors, icebreakers, and lots of socializing. We have not yet had a workshop or panel, but if someone volunteers we’d love to include one.

Question: Are non-Pullip and family dolls allowed to attend the event?
Answer: Yep, all dolls are welcome at PUDDLE. We love dolls, and it’s the rare doll collector who collects only one type of doll. We love to see example of other dolls, like Blythes and BJDs, and of custom dolls of all kinds. One event, the dress-like-your-doll costume parade, can be entered with any kind of doll. Other contests are reserved for dolls from Groove.

Question: What’s the difference between PUDDLE and smaller fan meet ups?
Answer: One of the great things about PUDDLE is how many people attend – over 100 last year – and from how far away. We’ve had people from Canada , California , Florida , Louisiana , New York . We also have events on Friday from those who arrive early, and we party late into the night on Saturday, so it’s really a Pullip-intensive weekend. It’s also a great chance to buy dolls, outfits, wigs, bodies, and accessories. Seller Shifty Lizard brings two tables’ worth of dolls, and it’s fun just to see all those new dolls in one place!

2016 Theme

Question: Can you tell us anything about PUDDLE 2016? Do you have a theme?
Answer: PUDDLE 2016 will take place on June 4, at the Holiday Inn Chicago-Elk Grove once again. In honor of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary, the theme is Space: The Final Frontier, but the theme is very broad. Space, space travel, astronauts, science fiction, the planets, and fandoms like Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Sailor Moon.

Question: How does registration work for PUDDLE 2016?
Answer: Registration is open now!

Question: Where can readers go to find out more information on PUDDLE?
Answer: The best place to start is www.puddlestyle.com. You can also visit us on Facebook and Flickr. If anyone would like to receive email updates, you can email me at jane_easterly(AT)hotmail(DOT)com.

So, now that you’ve heard a little about PUDDLE, join in on the fun! If all goes well, I will be attending 2016’s convention.  You should, too! If you have other questions, feel free to leave them in the comment area or email Jane at the address above.

Have you attended PUDDLE? What did you think of the event? Share your thoughts below!

When Barbie was new and still growing into the brand it has become, they released some pretty awesome licensed merchandise. Some of those early products were tea sets. Between 1963 and 1967, Mattel released a number of Skipper themed tea sets. These tea sets included branded plates, along with generic accessories.

There’s no way to tell which specific sets my plates came from, as they used them across the board in some cases. My collection includes 5 small plates featuring Skipper’s face and 4 large plates with Skipper in her School Days outfit (possibly).  Barbie and Ken can be seen in the background of the plates.

One interesting thing to note is that while the design is the same for the plates, they don’t look identical.  Some are painted much heavier than others.  Were they in different sets?  I couldn’t tell you, since none of these were packaged mint in box.

Finding plates like these is easier said than done.  Their thin plastic makes them very fragile if stored improperly.  One of mine has a crack running through it, so I am always very careful with where these are displayed.

Do you own any of the vintage Barbie and friends tea sets?  Why do you think the paint differs plate to plate? Share your thoughts below.

It’s time to review Hasbro’s Disney’s Descendant 2-pack with Mal and Ben! Mal, Maleficent’s daughter, and Ben, the son of Beauty and the Beast, (spoiler alert) share a budding romance in the Disney Channel TV movie about the teenage descendants of everyone’s favorite heroes and villains.

Let’s start with Ben.  There’s something great about the design of this Ben doll. Yes, he looks like a total cartoon character, but you know what? I love it! Unlike the girls, Ben has molded brown hair with some light brown highlights painted in the front. I’m actually fine with the molded hair.  Many times, companies just don’t root and style boys hair properly when they try to use ‘real’ hair.

His long face features two thick painted eye brows, large eyes and a friendly smile.  He looks like a very handsome animated prince and fits in well with the girls.

I’m on the fence about the quality of Ben’s outfit.  It almost has a ‘craft project’ sort of feel to it.  The asymmetry of the collar is cool, but the blue fabric used to make the jacket with the attached white shirt is super thin and looks a little cheap. That being said, it fits him well.

Moving on to this body, Ben has joints in different places than the female Descendants dolls.  Ben’s head moves like the girls, fluidly in all directions.  He has joints in his shoulders and elbows, but not his wrists.  Ben also has joints in his hips, knees and ankles. I really, really miss the wrist joint.  Doll companies don’t realize how important it is to have a wrist joint, especially on the male dolls, when posing them for photos.

Ben comes wearing a solid pair of black dress shoes, a gold crown upon his head and a rose in hand for his lady love, Mal.

Mal has a head of black and purple hair.  It’s cut short in the back with long curls in the front. Surprisingly, it’s not sprayed down as much as I expected. The style is different, but I kind of like it.

Her heart shaped face is decked out for an afternoon date with Ben. Above her large, brown anime-esc eyes is a creamy pink shadow and long, thin purple brows.  Her painted lashes are long.  Mal has a light blush on her round cheeks and has a tight plum colored smile. The colors look great on her pale skin.

Mal wears a super cute light purple dress with short sleeves and a layered skirt. It’s a cute, innocent look for Mal, the daughter of one of the most villainous villains. The muted color scheme of her outfit is a surprise, but looks great with her hair.

Mal wears gold shoes with purple accents.  They are wedges, which make them great when it comes to posing her.   She stands on her own better than Evie.

One thing that I have to complain about when it comes to Mal is her body. It has more issues than the other Descendants girls I have tested. First, Mal’s elbows have a tendency to hyper extend. Second, because Mal was positioned in the box to look like she was holding Ben’s hand, her strangely long fingers are now bent in a weird way. Last, her hand sculpt is a little weird.

This is a pretty cute 2-pack.  Mal and Ben look good together and, in general, I like this set.  Ben’s look may be a bit polarizing to the masses, but I am a fan of his cartoonish design.  And Mal? Besides the issues I have with her body, her sculpt is nice and I like her anime-esc expression.

More Pictures can be seen here. Video Review:

What do you think of the Mal and Ben Descendants 2-pack?  Share your thoughts below.

*This product was sent to me for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I know Audrey is the ‘mean girl’ of Descendants, but I have to say, she’s the prettiest doll in Hasbro‘s Descendants Coronation series. Audrey, the daughter of Sleeping Beauty, is the most popular girl at Auradon Prep, a high school for the sons and daughters of heroes.

Her doll is adorable.  She looks like she just stepped out of an animated Disney movie!  It doesn’t at all remind me of her TV Movie persona, but you know what?  I don’t care. Her doll is probably my most favorite of the entire line so far.

Audrey has a lovely coffee colored skin tone.  She has a jointed vinyl body with joints at her shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. Her head moves fluidly left and right, up and down.

By far, my favorite thing about the doll version of this made for TV movie character is her face. Hasbro made a great creative choice by choosing to make the Descendants dolls in a cartoon-like manner. In Audrey’s case, she has large, anime inspired chocolate brown eyes. Above her eyes is a layer of light pink.  She has a heart shaped face with an open mouth grin.

Audrey’s hair is styled in a surprisingly well done up do. She has a head of chestnut brown hair with tan highlights. Audrey’s hair is pulled up into a side bun with a loose ringlet hanging down on either side of her face. There is a small plastic crown in her hair, held in with string.

Audrey’s coronation dress is a long pink dress with cap sleeves.  The skirt uses two different fabrics, which adds some depth to it.  She wears a bracelet, which seems like it’s molded to fit her forearm, making it non-removable. (Note: Apparently, you can take off their hands, so you can then take off their bracelets.) She also wears red flower earrings and a necklace.  Her necklace has a bad habit of spinning around and falling off.

Her shoes are white heels with blue bird like details.  The detail matches her purse, which has the same blue bird on the pink purse. The one downside of her purse is that it is kind of useless.  It is just molded plastic. It is very pretty, though.  I love the color combinations on the purse. Audrey comes with a ring for the a real kid to wear.  It’s very small and this is coming from a girl with very tiny fingers.  I don’t think this ring will easily fit many of the older children who may buy Audrey.

Overall, there are a lot of positives about Coronation Audrey.  Her face is super pretty and her hair is very well done. Her outfit is a great color for her skin tone, as well.

One thing Hasbro has to work on is the female body they’re using so far for the line.  Audrey will pose, but could move more fluidly. I had to really work at getting Audrey’s right leg to bend, to the point that I thought I may break it. Another smaller aspect I think Hasbro needs to work on are the girls hands. They look a little off. (But that may be just me who thinks that!)

Video Review:

For more pictures, click here.  Do you own Coronation Audrey from Descendants? What do you think of her? Share your thoughts below.

This product was sent to me for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was tagged by BlackKitty of The Multicrafteral Lab for The Liebster Award. This is a fun Q and A that has been going around the internet for sometime. I was tagged for this award before. Here’s a new set of questions, written up by BlackKitty.

The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog
2. Give your readers 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers to receive this award. (I’ll let you nominate yourselves!)
5. Invent 11 questions for your nominees.

Skipper, Barbie’s Little Sister

11 Facts About Me:
1-I’ve been blogging since 2010!  (Yikes)
2-Keep your eyes peeled for Disney Toy Reviews, which I’ll be reviewing for About.com!!!! (Exciting!)
3&4-I went through an anime and manga phase during high school. My favorite anime is Serial Experiments Lain. Currently, I’m creating a Makie to look similar to the title character, Lain. My favorite manga is Marmalade Boy.
5-Since blogging, my doll collection has grown so much and now encompasses many doll lines that I don’t think it would, had I not started this blog.
6-More specifically, I’ve gathered a lot more 15″ and taller dolls. Until blogging, my only ‘big’ dolls were Pleasant Company’s Samantha, Molly, Felicity and a Girl of Today. Now, I have a small army of big dolls, including A Girl for All Time and Maru and Friends. If only I had the space to really display them all properly!
7-My dolls are displayed in glass IKEA cases.
8-My favorite artist is Vincent Van Gogh.
9-I am hugely obsessed with television shows. My favorites are Once Upon a Time, Doctor Who, Roswell and The Amazing Race. I’m kind of a ‘tween’ at heart and can easily be sucked into shows that I’m way too old for, like Australia’s Dance Academy. (Oh, Sammy!)  I’m not immune to K-drama’s, either!
10-Once upon a time, I wanted to write for TV. I still may do that one day.
11-On the same note, for one brief shining moment, I lived in Burbank, CA, studied on the CBS lot and interned on the Warner Bros. lot.

Below are the answers to BlackKitty’s 11 questions:

1. Do you collect anything besides dolls?
Answer: I wish I could say no, but the answer is, oh boy, yes I do!  I collect: C3P0, cool wall art, neat Doctor Who stuff, 80’s cartoon/toy related products that tie into my childhood, cute Christmas’y things…  I guess I’m just a collector at heart.

2. What is your favourite part about the doll hobby?
Answer: My favorite part at the moment is customizing them. I’ve had so much fun creating my own Pullips (either from Make It Own kits or from stock bodies). I get an equal amount of enjoyment out of photographing dolls. I’m one of those that will go out of my way to get the photos printed through Shutterfly and the like so I have hard copies of some of my doll photos. I even have some photos on mugs and pillows.

3. What was the first doll you added to your collection as an adult?
Answer: Wow. That’s hard. That was a long time ago that I actively decided to collect (I was 16– which was literally 16 year ago. That’s so scary!) That’s when I started looking for vintage Skippers. I don’t remember my first Skipper purchased after that, but the first Skipper I spent good money on was a Japanese Skipper, a few years later. That was the first time I really invested in a hard to find doll for my collection.

4. How did blogging help you with your hobby?
Answer: Blogging has introduced me to so many new doll lines, it’s both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, my collection has diversified a lot, on the other hand, my wishlist is far longer than it would be without Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter. It has also helped me make friends with bloggers and even CEO’s of doll companies.

5. Name one doll or blog-related accomplishment that you’re very proud of.
Answer: The fact that I get to inspire doll collectors around the world every day is something I am very proud of. Also, because of this blog, I was able to pen an article on the hobby for Complete Wellbeing back in January. Without a blog, the magazine would have never been able to find me.

6. What is your favourite doll blog?
Answer: I plead the fifth! Because I’m working on stuff for my blog and (now) Disney Toy page much of the time, I feel like I don’t have enough time in the day to really browse other blogs. That being said, I do follow a few! I won’t tell you which, though! Every blog I’ve visited has been great in its own unique way!

7. When you get stuck on a project, how do you get it going again?
Answer: I stop working on it completely and do something else. Sometimes, I’ll start a new project. Other times, I’ll put on the TV and relax. I’m an ‘over-thinker’ and sometimes, all I need is a break from the problem to get started fresh again.

8. What new skill would you like to learn?
Answer: I would learn to master the Italian language or play the piano. Both of those things would be top on my list of things to learn. I feel like the piano would be pretty easy. The Italian language, not so much!

9. What are your 3 favourite books or authors?
Answer: Is it strange that I don’t really have favorite authors? I have favorite books. My absolute, all time favorite book is The Grey King, by Susan Cooper. It’s the fourth book in the Dark is Rising Sequence and the reason I’m obsessed with traveling to Wales. Another favorite of mine is Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. Everything about it is wonderful. One more… I guess, my next favorite book would be The Host, by Stephanie Meyer. The first 100 pages aren’t very good, but the rest of the novel is great. A Certain Slant of Light, by Laura Whitcomb would be a close fourth. That story is beautifully written. For all my favorites, visit here. (FYI, before this blog, I reviewed books! Visit the link to read some of my reviews.)

10. Which doll do you want the most at the moment?
Answer: So hard! A cool SD scale male BJD would be nice. Or a Maggie Made Doll. Both of those are high on my list!

11. If you had to evacuate immediately with no possibility of return, which is the one item you’d pack besides the emergency case?
Answer: Can my one item be a whole suitcase? As far as dolls are concerned, I’d grab my Madame Alexander Victoria I got when my brother was born and Stitches, a plush from my crib. And a Little Miss No Name. They’re all sort of small. I can hold them!  Maybe I can stuff some of my Hujoo’s in a hat or something, then ‘wear’ them to safety?

Lagoona

11 Questions for Others to Answer:
I am choosing to not nominate anyone.  If you want to answer these questions, go for it.  Share the link, so I can read your answers.

1-Are you a convention goer, doll themed or otherwise? What do you like most about the convention scene?
2-If you could customize your favorite movie or TV series into a doll line, what TV/Movie would it be and what doll line would be your inspiration?
3-If life were a Choose Your Own Adventure novel and you were told you could have your dream job, what job would that be?
4-We all have had a doll line ‘sneak’ up on us. What doll line ‘snuck’ up on you?
5-If you were told you could go anywhere in the world, where would that be?
6-Stock doll or Custom doll? Which do you prefer?
7-Are you more prone to reading reviews or watching reviews when browsing the web?
8-Do you have a dolly doppelganger? If not, do you have a real life doppelganger? Who?
9-How do you display your dolls?
10-What item currently tops your ‘Grail’ list?
11-How important are dolls to learning?

Big thank you to BlackKitty for nominating me!  For those without a blog, feel free to answer in the comment area. :)

Remember those posts I did about a new doll line called My Ballerina Dolls? Well, I finally have one in my hands! It’s time to give her a proper review. As we learned in the interview I did with creator Tiffany Koepke, this line has deep roots in the Ballet world. Inspired to create a doll that could pose like a real ballerina, My Ballerina Dolls currently features one doll, Clara, with others to follow.

At 22″ tall, Clara is a big doll. To put this into perspective, your typical MSD ball jointed doll is 17″ tall and American Girl and Madame Alexander Play dolls are around 18″ tall. So, Clara is at least 4″ larger than you’re probably expecting. Her jointed body has an athletic build to it, with thick thighs and a defined waist. If I had to compare Clara’s proportions to anything, it would be asian ball jointed dolls. The one place where she differs from them is in her jointing. She’s not strung. Her joints are more like what you’d expect on an obitsu body.

Let’s dive in deeper to the review, shall we? What originally attracted me to this doll line in February was the anime aesthetic of the face molds. Clara looks like she could have just stepped out of a ballet themed anime with her big eyes, defined nose and chin and round cheeks. Her inset eyes are blue with an element of purple mixed in and, as opposed to being flat (like a pullip eye) have more of a cone shape to them. Originally, I thought you may be able to change the eye’s through the use of a head cap, but that seems to have not made the cut.

Clara wears very little makeup, which means she can play a number of different characters. She has a few painted lashes above her eye and pink lips. I love the fact that she doesn’t have a ton of ‘stage’ makeup on her face. She has a very clean, fresh look to her. Perfect for the role of Clara, as well as many others.

Clara wears a three-tiered lace and chiffon nightgown. It fits her really well and looks great. I love the most outer layer of the skirt, which is a lace material. The main problem I have with the outfit is that as I’ve played with her and photographed her, I’ve noticed a lot of strings hanging loose or catching on her joints. The creators will probably want to look into that. I also find the short skirt (bottom most layer of the skirt) a bit distracting. Why is it so short? Wouldn’t that hinder her movement if dancing in real life? I just don’t quite like how it cuts the outfit underneath the really pretty lace.

Moving along, let’s talk about Clara’s hair. Good news! She’s wigged with a removable wig and silicone wig cap. The thing the company needs to re-work the most for me is this stock wig. I love the direction they were going with the styling, but there are a few problems.

Her long brown hair is styled in a braid. The braid itself is done really, really well– much better than I could ever do on a doll wig. But here lies the problem. It’s really hard to style a doll wig and not see the netting under the hair. Because of her well-crafted braid, you can see the black netting used for the wig.

The wig also comes off as thin, due to the amount of hair that is styled in the braid and side bun. The bun is covered with a wire beaded bun cover. Speaking of the side bun, I had to laugh at the bobby pins used in the hair styling. They’re practically human sized hair pins.

For all the work on the wig, though, the styling isn’t bad. I just think they need to work on covering the wig netting and finding smaller, loss obnoxious bobby pins. However, because the wig is removable, you can easily switch it out with one your prefer. Her head seems to fit Pullip sized wigs (8-9) rather well, some with and some without the silicone wig cap. (If you can think of other good sizes for her, let me know in the comment area!)

Jointing; The fun part and probably the most important part of this review. How is she jointed? Well, here’s a quick run down. First off, it’s important to note that she’s made of a mixture of vinyl and hard plastic. This mixture gives her a uniqueness to her skin not seen in a lot of play dolls.

As I mentioned earlier, Clara isn’t strung. She has more of an obitu’ish body. Clara has a head that will move fluidly in all directions. This is super important, as a ballerina would have to move her head in specific directions for different ballet positions. Her head stays in those positions really well.

Her torso has two important joints– her waist joint and a bust joint. My doll’s bust seems to sit forward on the body, leaving a weird gap when she stands. That being said, most likely clothing will cover this, so it’s not a huge deal. These joints allow Clara to bend forward and backward, as well as twist slightly.

Her arms have a number of joints, as well. She has a shoulder joint that moves freely in all directions, then a joint in her upper arm that turns. Her elbows are double jointed and will bend up and down. Clara’s wrist is jointed, as well, but in a slightly different way than her shoulder. Her wrist will tilt up and down, but can’t swivel in any direction. In order to have her palm face in a different direction, for example, you have to turn the joint in her upper arm, so you can then manipulate the wrist joint and get it in the position you need it in. It sounds confusing and I can’t even tell you the number of times I tried to swivel the wrist joint while posing her, but you eventually get used to it. Ideally, I think the company should look into making the wrist joint a little easier to adjust, without having to move the upper arm joint.

While Clara’s hip joint seems to hinder her doing an arabesque, her hip joint allows her leg to go very high up when in the forward and sideways positions. I had trouble getting Clara’s leg to go back farther than a tendu. I tried her in various ‘split’ positions and ‘warm up’ poses, to see what Clara could do and I was pleasantly surprised. She can’t do a complete split in either direction, but she gets so close!

Clara has a hip joint that turns, located in her upper thigh, double jointed knees and an ankle joint. Her knee and ankle joints move up and down, but don’t tilt. The joint in her upper thigh is super important in posing Clara in fun poses. It takes a while to figure out how to manipulate it, but eventually you’ll get the gist. For example, for Clara to bring her toes to her knee (like she’s ready to pirouette), you have to first make sure she’s in a ‘turn out’ position by using the thigh joint. I am probably making this out to be super complicated, but really, it’s not. Like the wrist joint, I do think it would have been nice to be able to turn her toes out just through the ankle joint, but it works as is, too.

Here are some images of Clara in first, second and fifth position. She balanced in all of them, even fifth.

One of my favorite things about Clara are her ballet slippers. I love the nearly knee high pink satin ‘ballet boots’. They look super cool. (I want a pair!) There’s a lot of ribbon used to lace these at the moment, which means they’re easy to lace up and tie.

Since Clara is a character in the Nutcracker, it would be wrong for her not to come with her own little Nutcracker. This set comes with a wooden Nutcracker. He’s put together well. While he doesn’t have a nutcracker mouth (that moves), he looks great with Clara!

Overall, I’m impressed with My Ballerina Dolls. Their ability to pose is great, especially in regards to ballet poses. I can tell a lot of thought was put into that aspect of this line.

I am also impressed with the face mold. I love the anime aesthetic. It’s not something you see every day on American play dolls. It’s an inviting change. Another huge perk for me is that I can change Clara’s wig. It’s always fun when you can easily customize a doll.

Watch the video review here. It’s a little long, but I wanted to cover everything.

I really hope this company succeeds and lasts for a long, long time. I’m a fan and will definitely be keeping an eye out for The Prince.  You can order your own Clara on the companies website. Visit my Flickr for more images. What do you think of My Ballerina Dolls Clara? Do you have any other questions? Share your thoughts below.

*This product was received for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are my own.

You can tell Christmas isn’t too far away, because new products are all over the place!  Here’s a few items I noticed while shopping recently.

Strawberry Shortcake

Last we saw the guy above, he was a cardboard cut out in a Toy Fair booth, I believe!  Look, here he is in 3D in this Toys R Us exclusive Berryella and Prince Charming set.  I think this set is “berry” cute!

CPK’s by Wicked Cool Toys

CPK by Wicked Cool Toys

Wicked Cool Toys Cabbage Patch Kids have hit stores!  Be very careful when buying a CPK up, though, as some of the Jakks Pacific dolls are still in stores, too. Make sure to check for the Wicked Cool Toys logo on the box.

Not Moxie Storytime Princess

This set was a bit of a head scratcher for me.  Made by MGA, these dolls are identical to Moxie Girlz.  It looks like they were rebranded for this Storytime Princess set.  The girls even have a castle available for purchase.  Both are exclusive to Toys R Us.

Scary Chewie

Of all the things I saw during Force Friday, this Mega Posable Talking Plush Chewbacca was the scariest.  What were they thinking?  This doesn’t even look like Chewie.

Meccano

Meccano’s were previewed in a Toy Fair video I posted from the Spin Master breakfast.  Looks like Meccanoid G15 is finally out and about for kids to play with.

Paw Patrol

This Paw Patrol Mission Chase is another thing we first saw at Toy Fair.  This will be a hot seller come Christmas time.

Lori

Lori

Lori seems to be a new doll line.  They’re not very big in scale and are made by the folks behind Our Generation.

Our Generation Kitchen

Scaled for the 18″ Our Generation dolls, here’s a super great looking set, the ‘Bite to Eat’ Diner.  Look at all the food items!!!

new MiWorld

Keep your eyes peeled for the newest MiWorld set, Paws and Claws.  It’s a Toys R Us exclusive.  I’m still waiting for the AMC Theater that was shown at Toy Fair.  This pet shop is pretty cute.  So colorful.

17″ Monster High

Have you seen these 17″ Monster High characters at your local stores yet?  They’re on their way!  Check the quality of the doll before buying it, though, because I found that some of the dolls seemed hastily packaged.

Descendants

Any Descendants fans in the house? Here are Audrey, Jane and Lonnie.  I know Audrey was supposed to be the ‘mean’ girl of the group, but I think her doll might be the prettiest of them all.

Ever After High

Ever After High

Ever After High

Mattel’s trend of releasing really nice looking Ever After High dolls seems to be continuing.  Heartstuck Cupid is so pretty, as is Sugar Coated Holly.  I would also like to give Mattel credit for the awesome box design of the Way Too Wonderland dolls.  I love how they’re posed in the box!

Create a Bratz

Apparently, you can now Create a Bratz on Target.com.

Bratz

Speaking of Bratz, they’re back.  And, I’m honestly not very excited about them. MGA may have played up the whole rebranding thing too much for my taste as they kind of look… the same.  There. I said it.  I still don’t care much for this line.  But I know some of you love it, so here are some pictures of what I’ve seen, Bratz-wise, around town!

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

Bratz

And then there is the line below that has been making its rounds on the internet for a few weeks now, Project MC2.  They’re cute. I like the inset eyes and the fashions.  It will be fun to see what happens with this line.

new doll alert!

MC2

So, that’s a peek of what I’ve been spying at our local toy stores recently. What have you seen that’s caught your eye?  Share your thoughts below!

Today is Force Friday, an elaborate event planned by Lucasfilm and Disney to debut the new The Force Awakens toy line. I’m a huge Star Wars fan. It’s yet another thing my mother passed down to me. So, you’ll understand why I’m so excited about all the great things going on in the Star Wars universe.

TRU, 15 minutes to midnight

10 minutes to midnight, my mom and I drove into the Toys R Us parking lot. There were about 20 people standing in line, waiting for the store to open. All Toys R Us locations opened at midnight to allow fans to see and purchase the new toys.  Target, Walmart, Meijer and other stores had limited midnight openings.

There was far less fan fare to the event than I expected.   Attendees who went to larger stores probably saw a lot more hoopla at the event. Our tiny suburban Toys R Us held a pretty low key midnight release.

Now, the thing with me is that I’m not an all around Star Wars collector. I’m a collector of C3P0. (See, I’m all about choosing a niche to collect over a large, all encompassing brand.) There were many new toys on display at Toys R Us during the midnight opening, but not many were C3P0 related, so I left with only a small bag of items.

Cars

First, I picked up a cool Hot Wheels 2 set with cars inspired by C3P0 and R2D2. They are great examples of the quality of Hot Wheels. Both cars share characteristics with the Star Wars droids they are inspired by. Even cooler, they were designed to look like they were just off roading. I love them!

Mug

I also picked up a cold water mug that is made to look like a stylized C3P0.

Funko Pop!

Last, I picked up a new The Force Awakens C3P0 Funko Pop! Bobblehead. Notice C3P0’s new red arm.  When compared to my other Pop C3P0, they seem to have made improvements on the body. I love the small details in this new release.

Did you go to any Force Friday events? Are you excited about the upcoming Star Wars film? Share your thoughts below.

Baton Twirling Skipper was part of a ‘lot’ I won recently. Released in 1992 by Mattel, this Skipper was released in both a white and black (aa) skin tone.

While both versions wear identical outfits and share the same hair style, the black Baton Twirling Skipper has a pair of large purple eyes with some brown accents.

Baton Twirling Skipper wears a pink and orange uniform with long sleeves and silver accents. To top it off, she wears a tall pink marching hat and bright pink boots.

Her long black hair has some curl to it and a lot of bounce. And of course, being the early 90’s, Skipper has larger than life bangs.

One of the best things about this release is her baton! Skipper can hold her baton thanks to the skin tone colored plastic piece at the end that fits her molded hand. The baton spins fluidly after you give it a light push.

Video below:

Do you have Baton Twirling Skipper in your collection? Share your thoughts below.

For the past two years, Barbee0913 and I have attended PUDDLE, a convention that celebrates Pullips and family.  It’s held yearly in Illinois and is a great way to meet other Pullip collectors.

Jane Easterly is one of the coordinators of PUDDLE. Jane was kind enough to answer a few questions for this little blog.

Question: Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been collecting? What brought you into the doll collecting hobby?
Answer: I have loved dolls since I was a kid. I have most of my childhood dolls, still in good shape although I played with them a lot. My first major purchase in life was Barbie’s British friend Stacey when I was in grade school!

Question: What kind of dolls do you focus on? What drew you to that particular kind of doll (or kinds of dolls)?
Answer: I used to collect Barbie mainly, but since I discovered Dal doll she is my focus (although unfortunately there have not been many Dal releases the last two years). I saw Hina Ichigo Dal in Haute Doll magazine and just flipped for her. I love that serious face – it makes her look like she is always thinking about something. I also like Dal’s age, 13. Still a kid, but growing up. She reminds me of my own childhood. I do also have a few BJDs, a few Monster High, and a few antique dolls.

Photo Credit: Jane

Question: How did PUDDLE come about? Can you share its origin story with us?
Answer: I love Dal doll so much that I wanted to meet more fans and share my love for her. I knew I could not start a convention for Dal alone, and I like Pullip and friends also, so I started PUDDLE in 2008. The first one was very informal. I picked a date and put out a call on various doll forums. About 35 people attended, from as far away as Minnesota , Indiana , and Ohio , and I could tell there was enough enthusiasm to hold another one.

Question: What goes into planning a convention like PUDDLE? Give us an idea of the process you go through when planning an event of its scale.
Answer: It’s a lot of work! I have to be very organized. Even though the registration fee is low, I take very seriously that people are paying to attend. I have to update the website, reserve the meeting and guest rooms at the event hotel, publicize the event, encourage people to register, solicit donations, keep track of who has paid and who has not, and lots more. Soliciting donations and thanking the donors is really important. Fortunately as the event has grown, so has the number of people helping in various ways. Babelglyph/Crayola Bolger is now the co-coordinator.

Dolls, Sept 2015, Coverage

Question: What is the aim of PUDDLE?
Answer: The goal of PUDDLE is to share our love for Pullip, Dal, Taeyang, Isul, and other Groove dolls and to have fun.

Question: Who attends PUDDLE? What should attendees expect during PUDDLE?
Answer: People who really love Pullip attend PUDDLE! We have women and men, girls and boys, old and young. People come alone or with friends, parents come with children – last year we had a father and son. The best way to know what to expect is to visit www.puddlestyle.com. We have contests, vendors, icebreakers, and lots of socializing. We have not yet had a workshop or panel, but if someone volunteers we’d love to include one.

Question: Are non-Pullip and family dolls allowed to attend the event?
Answer: Yep, all dolls are welcome at PUDDLE. We love dolls, and it’s the rare doll collector who collects only one type of doll. We love to see example of other dolls, like Blythes and BJDs, and of custom dolls of all kinds. One event, the dress-like-your-doll costume parade, can be entered with any kind of doll. Other contests are reserved for dolls from Groove.

Question: What’s the difference between PUDDLE and smaller fan meet ups?
Answer: One of the great things about PUDDLE is how many people attend – over 100 last year – and from how far away. We’ve had people from Canada , California , Florida , Louisiana , New York . We also have events on Friday from those who arrive early, and we party late into the night on Saturday, so it’s really a Pullip-intensive weekend. It’s also a great chance to buy dolls, outfits, wigs, bodies, and accessories. Seller Shifty Lizard brings two tables’ worth of dolls, and it’s fun just to see all those new dolls in one place!

2016 Theme

Question: Can you tell us anything about PUDDLE 2016? Do you have a theme?
Answer: PUDDLE 2016 will take place on June 4, at the Holiday Inn Chicago-Elk Grove once again. In honor of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary, the theme is Space: The Final Frontier, but the theme is very broad. Space, space travel, astronauts, science fiction, the planets, and fandoms like Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Sailor Moon.

Question: How does registration work for PUDDLE 2016?
Answer: Registration is open now!

Question: Where can readers go to find out more information on PUDDLE?
Answer: The best place to start is www.puddlestyle.com. You can also visit us on Facebook and Flickr. If anyone would like to receive email updates, you can email me at jane_easterly(AT)hotmail(DOT)com.

So, now that you’ve heard a little about PUDDLE, join in on the fun! If all goes well, I will be attending 2016’s convention.  You should, too! If you have other questions, feel free to leave them in the comment area or email Jane at the address above.

Have you attended PUDDLE? What did you think of the event? Share your thoughts below!

When Barbie was new and still growing into the brand it has become, they released some pretty awesome licensed merchandise. Some of those early products were tea sets. Between 1963 and 1967, Mattel released a number of Skipper themed tea sets. These tea sets included branded plates, along with generic accessories.

There’s no way to tell which specific sets my plates came from, as they used them across the board in some cases. My collection includes 5 small plates featuring Skipper’s face and 4 large plates with Skipper in her School Days outfit (possibly).  Barbie and Ken can be seen in the background of the plates.

One interesting thing to note is that while the design is the same for the plates, they don’t look identical.  Some are painted much heavier than others.  Were they in different sets?  I couldn’t tell you, since none of these were packaged mint in box.

Finding plates like these is easier said than done.  Their thin plastic makes them very fragile if stored improperly.  One of mine has a crack running through it, so I am always very careful with where these are displayed.

Do you own any of the vintage Barbie and friends tea sets?  Why do you think the paint differs plate to plate? Share your thoughts below.