If this first week of 2016 is any indication, it’s going to be a whirlwind year for doll collectors. Fresh off the heels of Mattel and their Monster High reboot fiasco, MakiesMakies has announced a quick change of their own. Operations are moving from the UK to the United States. Shocker, right? Part of the fun of Makies for me has always been that they weren’t produced by a US based company. Knowing this doll was printed and shipped from the UK made the wait for her very exciting. It was like my Makie was already having an adventure, even though she hadn’t yet arrived at my doorstep! On top of that, the 2 week shipping promise was usually on point, which is a very short wait for a custom doll from another country.

Various Makies

I first became acquainted with Makies back in November of 2013. A Facebook ad for Makies had popped up on the sidebar of my timeline and it stirred my curiosity. 3D printed dolls that you could design? How cool was that? Shortly after, I sent out an e-mail to Jen, who was the Communications Director at the time, asking for more information on the line. Honestly, I didn’t expect an e-mail back. Not many companies care about tiny blogs like mine. But surprisingly, shortly after sending the message, Jen replied back and answered all my questions. That’s when I realized that MakieLabs wasn’t your typical doll business. Since that original correspondence, I’ve tried to keep track of Makies and have tried to add one to my collection every few years. Most recently, I posted an interview with Christina, current Chief Marketing Officer, in an effort to understand some of the recent changes Makies has been going through this past six months.

The most recent bombshell from the company happened the other day, when the website displayed the following message: Makies are moving to America! Things are afoot and so the MakieLab is moving to the USA. The land of opportunity awaits. Will they be back online soon? Have they gone back to the future? Watch this space…

The line, “have they gone back to the future” makes me wonder if they’ve devised a way to keep the new price, but still have fully 3D printed bodies. The new plastic bodies they introduced a few months back look like they have a lot of kinks to work out still, so maybe they’re going back to the original concept of having your doll be 3D printed from head to toe? I’d be more than okay with that!

There are a few reasons why this move could be happening, but honestly, it’s all speculation at this point. All the company has officially posted is the blurb on the website. Does it have something to do with being accepted into the Disney Accelerator program for 2015, a program where they receive funding and mentorship? Maybe, but I don’t see any rule stating the companies need to be in the US full-time to be accepted. Could it be that the US has allowances for businesses that the UK doesn’t? I have literally no idea. It’s a huge question mark as to why this move is happening.

What I can safely deduce, though, is that most likely the move has very little to do with the fan base or competitive sales (US vs UK). There are a lot of collectors here in the States, but the UK collectors are far more boisterous about the line. In fact, most of the people I’ve talked with who own Makies are based somewhere in the UK, not the US. At least, that’s how it seems based on the doll shows I’ve attended with my Makies, where people tend to ask me lots of questions about them, because they have never heard of the line and/or weren’t sure if they could trust it.

The move itself is frustrating to me, because it seems to have come out of nowhere. Thank goodness I didn’t buy anyone gift cards this Christmas! With no re-opening date posted and no idea what this new Makie store will look like and offer, I would hate to think I gave someone a gift that they couldn’t use for who knows how long.

Makies Banner

Those in the UK have even more reasons to be frustrated, I’d imagine, because I’ve heard the horror stories about the fees that are tacked onto packages from the US and elsewhere. I would hate for Makies to be hard to get in the country that they originated in. I also feel bad for the people who helped build MakieLabs (the brand), who may not be able/want to move their entire lives to the USA.

My hope is that MakieLabs will give us a bit more information as soon as they can.  Collectors young and old would really like to know more about the future of the line or, at the very least, when the shop will reopen. And then there’s the weird boys in the website screenshot (ie: the guy with the beard). What’s the deal with him? I don’t dislike him, but I’m hungry for information.

What do you think of Makies and their move to the US? Pros? Cons? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

Months back, I won a lot of Pink Box Barbie’s.  This is Christie from the All American Barbie line. This series came out around 1991.  Besides Christie, this line featured Barbie, Ken, Kira and Teresa. A unique characteristic of this line is that Mattel had partnered with Reebok, a popular shoe brand. Christie, for examples, came with two pairs of colorful hi-top sneakers!

90’s pink box Barbie’s are essentially my youth. I love everything about them, like their crimped hair, large bangs and high ponytails, cool makeup and bright outfits. They remind me of the popular trends that I lived through in the 1990’s.

In Christie’s case, she has some fantastic eye colors– brown and green. I also love the big baggy jean jacket that covers the crop top/short skirt outfit underneath.

The Reeboks are neat, as well. The actual Reebok branding is fabric that slips over a white plastic shoes. You get two pairs with Christie. Christie also wears fluorescent tie-dye socks. They’re so 90’s!

See the video here:

So that’s a quick look at All American Barbie, Christie.  Do you remember when this line hit store shelves? What’s your favorite pink box Barbie? Let me know in the comment area!

Amazingly, in one week, I won two of my Grail items on eBay. For years, I’ve been searching around for the perfect 1930’s Dionne quintuplet to add to my Madame Alexander collection. When I say perfect, I don’t mean I was looking for something so minty fresh it looked like it had just left the Alexander Doll Company. Of course, I wanted a Dionne with a pretty face and good limbs with no cracks for a good price. But, the main thing I wanted, was for the doll to have character, for it to call to me.  And somehow, within the span of three days, two Madame Alexander Dionne Quints did that!

The first one I purchased isn’t actually here yet, so we’ll revisit that later. But the second Dionne is here!  I am waiting for both to arrive to do a real photoshoot, but until then, here’s a photo or two to tide you over!

I suspect this Dionne quintuplet is Annette, because her dress looks like it could have been yellow at one time. However, I’m not sure and don’t think I’ll ever be sure. There’s a possibility Annette has, according to a few internet sources, a human hair wig. I’m still looking for a good resource on the Madame Alexander Quintuplets, as they released a lot of different versions from 1935-1939.

Annette is composition and 8″ tall. She has beautiful hand painted brown eyes. There are a few scratches on her face, but nothing very noticeable, considering she’s roughly 80 years old!

I’m beyond thrilled to have added this Dionne Quintuplet to my Madame Alexander collection. I can hardly believe another one, slightly different, is on the way to join her!

Have you added a grail item to you collection recently? Let us know in the comment area!

This weekend, my mom and I went to the Naperville Doll Show. I wasn’t expecting much from it, to be honest. I had heard it was much smaller than the show we go to twice a year at the Kane County Fairgrounds. But surprisingly, both my mom and I came home with a nice selection of dolls.

My first purchase of the day was a dark skinned Sasha Baby. I’ve been keeping an eye on eBay for one recently to go with Caleb, Gregor and my tan baby. This doll was one of only a few Sasha’s out for sale. This black Sasha Baby has very dark brown skin.  Later versions were lightened.

My Luts Aru got a new outfit thanks to the show, which rarely happens. Local forums Chi Town Dolls (and Dairyland, I believe) had set up shop at the show. While they had very few actual BJD’s for sale, there were some cute outfit. This outfit, made by May Day, caught my eye. At $15.00, this four piece outfit was a steal. My favorite thing about this outfit is the cute cape. It makes Aru look like she stepped out of an anime.

If January is any sign of what 2016 may bring to my collection, than I suspect I will need more room on my Madame Alexander shelf. I left this show with a 20″ Maggie face Annabelle.  Like many of my hard plastic Madame Alexanders, this one comes to me redressed. Maggie’s poodle skirt and white shirt are very cute, though.

Last, but not least, I picked up this cute red dress for my Parnilla Ghastly. I ordered her Black Friday 2014 and since then, she’s been stuck in a really horrid looking black leotard. While this doesn’t fit her perfectly, it’s much better than the look she was wearing before, believe me!

See what my mom bought in the video below!

Overall, the Naperville Doll Show turned out to be a great success. I found some great dolls at great prices. Not a bad way to start the week! Have you found anything recently that you want to brag about? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

This weekend, Barbee0913 and I will be attending New York Toy Fair! We have appointments at all the major toy companies, like Hasbro, Mattel and Wicked Cool Toys. We hope to spotlight a bunch of cool products, just like last year! Because this event is not exactly in my backyard, I won’t be able to update you guys on the awesome stuff we see until we get back on Tuesday. Rest assured, my plan is to get updates out as fast as possible once we’re back home!

What companies would you visit at Toy Fair? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

We’re back from the big apple! As you know, February 13-16 was one of the biggest toy trade shows in the world– New York Toy Fair. Even though it was my second year attending, I still felt overwhelmed. This year, I decided to invite Barbee0913, aka my mom, to attend with me. Trying to cover the show for one blog is a lot of work, let alone two! Over the next week or so, I’ll be putting out articles on what we saw at the show. This report features Mattel!

I’d like to say there were tons of exciting things on display, but alas, I can’t. There was a lot in the room, but not a lot when it came to what I traditionally look for– dolls! I’ll start off with the bad news.  Ever After High wasn’t represented at all. They had some standees and a handful of Dragon Games dolls on display, but nothing new. I don’t even know if they had a rep manning the booth! It makes me worry about the future of Ever After High, to be honest!

Barbie was represented well enough. They, of course, had the new Fashionista‘s on display. In person, I’m still not completely impressed. I love the variety the new bodies will introduce to the Barbie franchise, but they still aren’t articulated. If I were in charge, getting all Barbie’s to be more like the Made To Move line would be my first priority.

Spin Art Barbie, coming in two skin tones, is kind of fun! Assuming Mattel has some refill packs or you’re crafty and can make your own outfits to use in this once you run out, this could be a fun ‘gimmicky’ Barbie for the crafty types.

This Starlight Adventure Barbie Hoverboard ties in with a movie we’ll be seeing later this year. I quite like this cool toy! If the demonstration model works anything like the one we’ll see on store shelves, kids will probably love it. It flew really well in the showroom!

The Presidential 2-pack will probably be a favorite of many, as well. The president wears red, white and blue and the vice president wears yellow. What I really like about this set is that as you will see in the pictures, Mattel is playing with diversity and pairing dolls of different colors together. Also, each has a different hair style.

The Flipping Fun Gymnast set is adorable, however gimmicky it may be. When you place Kelly (or Barbie’s student, I guess), on the balance beam and pull a lever, the talented student will flip and stick a solid landing. It’s really neat to see in person. The student character looks a little plastic, but for the effect, I can totally understand the reasoning.

Hello Dreamhouse is the big item Mattel seems to be pushing this year. It’s an interactive talking Dreamhouse that listens to you as you speak and responds back. For example, you can say “Hello, Dreamhouse. Can you turn the bedroom light on?” and it should turn on the bedroom light. Each room has a floor switch that will allow you to turn the lights on in any room that way, as well. If you say, “It’s time for school”, the house will react with a voice responding to you and turn on the ‘shower’. It’s a neat concept and kids will probably love it. Let’s hope it’s easier to put together than the past dreamhouses!

The Thingmaker dates back all the way to 1964. I remember it as a Creepy Crawler maker. 2016’s Thingmaker has lost the goop and molds and gained filament and an extruder. Yep. It’s a 3D printer. Priced at $300.00, Mattel could have a winner on their hands with this. The app this works with is already available. It allows you to create pre-programmed ‘things’, choose the perfect colors and send them to the printer.

As far as Monster High is concerned, there were some things on display. Dana Treasura Jones, daughter of Davy Jones, made her showroom debut, as well as Ari Hauntington. I love the color scheme they chose for Dana. It fits her theme perfectly. Ari, however, looks a bit like a Spectra clone.

This is Ari. The picture directly below is an interactive Ari that will sing at different ranges as you move your hand higher and lower in front of her. (You can see this in the video.)

This Ari is a basic Ari. She was on display with the Draculaura and Frankie that became famous in the leaked sizzle reel about the relaunch.

The Welcome to Monster High set, featuring Draculaura, is a cute set, but there’s not much to it.

The set comes with the Draculaura on the left, not the one decked out on the right, ready to dance.

A new theme for this year is “monster-cute”. These blind bag miniatures totally fit that bill. The first wave will be our favorite ghouls. Following that, they’ll have release others with different themes and patterns.

There were many other brands on display in the Mattel Showroom. You can see pictures in my Flickr album. Below are the video presentations from the booth.

One more Mattel video will be added to my channel, featuring the new American Girl building kits. I’ll add it here soon! (Keep an eye on my channel for it!)

Also on display were the new DC dolls, which I think I’ll save for their own post. Pictures can be found in the flickr album mentioned above.

Overall, it will be interesting to see what happens with Mattel this year. What I expected to see a lot of (Ever After High and Monster High), I didn’t. Do you see anything you like? Share your thoughts below!

My Ballerina Dolls made their debut at 2015’s New York Toy Fair. Since then, we’ve seen the release of the beautiful Clara Marie. (See my review here.)

This year, the start-up came back to Toy Fair. While they didn’t have many new items with them, they did have one that I really, really want. Alongside Clara Marie and the Prince, who is due out this holiday season, was a new doll- the Snow Queen.

The Snow Queen isn’t due out until 2017. I seriously cannot wait! The sculpt for the Snow Queen is so pretty! I love the serious, thoughtful expression she has.

Also in the works is a new jacket for Clara Marie. This is an early sample, so it may change. I think the blue looks really good on her.

If you recall, my only issue with Clara was that her wig was super thin and because of the styling, there were patches where you could see the wig cap. I asked them about that and it turns out they were as surprised as we all were. They’re working on a solution to that problem. (Though, in the meantime, it’s super easy just to buy a wig if it bothers you.)

See the Snow Queen in this Toy Fair video!

What do you think of the Snow Queen? Will you be ordering the Prince when he is released? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

One thing I like most about Toy Fair is seeing brand new doll lines from companies that are just starting up. Naturally Perfect Dolls is one of those brands. Founded by Jason and Angelica Sweeting, the line fills a gap in today’s doll market. The idea came about when their daughter was upset that she didn’t have long, straight hair like her dolls and the ones advertised on television and in stores. The Sweeting’s set out to change that. After unsuccessfully finding a doll that looked like their daughter, they decided to make their own doll line. They launched a kickstarter in 2015 and earned a whopping $84,000 to produce this line of 18″ dolls.

The unique selling point of Naturally Perfect Dolls is that they have curly hair you can style and wash again and again. They also have sculpts that relate more closely to those with darker skin than other brands that use the same sculpt for all skin tones.

There are four characters in the line so far: Angelica, Brielle, Camryn and Kennedy. My favorite is Kennedy. I love her larger than life curls and adorable freckles. Brielle is also a fun one with tighter curls and much darker skin than the others girls. All four girls are pictured below.

This is Angelica. Below her is Brielle.

My favorite, as I mentioned, is Kennedy.

And finally, meet Camryn.

My Flickr Album features close up shots of their pretty faces. All four dolls are available for pre-order on the official website. You can follow the line on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. (Also, this seems like a great time to point out that I, personally, do not have an Instagram account. If you are following someone with my name, it’s not me.)

What do you think of Naturally Perfect Dolls? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

Like last year, I booked an appointment to see the Tonner booth at New York Toy Fair. They usually have a modest sized booth with an orderly display of both past and future releases. There were some pretty awesome dolls on display this year.

But first, let’s start with the disappointing news. There was no Maudlynne Macabre on display. If you recall, last year, packaged Maudlynne’s were on display in a corner of the room; The plan being that they’d try to work her back into the Tonner line sometime in 2015. That didn’t happen. When I didn’t see her on display this year, I asked Mr. Tonner what was going on with her, because I know that many of you (myself included) are fans. Unfortunately, there’s nothing to report. There are no plans to re-release our favorite gothic doll or her ghostly friend. That being said, he didn’t say it was off the table and I left feeling hopeful that maybe one day we’d see her again.

Now on a more positive note, there were some things I know you’ll want to see from the Tonner booth. Let’s start off with my favorite thing in the booth- Agatha Primrose.  This new line looks very different from Tonner’s usual fair. Robert Tonner himself said it was a departure from what he has designed in the past and was very enthusiastic about this ‘adorkable’ line.

There are a few things I love about this line. First, the size! She’s shorter than Tonner’s typical fashion doll with a more teenage body. Second, Agatha is articulated. And third? The glasses. I love the round Harry Potter/Daria-esc glasses! The fashions are very cool, as well. Check them out below!

Below is the basic Agatha Primrose, for those who want to save a few pennies.  (I wanted so badly to fix this dolls glasses!)

While many of the items for My Imagination were on display last year, new for this year is a dark-skinned basic doll. She’ll come in two skin tones.

I asked about the jointed dolls. They’re still in the works, but delayed. There were a few new licensed outfits on display, but we weren’t allowed to photograph them. There’s definitely one or two that I think are very cool!

As far as Deja Vu is concerned, I’m not crazy about all of them. The story is intriguing– a girl begins to remember her past lives. This means Tonner can do literally anything they want with the line.

Their faces are just, to me, strange. I think the expression works for the 1920’s era doll and there’s something pretty neat about the Egyptian couple, but I don’t know what I think of the rest. The costumes are, of course, spectacular. So much detail!

Also worth talking about is the new Wilde Imagination line based in the world of fairy tales that stars the mayor of a fairy tale town. Her wardrobe is fantastical and full of life. I regret, I neglected to take note of the name of this line, but I’m sure we’ll be seeing an e-mail blast on it soon. Take a peek!

Below are my favorite looks. I’d love to cosplay in the purple dress!

Last but not least, a Lost Costume Scarlett was on display. Tonner excels at Gone with the Wind products and this is no exception. Scarlett wears a very pretty green party dress. The design isn’t seen in the movie, however. It is based on an early sketch from the BBQ scene in Gone with the Wind. In the end, Scarlett wore a different dress and this was left on the cutting room floor– until now.

DeDe Denton and Patience were also on display. You can see photos in my flickr album. Tonner is usually really good about updating collectors on new products via their website and social media.  They also welcome discussion on any kind of doll on Tuesdays at 8PM CST on Twitter using the tag #dollchat. I pop in from time to time under the twitter handle @KewpieDoll83.

See everything in the Tonner booth in this video tour, hosted by Mr. Tonner himself!

What are your favorites from the Tonner booth? Share them with us in the comment area!

Located in the ‘doll’ section of New York Toy Fair was this cool company that uses all natural rubber to make their toys. Their name? Green Rubber Toys.

Of course, they offer the traditional rubber toy molded in the shape of animals, but this year at Toy Fair they were debuting something new- the Green Rubber Doll.Green Rubber Toys are made from natural rubber grown and harvested in Sri Lanka. From there, their artisans in Sri Lanka take over and craft a unique toy that is environmentally friendly, soft, safe and sustainable.

The dolls fit the same bill. They have such a unique feel to them and are super huggable! They are very soft and have unique faces with inset eyes. They have very long eyelashes, which are the only thing I would change on them. (A trim would probably do them good!) Green Rubber Dolls is a very new concept, so it seems the company is looking for outlets to sell them in. I hope some stores in the US pick them up, because the look and feel of them is something I think is pretty unique to the doll market.

Watch the video reveal from Toy Fair! A few more pictures, including some that feature hand-woven baby carriages that I know you’ll love, are on Flickr.

What do you think of the offerings from Green Rubber Toys? If Green Rubber Dolls hit stores near you, would you purchase one? Share your thoughts in the comment area.

Lottie fans, here you go! I made sure to stop by the Lottie booth and chat with Lucie and Ian about what we’ll be seeing in this line through 2016. Commuting to the show from England, they didn’t have a ton of new products on display to share with you. They had a few though, which you can see below!

My favorite is the Forest Fairy Lottie. The ginger hair is striking with the green bodice on her outfit.

Meet Sleeping Beauty Lottie! I don’t quite see the theme in this particular release, but her dress is very pretty.

This Lottie is Birthday Girl Lottie. She looks like she’s dressed for an exciting night out!

This Lottie is one artsy girl. She’s another favorite of mine. She’ll have an easel and a paint pallet.

And here’s Girl President Lottie. This doll is very much a prototype and may look different when she hits store shelves.

Check out the Toy Fair Video below. Also, for pictures, visit my Flickr!

What do you think of Lottie‘s early 2016 releases? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

Wicked Cool Toys has been the master toymaker for Cabbage Patch Kids for a year now. Since then, we’ve seen the Cabbage Patch Kid aisle gradually change, as the old stock was discounted and new Wicked Cool Toy stock was added. Not only did Wicked Cool Toys relaunch the brand with a fresh look, but they also introduced limited edition, all vinyl 18″ dolls into the mix.  For Toy Fair 2016, Wicked Cool Toys introduced attendees to nine new Cabbage Patch Kids, two new limited edition models and an innovative, interactive Cabbage Patch Kid baby.

Below are pictures of the new releases in the core line for 2016.

Four new pets will be introduced, as well. The other big toy they showed off was Baby So Real. Baby So Real is an interactive Cabbage Patch Kid baby with eyes that digitally move and blink, giving her a variety of expressions. She works with an app that makes play even more fun.

What we saw at Toy Fair was a prototype, so it may change prior to hitting the market. Watch my Toy Fair recap on CPK to see the eyes move around and to see how the app interacts with play as the baby is being fed.

Last, but not least, we have the two limited edition dolls for 2016. Like last year, these will be limited to 1,000 dolls. They’re 100% vinyl and 18″ tall. This years limited edition dolls are Eden Joelle (african american) and Zoe Sky (caucasian). They’ll be released later this year.

Watch the Toy Fair video coverage below! You can see more pictures on flickr.

Which Cabbage Patch Kid is your favorite from the 2016 line? Will you be waiting in line for the new limited edition dolls? Let me know in the comment area!

Last year, I wasn’t allowed to attend Hasbro’s Toy Fair events. They don’t officially participate in New York Toy Fair, but set up a private showroom and host various events. This year, I was excited to be formally invited to one of these events.  It was hosted on the coldest day NYC had seen for years, literally. After standing outside in the cold for about 10 minutes, they finally let us in and sat us in the theater. There, we were introduced to some of the brand new products in popular lines, such as Transformers, Star Wars and My Little Pony. A good portion of the event attendees were male, which shocked me, but if you look at Hasbro’s catalog, many of their tops brands are aimed at the male market (however much it pains me to use gender terms when it comes to toys).

Of course, I got a huge kick out of the My Little Pony presentation, where we were shown a clip from the upcoming season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and heard a few words from the Executive Producer, Meghan McCarthy. (I was a little star struck.) We weren’t allowed to film any of this, but honestly, most of the brands they spoke about weren’t my cup of tea.

I saw so much at Hasbro that this post could easily become a book! For that reason, I highly recommend you check out the videos I shot during the event and take a peek at the flickr album I set up with pictures. We’ll start with My Little Pony. My Little Pony is still flying high at Hasbro. On display were mini figures, G4 ponies, Equestria Girls and mini Equestria Girls. They also had a new interactive plush they demo’d.

These ponies have a hole in their cutie mark that allows you to see a scene when you look through it, as I understand it! Also on display were articulated ponies.

This Guardians of Harmony line of adventure/fantasy themed figures is super cool.They’re totally worth displaying and have a unique look to them. I usually don’t take notice of G4 releases, but this one definitely caught my eye.

These miniature figures were adorable. They had a whole diorama set up with them! They’re going to be releasing big pieces for this series, too, like Twilight’s library and Pinkie Pie’s dessert shop.

The Equestria Girls were on display, but what caught my eye were the Mini Equestria Girls. They’re adorable. They remind me of Pinky ST figures in a weird way.

How cute is Fluttershy in this set?!

This was the biggest playset on display for them. It’s a party themed set that comes with a tripod for your camera, so the party has its very own photobooth. It even includes props for the Equestria Girls to hold!

And then there’s the normal Equestria Girls. These tie in with a new movie we’ll be seeing later this year. I’m still very proud that Hasbro switched out the peg feet for normal legs and shoes. They earned a gold star for that move. This line wouldn’t be around if they hadn’t rethought the design.

They had a large amount of toys on display that were tie in’s for the new Trolls movie. You can see those in the video tours. Moving ahead, one of my favorite pieces in the entire Hasbro Showroom was Torch, the Baby Dragon from FurReal. He’s adorable and I want him. You have to see him in action in the demo video. He “breathes fire” and will toast his own marshmallow. Seriously, we all need a pet dragon like him.

Baby Alive is still going strong, as well. There were a number of them on display. I recorded the demo’s for you to watch.

Elena of Avalor is going to be a huge property in 2016 and beyond. It’s a spin-off of Sofia the First, an adorable show on Disney Junior. Most of the companies with toys had a strict no photo’s policy, but Hasbro had theirs on display.

And the Disney Princesses weren’t left out of the fun, either!

Due to the weird scheduling of the event, I didn’t have time to talk to the Disney Princess rep about the line’s specific’s for 2016, but it looks like they have a ton planned. You’ll be seeing more on the Princesses later and of course, you can learn about Disney toys on my About.com page!

I did run over and chat with the Descendants rep who showed me some super cute editions that we’ll be seeing in 2016. They’re taking inspiration from the animated shorts, Descendants: Wicked World. There are new villains like Captain Hooks daughter, CJ, and Dr. Facilier’s daughter, Freddie. (Dr. Facilier is the shadow man in Princess and the Frog.) They’re also introducing Jordan, the daughter of Genie and Ally, the daughter of Alice. (See promo photos on Disney Toys on About)

Mal and Evie are getting a cool release. Themed around the Neon Lights dance, these dolls have light up elements sewn into their outfits, which you’ll see demo’d in the videos linked at the bottom of this post. I think they’re styling is done rather well, too. There are other dolls in this line, but they don’t have the light up elements, just very bright, fluorescent outfits. Also on display was a ‘Genie Chic‘ line which features many of the new characters.

So there you have it, some highlights from the Hasbro showroom. You can see more pictures on my flickr. I invite you all to watch the video presentations I recorded while talking to the reps. You’ll see other items I didn’t cover in this post.

Do you see anything that you’ll be picking up in 2016? Share it in the comment area!

As usual, Madame Alexander had a gorgeous booth at Toy Fair. If they gave out awards for best thought out booth, Madame Alexander would win hands down! They had a ton on display. This is another booth where I highly recommend you watch the video presentation, linked at the bottom of the post.  In this post, I’ll cover some of my favorite pieces in the showroom!

There were three bride dolls on display in the Madame Alexander booth. All were very pretty in their own unique way. My favorite was the Renaissance bride. She’s so pretty! Unfortunately, it sounds like she’ll be very limited and super pricey. They quoted these as being around (wait for it) $1,000 US dollars. A crazy price, in my opinion, but there’s no denying it– this doll is beautiful. It looks like she’ll be joining the long (and ever growing) list of Madame Alexander dolls I will most likely never own.

Another nice call back to their past are these three new releases, the Mystery Portrait Dolls. There’s a lot of back story with the 1951 Mystery Portrait Dolls, done way back when the company was still under the direction of Madame Alexander herself. They were created to reinvigorate the New York doll industry and were very, very limited. They weren’t even listed in the Madame Alexander catalogs! She went above and beyond to make these dolls super special, using the finest fabrics to create their outfits. Their 1951 faces are all hand painted and have quite a uniqueness to them. This video, linked below, is a great reference on the Mystery Portrait Dolls. You should check it out.

2016’s Mystery Portrait dolls are smaller recreations of the original 1951 series. They were very high up on the shelves in the booth, so it was hard to photograph them well, but here’s a shot of all three dolls we’ll be seeing this year. What I love about these three is their inspiration. Being a collector of the vintage composition and hard plastic dolls from Madame Alexander, I love that they are being influenced by their companies past.

There were many 18″ dolls on display. The two below are part of a new partnership with NASCAR.

Also on display in 18″ form were Disney princesses! Anna and Elsa were paired together and look so pretty!

Belle, Cinderella, Ariel and Rapunzel were showcased, as well. Each doll comes dressed in an iconic movie look. Beyond that, you can buy other movie inspired outfits for them to wear. For example, Belle comes dressed in her fancy yellow dress, but sold separately will be her winter outfit. I hope we see more movie inspired looks for these girls released over the years. It would also be nice to see them expand into more of the other princesses, like Pocahontas or Mulan (who I realize isn’t a princess, per say, but she’s awesome).

The Middleton Baby doll line is expanding with a more budget friendly price point for kids and collectors who want a little more realism in their baby doll sculpts. They really are very pretty. If I were a baby doll collector, I would find it hard to not have one or two of these!

Just look at that cute little face!

Are you a Gone with the Wind fan? If you are, you have something in common with the great Madame Alexander. She was a fan, too. In fact, the Madame Alexander company was the first company to make a Scarlett O’Hara doll. Rumor has it, Madame Alexander sent her doll to the producers of the epic movie prior to casting and that that doll had some influence on who they chose to play Scarlett (Vivien Leigh)! This new 2016 release is as stunning as ever, I think.

I’m not big on DC comics. I’ve always been a Marvel girl, myself. (Besides The Flash, which is must watch TV in my book!) There must be a huge DC market out there, though, because Madame Alexander (and other companies) had more than one DC themed release on display. On display were three ‘high fashion’ villains, like Harley Quinn, Joker and Penguin. They’re decked out in looks that are ready for the runway!

This little Harley Quinn and Super Girl were super cute, too.

You can see all the pictures we took in my Flickr album. Don’t forget to check out the Toy Fair video, too, linked below.

Did anything catch your eye? Let me know in the comment area!

One of my favorite booths to visit at Toy Fair belongs to Funko. Funko is known for pop culture figures and collectables. This year, they had a nice selection of Barbie related product, believe it or not!

That’s me, standing next to a life-size Funko Pop! figure of Harry Potter. It was one of many big props, including a Shogun Warrior inspired Batman. But, onto Barbie we go…

The Barbie’s above will be found in blind bags, if I remember correctly. (I didn’t get a booth tour of Funko, so some of the details are hazy.) I love these figures! We’ll definitely be picking up a few. They’re expected to be released in March 2016. Below are some close up images.

Also on display were Rock Candy/Funko Barbie’s. Unlike the chibi sized Barbie’s in the blind bags, these are more proportionate in size. They also won’t be in blind boxes.

Unrelated to Barbie are these new figures I know pop culture fans will love, especially Whovians. These figures are a collaboration between Playmobil and Funko. They are taller than they look in these pictures. (Not this big, however!)

The rep I spoke to said they were introducing even more cool characters into this line, specifically characters from Supernatural. Give me a Playmobil Sam, Dean and Cas and I’ll be sooo happy!

Funko is such a fun booth to go to. If you’re attending Toy Fair for any reason, you should check it out! See more photos from this booth, including a ton of fun new Pops! in the my Flickr album. Also, don’t forget to check out the Toy Fair video, posted to Barbee0913’s channel and found below.

Did anything in this post float your boat? Let me know in the comment area!

Not all the things I saw will be getting a written review here on the blog. In most cases, it’s the booths that aren’t really on topic or didn’t have a rep walking us around. Her are a few reports that you can check out exclusively on YouTube. All the photos we took at these booths will also be on Flickr.

These three videos are different. Barbee0913 and I saw down and talked about the show, NYC and the ins and outs of going to Toy Fair. These three videos are a little long, but here they are, in case you want to check them out!

I covered some of the Disney related products on About.com this month. Check those out, if you have a chance! You can find all of our Toy Fair videos (some still need to be added) on YouTube. There are still a few more reports to come, so stay tuned for more Toy Fair coverage this week! If you have questions about any of these products or booths, just ask here on the blog or on YouTube!

Any products that you can’t wait to see in person? Let us know in the comment area!

One of the cooler, more crafty, DIY things I saw at Toy Fair was Fuzzeez by The Orb Factory. The Orb Factory took inspiration from felting and created a simple, kid friendly way to create adorable felt creatures without needles. The process is simple.  Fill in the provided mold with wool, pop in the eyes and nose, close and secure the mold, drop it in the washing machine, then dry it in your dryer and you’re all set! When you open the reusable mold, you’ll see a fully fused wool animal!

You can see this processes in action (sort of) in the video above. There are currently three different animals you can create: a bear, rabbit and cat. Each are sold separately. I believe a sample or two is headed my way soon of this product, so I will be able to fill you in on even more details eventually!

What do you think of this cool DIY craft toy? Let me know in the comment area!

AZIAM Girlz (pronounced “As I Am”) were also on display at Toy Fair. They initially caught my eye because of their articulated bodies. AZIAM Girlz is advertised as the worlds first Yoga doll. The dolls are inspired by the 8-Limbed (Ashtanga) Path of Yoga by Patanjali. Having never heard of the line before, I decided to cover them in my NYTF coverage! Meet the Dolly Allana, Asana, Dara, Pratya, Yama and  Prana. Not pictured here are Sama, Dyana and Niyama. Each doll comes with a yoga mat that doubles as a slap bracelet. (I saw a few slap bracelets around Toy Fair. Hello 90’s! Welcome back!)

As far as posing goes, it looks like they pose really well. I don’t know of many stock doll bodies that could get into the positions these dolls were displayed in!

These cute 1/6th scale dolls are available online. A portion of the sale of each doll is donated to a charity or cause that is related to the doll’s theme. For example, proceeds from the sale of Asana (the doll with curly blonde hair decked out in workout gear) are donated to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

What do you think of the AZIAM Girlz? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

As usual, JC Toys booth delivered this year at New York Toy Fair! I’m a huge fan of their realistic baby dolls. (Check out my review of one such baby doll here.) My mom and I took a lot of photos at their booth, so definitely check out the Flickr album after finishing this post. There were so many beautiful babies to photograph! I hope to work together with JC Toys again this year to bring you another review, so keep your eyes peeled! Below are some of the cutest baby faces you’ll ever see in the baby doll world!

Check out Flickr for more images from JC Toys booth! Because they were one of the friendliest booths at Toy Fair this year, do me a favor and take a peek at JC Toys website. Then, come back and let me know which baby is your favorite in the comment area. I can’t wait to see who your favorite baby is!

Käthe Kruse, at Toy Fair, tends to bring more baby related toys with them than playline and Waldorf dolls, but still, they deserve to be covered due to their class and reputation in the doll world. This year, we were walked around the booth by a super knowledgeable rep who came all the way from Germany! She shared the story of Käthe Kruse with such passion. You could feel that she was quite proud of the companies heritage (and rightfully so). Below are some pictures from their booth taken this year at New York Toy Fair! (Interestingly enough, the rep pronounced this line as ‘Kay-tee’ Kruse. I’ve always assumed it was ‘Kaa-tay’ Kruse! You learn new things every day!)

Watch the video tour below!

The full flickr album can be found here. Are you a fan of Käthe Kruse? What’s your favorite series from Käthe Kruse? Share your thoughts on this iconic company in the comment area!