Today, the Tonner Doll Company sent out an e-mail blast with some surprising news about the future of many of their current doll lines. Also posted on their social media sites, Tonner Doll Company shared a short note from Robert Tonner reminiscing about his favorite moments during the past 25 years. It ended with an announcement that may shock some collectors. Below is an excerpt from the note.

Currently, I’m spending a great deal of time learning (and hopefully mastering) some very new computer sculpting programs that, combined with state-of-the-art production capabilities, provide an entirely new method of creating dolls. I call it the “New Art of Doll Making™” and I’m really excited about what we’ll be doing in 2017 and beyond. It’s also awakened a pioneering spirit in me again and I’ve decided it’s time to completely re-think what we offer to collectors. Therefore, although Tonner will continue to make all of our established licensed products such as DC, Gone with the Wind, Outlander, etc., all of our proprietary lines, as well as those of Effanbee and Wilde Imagination, are being discontinued.

A new company is being launched and it’s called Phyn & Aero. We will be introducing three new lines in 2017 in collaboration with innovative (and incredibly talented) new designers. I really feel it’s time to broaden our perspectives and see what some fascinating (and younger!) designers create for our collectors. I believe the collector market needs a major shake-up and I’m quite sure this will be it!

My impression, based on this note, is that Tonner Doll Company will be concentrating on the licensed doll releases, while this new company, Phyn & Aero (pronounced Finn and Arrow, I’m guessing) will concentrate more on unique proprietary dolls. Unfortunately, as you read in the note, it looks like all of Tonner’s current proprietary lines, like Deja Vu, Agatha Primrose, Dede Denton and all the Wilde Imagination lines will be disappearing.

Naturally, I dashed to the website to see if anything was on sale. Nothing yet, though I did notice they recently did a 24 hour flash sale event. Sadly, unless they get restocks of many of the their current proprietary lines, it looks like the majority of the inventory is already sold out. Either that, or much of what I saw at Toy Fair 2016 never actually hit the website. (Did they ever release articulated versions of the My Imagination 18″ line? This line, too, I’d imagine- pun intended- will be disappearing. Also, didn’t they merge with One World? Did that not work out? They don’t mention that aspect at all in the memo.) Seeing this change in direction, it’s also safe to assume the conventions are done and over with. I never made it to a Tonner convention, even though they were close to me. They were far too expensive for me to attend, seeing I’m not solely a Tonner doll collector.

So, that’s the scoop! I would highly recommend you take a look at the Tonner and Wilde Imagination sites. If you see something you like, you may want to purchase it now. Does this change in direction shock you? What do you think? What lines will you miss? Let me know in the comment area!

Another year almost gone! This month may have been light on posts, but never fear, I’ll be back up and running in January! I always plan to do some big December event, like 12 Days of Dolls or something, but with the craziness of the month, which also includes my birthday, it never happens. Maybe next year! See you all in 2017!

From everyone here at Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (And in case you don’t know, I’m now on Instagram! You can find me at @Kewpie83.)

This weekend, we decided to hit up Toys R Us for the first time in 2017! The doll aisles were pretty disappointing, but I managed to see a few exciting things while out and about!

I love Barbie’s Food Truck! It’s so graphic and a great size. I’m tempted to pick this up if it ever goes on sale. It would make a great prop for photos!

Continuing on a positive note, I also love that Mattel is continuing with the Made to Move Barbie‘s and even expanding on the line. The red-head is adorable. I would probably feel bad if I bought her just for body swapping. The standout doll here, though, is the skater who is packaged in an upside down skateboarding pose. I love it. They also expanded with a karate themed doll.

The first thing I thought when I saw this Journey Girls box? Oh! She must be cosplaying as Emma Swan from Once Upon a Time. The red jacket, white tank, jeans and the boots? The photographer/doll dresser must have been thinking about my favorite show when crafting this look!

Beauty and the Beast dolls have hit stores! Some may think Mrs. Potts is creepy, but of all the merch, this was the best, in my opinion. This toddler doll of Belle was also pretty darn cute. Instead of the green-ish eyes of the previous release, this doll has rich brown eyes, more like Emma Watson, the actress playing Belle in Disney’s new live action remake. (This doll’s look also reminds me of Ursala in The Little Mermaid disguised as a human, which may be a good or bad thing– I’m not sure!)

The actual fashion doll, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about. I’m on the fence as to if this Belle doll is pretty. I see the resemblance to Emma Watson, but the doll has a very strange vibe to her. What do you think?

We bought one of these while shopping. This ball contains a doll and six other accessories– all a mystery until you peel the layers back. Actually, opening our LOL was pretty fun. You’ll see a post on it soon.

So far, the trailers for the Video Game Hero Barbie movie haven’t made me very excited. However, the dolls are pretty neat looking. The mini’s above are very cute. They may not do anything, but they’d look good on a desk!

It looks like Mattel got the memo about the popularity of STEM merch. This Barbie is packaged with a few STEM activities for a child to work on. I like the idea and think they could easily expand on this.

If you like Littlest Pet Shop, you’ll want to check Animal Jam out. They’re on the small side, so they’d make great pets for your dolls!

I’m including a Project Mc2 doll in this post, because, to be honest, I’m surprised they’re still around. I wasn’t sure how kids would take to them, seeing this is a Netflix show, but they’re still around, so they must be doing okay! This doll is one of the cutest they’ve made so far. I like the bodies and their unique faces with inset eyes. They can come off a little strange-looking at times, but overall, I like their look.

So, that ends another Walking the Toy Aisle. What have you seen recently while shopping? What do you think of these dolls? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

Recently at Toys R Us, my mom and I decided to pick up one of MGA‘s LOL blind bag/box dolls. The idea around LOL is that there are seven layers of stuff that you can unwrap and open, the grand finale being your very own doll.

The first and second layers of the LOL experience are pretty lackluster. The first layer is a secret message and the second is a small sheet of stickers. The third layer is where it gets a little more exciting. From there, you’ll open, step by step, a unique bottle, a pair of shoes, an outfit, an accessory and finally your Lil’ Outrageous Little. There are 45 different LOL’s in Series 1.

The LOL doll itself reminds me of childlike Bratz. Our LOL has lilac hair molded in small braids. Her arms and legs move up and down. So, in outfits that don’t constrict her movement, she should be able to sit on her own. It turns out this particular LOL is from the Theater Club ‘set’ and is pretending to be a mermaid. A little confusing to us at first was that our LOL lacked shoes and instead came with two accessories. Once we saw the picture in the ‘collect them all’ booklet, we realized it was because she’s the mermaid that she didn’t need shoes.

LOL’s packaging also acts as the dolls home. One half of her circular home is her hangout, while the other half is her bathtub. Why a bathtub, you ask? Well, there’s one more element of this doll that I haven’t mentioned yet. The bottle holds water. After your LOL drinks, she may cry, blow bubbles or tinkle. The instructions were not very good at explaining that each LOL has a different talent, in my opinion, so it took us a while to figure that bit out. (If you watch the video, you’ll notice we fumble through that part!)

So, that’s a little bit about LOL: Lil Outrageous Littles. They’re one of the more interesting ‘blind’ products to hit shelves in a while and will probably appeal to a few of you! What do you think of LOL? Share your thoughts below.

Last year, The Queen’s Treasures debuted their first 18″ doll. Known mostly for furniture and accessories, this was a new direction for them. They paired their first foray into the 18″ doll market with one of their big licenses, “Little House on the Prairie”. The Queen’s Treasures was kind enough to send a Laura Ingalls doll out to me for review. I was unsure of exactly how I felt about her, based on promo photos and what I had seen at Toy Fairs the past two years, but now that I’ve seen her and played around with her a bit, I’m happily surprised by how much I am enjoying this doll!

Let’s start off with the basics. Laura is 18″ tall with a mostly vinyl body. She has vinyl limbs and a chest plate. There’s still some stuffing in her torso, but far less than in some 18″ doll lines. Because she’s mostly vinyl, she should balance well. I say should, because, unfortunately, my doll has a wonky leg. One of her legs tilts in, which hinders her from standing easily. However, I have been able to prop her up, even with the leg problem, so I imagine a doll with two perfect legs would stand easily.

She has shoulder and hip joints, but no elbow or knee joints. For the most part, her shoulder joints are pretty basic, going up and down with some tilt out. Her hip joints move up and down, so she sits like your traditional plush bodied 18″ doll, in a V. Laura’s head has the best articulation, though, moving in all directions easily.

The stand out feature of this doll is her adorable face. At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked her face, but after doing a bit of testing with other more contemporary outfits, I’ve settled on liking the quirky expression Laura has. Laura has blue sleep eyes. They move up and down fluidly. Her face is heart shaped, or close to it, with a pointy chin, round cheeks and a large forehead. Freckles are small and light on her cheeks and she has a long, thin grin. This isn’t a face everyone will fall head over heels for, even I had doubts, but it did eventually grow on me.

She’s wigged with a brown wig, done down in two braids. The wigged hair feels nice, but be warned that the braids can easily become undone. The hair is almost too fine to stay in the style. I had to redo them midway through taking photos, because of the braids accidentally getting stuck on the velcro of the outfits I was changing her into. (And if this happens to me, it will definitely happen to young’ins who might be playing out their prairie dreams!)

Laura arrives in her night dress, long and white with a cap. There’s nothing fancy about it. If you’d like her green smock, you’ll have to buy that separately. I kept Laura in her nightgown for a few hours, but then ran to the box of 18″ doll clothing to see if anything else fit her. I tried on both outfits I have from The Queen’s Treasures and found that one fit, while the other didn’t! The vintage Doughnut Girls Dress fit well and looked cute on Laura. It fit a little large, but still didn’t look too big, in my opinion. The vintage Salvation Army Uniform, though, didn’t fit at all. It was very big in the waist and large in the top. (I still love this hat, though!)

For a more contemporary look, I tried on some FibreCraft BUtiful/Springfield Collection outfits made for 18″ dolls. They fit Laura nicely and gave her a push into the modern days. The black skirt was a little tight, but not too tight. The red outfit is American Girl. It is a little long, length wise, but also isn’t a bad fit. (Though, keep in mind, I’ve found most AG outfits to all fit differently, so all outfits may not work.) To be honest, I prefer this face mold with the more contemporary outfits than the nightdress. It wasn’t until I saw her in the modern clothing that I was 100% happy with the look! One quick thing I need to point out. Since Laura arrives in her nightgown, don’t expect any shoes. You’ll need to buy those separately.

The Queen’s Treasures always seems to go an extra step and with Laura that extra bit of pizzazz went into her box design. Laura arrives in a box with a window, so you can see her pretty face. It’s strong and sturdy. Why? Because it can easily be made into a bed for your doll! The bottom of the box is designed to look like a bed and the top, a window. To complete the look and feel, packaged with Laura is a blanket and a pillow. That’s a lot of extra’s when you consider this company is known for selling furniture and accessories. To finish it off, Laura was given a stuffed dolly to sleep with.

Overall, I’m happy with The Queen’s Treasures Laura Ingalls doll. As I mentioned, she may not have a face that will please everyone, but I personally think it’s cute in a quirky sort of way! The only thing I might change is her wig. It was way too easy to snag her braids on the velcro clothing fixtures and I’m usually really careful about that sort of thing.

It was easy to put back into the braids, but I caught the snags early into the photo shoot, so I wonder how easy it would be to fix after a long day of play? It is a soft wig, though, which is nice, so it’s hard to say if the wig is the problem. Ignoring the leg issue with my doll, I also believe the body is pretty well done and you should be able to find some cute outfits for her if you decide to take her out of the prairie days!

You can order The Queen’s Treasures Laura Ingalls doll on their website. Don’t forget to ‘like’ them on Facebook and Twitter, too, for information on new products, sales, etc! What do you think of Laura? Share your thoughts and questions in the comment area!

Recently, I became aware of a new doll line called Dolls from Heaven. Dolls from Heaven is the brainchild of The Kiczek Family. The Catholic family came up with the idea for a line of saint based dolls after realizing that there were no doll brands out there that aimed to “lead children closer to God through the lives of the saints”. With faith and determination, they conceived and created Dolls from Heaven, releasing their first doll, St. Therese of Lisieux, in July of 2015. These 18″ dolls have vinyl limbs and cloth bodies. They are wigged and have sleep eyes. Dolls from Heaven have hand painted lips and painted finger and toe nails.

St. Therese is a stunning looking doll, judging from the supplied images. Like other high-end 18″ doll brands, she retails $98.00 for the basic doll/book and $118.00 for the basic doll/book/extras. St. Therese comes dressed in her Carmelite habit and is packaged with the paperback “I am Therese”. If you decide to go the slightly more expensive route, you’ll get St. Therese’s cape, rosary and a holy card featuring Jesus. While I normally don’t splurge on extra accessories, in this case, I would probably go for the complete outfit, cape and rosary included. Other outfits, like her First Holy Communion dress and Sunday’s Best are also available. Below is a picture of Therese in her First Holy Communion dress. Notice her curly brown hair. It looks great with her eye color and skin tone.

Upon showing these dolls to my mother, she instantly fell in love with St. Therese, which was unexpected, as she doesn’t usually care about 18″ dolls made in the American Girl sort of style. I fully expect you’ll be seeing one of these dolls on her YouTube channel one day!

Dolls from Heaven’s 2016 release was St. Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc, as you probably know, was given “a mission from God to free her beloved France from the hand of its enemies.” She comes dressed in her armor ready for battle and the paperback “She is Joan of Arc” book. Her accessories, for those who want the complete look, include a St. Joan’s Banner, Green Cape, a St. Joan’s Medal, and a prayer card of St. Michael and St. Catherine of Alexandria.

I really love the armor on St. Joan of Arc. They did a great job with creating that look. Add the cape and the outfit is perfect. And because of St. Joan of Arc’s blonde hair, she looks unique to St. Therese, even though they seem to share a face mold.

If Therese and Joan of Arc weren’t exciting enough, I have a scoop to share with you! Care to know who the 2017 release will be? Dolls from Heaven was kind enough to give you, my amazing and fantastic readers, an exclusive sneak peek!!!! (Drum roll, please!) Dolls From Heaven’s 2017 release will be St. John Paul II! The basic doll will come dressed as a pope, with his extra accessories still being determined. Dolls From Heaven expects pre-orders to go live in March. Check out exclusive promo photos of St. John Paul II below!

If the Pope outfit is too much for you, he’ll also have a second outfit– a Navy Sailor outfit!

I love the idea behind this line and am excited to see Dolls from Heaven flourish. The characters and stories behind each doll will surely inspire both young and old. They also seem like great gifts for religious milestones.

To be the first to know about new and exciting things from Dolls from Heaven, bookmark their website or like them on Facebook or Twitter. I hope to one day showcase these dolls in a review, so keep an eye out! In the meantime, let me know what you think of this line in the comment area. What doll is your favorite? Share your thoughts below!

Late December, I received an e-mail from the fine folks at Fibre-Craft asking if I wanted to review their two 18″ doll lines, BU-tiful and the Springfield Collection. Having never handled their doll line before, I said, sure! Besides sending two dolls, they also sent a plethora of outfits to try out!

Let’s start with the Springfield Collection. Springfield Collection dolls are 18″ tall with vinyl limbs and a fully cloth body. There are four different dolls in this line: Olivia, Madison, Maria and Emma. For review, I received Emma. The stuffing in the torso is light, bouncy and huggable. Because of this, Emma doesn’t stand on her own.

Emma comes dressed in a simple pink dress.  It’s nice, but the outfits they sell are much better, in my opinion. Admittedly, I forgot to take a photo of her wearing this basic outfit, but you can see it in the video linked below. Below, Emma is wearing one of the outfits sent for review, the Blazer and Dress. I love the blazer!

Emma has sleep eyes that move fluidly up and down. As far as Emma’s face goes, it’s cute. She has a cheerful expression to her that I like. I don’t think everyone will be won over by her sculpt, but overall, it’s nice and friendly looking. Emma is modeling the Winter Set below, which comes with the vest, scarf, gloves, earmuffs and boots. (Shirt and Pants not included in this set.)

BU-tiful have a very similar, if not the same, face sculpt to Springfield Dolls. The main difference between the two lines? Their bodies. BU-tiful dolls have a mostly vinyl body. She has a chest plate that is connected to a small bit of cloth body. The cloth portion of the BU-tiful’s body has very heavy, dense padding, different from the Springfield Collection. Even though both are 18″ dolls, BU-tiful dolls, when standing next to Springfield Dolls, look taller and leaner. Sent for review was Gabriella. Below she is pictured wearing a Winter Outfit. I love the boots that came with this outfit and the cat graphic is so cute!

Again, I was so excited to try on the extra outfits that I forgot to take a photo of her with her original outfit on– a daisy themed dress. I prefer the vinyl body of the BU-tiful line. This body type allows the doll to stand on her own, which is great for those looking for a sturdy and poseable doll. BU-tiful dolls are articulated in the shoulder and hip areas.

One of my favorite of the included outfits has to be this Galaxy Dress. It came with neat galaxy colored converse-like shoes. The dress is well made and the colors look great on Gabriella’s tan complexion.

The nice thing about Springfield Dolls and BU-tiful is that their outfits are interchangeable. Even though the torso’s of the dolls are different,  the outfits do, in fact, fit both types of dolls. In fact, they fit a variety of 18″ dolls. I tested these outfits on both an American Girl and The Queen’s Treasures Laura Ingalls. While the outfits were a little tight on my Pleasant Company Molly, they fit Laura Ingalls pretty well. (She’s wearing one right now, in fact!) There’s a variety of outfits to choose from and none arrived poorly constructed. (Below, Gabriella is wearing the Sequin Jacket Outfit. Not my favorite of the looks, but sill a nice outfit to have on your doll’s clothing rack.)

One issue I have with the outfits is the fact that they use velcro instead of snaps. Since one of their dolls is cloth bodied, it would make more sense to start using snaps, as to not snag the fabric of the body. However, the fact that many of the outfits include multiple pieces and accessories (and best of all shoes) is a huge positive.

You can buy BU-tiful and the Springfield Collection online. What do you think of these two lines and the outfits? Share your thoughts below.

As some of you know, my mother, aka Barbee0913, also does doll and toy reviews. Her most recent video is of Shibajuku Girl Yoko! In the review, she compares Shibajuku Girl Yoko to her MIO Pullip.

We recently also collaborated on this video review of Barbie Video Game Hero Match Game Princess!

For those looking for tips on thrifty buying, you may want to consider this video on Shoestring Budget Doll Collecting!

For more videos, check out Barbee0913’s YouTube channel! And if you haven’t already, subscribe to her channel for instant updates (or so YouTube says) on her latest videos.

Facebook seems to be a great place to find new and interesting companies. I discovered (the now discontinued) Makies there, then the recently discussed Dolls from Heaven and now this company– Cuddle Clones. With a vision of “Happy Pets, Happy People” and a mission “to capture the emotional connection between people and their pets”, Cuddle Clones creates one of a kind plush replica’s of your beloved four legged friends. Based on a provided photo and other facts, such as ear/tail position and distinguishing marks, Cuddle Clones can make a huggable, customized plush clone of your favorite pets, whether they’re cats, dogs, horses, guinea pigs, rabbits or other large and small animal creatures. (See examples here! Click ‘View By’ to see all their different kinds of creations– they’ve even made a chicken!) A portion of the cost of your Cuddle Clone is set aside for animal related charities.

If plush clones aren’t your thing, you can also order a customized figurines, slippers and more traditional memorials. (See examples here of Cuddle Clones Custom Figurines.) Being a pet parent myself, I love the story behind this company. The company was started by Jennifer Williams, who was inspired by her love for her Great Dane, Rufus. When he passed, she decided it was time to see if she could make an idea she had a few years prior, of immortalizing Rufus in plush form, into a reality. Shortly after, Cuddle Clones was born.

From the promo photos, it looks like Cuddle Clones is doing a great job and is definitely making special memories for pet owners. I did something similar with one of my pets, Sammi. Since she was a pure bred Golden Retriever, it was pretty simple for me to get a ‘clone’ of her from MyTwinn (before the company went downhill). Cuddle Clones seems to take that a step further by adding the element of customization.

Besides cloning your four legged friends, they also sell plush creations of your own unique creatures (examples) or lost toys from the past with their Plush Replacement service. See all their products here.

If this is up your alley, check out Cuddle Clone‘s website and make sure to like them on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram. What do you think of Cuddle Clones? Let us know in the comment area!

Last year, A Girl for All Time launched their Your Modern Girl series with a Kickstarter featuring dolls Maya and Nisha. Unlike their historical dolls, who all belong to the same family tree, Your Modern Girls are unique contemporary dolls that come from all walks of life. In this sneak peek reveal, I’d like to introduce you to Bex. With a release date of late 2017, Bex is English with an Afro Caribbean background.

Bex met her best friend, Maya, while rollerblading and they are both members of their local hockey team. She loves reading and writing poetry (in secret). One day, she hopes to start a band with all of her friends.

Bex has a new unique face mold. It looks like she has round features versus the long features that many of the other A Girl for All Time dolls have. Bex, also, has some pretty awesome hair. I love the curls! Her outfit is my favorite of the three girls in the Your Modern Girl line. Actually, of the three in the line, Bex might be my favorite doll so far.

Bex will be available to order later this year. Until then, keep an eye on A Girl for All Time via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And in the meantime, let me know what you think of Bex! Share your thoughts in the comment area.

Zomby Gaga, made in collaboration with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way foundation and Mattel, is a pretty cool looking Monster High doll. She’s probably one of the last interesting and articulated Monster High’s we’ll see, in my opinion. Since the reboot (and even before the reboot), there haven’t been many thrilling Monster High releases. Some Electrified dolls look promising, but the excitement that I felt when shopping for, say, the original Dawn of the Dance wave, just isn’t there.

There’s a good chance that if you collect Monster High, you pre-ordered your Zomby Gaga ages ago and even got her open and out of the box already. My doll arrived a few weeks ago. I give Mattel kudo’s on her packaging. The doll is packaged in a cool triangular box. Her accessories are hidden on the bottom of the box. Zomby Gaga comes with a stand and extra outfit. Her stand is pretty horrible. It’s one of those poorly made stands that just doesn’t want to stay together.

The extra outfit, a shirt dress and fishnets, is cute. However, it’s very short. It’s more shirt than dress. A little extra length would have made this extra outfit perfect.

While Zomby Gaga is articulated, she has some major body issues. Similar to what others have experienced, my Zomby Gaga’s left elbow doesn’t work. When you try to bend it, the elbow joint pops out of the arm. Her outfit’s tight sleeves also hinder the shoulder joints from moving well. I’m disappointed in the poor construction of her arm joints. Mattel has been making articulated bodies for a while now and for such a huge tie-in release, they should have made sure they were putting the best product in consumers hands.

The suit she wears in the box is stylish, even though it hinders her movement a bit. I think the collar should have been lowered a bit, as to not hide the small neck detail painted on the doll, but besides that, the look is pretty neat. I love the flair pants. And her shoes? They’re awesome.

Zomby Gaga has long hair that is styled in a high ponytail. I like the combination of light pink and grey hair they used. It works really well with her zombie/skeleton like skin tone. Unfortunately, her hair has a tendency to fall out, at least on my doll.

What makes this doll super cool is her face design. The details are on par with early Monster High dolls. It has depth and dimension to it, like Monster High faces should. You can tell this doll was designed before the ‘sugary sweet’ reboot was really put into play. Zomby Gaga’s eyes aren’t the cutesy anime kind that the new dolls are getting. There’s something alien about them, again, much like early Monster High dolls.

Another nice touch are her hands, which say Lady Gaga (one word on each hand). Small details like that are getting rarer and rarer in the Monster High series. The bubble gum is a nice accessory, too.

Overall, I’m happy they made Zomby Gaga. It was nice seeing some excitement around the line again. However, they did a huge disservice to the doll by giving her a wonky body and weak hair. But, if you’re a fan of Lady Gaga or the golden age of Monster High, you may want to add one of these to your collection. What do you think of Zomby Gaga? Did your doll come with a bad elbow? Let me know in the comment area!

Since I missed out on the fun at New York Toy Fair, I thought I’d do a little sight-seeing at our local toy shops. Here are some of the highlights from the toy aisles!

When Wicked Cool Toys first mentioned that they were doing a limited release all vinyl 18″ Cabbage Patch Kid, I liked the idea a lot. That’s why seeing her on the clearance shelf makes me kind of sad. However, I can totally understand why she’s there. At $100.00 a pop, these weren’t exactly something a family on a budget could pick up for the holidays. Even now, at $79.99, she’s still too pricey for me to even consider buying.

I love these backdrops! One of my main problems with photographing large dolls is that I have zero backdrops that are tall enough to fit them. This seems like something to keep an eye on!

Club Chelsea is huge. I should have placed a normal Chelsea next to her for scale. She’s about the size of the Disney Princess Toddler dolls, I think. I love this and hope they release more in this large size.

The 25th Anniversary of Totally Hair Barbie (yes, she’s 25 years old now) is nice, but something is off about her. Her head seems too small for her body, in my opinion. I’ll stick with the original.

Having just watched the Barbie Video Game Hero movie, I love the heads on these three dolls. They have a huge problem, though– their bodies! They’re so plastic’y. They definitely need to be put on a new body. I wonder if they match any of the Made to Move Barbies.

Oh, look. I found Spectra. Just kidding. I know this isn’t Spectra, but come on, Ari is practically her clone.

Silvi is a pretty nice looking Monster High, though her coloring reminds me of Ghoulia.

This is a strange Frankie. I like her, but something about her seems off.

This is a nice little two set with Clawdeen and Clawd.

I also like this Mattel product in the Ever After High line. She’s articulated, which is nice, though her elbow is a little weird. I wonder if that’s to give her enough oomph to shoot the arrow?

This new Beauty and the Beast movie is cursed with really great toys and some really poorly made toys. The baby doll is super creepy to me. She’s not pretty.

These toddler dolls, however, are super cute! I love them, even if they look more like Ursala’s human alter ego who tried to marry Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid than Belle.

Lalaloopsy’s seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate. It looks like they’re changing a bit, as you can see in the picture. They’re smaller with real hair. In my opinion, MGA over produced their Lala line. They over saturated their own market.

So, there you have it! That’s what caught my eye while walking the toy aisle. What have you seen recently that caught your eye? Do you see anything in this post that you like or hate? Share your thoughts in the comment area.

Polly Pockets made their debut on toy shelves in 1989. The idea came about six years prior, in 1983, when inventor Chris Wiggs sought out to create a pocket friendly doll house for his daughter. He took a compact and created a tiny little doll house inside, complete with a doll. The idea eventually found its way to Bluebird Toys, who produced them until 1998.  I was the perfect age to really embrace the world of Polly Pocket and because of that, I have quite a few. This post is one of a few I’ll be doing showcasing my Polly Pocket collection.

Calling all riders! The Wayback Machine is ready to go! Where to, you ask? 1989! We’ll start our look back at Polly Pocket with Polly’s Flat. Polly’s Flat is housed in a circular purple compact. In later years, Polly’s compacts changed from being shapes to more realistic looking houses. However, in 1989, all of the Polly Pocket buildings were hidden within colorful compacts. Polly’s Flat included two figures: Polly and Tina (blonde with pig-tails).

Polly’s Flat includes a kitchen, living room, bedroom, balcony and bathroom.

Next on our tour is Midge’s Play School. Midge’s Play School is in a square yellow compact. This was also released in an orange compact with different interior colors. This set comes with two figures: Midge and a baby.

Midge’s Play School has a front yard filled with playground equipment, like a slide and sand area, a classroom,nursery, bedroom and bathroom.

Before we head back to 2017, we have one more stop, Buttons’ Animal Hospital. Buttons’ Animal Hospital comes with three figures: Buttons, a dog and a cat.

Buttons’ Animal Hospital has waiting room, kennel, front desk, exam room and a living space for Buttons.

Watch the video here:

Keep your arms and legs in the machine as we depart 1989 and return to the present! It may be a little bumpy, since we’re going forward over 20 years. (Yes, Polly Pocket is that old.) And we’re back!

The Wayback Machine needs a bit of a rest before our next trip into Polly Pocket history, so in the meantime, why not share some of your own Polly Pocket memories! Do you have a favorite of the three sets shown in this post or a favorite in general? Let me know!

Last time on the Skipper Highlight Reel, we covered Growing Up Skipper and her friend Ginger. This controversial line lead to the sudden disappearance of Skipper for a short period of time. Between 1975 and 1979, most Skipper releases were exclusive to the European market, like Deluxe Quick Curl Skipper and Funtime Skipper. It looks like a Malibu or two was released, but there wasn’t much more than that in the States, according to the internet. (Price guides like the Skipper: Barbie’s Little Sister stop at 1978. I’ve always played with the idea about trying to pitch a book that covers Skipper post 1978. It would be so helpful!)

In 1979, Skipper returned revitalized with a new ‘Super Teen Skipper‘ face mold and more active tagline. Super Teen Skipper was marketed as, “Glamorous one minute, a super sport the next.” Besides the new face, Super Teen Skipper’s body mold was changed from flat chested to having a small bust. To be 100% honest, the Super Teen Skipper is my least favorite of the Skipper’s manufactured. Personally, I find it to be just plain ugly. There’s not one thing that bugs me, it’s pretty much everything about her face that does.

In addition to tweaking Skipper’s sculpt and body, in 1980, she found herself her first ever boyfriend! Scott is an interesting character and definitely reflects the late 70’s/early 80’s! He has a head of curly hair and wears a sporty outfit with a tank top, jacket and pants. To complete the look? Four wheeled roller skates. Just imagine the folks in the skating movies of that time, like Xanadu, and you have Scott.

Interestingly enough, I always assumed that Scott’s body mold, which has one bent arm and one straight, had to do with the ‘active and sporty’ theme that surrounds him and Super Teen Skipper. Apparently, though, his body mold was also used earlier in 1978 for Mattel’s Jimmy Osmond doll. Those dolls were packaged with microphones and had bent arms so kids could pretend Jimmy was performing. So that’s why Scott has a bent arm.

Scott has a unique face mold that I don’t think has been used since this release, which only seems to have been produced for a year before disappearing. The whole Super Teen Skipper theme only lasted a few years (thank goodness) with a new face mold for Skipper being released in 1985 and then again in 1988.

Video review below!

Do you have Scott? What do you think of him? Share your thoughts in the comment area.

Boy Story is a line of 18″ boy dolls. They have multiple points of articulation. Boy Story’s Action Dolls have ball joints at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip and knee. Action Dolls come with a certificate of authenticity. They come dressed in some pretty nice looking fashions, which vary depending on your doll, but include underwear, a shirt, a second layer, jeans and shoes. Action dolls have a vinyl head and limbs that are connected to a cloth body. They use ball joints, but aren’t strung, which may eliminate problems with loose limbs after years of active play.

They have molded hair and inset eyes. Currently, there are two styles available: Mason, caucasian, and Billy, black/AA. Both have unique face molds and outfits. They retail for $99.00 or $115.00 if you want the doll to come with a book starring the character Mason or Billy. Baseball loving military kid Aspen and Asian character Kenji are two other dolls we may be seeing in the future.

There are three things I really like about this line. First, I love the ball joints, which offer 11 points of articulation. I’ll admit, the knee joint looks really strange to me, but overall, they look like they’ll allow the doll to pose well.

Second, I like the outfits. There are so many pieces to them and they look authentically male. My problem with some male 18″ doll fashions (fashions for most of the dolls on the market, 18″ or otherwise) are that they often times look too girly. Mason’s button down the front shirt and Billy’s striped hoodie look interesting and authentic. The doll’s shoes look pretty nice, as well! Third, I love the inset eyes and unique face sculpts. Boy Story did a good job crafting the faces of their dolls.

Boy Story launched their Action Dolls in 2016 after a Kickstarter campaign that saw over $28,000 from 238 backers. The brainchild of sisters Katie and Kristen, the ball was set in motion when Katie, pregnant with her second child, went in search of a doll to give her oldest son to help introduce the idea of having a new sibling. When she couldn’t find anything that fit her criteria, she and her sister decided to create their own brand in this niche market.

On April 13th, 2016, the idea found its way to Kickstarter, got funded and the momentum hasn’t died down since! Just this February, the line found its way into the Launchpad, a section of New York Toy Fair that focused on new and exciting brands that were making their debut appearance at the trade show.

Not attending New York Toy Fair this year, I missed my chance at seeing these dolls in person, so my thoughts, at the moment, are based on the promo shots. I’d love to see what these guys look like against other 18″ doll brands. In the promo photos, for example, the dolls look like they are very big, in terms of proportions. It would be interesting to see how they measure up against other dolls of this size.

To keep track of the company, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter! What do you think of Boy Story? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

A few weeks ago, my mom and I went to Walmart. Usually, we miss all the big sales, but this time, we stumbled upon a treasure trove of toys at super cheap prices. Within those aisles, we found three Prettie Girls Tween Scene dolls, Lena, Valencia and Kimani. In total, we paid $5.00 for all three. (What a deal!)

Prettie Girls Tween Scene are articulated 16″ vinyl dolls. Sold at Walmart, they made their debut in 2016 and were made in collaboration with the Tonner Doll Company. They use the same body that Tonner Toys used for their Maudlynne Macabre and Little Miss Matched Girl line. For the most part, the articulated body is done really well. She has shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints. The one point of articulation I feel is missing is a wrist joint. There are so many times I want to just move the dolls wrist, but can’t, because none of these dolls have one.

All three Prettie Girls are nicely rooted. I love the variation of hairstyles on Lena, Valencia and Kimani. Lena has super straight black hair. It’s soft to the touch. The same goes for the other two girls. Kimani has dark brown hair with lots of curl. Finally, Valencia has a light brown/caramel blonde sort of hair color that is styled in two pig tails. Were this line to grow, I’d love to see a more natural sort of hairstyle or a short cut on one of these dolls. Pictured below is Kimani.

To me, Lena and Kimani have very similar faces. I almost assumed they were the same character, just different waves. I peg that on their eye makeup. Both Lena and Kimani have the same color above their eyes and similar paint around their eyes. Even their lip color is very similar. I wish they would have switched up the face paint a little more, so each character could stand out more. Valencia, with a lighter skin tone and more sporty look, has more natural colors on her face, where the other two girls, both with darker complexions have cool, bright colored make up. Don’t get me wrong. I love the make up on them and think the faces look great as designed, I just think they could have done more to separate their unique characters. Pictured below is Lena.

If you’re looking specifically for a black/AA doll, then this is a line to look into. Lena and Kimani have different complexions, which is great and not always something doll lines do. Kimani is definitely darker than Lena when it comes to skin tone. I tend to like dolls with really dark skin tones, because, let’s be honest, they’re pretty rare when it comes to play line dolls. Valencia, who is Hispanic, has tan-colored skin.

All three dolls have super cool outfits! I’m torn between liking Lena’s red/orange dress or Kimani’s crop top/flower pants combo the most. Both outfits are just too cute. The sporty track suit on Valencia is my least favorite of the three and maybe of the entire line. Each doll came with an extra top. Strangely, though, I don’t think the tops they came with match very well with the outfits they are currently wearing, but maybe they expected to sell more fashion packs? Pictured below is Valencia.

To be honest, I’m not sure what the status of Prettie Girls: Tween Scene is. Last year, One World, the creative team behind this line, merged with Tonner, creating Tonner One World.  However, nothing has really come out of that partnership yet, nor have we seen any new waves of Tween Scene. Their website teases a new line, Prettie Girls NYC, which features new girls who “are diverse in cultures & personalities, from the Chic, rocker Stone; to the sophisticated, classy Knox; the fun, funky Kiyo; the performing, princess Mayla; to finally the sporty, spunky Anja.” The image from the site, who I assume is Stone, is pretty awesome. I hope we eventually see this line one day!

Even a new wave of Prettie Girls: Tween Scene would be appreciated. This line really is a great size and one you don’t see very often on play line dolls. Not to mention, there’s quality to this doll line. They are well put together dolls. (They photograph really well, too!)  And of course, we can’t forget the diversity factor. This line prides itself on having dolls from varying ethnicities. Not pictured in this review, for example, are Dhara, Alexi and Hana, who all come from different ethnic backgrounds.

What do you think of Prettie Girls: Tween Scene? Do you own any? Were they on clearance at your local Walmart? Share your thoughts in the comment area!

Don’t get too excited. Alas, I wasn’t able to afford a trip to New York City to attend the esteemed toy trade show that is New York Toy Fair. (I’ll be going to New York City later this year for Blogger Bash, though, which has a mini toy fair called the Sweet Suite!) The past week or so, I’ve been searching YouTube for videos from New York Toy Fair. Below are a few that might be interesting to you! (And I definitely plan on going to 2018’s NYTF. I feel like there should be more booths getting coverage than what is out there on the internet as of this writing.  That, or it will be a pretty lackluster year for toys. Lottie, The Queen’s Treasures and A Girl for All Time were there, but I don’t see many videos from their booths on YouTube yet. Tonner was also there with Phyn & Aero, but seemed to have had a very small collection of items. He livestreamed from his booth.)

The best video that I found was a live stream from the Doll area.  (The trade show floor is split into different themed areas.) It features Lottie, A Girl for All Time and Tonner. They go through the doll area and chat with vendors.

This video isn’t from New York’s event, but Hong Kong’s. It features Kurhn dolls! They don’t show at New York Toy Fair. That reminds me, I need to add a new Kurhn to my collection soon. It’s been too long!

Here’s a tour from Madame Alexander. No audio from the company, so your guess as to price, name and release are as good as mine on these dolls. I do see many things that were on display last year, though. I have an e-mail out to the company, so maybe we’ll be hearing more about them later!

Spin Master’s Luvabella will either win your heart or creep you out. Check out the video to see why! She’s a robot baby that has some pretty awesome head movements!

I love the Barbie hologram machine!!! It looks like it will be pretty cool. It doesn’t look like they have their new thingmaker, the 3d printer, on display this year. I wonder what’s going on with that?

My Ballerina Dolls was back (and still not in the doll area, it seems). From the looks of it, they didn’t have anything super new to show. It looks like they’re re-working Clara a bit so she can be more of an ‘anything’ character. (They mentioned that in another Toy Fair video.)

Shibajuku Girls debuted their new smaller sized dolls in their booth! I still prefer the big ones to the small ones, but they look cute!

This is just a sampling of what was on display at Toy Fair. If you haven’t, I suggest going to YouTube and searching Toy Fair 2017 and seeing what else people posted. (Look up Hasbro, Mattel and Funko– they usually have great stuff on display!)

There are some videos of the new Monster High dolls out, but honestly, the dolls don’t look very exciting. Also, bad news for Ever After High fans, it looks like they had zero new dolls on display for that line. There look to be a lot of fun new dolls coming to the DC Superhero Girls line, some of which are characters I actually know thanks to the CW’s current love affair with DC themed entertainment.

Did you see anything exciting at Toy Fair or through coverage online? What was it? Let me know in the comment area!

While at Target recently, I picked up a second wave Shibajuku Girls Suki. Suki is my favorite of the second wave dolls. Unlike the bright outfits seen on other dolls in this line, Suki has a more pastel aesthetic to her look.

Suki has a mixture of long light blue, pastel pink and white hair. She has a nicely rooted head of hair that is soft to the touch. Suki wears her hair down, with bangs. I personally think these dolls look better with bangs than without. Suki wears ear muffs, which are stuck to her head with tabs. She also comes with four barrettes, a staple in this doll line.

Suki has pale skin. I like this dolls eye make up. She has a silver and white theme going on with her make up. Above her eye is silver glitter and around it is black and white liner. Like the other girls, she has ‘real’ eyelashes. Suki has grey/blue eyes.

If you recall my past Shibajuku review, you’ll remember I had one problem with her– she was lacking an undershirt or tank top under her zipper hoodie. Because of that, I was interested in seeing if Suki, who is also dressed in a zippered jacket, suffered from the same wardrobe malfunction. I’m happy to say that unlike the first wave doll I reviewed earlier, Suki does have a white tankini sort of top under her jacket.

Her pastel jacket is shades of purple and green with pink and yellow accents. The zipper is ridiculously tiny and, I found out while trying to redress this girl, not really a working zipper. It goes up and down, but to really redress her, you’ll have to pull the jacket off her without unzipping it completely. (It’s still pretty easy to get off her that way, but it seemed worth mentioning!)

She’s wearing a pink tulle skirt. To complete the look, she has on polka dotted white and blue knee socks and pink shoes. Overall, the look is super cute and allows her points of articulation to move freely.

Speaking of articulation, the Shibajuku body is kind of like a Pullip dolls. Suki has shoulder, elbow, wrists, hip and knee joints. While this type of body doesn’t allow the doll to stand on her own, it does allow for posing.

Overall, I like the Shibajuku Girls line. They are one of the more interesting dolls in toy stores at the moment. Suki, in particular, is a cute one with a nice color scheme and youthful, fun vibe to her. What do you think of Suki or the Shibajuku Girl line? Share your thoughts below!

It’s that time again! World Doll Day is Saturday, June 10th, 2017. Started by Mildred Seeley in 1986, the day is one of celebration for doll collectors. World Doll Day began with a letter, which is copied below. (Keep reading for information on our first ever World Doll Day Toy Drive!)

World Doll Day Logo

So, you have not heard of World Doll Day? This is not surprising as of an hour ago, I hadn’t conceived the idea. To make it happen. I need cooperation of every doll collector, every magazine editor, doll newsletter, doll shop, library, doll maker, mother, grand­mother, father, grandfather, and all the stray aunts and uncles. The first World Doll Day is the Second Saturday of June 1986. Give a doll to a grownup, child in the family or just a friend. If you don’t have a child to give a doll to – find one. There are many children with no dolls.

Think of it this way and ship a doll to another country. I have always felt that the common doll could be an instrument of world understanding. From the first time I started writing books on doll making, I had the hope that dolls would help make friends all over the world and develop a little love among all.

World Doll Day will also be a day for doll exhibits. It is my hope that all libraries will have a special doll exhibit. Museums will publicize their doll exhibits and have special doll exhibits at this time. Magazines will put out special editions. Doll stores will put on campaigns weeks ahead. Doll Makers will make special dolls for World Doll Day. There will be doll competitions with World Doll Day awards, plaques and trophies.

The logo is made from artist Boots Tyner’s doll representing a child. The child carries a German bisque doll to represent this doll collectors gift. Feel free to copy the logo or have one made.

Everyone can enjoy the fun as there are no fees, no permission needed, no obligations, nobody owns the day, no club, no company. It’s a free- for- all, take up the day, its ideas and fly with it. Lets do it now. World Doll Day.

If you think World Doll Day is a good idea, then appoint yourself a committee of one to do something about it–only then can it become a reality. Would you tell five people, ask them to tell five people, and each of them tell five people and so on. World Doll Day’s birthday is June 14, 1986.

Sincerely,
Mil and Vernon Seeley

P.S. This letter may be copied and copied again and again until the world knows about World Doll Day.

I know it’s only the tail end of March and June seems quite far away, but trust me, World Doll Day likes to sneak up on you (or me, at least). In celebration of the day, Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter, in connection with the Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event (PUDDLE), will be celebrating by collecting new, in box dolls, toys or Amazon gift cards for the Marillac St. Vincent Christmas Store.

For over 60 years, Marillac St. Vincent has been opening its doors to families in need during the holidays with their annual Christmas Store. What is the Christmas Store, you ask? Every year Marillac St. Vincent Family Services invites parents, grandparents, and child guardians that they serve throughout the year, to sign up for the Christmas Store. On the Saturday before Christmas, registered families get to “shop” for toys, stocking stuffers, books, games, clothes, and stuffed animals for each of their children, have their gifts wrapped, and finally, leave with a full bag of food – enough to make a big meal on Christmas day complete with a turkey!

The Christmas Store is a fun shopping experience for parents and grandparents, giving them agency to choose the toys that best suit their children’s interests. Their Christmas sale serves over 250 families, which accounts for 800-1100 children, who may not have received holiday presents otherwise.

In honor of World Doll Day, I will be opening a special mailbox for the donation of dolls and toys for ages 0-12. Marillac St. Vincent Family Services has an Amazon.com wishlist to give you an idea of what they are looking for. However, any new doll or toy is fine! (Please stay away from ‘weapon’ type toys, per Marillac St. Vincent Family Services).

In an effort to give you time to find good prices and/or sales, the donation window is pretty long– May 1st thru June 30th. If you’d prefer to forgo shipping costs, you can also e-mail or snail mail me a gift card to Amazon. (I’ll use the gift cards to order toys directly from the site to my house for this cause.) Please leave your name and mailing address somewhere inside your package or e-mail. Donations are tax-deductible, so save those receipts!

But, wait, there’s more! Are you attending the Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event, aka PUDDLE? If so, you can donate directly at the event! Jane (of PUDDLE) has agreed to give one free raffle ticket to anyone who brings a doll or toy for donation! We’ll have a donation bin handy for you to drop your donation off in the main convention room. PUDDLE is a great day to donate, because it falls literally on World Doll Day! If you’re going to PUDDLE, but would rather send your donation off early, that’s fine, too, but please remember to let me know that you’re attending the show so we can get you a raffle ticket.

As this is my first time hosting a toy drive, I’m not sure of what kind of goal to set. If we can get at least 50 dolls and toys for this great cause, I’ll be happy. Keep your eyes peeled for another post with information on the mailing address and e-mail for online gift cards, which will be posted early April. Until then, keep this in the back of your mind and if you see an amazing deal (like a $3.00 Prettie Girls: Tween Scene), consider picking it up for Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter’s World Doll Day Toy Drive!

In the meantime, what plans are you concocting for World Doll Day? Share them in the comment area!

This past weekend, I attended Whinny City Pony Con. In its second year, the convention is focused on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Now, while I have enjoyed the cartoon My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic since it made its debut on TV in 2010, I still think of My Little Pony, first and foremost, as a toy. Because of that, I may have misjudged the real theme of Whinny City Pony Con. I was hoping it would have a similar feel to the My Little Pony Fair (2015 coverage), which I’ve attended in years past. While both conventions had a panel of special guests, a family/kids room, panels and a vendor area, it was clear that this was not a convention for someone who was more interested in the toy line than the tv show.

Call me a spendthrift, but the vendor area is my favorite part of any convention I attend. (And true to form, I usually end up spending way more than my convention “allowance”!) I wasn’t in awe over the vendor area at Whinny City Pony Con. I had assumed it would be a room filled with vendors selling ponies. I had prepared myself for vendors selling G4 ponies, since they correlate to the Friendship is Magic theme, but literally, only one vendor had them for sale (and the selection was not very good). The 30 or so vendors were mostly artists selling prints or etched goods and other more crafty vendors, with cute My Little Pony themed accessories. Because I went in expecting to add a new pony or two to my collection, I wasn’t over the moon about the vendor area. The artists were all talented, but I wanted a real pony. You’d think that I would leave empty handed because of this, but, alas, I did end up buying two items. First was a Hasbro made Doctor Whooves bank and shortly after, I added a cool custom Manehattan pin to add to my pin collection.

Besides the vendor area, the convention did have a number of panels for attendees. None were very interesting to me, so I only ended up attending one: the Q and A panel with the voice actors. The panel was a little shaky due to technical difficulties, but entertaining, nonetheless. Guests included Cathy Weseluck (Spike), Rebecca Shoichet (Sunset Shimmer) and G.M Berrow (Writer), among others. It seemed like Cathy and Rebecca were the most popular of the guests, as most of the Q and A questions were directed to them.

I’ll be honest, that’s pretty much where my coverage of this show ends. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I had misjudged Whinny City Pony Con in assuming it would be similar to the My Little Pony Fair. (Which, by the way, looks like it won’t be returning to Illinois this year.) If I was a bigger fan of the cartoon, I’m sure I’d have found more things to do. The vast majority of attendees looked like they were having a blast. If you’re into the whole Friendship is Magic fandom, this might be a convention for you. Like Whinny City Pony Con on Facebook for updates on 2018’s event.