The first appointment I booked for Toy Fair was Double Dutch Dolls.  Double Dutch Dolls is a book and vinyl doll line featuring six multicultural girls.  I knew of Double Dutch Dolls, but had never seen them in person.  This year at Toy Fair, that finally changed!  I liked the dolls when I saw them on the website, but I loved the dolls when I saw them in person!

Here’s a video introduction on the line hosted by the owner and founder of Double Dutch Dolls!

Starting with the books, there are currently three in the series.  They introduce you to 14 year old twins, Kaila and Zaria, and their friends.  The book series and doll line strive to represent girls of many backgrounds. Here’s a quick run down of the characters in the Double Dutch Dolls line.  Twins Kaila and Zaria are African-American.

Alainna is Hispanic.

Sascha is African-American (darker skin tone than the twins).  Sascha is my favorite, I think.  Currently, it’s a close race between her and Alainna. But, then again, Kadence is pretty, too!  It’s so hard to choose!

Trinity is African-American and Norwegian.

Kadence is Irish, German and Asian. While other 18″ lines have featured African-American characters, I can’t think of many that have characters with Euro-Asian backgrounds like Kadence.

One nice detail in the Double Dutch Doll line is that they have gone out of the way to give the dolls quality hair. Every doll has a different style and texture to her hair. I love the variety!

The dolls are also dressed very stylishly! There are a number of pieces they wear that I would love to own! And their shoes? Fantastic!  As far as I can tell, Double Dutch Dolls is a quality 18″ line that is on par with A Girl for All Time or Maru and Friends.  It’s totally worth taking a closer look at!  You can find out more information about Double Dutch Dolls on their website or on Facebook.  To see a few more photos, stop over to my Flickr Album.

Who’s your favorite Double Dutch Doll?  Do you own one?  What do you think of yours?  Share your thoughts below!  (Also, sorry about the weird image sizing in these Toy Fair posts!!!  Flickr is doing it, not me!)

International readers might have been introduced to My Friend Cayla already. However, she’s new to the States in 2015!  Cayla is an 18″ talking doll that can sit or stand.  She can be dressed in most 18″ fashions and comes in a variety of hair colors and skin tones.  The most unique thing about Cayla, though, is that she can connect through bluetooth to a secure search engine which allows her to interact with a child on a different level than other talking dolls!  Her speech to text technology allows her to understand what you are saying and react, so you can really have a conversation.

Here’s a few photos of Cayla.

The doll below is my favorite version of Cayla.  I like the hair and eyes.

Setting her up to your device via bluetooth is apparently really simple.  The app allows her to play games with you, like Tic Tac Toe.  Because she was out on the international market first, the app was released in multiple languages.  If you live in a household that speaks more than one language and there’s an app for your preferred language, you can choose the one you speak most.  And because Cayla’s technology is based on an app and not just internal memory, new content can be pushed in at any time to keep your play experience fresh!

Alongside Cayla comes My Friend Freddy Bear.

Freddy is also designed to interact with you on a different level than most.  He uses bluetooth technology, as well, but in a different sort of way. Within the app, you will answer a few questions.  Does the child have a sibling?  What’s their name?  What’s their favorite food? Things like that. Once you input that information, Freddy knows it and can bring it up as a topic of conversation.

For more photos of these two talking friends, check out my Flickr Album! For more information on My Friend Cayla, visit their website or check them out on YouTube.

Have you seen this doll in your country before?  What do you think of Cayla and Freddy?  Share your thoughts in the comment area!

Recently, it was announced that Wicked Cool Toys had taken on Cabbage Patch Kids.  During Toy Fair 2015, they hosted a special blogger event.  I suspect it was for ‘Mommy Bloggers’, but I was invited, as well!  During the event, the co-president of Wicked Cool Toys gave us a tour around the showroom and a glimpse into what is around the bend for one of my favorite childhood doll lines, Cabbage Patch Kids.

Wicked Cool Toys has many plans for their first season with this iconic doll brand.  While their Cabbage Patch Kids will still be fashionably dressed, Wicked Cool Toys is hoping to play on and enhance the nurturing element of the line.

You’ll see this most directly with the basic Cabbage Patch Kids line.  Each Cabbage Patch Kid will come with a key.  That key will help them unlock the heart collar on an Adoptimal, a scaled plush pet of their very own (sold separately).  (Sidenote: The blondie in the picture above is my absolute favorite Cabbage Patch Kids on display!)

The Cabbage Patch Kids Babies have had a slight redesign, as well. Their faces are fresh and spunky looking. They will come with a pacifier and blanket.  Wicked Cool Toys is releasing a line of accessories for them, as well.

Now, the two most exciting reveals:  First, the Classic Kids are here to stay!  I love the ‘classic’ Cabbage Patch Kids and relate to them the most.  The fact that they’re not going to be forgotten in this rebranding of the line is fantastic news.

This last bit of news from the presentation is what excites me the most about this relaunch of the line and I think it will excite you, too!  Throughout 2015, Toys R Us will have special Cabbage Patch Kids Days, where a ‘Big Kid‘ will be sold exclusively on that day and then retired.

The Big Kids are adorable and are on a whole different level than the traditional Cabbage Patch Kids.  They’re 18″ tall, the tallest of any Cabbage Patch Kid made in the past 30 years, made of vinyl and will come in a limited run of 1,000 or 2,000 (subject to change). The big kid they showed us at Toy Fair was named Marisol.  She was adorable!

The big picture behind these Big Kids is to bring back the ‘it’ factor that Cabbage Patch Kids had when they first hit stores in 1983.  Releasing special, limited edition Cabbage Patch Kids is a great way to go about finding that magic again, I think!

Wicked Cool Toys is bringing innovations to the line, as well, with this Electronic Dancing Toddler.  Not only does she dance around the room, but she also sings “I Feel Good”.

I left the presentation knowing that Wicked Cool Toys would put a lot of effort into making Cabbage Patch Kids relevant again.  Their passion for the product was clearly on display at Toy Fair and I think they’ll do a great job re-energizing this classic doll line.

For more images, check out my Flickr album!

What do you think of Wicked Cool Toys take on Cabbage Patch Kids? Is there anything you’re looking forward to seeing? Share your thoughts below!

At the same event where were learned about the new Cabbage Patch Kids line from Wicked Cool Toys, we also learned about an exciting new cooking toy!  No longer will you have to wait for Girl Scouts to knock at your door during cookie season to enjoy your favorite Girl Scout cookies.

With this new Girl Scout Cookie Oven, you can make your own!  Wicked Cool Toys worked with the Girl Scouts in re-creating your favorite Girl Scout Cookie flavors.  This marks the first time the Girl Scouts have worked with a toy company in creating something like this.

This oven is unique in the way it cooks, making the cook time shorter than that of its competitors.  The design is rather cute and the oven is in colors Girl Scouts know well!  Another nice feature on this oven is the viewing window, which will let you see your cookies bake.  It’s also pretty compact!

As far as the cookies go, they don’t look exactly like the cookies we’re all used to. They are smaller than your boxed Girl Scout Cookies.  The taste of my Thin Mint, though, was pretty close to what it should be!  The only thing that was slightly off was the texture.  It was just a little chewier than normal.

Wicked Cool Toys debuted two other Girl Scout related items at Toy Fair 2015, as well.  Both are very functional pieces. The first is a collapsible Girl Scout Cookie Selling Stand.  You don’t need to be a Girl Scout to get enjoyment from this piece.  You could easily use it for imaginative play, too.

The second piece is the Girl Scout Wagon, perfect for delivering cookies, walking in a parade or going to the park.  I wish I had a reason for a wagon, to tell you the truth, because I think this is so cute!

As a former Girl Scout (Daisy to Cadet), I love anything Girl Scouts and these items are no exception!  For more images of what I saw at Wicked Cool Toys this Toy Fair, check out my Flickr Album!

What do you think of the Girl Scout Cookie Oven, Cookie Stand and Wagon? Share your thoughts below!

The Bridge Direct invited me and other bloggers to celebrate Strawberry Shortcake‘s 35th Birthday at Toy Fair this year!  Serving strawberry shortcake and champagne, the event was a lot of fun. The best thing about it?  They let us in on what adventures await Strawberry and her friends in 2015!

Watch the presentation below!

Rest assured, Strawberry Shortcake fans, there is no shortage of fun things happening with this line.  The  theme for 2015 is celebration!  All year long, The Bridge Direct will be celebrating the doll line through special events and promotions.

There are a number of new products in the wings for 2015 that are set to debut this fall.  Here’s a sneak peek! The first two images are of the Strawberry House Playset (doll included).

The Surprise Party dolls are very cute!  Shown at Toy Fair were Strawberry, Blueberry and Cherry Jam.  (I love Cherry Jam! Her hair color is fantastic!)

Strawberry is not included with the Scooter Set below.

These two large scale dolls are going to a slumber party!  Slumber Party Strawberry and Slumber Party Cherry Jam are so cute!  Again, Cherry Jam is by far my favorite character displayed in the showroom! (These two will replace Strawberry and Lemon from last year– so grab them while you can!)

This large scale singing doll will sing the show’s theme song.

Tying in with the Strawberry Shortcake movie Berry Tales, this two set features Strawberry and Huck (prototype).

The item that tugs at my heartstrings most is the reproduction Strawberry Shortcake.  It looks just like the original Strawberry!

In honor of Strawberry Shortcake’s 35th, American Greetings created two special greeting cards that feature a more stylized, older version of Strawberry and her friends.  These special cards will be sold at Papyrus.  They made their debut at Fashion Week 2015.

Who’s your favorite Strawberry Shortcake character?  What do you think of The Bridge Directs 2015 line? Share your thoughts below!

I got the okay to post the Cabbage Patch Kids and Girl Scout Cookie Oven presentations online!  Below are the links to both presentations.

What do you think of the presentations? Leave your thoughts below!

WordPress decided to jump the gun on my last post.  Please disregard it.  :)  You’ll see it again soon!!!!

Any So In Style fans out there? Well, you’ll LOVE this line from designer Stacey McBride-Irby.  Former Mattel designer and creator of the popular So In Style series, Stacey attended Toy Fair 2015 for her own doll brand, The One World Doll Project. Created in 2010, The One World Doll Project, “endeavors to make a significant positive cultural impact” through dolls and doll play.

Her line of Prettie Girls! features four diverse girls: Lena, Valencia, Dahlia and Kimani.  Each letter in Prettie stands for a positive trait:  Positive, Respectful, Enthusiastic, Talented, Truthful, Inspiring, Excellent. They are 1/6 in scale and would fit in well with any fashion doll collection! 

This line is described best on The One World Doll Project page, where they say Prettie Girls! are “styled for play, yet filled with soul, The Prettie Girls! set high values-based standards for “pretty”- positive goals that reach across the globe and up for the stars!”

Exciting news straight from Toy Fair is that The One World Doll Project has a new series on the way! They’re called The Prettie Girls! Tween Scene and I adore them!  If you are a fan of Little Miss Matched or Maudlynne Macabre, you’ll love these Tween Scene dolls, too.  They were made in collaboration with Robert Tonner and share a body very similar to Little Miss Matched (I think, at least).

These 16″ girls are younger versions of the original Prettie Girls. New to the line are Hana (asian) and Alexie (caucasian).

What I really love about these dolls are their features!

Stay tuned for more information about Tween Scene.  I definitely plan on following this adorable new line! And don’t forget to check out The One World Doll Project online!  For more photos, check out my flickr album.

What do you think of The One World Doll Project? Who’s your favorite?  Share your thoughts below!

Jack from Tonner was kind enough to walk me through his booth this Toy Fair!  Needless to say,  I left wanting to expand my Tonner collection.  As far as high fashion dolls, there weren’t many new ones on display.  I feel like Tonner does a great job of letting fans know what is to come on a regular basis.  They don’t wait for Toy Fair for all their big reveals.  There were a few surprises, though.  One of them, I think you’ll all love!

The most exciting news I took from the booth tour was this: Maudlynne Macabre is not dead!  The line was put on hiatus, but they plan on eventually going back to it.  There are no exact plans yet, but hope is not lost!  I made a point to mention to Jack that you guys love Maudlynne.  (She’s the most asked about doll on my YouTube channel after Little Miss No Name.) So they know she has a fan base!  Good things come to those who wait, right?

The usual Tonner fair of high fashion dolls were on display.  The amazingly detailed Avatar figures were present and accounted for.  I never realized how neat they were until I saw them in person.  The details are fantastic on them.

They also had the new Jupiter Ascending dolls on display.  While the dolls aren’t my cup of tea, the white dress with red flowers is fantastic!  So elegant!

The Diana Prince collection was on display.  The collection is a nice introduction to the Wonder Woman story and was designed to impress both fashion doll collectors and DC fans.

Big Bang was front and center, as well!

And Sindy!  I can’t tell you how much I want a Tonner Sindy.  They’re so cute.  Designed more as a collector item, these aren’t meant for the very little.  However, they look like they’d photograph well and be a great addition to my doll collection!

And the big news of the show?  Tonner is re-joining the world of 18″ dolls with their My Imagination dolls.  With a face sculpt somewhat reminiscent of Magic Attic (also sculpted by Robert Tonner), these guys are adorable.  Now, I decided to do quick overviews of the new doll lines shown at Toy Fair and to save hard core, highly detailed reviews for when I have the items in my hand and/or they’re on sale, but if you want to know more about this new line, stop by the Doll Diaries.  Char talked to Robert Tonner himself to get details on these.

Here’s the quick rundown, though.  They’re 18″ tall. They have thick bodies and a gorgeous head sculpt done by Robert Tonner.  Because Tonner is a master at licensing, there is potential for this new 18″ line to have some fantastic tie-ins with the world of Wizard of Oz, DC and other properties. (Could you imagine a young Scarlett O’Hara-esc doll?  That would be adorable!) A few of those tie-ins can be seen here with the DC Comic and Wizard of Oz dressed dolls.

Little Red Riding Hood (seen here with Alice) is one of my favorites!

As far as starter dolls go, there are a few things to know.  First off, the basic dolls have removable wigs!  Fantastic, right? (Most of the dressed dolls will have glued on wigs.)

Second, you have a choice between a doll with knee joints (Deluxe Basic My Imagination, seen here holding a wig) or without extra joints (Basic My Imagination).  The doll with knee joints, the ‘Deluxe Basic’, is my personal favorite, not only because of her extra movement, but because she comes with a total of two wigs. Now, if only they had elbow joints!

This Wizard of Oz fashion is one of my favorites, especially on this doll. I love the dark hair and steel eyes!

And this face!  How can you not love it!

I see a ton of potential in this new My Imagination line and can’t wait to get my hands on one!  They could be a huge thing for Tonner and bring a totally new audience to the company.  I, personally, have always preferred the more childlike Tonner dolls to the high fashion ones.  The Starter Basics will retail at $79.99 and Starter Deluxe Basics will retail at $124.99. Outfits (which are sure to be adorable) will start at $29.99.

More photos can be found in my flickr album.  And make sure to keep an eye on Tonner’s website for more information on the dolls featured here!

What are you most looking forward to from Tonner in 2015?  Share your thoughts below!

Jakks Pacific showed off a variety of items in their showroom at Toy Fair. They’re covering a lot of bases, let me tell you!  If you’d like to watch the entire presentation, check out the short video below.

Now that you’ve seen all they had to offer up at Toy Fair, here’s some of my favorite pieces!  I love miWorld.  You love miWorld.  We all love miWorld!  This year, Jakks is releasing two new sets– Build A Bear and AMC!  Though Build A Bear wasn’t on display, AMC was and it looked spectacular!  Definitely on my must have list.  You can actually place your phone in this playset and have it transform into your movie theater screen (where the white shelf is on the right side).

A new My First Princess Toddler Jasmine is being released in honor of Aladdin being taken out of the Disney vault this year!  All the princesses are being released with special ‘Royal Reflection Eyes’ now, which give their eyes a little more dimension.  A special Ariel is being released, as well, that lights up and sings when she’s in water.

These adorable princesses are actually filled with make-up! They’re called Pretty Bitty’s and are filled with a variety of things (lip gloss, body glitter, etc).

Jakks Pacific is also releasing some fun live action Cinderella pieces.  This is a Princess and Me doll that ties in with the new Cinderella movie. It’s the cutest doll I’ve seen for this movie so far!

After one successful Sketchers/Jakks Pacific collaboration, we get another! These 4.5″ fashion dolls, Twinkle Toes by Sketchers, look cute and colorful! There are four girls so far.

These Animal Babies are adorable! I don’t care very much for the Feature Monkey, though.  He hops.   I don’t need my Animal Babies to hop, just to hug.

And of course, there’s the Disney Fairies! These all tie in with the new movie, Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast. I think I prefer the dolls that came out under the Pirate Fairy theme, but these are nice, too!

For more photos, check out my Flickr Album.  And don’t forget to keep an eye on Jakks Pacific’s webpage to learn about all their products.  What are you looking forward to most from Jakks Pacific?  Share your thoughts below!

Here’s the actual Toy Fair 2015 post!  Sorry to all those who received the rough copy.  WordPress jumped the gun and decided to publish it… Here you go!

I haven’t reviewed much in terms of 18″ doll furniture here on my blog. That may have to change, though! The Queen’s Treasures and Laurent Doll had some wonderful pieces on display at Toy Fair this year. The two companies, now working together to cover all the bases, cater to many different kinds of active play. The Queen’s Treasures does more vintage inspired pieces, where as Laurent Dolls is more contemporary.

Here’s a quick video tour of the booth!

There were so many different items on display!  My favorite series on the floor had to be the Salvation Army pieces modeled after the World War I “Doughnut Girls”. I had never actually heard of the Doughnut Girls before, but the story is actually quite interesting. (Members of the Salvation Army were sent to France in 1917 to help ease homesickness amongst the troops. They did that by making doughnuts. For a longer, more in-depth history, check out this link.) There were two outfits inspired by these brave ladies, the Vintage Salvation Army Uniform and the Doughnut Girl Uniform. Set up in the diorama out at Fair was also the 1930’s American Style Oven, a lovely table and cute doughnut accessories.

The 1930’s Sewing Machine and the 1940’s School Desk were two of my favorites from The Queen’s Treasures, as well.

One key feature that was apparent in many pieces was the ability to adapt them to your play space. For example, The Doll Storage Trunk and Bed set is both a doll trunk and a playset! The bed folds down if you want to play with your doll and folds back up when you’re done! The Royal Tea Shoppe Set is a great piece, too, because it can also change depending on how you wish to play! You can buy different signs to put on your display case. Pretty cool, I think!

This tent set was on display. This project is super secret at the moment! There is also another super secret project in the works that I can’t share. Stay tuned!

Another great piece from The Queen’s Treasures? This Christmas collection!!! I love it.

On the Laurent Doll end, there were also some fantastic contemporary pieces. Their beds looked wonderfully made. One of my favorites was this Loft Bed Set. A nice thing about this piece is that you could adjust its footprint.

The Stackable Beds were great, too! You may be thinking to yourself, these are great, but why are they so white? The idea is that every girl or boys idea of the perfect color will be different, so why not keep these simple. Plus, these white pieces of furniture will fit with anyone’s room decor!  Most of the bed sets don’t come with linens for the same reasons. You can order linens in various colors and designs.

This was one of my favorite Laurent Doll pieces. I love the design on the dresser. The colors on the dresser will match the linens on the bed next to it when sold. (Which is a shame because I love the current color scheme on the dresser!)

The running theme when it comes to color combinations for the Laurent pieces seems to be a creamy pink and bright green.  You’ll notice the drawers on a few pieces painted with those two colors.

Laurent Dolls also had some adorable food and beverage sets scaled down to be the perfect size for 18″ dolls! The tiny food fan in me loves these!

While neither company sells their own 18″ dolls, The Queen’s Treasures sells these adorable scaled pets for your 18″ dolls.  An adorable Yorkie is currently being sold and in 2015, three more cats will be introduced.  This line, called Awesome Animals, looks so cute!

For more information on what these two great brands have to offer check out their websites: The Queen’s Treasures and Laurent Dolls. More photos can be found in my Flickr album!  What are your favorite pieces? Share your thoughts below!

This week, I received the second of three My Little Pony Express subscription boxes.  They were gifted to me for my birthday.  For more information on the service, check out my January Box post.  I’m jumping straight to the fun stuff in this box opening post!

MLP Express

Here’s the big video reveal!

Italian Posey

I received an Italian Posey this month!  She’s so cute.  Posey has a yellow body and light pink hair. Her cutie mark features six tulips in a light purple.

Italian Posey

This Posey is unique to the US version because of her blue eyes. The US version has green eyes.  In Italy, this pony was also known as Penelope.  You can tell a pony is Italian by looking at their hooves– one hoof will have Italy carved into it.

Italian Posey (notice the blue eyes)

Italian Posey

Apparently, Fluttershy from Friendship is Magic was originally based off this pony, but due to rights issues, her design had to be tweaked.  You’ll notice both ponies share the same color scheme.

Italian Posey

Also in my My Little Pony Express box was a pony bow crafted by Perfume Puff Princess, the Hearts and Candy ponywear set (hat and shoes included), a comb and Blossom sticker.

Bow by Perfume Puff Princess

I still need to dig out a pony to wear this.  My ponies will be so excited– they haven’t had new clothing in at least 20 years!

Candy and Hearts

I’m very happy with my pony and think Posey is a great addition to my collection!

What do you think of Posey?  Did you subscribe to My Little Pony Express recently? Who did you receive?  Share your thoughts below!

I don’t have much to uncover from my visit with MGA Entertainment at Toy Fair this year.  The big thing– the thing I know you all want to know about– wasn’t actually on display.  Yes, I’m talking about the Bratz relaunch. According to my rep, we won’t see hide nor hair of Bratz until this summer at the earliest.

My MGA appointment was kind of weird.  They had a huge showroom, but I was actually shepherded to an office right outside the showroom.  Inside the office, there were some upcoming Lalaloopsy releases and samples of the new Vi and Va dolls. Don’t get me wrong, it was a huge honor to be able to even get past the front desk, but, being my first Toy Fair, it made for a different sort of booth visit than I had experienced.  You may have seen many of these products already on store shelves, but in case you haven’t, here you go!

We’ll start with Vi and Va.  I’m still not 100% sure what I think of them.  They’re cute, but I don’t see a lot of pizzazz in them. That being said, I still haven’t really played with them or seen enough of them to really judge.

There were four new basic Lalaloopsy’s on display.  Mona Arch Wings is very cute!

This new Stretchy Hair Lalaloopsy has stretchy hair, kind of like a Stretch Armstrong.

There were some Lalaloopsy Girls in the room, too. Here are some photos of the new basic Lalaloopsy Girls.

Isn’t this one a cutie?

You may have seen Lalaloopsy Crazy Hair videos popping up on YouTube recently. These girls have hair that is super easy to style. The texture of the hair feels similar to how a yarn dipped in glue would, but it has the ability to hold whatever style you would like!

There were four dolls on display. Scoops Waffle Cone was my favorite!

Brand new in 2015 are the Lalaloopsy Tinies.  They are very, very small Lalaloopsy’s!

For the little chef’s in your house, MGA also has a Lalaloopsy Oven available!

So, that’s what I saw from MGA at Toy Fair.  For more pictures, check out my flickr album.

What do you think of these new releases?  Share your thoughts below!

Prior to Toy Fair, I had never heard of Paola Reina dolls.  Now? I’m a huge fan!  Manufactured in Spain since 1994 with high quality European materials, Paola Reina dolls have a very European feel to them.  Each vinyl doll is handcrafted with hand painted features and rooted nylon hair and is infused with a unique vanilla scent.  Clothing and accessories are designed by Ruth Treffeisen, world renowned doll designer.

Paola Reina offers a number of different doll sizes, so they will most definitely have something you’ll love! Paola Reina hopes to “create dolls that all children can identify with, regardless of gender, race or culture. [Their] philosophy is that all children should grow up without racial barriers and with confidence.”  They make, as they say, “dolls with love”.

I fell in love with many of these dolls when I walked through their booth at Toy Fair this year. The unique face molds, with their chubby cheeks and expressive eyes, won me over instantly!  Here’s a look at a few of Paola Reina’s doll lines. My favorite is the size that was most represented in their Toy Fair booth, the Las Amigas.

Las Amigas are 12.5″ tall. While they don’t have elbow or knee joints, they do have articulated shoulders and hips.  Here are some of the adorable Las Amigas that were on display. Below are Dasha, Claire, Liu, and Cleo. These dolls are recurring characters in the line and are released in different outfits.

The three below are my absolute favorites in this size.  Aren’t they cuties?  These are Carol, Nora and Dasha.

Not interested in contemporary looking outfits?  They also have a Fairy/Angel line (Las Amigas Angeles), an (adorable) monster line (Las Amigas Moster), a period outfit line (Las Amigas De Epoca), a hobby line (Las Amigas Hobbies), a princess line (Las Amigas Princesas) and a gymnastics line (Las Amigas Gimnastas).

The Soy Tu line features 17″ dolls. Below are Lis and Amor.  Amor might be my favorite of this line, though Becca and Ashley (not pictured) are cute, too!

This adorable doll caught my eye from the get go.  I adore her face!  She’s part of the Las Primas De Paola line. Her name is Julia. She’s 16.5″ tall.

The Las Reinas are gorgeous dolls, as well.  They are 23.6″ tall.  This one was my favorite in that size!  Marta, Sandra and Witch are cute, too! They have more joints than the smaller dolls.  They have shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints, as well as turning wrists.  Below is Lidia.  So pretty, right?

Paola Reina also caters to those who enjoy the baby doll types.  Some are playline, others are more collectible/display.

I adore Adrian (below).  He’s part of the Los Ninos line. He’s 19.6″ tall.

Looking for a newborn doll?  They offer those, too!  You can buy these Los Bebitos in both genders and many skin tones.  They are anatomically correct and come with a bandage wrapped around their belly button, like their umbilical cord was just cut.

I am so happy to have discovered this doll company and never would have without Toy Fair!  It’s definitely a line that spoke to me, sculpt-wise.  They’re faces have so much expression to them and I love that in my dolls!

You can find Paola Reina online on their website, facebook and twitter.  The prices on the website are currently in Canadian dollars, but you can order these to the US.  You can find these in select stores, as well.  For more pictures, check out my Flickr Album.  You can view the 2014 catalog on their website, too, to get a feel for the other dolls in their collection.

Is this company, Paola Reina, new to you?  Have you seen their dolls before? Who are your favorites and why? Share your thoughts below.

Zeenie Dolls have been around for a few years now.  Zeenie Dollz are 12″ tall and have 24 points of articulation.  They are made of ABS plastic and TPS, making them recyclable.  There are currently six dolls: Zennia, Sini, Kazumi, Yana, Evee and Lini.

For their first year or so, Zeenie Dolls were sold on their own website only, but they have recently started popping up on websites like Toys R Us and Amazon.  The main reason I haven’t yet purchased and reviewed one of these is all due to price.  If something is more than $25.00 and I’ve never seen it in person, I am hesitant to spend the money.  We all have experienced a situation where we bought something off a promotional photo just to find that the produced doll had many changes made to it.  Originally priced at $50.00, they were a little steep for my budget!  (However, at the time of this posting, they look to be $20.00! Get em’ while you can!)

I was super excited to see that Zeenie Dollz was showing at Toy Fair this year.  Finally, a chance to see them in person!  Here are some photos taken from the booth.  (I really, really wanted to fix their flyaway hairs, but didn’t want to ruin their display!!!)

The one below is my favorite.

There was a new line on display, as well, but no photos were allowed.  I’ll keep you posted on this upcoming line!

Overall, it was great getting to see these guys in person.  There are things I find strange about them (the coloring on some of the dolls is odd and the hair texture seems hard to manage), but they are rather cute. I love their inset eyes, hair colors and jointing!  Check out my flickr album for more images.

You can find Zeenie Dolls online, on facebook and on twitter.  Do you own a Zeenie Doll?  What do you think of the line?  Share your thoughts below.

Popstar Club’s The Beatrix Girls were on display at Toy Fair this year.  The booth was packed with exciting items!  The Beatrix Girls line, which I haven’t reviewed yet here on Confessions of a Doll Collectors Daughter, includes four dolls: Lark, Ainsley, Brayden and Chantal.  Together, they are The Beatrix Girls, a fictional pop band.  The website features downloadable pop songs for girls (and boys) to enjoy and some fun videos! Here are some photos from The Beatrix Girls booth.

The London Tour looks to be in stores now.  Of the four dolls in this line, Lark, the red-head, is my favorite!  Chantal comes in a close second–I love her outfit!

This is the Country Tour line.  Lark and Ainsley, the blonde, are the cutest in this line, I think!

Here are the Red Carpet Beatrix Girls.  Lark earns a hat trick, she’s (again) my favorite.  Brayden, with the purple hair, has a really cute outfit, as well.

Also on display were Chibi Beatrix Girls!

I wasn’t sure what to think of The Beatrix Girls when they hit store shelves last year, but they’re doing a great job surviving in a tough market.  As a collector of doll bands, I really do need to add these to my collection one day!  And when I do, rest assured, I’ll review them for you!!!!

For more pictures, visit my flickr album.  You can find The Beatrix Girls in a number of retail locations.  The Beatrix Girls are also on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you have a favorite Beatrix Girl? Which one and why?  Share your thoughts below!

Another doll company at Toy Fair was Corolle.  Corolle is based in France. Like some of the other lines I have covered, Corolle dolls have a strong European feel to them.  With faces that are plainer and more childlike than many US dolls, Corolle has made an impact on the industry since it debuted in 1979.  Corolle makes soft body baby dolls for the youngest of babies (Babi Corolle) to 14″ vinyl dolls made for imaginative play that are perfect for those 4 and up (Les Chéries Corolle and Mademoiselle Corolle).

Here are some of the items that were displayed at the Corolle booth this year at Toy Fair. Below are examples of the 14″ Les Cheries Corolle.  They have some very fun fashions and I love the sunglasses!

Here are some examples of more baby friendly Corolle dolls.

In the past, I’ve used Miss Corolle outfits to dress my Little Miss No Name. They have some very nice fashions for 14″ dolls available.  Of everything I saw from Corolle at Toy Fair, the Les Chéries Corolle are my favorite. Their little round faces are simple, but cute.  I particularly like the dolls with freckles! On top of that, they have some super cute fashions.

For more photos, check out my flickr album.  You can find Corolle online, as well as on facebook, and twitter. Do you have a favorite Corolle doll?  Share your thoughts below!

One of the first booths I visited at Toy Fair was Madame Alexander.  Madame Alexander has a rich history and has made a huge impact on the doll world.  As you know, I am a huge fan of vintage, hard plastic Madame Alexanders, so it was a treat getting to see what was in store for this long-lasting brand in 2015.

Many different items were on display at Toy Fair.  Here are some of my favorite dolls featured at the show.

Above are the Travel Friends dolls.  These 7″ dolls are so cute.  Notice the joints at the elbows and knees!  The Travel Friends made their debut in 2014.

New for 2015 is the NASCAR line.  Madame Alexander partnered with superstar Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. While I’m not a NASCAR fan myself, research shows that one out of three girls ages 6-11 are fans of the sport. With statistics like that, I’m surprised we haven’t seen more NASCAR branded doll lines. These tiny dolls, aimed at 3 and up, will retail for $16.95.  The NASCAR, I Dream and Storybook lines are set to launch in the fall.

The dolls in the I Dream collection are nice, as well.  The chef is my favorite.

Above is Beauty from the Storybook collection.  Of all the 7″ dolls featured at the show, Beauty is my pick for prettiest!

The dolls pictured above may be my absolute favorite new items in the Madame Alexander booth.  These are prototypes of the new Playline DC Collection.  I hope the actual Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn dolls are as cool looking as these!

Also in the DC Collection are three 8″ superheroes: Wonder Woman, Batman and Catwoman. These are set to launch Fall of 2015.

18″ dolls were on display, as well.  My personal favorites were the Isaac Mizrahi dolls.

The doll below is based on a picture book.

Madame Alexander seemed really excited about this new partnership with Crayola.  Pixie Doodles are dolls that come with outfits you can color in.

And let’s not forget about the collectible dolls on display at Toy Fair.

The 10″ Snow White below is wearing a historically accurate outfit, circ 16th c. Germany, and is influenced by medieval, gothic and baroque styles. There are other princesses in historically accurate styles, as well.

The steampunk Little Red Riding Hood was pretty awesome to see, too.

The only disappointment for me in regards to my booth visit was that the rep confirmed that the company showroom/museum, which had beautiful vintage Madame Alexanders on display, had closed its doors and that there were no plans to re-open it at this time.  I visited the showroom when I was in New York a few years back.  It was the highlight of my trip (and I wasn’t even a Madame Alexander collector back then). The showroom, open to the public for viewing and birthday parties, was a great reminder of the vast history of this legendary brand.  Sadly, I doubt this unique showroom will ever return and that’s a major loss to doll collectors who find themselves in the New York City area.

For more images, visit my flickr album.  And don’t forget to check out Madame Alexander online, on youtube, on twitter and on facebook!

What caught your eye in this post? Share your thoughts below!

I’m a huge fan of MiWorld and have been since they debuted last year.  This Christmas, I received a new MiWorld room, Sprinkles Cupcakes.  I’ve never actually heard of Sprinkles before, so I can’t say much about how this miniature set compares to the real life store.  I can, however, give you a sneak peek into what it looks like and how it compares to past MiWorld sets!

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles is considered a ‘starter set’, not a deluxe set.  That means, it is one room as opposed to two rooms.  Sprinkles has a very colorful back drop.  The walls are decorated in lots of bright colors.  One wall features merchandise, like t-shirts.  The second wall features the menu board and 2D cabinets holding supplies. The backdrops fit well into the base.  Before you place the wall into the thin cardstock floor panel, remember to place down the thin pink floor piece.  The walls attach with a very tiny L shaped piece of plastic.  It’s very easy to lose, but, unlike past sets, seems to stay in place!

Sprinkles Cupcake

As far as large furniture pieces, this set has a few.  The biggest accessory is the display case.  It comes in multiple pieces, so you’ll have to put it together. I’ve found that mine stays together well and looks pretty neat when all is said and done!  It holds accessories well, too!

Sprinkles Cupcakes

The second piece you have to put together is the table and chair set.  The table and chair aren’t the best accessories I’ve seen in a MiWorld set.  They seem flimsy.  My table is just slightly off due to pieces not fitting properly.  I love the ‘peanut butter cup’ look to the table top, though!

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Besides the large set pieces, this set includes a number of smaller accessories.  Inside are twelve cupcakes, two t-shirts, two canisters (of what, I’m not sure), two coffees, two plates and two flavor capsules.  There are also three foldable boxes.

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Like other MiWorld sets, there are some stickers you’ll have to apply to get the full effect. The stickers are easy to remove, but they have a few problems of their own.  Mainly, it’s hard to tell where some of the stickers go.  For example, there’s this huge Cupcake ATM sticker, but I’m not certain where to actually put it!

Sprinkles Cupcakes

It would make sense to put it in the empty white space on the second wall, but then again, why would a cup cake ATM go behind the register?  The cupcakes get stickered with dots, which was strange to me at first, but I went with it anyway.

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes

One major issue with the stickers is that they don’t like sticking to the miniature accessories.  To make sure the stickers stay on, you’ll probably want to tape these down with clear tape.

Sprinkles Cupcakes

I think the MiWorld sets are really great, in general, but this set is a bit of a let down.  I love the color of the backdrop and the fantastic display case, but the table and chair set is a disappointment.  It seems to me that this set, more so than the rest, went through the most changes from prototype to actual product.  Still, though, you couldn’t ask for a better backdrop for your tiny dolls.

Sprinkles Cupcakes

Do you have Sprinkles Cupcakes?  What do you think of it?  Where did you put that Cupcake ATM sticker?  How does this set compare to the actual Sprinkles Cupcakes? Share your comments below!

Viola Studio Dolls made their debut in 2008.  They are soft body dolls made out of high quality materials.  These plush dolls caught my eye because of their unique, playful look.  The designer, Viola Hale, has a fantastic eye for color and design.

My two favorites are Pepper, the doll in yellow with a panda purse, and Harper, the doll below in the red hoodie and owl purse.

For more pictures, check out my flickr album.  Viola’s Etsy page sells outfits, so you can dress your Studio Doll in new clothing whenever you’d like. Currently, I don’t see any Studio Dolls on Viola’s Etsy page, but there are miniature versions of the dolls seen above.  This one is done in a different style, but I adore her! Viola also makes clothing for children.

For more information on Viola Studio Dolls, visit their website. They also have a facebook page.