My Doll Collection...My Dollection!

Friday, May 27, 2016

Bevies at the Beach House

All my photos so far I've taken with my phone camera...not because I don't have a real camera...I have a really nice one, but because I'm a lazy bum.  I was too lazy to take the memory card out of my camera and download it to the computer.  First world problems, I know.

Hubs bought me a wi-fi memory card for Christmas, called an Eyefi card.  Well, because of my laziness...I only got it out the other day.  I should have done it sooner.  'Cuz I also have a ring light thingy that goes on the lens to give fill light.  I did some test photos today.

Baywatch Barbie and Magic Moves Barbie having bevies at the beach house.  Baywatch Barbie is off shift, of course.
 I got the Baywatch Barbie the other day at the thrift shop for cheap!  She's in great shape, too.  I also got a Hula Hair Barbie (not pictured), with complete outfit and excellent hair.  The Magic Moves is mine from childhood.

Close up!

I had trouble getting the camera to focus more clearly on her face.

Downstairs, the nanny watches the kids while the other two visit.
The "beach house"  I bought off Kijiji with a crap ton of wooden furniture for $80 CAD.  I love the open concept of it.

Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Shopkins Shoppies


This past weekend I, along with my mom, took my girls to visit my grandparents, who live a couple hours away from us, and there's not much to do there.  I made sure the girls packed some things to play with, but of course they were "bored" and didn't want to play with the things they had packed. Go figure.  So we set out to the Bargain shop to get them each something else to play with.  Lo and behold they had a whole display dedicated to Shopkins play sets (not a bargain, by any means).  I spied this set, and thought she was pretty cute, so I picked it up.

Now, I have been purposely avoiding Shopkins for the whole "gotta get them all"  scheme which would ultimately end up getting quite expensive, with risk of accumulating doubles or more of characters on the hunt for the "rare" ones.  I think there are 5 different "seasons" now as well. Thankfully my girls also only just "like" them, and haven't joined the Shopkins craze.

However this set has a doll...so...you know...

This is "Donatina's Donut Delights", by Imports Dragon.

Front of the package.  Comes with 2 "exclusive" Shopkins and 4 "mini"  Shopkins.

Back of the package.
The artwork on the box is quite cute...however I'm not sure about the "hole" references.  Perhaps it's just me and my corrupt mind.

Donatina has just rolled into Shopville for a "hole" lot of sweet fun!  Erm...okay.

Another "hole" reference.  Also, WTH kind of name is Donatina?  It sounds like a dish you would order at Olive Garden.  

We are warned to not eat the contents of the package.  Captain Obvious must have collaborated on this warning label.

Love this caution.  Ha!  In case it's too small to read:
Adult supervision should be encouraged for young children.  Please retain packaging details for future reference.  Colors and contents may vary.  Do not eat.  Please remove all packaging attachments before giving this product to a child.  Do not put Shoppies into the mouth, as hair filaments may become detached from the toy during use.  Keep Shoppies' hair clean to prevent build up of dust and allergens.
 I'm also not sure what sort of future reference one would need to keep the box for.  The VIP card (for what, I'm not sure, I didn't download the app) came out of the box, so there wasn't anything left in there.  Maybe in case you forget the names of the Shopkins?  Which are, by the way, Daisy Donut and Rolly Donut.  They are not on the reference guide I have, but I guess that's why they are "exclusive".

The packaging was easy-ish to remove, the outer plastic shell had perforations that I cut around, and it came off.  The accessories popped out fairly easily.  The Shoppie, Donatina (I think I'll just call her Donna), had those darn plastic ties in the back of her head.


Here is everything out of the package:

Donna, who came with a stand and purse (doesn't open), a hair brush (not sure how you could even brush that hair), the cart, a plastic "box", and all the Shopkins.
 Donna stands pretty well on her own without her stand.  But she can't sit, her large head makes her fall over.

A close up of Donna.  Her shoes are removable, as is her skirt, but her molded top is not.  Her little donut bracelet is also molded on.  Her headband is tied to her head with string.  I just think she is so cute.
I apologize for the photo double here.  Stupid program was glitching on me and I gave up trying to fix it.  Moving on...

Just look at these shoes!


She can sort of hold one of the bigger Shopkins, but only because there's a hole in the bottom of it and I can stick her finger through it, ha!  The purse is very large and clunky, however.


Now, I had a few small packages of Shopkins in my "birthday party presents box" (I have a stash of gifts ready for when the kids get invited to birthday parties".  Well...I decided to open them.  Why not?  Here they are:

From left to right:  Mary Wishes, Jilly Jam x 2 (dang double), and Party Plate.
Here's what puzzles me about the Shoppies and the Shopkins playsets.  Some of the play sets are much too large for the Shoppies, and others are too small.  Take this ice cream truck play set, for example (my daughter's):


The other play set to the right of the truck is the bakery, also my daughter's.

Donna looks appropriately sized standing beside it...but who's supposed to drive it??

 
Certainly not Donna, who can't even fit in it, and not the Shopkins, who are much too small to drive (on top of not being logistically able to, ha!).  The only appropriately sized doll I could get to fit in the driver's seat was a Barbie baby.

Even the bag the Shopkins came in is a bit too large for Donna to hold.


Overall, this play set is very cute, especially the mini Shopkin donuts.

I leave you with this photo of MTM Barbie holding one of the minis.


So cute!  Just don't eat it, Barbie.  It says not to on the package.

Thanks for looking!



Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Fort McMurray Fire

I was going to post about what I bought myself for my recent birthday, but that all seems trivial right now.

Yesterday the entire city of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada was evacuated due to a very large, out of control wildfire.

My thoughts are with those who have lost nearly everything and are starting over.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-pushed-back-even-as-temperatures-climb

If anyone would like to donate to the cause of helping the evacuees, here is the link to the Canadian Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.ca/

So very devastating.  I don't have any friends or family that live there, but my coworkers do.

Please, send a thought or a prayer their way, for strength, health, and safety.

#AlbertaStrong
#Prayforrain
#keepthemsafe


Sunday, May 1, 2016

Barbie A Frame Dreamhouse

I've wanted one of these for a while...but didn't buy one as they are sooo expensive on eBay.  Lo and behold, I found one for FREE!  Someone had it out for large item garbage day!  I'm on a local upcycling Facebook site, and someone posted that it was on the curb for large item pick up.  I rushed out of the house, "I'm going for a drive!!".  Hubby replied, "What are you going to get now?"  I said "Erm...a doll house..."
Hubby scoffed a bit and asked "You already have one, where are you going to put it??  And before you say it...you can't have a dollhouse on each floor of the house."  Erm...the kitchen table??  We don't need to eat there, do we?  He's actually pretty easy going about it, but he likes to tease me about it.
It was quite dirty and loaded with custom artwork...but the marker came off quite easy...most of it without magic eraser.
Missing a door

Also a few windows...

One of these door also missing...

Some more marker?  I think...
I accidentally broke a peg off this planter trying to get it out to wash...oops..

I was more careful with this planter.  Didn't break it.

All clean!!  I hadn't really thought about how big it would actually be...like I said...kitchen table!
Driving away with it in my car, I felt like those people from the Ikea commercial..."Start the car!!" Ha!  In case you haven't seen that commercial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlWCLw75XnE

I really can't complain about missing parts...since, well, it was free.  I looked on eBay...and there is someone selling parts, but for $12-20 CAD each piece plus $18 CAD shipping...I don't think so, just yet.  I'll hold out for now.

It's sooo awesome.

Thanks for looking!