We Welcome a Boy to our 18" Collection

I don't know why but it seems that dolls of the male variety are steeper in price than female dolls are.  Perhaps their scarcity leads to their premium price.  I don't know.  We had looked online for an 18" male doll to add to our adventures but were dissatisfied with the sparse offerings.  Providentially, a trip through our local junque store led to a remedy for this situation.  There in a booth, amidst other treasures and trinkets of varied description sat Jack.  Jack is the no-longer-in production Our Generation boy doll.  He is collected far and wide by doll enthusiasts looking to add a little male influence to their cadre.
He is definitely a play doll.  At the risk of giving him an inferiority complex I will have to compare him gently to the others.  The adequate sandy blonde wig is no real disappointment, as boys tend to make fewer trips to the hair salon anyway.  His vinyl limbs and soft-bodied trunk are not nearly the quality of My Twinn or Karito Kids dolls, but it is adequate for our purposes.  He has brought much inspiration and adventure to our play as boys tend to do.  With proper training and discipline I am sure he will fit in quite well here for years to come.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Another Karito Kid Deal

Since my last Karito Kids post I am happy to report that I have been able to track down another $29 Kid.  This time I wanted Zoe, from the USA and I had to visit two different stores to find her.  I was told that some of the more popular dolls are a little more scarce.  The Karito Kids line of dolls is experiencing a resurgence in popularity.  Their site has been relaunched and several of the dolls outfits have been refashioned.  You can view their current line here as well as many of their outfits.  They are also readily available on Amazon as of this posting.  Be prepared to pay a little more than I did for the first-issue dolls that are now on the secondary market.  The Gia doll that we own has been given a new outfit that still reveals just as much of her tremendously long legs as the former outfit.  Additionally, Karito Kids size clothing patterns and fashions are readily available for purchase online.
I would highly encourage you to add one of these unique dolls to your collection.  I believe that Ling from China has become a favorite among doll enthusiasts.  There is not an ugly girl in the entire line.  Each doll and outfit represents their country of origin beautifully.  You may not wish to have all of them but I am certain that when you hold one of these well-made dolls in your hand you will see what I mean.  They feel great, look amazing, and come with a great head of hair for styling.  Collect or play with these Karito Kids dolls, you will not be disappointed.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Meet Our Life of Faith Doll Elsie

As a young girl I would say that I played with dolls a lot.  As a Mama, I am hoping the same time will be spent by my little girls enjoying their playtime with their beloved dolls as well.  When my eldest daughter was still too young for her first real doll, I couldn't help myself when I saw this beauty.  I met Elsie Dinsmore while combing the aisles of a favorite Christian bookstore.  There she stood quietly in her box waiting to go home with some girl and help her find her way through the struggles of life.  Elsie came home with me and stayed in her box until my daughters 6th birthday.  She was allowed out, but only to be displayed.  Finally after much cajoling I gave in to allowing her to be handled and carried about the house.  Today her lovely curls are a bit displaced but mostly intact as is the rest of her outfit.  Elsie sits on her couch in all her loveliness awaiting her bedtime prayers each night.
My now 10 year old daughter would say that she is still the prettiest doll she has ever seen.  These dolls are no longer in production but can be obtained via eBay and collector sell-offs.  Some of the harder to find dolls from the Life of Faith collection sell in excess of $325 in New In Box condition.  Their clothing detail is exquisite and historically accurate for the period they are set in.  Their skin is a lovely tone and has been given life-like detail by blushing on the tops of the hands and knees.  Elsie's curls make her hair a no-no for play and styling.  I would have to say she is best left in her original clothing and hairstyle in order to preserve her beauty.  She is all-vinyl therefore not too cuddly for sleeping and hugging.  Perhaps this is the reason that this gorgeous doll line is no longer in production.
We benefited greatly from Elsie's book series as a read aloud.  It was captivating and historically rich.  She is now reading through it on her own as well.  We are even in the process of collecting the entire series from the original author just to enjoy the beautiful vocabulary.  Through their website your daughter may enjoy, as mine does, an interesting forum for growth and encouragement as a young lady of faith.  I am not certain how long they will keep this resource available so go visit while you still can!
-Whimsy

American Girl Doll for FREE, yes FREE!!

If I believed in luck, I would say my six year old is lucky.  Put her in a random drawing of any sort and she wins many times.  This time was no different.  I entered all three of the girls, even the baby, in a drawing for a Just Like You doll that the bookstore, Borders, was having.  I filled out the entry forms, looked at what we had stopped there for, and left.  At the end of the week my phone rang and the caller ID displayed Borders.  I looked at my daughter and said, " I bet you won that American Girl Doll."  I was right.  We went down there to sign a few release papers, bring home our newest dolly family member, and were dazzled!  This was our first experience with and brand new, fresh-from-the-box American Girl doll.  I believe she is known as G1940 (how cold) but we call her Maeve.  Her soft body is just right for hugging and holding, her blue eyes sparkle when she's awake and close when she's asleep.  We will spend many hours combing and styling her soft, shiny hair.  She will be right at home in this doll-loving place.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

A Doll for Mama

Isn't she cute?  I play dolls with my girls alot.  Usually I am asked to be the hair-stylist but many times they just want me to play family or act out a favorite story from Little House on the Prairie with them.  Thanks to eBay I now have my own vintage American Girl doll to use when we play together.  Isn't she spunky?  This is a Pleasant Company Lindsey and she is perfect.  In fact, I can't believe how tight her limbs are for her age.  We usually buy from the historical line but Lindsey is not from that genre.  She is special because she is the first American Girl of Today doll they issued and is known as Lindsey Bergman.  I like her just because she is cute and full of spunk.  Just look at that unruly hair and the sprinkling of freckles across her tiny upturned nose.  What a doll!  No more time to post, I've got to go play!!
-Whimsy

My Twinn Collection Grows Again

I have a son.  Yes, he is outnumbered 3 girls to 1 boy.  My children are encouraged to play together and to develop friendships with each other.  Many, many times my Boy Scouting, baseball-playing, gun-toting son is asked to play dolls by his sisters.  He can't be the dad or the son without a boy doll so he often declines...until now. 
The My Twinn company is well knows for its ability to create a custom doll with a striking likeness to your child.  I decided to try my own hand at this.  I began to check the files of the My Twinn group I belong to in search of a face that I thought resembled my son.  I found such a face in the Catherine facemold.  I was thrilled to find a Denver era Catherine for sale in the group.  Alas, she was a very Dorothy-esque pony-tailed brunette, a la the Wizard of Oz, and not a boy.  This was an easy remedy with a quick re-wigging.  I now have an adorable boy Twinn with a splash of freckles and fair skin that bears an uncanny likeness to my own freckle-kissed son.  I will enjoy this doll for many years to come.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Our American Girl Doll Family is Growing

Until today we owned just one American Girl doll.  My 6 year old has been asking for one too so I began looking at what was available.  Because she's six and we love vintage, I will not be buying brand new.  She decided that she would like a Pleasant Company Samantha so that is what we got.  A Craigslist poster had several available so off we went to check them out.  We ended up getting this adorable PC Samantha with this cute bob and her complete meet outfit for a GREAT price.  We also purchased several pairs of shoes and clothes from this seller just for fun.  Since Samantha is in no need of repair or rehabilitation we really have nothing more to say.  Now go play dolls!
-Whimsy

Our Twinn Family is Growing

While I have yet to stumble across a fabulous My Twinn or American Girl Doll for $5 at a thrift store, I have had almost as much good fortune on Craigslist.  It seems many girls don't "get into" My Twinn like they do AG and often want to help their Twinns find new homes before the dolls are hardly in played with condition at all.  Such was the case for us when we found our newest dolly, another Kate.  She came to us blonde but we have since made her a brunette.  Her body was perfect but her former dolly Mama had not been taught how to care for dolly hair properly.  It was really too broken and dry to be salvaged for styling.  Megan Joy (as she is now known) has caused me to wonder what I can do to spread the word about this wonderful doll.  I would love to see the better-made My Twinn doll more in vogue and in more little girls hearts and homes.
There are many fine handmade fashions that can be purchased for American Girl and other similarly-sized dolls on the market today.  That is no longer the case for My Twinn clothing.  You are currently obligated to pay the higher prices for clothes from the doll manufacturer, buy outdated handmade styles online, or make your own.  The fact is, many little girls love to dress their dolls in clothing that is more like what they wear.  Due to popularity among doll collectors, most My Twinns are seen dressed in toddler clothing or other less trendy styles.  I have been inspired to begin a crusade to help My Twinn owners and lovers everywhere to be able to find high-quality handmade fashions for their Twinn dolls that are more in keeping with dress styles of today in order to encourage the popularity, ownership and play of these great dolls!  If you are an excellent source for this, please send me your link and I will put your store in our Doll Mall.  Until then, enjoy your play!
-Whimsy

Another Twinn

Since I have two girls that play with dolls so far, I felt that we needed another Twinn to keep the first one company.  So, back to eBay I go while the My Twinn company is again involved in some turnover.  Once the dust settles I'll feel comfortable buying directly from them.  The girls and I began our search through the pages of My Twinn listings, finally our eyes fell on this beautiful gal and the "oohs and aahs" began.  We waited patiently two more days for her listing to end and made her our own.  When this pretty girl arrived we were thrilled with her looks, but oh did she smell!  The girls and I do not care for cigarette odors and her wig was the main culprit.  What to do, re-wig or Downy Dunk?  Since her adorable blonde bob was the main reason we fell in love with this girl, we decided to dunk her.  Guess what?  It worked.  Just remember, since her style is short we had to try our best to keep the wig cap itself dry so that the adhesive would not be compromised.  I was especially concerned about this since she is a Denver-era My Twinn. 
Her facemold is known as kissy "Kate" because of the sweet pout her lips seem to have.  My little girl decided she looked more like a Mary Grace to her so that is what she is known as here.  A few carefully placed squirts of Fabreeze took care of any body odors she may have had.  Poor girl.  I think she spent a week at our doll salon getting made over before she was ready to play.  The girls were about to burst!  We are quite pleased with our newest dolly addition and can't wait to dress her up and show her off to all of you.  Now off to find some My Twinn sewing patterns!
-Whimsy

Welcome Home, My Karito Kid

You know that I love high-quality vinyl dolls for my girls because I want them to be beautiful and durable.  Well, this find in my latest trip through Tuesday Morning is just perfect!  Meet our Karito Kid, Mia.  She has been renamed to fit in with the rest of our dolly lineup.  She is 20-21" tall so she is right in the middle of the American Girl Doll and the My Twinn.  Her lovely body is more slender than either of the other dolls and is different in that she has a vinyl breastplate.  This should make dressing her in some fashions very nice since she has that nice neckline.  The rest of her trunk is hand-strung, soft and huggable.  She poses great, stands nicely, has a sweet expression, and her fixed, hazel eyes are of terrific lustre!  I must say she has a bit too much eye make-up for my taste, but nothing like some of the alternatives  that are available on the market today.  It is not grossly overdone, just a little grown-up.  Also, I must mention that her skirt really is too short if you are training your daughters to dress modestly.  This was an easy fix for us though.  We simply added another row of gathers to the bottom of her skirt.  The outfit she came with is also quite well made and not likely to fall apart with the use a child would put it through.  Even her boots seem sturdy and durable.  Gia (their name) comes with a great wig that is washable and styleable.  It is very good quality and manageable length.  I would have to say that for the dynamite price of $29 I will be going back in search for more Karito Kids Dolls!
-Whimsy



 

Welcome Home, My American Girl Doll

A very popular doll on the market today is the American Girl Doll.  She is probably the most popular among girls aged 9-11 for sure and my girl is no exception.  After looking into the dolls and their stories, we decided Molly would be our perfect first doll.  She is from AG's line of historical dolls, has her own line of books and even a movie.  For us, vintage is always preferred so we began to comb the eBay listings in search of the perfect girl for us.  We were searching for a Pleasant Company era Molly with great skin, bright eyes and soft hair still in its original braids.  Our search has ended!  We are pleased to announce we are now proud owners of our first American Girl doll, Molly McIntyre.  She came with her complete meet outfit and book collection.  We are pleased.
Molly's string is nice and long and her body seems to be without defect or scuffs.  She is odorless as well, which is always a plus!  However, she has one leg that is not as tight as it could be so we will go in and restring it to make her whole body nice and tight.  If your American Girl needs a little re-stringing help, and you've got the patience, give it a try.  Otherwise, you'll have to consider a trip to the Doll Hospital in her future.  This project is adult-only.  Do not try this without some time and a safe location for your parts, in case you need to leave for some reason.  There are a couple of ways to accomplish a re-stringing and this method is adequate and cost-effective if you are on a tight budget.  This is very similar to the way we repaired our own Molly but a bit quicker and cheaper.  If you decide your doll needs some serious help that is beyond your skill, maybe you could contact Diane.  She operates a doll hospital for dolls of any type and does excellent work.  Let me know how your re-stringing goes!
-Whimsy

Welcome Home, My Twinn

I have three little girls.  My youngest is just 10 weeks old and a real doll herself.  As you can imagine, we play dolls alot around here. Playing house and being "just like Mama" is a common theme.  There are alot of dolls out on the market and I am interested in finding quality play dolls that will last and become cherished heirlooms too.  Something that can be passed on to the next generation is my goal when I am out looking for a new friend to bring home.  Many dolls will meet this standard if the little girl who owns her understands there are a few dolly basics and even some rules for care that will keep her special friend in great condition for years to come.  I will offer many of those tips along the way.  You will also find them posted on my Dolly 101 Page.
One line of high-quality doll that meets this standard is the doll offered by the My Twinn company.  Though they have been through financial ups and downs, the dolls offered today are still some of the best available.  There are many factors that play into that recommendation - - hair/wig quality being one of them.  I am excited to show you our first Twinn today: Maribel.  She is the "Wendi" facemold and features brown eyes, a sun-tanned vinyl body and terrific long brown hair.  I have decided to change her wig, but more on that later.  We got her on eBay and we are please with the value of this doll!
More great doll talk to come, so stop by soon!
-Whimsy