Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween to all from the Dolls Behaving Badly gang!

I am so BORING.

Pneumonia does many things to a person, none of them good, and in my case it's also made me both bored and boring. I haven't done a thing worth blogging about, haven't taken any new pics, haven't gotten any new dolls or doll things, sewn nada. I'm starting to recover enough that this state of affairs is really pissing me off--last week I was just concentrating on breathing and sleeping, and this week I want to leave the freakin' house, awready, and talk to someone I don't live with. I'd say this is all a good indicator that the pneumonia is in retreat, because I actually have the energy to bitch about it.

This means, I hope, that tomorrow I'll actually take a pic of a couple of my 18 inch girls in their Halloween gear, and maybe also Martie in her Rapunzel dress.

Meanwhile, have an oldie to tide us all over:

Dear Intarwebs,

What do you think Martie is blogging about now?

Amelia from A Girl for All Time is HERE!

This penumonia has flattened me, it's true, but I've had a most charming companion to entertain me and help chase away the blues: meet Amelia, the newest doll from A Girl for All Time!

She's very pleased to make your acquaintance.

"You'll catch your death out there!"

Kids, it's been a rough week here at DBB, mostly due to my health, which took a nosedive first thing Sunday, acting like a flu, and just kept devolving. I have asthma and a loooooooong storied history with bronchitis, so I honestly was just trying to butch it all out, while having a 24/7 wracking cough, cold shaking sweats, and the inability to do anything of any use whatever (like my review of the darling A Girl for All Time Amelia, who is here and just wonderful and you'll hear and see  more shortly).

My husband Kevin, who is the hero of this piece, decided this morning that I was going to the doctor whether I wanted to or not, so gently bullied me out the door and to the Urgent Care a few miles away. Meanwhile I'm still swearing I feel better, honestly I do, *KAFF*KAFF*KOFF*KAFF*, I don't want to go, awwwww, c'mon, man!" *KAFF*COFF*KAFF*

They looked at  my pulse/ox, looked worried; listened to my lungs, looked worried; gave me a breathing treatment then a couple of x-rays, looked more worried.

So. Uhm.

I have pneumonia.

They thought about sending me to the hospital, but it looked to be in only one lung, so sent me home cautiously with Godzillacillins and steroids and codeine and many stern expressions. I am to go straight to the ER if I don't feel noticeably better within 24 hours of starting the meds.

So,  what this means is, I nothing very little done, but there is hope. And many drugs.
 

Review: Pen Pal Girls Star Doll Dress

I found the PenPalGirls dolls on a random doll run through eBay, first encountering Cady from China, and realized I hadn't seen these exact doll faces before. A new doll company! How cool! I love discovering new dolls, and companies just starting out, and after looking through some of their listings and site, I shot them an email enquiry about their new venture.

In response, I got a lovely reply from Aileen Le, who is, according to her email signature, the Brand Ambassador for the company. Aileen offered to send me an outfit from their line for me to review, as their outfits are made to fit most 18" dolls like AG. I of course said "Of course!," and a few days later I got a little box in the mail from Pen Pal Girls.

And here's what was inside the box:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARTIE!!

Today mark's Martie's first appearance in what was then Threads Behaving Badly, as "Princess": In which we go to lunch.

Her first blog pic gave us a good idea of how the next year might go:

Friday Five.

Every now and then I want to feature a few blogs that I like and that influence me in some way, whether as a blogger, collector, or writer, and sometimes they're just fun. Today I start with five blogs that I enjoy regularly.

Doll Diaries
Char, who runs Doll Diaries, is, simply put, a real gem. She loves to share what she knows and finds, and she knows and finds some great stuff! She's primarily focused on American Girl and other 18" play dolls, and her Wilde Wednesday posts highlight her branching out into WI and Tonner dolls. I admit to being a regular aider and abetter in this.

TiggyZ Cabin
Tiggy is....well, you have to go see her. Tiggy is one of my all-time favorite doll characters, brought to life as few others have ever been. Tiggy speaks in Firefly, which isn't all that hard to read, but can be a real challenge to speak. I've tried. It ain't easy.

Tonner blog.
I've contributed to this one a few times, so you know it's quality. ;D Seriously, all the best news, views, reviews, and other things that rhyme, all about Tonner Doll, all in one place. And videos! Robert Tonner himself is very photogenic. Go check it out.

Karen Mom of Three.
Karen just comes up with the coolest stuff. She focuses on crafts, most of them easy and inexpensive, for your dolls and for your kids. I don't have small kids myself, but I've been accused (not unkindly, I hope!) of being perpetually twelve, so most of what Karen posts really appeals to me. She finds great dollar store stuff, too.

Fashion Doll Review.
Run by Alison Rasmussen, who is also the writer of BJDs for Beginners and a couple of other wonderful books about dolls, is the primary voice of FDR. If Alison doesn't know it about a fashion doll, it isn't worth knowing. Go check her out. She's a real sweetheart in person, too.

That's my first five! Have a blog you want to see me feature? Have a suggestion of a blog you love that you think I might like, too? Leave me a comment!

Review of Harmony Club Dolls "Summer"

I recently discovered Harmony Club Dolls, whose motto is "Peace, Love, Harmony," when I ran across them in a search for doll clothes. I'm always interested in new doll companies, especially in this cut-throat toy market that can chew a doll company up and spit it back out before I even hear of it, and this one has particularly appealling looking dolls. I decided to order the Rock this Town outfit Summer, the blue/green-eyed strawberry blonde, and a Halloween outfit for her, after I was sent a coupon code for 20% off my purchase. With accompanying $5 flat rate shipping, this brought my total down to under $100--hardly my $21 bargain from Saturday, but all the same, a total I could live with for a doll and two outfits total. She took a week to arrive from date of shipment, and showed up on my doorstep yesterday morning.

Peek-a-BOO!

Note the edits after the jump!

Pittsburgh Raine Festival! I mean, Ren Festival.

Yesterday we ventured outward to the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, on its very last day for the year.

Madame Alexander's Friends Boutique from WalMart

A few days ago I posted a review of the Madame Alexander Favorite Friends 18" play doll, and was asked if I'd take a look at another version of the doll in the MA 18" play doll line, the Friends Boutique dolls made by Madame Alexander for WalMart.

I chose a doll on clearance, because she's super-cute and---well, because she's on clearance. I paid $21, against a list price of $29.97, and the usual shelf price is $27.97. Madame Alexander Favorite Friends, by comparison, have a list price of $49.99, and can be had for $24.97 to $59.99, depending on where they're sold.

So what did I get for my $21, and how does this doll compare to that one?

I do believe I had the vapors.

I passed out Wednesday afternoon and ended up at the hospital for two days under observation. Fun, eh? I had Martie with me, but no camera or change of clothes for her (or me....), so I was bored out of my mind. I'm fine now, honest!, and regular posts will resume shortly. Meanwhile, go play with your dolls! And no passing out!

An entire doll FLOOR, kids!

Yesterday morning I had a long job interview that I'm cautiously optimistic about, and afterwards I went to SW Randall's Toyes & Gifts downtown on Smithfield Street. The doll floor had just reopened in anticipation for the holiday season, but not all the stock had yet arrived. What was there was gorgeous stuff, and I got a guided tour of the floor from the lovely lady who was working up there. I didn't get to take pictures, though.

I can tell you, though, that very soon there will be online a very large selection of the dolls of the late Jack Louis, who worked at Randall's for over forty years. He had an enormous Barbie collection, only part of which is on floor, the rest will be online. His collection included some lovely repaints, boxed rare dolls, Cher doll clothes MIP, and.....a Number One Barbie in perfect condition.

A lot of their new items are on their Amazon pages, including some Monster High dolls at FAIR PRICES! I know, right?!? Meanwhile, go to their website, call their phone, and ASK what they have! They're great people and love to answer questions.

This is a picture from a Yelp review of the doll section that's usually on the first floor, but is now on the third:

*munch*munch*

Hey! I haven't been on DBB in a WEEK! What gives? *monch*cronch*

Review: Madame Alexander Favorite Friends "Fashionista"

Let's step up a price point in 18" dolls, from Tuesday's Springfield Collection dolls review and look at a moderate-price doll, in the $25 to $50 range: a Madame Alexander Favorite Friends doll, specifically a new "Fashionista" by Cecelia Cassini.

Cecilia Cassini  is a 12 year old fashion designer and blogger, and a scion of the fashion family of Oleg Cassini. She has designed two dolls for MA, and Fashionista is the first. I liked the blue eyes paired with almost-black hair, and the black pleather matching jacket and boots. Madame Alexander has always been known for its quality, and these dolls have sometimes been favorably compared with American Girl dolls.

Here she is in her box:

Review of Springfield Collection Olivia 18" play doll.

It seems to be review week around the DBB office. I'm cleaning up the boxed dolls I've had for a little while, not least because an unboxed doll takes up less space than one in a cardboard rectangle.

This little girl is one I've wanted to unbox and review for a while now, the Springfield Collection Olivia that I bought in August at Joann's Fabrics, with a shelf price of $21.99. I bought her with a 40% off coupon, so the real purchase price was about $12.

So here we go!

Quick review of Hearts-4-Hearts Girls Lauryce

Hearts 4 Hearts Girls from Playmates Toys is a doll line that helps: part of the sales price of each doll is donated toward helping girls in the region that the doll's character is from. In the company's words : "The Hearts For Hearts Girls™ mission is to empower girls to become agents of change in their communities, their countries, and around the world. We want to change the world one heart at a time, and you can be a part of that dream!"

That these dolls are just plain gorgeous and very appealing certainly helps their charitable cause. Another pleasing aspect is the price: the MSRP is $27.99, and are available at Target and Amazon.com. They are also sold at Toys R Us and Wal-Mart, and can be purchased right from the Playmates Toys website as well.

I've had this girl for a month or so, and finally opened her box this past weekend. I've been nuts about these dolls since they debuted, and have all six of the debut dolls, as well as most of their outfits and accessories. I was VERY excited to see new dolls arriving, and for my first of these dolls, I chose Lauryce, a Creole girl from New Orleans, LA, USA. I love the combination of her darker skin with her light eyes and hair, and I especially like that the sales of the doll will help girls in New Orleans, which just had to deal with Hurricane Isaac seven years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube fish!

Really, I would have said "....fin-flailing...," except these are quite clearly arms and not fins.

 Yay, ALCOSAN! Or something. Kids, today we went to the award-winning AlCoSan (Allegheny County Sanitary Authority) annual Open House, which looked and acted like a festival. Yes, my children, a festival at the shithouse.

I'm not kidding, we went to the bloody sewage plant for games, giveaways, a tour, and free lunch. A part of me is very annoyed that I didn't think this up myself.

The pic above is Martie in front of Frankie the Fish, the official mascot. There is also a paper printed pic of Martie being held by the poor teenage boy in the Frankie the Fish costume, but I wasn't allowed to take my own picture so I could upload it here, and I don't have a working scanner. You're just going to have to imagine it. See it in your mind? Of course you do.

 Look, a dandelion in the middle of September! I think the soil around this place must be super-nutritious for flowers. Or weeds. Or both.

 Lookit the size of that rain gutter! Seriously, the longest damn rain gutter for a small shack I've ever seen. These people are dead serious about their rainwater. No word on whether the pumpkins were grown in the sludge.

They wouldn't let us take pictures on the plant tour, either. Something about terrorists seeing the inside workings, then blowing it up and covering us all in....well.  You get the idea.

After the tour, I had two hot dogs, two oatmeal-raisin cookies, an apple, and some cider. Kevin had a hot dog (he can exercise more restraint than me, I frakkin' love free hot dogs)(oh, shut up), an apple, some lemonade, and he gave me his cookie. N'aww. Martie had a hot dog and a cookie bigger than her head. We weren't downwind, for which I was grateful.

Okay, now, one nice thing--to encourage a whole lot of green habits, including discouraging soil erosion and generating oxygen, they were giving away tree seedlings. This one is our new friend Socrates, a Hemlock (GET IT?!?) Canadiana. He's living in our kitchen window until he gets big enough to plant and not be mistaken for a weed, or mown accidentally. Or maybe he'll be a bonsai. He might like that.

Never let it be said I never get out and do anything interesting.

Friday fashion.

Mismatched kitty earrings!

Review: Only Hearts Club doll "Olivia Hope."

Earlier this year, I bought a small lot of Only Hearts Club doll clothes from eBay, with the hope that they'd fit a very small bjd I own. Alas, no such luck, and the clothes went in to a ziplock bag and were set aside.

On Saturday I was in a Joann's (really, did I need a reason? I didn't think so), and noticed a few Only Hearts dolls in the red tag clearance bin. It occurred to me then that I still had that bag of clothes for these dolls. So I poked through available clearance items, and decided to take home an Olivia Hope.

Cute, yes? And her little dog, too!