Our Generation and Blythe LPS

Every once in awhile, I'll see something that has nice packaging or I'll get curious about how something is assembled.  Usually I'll just stand in the toy isle messing with it, but I wont buy it.  However, since these next two items were on clearance at Target, I decided they were cheap enough to purchase.  First up:

A Our Generation Book and Miniature Play set at 50% off, final cost was $4.04.  There were three versions.  The other two featured a story about a girl riding horses and the other story was about a girl solving a mystery.  Each came with a different doll (all white) and different accessories pertaining to their story.

This book is told in the first person and has some nice illustrations throughout.  I skimmed the story and it's preteen suitable.  As best as I could figure, the protagonist, Juliet, is in junior high, so roughly 11 years old at the youngest.  So why her doll looks like this I've no idea:

Now I don't collect little kids or babies. I only have the 2 SIS kids because they came in a set with adult dolls.  Correct me if I'm wrong but I always figured that Kelly (?) kids were representative of a 3-4 year old, no?  So why this Our Generation girl looks so much younger than her character is beyond me.  She almost looks like a toddler compared to the SIS girls. Their tops and shoes are interchangeable, but long pants are not.

Here are all the accessories.  Except for making the apple pink, they did a great job on them.  That tiny little water bottle is really what sold me on this set versus the other ones.  It's so freakin' cute.  The star bracelet is intended for a real girl.

I like the kid size scale of everything.  The earbuds on the mp3 player are huge though!  Those would even look big on an adult or big headed doll.  However, I can appreciate the detail they've put in all these items.

Here's a scale shot of each item in a Fashionista hand.  Of course the comb is not intended for a doll to hold but I threw it in anyway.  What's interesting about that comb is that out of all the dolls and play sets I have ever purchased, this is the first one that came with a comb.  All the others had brushes.  I like it.

A comparison shot of that awesome water bottle against "normal" sized beverages.

Next up is the Blythe Littlest Pet Shop at 70% off, final cost was $5.68.  I'm not about to bash any one's love of Blythe's or LPS'.  I'll just say they are not to my tastes.  The packaging and clothing however are super cute!  The way they've designed and folded this boutique into shape is very inspiring to me.

Look how simple yet swanky it is.  This is a very well put together set.  There were no plastic ties.  Everything was held in place with loose thread and paper ties.  The "mirror" behind the Blythe is rather clever as it shows a print of her reflection.

They put a lot of detail in these tiny clothes.  Her head pops off easily to allow you to put the top elastic over her neck.  This is the only outfit that the Our Generation girl cant fit into.

Aww, she looks darling!  The pants are super stretchy so they fit well but the tops don't close fully in the back.  The last outfit has an elastic hoop at the top but I was unable to get it over her head and when I tried to take her head off I heard a big crack!  Luckily it was just the neck seams opening and a drop of super glue will reseam it.

This is the only outfit that the SIS girl can wear.  Her head pops right off so it was easy to put the dress on.  Again though, it doesn't close in the back.  But she is working that outfit and hat!

To conclude, I think both of these are very nice sets even though I wouldn't buy another Blythe LPS.  I did try to find the other two Our Generation sets on Saturday, but they were all gone from 5 different Targets!  Oh well, I'm glad I was able to get this one.

Mission Organization

I have a habit of forcing myself to do things by not allowing myself to do something else.  Weird, but it works for me.  That's why I've only posted once this month.  I told myself that until I got my doll stuff organized I was not allowed to blog.  It's taken me 3 weeks.  I didn't say it was a quick and effective method, but eventually, the job gets done.

Because of that crazy Target sale earlier in the month I purchased a lot of items.  Things were literally piled so high they were falling over.  I either needed more storage or to stop buying stuff... and to stop buying, well, that's just ridiculous.  So, I got these:

The large storage stacks were from Big Lots and with 20% off came to $20 each.  The Stanley tool box was on sale at Target for $7.99 and the bead box from Michael's with a 50% off coupon came to $1.00.

Okay, I don't have EVERYTHING put away, but enough that I can debox (or not) at my leisure without fear of junk falling on top of me.  Right now I've just separated boxed playsets and accessories from boxed dolls which are sitting here:

These are stacked on top of my vanity.  Not all of these dolls will be deboxed.  I'll open those that were bought just for their accessories or bodies and then go from there.

This bookcase is behind my desk.  The binders on the bottom are filled with doll clothes.  They used to just have the clothes that my mom made but all the stuff I've collected is taking over.  I haven't decided if I'll move my mother's stuff to the storage stacks or the new stuff.

It would make more sense to take my mom's stuff out since I'm not really using it.  However, those clothes have been sitting on that bookshelf for over 12 years just minding their own business and I don't like the idea of some fancy interloper taking over their spot.  Yes, I'm weird I know.

This storage is right next to my desk.  It used to have some doll accessories in it but I've removed it all and now it's my utility cart for all the things I need to work on my projects.  This dang thing cost $24 from Walmart - how dare they, but it is wider than the average storage unit because it can hold 12x12 scrapbook paper.

My little doll things were becoming over crowded so buying another bead box gave me some wiggle room.  I think I need another one actually.

Once I open those dolls and accessories I'm going to need another shoe caddy too.  I was hoping to use that Stanley tool box to store stuff, but it's a funky depth.  Almost too tall for doll stuff, but not tall enough for tools.  I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Anyway, now that I can post again, I feel like I can breathe.  Whew!

A.C. Moore Finds

I was going from Target to Target hunting for the elusive $7.50 Stardoll when I noticed the A.C. Moore store.  I've seen it before, but for some reason I thought it was a paint store.  This time as I was driving past I saw the "Arts & Crafts" underneath the sign.  It's basically a smaller Michael's but with some slightly different content.

My Michael's doesn't carry any of these items.  If the ACM door circular would have had some coupons in it I would have bought more of the Lifestyle Collectibles because they had over 50 different items, probably half of which were 1:6.  Let's check everything out!

          Clawdeen:  "Dude, why is this chick touching me?"

          Sasha:        "Oh, geeze.  Soooorrrry."

I totally got the wrong size doll stand because the hook only goes under their butts.  I will make do with these though as I can always fashion my own wire insert.  I do like how narrow the stem is.  If you turn the doll a certain way you can't even see the stem any more.

          Clawdeen:  "I'll show you sorry!"

          Sasha:        "Eeeeeek!"

The fact that these are small is also useful because I wouldn't be able to get these poses with their original stands as those stems are too tall.  Sasha is actually sitting on her stand and Clawdeen is just hanging from her shirt.

Body Types:  Fashionista, Bratzillaz, Liv, Moxie Teenz

At first I was just going to get one chair and then duplicate it with craft sticks.  Then I thought, "You punk, stop being so cheap and just buy more of these. Ugh!"  And so I did. ^_^.  For ladies, only the Moxie Teenz can't bend her knees but she's still seated comfortably.  If her heels weren't so high the Bratz could bend her knees more.

Body Types:  Power Team, Fashionista, Basic, Star Trek

John Cho has to keep his knees straight.  Japan Ken doesn't have bendable knees but he looks okay in the chair, I guess.  Annoying Fashionista body can at least cross his ankles, bleh.  Of course, Power Team SWAT guy is the most comfortable.

The wine coolers and beer look pretty good to me.  They also have a hefty clank to them as though they are made out of acrylic, but I can't tell if they are.  The glasses are noted as parfait, but I'd use them for any liquid.

Each beer bottle has a different label.  I think it would have made more sense to have them all the same.  Otherwise, you have to buy more packs if you want to make a set... or perhaps that was the point, lol.

One last photo for scale

This was a good haul even if I did have to pay full price for everything.  I will be signing up on the store website so I'll know when they are having sales and so that I can get some ding dang coupons to buy all the Collectibles.  'Cause seriously, paying full price is for the birds.