Stitches: Malibu and Renee's Winter Outfits

When I'm cold, I think my dolls are cold too.  It's winter here, and Malibu and Renee were in summer clothes, so I fixed them up with some warmer stuff.

Doll Goals for 2025

I'm going to have less doll related goals this year, because I'm moving my focus on my book, video game, and art backlog.  However, that doesn't mean I won't have doll goals for 2025!  Doll collecting is my passion and I'm happy to keep it in my life.  Here are my goals for my doll collection in the coming year.

2024 Dolly Goals Progress Report 5

I completely forgot about these things, and I think this is the last one for the year.

1. Buy less dolls.  Since September, I've basically added 6 more dolls.  I'm gonna do another round of removing dupes, but yeah...  I got some new bodies for Rainbow High characters and I also got back into customs, and also Barbie Dream Besties.  Can't say I've slowed down much, and I fully intend to buy the rest of the Dream Besties, and the Jem and the Holograms dolls coming out next year.  But I still think next year will be slower, since I'm done with Rainbow High, Monster High, and I'm thinking of dropping Rainbow Brite.  But RB is mini dolls, not full sized ones, which take up less space and I think I should calculate differently.

Unboxing: Barbie Dream Besties Malibu Barbie

It hasn't even been a full week, but I was losing my mind with Renee all by herself, so I bought Malibu Barbie so she wouldn't get lonely.  I know, she's plastic, and plastic doesn't have feelings, but I'm just nuts like that.

Unboxing: Barbie Dream Besties Renee

This is Barbie Dream Besties Renee.  I fangirled over this line early in the year, then wasn't feeling them when they came out in the summer, but I'm definitely feeling them now.  The box art is amazing.  Anime Barbie?  Yes please!  I picked Renee first, because her favorite color is purple and so is mine.

Princess Advent Calendar, and Kathleen

Well, in times of turmoil, when there are large world events that make me sad, but I can't do anything about, I turn to my rich imaginary world instead.  Last year, it meant getting dolls from the dollar store.  This year, it means collecting tiny 3 inch tall princesses with clip on ballgowns.  To help lift my spirits, I've ordered the Princess Advent Calendar from Amazon.

Gallery: Daria and Poppy Photo Shoot

Stitches: Dolloween Success

On the last day, at the last minute, I came in clutch with the witch hats.  OMG.  This project was almost the death of me this month.

Photo Shoot: Lucas and Shadow in Ken doll clothes

Don't they look like high schoolers in the oversized clothes?  This was the style when I was a teen.  I'm enjoying the look.  Ken shoes fit on YMY boy bodies, yay.

Progress Report: Shadow and Lucas

The heads arrived yesterday.  They look awesome.  Their jaws and chins are a little bigger than I'd normally like, but they are masculine, it kinda comes with the territory.

I'm getting back into custom dolliehs, just a bit...

I know what you're thinking, "Jobee, you haven't done custom dollies in years!"  I know, but hear me out.  These boys, have long hair, and I like it.  So, I've ordered them from  AliExpress, and I'm writing a novel before they arrive.  I'm not kidding, 2 days and I'm almost 8k words in.  I'm on literal fire.  I write about these two literally all day, then I dream about them at night, then I wake up at the crack of dawn to write all day again.  I've been possessed by some sort of smut-writing demon.   Their names are Shadow and Lucas.  Expect more from these two soon.

Unboxing: Tickled Pink and Stormy from Rainbow Brite!

they have arrived!  Tickled Pink and Stormy are here!!!!  I had to unbox them immediately!

Jem and the Holograms Hype

I'm so happy, I'm gonna explode, Loyal Subjects, who made the fantastic Rainbow Brite doll, have revealed a Jem from Jem and the Holograms doll!!!!!  She comes with good looking articulation, two outfits, a stand, a comb, and I'm over the MOON!  I'm so excited!  I love the Rainbow Brite mini doll, so if the Jem doll is the same quality, I'm in for a TREAT!  And if Jem sells well, they could come out with the other band members, or even the MISFITS!!!!!!

2024 Dolly Goals Progress Report 4

I've been itching to fill this out, it's been long enough.

1. Buy less dolls.  I did a big doll sort and toss around the end of July.  It was surprisingly easier than I expected.  After researching other doll collectors methods for thinning the herd, I removed a couple brands I no longer wanted, and removed duplicate characters from brands I still liked, resulting in downsizing my collection by 27 dolls in total.  Also, I've reorganized some doll collections to take up less space, gaining more storage room by about 4 totes.  So, even though I still buy a couple dolls a month, I've reduced my numbers and how much space they take up to be actually lower than where they were at this time last year.

Playline Doll Brand Predictions

I've been feeling clairvoyant AF lately, getting tons of hunches, like big ones, but not about important real life issues, or lottery ticket numbers.  I'm getting hunches about the playline doll future.  For shits, I'm gonna post my predictions here, so I can look back here next year and see how far off I was.

Unboxing: Clawd, Deuce, and Heath from Monster High

Here are 3 boxed Monster High boy dolls.  I was going to unbox each one, one at a time, one each week, for most of September.  I did not do that.  I savagely unboxed them all in one sitting. Warning, this particular blog entry is incredibly long.

Gallery: Ruby & Skyler Pajama Photo Shoot

I finally have this photo shoot done, two months after Jade and Bella's.  This idea to sew doll pajamas all year long has only been working out a little bit.  I got 6 sets of pajamas and bathrobes done so far, and I only have 4 months left of the year.  I'm a little burned out on Rainbow High sewing, and wanna make stuff for Monster High, or my new Disney Princess dolls...  Anyways,  here's the rest of the pictures.

Unboxing: Second Twyla Boogiemonster

The last 3 Monster High dolls I've gotten, I've said, "This will be the last one!" but you know me.  There is never a last doll, is there?  I already have a Twyla doll, but this one plays tabletop RPGs, so I had to have it!

Dolly House Con 2024

This weekend was the tiny, two person, online doll convention, Dolly House Con 2024.  It was a 3 day event, though we both prepped for it in advance, so it's been about a week of activities when you count prep.

Photo Shoot: Cinderella and Tiana

Today I did a photo shoot with Tiana and Cinderella.  I'm thinking of erasing and repainting all my Comfy Princesses eyes.  I dunno.  It'd be a lot of work, but then they'd be uniquely mine.  I dunno.  There's only 6 pics in this photo shoot.  I took a lot more, but I was having trouble with the lighting.

Photoshoot: Ariel and Belle

I got the last two comfy princesses I wanted this month, Belle and Ariel.  Since I got them second hand, I washed them up, and shampooed their hair, and all that.

2024 Dolly Goals Progress Report 3

I almost forgot about this, but it popped up in my head in just about the right time.

1. Buy less dolls.  I've screwed this one up a couple times now.  I bought a bundle of articulated Disney Princesses in June, which I don't regret, but then I also bought a Magic Mixies Pixling, then I bought 4 more.  The Magic Mixies Pixlings are incredibly beautiful to look at, however, they don't meet my minimum requirements for articulation, and they have molded on clothing.  I can't make clothes for them, and I can't pose them really well at all.  I haven't opened the 4 I bought this week, so I'll be returning them.  It sucks, but they were an impulse buy, after I already decided they weren't good dolls for me.

Mika and Spooka get new bodies! YMY Review

These are Mika and Spooka.  They're my two tinies.  I've had Mika for many years, and got Spooka more recently.  Mika used to be a catgirl.  Spooka is a Wednesday Addams wannabe.  They've both had Obitsu brand 11cm bodies, which I've struggled with.  Their hands, feet, and arms pop off when you're dressing or posing them.  Because of this, I've had to be very careful with them and not take them on fun adventures.

Photo Shoot: Comfy Sleeping Beauty and Snow White

I just wanted to do a cute photo shoot with these two, since they're on my desk.  Also, my ring light has been found and fully charged, nice. 

Unboxing: Disney Princess Comfy Squad lot

It always starts with a box.  This box came from Ebay.  It's a lot of 5 Disney Princess Comfy Squad dolls by Hasbro in 2016.  Let's open the box.  Doll nudity ahead...

Doll Meet-up: Port Con Maine 2024

This past weekend, I took Violet and Sunny to a doll meet at an anime convention.  Here's pics of all the dolls and some of the people I met.

Gallery: Rainbow High Jr High Skyler and Ruby

Gallery: Jade & Bella Pajama Photo Shoot

Unboxing: Flitta from Magic Mixies Pixlings

I got a doll in a bottle!  This is a Magic Mixies Pixling.  I did not do the whole potion thing.  I didn't want to get my doll wet.  Here's Flitta in her ginormous bottle.

Unboxing: Catty Noir from Monster High g3

When prototype pics of Catty Noir came out last year, I knew I had to get this doll.  She is a real, full figured, plus sized girl.  And she's beautiful! Absolutely stunning.

Dolly Goals Progress Report 2

Oh damn...  Yeah, this is overdue.  A recap and progress report of my doll goals for 2024.

1. Buy less dolls.  Hrm...  It's May.  And I've bought 7 more dolls this year.  That's more than 1 a month.  It's way less than last year, but still, I was trying to wean myself off the doll buying, and that's not quite working out yet.  I suppose buying 2 dolls in May of this year, compared to buying like 8 in May last year, so I suppose that's an improvement???  On the bright side, I don't think those Rainbow Brite dolls are gonna come out after all.  They could be canceled already.  RB came out in March, and it's May, and there's no sign of the color kids.

Unboxing: Cedar Wood from Ever After High

My sister fell out of love with her Cedar Wood doll.  Since I'm still a little Ever After High obsessed, she shipped her to me!  I didn't get a Cedar doll when they came out, so I'm very happy to have her.

May 1st Doll Word Ramble

I just wanna ramble about how I feel about dolls, and this is my blog, so I'm gonna do it.  I have hyped up and bought into numerous brands trying to replace Rainbow High, and there's just no replacing them.  They're my dream dolls.  I'm seriously considering making a mini-me and mini-husband out of a color and create girl and an Aiden Russell doll.  I'm trying to stop looking for the new best thing so I can just enjoy what I have.  It's hard, when we live in a consumerist nightmare that's always trying to get you to buy stuff.  It's exhausting.

Monster High G3 Torelei Stripe Unboxing

Here's Torelei Stripe, g3, in the box.  She came out 2 years ago and is now on clearance for 9$ at my local Walmart.  Since I heard a rumor she's Clawdeen's gf now, I couldn't pass her up anymore.  I couldn't stand her in g1, but she comes around in g3, so she's allowed in.  I was gonna get the 3pack with her cousins, but it was too expensive and hard to find.  So, I got this one.  Ironically enough, this gets me into an odd number of MH dolls, so I have plenty of excuse to get Catty Noir when she comes out.

Rainbow Brite Unboxing

She arrived today!  This is the newest Rainbow Brite doll.  She's 13cm tall, and really well articulated, and super cute!  The packaging is delightfully retro with original artwork from the 80s.

Rainbow Brite Hype

Another hype post?  Yeah, but this time, one of the dolls is out already and I've ordered it.  I'm a sucker for 80s franchises, so when I heard Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake were getting reboots at a toy show last year, I was interested.  I didn't pay it as much mind then, because I had Rainbow High and Monster High to think about, but now that I'm pretty much done with both of those, I'm looking for something new to look forward to, and this might be perfect.  It's got 80's nostalgia, but modern mechanics, seems like a good balance of quality and affordability. 

2024 Doll Collection Goals Checkup

It's been two and a half months of 2024 so far, and things have happened.  Some things have changed, become less available, etc.  So I'm going to go over my goals and talk about how they've been affected so far.

My last Rainbow High in store purchase

So, you guys know, Rainbow High as we know it is basically over.  So a lot of shit is on clearance now.  These are the Rainbow High blind packaging shoes.  They originally cost 10$ a box.  Since they're on clearance, they're only 3$ a box now.  That's a really good price for doll shoes, so I thought I'd pick up a few.

My husband and I went to Walmart, to pick some up, and my husband picks up THE ENTIRE DISPLAY.  I was so shocked, I couldn't argue with him or tell him to put it back.  We checked out with a mostly FULL DISPLAY of clearance doll shoes.  My husband is wild.

Barbie Dream Besties Hype

Yes, another hype post.  I'm completely over Decora Girlz.  I decided I don't like their giant heads or cartoony faces.  At least I came to this decision BEFORE buying them.

What I DO like, are these face sculpts.  They're very Ever After High.  Also, 11 points of articulation.  That's what I like to see.  I know I swore I wouldn't get involved in the Barbie VS Bratz war, but damn, I need these girls.  They're even split into couples for me already!  These might be the cutest Barbie dolls I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Decora Girlz Hype

I don't normally make hype posts for doll brands, but I'm depressed and dolls give me serotonin.  This is a preview pic of the Decora Girlz 11 inch fashion dolls, revealed at a toy fair last September.  Decora Girlz is a new brand by Cepia, the company behind Zhu Zhu Pets.  They're starting the brand with 2 lines, 4 fashion dolls, 9 minidolls, and a minidoll playset.  All dolls come with sheets of stickers to decorate the dolls with.

Gallery: Briar and Snow pics

This is why I needed a second doll this month.  I couldn't wait another minute to put these two together.

Unboxing: Sleeping Beauty

Yes, I got another one, in the same month.  You don't understand, the BriarSnow ship has been living rent free in my head, and I could not cope until I had this doll, and had the two dolls together.  I have been obsessed.

Unboxing: Disney Princess Tiana from the Princess and the Frog

Tiana is my third Disney Princess doll.  She is the protagonist in the Princess and the Frog.  I enjoyed the movie.  I think it would have had a better reception if made a decade earlier, but better late than never I suppose.

Unboxing: Lala and Ella from BFF

Here's my last unboxing for dolls I got for Christmas.  Ella and Lala from Cry Babies BFF.  These will prolly be the last BFF dolls I'm getting.  I now have 6, and the next series might not have stands.  I dunno, we'll see.  Series 3 was previewed half a year ago, and there's been no sign of them.  I'm not pressed.

Stitches: Sunny and Violet's Pajamas

Yesterday, I finally finished Violet and Sunny's nightgowns.  I've been procrastinating on them for forever, but finally got to them this month.  With the bathrobes I made a couple years ago, I think they look great!

Maine Doll Lovers January Doll Meet

This is not only my first meet of the year, but also my first meet since last summer's anime convention!  It is a virtual meetup over Discord.   So far, only two people have joined, Eseme and Razliel.  Raz appears to be an American Girl collector.  So far, they're talking about American Girl dolls.

Razliel is a nice person who lives in the state South of me.  She started with a Kirsten American Girl doll and has expanded from there.  She has a few Barbies too.  I think she mentioned BJDs too.

Eseme is the leader of the group, who organizes most of the events.  She collects mostly Barbie, but dabbles in other brands.  While we chatted, she was sewing up a red polkadot dress that looked like it had a handkerchief hem.

While chatting with the two of them, I got some doll crafting done.  I finally cut out the night gowns I've been planning for Sunny and Violet.  I sewed up the sides of Violet's nightgown, and started on Sunny's.   The meetup wrapped up in an hour and a half, so I got plenty done in that time.

Unboxing: Disney Megara from Hercules

This is the 2019 edition Disney Store Megara from Hercules doll.  I got her for Christmas from my aunt.  I unboxed her yesterday.  This is the front of the box.  Very nice and straight forward.

From Christmas: Amaya Raine and Gabriella Icely

This is my final Rainbow High unboxing; Amaya Raine and Gabriella Icely.  It was bittersweet, because I love these dolls, but they'll never be the same again.

New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2024!  So, what are my plans as a doll collector for 2024?  Nobody asked, but I'm barfing out my thoughts here.  My blog, my barf.

1. Buy less dolls! - My collection has doubled in the past year and a half!  Time to tap the breaks on this shit.  I had a bit of a gravy train last spring and summer, but that ship has sailed and I need to be more responsible with my money.  Fortunately, my favorite, and most expensive doll line is being brutally murdered at the altar of Bratz, so they won't be making any new dolls for me to drool over.  I have 16 Rainbow High dolls, my largest line ever, and it's gonna stop there.  All their 2024 releases have less articulation and crappier quality.  Yes, Rainbow High is in it's Budget Phase, the phase prior to extinction.  It was a wild ride, and I will cherish the memories.  I have ENOUGH DOLLS.  I will not be trying to fill a Rainbow High shaped hole anymore.  It's not empty.  It's full.

2. Arts and crafts! - I intend to do lots of doll related arts and crafts.  Fanart, fanfiction, photography, sewing doll clothes, beading doll jewelry.  Maybe I'll learn how to 3D model accessories and get them printed!  I have a ton of dolls and they all need wardrobes, accessories, and a modeling portfolio!  The possibilities are endless.

3. Dolly House Con 2024! - Yes, I'm gonna have a doll convention, in my house, largely by myself, but videocalling and hanging out with my sister, a fellow doll collector.  We're going to do doll art, doll crafts, and watch doll videos together!  I'm planning on making some convention t-shirts for some of my dolls.  Maybe I'll make a badge too.  Anyways, that'll be in the summer, so I have time to prep.

4. Socialize Carefully - The Barbie VS Bratz war is coming back this year, with the new Bratz dolls, and collectors edition My Scene dolls.  I will tread carefully in doll communities online, and not engage with arguments between fans of either brand.  I will share pics of my dolly arts and crafts, but I will not get involved in toxic situations online.