Berry, berry sweet vintage Strawberry Shortcake Dolls

I finally succumbed to the sweet berry scented charm of vintage Strawberry Shortcake.  When you first get into collecting something, it can be a little confusing as to what release is what, and when it came out. Finding a thorough resource for vintage SSC can be a little hard, at least all in one place. Maybe I just assume it is far more complicated than it is, and so I am expecting to find all this information when there really isn't much to be had after all! My first vintage doll is a clothesless, shoeless Angel Cake. She was different than the other vintage Angel Cake that came in the same bag. Her limbs are a whiter plastic, she had no holes in her feet, so my first thought was that she could possibly be a fakey. There's always fakeys for every kind of doll/toy, so it seemed a possibility. I couldn't really find any info on the subject pf knock off SSC though, beyond finally stumbling onto the Jelly Bean Lanard dolls. (Which are cute BTW, and would go perfectly in my collection.) So, I ended up posting pics of my Angel Cake next to the other doll on a facebook group where someone confirmed she is legit. Here's some pics. Mine is the taller one on the right.

You can see the differences. There is also differences with the rooting and painting of the scalp - one has white factory paint on it where the other does not. Thus my confusion. I could never find any information of the differences of the individual releases of each doll, and I would really like to know!

My Angel Cake, whitish limbs aside isn't in too terrible of shape. Her hair is pretty good, she just has some faint marks on her head and limbs which I think are just there for good. She has a slight smell still.

My next SSC purchase was a set of 2 Sweet Sleeper dolls that had been sitting in a locked case at the Flea Market for pretty much as long as I have been going to it. I didn't pay too much attention to them as I hadn't been interested in these dolls before this point. When I realized my life just wouldn't be complete without them, I made a mad dash down to the Market and bought the set for $8. They are in REALLY good shape. Here's a pic of them with their eyes closed:

Lemon Meringue still has the plastic tab attaching her hat to her head! Blueberry Muffin has some moth eaten tights and no shoes, but even still, they are in really great condition and even retain some slight scent. :D I am over the moon with these dolls. I'll need to hunt down their pets. I once found an auction that had all the Sweet Sleepers sleeping bags, but didn't go for it like I should have.

This is only the beginning of my collection. I have since added a dilapidated Strawberry Shortcake, who I really, really, love, and a Butter Cookie.

My Angell-Studio Pumpkin Head is here!

This was quite an ordeal. I had put the final one Mint on Card had in stock on a 6 month layaway along with some hooks for my Dollshes (I can't believe they didn't come with hooks originally! I need more string for Ambrose, who is, at the moment, in pieces. At least I still have Draven together.) I had  - the same week - gotten a shipping notification for my Luts Pumpkin head that I bought on preorder back in October. This one as going out Priority mail. My layaway order was sent out Fed Ex. I was excited to get the shipping notification and then BAM! I realized it was heading to my old Utah address. Cue panicky email to MoC. I didn't hear back from them the next day - which is odd because the'r customer service is really good, so I figured I had sent it to the wrong email, and re-emailed them the same message to their other one. I got a response early the next day saying that they had contacted Fed Ex and had the address corrected. So, yay! I saw it leave Michigan and head to Ohio. Everything was going correctly. I checked it the next day and it was leaving WY! WTF??? Cue another panicky email to MoC. After my package reached North Salt Lake, they once again contacted Fed Ex and corrected the address, and of course, weren't given any explanation how the package was once again incorrectly routed. In a few days, it came rolling in. All was well. My package didn't get opened until last night.

I will start by saying the head is adorable, and since I am such a fan of pumpkin heads, I am happy I have it. But....I do have some complaints. First off, its PLASTIC. Not resin. I thought I was ordering a WS resin head with a face up, per description. The head is in fact, an orange plastic, and not of the highest quality.

There are some cool things happening here. The stem at the top is removable. Its an even thinner plastic, not thrilling, but oh well. It snaps together at the sides, and one of the magnets has already come loose. Not a big deal. Then they have provided you with this handy little neck piece in case you don't want to snap it over your Yo's head (an MSD sized head doesn't work for that configuration. At least not with the doll I tried. His head was too big.) This is really a good idea for the neck piece - more in theory at this point though than actual work-ability. I'll show you in pics. **Dishonorable mention - they also sent a LOUSY cheap plastic battery operated tea light, which was such pathetic quality it barely, barely had any light to it at all. Into the trash it goes**

Here is the head over Lucian's head. (5star Jesse boy) Don't mind the test dress he is wearing. (He's been helping me with a commission project.)

See how cute it is? It totally works, and I think this was probably the idea they had when they created the head to begin with. I just don't really want to use it as a costume piece for one of my other dolls. I want him to be his own character. Now, here the head is using the neck piece on a YoSD body. (5star Aiden body.)

The neck piece is too large for the little neck's circumference. It just doesn't work. It is more correctly sized for an MSD neck, but then we run into this:

The MSD neck is waaaaaay too long for it to work. It looks like E.T. merged with a pumpkin head. It's even weirder in person. But the proportioning is really good. So, my plan at present is to get a cheap MSD boy body and mod the neck down at least a cm, and then it'll work really well. This will definitely be a future project.

Question - if I had known before what I know now, would I still buy the head? Not for the $76 I spent on it. I feel it was a serious over charge, especially considering the one from Luts was closer to $40 (or maybe it was $40. Something like that.) Here is a comparison of those 2 heads. Luts is wonderful quality resin, and has a cool flashing light feature in the head that will last for who knows how long, though the head truly stands on its own. I wish I had bought 2.

Am I happy that I have it? Ummmm....yeah. I reckon so. I intend to enjoy it since I have it. I really do love pumpkin heads. Really, really, love them. So yes, I think I will greatly enjoy the head once I can get him a proper body.

The MLP G3 Spa is open!

That sounds official! It's not really open open, like people who actually have a Fix Up Pony business. I got really lucky at a Flea Market a couple of weeks back, and adopted these guys for $2 each. In the package they seemed like in near perfect shape. Upon opening them, I noticed their hair was definitely in need of some help. It was a beautiful day , so I went outside on the deck for the Pony Spa time.

The worst one in the pony in the bottom right hand corner - Rainbow Flash. I had bought that pony brand new back in the day, but it's been a very long time and not only could I not remember her name, I also didn't remember that she had the super long hair. It was a rat's nest. The other's hair was pretty darn tangled too, but mostly stiff and dried in the "I've been stored away in heat" sort of way. Rainbow Flash also has some slight dinginess to the color and a couple of stains that were hidden under her mane. All of the others aside from the hair issues are in really great shape. Wisteria has a slight head/body difference, but it is very minor.

Here is a close up of Rainbow Flash's hair. I really meant it  when I said it was a rat's nest.

I loaded all their hair up with conditioner, let it sit and then carefully combed out the tangles. The other's went pretty quickly, but Rainbow Flash's took about 20 minutes of careful detangling. I left the conditioner in her hair overnight, but went ahead and rinsed the other one's out. Once they were dried, this is the result!

This is a bad indoor rushed pic of them. I am super pleased! Especially with Sweet Summertime (dark pink pony) and Royal Bouquet (yellow pony.) They turned out absolutely perfect. I had Sweet Summertime before (actually all of these except for Royal Bouquet) and I recall that my original one had the same super thick hair this guy does, only it came out of the package dried and a little frazzled. I didn't this one's to end up so silky! Rainbow Flash's hair still has some frazzles to it, and could use a re-curling. I'm happy though with it for now.

I just bought a lot of ponies off of someone on facebook, so I will be having another spa time soon!

Random thoughts, lamenting the new AG changes, and a new BJD on the way!

We're in a nice warm weather streak. It was actually nice sitting outside (in a hoodie though still) painting my nails out on the deck. It's supposed to be nearly 70 today, but lack of sun and a cool breeze makes it feel much less warm than it otherwise would be. A little disappointing, but hey, it's February, and who can complain when you can have your windows open? :D Even at night!! This will continue through the upcoming week. This is what I love about February in KY. Although I heard the last couple of winters were bad while I was in UT. Seems like my luck of good weather continues here!

I am really happy to be feeling better FINALLY. My long stretch of ills seems to be over. It feels really good to get back to sewing. I finished up 2 projects last week. I am on the verge of finishing a couple of others. I've sold 2 LDD dresses on Etsy (yay!!) and have one almost half finished.

I paid off my Doll Chateau Hugh layaway Thursday. I'm so excited to finally have him home! I got my tracking number yesterday, but it hasn't updated yet. :/ Yep, impatience has already set in! I should have him Monday. I have no idea what I will do with him. Hopefully his character will come together much quicker than my JID Owen, who I still have no idea what to do with. I am not going to sell him though. Nope. It will have to be a serious reason to sell a doll off at this point.

Remember back when I posted 2017 will be a good year for AG? I actually posted that. I did. And I was excited too. Fast forward to however many weeks later, and I am totally retracted that idiotic post. 2017 will be the year I completely quit buying from AG. And no, not because my interest in the dolls has changed, or that I want to clean out my dolls to make room for other things. It's because the company has gone bat shit crazy with the new changes, and I just don't want sewn on undies and squishy vinyl. It's like watching the demise of something that used to be wonderful, and its definitely painful. I'm in a panic to try and get dolls that I have to have before it is too late. Which is a most unpleasant feeling. I need a MaryEllen, a #26 or 2 at least. My strongest dread is the inevitable spike upwards that the secondary market will take. It's bad enough as is. I cannot believe the price people try to get out of damaged dolls any more. I remember a time when buying off of eBay often landed you with deals. Imagine the insanity when the old dolls are even more valuable. I shouldn't get too ahead of myself, but it just sucks to see the end of something you have loved for so long.

Another subject jump, just because this is one of those "I really don't have too much to blog about, but I am going to do it any way" posts. I'll be heading to the flea markets later on. I have more Lalaloopsy blogging to do, and maybe I'll find another rescue dolly to the mix before I do it. I'd love to find another vintage pony that is reasonably priced. The thrill of finding vintage ponies is intoxicating! Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky!!

Lalaloopsy - Sew cute, Sew magical!!!

I've always admired these dolls for the adorable sweetness, but I never got any. It seems a subconscious personal mission of mine lately to get all the dolls I was tempted by, or thought about in the past. Course, this is also when the good era of collecting has passed and I am left to hunt Flea Markets or eBay, but hey, when am I ever on time?

My Lala journey started about 2 weeks ago after watching the adorable (there's that word again!) Netflix cartoon. I was surprised it was so fun to watch. No mean characters, no fighting, no empowerment issues, no agendas, just fun, sweet, innocent characters. Really reminded me of the era when cartoons were actually good, way back in the '80's. I fell completely in love with Crumbs, Rosie, Jewel, Storm E. and the rest of the gang.

At a Flea Market, we stumbled onto a nude crazy haired doll for $1. Didn't know who she was, what her name was, or anything. But she had to come home. I later learned she is a Silly Hair Pix. E. Flutters. She is in really good shape, with just a couple of scrapes. Making her something to wear is a super easy feat, so she has become a fun little project. She is now wearing a freshly knitted dress. We ended up going to one of the 2 K-Marts my town has that happened to be one that is closing, and I scored a new in box Frost I.C. Cone. I think she's going to stay in her box for awhile. As much as I want to handle her, her box is just so bright and happy I hate to mess up the packaging. I can't believe I actually said that. But it's true.

 It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday, so we hit up the Flea Markets again. Talk about the jackpot. We found quite a few dolls, some had their pets, many had their full outfits, a couple were NIB. I bought 2 from one place - Candle Slice O' Cake, who was in decent condition and has her complete outfit, but no pet, and then a nude Berry Jars and Jams, just because she was so cute and needed a good home and some clothes. At the second Market, I found tucked up on a the top shelf a $5 Peggy Seven Seas. She has her dress and shoes, but no eye patch or pet. She's adorable, and also in decent shape. These are kind of my fix up dolls. I'll make them all clothes and new pets. Maybe some day I might do a full on custom job on all of them, but we'll see.

I'll add a pic of the gang once I get my recent acquisitions cleaned up and acclimated to their new home. I know blog posts are much more fun with pics.

Assessing my AG needs....

I have to run some errands today, but I wanted to get in a little dolly time before I leave the Crypt  and venture out amongst the living. I decided to get out my AG girls. Its been awhile since I had them all out together. Presently I am keeping them safely stored away in boxes for the most part. I have a couple out, who are holed up in the 3 bottom cubes of the MH cubicle shelf turned house. I like keeping Myrtle out, even if everyone else has to be put up. Myrtle is both my top favorite and my sewing buddy. I don't have to worry about her hair, since its short. Which is seriously convenient! Here's my list of my present AG dolly needs:

Myrtle (#21 with a bob hair cut.)
Outfit - check (I got her Kit's school dress when I was at the AG boutique in Nashville.
Shoes and socks - check
Undies - check

Ginger - Rebecca with Marisol wig
Outfit - check (2 actually, even if they are the same pattern...and both green. Just different shades.)
Shoes and socks - NEED She has socks she can borrow, but nothing perfect for her
Undies - Check. And 2 crinolines as well

Luna - Mattel Josefina
Outfit - NEED. I started working on one back in the Summer, but have not had a proper time to work on it
Shoes and socks - Socks Check. I got her AG sock set that she is admittedly sharing with her sisters. Shoes - She has Kirsten boots that work, but I would like to get her something more.
Undies - NEED. Also WIP.

Lunasadh - Lea with Saige wig
Oufit - Check.
Shoes and socks - NEED. I plan to get some sparkle silver flats. Its hard to find the right shoes for a medieval fantasy doll for some reason, lol.
Undies - NEED. See above reason.

Delphine - #53 with black Bova International wig
Outfit - Check! My goth girl has one outfit
Shoes and socks - Check. She has boots and is using the black Josi socks.
Undies - Check.

Claudia Higgins - Jess with Lea wig
Outfit - sort of check. She has a piece mealed outfit, but I want to make her a proper Mori ensemble.
Shoes and socks - sort of check. She has shoes I like, but aren't perfect enough to be her only pair.
Undies - NEED

Georgie - BF Rebecca
Outfit - Check! Her Meet.
Shoes and socks - Check! For now I'm content with the boots I have for her
Undies - Check!

Thistle - #61
Outfit - Check! She's my best off. Thanks to my stash of Halloween tees and the ghost dress I made her
Shoes and socks - Check for socks, sort of check for shoes. She has some that work, but I need to get her the Halloween sneakers.
Undies - Check.

Lucinda - Marie-Grace
Outfit - Check! She actually has 2 dresses. Lucky girl.
Shoes and socks - NEED. She has Kirsten boots, but I want her meet stuff. She's using Josi socks.
Undies - NEED. I did make her some pantaloons, Luna just won't give them back.

Henrietta - Grace with #61 eyes and Saige wig
Outfit - NEED. She has reindeer PJs at least.
Shoes and socks - NEED
Undies - NEED

Bebe (Bianca) Josefina with MG wig (missing the curlets)
Outfit - NEED. She is wearing something, but its not HER.
Shoes and socks - See above
Undies - NEED
Additional needs - Glasses. Right now she is flirting with an eye strain headache. Myrtle can relate from when she lost her glasses.

So, there's the list. At this moment in time sewing for me isn't going to happen until I get caught up with commission work after 6 weeks or so of being sick. This gives me time though to decide what I want to make for my clothesless girls. Planning is so much fun! :D

2017 is going to be an exciting year for AG!

I'm extremely excited with what AG is doing this year. I had not foreseen the return of Felicity. I really try not to frequent AG groups because, to be honest, all the constant negativity on them can really drain me. If people want to bicker and complain, that's fine for them, but for me I find it can really put a damper on my own enjoyment of the hobby. The down side of that is I often miss out on news and leaks! So, imagine my surprise when I - late to the party as usual - noticed they were unarchiving Felicity! I love this doll and her time period. I don't necessarily love AG's most recent (back before they archived her) additions to her collection, and do expect about the same for her re-release, but it doesn't really matter. I'm thrilled. I'm quite happy also that the dreadful neon green eyes are not coming back with her. I find the color charming on the older Felicity dolls. It's a feeling I finally developed after they archived her - kind of a nostalgic attachment, you could say. I will definitely be buying the new Felicity at one point this year. She's far too pretty to pass up, and its freaking FELICITY. :D

I'm also excited for Tenney. Relieved to find that the new hand shape doesn't look like the doll's version of the Possessed Hand. It looks strange, but not terrible. I LOVE the way she looks. Her hair is lovely, and the freckles are super cute. She will be joining my family hopefully in the near future!

Of course, the doll holding the most intrigue for me is Logan. That AG is finally making a boy doll is beyond awesome. I just hope that he looks right. Meaning, for me, a lot of times when doll companies make play doll boys, they just look so aesthetically different from the girls that it bugs me. I think I will love him. I can't imagine AG making a clunky hideous un-AG looking doll. It's not too far off before we will all finally be able to see him! The 7th (if that date ends up being the correct one) is quickly approaching!