A New Dress and a Doll Size Comparison.

I made a little Blythe dress today and thought I would see how many of my smaller jointed dolls it would fit.  I selected four and lined them up to compare body size.

From left to right:
Vera (Kruseling), Gigi (Ruby Red Galleria), Wren (Makielabs), Helen (Jecci Five)

It is interesting to see their different sizes, and will be fun to try on the dress on each of them.

First of all I tried it on Vera.  It fitted quite well, and is a good length on her, although the arm holes were a little tight. This was a surprise as she was the only one it was tight on.

Gigi tried it on next and it fits her well, although perhaps a tad too long.

Helen tried it on and it of course fitted her as I knew it would as I have used this pattern before.

Wren tried it on last. I gave her some new glasses.  Although I prefer her in black, she lost her original black ones, and the ones she was wearing in the top picture were a replacement pair, but they were always too big, and they just keep slipping and falling off all the time which is a shame.  The only other pairs I had that suited her were a blue pair and a white pair.  She chose the blue pair and is having a little giggle about them.

She also found a pair of blue shoes to match the dress and glasses.

I am thinking I might colour the white pair black as they too fit her and I do still prefer the black on her, but perhaps I just need to get used to the blue pair.  Shame the replacement black pair seem to have been printed at a slightly larger scale.

Anyway, it seems Wren won the trying on competition as she declared she wasn't going to take the dress off!

 

Tea for Two Tuesday

The Rose Cottage Friends are pleased to be reinstating 'Tea for Two' Tuesday, a very civilised way of spending a morning.

Madeline was pleased to have Vera round to visit this morning and they had a good old natter about all sorts of things.

Yellow Challenge - Some more Tiny Ones.

This fun little group of tiny ones, also found some yellow to wear.

From left to right:

Eva, my little Babolily doll that my friend Sharlyn gave to me last year, behind her is my childhood Skipper, next to her is Tiny Dawn (who is a Tiny Betsy doll), Madeline, who featured a lot a couple of years ago.  Nancy at the front in the middle, who travels with me a lot and next to her in the front is Little Miss, another childhood doll of mine and behind them is Vera a Kruseling doll, a little Knc doll whom I haven't named and Toots, Tressy's little sister.

Yellow Challenge - Some of the Little Ones

So it is not just the Sasha dolls that are getting in on the Yellow Challenge, but also some of the smaller ones as well.

Vera borrows one of Madeline's dresses and admires the flowers in the garden.

It is nice to find out different dolls can share the same clothes.

Madeline, always bright and cheerful, looks especially so in her yellow dress with these yellow blooms.

Nancy enjoys an outing with Teddy in her pretty yellow Easter dress - she didn't get a chance to wear in NZ as we had left it behind fully expecting to be back by Easter, so she couldn't wait to put it on once we got home.

Sindy Capers, has found herself a smart mini dress to wear with her yellow boots,

while Kiwi Sindy (the doll I found in an Op shop in NZ much to my delight) is off doing some bird watching and photography.

ADAD Challenge August 5 - 11

Day 5: Sunshine and Water...When the SUNSHINE is as hot as it has been it is especially important to make sure the guinea pigs have WATER.  

Day 6 - Ink & Enjoy...Wren like her person (aka me) ENJOYS writing with a fountain pen that needs an INK cartridge.

Day 7: Flying & Relax...Kruseling Vera thinks all you have to do is RELAX and you will be FLYING in no time!

Day 8:  CITRUS ON MY TABLE

Tabitha is thinking what she can make with the lemons.

Day 9:  Purple and Green

Sophia, Stevie & Nancy love to dress in PURPLE and GREEN

Day 10: Heart shaped & Simple...Trixie Troll thinks her HEART SHAPED leaf adds just enough bling to her SIMPLE dress.

Day 11: Cheeky & Fresh... FRESH from her box, Gigi, gives a CHEEKY smile.

Kruselings Michael Reivew

Before I knew I would have to sell off a load of my dolls to pay for my treatments I had seen photos of these new articulated dolls that a friend sent me a link of an advertisement of these dolls in New Zealand (and Australia, where they first appeared).  I fully expected them to be quite expensive, but knew I really wanted one, even before I knew what size they actually were.

Well I discovered that they were soon to be released in the UK as well so I waited patiently and my boy arrived on Sunday (at my friend's place and she delivered him to me today).  

His display box has some lovely art work.

Information on the back, which reads

"For a hundred years there had been peace in Dreamland, when suddenly monsters emerged from the Sea of Dreams and upset everything.  Summoned by a glowing red heart, the great Fire Opal, five brave girls were sent out to save the dreams of the worled.  They are Luna, Vera, Chloe, Sofia and Joy."

Plus there is a boy and the back reads:

"Hi!  I'm Michael from Berlin, Germany.  When I'm not playing soccer with my friends, I'm always on the lookout for new adventures."

When I first made enquiries about this doll I was told 'He doesn't have magical powers'.  Well of course that didn't bother me in the slightest.  (Do dolls really have magical powers anyway? ;-)  )  I guess Peggy Sue would be able to debate that one well, and probably Henry too!  

Side of box.

Inside of the box - he is well attached!

I forgot to take photos of the back, but the flaps were taped with sellotape but then he also had plastic tie things that needed to be cut.

Worst of all these were also in the head - and stick out. I will need to find a fine pair of sharp scissors to trim these down.  Personally I wish toy companies wouldn't do this - I really can't see that is necessary.  

Freed from the box.

I like his little outfit.  The jacket does have pockets, but the opening is only big enough for the thumb.  His shoes are plastic with a bit of a split opening at the back.  A little worrying taking the shoes off for the first time as they are quite tight and I wouldn't want to break his ankle joints.  Not sure how easy a child would find this.

The jeans have sewn embellishments - forgot to take a close up photo and they do up at the back.  Yes both t shirt and jeans have the dreaded velcro, but that is easy for children I suppose.

He has a cute little pair of underwear.  Always nice when they come wearing undies!

He has great articulation, jointed at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, tops of legs, knees and feet.  He stands very securely.

He can kneel! 

Sit with his leg crossed over.

Has a little K embellished on his tummy.

Lovely face.  His hair is quite nice as well.

His head is a bit wobbly, and doesn't turn very freely.  I am a bit worried about trying to force it to turn in case it breaks as I don't know quite how these heads are attached.  I guess that is one of the biggest disappointing things.  

He is quite the character though and I think quite boyish in his looks and the poses he can achieve.

Side by side with my little Heartstrings Tommy. They can't share shoes, but should be able to share most clothing I think.  He definitely looks older than Tommy.

With my Raikes doll who is a similar height.  I think they might have similar size feet.  

He stands very well and secure and is very easy to pose.

Out in the garden with his 'twin' who also came round today when he was delivered.

His twin heads off without him.

Hey, wait for me!

He catches him up.

He really looks like he is walking.

Checking out the wildlife!

All in all I am really pleased with this little doll.  At a mere £23.99 I think he is a bargain considering the quality of his clothing, and his pose-ability.  I love dolls that can pose well, and of course also love boy dolls.  He is 9 inches tall so a nice portable size.

The major cons (and probably not that major) are the plastic ties stuck into his head and the fact his head wobbles and doesn't seem to turn much.  I would like to see these two things improved, otherwise I think he is great and I am pleased I have him.

I bought this little lad from the lovely Kathy of  'My Doll and Bear'  

Petalina are also going to be stocking them.