Antique Store Find: MyAG #49

Today I went to one of my favorite antique stores with friends and about had a heart attack in the middle of an aisle.  There were two Samantha like trunks, marked $15 each (my friend and I both got one) and on top of the trunks was a MyAG (or TM?? I'm still not used to that so I'm going to continue saying MyAG) #49!  Best part of all?  She cost $12.  For less than the cost of a new outfit, I got a doll and a trunk.

This NEVER happens to me.  Before this, my best AG deal was a Samantha desk I found at a different antique store.  But after a very dry year in terms of adding to my AG collection, I have a new girl named Ramona.

She's in rather good shape.  Her hair is a bit dry and the curl/wave is gone right now, plus she has a mark on her knee as well as some fingernail paint, but those are all things I think I can fix.  But first thing I did when I brought her home was brush her hair and spritz liberally with water, and put some clothes on her.

I had long considered getting this doll and already had a character in the works for her.  She's the older sister of a doll I've had for years, and I've always been drawn to her because of her dark hair and blue eyes (my favorite combination).  Here she is with her sister Amira (MyAG #11):

Within the next few days, I think I'll try to clean her up some and wash and curl her hair.  As she is, she isn't far from factory state... I think I'd have probably paid at least $60 for her on eBay.  Some curls and she'll (hopefully) be almost back to this:

And here's more of the trunk.  It's in great shape... there's a scuff in the front, though it doesn't bother me.  I actually did think it was an authentic Samantha trunk, but now that I've looked at some pictures I think this is a convincing knock-off.  But for $15, I don't really care!  You can't even get a knock off for $15.  I've yet to pack any clothes into it to see how much it holds, but I may put Samantha's things in it tomorrow.

Welcome, Lea!

I've been away from this blog for some time, mostly as I haven't really felt like writing.  That's a thin excuse, I know... but that's all I have.  Depression is a hell of a predicament.  I haven't really gotten much joy from my collection in some time... and I've not added to my collection in some months.  I got Caroline for my birthday in August, and a #27 earlier in the year.  But after these dolls, if there's one thing I'm more tired of than classic mold it's blond hair.  Which brings me to my disappointment over our new GOTY.

Don't get me wrong.  Lea is VERY pretty.  Her collection has a few fun things.  But overall I can help but yawn and say meh.  Part of this, I'm sure, is personal.  Yes, she's in the blonde spectrum and I've recently gotten a couple of blondes.  I also really liked Grace, but due to financial BS and life kicking my ass all damn year, I wasn't able to get her or anything from her collection.  And also... I hate to fall back on this, but I don't enjoy much of anything anymore because depression has taken whatever part of me that used to seek fun and pretty things and replaced it with another part of me to seek sleep and quiet places to cry and walls to stare at.  

But as pretty as Lea is, part of my boredom is the fact that yet another goes by and we have yet to have a black GOTY.  I don't know Lea's racial or ethnic background.... maybe she's part Brazilian?  That's quite lovely.  But come on AG.  It's 2016.  Branch out.  Part of my boredom is that her theme seems to be a rehash of Jess (with a dash of Kanani) and her looks are equal parts Kanani and Rebecca with a bit of Marisol thrown in for seasoning, and I have all of those dolls.

So while I am happy for those of you who're excited for Lea and while I enjoyed looking at her collection last night after midnight, I have to say that right now I can't see myself purchasing her.  Right now, I'm a little bored.

Cupcake Cutie Pie Party Dress

So, you guys know I'm broke and love dolls, right?  I mean, the title gives that much away.  So I'm sure you can put two and two together on this one... free doll stuff is like a dream come true.  Well, my dream came true... I won a giveaway at The Doll Wardrobe Blog and received a gorgeous party dress made by etsy seller extraordinaire Cupcake Cutie Pie!

Funnily enough, this dress sorta strongly resembles a dress I own (and wore to a concert the day before the package came), so I had the doll who looks most similar to me model it.  Not that I have a huge ego or anything.  And also not that I sometimes wish I was one of my dolls because they're so well dressed.  Anyways, here's more pics of Ashley in our new favorite dress!

I love the neckline.  Perfect for a party dress for a preteen girl.

Awesome ruching detail with a pretty ribbon bow and tulle underskirt.

Buttons instead of velcro.  Great on a curly haired doll!

How sweet does she look?

I love the silhouette of this dress!  I like this sort of dress.  As I mention, I was wearing a really similar one myself just the other day (mine is polkadotted, of course).  And my prom dress was in the style as well!

And it even came with cute shoes.  Funnily enough, this is a pair of shoes I had been wanting to get for a long time but never got around to purchasing.  Great with the dress, and they make me super happy because they're lined with polkadots.  (Bre's motto: EVERYTHING should be polkadotted!)

This is my first ever Cupcake Cutie Pie item, although I've admired her lovely things since she opened her Etsy.  Now that I have this fantastic piece, I definitely want to add more when I have the chance.  Thanks so much to The Doll Wardrobe and Cupcake Cutie Pie for giving me the chance to own another lovely dress!

Thrift store find: Book Shelf

So, I'm always reading these incredible stories from other doll collectors... you know the sort of thing.  "I went to goodwill yesterday and found 12 hard to find retired outfits and accessory sets plus 5 dolls in fantastic shape for a dollar!!"  Okay, jealously makes me exaggerate, but still.  I always dream about the sort of thing I may someday find in a thrift store, antique store, or yard sale.  I have found some non AG things I was able to adapt for my dolls and I once found a PC Samantha school desk.  Since I still dream of that super steal, when my aunt said something about wanting to go to a thrift store to look for a pair of pants for work, I volunteered to go with.


Well, there was no super steal.  But I did find something sort of cute.  I got a little rack that could work as a small bookshelf in a modern girl's room.  I've included pics of it filled with books and with a doll and other furniture to show the scale.

Now, as you can see, it's a little small scalewise, but it is cute and it works.  Some of the books don't fit very well, but a lot of them work well.  I think it might look cute next to the AG storage tower or something similar as an additional shelf.  I love that storage tower but can't afford its $85 price tag.  At $3.64, this, however, is going to work just fine for now.  


For the record, this TS did have a couple of AG items, but they were books that I already have.  There was one of the books that came with the modern girls during the time they came in the I Like Your Style outfit, and  Kirsten and Samantha story collection books (the ones with all six books printed in one volume).  


And in case anyone is wondering, my all time best doll related deal was not in the AG world.  A couple of years ago, I got a 1961 Barbie Dream House on eBay for like $1.25.  It's in beautiful condition and is only missing one of B's little "record albums."