Newberry Soccer Doll

Here is the Newberry 18" doll with the lid off the box.

These dolls are quite easy to get out. Just a few snips and the thread is broken.

She is set up, read to play in her cute outfit.

The set came with a net, water bottle and ball plus the outfit.

It was only $19.99 C on sale! I really like this doll. I think she is my favourite out of all my Newberry dolls to date.

Her features remind a little of the latest Victoria movie on PBS! I might name her Victoria.

I also bought this pretty dress with black shoes for $8.99 C.

She looks really pretty in it.

Here are 2 close ups of her pretty face.

The back of her head is startling!

I think it was put together like this for shipping.

I need to comb it out as soon as I find the brush.

All in all, I'm very pleased with this doll.

By Loretta Houben

My new dolls in 2017!

It's only January 21 but so far I've purchased 3 dolls this year. I couldn't help it. Today I was at Sears at Metrotown in Burnaby and I noticed a 60% off sign way in the distance on a group of dolls. Normally I don't go to the 2nd floor at Sears but I was looking for something else, so I'm glad I did go. The above doll named Allie was marked down from $29.99 to only $11.99! Her outfit alone is worth that amount. She is very cute and I love the Newberry quality.

I couldn't decide between these 2 dolls so I bought both. This one came with a soccer net, ball, water bottle, jacket and her outfit plus her soccer shoes for only $19.99, marked down from $49.99! She looks very pretty but I haven't taken her out of the box yet.

I bought this cute doll when I was downtown the other day, at Winner's. She was $16.95 and she is 7 3/4" tall. Apparently these dolls, made by Madame Alexander, are no longer made. I think she is very cute, but it looked like her knees and arms could bend and they can't. Nothing budged when I tried, so that's a disappointment.

I'm still having fun playing with my mini dolls, and thought I'd show the gingerbread houses I made out of paper. If you Google mini food items it's amazing what will pop up! I did this around Christmas time, but didn't take a photo until now.

The little heart cake was bought for $3.99 C at Michael's using a 40% off coupon. It was in the miniature section.

Our snow is nearly all melted, and today it was 10 C so spring feels like it's just around the corner!

By Loretta Houben

Miniature house blog....

Every once in a while I find a delightful blog, and I have to share it here. This one has beautiful handmade miniature houses, and it has easy tutorials for making miniature furniture.

Here is the link.

Enjoy!

Mini American Girl props

After our chiropractor appointment yesterday my hubby asked if I'd like to stop at Chapter's book store on Broadway. Would I? Tee hee...anytime he asks I'll always say yes!

I looked at the new Gabriela AG doll of the year, and took a few photos but her costume doesn't appeal to me and I don't like her face mold, so I don't think I'll be buying her. Now Grace on the other hand really appealed to me when I saw her the first time. But of course I much prefer baking to dancing any day!

I looked in the Lori department and did find something to buy. A darling mini patio set for the mini dolls. For $20 Cdn this is a really good deal; 9 pieces! A lounge chair with detachable umbrella, 2 chairs, 1 table, 1 tray and 2 glasses of iced tea with 1 pitcher. It's just so cute.

I set it up on my desk, and now we're waiting for those warm sunny days.

By Loretta Houben 

Valentine's Day dresses.

Ten years ago, in 2007, I made these dresses to sell on eBay. I was never a prolific seamstress, but I used to do well with all the things I made. It seemed that there were more hours in the day back then! When you keep busy you seem to get way more done. I can't quite explain it!

Ten years ago, pretty fabric was easier to find, and eBay fees were reasonable. Now everything is much more difficult, and our Canadian $ is not doing well. 

It's nice to look back at my old photos and remember all the fun times I had funding my doll hobby.

By Loretta Houben

Slumber party and a Valentine's Party.

I began collecting vintage Chatty Cathy dolls in 2003, and in 2004 I began to collect props for them. The addiction hasn't slowed down! Above I used a jewelry box for a chest of drawers, an Ikea lamp, and a darling bunk bed which was a Christmas gift in 1970. My sister Leona and I shared the bed and had many hours of fun. The Chatty dolls fit if they don't really lay down. Chatty baby fits fine. I made the nightgown and hat, and the other clothes are vintage 1960's.

This was the first time I decorated for Valentine's Day. I've always set up the doll scenes on my bedroom windowsill. At the moment it's way too crowded and needs to be weeded out again. The table above was purchased at Michael's craft store. I made the red doily which serves as a rug. The stove is vintage from the late 1950's. A friend of the family gave it to us years ago.

It's a lot of fun setting up the dolls and re-arranging them!

By Loretta Houben

Ice skating on a lake.

For the first time in 20 years, Trout Lake in Vancouver BC froze 12 cm (around 6"). This is very unusual and I missed the event back in 1996 so yesterday my husband and I went to the lake and I took some photos of Mary Ellen in her ice skates. I kept her Christmas outfit on, as dolls never notice the cold anyhow. The ice skates were ones I'd bought years ago from eBay. I didn't purchase her expensive ice skating outfit from AG. It's cute but the price is too high! I used a stand to keep her upright.

Here I am holding Mary Ellen. You will notice I don't have ice skates. I've only skated when I was a teenager and although I loved it, I sure wouldn't try it on uneven and lumpy ice with snow on top. I'd never been on a frozen lake before and I just loved it! We walked all around the perimeter of the lake.

There were hundreds of people out. Many had scraped a large section to have hockey games, and many were practicing and having fun.

It was a grand day!

By Loretta Houben

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017!

My first post of 2017!

Here is Mary Ellen in the new snow we had yesterday, photo taken today.

It was the 7th time it snowed in December!

This is very unusual for us. The last time we had so much snow was in 2008.

We had a very quiet New Year's Eve. I went outside bundled up at midnight and banged a pot and shouted "Happy New Year" while Kelsie, our Jack Russel Terrier, barked a lot.

She loves New Year's Eve. I also popped confetti all over the snow.

I tried to get a picture of the blizzard yesterday but it's a little tricky when you can't really get the dolls wet. I made the hat from a pattern found online; I downsized it for 18" doll size heads.

Here are some of my mini dolls, posing with even tinier hats.

It was fun to make them. The sign is from a necklace cut from one bought at Dollarama.

I hope the New Year is a fun time to play with the dolls you already have!

That's what I tried to do last year, and it worked out very well.

Of course, a few new dolls somehow crept into the ranks, including little Lea.

I won't be buying the new GOTY as I don't care for her costume or her story.

I didn't buy the 18" Lea either. But Addy and Melody both came to live here in 2016, and I really like them.

By Loretta Houben