Another new doll! Meet Truly Me #54!

While doing some much needed fall cleaning, I came across cash I was saving and had forgotten about! Do you ever do that? I like to keep some cash on hand, especially if it was given to me, and then I can spend it when needed without any guilt. I've been suffering from many bad migraines since October 11th, so I felt like I needed to splurge on something nice. And what nicer than a new doll?

I read online that the Truly Me #54 mold would be retired in December, and I had never bought Ivy Ling, (who also had this face mold) the best friend of Julie, so I thought I'd check out the AG Vancouver Boutique while downtown yesterday, after my chiropractor appointment. (so relief of pain is now associated with a new doll purchase!) I noticed that the doll on the shelf had notched eyes, and the doll in the case did not. That really intrigued me, so I asked to see some more dolls.

The shop assistant kindly brought out more, and I chose the one above. A lot of the dolls hair was quite messy which I thought strange. I always take my time choosing a doll, as they are definitely not cheap! I don't have a Truly Me doll yet, and I really like this one. I love her brown eyes! Apparently this doll and Samantha are the only AG dolls with brown decal eyes. The modern outfit she is wearing is very colourful and cute, although a bit skimpy compared to other dolls and their Meet outfits which I've purchased.

She has a print cotton sleeveless dress with a bit of netting on the hem, pink panties, and a very cute turquoise jacket. She also has white glitter shoes, which to me are very modern. The whole skimpy bright outfit suits 2017 to a T! It matches girl's and women's outfits in the stores!

I took these photos last night, so the lighting is a bit dim, but I was quite pleased with #54, who now needs to be named. 

I was also feeling awful as I'd heard news about a family friend who was murdered on Nov 7. I'm so glad I'm alive, and so glad I have the ability and privilege to buy dolls and enjoy them. I don't take anything for granted anymore. It seems weird in a way to be happy about a doll when someone has died such a grizzly death, but what can I do? It was a gun incident in the USA, and you know what I think of guns. (or maybe you don't, but remember that I'm Canadian and I don't own a gun) So there is the horrid dark side of life, and there is the fun playful side. I think there's a fine balance between the two, and each day that I can enjoy the good things I will do so.

By Loretta Houben

A brand new American Girl doll!

Hubby and I went on a roadtrip to Seattle WA 

August 26 to 28th, 2017. We hadn't been there for a while and he suggested it, so I went along for the ride. LOL! Of course we checked out Nanea Mitchell, the new AG 1941 doll just released. We missed the special event, but they didn't give out any freebies. 

I was interested to see her in person. She is very cute, with a different face mold, and different eyes. 

I really liked all of her clothes and accessories.

Here she is in her meet outfit with her little shopping bag which is reversible. 

This is her pretty school dress and shoes, which also comes with a hair clip with her name on it, and a special pin with Remember Pearl Harbor on it and a small pearl. She has a cute shop but it was nearly $300 US so of course I didn't buy it.

I didn't buy this outfit either, although I wanted the ukulele but it was sold out!

The bathing suit and fishing set.

I loved the PJ's so I did buy them.

Her Hawaiian dress.

Nanea, the one I bought, at the Best Western in Alderwood, where we spent 2 nights.

I must be nutty to buy yet another AG doll, but I really enjoy my collection. They make me smile.

Here she is, all ready for bed!

We spent some time by Lake Washington nearby. This is a very lovely spot in the world. I'm so glad I live on the West Coast of NA. I can visit whenever I like.

This is tradition; taking a photo of me outside the AG store with my purchases. Our Canadian dollar is still not doing too well, but Robert did get a great rate through Coast Capital, so it wasn't too bad.

But I had to control my spending, as I haven't sewed anything and sold it in a very long time.

We had a lovely get-a-way.

By Loretta Houben

Aug 21: solar eclipse!

Today we had a partial solar eclipse.

The last one I lived through was way back in 1979!

I even recorded it in my journal, and I said the next one would be in 2017. That date surely looked weird back then!

Today was a sunny day, so I sat outside for the eclipse, with my Hawaiian AG doll bought in Dec 2014 when we visited Honolulu and there was a pop up AG store. Of course, I never knew that there would be a new Hawaiian doll released this year.

I didn't have special glasses so I simply observed that everything seemed murky instead of bright. We only had an 87% totality, so nothing extraordinary occurred. Oh well...the next one is in 2042 I believe.

By Loretta Houben

A 20% off sale at American Girl boutique!

Yesterday, Monday November 21st, 2016 was a very exciting day!

I'd gotten up on time and was reading my emails with my hot cup of tea.

I was astonished to read one from Indigo store downtown; it said there was a rare one day sale on American Girl items (except for the Wellie Wishers dolls) for 20% off the whole store! 

I hurriedly got ready and headed downtown by Skytrain then bus to the corner of Broadway and Granville. What I find amusing is that previously to this store being built, there was an Aristocrat Restaurant where my Grandpa, John Williams, was once the janitor. Every time I come here I think of him.

Anyhow, I hurried up the elevator with my handy cart, and quickly picked out Melody. She is the new 1964 historical doll, and I wasn't sure if I'd get her or not, but for only $111 instead of $139 I figured I should! I had paid $154 for Addy back in the Spring, due to the fluctuating Canadian dollar, so I thought this was a terrific price. I have all the other historical dolls, and I now have 16 AG dolls!

Here she is on my table!

I completely forgot to take a picture of myself with her in the store.

There were quite a few people there, and it was busy and the store is quite small, so I didn't linger. I really like Melody's style, and her cute dress. It's rather skimpy compared to some of the gorgeous 1700's and 1800's outfits on previous historical dolls! But that was the 1960's! Melody's hair has a very strange texture. I need to brush it to make it curl more. It was in a hair net.

I bought her Christmas outfit; it came with long tights, black shoes, and a cream hair ribbon. It reminds me so much of a pink lace dress I had but with short sleeves, in the 60's. It feels really weird to have a doll from the era in which I was a young girl.

It was a fun day for sure!

The sun was shining and there was a pretty blue sky.

That's become a rare sight here in Vancouver. It rained for 28 days in October, and guess what it's doing in November?

But I can have fun playing with dolls!

By Loretta Houben