30. Happy New Year.

The luxury of being on holidays means you can sleep in, sometimes for several days at a time

Oh, you still in bed Maddie?

Yep I'm on holidays. 

What's up?

Nothing, I was just coming to wish you a happy new year. 

What?

Yep it's December 31, already. 

No, no, I was supposed to go to a party with Andy for New Years. 

Well there's still time is just after 8. 

Ah! He was coming about 8.30. 

Ugh what a mess. I need to tidy up. 

I'll help you if you like. 

Thankyou. 

I even wrote a note so I wouldn't forget. 

What will I wear?

How about this?

Ooh where'd you get that?

A little op shop somewhere. 

Wow Maddie you look all grown up. 

Oh

Catherine

Yes Maddie. 

Andy and I have been talking about progressing, you know, midnight and all. 

Yes, I know. It's ok, it's kind of exciting actually. 

We're going slow, like letting the clock go forward, one minute at a time. 

Like real time. 

Yes. 

Are you okay with it?

Hhhhh, I think so. I'm a bit scared actually. 

It'll be alright I reckon. We will still be here, hey it's been 5 years, you and me, your turn to start getting the wrinkles. 

What?

Hahaha, I've got no idea. I don't think I've had any dolls that've aged before. I'm not sure who yet, but I think some of the others want to progress as well. I don't know how it works. Whether its all or by choice.  So you're not alone okay. Besides that Andys a good sort, you'll at least have him. 

Hmmm, yeah. 

I'll just put this Xmas stuff away, ooh I think I heard a knocking at the door. Might be Andy. 

Catherine would you mind letting him in, I need just a minute. 

Sure thing. Have a good night okay. 

Yes. 

Skate board and lego folder, you're coming too you know. 

Hey Andy. 

Oh hi Catherine, is Maddie still ok to come out tonight. 

Yes. She's just getting a little reassurance about your decision tonight. 

Ah, yeah, understand. I'm a bit nervous too. 

You'll both be fine. You've got each other, and well I'm kind of an expert on aging, I've had a bit of practice. 

Ah hahahaha. Thanks. 

It doesn't all have to be serious. Heck I'm 42 and I still play with lego. I'd look at it like you can do stuff at certain ages, drive a car, get a job, go on the Old Age pension. 

Hahahaha, one day at time please. I was kind of thinking more about the driving and the job, than an early retirement. 

Exactly, and leave some space for a little silliness in your day. 

Hey Maddie. 

Andy. Hi. I'm just, 

Looking at things that are safe and comfortable?

Yeah. 

It's alright, man I hope there are still safe comfortable things after midnight. 

Wow look at you Maddie, you are gorgeous. 

Thankyou. I hope I look a little bit more grown up, 

It's perfect.

It is just a little warm for boots for me, so I'm in sandals. 

I've got the boots one last time for 2015, just don't look too close, I'm wearing 3/4 pants. 

Hahahaha

Ooh what's that?

Ah, the everyone gift. 

Hehehehe, I remember the look on your face when you saw that, I think you thought we were going to mob you. 

Yes, but I was gladly mistaken. 

I think we qualify as representatives of Everyone, let's open it. 

Ooh, a cardboard envelope. 

It's a book. 

Wreck this Journal Everywhere, by Keri Smith. 

Is it a novel?

Ooh, it looks like it might be a to do book

Snork, this might actually be fun. Give us something to do when we're out. 

The others might want to do it too. 

(Honk honk)

Ah, that's dad waiting in the car, you ready?

Yes. 

***********************************************

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Happy new year!!!

29. Greetings from Natasha.

Natasha is our cousin who lives with Aunty Peggy, and sent us a picture of her getting excited about the prospect of Xmas. 

Here she is riding her bike in the lounge room around the pile of Xmas presents. 

Natasha is dressed up as one of her favorite cartoon characters, Daria.  

39. Princess and Me, first choice

Disney Princess, Princess & Me dolls and accessories are made for Jakks Pacific. 

Up until a couple of months ago I had not seen this doll brand in person in Australia.  I do recall an ad for them a few years ago in Grace Bros (Myer) but never got a chance to go see. I found them in Toys'r'us Australia October just gone. Otherwise the access option has been ebay, and they've been quite expensive and never held power over me enough to buy one previously, as BFC ink had been my priority up until July 4 2014 ( the arrival of Llewellyn AG Julie), and American Girl since. 

I googled and was able to find a YouTube clip dated 2010 with these dolls in, so they've been around at least since then. 

The dolls I have we're copyrighted 2014 and are part of the Shimmer Edition. 

I don't know if these dolls are still being made. There is a website, but I think it's always looked like that. 

I'm not exactly sure when I became aware of the P&Me dolls but I know why. I bought my first BFC ink doll in 2010, (ie Maddie) and somehow became aware that the P&me dolls were of similar size, making it possible for the BFC ink girls to wear the P&me clothes, in particular the ballerina outfit

This is the Cinderella tutu and slippers (minus the slippers, they're around here somewhere) and if I can find the pic of Maddie, let's see if I can copy and paste it from the Kiss concert

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5jXGSZjT21r-dm06eC74OBuCKjB757KmOZfu0hSL_vh93jKvOq7XiTcE93aoDgJpjv9G7u2d2s1HHjGj9UXGibd2lvnuwkUPnsQoVADdEny3C9CZX6406eoXP1eXPAq3lfqOzc3FuP7r/s1600/IMG_9821.JPG

What the, have the mysteries of linking just been revealed? Hmm sorry just an ongoing learning curve blogging by phone. I guess we'll find out once I publish this post if that link worked. 

That's what I meant to do. Here's Maddie (pre body transplant) in that tutu, it's a little loose, but not much, and did the job for the girly I bought it for. I might have been having trouble getting the BFC ink ballet outfit and this one became available. 

I also took advantage of a piece of furniture available on eBay 

The P&me Royal Canopy Bed. I actually was able to get two. 

The incentive, a sleeping space around 21 inches, these beds were perfect for my BFC ink girls and now the American Girl girls. 

Antoinette, major Cinderella fan. 

Tauralie, putting up with it until she gets something a little more medieval looking. 

The funny thing with this bed is that it was listed as having a mattress. 

This is the mattress. Yes it's a piece of cardboard with tabs to slot into corresponding places on the bed frame and was supported by a hard plastic shelf in the middle of the bed that was also remove able. I've done a bit of hot gluing and padding since acquiring these so I can't show you the original anymore, but I found this very disappointing and most unsuitable for a princess. 

(Like a suit of armor over a ball gown)

Any way onto the dolls....

In the Shimmer Edition

These were the available choices as per the back of the doll boxes

Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, Rapunzel, Tiana, Aurora, and Merida

When I saw these dolls back in October the choices were Ariel and Rapunzel. 

Whilst I have no objection to red hair 

(A red fox would chase a hare)

Australian Girl Matilda

American Girl #61 Tauralie 

And a little Merida by Tollytots

And why stop at one, Ariel's hair was very red. When dolls were available for The Little Mermaid in the early 90s I know I preferred Ariel's sister Arista

She is still one of my favorite and remaining Barbie sized dolls. (Probably more Skipper sized). 

I might have eventually bought Ariel after leaving home, but she has since been rehomed -probably in the great holiday/AG funding clean out of 2013/2014. 

Ariel

I'd probably even prefer Merida over Ariel if I had the choice, but at this time it was Rapunzel. 

Who could resist that face?

Rapunzel's dress Is actually purple not blue, I couldn't get my camera to see the right colour. 

More that colour - the stain on her arm from the elasticized sleeve (it is there)

You can see it better under her arm. Unfortunately the stains are similar on both arms, fortunately they are the only major stains. She was wrapped in paper from the waist down and this probably saved her from any other major staining. 

So the box: 

Back specifically for Rapunzel

I do object to humans on my doll boxes, so I've cropped it out, but I guess they were there to represent the 'Me'. 

Side

Side

Front

(Another nasty 'me' to cover up)

 

The plastic is decorated with swirls and the sun symbol we see repeated in the movie. 

I thought this might have also been the gold glitter outline on Rapunzels skirt but on close inspection it's the flower that gave Rapunzels hair it's power. 

The doll is attached to an inner cardboard sleeve and after snipping two taped tabs the sleeve pulls out very easily. 

The doll is secured in the box by these paper like twists, part of the hair was sewn into place. 

And whilst these are not those annoying plastic H things

The head was held in through two massive holes in the back of the head. 

Out of the box:

Best day ever!

Flynn/Eugene was always upset that his 'wanted' posters couldn't get his nose right. I'm not confident I've seen any dolls that look like their movie selves (especially the Frozen ones). My only current reference material for Rapunzel is this DVD book set, that has some stills from the movie. 

Do I look like me?

Not really, but I think you're cute and were planning to rename you anyway. 

Oh, okay. I don't think my hair is long enough anyway, and well the end of movie me has a short bob. 

The hair:

It had some styling product around the face, but not too bad. 

It's long but not tree swinging castle tower escaping long. 

There is the brown section, Mother Gothels doing, it is long. 

In the box her hair was held back by the elastic on her party hat

And a segment was banded to her arm

Upon first brushing a little hair fall. 

Not too bad in my opinion. 

The shoes:

Soft shoes, the inner whites of the shoe prevented most of the foot  from being stained. 

A tiny stain on her left heel, the shoes have an unprotected seam. 

She does have a feet tattoos. P&M on the left and a serial number on the right in white 1895WT01

The dress: 

Despite being evil stainy purple it is very pretty. Aurora had been given the pink dress in this edition, and maybe dressing Rapunzel in the colours of her movie dress might have been too much pink, I don't know. 

The dress fits Maddie nicely, with room for dessert

The shoes are too big

Body: (nudey run alert)

P&M dolls are 18 inches tall. 

They are jointed at the neck shoulders and hips. The arms can rotate all the way round, there is no motion away from the body sideways though. The legs have a slight sideways give, and can move 90 degrees only. 

The legs on my Rapunzel are stiff and squeal in protest at the moment. 

Seated the legs are mostly together

So what to do about the stainy situation. I've yet to have luck with stain removing, but in the mean time I am freeing Rapunzel from her princessness and giving her some civies. To do that I decided to compare body sizes. 

Body size: (more nudies)

Whilst BFC are a little smaller

Journey girls are a little larger

Our generation feet are too large

Journey girls feet are also too big but not as noticeable

Journey girls clothes will fit with some room to spare and that will be a great option, seeing as my sewing anything is likely to take longer than it took for the doll brand to come to Australia.