New So in Style Pastry Dolls at Walmart

Have you seen them? And what about all that PINK?!

Too much pink for my tastes.

New at Walmart: Skipper with Blue Streak and AA Computer Engineer Barbie

I think I like this Skipper better than the one with the pink streak. I don't think the face mold has changed; I just like this one better for some reason. Blue streak? Possibly.

Note the AA Computer Engineer Barbie. Nice, hmm? More of the Desiree/Adria face mold though. And I would have preferred tortoise-shell eyeglasses. Eh but then I am picky.

Walmart Clearance Item - Jumping Up and Down!

I've lucked out and got a "good buy" on a Liv playset: Hayden's After School Pet Adoption Center for $7.00 at Walmart. Am I happy about it? Yes, I am. I finally have that elusive hamster. Cute, isn't it? (Not that I want anywhere near a hamster in real life, in flesh, but what a find at this scale.) And the hamster has an exercise wheel ... all together now ... AAAAHHHH ....

I also like the dog in this set although its posing ability is limited. Sigh, only the Smartees pets are articulated. Or maybe there are other articulated pets ... please share if you know of any. I like my playscale crew to live with wee creatures. And larger ones ... need to get Farmer Miles' mule out someday.

Walmart had some other Liv accessories on sale, but the cost seemed high: a pair of bowling shoes, a bowling ball, and a bowling bag for a little over $5.00. (Not sure I want any of my DAFs bowling anyway. I have mini pins, but to set up an alley for them ... might be more work than I want to do.) Alas, I had removed my batteries so I could not photograph those other items.

The other Liv playset I want to find - preferably for sale is Daniela's drum set. Now that's a cool set.)

Twist & Dance Liv Dolls Seen at Wyncote Walmart

More new in 2011 dolls: the Twist & Dance Liv dolls. I saw all four of the girls at the Wyncote Walmart. No Chase - the boy doll - there today. (Perhaps he was the first to be bought?) More bodies, more fashions ... what more could a DAF Dr. Frankenstein require? Here are the girls ....

Further information about this new series can be found at these links:

Liv in Wikipedia
Liv on zooLert blog
Livworld
Liv on Facebook

P.S. Who else has Dancing Liv dolls? Target with their Exclusive Moonlight Dance dolls.

New Barbie Stuff at Walmart

Saw these TWO Chelseas today and the following accessories.

I like the closed-mouth Chelsea, but the others I can pass on. Previous accessories were more realistic; the pets seem to have come from some fantasy zoo. Pass.

On Clearance at Walmart - Liv Pet Dolls, Moxie Girlz, and Charlie's Angels Kellys

Regarding the Liv dolls with their pets - hmmmm ... not bad.

Regarding the Moxie dolls - pass. Accessories look cheesy. Not keen on the big heads either.

Regarding the Charlie's Angels Kellys - tsk. Not to be prudish, but they look "tarted up." And $29.88 doesn't strike me as a clearance price.

Rapzunel and Flynn Rider Dolls Seen at Walmart

Walmart Update - New SIS Dolls!

New SIS Sightings! Last week, I saw the Heart 2 Shop Trichelle and Chandra set at Target.

This week, I see Walmart has the second set of Rocawear single doll So in Style dolls. Grace, Kara, Trichelle, and Chandra each wears her second Rocawear fashion. (No Darren, but then did he even get a different outfit?) Walmart also has the Heart 2 Shop Trichelle and Chandra set. Once upon a time, I would have nabbed that Trichelle and Chandra set and ran to the cashier. Once upon a time …

Also Found in Walmart and Pathmark - Liv & Barbie

Walmart (Wyncote, PA) has all FOUR of the Liv Dolls with their pets:







Here are photos of Liv Sophie ...



My what big eyes you have, grandma. The better to see you with, dear. My what an odd stare you have, grandma. The better to mesmerize you, dear. Creepy eyes, I think. But then, I just want them for their bodies and their clothes. Cackle. And their pesky little dogs - ouch. Couldn't resist.




Maybe the prototype for this Sophie had bangs; the produced doll has a side part with no bangs.

I did not see any of the Barbie Basics OR the Rocawear crew at this Walmart; my guess is either they sold out or they may not have received them yet.


Pathmark (Wyncote, PA) has both Valentine Wishes Barbie



Good news for fans of the Adrian/Desiree face mold, hers is the chosen head for the 2010 supermarket Valentine Wishes Barbie doll.

Yes, There is a [Black] Nikki Candy Glam at Walmart!

I was seeking the Barbie Basics at a Walmart on Roosevelt Boulevard when I saw a Black Candy Glam doll. Hmmm ... something odd here. Click. Charles. Dollstuff dot net. Aha!

As Charles wrote, there was NO Black doll in the original Barbie Candy Glam series. The four regular Candy Glam dolls each represent a different candy flavor and that candy's "smell" and "look." There was Cotton Candy Barbie, Rock Candy Raquelle, Lemon Lime Teresa, and Cherry Vanilla Summer; there were no Black or Asian dolls in that series. So seeing this lone Candy Glam Nikki in Walmarts for $5.00, I knew she had to come home with me. Sure, I have Asha-faced dolls erupting from nearly every flat surface - well, maybe not just Asha-faced dolls - but this one wanted to be with my sixth scale crew. Why?

1. She has a normal-sized head. Instant points.
   
   
2. She's clearly a last-minute doll because she has the same dress/candy theme as Barbie; the other Candy Glam dolls have unique outfits/different candy themes. What, Nikki doesn't rate her own candy? Tsk.
   
   
3. I walked away and looked at other things then came back, and she was still there. Waiting for me. The nail in the coffin, I thought.
   

So, of course, I had to take her home.

Alex Russo on Sale at Walmart (NE Tower Center)

Mattel's Alex Russo doll from The Wizards of Waverly Place has been marked down at Walmart to $8.00 for the giftset - the doll and an extra outfit. I saw her at the Walmart, 4600 Roosevelt Boulevard or the Northeast Tower Center. She might be on clearance at other Walmarts, but this is the location where I saw her on sale.

The Mystery Twins Aliesha and Noelle Roberts of BFC Ink.

Wyncote Walmart this morning and who do I see? The BFC Ink. twins, Aliesha and Noelle Roberts. They are cute, tawny-complected, brown-eyed, and black-haired. Since they are NOT Mattel dolls, I am going to discount any Barbie connection the surname "Roberts" might suggestion. Are they Asian or Middle Eastern or Black or Hispanic or Native American? The Kaylas of MGA Entertainment? Possibly. I cannot tell from the box or the accessories I see which ethnic group - if any - these dolls belong to. And while that could seem disturbing, in another way, it can be seen as a triumph of character over race. Or as a one-doll fits many escape by the manufacturer.

Me ... I feel free to assign them to the ethnic/racial category that pleases me. Or possibly, none at all. Depends on how they fit in my doll and action figure community.

There might be further information in the box or online.

I think ALL the smaller BFC Ink. dolls are cute.

Dearth of Black and Hispanic Dolls?

This past Wednesday, I read an article titled the "Dearth of Black and Hispanic Dolls" from March 2009 The New York Times. Hmmm ... I thought. Granted there are many more White dolls on shelves, could I describe the Black and other ethnic dolls scene as sparse as "dearth" implies? I have not seen a single Black doll in the Hannah Montana series; Lola and Oliver might be Hispanic so I can't rule out Hispanics from that series. Barbie's friends still include Teresa (Hispanic) and/or Nikki (Black), but Kayla/Lea or the multi-ethnic and the Asian friends seem to have been replaced by "White" Raquelle and "White" Summer. (No objection to either - I am just commenting on the current racial/ethnic Barbie friends line-up.) The High School Musical cast includes Black and Hispanic dolls.

Possibly, the New York Times' authors are referring to dollar stores? But even there, I recall seeing Black and White dolls if none overtly Hispanic. By "overtly Hispanic" I mean black or brunette haired dolls with tan or tawny complexions or dolls with Spanish names.

[Aside, for smaller doll lines like Playmates' everGirl dolls or Chic Boutique's Flower Power line, the Black dolls are distinguished from the Hispanic dolls thus: the Black dolls are medium-dark brown, the Hispanics are caramel brown.]

Below I report what I have seen in two local stores.

Walmart Wyncote -

1. These Mattel Black dolls were available: Beach Party Steven, Clean Up Pup Barbie, Cut & Style Rapunzel Barbie, Happy Birthday for You Barbie, Holiday Barbie 2009, Reissued Julia, Sea World Trainer Barbie, Ultra Tattoo Barbie.

2. I just noticed that the Think Pink Barbie line does NOT seem to have any corresponding ethnic dolls. None were seen here.

3. The larger MGA Entertainment Best Friends Club, Ink. dolls available were Addison and Kaitlin. No large Calista. No smaller dolls.

3. Three Black baby dolls were on the shelves.


Toys R Us Wyncote -

1. These Mattel Black dolls were available: Doggie Park Barbie, Sea World Trainer Barbie, Space Camp Barbie (on clearance), Sponge Bob Barbie, and Twin Musician Prince. Two Grace-Courtney sets from the So in Style available, but NO Trichelle-Janessa or Kara-Kianna sets were out.

2. These Mattel Hispanic dolls were available: Gabriella from High School Musical, Cha Cha from the 30 Years Grease series, and Alex Russo of the Wizards of Waverly Place series as a single doll and as a single doll plus extra outfit package.

3. The MGA Entertainment Best Friends Club, Ink. series had the smaller Addison and Kaitlin dolls. (Oh, they are sooo cute. I must have them ALL.) But NO Calista.

4. New 10" doll series by Playmates, H2O Just Add Water based on the television show with the same name offered three "White" dolls; no recognizably ethnic dolls appear in the series.

5. Hasbro G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra Ripcord action figure was laid flat behind other figures in this series. My guess is that someone was hiding him, but I can't state that as a fact. I returned him to his hidden spot because I didn't want him at this time. The Best Friends Club, Ink. dolls are higher priority for me now.

As a frequent shopper at these two stores, I would say that they usually have good coverage of Black dolls with a sprinkling of Hispanic dolls, depending on what is available. If I do not see a specific doll or dolls, I assume that the existing stock was bought (for example, the small Calista from the Best Friends Club, Ink. doll.) I take this assumption because I have bought the last Black doll on their shelves before. Shrug. Someone else beat me to that doll today. I'll call or stop by without calling another day.

The stock in these two stores did not support the dearth of Black and Hispanic dolls statement, but I'll check other stores in the area to see how the ethnic doll showing appears.

New Doll Blog Alert: Confessions of a Doll Nerd

New doll blog alert,

Confessions of a Doll Nerd

has a post about a super clearance find at Walmarts. Boy, I'd like to have that lightening strike twice ;-D

Happy Reading!

New Playscale Girl - Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place

Walmart, Roosevelt Boulevard

At last ... a NEW fashion doll. Mattel Disney offers Alex Russo the wizard-in-training heroine from the Disney Channel show, The Wizards of Waverly Place. Alex seems to have a High School Musical sized body; she was next to HSM Sharpay in the store, and they seemed "in scale." The likeness to the actress who plays Alex - Selena Gomez - is slight. Seeing the doll and the photo, I thought, oh, that's who the doll is. Hmm. She might have the same head mold as HSM Gabrielle only with a paler complexion. (I'd have to have both dolls together so that I could scrutinize - i.e., stare back and forth between the two, possibly do a little measuring, etc. Okay, I'm joking about the measuring bit.)

Cute doll and yes, one to add to my Want List. Cost? Single doll $14.99 USD. Make that on my Want-but-can-Wait List LOL. The rainbow top is cute as are the tan pants, but for $15, she needs to have more than a cute face and a moderately cute outfit. Shrug. Then again, I thought that about the 10" Mattel Harry Potter Hermione and who's crying now? (Not the doll ... me.)

Still she's new. I took a photo of her in the rainbow top outfit; she comes in another outfit as well, but this photo looks clearer.



The ASMzine Toyfair 2009 Alex doll looks Polly Pocket-sized. Shrug. Perhaps Mattel issued two doll sets? There seems to be a third 10" Mattel doll issued with two different outfits at Atamaii for $24.95 BEFORE postage.

Maybe $15 is not so bad after all.

This Wizards on YouTube link is the only other reference I can find online at this time.

Please note: I do not have cable tv nor am I familiar with this tv show other than what I read in the doll links. I collect dolls and action figures, regardless of the backstory attributed by the manufacturers.

Hitchcock Birds Barbie on Sale at Walmart - Wyncote

For Hitchcock and Barbie fans who passed on buying "The Birds" Barbie showing a blonde Barbie in a celery green dress being attacked by three ravens, you can find her for sale at the Wyncote Walmart for $13.00.

Happy Collecting!

A Walmart Update: Mattel Star Trek Dolls

The Walmart outside the Franklin Mills Mall has

Mattel Star Trek Kirk, Spock, and Uhura Barbie for $43.98 each.

These dolls represent the actors in the upcoming Star Trek movie (prequel?) opening this Friday in Philadelphia. I'm not a Star Trek fan - so I'll pass on those dolls unless I see them on sale Ross-style. They are a step up from the first Mattel Barbie and Ken Star Trek duo produced in 1996, but nothing special. Again the company used existing face molds. Shrug. There are plenty of other dolls and action figures to buy.

At Ross - It's a Brand New Save ....

The Wyncote Ross has the High School Musical 3 "In the Spotlight" set with Tiara Gold and Sharpay Evans for $6.99. The Walmart price is either $19.99 or $29.99.

Another Ross saving is the High School Musical 3 Senior Year Gabriella bedroom set for $12.99. Toys R Us and Walmart both still have that doll-playset at $29.98.

Other Ross savings include:

HSM 3 Graduation single dolls, Gabriella, Troy, and Sharpay for $5.99 each

HSM 3 Gabriella and Troy Tree House Moment set for $9.99

HSM 2 Gabriella and Troy Together at Last set for $9.99

HSM 2 School Spirit Gabriella or Troy for 5.99 each

And the pièce de résistance ... Rebelde doll sets. I saw one Miguel and Mia and one Giovanni and Lupita; $6.99 each two-doll set.

So fellow collectors, if you find yourself in a location with a Ross store and a Toys R Us or a Walmart or a Target, you could save money by checking the Ross store first.

Giddy Me! Got a New Camera - Kodak EasyShare C813

Okay, I couldn't hold out for reviews. I wanted my old EasyShare CX7300 camera, but it wasn't going to revive without some outside help so I hied me to Walmart where I found another Kodak EasyShare digital camera. This one is model C813. I couldn't get the teal one; they only had the pink, but I love, love, love it already. Here are my first findings.

It's like a grown up's camera or a real photographer's camera. I mean, it has a lens that extends and makes that eeerrrrkkk sound when it is turned on. (I like to hear machines make operating noises. Seems like they are animated. Shrug.) The buttons resemble the ones on my CX7300 only there are more settings. It's slimmer and lighter than my CX7300 too.

The Walmart clerk at the Roosevelt Boulevard store (the one closer to town, not the one out in the Far Northeast) was nice AND knowledgeable. I'd asked about a black Kodak camera with a fat lense that was reduced to $100 from $177 - don't recall the model number - only to find that they were "out" of that one as well as some of the others I sought that were under $100. I told her that I wanted a camera with a 3x zoom feature and that cost under $100. She indicated the C813 that they had in teal and in pink on display. And there was another Kodak EasyShare that was $130, but it had been returned by someone. I don't like used stuff; I saw how the box had been opened so I didn't want that one. They had no more teal C813s so I settled for the pink C813. (Didn't want pink because that seemed too girly, sissy. No teal though. Price was right. Features seemed to match my old one. So pink it is.)

I'm going to take new photos now. Yay, yay, yay.

Rebelde Dolls at Target and Other Stores

Now that I no longer seek the Rebelde pair sets, I see them here and there. Target on 2701 Castor Avenue has the boy-girl sets for $15.99 and the single girls (both school uniform dolls and music outfit dolls) for $9.99 each. Okay, you might think: that's four dollars cheaper than Walmart's price of $19.99 LAST YEAR.

1. Whoa ... say it ain't so Target. You are the trendsetter store. NOT Walmart. But here we have the Rebelde sets a year AFTER Walmart had them. Tsk.

2. I won't mention how Ross now has the Target pairs at the ridiculous price of $6.99. When you can find them, that is. I saw the Diego-Roberta set and the Giovanni-Lupita set at the Willow Grove Ross. Target fans, you didn't read that here. No, no, no.