Tanned Mattel Raquelle Anyone?

Raquelle face doll fans, alert! There is a suntanned Raquelle doll available. Usually, Raquelle has light or fair complexion. But if you'd like to see her with a tawnier complexion - and you do not mind purple hair OR re-rooting fashion doll heads, this doll is for you. She's one of the Mariposa co-star or friend fairy dolls. Walmart calls this doll a "co-star," while Amazon calls her, "friend."


 

There is a close-up photograph and a full length photograph. What do you think of her? Happy searching!

Frozen Dolls

The movie will be out November 27, 2013, but you can find the dolls from the Disney movie Frozen in stores now. Frozen is about two sisters, Anna and Elsa and their adventures as they attempt to restore their kingdom of Arendelle from an eternal winter. Anyone thinking a modern, cheerier version of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen with siblings replacing Gerda and Kay and the Snow Queen?

Here are the two wide-eyed sisters: Elsa (left) and Anna (right). Elsa has the power to create snow and ice. She accidentally triggers the "eternal winter." Anna, the younger and optimistic sister, wants to reconnect with her sister and to restore the land to its former four season glory. Head nod. Maybe the commission of the story will be more exciting than the premise, but I see a definite pass on this one. I never liked the fairy tales where the younger siblings win out over the older ones. Why not? I AM the oldest sibling. Sigh.

And here is the back of the box for these dolls.

If any of you see this movie this Thanksgiving, do let me know how you found it. I thank you in advance for that favor.

Kenya's Male Friends Found in Philly

Hooray! Remember Kenya? What about her boyfriend, T.J. and his cousin Dwayne? Well, Kenya's male friends have finally reached the City of Brotherly Love.

Cousins Dwayne (left) and T.J. (right)

Here is Dwayne. He has painted, close-cropped hair. Medium brown complexion.

Here is T.J. He has a bald skull. Dark brown complexion. He and Dwayne both have straight arms and articulated knees as guessed by the angle of the bent knees.

I did not buy either of the guys. While I would like to try the fashions on my taller guys - Integrity Toys' Lukas Maverick and Mattel's Scottie Pippin - I'd like to wait until they are on sale. On the other hand, suppose they get bought up entirely? Suppose I cannot find them later? Male dolls appear and disappear so quickly. What to do? What to do?

P.S. Select Kenya dolls are for sale online. I am hoping that little sister Keyshia makes her appearance next.

More Hunger Games Dolls! Yay Again to Sandra and The Doll Cafe Facebook Team

I finally saw the first Hunger Games movie this year. Many of you may have seen the movie or read the book by Suzanne Collins. It was okay. Better story and characters than Stephanie Meyer's Twilight. Lovely scenery. So so story - entertaining enough for me to watch the whole thing, but nothing earth shattering. Shrug. But guess what? So far, I love all the new dolls Mattel made based on the trilogy. Thanks to L'ubo, Leo, Joel, and Sandra from The Doll Cafe Facebook page for my first alert about these upcoming dolls. Frannie and William have also posted about this Mattel Pop Culture series.

Mattel produced a Hunger Games Katniss doll last year. The 2012 Katniss doll uses the Goddess face sculpt. For this year, Mattel has created a new Katniss and added Peeta, the male love interest; Effie, the future fashionista guide; and Finnick, a male character to be introduced in the upcoming 2013 movie, Catching Fire based on the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy.


Katniss New Katniss face sculpt!

Peeta  New Peeta face sculpt! New broader male face, whoo hoo!

Effie  Barbie closed mouth sculpt (probably Mackie?)

Finnick  TRU Exclusive! (No face details yet, but he looks cute. Interesting hair style. Alas, no details about this doll on the TRU page OR on the Mattel page so I do not know whose face sculpt this doll uses.)

Entertainment Weekly offers a video showing designer Bill Greening discuss the new dolls that are expected to be released when the second Hunger Games movie launches November 2013. That's right: next month.

May the Odds be with you, should you decide to nab any of these dolls. (Aw, I could not resist.)

Power Team Donkey Prances While the Devil Was Beating His Wife

Today, we Philadelphians had several sunshowers. Sunshowers, you ask. Yes, sunshowers as in rain falling while the sun shines. Or, the devil is beating his wife. Yes, I am a born and bred Philadelphian, but I have some "country" or "Southern" roots in that my father was born and raised in Georgia before he moved to Philadelphia. What has this weather condition to do with a blog about sixth scale dolls and action figures? Well, this is the day that I took the M & C Toys Power Team donkey out for photos. Hence the post title.

Power Team Donkey waits for Farmer Miles.

Power Team Donkey lowers his rump ...

... then rises and stretches his front legs.

Here he stands, face forward. Just another odd sunshowery day for this industrious creature.

Note: I took these photos between sunshowers. The Power Team donkey is all hard plastic, but I did not want to rust his joints so there are no during-the-rain photographs. And yes, it is super cool that he can raise or lower his head and his rump and that his front "knees?" and "ankles?" can bend.

Scans From a Power Team Booklet (by M&C Toys

Time for something new, yes? Below are scans from an M & C Toy Centre Ltd. booklet for the 12" Power Team figures. Hope you enjoy seeing the figures and the accessories created for these doll and action figure favorites!

As much as I like the Power Team figures, I pass on their vehicles. I don't care for the quality - the vehicles seem a little cheesy. Great bargain, I do not doubt, but not particularly striking or amazing. And I would need to revamp them for civilian use.

One Power Team accessories stands out from the rest: the Battle Command Post. The Battle Command Post is a two-story house front/building that was intended to be a bombed out house. However, many diorama creators have revamped that playset into a variety of new structures. Unfortunately, I do not remember the original links to those dioramas or the original price. Possibly around $30-$69 before shipping. I wish I had bought one. Don't want to think what the cost for that structure would be today.

The Power Team Elite World Peacekeepers figures wearing various uniforms.

More accessories ... note the realism of the horse. Sigh. Now that is a real horse. No curly eyelashes or pastel colored eyes. No pink hair. I would have liked to have one of their horses. But I have their donkey instead, and I am happy with that creature - smile. (Aside: need to get my donkey photos up.)

I have larger photos on my Pinterest board, Playscale Dolls and Action Figures. Additional photos of the playscale Power Team items can be found here, here, and here.

Please note though that M & C Toys has another similar playset for their smaller figures. So if you see the Battle Command Post offered for a really low price, check that that playset is for the 12" figures or that it is for 1:6 scale figures.

Five Reasons to Join Facebook's Integrity Janay/Color Infusion Group

Okay, if you are not on Facebook, this news may not interest you. Then again, it might get you to open a Facebook account ... maybe. Time spent on social media sites takes time, yes. But for fans of Janay and her friends OR fans of the new Color Infusion, both by Integrity Toys, this Group will be worth the distraction.

There's a new Facebook Group called "Integrity Toys Janay & Color Infusion Dolls Fan Club" started by renown Integrity playline fan CjStarz (aka CjStarz on Flickr). Yes, that CjStarz, grin. So you can expect some fantastic photography and juicy information sharing. Here is what you get to do as a member:

1. See photos of Janay and friends dolls and prototypes

2. Identify your Janay and friends dolls or ones you've seen

3. Answer doll identification queries - you might know who that mystery doll is

4. Learn about and discuss these almost forgotten dolls

5. Learn about the Color Infusion dolls

To join the group submit a request to CjStarz or another member.