I have received quite a few emails lately and thought I might combine them all in today’s Saturday post. That way, you can see lots of different things and find that perfect picture or link to make you start your Saturday with a smile! That’s what I’m here for! :o)
It’s probably easiest if I start with the newest emails and work backwards… then when I get to familiar ones, I’ll know I’ve found them all!
First up is something from Susette… she sent this link for a magic wand you can make for your dolls. It only uses a twig and some glue and silver or gold paint! Anyone could do this… :o)
Here is a picture from Susette with several dolls so you can see the size of the new Ruby Red Fashion Friends doll, Bella. She is slightly bigger than the Little Darlings, who are 13″ tall. This picture also shows comparisons with American Girl, Ellowyne, Ten Ping, and Betsy McCall. I LOVE this picture. It’s SURE to cause LOTS of Dolly Fever! I’m sure of it! :o)
Every post needs a smidgen of “techy” stuff in it… You can see in this picture what Susette can do with her iPhone. She said “It was still dark out, so I turned off all but the floor lamp so the table lamp wouldn’t create too much glare. Then used the light feature on editing to brighten it up.” I like the fact that we can see how the Fashion Friends dolls come shipped in this box. I hear they take a bit of manhandling to get them out of the box. That’s what I like… A doll that is “securely” in her box! No skinned noses or bumped off eyelashes this way! :o)
First like this…
Then edited on her iPhone to look like this… :o)
Here is a close up picture of Bella… Susette says this is her “last doll.” Does anyone believe her? Wait till they come out with the next batch.
At $129.00, they ARE pretty hard to beat. Susette said she was just as wonderfully made as the Little Darlings! Is anyone getting FEVER yet?
Okay, next up is something from Kathie… This is what she had to say…
“Guess who came in the mail today? Probably not hard to figure out…. little Miss Bella!
Good heavens it almost takes an engineer to get her out of the box! No wonder she is smiling. Bella took one look at the trees and asked if the lights could be turned on and could she hang an ornament. Of course she could!
Nice to add a red head to the doll family too. She is a nicely constructed doll and I love her clothes although she will have some more traditional dresses soon. Who do I thank for showing us this new girl? Was it Joy? Whoever it is thank you! She is a great BD present.”
Yes, Kathie it was Joy who introduced us to the Ruby Red Fashion Friend dolls! She’s my “New Dolly Scout!”
Here are some of Kathie’s pictures of her Bella. Bella seems to be QUITE popular!
Back to Susette… here is her grandson, Krish, in a Batman shirt she made… Susette said he has Batman stuff on the walls… What little boy wouldn’t love this shirt from his “favorite” grandma?
Here is Krish in his “Planets” shirt Susette made him, and his birthday cake… a Minecraft cake!!! ( Susette told me that cake was $100! She didn’t buy it… his mama did!) I’ve never eaten a $100 cake, have you?
Next up are some pictures from Linda… This year she is featuring her dolls in the Nutcracker theme. Just sit back and enjoy Linda’s pictures… This is what she said about them…
“Here the are! The pictures really don’t do them justice, since you can’t see the sparkles very well. The entire top of the nutcrackers jacket is all sequins, and the dresses all have sparkles, but not the nightgown! That’s Cecile’s nightgown. I thought it would work pretty well.
So, Molly is the Sugarplum Fairy, Ruthie is the Snow Queen, and Susan is Clara. All are American Girl outfits. I got the nutcracker at Hobby Lobby for 50% off!
Betsy is a snowflake! I don’t have white ballet slippers for her, so she is just wearing shoes. Her dress has sparkles on it too. That’s a Wellie Wisher dress that was available at Kohl’s last year.
Scarlet and Ivy are in the audience, all dressed up with their fancy dresses and tiaras!
Do you like the feather tree I used? Thought it would look good, since I didn’t have much room for a bigger tree.”
YES…we LOVE your girls all dressed up to go along with the Nutcracker theme. Well done, Linda, well done!
I received an email from Sissy with some exciting information about the Ruby Red Fashion Friend dolls…
She found the Dolls at FAO Schwarz for $100 and if you bought an extra outfit you get free shipping. Even paying shipping the doll was less the $129 she saw elsewhere.
I decided to put the link to the FAO Schwarz store… When you click on the picture of each doll, she enlarges and you can clearly see her features.
Ruby Red Fashion Friends dolls
Thank you Sissy! Oh, by the way, Sissy picked Bella too! :o)
Ali sent me this note:
“Hi Jeanne. I’ve been thinking about the lady you saw at Goodwill. I have a beautiful lace collar, or infinity shawl or not sure what Lily called it, but it’s on her website. She used it both to cover her head for church and for the cowl type collar. It sounds like what you describe on that lady.
I bought a mourning veil at Veils by Lily to wear when my son passed away and saw these then. So I went back and got one. Mine is a gorgeous shade of purple. : ) They are not cheap, but they are beautiful!”
Here’s the veils by Lily website, below. Check it out. : )
Well, Ali, this wasn’t quite like the one I saw on the lady I mentioned… it was more dainty and skinny around her neck. The one I saw did hang down in the front like some in the pictures, but these have too much fabric in them compared to the one I saw. I have been keeping my eyes open so I hope to spot one soon!
Thanks for your comments, Ali!
Okay, I think I’m all caught up now! I hope you find something you enjoyed looking at today. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I’ll see you Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, what a fun post, Jeanne! So much to look at, and perhaps comment on!!
The link to the magic wand instructions that Susette shared was really neat, and such a simple idea, but very effective! It would make a great magic wand for a fairly, I think, and you could use a twig the size appropriate to the doll. For a wizard’s wand, you could perhaps add a “jewel” to the end.
I really enjoyed her pictures, too–so nice to see how she could edit her photos right on her phone! I don’t have a phone like that, but I know I can do some editing on my computer. Haven’t done much other than crop or rotate thus far, though.
Kathie’s Bella is beautiful, and I love the pictures of her with the trees!! Just as cute as can be. As is her grandson, Krish! He has those wonderful lush eyelashes like our grandson Isaac has. I commented on them one time, and he said, “I know, Grandma” like it was no big deal!!
Linda, I love your Nutcracker theme!! The girls all look lovely, and Betsy is wonderful as a snowflake. I immediately thought of the 1950s song, “Here comes Suzy Snowflake [dressed in her snow-white gown]” Does anyone remember that one? I have the sheet music for it (a very easy version, as I was still fairly young when it came out, and not terribly skilled at piano just yet).
What a great deal on the Fashion Friends that Sissy found! Wish I’d known about that sooner, but…..I, too, just added Bella to my “family”! She came today. She’s out of the shipping box, but I still need to get her out of her bed/box. I will probably use wire snips to cut the plastic ties–I’ve found that works better than scissors.
I really had debated between Hanna and Bella–I prefer Hanna’s hairstyle–but I do love red hair, and Bella’s is auburn, so…..
Jeanne, it sounds like that lady’s lace thing was more like what we used to call a “smoke ring” scarf–the same idea as an infinity scarf, but narrower, and not, perhaps, quite as big around.
Tomorrow is our church’s annual Thanksgiving dinner; I have my cabbage chopped for coleslaw, just have to add other ingredients, which shouldn’t take too long. We are having it at 1 p.m. instead of in the evening, and that will be nice, as no one will have to drive in the dark. It’s been very foggy out here in the Seattle area of late, so I’m sure everyone appreciates the daytime driving!
Thanks Charlotte,
So glad you enjoyed all the different things to look at today. There was a little bit of everything, wasn’t there?
Have fun at your dinner tomorrow. I’m working on my menu tonight.
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh my, Jeanne, your readers made the blog so interesting today (not that it never is!)! l love seeing “what’s up” with everyone!
Susette has quite a collection of darling dolls, and a darling grandson to boot! Love the idea of the wand, so easy and can work with a variety of costumes! Krish is a lucky little boy, and yes, those pretty eyes of his! He will be making the girls swoon in a few years! Great job on the shirts and it is great that he and grandma can connect! That is something he will always treasure!
Kathie’s Bella is darling! Kathie, do you have your Christmas decorations out already? I love the closeup of Bella by the tree! Such a pretty little face!
Sissy’s information is great! Another way to get me hooked!!
Those veils,….it struck a chord with me! Turns out, the place is located in Imperial, MO, just 10 minutes away from my house! I had seen the ads in our local Catholic newspaper, and we actually have a few women and girls wearing those veils at our church. And this is funny, but I still have a pretty white lace veil from back when we had to wear a head covering in church, but it now adorns my Josefina doll now and then!
Yes, Charlotte, I do remember the “Here Comes Suzy Snowflake” song from years ago! I guess I can now change it to “Here Comes Betsy Snowflake”!!!
Have a good weekend with your brother, Jeanne!
Hi Linda
Just taking a few minutes to check in with everyone! Thank you for your contribution to the post today!! Your girls were very sweet looking! They always are!!
Maybe Betsy “needs” a new friend…just sayin,
Thanks Linda
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, thanks for sharing photos from the blog family. It is always wonderful seeing pictures of their loved ones (the real and the doll kind). I love seeing how festive and doll-friendly people make their holiday decorating.
I am off to the Doll Museum for the final visit of the year. My UFDC club goes at least twice annually to support the owner and to see what new dolls she has in the gift shop.
Hi Dorothy,
I hope you had a wonderful time at the Doll Museum. I wonder if you’ll come home with any new dolls??? :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
I enjoyed all the special photos. Looking at the doll details in the enlarged ones reminds me of the I Spy books we have from our son’s childhood. All the tiaras, even Coconut! Still the cutest little Westie ever. The audience dolls with their coordinated accessories, one in silver, the other with gold, including handbags and shoes!
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Hi Julia,
I loved those “I Spy” books too!!
Glad you enjoyed todays variety…
Blessings, Jeanne
Wonderful editing information from Susette! Loved seeing the photos of the girls gathered around Bella in the box. I may have mentioned this, but the “box” makes a perfect size bed for the Fashion Friends girls. I haven’t even started on making a mattress or bedding, but how nice to have that box. I can just see Jeanne decorating it with fabric or scrapbook paper and then Charlotte making a quilt. I did throw away something, the interior end pieces, but perhaps I should have kept them also. I think the bed would make a great prop too.
Krish’s Minecraft birthday theme is so fun. Our grandson loves Minecraft too. In fact we just bought another set yesterday. 🙂 Amazing cake and the planet shirt is perfect.
I love Kathie’s photos of Bella’s first Christmas. What a perfect photo with the flickering lights from the trees.
Linda has outdone herself with the Nutcracker theme. Her girls are dazzling dancers. Some of the dollies around here caught a peek of the ballerinas, and now I’m getting the evil eye. Where are our outfits? And why no decorations here?
Enjoyed seeing the veils on the site Ali mentioned. Jeanne, can you possibly draw that lady you saw at Goodwill with the lace scarf? or even the scarf. I am having trouble visualizing it.
Thanks Sissy and Jeanne for reminding me about FAO Swartz. I think we need another outfit here. I bought my Hanna from Fashion Friends, but an outfit from FAO. The outfit was delivered by FedX and took forever to arrive unlike the few days for Fashion Friends. I purchased Sara from Ricky, an administrator on LD Facebook. He was able to get a whole shipment and she arrived within a few days too. So, if you don’t mind the wait, FAO sounds like a deal. 🙂
Have a great weekend and don’t forget to take a deep breath and enjoy the scenery. 🙂
Hi Joy,
Thanks for a your comments…I’m rushed for time but just wanted to get in a quick hi to everyone who took time to write.
I will try to draw a picture of the scarf I saw…
Have you heard if there will possibly be more Fashion Friends in the future? I really do need to get my eyes paid off first… and thought maybe there might be a second go around…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
No, not privy to insider information on the Fashion Friends girls. Might be difficult as there is only the one sculpt from Dianna Effner. Unless she intends to allow Fashion Friends to do more. They are fun though and so cute. The manufacturer appears able to get the dolls out very quickly too. Lots of 2nd and 3rd orders with no problem and no back orders.
I finally was able to get a Wellie Wishers outfit to try on. The Wellie outfit is well, tight. The overalls are crotchy and the top just barely fits around. So, I would say, the Wellie pattern may need to be just slightly larger in length and width. But, Hanna is wearing it anyway and not complaining. 🙂
Thanks Joy,
So the dolls are bigger than the Wellie Wishers? Hmmm…I’m getting a really bad case of Dolly Fever. I was chatting with a lady this evening who changed out the eyes of her doll to a different color. She put the dolls head in a zip lock bag and put it down in some “almost” boiling water and heated the dolls head up… Then she pried out the eyes with a screwdriver and put in the new ones.
Another lady cut the back of the head open and also the eye socket so she could change out the dolls eyes more easily.
I haven’t looked at any other dolls except these since you told us about them. :o)
They are really adorable.
Thanks Joy…
Hi Joy ! I sure hope you get my very late question!! Yes, I’m catching it, too! Look what you started, LOL. I was going to go ahead and order from FAO Scwartz, but first, please explain exactly how long “forever” is? Was it one week or two weeks or ?? Thanks so much!! Love and Hugs, Ali
What an interesting post! Your latest ensemble is great, Jeanne, so complete as always. Thanks to Joy for the post about the new dolls. I think Bella is the most complete doll I’ve seen with the articulation and even the real eyelashes, not the painted ones. I still haven’t extracted her from the box, but that’s good because of Joy’s suggestion about making a bed out of it. I can’t figure out how to get her out except with wire cutters without tearing up the box. Thanks for the suggestion, Charlotte. Bella seems to be made of the same composite material as the Little Darlings, excellent quality all around and a great size. Thanks to Sissy for the suggestion about FAO Schwartz. If Riya wants one, I’ll know where to buy it.
I love Kathie’s many Christmas trees. Isn’t her Bella just the right size for them? Is the Springfield on the plaque behind them the one in Illinois? Now about Linda’s wonderful collection: What a great display and all the details and the sizes of the dolls are so appropriate for each costume. The feather tree is perfect. Quite the set designer and costumer Linda is, right down to the white doggies. She has to have the best dressed Betsy.
I mentioned the price of the cake, but the one with real fondant would have been $150! Yikes! Krish’s Mommy is Indian which accounts for the eyelashes. They certainly don’t come from my side of the family.
About the veils, someone mentioned them before and I realized a piece of black lace that I couldn’t account for must have belonged to my great-great-great-grandmother as she was Catholic from Ireland. Or maybe the Swiss one. I was glad I hadn’t cut into it for doll clothes! Jeanne, I saw a lady at Joann’s one time and she had on a white, Arab-style long dress with a few large, colorful, machine embroidered flowers on it that she had sewn herself. I had the nerve to ask her if I could take her picture, she said “yes,” but then I found I didn’t have my phone on me. I feel it never hurts to ask politely if one is really intrigued by a person or what they are wearing. I’ve not done it often but have never been turned down.
Have a great time with your family, Jeanne, and try to take it easy. Thanks for the post.
Hi Susette,
I hope you have gotten Bella out of her box by now… I love your description of her. It’s nice to be in love with your dolls, isn’t it?
I wish I would have been as bold as you and asked the lady about her scarf and maybe even taken a picture…then I wouldn’t have to wonder…
Thanks for all your wonderful comments.
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful post! Thanks to everyone who contributed. Except for Ellowyne and Ten Ping, I have all the others she’s shown. I had my dolls lined up to take a candid photo, nothing posed or with props, so people could see the size differences. Looks like Susette did that for me. Also, you wanted a picture of a naked FF. On the LD Facebook page someone has not only done that but has other dolls along side for comparison. I too had a fit getting Bella out of her box. I thought she’d be so happy to be at her forever home she would jump out. Not! I nearly cut off one of her shoestrings and would have if I wasn’t being so careful. I love hearing why others picked a certain FF. My reasoning was I love her shoes. I love shoes and hers are too adorable. I had to have the shoes. But last night I caught her online shopping for shoes. I asked did she not like her shoes. She said they were fine for school and all, but they just don’t go a bit with her beautiful new Christmas dress. I’m still trying to find out why she bought the other three pair. A finger slip. Doubtful.
I guess you could call Joy your dolly scout since she’s the one who introduced you to the Meadow dolls too isn’t she? Kathie’s pictures of Bella are really sweet. I have a dolly-size tree I used to put out for decoration. The past few years I didn’t and I never thought of putting it up for my dolls. I will definitely do that this year.
My grandkids love Minecraft too, but right now my granddaughter, Jaiden, is totally into “Frozen” things and my grandson, Skyy, is wanting things Harry Potter. I gave him the Lego catalog and told him and Jaiden to circle things they might want for Christmas. Skyy circled every Harry Potter set. It gives me a lot to choose from. I’m the Lego buyer because when others did it too he was getting duplicates. I usually buy one big Lego set and one smaller one. The really big sets are out of my price range but they are fabulous. To me these things are just a whole lot of small pieces, but Skyy puts them together in no time. Then Jaiden gives him hers to do. What does she want from Santa this year? A punching bag. Her Dad said that would be good because then she would not think of using her brother. She’s always been the more physical one. They are both taking Karate and I can tell you she’s good at it. Skyy is the more intellectual one and interested in science and music.
Susette’s grandson is adorable. And his shirts are really cute. What a wonderful way of bonding between grandmom and grandson. I wanted to do this for my grandson, but his mom does not like to iron and so woven shirts were out. T-shirts and polo shirts were all he was allowed to wear. But I wanted to do something so I took his polo shirts and put small embroidery designs on the upper left hand corner and then put big designs on the front of his t-shirts. He loved them. We used to buy wonderful decorated cakes for our children’s birthdays when they were small, but they were getting more expensive all the time. Now it seems they’re really expensive. But it was an amazing cake.
I love Linda’s themed pictures. Her dolls all look so lovely. Betsy is as sweet as always. Regarding Betsy’s shoes, last Easter I bought Taylor Jane Tonner the cutest shoes to go with her Easter dress. They were white flats but had ribbons like ballet shoes. I must have bought them from Deb’s because I looked on Jujus’ and they weren’t there and those are the only two places I usually buy shoes. Just in case anyone’s Betsy wants to be a ballerina in the future.
FAO Schwartz?! Never think of them. I’ll check that out. And also the veil website. I never liked wearing hats to church but when I was older and we still were wearing something on our heads in church I bought a lovely mantilla. I didn’t mind wearing that and it looked so pretty.
Hopefully I’ve covered everything. Have a great time with your family.
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for all your sweet comments..
I love those pink boots on Bella too…I’ve zoomed in on them several times already. :o)
I wonder how many ladies have the Fashion Friends dolls now? That FAO Schwarz deal has probably gotten lots of business…
Thanks for all your comments, Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne