Sunday, April 26, 2015

Playing House With Dolls

Dana and Kelsey Play House with Our Generation Dolls


Dana and Kelsey sit on the floor with their new dolls from Christmas.  Kelsey brushes her dolls hair so that it is nice and smooth, while Dana dances her doll around.  Dana suddenly turns to Kelsey with her eyes wide, "You know what would be really fun?" she asks.

"What?", Kelsey replies, giving Dana a perplexed look.


"We should build a house for our dolls!", Dana excitedly exclaims.

"That is a great idea!" Kelsey agrees. "I'll go get the blocks."  Kelsey runs upstairs to the toy room.  She trudges down the stairs with a huge barrel of blocks, dumping them at Dana's feet as she gets close to her.


"Let's get started," Kelsey smiles as she picks up a few of the blocks.  "I'll build the bottom layer and you can build the top," she tells Dana


Kelsey get the front of the house done, including a window and a silver front door.  Dana starts to put on a second level.  She has to be very careful.  If she doesn't balance the blocks just right, they will topple over and knock the whole house down.  She carefully adds more blocks to the top.


The front of the house is done, so Kelsey starts on the side.  She likes using all sorts of different blocks. "This is going to be one interesting looking house." she comments.


Dana smiles at her, but continues to concentrate on the roof of the house.


Pretty soon the bottom walls of the house are done.  Kelsey helps Dana with the upper level.  "I think I'll build a tower over here," Kelsey declares.  "That way our dolls can look out over the beautiful landscape"


"That's a good idea," agrees Dana.  "I think I'm almost finished with building the house.  Once you're done with the tower we can put our dolls in it."


Kelsey carefully balances the blocks to make the tower.  She is so excited to play with her doll in the house that she and Dana built.


Kelsey finishes the tower, steps back, and surveys the house that she and Dana built.  "Looks good," she says.  "Let's pretend that your doll lives here and my doll is coming to visit yours."

"Okay," Dana says as she grabs her doll.  "She is going to be waiting for you inside the house."  Dana puts her doll inside the house as Kelsey goes to the front of the house.  Her doll knocks on the front door.  In a high voice Dana asks, "Who is it?"


Kelsey responds, "It's Kendra.  I just moved in across the street."

"Hi! My name is Lana," Dana squeaks.


"Come on in.  I'll show you around." Dana says as she turns her doll around and walks her in through the door.  Kelsey follows her with her doll.


Dana's doll, Lana, shows Kelsey's doll, Kendra, the living room, with a couch that looks out the window, the bedroom area, and the upstairs tower.  "I'm going to stay down here and relax on the couch for a bit." Dana says in her Lana voice, as she walks Lana to the couch.


Dana sticks her hand through the window of the house to set Lana on the couch.  "Oh I love this house!" Dana exclaims in her high pitched Lana voice.


Kelsey puts Kendra up in the tower.  "I can see forever up here." she says for Kendra.  "I can see my house!"  Kelsey and Dana giggle.


They continue to play with their new house.  They peek trough the windows, sit on the couch, and climb to the tower.  As Dana is taking Lana out of the house she knocks one of the blocks down and a few more tumble down after it.  "Oh no!" Dana exclaims with a worried look.


Kelsey takes Kendra out of the tower, purposefully knocking a few of the blocks down as she does.  She looks at Dana with a mischievous grin.


Crash! Kelsey kicks the front of the house.  Dana laughs and knocks the roof of the second floor.


"The house is getting attacked by giants!" yells Dana in elation.  Kelsey and Dana make quick work of knocking down the rest of the house.  Laughing as they do it


"That was way too much fun!" laughs Kelsey.  "I'm not sure what was more fun; building the house or knocking it down."

"Knocking it down!" says Dana.

Kelsey smiles, "Yeah…knocking it down was awesome!  Well let's clean it up now."  Kelsey and Dana pick up all the blocks and put them back in the barrel.   They smiled the whole time that they were cleaning.  "We'll have to do this again sometime.  It was way too much fun!" Kelsey says.


Monday, April 20, 2015

Our Generation Country Fair Outfit

Journey Girls Trying on a New OG Outfit


Our Generation released a whole slew of new outfits this past month.  A few of them look like all of the other outfits they have out, others though are very cute.  Today’s review is on “Country Fair”; a very cute western inspired outfit.


The outfit comes with a pink plaid, button up shirt, a soft pink skirt with denim suspenders attacked to it, brown plastic boots, and a red headband style bow.

The shirt has Velcro up the front to make it easier to get on.  The sleeves are loose on Mikaella’s arms, but not puffy.  Very cute.  The shirt is big on Mikaella.  Since the Velcro is in the front there is really no way to tighten the shirt without altering it.  It doesn’t look bad though, even if it is a little loose.


The skirt is made of two layers: a pink cotton underskirt, and then a top chiffon layer.  This softens the look of the skirt.  Around the waist is a denim strip of fabric that matches the overall’s material.  There is Velcro in the back of the skirt, but you won’t need it, this skirt is big on Mikaella.  The overall straps are sewn on the back of the skirt and attach using buttons up front.  By crossing the straps in the back you can get the skirt up higher, but it is still loose and low.   It’s a bit surprising, since the Our Generation dolls are the same height as the Journey Girls and have the same torso length.  Meaning that this outfit would be too long for the dolls it is designed for. 


The boots are the big, bulky, plastic boots that come with a lot of the standard outfits from Our Generation.  They are a little different design, but not enough of a change to make a huge difference.  The hair bow is nice.  It’s great to have it as a headband, rather than just a clip in bow…those never seem to stay in very well.



Rating
All ratings are out of 10

Value 7 –  This outfit is usually right around $14.  You can find it on sale for less than that though.  It’s a good value either way.  The shirt can be used with many different outfits.  The skirt is versatile (even if it is loose).  The headband is great.  And the boots are okay.  I switched them out for some that are from an Our Generation shoe pack.  But these are okay.

Fitment 6 –  Everything is big.  That is usually the case with Our Generation outfits, but in this case not only is the skirt big around the waist, the overall straps are too long.  Everything fits; it’s all just loose.  Which is to be expected when the clothes are made for a doll with a larger torso.

Versatility 9 –  Everything in this outfit can be used with other outfits.  The checkered shirt would look great with Dana’s “meet” skirt or some nice jeans.  Even the boots are useful with other outfits.  They look like riding or work boots.

Cuteness 9 –  Very cute, but it would be awesome if it was not so loose.  Super cute western inspired outfit.

Overall 9 –  Even though the outfit is loose, this is a great outfit.  If nothing else it has a lot of great parts to make other wonderful outfits.  Mikaella is ready for the country fair or to go line dancing.  Get it on sale for even a better deal!


Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Tea Time with Chavonne and Callie

Meredith Invites Chavonne and Callie Over for a Special Tea Party

Meredith welcomes Callie and Chavonne to her home.  "Come on in ladies," Meredith welcomes. "If you ladies will take a seat at the table, I'll be right back with your tea."   


The girls sit down at the table.  "This is so nice," says Callie.

Chavonne echoes Callie's sentiments "Yeah.  Meredith is wonderful to do this for us.  I wonder what all she has in store for us?"


Just as Chavonne finished contemplating what Meredith had planned for them, Meredith appeared with tea cups, tea, and a tea kettle.  


"May I pour you both a cup of tea?" Meredith asked.

"Yes, please," Chavonne says, holding out her tea cup.  Meredith pours the hot water into the cup, leaving enough room in the cup for some sugar and cream.  "Thank you very much."


Chavonne puts a Vanilla Chai Tea bag into her tea cup.  Meredith pours water into Callie's cup.  Callie chooses a Red Velvet tea.  She dips the tea bag into her cup, let's it steep, and then lifts the tea bag out of the cup.

"Tea is better with a little cream and sugar," says Callie.


Callie pours some cream into her tea then scoops two lumps of sugar in.


Chavonne holds up her cup of tea as Callie does the same.   "Cheers!" Chavonne says as she taps her cup to Callie's cup. 

"This is such good tea," Callie comments as she sips her warm tea.  As the girls marvel at how delicious their tea is, Meredith walks in with a tray of goodies in her arms.


"I have cucumber or strawberry finger sandwiches, fresh fruit tarts, scones, some cookies, and my favorite, macaroons.  I made them all the last few days."


"How are we ever going to decide," Callie contemplates.  "All of them look so good.  You made them yourself?"


"Yes.  I wanted to have something special for you both," responded Meredith.

Callie looks at the plate and knows right away that she wants a macaroon. She takes a pink one from the side.  "That is a raspberry rose macaroon," explains Meredith. "It's got a hint of rose in the cookie, but the cream in the middle is all raspberry." 

Meredith turns to Chavonne with the tray.


Chavonne's eyes darted from item to item on the tray.  She finally decides on a macaroon.  "I think I'll try a macaroon also," she declares as she takes the macaroon off the tray.


"That is an excellent choice.  It's a lemon wafer with lemon curd filling," explains Meredith.

"These look amazing, Meredith," says Chavonne.

"Oh my gosh…totally!" agrees Callie.  "I'm sure they'll taste as good as they look."


Meredith puts the tray in the middle of table saying, "I'll leave you ladies alone.  Enjoy!"


Callie and Chavonne eat their macaroons.   "Ohhhh…this is amazing!" moans Callie.  


"Mine too.  The only bad thing…"Chavonne says.  Callie gives her a quizzical look. Chavonne finishes "I want to eat the whole plate!"   Callie and Chavonne laugh, eat their macaroons, and finish their tea.



Thursday, April 9, 2015

Hide and Seek

The Journey Girls Pass the Time With a Game of Hide and Seek.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" asked Kelsey.  "We've played spoons…now what should we do?


"Kyla held up her hand and pointed to the ceiling .  "I have an idea!" she exclaimed.  "Let's play hide and seek.  I'll count."

"Okay.  That sounds fun," Kelsey says.  The other girls agree.  Kyla leans against the couch and begins counting.  "1…2…3…"


The other girls scramble through out the house to find hiding spots.





"8…9…10.  Ready or not, here I come!" Kyla opened her eyes and headed out of the living room.


She  hears someone snicker.  Where are they? she thinks.  She hears another snicker.  It's coming from the dining room.  She walks in and spots Kelsey lying on one of the chairs.


"I see you Kelsey."  


"Oh, darn.  I'm no good at hiding." complains Kelsey as she giggles and crawls out of her hiding spot.


"Alright, I'm going to go find the others.  You wait in the living room."


Kyla walks upstairs.  She checks the closet in the bedroom upstairs, but no one is there.  She wanders down the hallway into another room.


There she sees shoes sticking out of from under the curtains.


Kyla walks over to the curtains, pulling the curtains back.  "I found you!"


Mikaella laughs.  "I thought I had hid better."


Mikaella heads downstairs as Kyla looks in Kelsey's room.  There has got to be someone in here.  Maybe in the toy chest or under the bed.   Kyla looks in those spots, but doesn't find anyone.


There is a little space between two pieces of furniture.  Hiding way in the back is Jordanna.


"Ah-ha!" Kyla shouts. "Found you.  Found you!"


"Am I the last one?" asks Jordanna. "Do I get to count next?"

"No.  I haven't found Dana yet," Kyla surmises.  "She must be hiding really well."


Kyla heads back downstairs.  She checks in the dining room again.  She checks the kitchen.  She even looks in the living room, even though there would be no way that Dana could have hidden there.


She is walking towards the dining room one more time thinking to herself, where could she be?


Then, as she is about to give up Kyla hears a sneeze from the closet.


She whips the door open.  "There you are!" She shouts in excitement.


Dana smiles and says, "I thought you'd never find me."

The other girls comment on what a good hiding spot Dana found.  Then Dana puts her head on the couch, closes her eyes, and starts to count.  They all scatter; off to find a new hiding spot and play another game of hide and seek.