The Little Pony (A Valentine's Day photo shoot)

Happy Valentine's Day everyone, 

Instead of going for the traditional tragic love story for my Valentine's Day themed photo shoot (which I may or may not do next year...because why not?), I instead decided to write a poem. This will be a photo shoot/Lyrical photo shoot in the theme of why I do this blog. It may not be romantic love, but I wanted to kind of thank my dolls and stuffed animals for being around me, since, I feel like they help me calm down when I'm stressed. 

Anyway, on to the photo shoot:  

Love comes in the strangest ways, 

and on the strangest days, 

Sometimes it comes as a way to release stress, 

for sometimes it is for the best, 

and it comes as a toy, 

which brings a girl joy, 

"she's too old to like that" some say, 

but inside she knows she never is too old to play, 

For imagination is a stress reliever, 

and a life saver, 

For if you have dreams, 

then the world is no longer as tough as it seems, 

you can go anywhere, 

and people won't stare, 

You can journey into the unknown, 

set yourself onto a golden throne, 

You will even fly, 

and in that world it won't be a lie, 

for you will be flying up into the pink and purple sky, 

And then at the end, 

after you reached the place where many heroes ascend, 

you'll wonder how you got so far, 

I'll give the answer but I promise it's not bizarre, 

For it links back to that "ugly thing"

some girls commented she should have spent on a ring, 

The pony toy, 

which brought her joy, 

even though it was but a toy, 

For it could take her anywhere, 

and become a wild mare. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do your dolls/toys/stuffed animals make you feel more relaxed when you play with them? What adventures do you imagine with them? 

-Quinley 

My Thoughts on AG's New Releases (P. 1)

 Hello everyone, 

I thought I'd take a look at American Girl's newest releases, since I've talked about a Girl For All Time's and Carpatina's releases in the past. Let's begin: 

(image from American Girl, https://www.americangirl.com/shop/c/girl-of-the-year-kira)

I personally find that her storyline is a copy in some ways of Leah Clark's (who is one of my favorite Girls of the Year). However, it doesn't mean that they can't write a similar storyline well. Instead of Brazil, Kira travels to Australia and is protecting Koalas. I do like is that they are focusing on a real issue that is going on in Australia (the wild-fires). 

However. I do wish they had chosen to create a little more of an imaginative doll to go along with the real world issue. 

Leah was a popular doll and I remember going to the store and hearing a girl talk to one of the employees ask if Leah was still around. The girl was very disappointed that Leah had been retired, and I'm sure she wasn't alone, so I can see why they would make a doll like Kira. 

Though I am a bit frustrated that they decided to make her blonde, given that they have a lot of blonde dolls.  

(Image from American Girl, https://www.americangirl.com/shop/p/kiras-comfy-platform-tent-gvf54)

The tent is pretty, though it does feel a bit like a copy of Leah's tree house, even though  the tent is much more pink and a lot less intricate. I actually found that Luciana Vega's space station was a lot more interesting. 

(Image from American Girl, https://www.americangirl.com/shop/p/world-traveler-in-ireland-and-irish-souvenir-set-for-18-inch-dolls-06bun165)

American Girl definitely decided to focus heavily on shamrocks when making this. Though I would have to say Ireland isn't all about shamrocks and four leaf clovers. 

 

For these outfits in particular I think they cared less about capturing the feeling of the places and a little more of what foreigners think of the places or hope to see when visiting. It seems to be a recurring theme with the different places, Japan, England, France, etc. 

(Image from American Girl, https://www.americangirl.com/shop/p/courtney-doll-and-book-and-courtneys-meet-accessory-05bun03)

Courtney is a historical doll, however, to me she isn't very historical, as she is from 1986.  That isn't very long ago, and I was not very psyched about the release. I almost feel as if AG should have have a separate line called "vintage dolls"  because I don't really think that Julie, Courtney, and Maryellen are really historical. (At least at the moment, in the far future they may be). 

There are some other time periods that AG doesn't have dolls for. I think it would be neat if they made dolls from these time periods: 1920s, the American Victorian period, or they could even focus on the suffragettes more (Samantha did have the suffragettes in her story, but her aunt was against it for most of the story, and it was only a small subplot).The dolls from these periods would have really beautiful clothes and I feel like dolls from recent times don't have such cool clothes as dolls from the time periods I just listed. 

(Image from American Girl, https://www.americangirl.com/shop/p/courtneys-pleasant-company-doll-grn50)

One thing I thought was interesting about this collection, is that they have a doll which is a smaller one of their larger dolls (Molly) and retired dolls. Now, a larger doll can have their own Pleasant Company version of Molly.  (Molly hasn't yet returned but may in the future return to the Beforever line). 

Also what I find neat about it, is that the doll has Molly's original  book and has the Pleasant Company doll magazine. 

(Images from American Girl, 

here, here, and here)

American girl recently made dolls with colored hair. Out of all them I actually prefer the doll with purple hair, since the color isn't too bright for me. And I think the hair really fits her, and it doesn't look as if she is wearing a wig with her natural hair hidden underneath. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What do you think of Kira Bailey, do you like her? And do you like the new dolls with colored hair? 

-Quinley