Support Western North Carolina

Unfortunately, the typical hurricane relief effort only lasts three weeks before those not affected and national media move on. However those needing help in Western North Carolina have lost their homes, jobs, and income. As access continues to improve, they will need building materials to clear the area and set up temporary shelters. Please do not forget them, as the effects will last months, possibly years.

Below are links to donate, many which are local organizations right in those counties that were affected. Please consider these folks in need, especially as the weather becomes cooler, and we head into the holiday season.

BeLoved Asheville
Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture
Casting Bread
The Children’s Council of Watauga County
Crisis Relief and Recovery
F.A.R.M. Cafe
Foothills Food Hub
Friends of Hot Springs Library
Hospitality House
Hunger and Health Coalition
Hurricane Helene – Disaster Relief Support for the Hmong Community
MANNA FoodBank: Donate
WAMY Community Action

Review: American Girl® Disney Frozen Elsa Collector Doll

Retail Price: $310
Year Released: 2024
Found at: American Girl
SKU: HYJ33
Manufacturer: American Girl
Materials:

  • Doll: Vinyl, cotton, polyester fill
  • Dress: Nylon satin, organza, Swarovski® crystals, Velcro, sequins on cotton velvet
  • Earrings: Metal, Swarovski® crystals
  • Underwear: Cotton jersey, elastic
  • Shoes: Vinyl, plastic, Swarovski® crystals
  • Hair clips: Plastic, Swarovski® crystals
  • Numbered certificate: Paper

Doll

The doll itself features the Marie-Grace mold, blue pinwheel eyes, a new skin tone (very pale), and long platinum-blonde hair styled in her signature braid. She has thin, arched painted eyebrows (unique pattern) and painted eyelashes like current Truly Me Marie-Grace mold dolls. She is a unique doll in that her combination has never been produced prior to this release.

She is by far the palest skin tone AG has ever produced. Her blue eyes are similar to what playline Ariel has and not too different from Saige, GOTY 2013. I have not undone the braid, but others have stated that the hair is on the drier/stiffer side.

Outfit

The outfit is very well sewn and high quality. The bodice is a velveteen material with sequins and the cape and skirt are nicely patterned tulle adorned with crystals.

The skirt is 2 layers – a base cotton layer and 1 layers of chiffon. The train is quite long and gives the added impression of collectibility.

The shoes are translucent vinyl with a kitten heel – this does make it harder to position the doll to stand on its own. Finally, she has small plastic clips with crystals pinned into her braid.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, this doll gives more of a collector vibe than the Rapunzel collector doll I bought last year, due to the little details, especially with the materials of the dress. However, the price went up by $10 this year, and I could swallow it because I had 2 rewards I could use. I am not sure how I quite feel about the eyebrow shape – I get they were going for Elsa’s eyebrows, but I think they could have been shaped a bit differently. I also would have liked something with metal, as all previous collector dolls has something metal (in addition to the earrings), such as a crown or necklace. I think the barrettes could have been metal, and this is my one complaint.

That said, AG has shown a willingness to create cheaper, playline versions of the Disney Collector dolls, as has happened with Rapunzel. Of course, the quality is lower on the playline version (will be a future post), but given how popular Frozen is, I fully expect playline versions down the line. So unless you absolutely want the collector version and/or have the money or feel comfortable shelling out the cash, I would wait for a playline version. I feel much more careful with this doll compared to past Collector dolls due to the delicate tulle used for the dress and train, and that most of the crystals are glued on the tulle itself. If you want a doll you can handle comfortably, a future playline version would fit better.

Review: FAO Schwarz® 2023 Toy Soldier Doll

Retail Price: $300
Year Released: 2023
Found at: American Girl
SKU: HRB29
Manufacturer: American Girl
Materials:

  • Doll: Vinyl, cotton, polyester fill
  • Hat: PU, Swarovski® crystals, elastic strap
  • Jacket: Cotton velveteen, nylon/poly fringe trim, Velcro, Swarovski® crystals
  • Skirt: Nylon mesh, elastic, nylon taffeta
  • Belt: Metal, nylon taffeta, Velcro, Swarovski® crystals
  • Earrings: Metal, Swarovski® crystals
  • Boots: PU, plastic, metallic elastic, Velcro
  • Gloves: Poly spandex knit
  • Underwear: Cotton, elastic
  • Socks: Cotton
  • Numbered certificate: Paper

Doll

The doll itself features the Josefina mold, blue pinwheel eyes, skin tone 25 (tan skin with warm neutral undertones), and long curly dark brown hair with light brown highlights. She has thicker painted eyebrows and painted eyelashes like Evette and current Truly Me Josefina mold dolls. She is a unique doll in that her combination has never been produced prior to this release.

Her combination is gorgeous – the dark brown hair works really well with the warmer medium skin tone and the blue eyes add a touch to make her stand out. The wig is longer than most AG wigs, similar to Maritza length. The curls are plentiful, similar to Truly Me 108.

Outfit

The outfit is very well sewn and high quality. The red top is made of a velveteen material and velcros in the front. However, it is not lined, so you may want to keep an eye on that for possible staining. The buttons are made from Swavorski crystals and there are additional crystals that decorate the sleeves.

The skirt is 4 layers – a base cotton layer and 3 layers of chiffon with an elastic waist. It has the right amount of volume. The belt is separate and velcros in back and is decorated with crystals.

The hat is well structured and the gold braiding raises it up a notch. Just a note that the “wooden” blocks aren’t actually wood, more like foam with material on the front and back sides. The boots are a shiny patent material and Velcro in back. If you are taking off the boots, be careful, as I had the Velcro catch on the sock worn underneath.

Overall Thoughts

I think this doll is lovely. Is the price appropriate? Eh…(I had a gift card which helped offset some of the cost directly out of my pocket.) However, I did like the doll itself, which was a factor. However, I wish the doll has the special eyeshadow that past collector dolls featured. In addition, I can see myself using bits of this outfit for mix and match, unlike dolls where the outfit is a whole dress.

That said, I still think you should only get this doll is you 100% want it. With AG releasing multiple collector dolls this year, I would prioritize what you absolutely love over fear of missing out or buying into the collector label just for the collector label.

The Companies Behind the Plush

We are all familiar with the long-standing toy companies, such as Mattel, Hasbro and Lego. However, a lot of new popular toys have popped up, such as Squishmallows. Who are behind these new toys that have huge fandoms?

Squishmallows is produced by Kelly Toy Holdings, LLC. Kelly Toy Holdings does not have an active website, but is described as a manufacturer and distributor of plush toys since 1986. Another popular plush line is BumBumz, described as trendy, soft, super-sensory plush and produced by Russ Berrie. Russ Berrie is fully owned by Jazwares LLC since 2018. Kelly Toy partnered with Russ Berrie since 2019 to market and distribute the brand globally. However, it is not as much of a partnership as it may seem since Jazwares acquired a majority stake in Kelly Toy in 2020. So technically, Jazwares brands include both Squishmallows and BumBumz, in addition to licensing plush and figures for the widely popular brand Pokemon. This makes Jazwares a toy company with multiple popular lines.

Another case of a company being behind another company is related to Peeps plush. Peeps plush are primarily produced by Dan Dee International, LLC and Animal Adventures, LLC. Both are plush manufacturers and distributors as well. However, Dan Dee has primarily focused on producing licensed plush and seasonal plush and decor, such as Peeps. Animal Adventures, also a producer of Peeps plush, was purchased by Dan Dee in 2020, but is maintained as a separate brand.

None of this is really new – Mattel has owned American Girl since it’s sale in 1998 for $700 million.

When it gets to licensed plush, you can go down a rabbit hole. In addition to Jazwares, companies that make Pokemon plush in the US include Pokemon Center and Build-a-Bear. Of course, it’s not any better overseas. Pokemon plush in Japan, are not only produced by the Pokemon Company owned Pokemon Center itself, but also include Sanei Co Ltd, Banpresto (a subsidiary of Bandai Spirits division of Bandai), Takara Tomy, and Sekiguchi. However, these are all separate companies that produce licensed products.

Long story short, I find it interesting to delve into the history of the companies behind these toys. This is just a snapshot, but I will be mentioning these companies in future posts as I delve into plush reviews, so consider it your intro.