Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Lorena and Rudolph.

Signed, Treesa



Celeste's Story (Celestial Collection Evening Star Princess Barbie)

 

If there's any major difference between playline dolls and collector dolls, it's this. The purpose of a playline doll is to be played with and handled, while the purpose of a collector doll is to be looked at and admired. I was designed as a collector doll. When I was given as a gift to a little girl, she was warned to be careful with me. I was placed on a shelf and my new owner was told not to touch me. For a while she did as she'd been told, and I stayed on the shelf. I passed the time by observing the various goings on in the room. There were a number of other dolls who lived there, along with stuffed animals and various other sentient toys. I didn't socialize much with them. I wasn't sure if I could safely get down from my shelf, and even if I could there was no guarantee that I'd be able to get back up again. It was safer to stay where I was. Besides, at the time it didn't occur to me that I had a choice in the matter. I was a collector doll, and I assumed that this was simply my lot in life. But I watched the others, living out their lives below me. I watched, I listened, and I remembered.

 

As it turned out, I was too great a temptation for my young owner. When her willpower failed, she took me down from the shelf. Her plan was to put me back on the shelf when she was done playing. It worked, the first several times she tried it. She played with me, then she put me back on the shelf with her mother none the wiser. That is, until the day her mother came in and saw a hole in my dress. In my owner's defense, the material was ridiculously fragile. But then I'd been designed as an adult collectable. I was never intended to be played with.

 

Regardless, my little owner received a harsh scolding. She was told that not only had she disobeyed her mother, she had also ruined an expensive doll. My owner's mother seemed so angry that even I believed her when she said I was ruined. But by then it was too late to do anything about it. So afterwards, my owner and her mother treated me like the rest of my owner's dolls. I never went back on the shelf. I was played with instead of just looked at. My braids were taken out and my veil disappeared. And whenever the mother decided to tidy up her daughter's room, she handled me just as roughly as the others, grumbling all the while about how her daughter hadn't learned to clean up after herself.

 

Even though I was among other dolls now, it was still difficult for me to socialize. Not only was I inexperienced in that area, but I was also self-conscious about my appearance. When she first received me, my owner had said I was beautiful. But now that I was 'ruined', now that I was in 'played-with' condition, I just couldn't believe that I was STILL beautiful. It didn't occur to me that we were ALL in 'played-with' condition, and that it was nothing to be ashamed of. I was designed as a collector doll, and I was still in that 'collector doll' mindset. So I avoided the others. I ducked out of sight whenever I saw anyone coming. But I overheard enough of their conversations to know that they thought I was stuck up. They believed I wouldn't socialize with them because I thought, as a collector doll, that I was too good for them. As a result, they began treating me rather coldly. I wasn't sure how to correct their assumptions, so I retreated to my old habits of living my life on the outside looking in. I watched, I listened, and I remembered. I watched other dolls make friends and fall in love. I listened when they fought, and when they made up again. I ended up knowing these dolls inside and out: their flaws, their strengths, their hopes and dreams. But I never let on that I knew.

 

If I had known what I had to look forward to, then being donated to the thrift store when my owner became 'too old for dolls' might have come as a relief. But as it was I had no idea where I was going or what would happen to me, and I was terrified. I was still terrified when Treesa bought me and brought me home with her. I didn't know what to expect. Meeting Treesa's other dolls was a stressful experience. It's a large collection, and it seemed that everyone wanted to meet me. I know now that there's always a lot of curiosity when a new doll arrives. But at the time it felt like they were singling me out. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't keep any of their names or faces straight.

 

I tried to be polite to everyone, but I couldn't seem to break the habit of keeping to myself. And I still spent too much of my time just watching, listening, and remembering. Then one day I was looking for somewhere I could be alone. I located a likely, out of the way place, but when I got there I discovered that it was already occupied by a female doll with blue hair. She didn't notice me at first. She seemed to be watching something on the other side of the room. I followed her gaze and saw a male doll in a fairy prince costume. Curious, I turned back to the blue-haired doll. That's when I noticed the look in her eyes. I'd seen that look before, in the eyes of other dolls. It was the kind of wistful look a doll gets when they're waiting for the object of their affection to notice them.

 

That look has always tugged at my heart. There had been times at my old home when I'd seen that look and been tempted to offer encouragement. But considering the opinion those dolls had had of me, I doubt that anything I said would have been well received. In the past, I would've just walked away. But somehow, I couldn't. I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe this time, I could help. Judging from what I'd overheard, the dolls that lived here hadn't yet formed an opinion of me, one way or the other.

 

I took a few steps closer to the blue-haired doll, just close enough that I could talk to her without anyone overhearing us. She didn't turn her head, but I was sure that she knew I was there. "He might notice you more quickly if you went over and said hello," I said.

 

Apparently I must have been wrong in thinking she knew I was there, because she let out a surprised squeak and spun around to face me. "Celeste, you scared the pants off me!" she said. I quickly apologized. "I'm sorry," I said. "I thought you knew I was there." The blue-haired doll still looked flustered, but her embarrassment was quickly being replaced by something else. "This a hobby of yours, sneaking up on people?" she asked. I tried my best to explain. "I was looking for someplace quiet," I said. "I didn't know this space was occupied. When I saw you here, you looked so sad..." I trailed off, realizing that I didn't have an acceptable explanation for why I'd decided to get involved in something that was none of my business. "I'm sorry; I was only trying to help," I said. I was about to apologize again when the blue-haired doll said, "It's ok."

 

I  hadn't expected her to forgive me so quickly. I hadn't expected her to forgive me at all. I didn't know what to say. Before I could respond, the blue-haired doll spoke again. "I guess I could sort of use the help," she said. "It's just, whenever I see Carlos I get so nervous I don't know what to say." Her tone was as wistful as the look in her eyes, and a feeling of sympathy welled up inside me. I knew I wanted to help this doll, if I could. While I didn't have much personal experience with love, I thought I had seen and heard enough about it in my lifetime to at least offer some advice. "Have you tried talking to him?" I asked. The blue-haired doll shook her head. "I can't just walk up to him and start talking," she said. "I'd sound like an idiot. I just know I'd say something stupid."

 

"How do you know unless you try?" I asked. The blue-haired doll looked at me like I'd said something insane. Then, slowly, her expression changed. "I guess you're right," she said. There was a pause before she added, "Thanks Celeste, for caring and all that."

 

"You're welcome," I said. It felt good knowing that I might actually have been of some help. However an awkward silence quickly developed. I wondered if this was a signal that I was supposed to leave. But before I could turn to go, the blue-haired doll asked me, "So, how do you like it here so far?"

 

At first I didn't know how to answer. I worried that it would be impolite to say what I really thought. But in the end I decided it was best to tell the truth. "To be honest it's a little overwhelming," I said. The blue-haired doll nodded. "Yeah, it can get a little crazy around here," she said, "but you'll get used to it."

 

"I hope so," I said without thinking. "I don't know how I'll ever remember everyone's names." I started panicking as soon as the words were out of my mouth. What if the blue-haired doll realized that I couldn't remember HER name? Would she be insulted? Thankfully I never found out. The blue-haired doll said, "Yeah, that part's tough. It's easier if you get to know a few dolls at a time and work your way out from there. Let's start with me. I'm Shade." Then she held out her hand for me to shake. "It's nice to meet you Shade," I said as I shook her hand. "So," Shade said, "you really think I've got a shot with Carlos?"

 

That's when a new feeling hit me, the feeling that I was in over my head. I didn't really know anything about Carlos yet, so how could I say in good conscience that he and Shade were compatible? The answer came to me in a flash of inspiration. "You'll never know if you don't try," I said. "It's not the things we do that we regret the most. It's the things we didn't do." I remembered hearing this somewhere. But I knew even then that I was speaking from experience. I had spent my whole life just watching, listening, and remembering, but not participating. For me, life had become a spectator's sport. The thought flashed through my mind that maybe I'd been given a second chance, now that I was Treesa's doll. Maybe this was my opportunity to change, to make a real life for myself.

 

For a moment I was so lost in my thoughts that I forgot all about Shade. "Celeste, you ok?" she asked. I managed to pull myself back to the real world and said, "I'm alright, just...thinking." Shade didn't look fully convinced. "If you want to talk about it," she said, "I mean, I know it's tough sometimes, adjusting or whatever. Treesa's my second owner too." Shade's words sort of trailed off, as if she wasn't sure what else to say. But I could tell that she genuinely wanted to help me. No doll had ever shown that much concern for me before. It didn't matter to me that we still barely knew each other. Because of her kindness, Shade didn't seem like a stranger to me anymore. She seemed like a friend.

 

I found myself talking to Shade like I had never talked to anyone. I told her about my past life, about watching the world go by from my shelf, and about the uncertainty I felt when I was thrown headfirst without warning into that world. I told her about the cold shoulders I received from my fellow dolls when they thought that I didn't want to associate with them. And I told her about the fear that suddenly gripped me, the fear that the same thing would happen again, that I was already repeating my past mistakes. By the time I was finished I was physically shaking with emotion. Shade was staring at me with a stunned expression on her face. "I didn't know..." she said. Then she did something that I never expected. She hugged me. "Things will be better here, I promise," Shade said. "If you want you can hang out with me and my friends."

 

"Thank you," I said. I was so touched by her generosity that I didn't know what else to say.

 

Shade was as good as her word. She introduced me to her friends Dandelion and Rampion, and to her brother Orlando. Dandelion and Rampion are a lot like Shade herself, vibrant and full of life. Orlando on the other hand seems a bit shy and quiet. But it's obvious he cares for his little sister a great deal and wants her to be happy.

 

My life has definitely taken a turn for the better. I haven't become a social butterfly by any means, but I'm slowly learning how to do more than just watch, listen, and remember. I'm reminded of a movie that Treesa likes that tells the story of Cinderella. A character in the film says that the problem with most people is that they dream about what they want to do instead of really doing it. For so long I've tried to be content just imagining what it would be like to have friends and to live life. Now, thanks to Shade, I'm going to try to really do it.

 

Anything's Possible, Celeste



An Inspirational Moment With Misty and Tom Servo

Focus your attention on the good and the beautiful.

 

(It's Treesa's birthday today, so some of us dolls got together and posted this. We figured Treesa could always use a little inspiration.  Any MST3K fans out there will get the reference.)



Jasper's Story (Mattel The Twilight Saga Jasper)

 

I've always felt like there was something missing in my life. At first, I thought the feeling would go away once I got taken out of my box. Then I thought it would go away once I made some friends and settled into my new life. But that feeling of something missing never completely went away. Don't get me wrong, Joy's a great sister. I really admire the way she can just take things as they come. And I know if I ever needed help, Joy would have my back. But I still felt like there was something else I needed in my life, something I had to find. Now I think I finally know what it is. I figured it out the day I met Alice.

 

It was a typical day. I was going for one of my long walks around the room. I like walking; it helps me think. I was just passing the bookcase when I heard Joy's voice, along with a second voice I didn't recognize. I was curious, so I decided to see what was going on. As I turned a corner I saw Joy and her new friend. I opened my mouth to say hello, but then the new doll turned and saw me, and I found myself absolutely speechless.

 

I think what captivated me about Alice was her uniqueness. Her hair is dark and cut short, which is unusual for a Barbie doll. Her skin is extremely pale and her eyes are a color you don't typically see. But there was more to it than simply being dazzled by a pretty face. The moment I saw Alice, I realized that the thing that had been missing in my life, the thing I'd been searching for, was love. Not the brother/sister love I feel for Joy, but romantic love.

 

Alice hadn't said a word to me, I didn't even know her name yet, but somehow she'd managed to completely change my life. I wanted to tell her that, to thank her for bringing things into focus for me. But I felt so overwhelmed all I could do was stare at her. Then I noticed that Alice was staring at me too, looking at me not with appreciation but with shock. That's when Joy turned and saw me. "That's my brother Jasper," Joy said. "Don't mind him. He doesn't talk much. Jasper, this is Alice."

 

"Hello Alice," I said quietly. I was still staring; I couldn't seem to take my eyes off her. Alice must have noticed, because she quickly left and I haven't seen much of her since. It's almost like she's avoiding me. I've tried to talk to her a few times that we've bumped into each other, but she seems so uncomfortable around me. So I've been giving her her space. Still, I keep hoping to see her, even if it's just across the room.

 

Not only does Alice seem uncomfortable around me, she also seems...guarded. It feels as if she's hiding something from me. And that got me thinking. Our skin tones and our eye colors are a very close match, maybe too close. I know I'm from the Twilight line because that's what it said on my box, but I don't know very much about the series. What if Alice is from the same line? What if our characters are meant to be brother and sister? Could that be the reason why Alice is so uncomfortable?

 

I know the only way I'm going to get any real answers is to talk to Alice. But she doesn't seem to be ready to talk to me, so I'll just have to wait. It's the waiting that's really taking a toll on me. I think Joy's noticed that there's something off about me lately, but I'm not quite ready to confide in her just yet. I do know that keeping my feelings bottled up inside isn't healthy; that's why I decided to write this post. This way I can get things off my chest without the embarrassment that would come from sharing my feelings with someone I know personally. I'll admit it's not a perfect solution. It's probably not a long-term solution either. But it will have to do for now.

 

Jasper



Alice's Story: Part 3 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

So, now I know what Treesa was hiding. She didn't buy my Jasper because she already HAD a Jasper doll. But she couldn't just come clean and tell me that. She waited until Wedding Bells and Wedward were gone, then she introduced me to Joy.

I have nothing against Joy. I don't think Treesa told HER anything either, and when Treesa introduced us Joy seemed really friendly. Then Treesa left us alone. She probably didn't want to be there when I met Jasper because she knew I'd be upset.

Anyway, Joy and me were talking when Jasper showed up. I was so surprised at first all I could do was stare at him. Joy noticed where I was looking and said, "That's my brother Jasper. Don't mind him. He doesn't talk much. Jasper, this is Alice."

My head was spinning. Was this MY Jasper? Would Treesa have bought him and not told me, wanting to keep it a surprise? Then I noticed this Jasper was staring at me, staring at me in a way my Jasper never had. "Hello Alice," Jasper said quietly. That's when I knew he had to be a different Jasper doll. He didn't call me Allie, and his voice didn't have that playful, teasing tone my Jasper always had.

Part of me wanted to track Treesa down and give her a piece of my mind, and part of me wanted to burst into tears. I made some excuse and got out of there as fast as I could. It was probably really rude of me, but I knew I needed to calm down before I said anything I'd regret to Joy, or Jasper.

I have nothing against Jasper either. It's not his fault he looks just like the doll I fell in love with. And if he likes me as much as I think he does, well, that's not his fault either. He's tried to talk to me again once or twice. I want to be polite, but I don't want to encourage him, so it's easier to just avoid him. The thing is, I think Jasper realized I'm uncomfortable around him. If he sees me across the room he'll wave, but he doesn't walk over to me anymore. He lets me have my space.  Sooner or later though, I'll probably have to tell him about my Jasper. I just hope he'll understand.

Alice

Joy's Story (unidentified blond Barbie)

 

I know I'm not the oldest doll in the collection, but I've been around long enough to learn a few things. The most important thing I've learned is that dolls who want to live happier lives, need to learn to go with the flow. Dolls' lives are unpredictable. Any doll can end up separated from their friends and family, sold or donated, put in storage, or paired up with another doll they can't stand. Our human owners decide a lot of things for us, so it's easy to build up grudges against humans. But dolls who spend their whole life carrying grudges around with them usually end up angry and bitter. I know it's not easy, but dolls live much happier lives if they try to make the best of things. At least, that's my experience.

 

It took me a while to figure this out. It didn't really sink in until after Treesa bought me. Before that I was just as guilty of holding grudges as anybody. My first owner was a little girl who, like most little kids, wasn't very good at picking up after herself. She'd usually leave me lying on the floor in the nude. Then she'd end up accidentally stepping on me. There were other things she'd do, little things I always blew out of proportion. At the time I took it all personally. Then one day the family had a yard sale, and she sold me to Treesa. Even though my life with my first owner didn't match my ideal, knowing she didn't want me anymore did a number on my self-esteem. I felt like I might as well have been thrown away.

 

My downer mood took a turn after Treesa brought me home and found me something to wear. She spent a lot of time trying to find just the right look for me.

 

 

It had been a while since a human had given me that much personal attention, so I thought I would be showered with attention from then on. I realize now my expectations were a tad unrealistic. Treesa wasn't a kid anymore, so she didn't play with her dolls. She considered herself a collector (a deboxer sure, but still a collector). This was also before us dolls started talking to Treesa, before she started trying to see things from our point of view.

 

Anyway, Treesa sort of ignored me for a while after that. I ended up getting sort of broody and depressed. Then one day I realized there were other dolls in the collection who weren't getting any more attention than I was, but they were still happy. I decided I needed to change my attitude. From then on, I was going to focus on all the good things about my life. I started making a mental list of all the things I had to be grateful for. So what if I didn't get to do photo shoots like some of Treesa's other dolls? At least I didn't get left on the floor anymore. That was definitely an improvement.

 

Now that Treesa is actually trying to figure out what us dolls want, things have gotten even better. But Treesa still has a habit of meddling with our lives. It's like she can't help herself. I still remember how she introduced me to my brother. One day I was minding my own business when Treesa came over and whisked me off to another part of the room. "Hey Joy," she said. "Sorry to bother you. I just want to compare your skin tone to Jasper's." It wasn't the strangest thing I'd ever heard come ou of Treesa's mouth. And I'll admit I was a little curious who Jasper was and what our skin tones had to do with anything.

 

Treesa set me down next to a male doll I assumed was Jasper. He definitely had a unique look going on. His skin was even paler than mine, and there was something really different about his eye color. Treesa studied us both and said, "Not quite a match, but still pretty close." Then she smiled, and I realized I was in trouble. I knew Treesa liked playing matchmaker, even though she'd never tried to match me up with anyone before.

 

Then Treesa said, "You two could be siblings!" Somehow, I managed not to roll my eyes. Treesa was just as notorious for pairing up siblings as she was for her matchmaking. Just ask her Build A Bear collection.

 

Treesa turned to me with a smirk and said, "I always said you looked like a vampire." It wasn't the first time she'd said something like that. It was one of her private jokes, like the one about Dandelion's parents being hippies. I don't exactly get it, but I think it has something to do with my pale skin, red lips, and red painted fingernails.

 

Treesa turned towards the door and said, "I've got to go. Joy, would you mind showing Jasper around? He's new. Thanks." Treesa left the room before I could answer. So there I was, expected to play tour guide to a doll she hadn't really bothered to introduce me to. I'll admit, even with my improved attitude, I was still annoyed. There's a difference between going with the flow, and getting walked over.

 

I was still staring at the door Treesa had left from when Jasper caught my attention by saying, "Sorry". I turned to him and smiled lightly, trying not to let him see how annoyed I was. After all, it wasn't his fault. "Don't be sorry," I said. "It's not your fault Treesa bailed on us."

 

"I meant about the vampire comment," Jasper said. I probably looked as confused as I felt. "Why would you be sorry about that?" I asked.

 

"I'm a vampire," Jasper said. "At least, my character is." This wasn't something I'd expected to hear. For a few seconds I just stood there blinking. "Oh, you're a character doll?" I finally said, since I didn't know what else to say.

 

"From the Twilight series," Jasper said with a nod. I wasn't sure where to go with the conversation after that, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I guess that explains your funny name," I said. Jasper looked puzzled. "My name?" he asked. I realized then just how rude I'd been. "It's just...kind of different is all," I said, hoping Jasper wouldn't be insulted. "I've never met a doll named Jasper before."

 

"It's the name I came with," Jasper said, still sounding puzzled. "Didn't you come with the name Joy?"

 

"No, Treesa named me that," I said. "Treesa couldn't i.d. me, but she thought I might be a holiday doll, because of my skin tone and coloring."

 

"Are you?" Jasper asked, sounding genuinely curious. I actually had to think about that. Finally I said, "To be honest I don't remember." I was really embarrassed now.  I tried to brush it off by saying, "You know how it is once you're redressed and your kid starts playing with you."

 

Jasper didn't say anything for a while. Finally he said, "No, I don't. Treesa just took me out of my box a few minutes ago." Now I was even more embarrassed. "I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't realize...Treesa usually buys used dolls," I explained. Now that I was really looking, I noticed Jasper's clothes still looked crisp and neat. That should have been a giveaway.

 

It was an awkward first meeting, but as I showed Jasper around we slowly got more comfortable with each other. After about two months, we decided we wouldn't mind being brother and sister. If Treesa had been trying to play matchmaker we would have fought her. But they say you need to pick your battles, and me and Jasper agreed it was easier to just go along with what Treesa wanted.

 

Jasper turned out to be a great brother. He doesn't have much of a sense of humor, but I know I can count on him if things get tough. Lately though, I've noticed something a little...off about Jasper. I can't really explain it, but it's like he's...quieter than he used to be. I mean, Jasper's always been a little quiet, especially when he first meets someone. It takes time for Jasper to warm up to new dolls. We met Alice last week and Jasper barely said a word to her.

 

But like I said, this is different. It's like there's something going on he doesn't want to talk about, but he's still carrying it around with him. I've let him know he can talk to me about anything, anytime, if he wants to. But so far, whatever it is, he's keeping it to himself. I really hope he's ok.

 

From: Joy

To: The World