Merry Merry

Holiday poses for a Christmas photo.

Dear friends and visitors,
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Signed, Treesa

Does Anyone Recognize This Tonner Doll?

Hello friends and visitors. This is Treesa.

I purchased this beauty from the thrift store. I know next to nothing about Tonner dolls, so I was hoping one of you could help me identify her. If anyone out there can tell me who this doll is, or even which face sculpt this is so I'll have a starting point for doing an online search, I would really appreciate it. She's roughly 16 inches tall, but it's difficult to judge with that updo hairstyle.

I haven't been able to get her to talk to me yet, and I thought if I knew her factory name it would help her open up to me. So any help you readers can give would mean a lot. My thanks to you in advance.

Signed, Treesa

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween

to all who are celebrating

from Golda, Esmeralda and Tara

Michaela's Story (redressed purple-haired Barbie fairy)

The first time I saw Treesa I was hanging from a rack at the thrift store in a plastic bag. Wow, I didn't realize how creepy that sounds until just now. It sounds like the opening shot of a bad episode of CSI. All you need is the one-liner before they cut to commercial, probably something about being left hanging. That one works on two levels because the audience is left hanging too, wondering what happened.

But to get back to the story, Treesa walked into the toy department with someone who looked so much like her I thought they were twins. I found out later I was half right. The other person was Treesa's sister, but they're not twins. Treesa said I'm not the only one who's made that mistake though. She said several people have asked her and her sister if they were twins. At least one woman thought Treesa and her sister were the same person until she saw both of them together.

But to get back to the story, Treesa and her sister were looking through the toy racks when Treesa saw me. She showed me to her sister and said, "She would be so cool if she was body swapped." Then back on the rack I went. I had to wait until my tag color went half price before Treesa bought me. I found out later it was my molded clothes that'd turned Treesa off. She didn't want to pay full price for a doll, even thrift store prices, if she was only keeping the head. But I didn't know that at the time. Back then I didn't even know what a body swap WAS because I'd never met a doll who'd had one done before. It wasn't until I met Dandelion and Shade, and Shade told me about HER body swap, that I realized how drastic it was.

But to get back to the story, before Treesa went looking for a body donor for me she decided to clean me up a little. So she took me into the bathroom and started wiping the smudges off my face with a damp towel. Then she combed out my hair. That's when she first noticed the name 'Jordan' was written on the back of my head under my hair.

Jordan was my first owner. She was also a big Toy Story fan. After she saw the movies she wrote her name on all her favorite toys in ink, just like Andy had in the movies. Well, actually she asked her Mom to do the writing on me. Mom's writing was smaller and neater than Jordan's, and the back of my head isn't THAT big.

But to get back to the story, when Treesa lifted up my hair and held it that way for several seconds I knew she must've seen Jordan's name. I wondered what Treesa was thinking. Would she get rid of me if she couldn't get the ink off? Treesa let go of my hair and turned me over so she was looking at my face. She didn't look disappointed exactly. But she did look unhappy. I wondered if she was having 'buyer's remorse'. Was she regretting spending money on me? It's not like she didn't know I was a used doll. She found me at the thrift store, and I'd lost my fairy wings long before I got there. She must've known I could have other 'condition problems'.

Then Treesa said, "You must be so sad." I didn't answer. I'd just gotten to Treesa's house that day, so I didn't know Treesa knew I was alive. Even if I'd known I'm not sure I could've answered, because I wasn't really sure what Treesa meant. Did she think I was sad because I missed Jordan? Or did she think something terrible must've happened to separate me and Jordan? Thinking about it now I guess it makes sense that Treesa was worried about me. After all she had no idea how I ended up at the thrift store. For all Treesa knew Jordan could've died. For the record it was nothing that tragic. Jordan just outgrew me. But Treesa didn't know that.

But to get back to the story, Treesa took me to her room then and found something for me to wear. It was a little tricky finding something that was loose enough to fit over the molded flower details on my...chest, but Treesa did her best.

After I was dressed Treesa left me alone in the room. I guess she thought I might need some time to myself, to process what had happened or something. That's when Dandelion and Shade passed by and saw me. They were talking to each other as they walked, I don't know what they were talking about, but as soon as they noticed me they both stopped.

I was kind of nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect. It didn't help that I'm not much of a talker. But you'd never know that from this post. I'm really surprised how much easier it's been writing out my thoughts instead of talking out loud. But then I've never tried writing before, so I didn't really know what to expect there either.

But to get back to the story, Dandelion and Shade didn't seem to mind carrying most of the conversation. "Nice hair color," Dandelion said. "Thanks," I told her shyly. I didn't know what to say after that, so I didn't say anything.

"My name's Shade," Shade said. "And this is Dandelion. What's your name?" Treesa hadn't given me a name yet, and Jordan had called all her Barbie dolls 'Barbie'. I'd been 'Purple Fairy Barbie', but she'd also had 'Princess Barbie' and 'Ballerina Barbie' and about half a dozen others. I know these names weren't very original, but Jordan more than made up for that with the creative story ideas she'd thought up for us to act out.

But to get back to the story, when Shade asked what my name was I was a little embarrassed. So I stared at the floor admitting, "I don't really have one."

"That's ok," Dandelion told me. "Treesa'll probably give you one soon. She's been pretty good at keeping up with naming her dolls lately."

"And if she forgets you can just remind her," Shade said. I stared at her in disbelief. Was she saying what I thought she was saying? Was she telling me I should show Treesa I was alive? It sure sounded that way. And if that weren't crazy enough it sounded like Shade was saying I should actually TALK to Treesa.

"Remind her?" I asked. I must've sounded stunned because Shade said, "Oops, sorry. I guess I've got so used to Treesa knowing we're alive I forgot how weird it is, weird in a good way," Shade added. "I mean, Treesa's still human, so she still likes to mess with our lives. But at least we can tell her if she goes too far."

It was really a shock finding out Treesa knew we were alive. All I could say after Shade finished explaining was, "Oh." There was an awkward silence, and then Dandelion jumped in. "Did Treesa say anything that'd give us a clue what she wants to name you?" Dandelion asked.

"No," I said. "She just talked about body swapping me." Shade stared at me with this strange look on her face. It was sort of a mix between angry and queasy. "Are you ok?" I asked. Dandelion stepped in again. "Shade had a body swap," Dandelion explained. "She kinda doesn't like to think about it."

"I can understand if it's 'medically necessary'!" Shade burst out. "But for me it was more cosmetic. I don't think Treesa realizes that, for dolls, body swapping is like major surgery! It's risky and things can go wrong!"

Now I was scared. "What exactly is a body swap?" I asked, even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't like the answer. Shade and Dandelion explained the procedure, and when they were done I probably looked even more queasy than Shade had a minute ago. "That sounds...drastic," I said, trying not to feel sick.

"You don't even look like you NEED a body swap," Shade added, "unless you have some serious 'condition issue' I'm missing."

"I don't think so," I said, my voice still shaky. "I lost my fairy wings, but I can get around alright without them." That's when Treesa came back into the room. When she came over to where she'd left me I was terrified. I thought she was going to take me away for my body swap. As soon as Treesa reached me she noticed Dandelion and Shade. "Hey you two," Treesa said. "It was nice of you to introduce yourselves. How's the new arrival?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Shade asked, still sounding upset. Treesa seemed surprised by Shade's tone of voice but she quickly got past that. "You sound like Halle," Treesa said. "New dolls usually don't answer me right away. They need time to get over the whole 'no talking to humans' thing, and they need to see they can trust me. You know that." I think seeing that Treesa didn't get angry with Shade helped me find the courage to speak up. "Are you really going to...body swap me?" I asked. I think Treesa could tell I was scared. "I was thinking about it," Treesa admitted, lowering her voice. "But you don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm not body swapping you, ever. Jordan obviously loved you just the way you are. I wouldn't take that away from you." I didn't really understand what Treesa was trying to say, and I don't think Dandelion and Shade did either. I was just glad I wasn't getting a body swap. Then Treesa smiled and said, "You need a name though. I was thinking Michaela."

"Ok," I said after a moment. I was so relieved that I wasn't going to be body swapped that she could have named me Princess PurpleHair and I would've been ok with it. I found out later the reason Treesa picked Michaela for me was because of Jordan's name. The most famous 'Jordan' Treesa knew of was Michael Jordan, the basketball player.

After Treesa left the room again I had to explain to Dandelion and Shade who Jordan was. I was still so relieved after narrowly escaping a body swap that talking about Jordan wasn't as painful as it could've been. Afterwards Dandelion and Shade introduced me to more of their friends. I met Rampion and Celeste, and Shade's brother Orlando. Rampion is a lot like Dandelion and Shade. All three of them are a lot more talkative than I am. Celeste and Orlando seem quieter though, like me. Although when Celeste talks everybody listens, because Celeste is really good at giving advice.

Well that story took a lot longer to tell than I thought it would. I guess I should work on not going off on tangents.

Enjoy The Day, Michaela

Elsa's Story: Chapter 3 (Disney Frozen Birthday Party Elsa by Mattel)

My little brother Christian had a bit of a disappointment since I last posted. We were playing hide and seek again. I was hiding behind a bedpost, but was peeking out every now and then so I could check on Christian's progress. Christian was getting closer, and there was a very determined look on his freckled face. Sven followed close behind. Christian had already found him.

Christian was just passing the bureau, but he must've heard a noise because he stopped suddenly and turned his head. "Elsa?" he asked as he stared into the shadows between the bureau and the wall. Sven moved forward, poked his nose into the shadows and sniffed. I immediately went into 'big sister mode'. If there was someone, or something, hiding in the shadows I didn't want Christian and Sven to face it alone.

"Christian, wait!" I called as I left my hiding place and hurried over to join him and Sven. Christian turned when he heard my voice. "Elsa?" he asked when he saw me. "But if you were over there, who's over here?"

I reached Christian's side and tried to peer into the shadows. I had to stare over the top of Sven's head, since he was still trying to shove his nose into the gap between the bureau and the wall. I was worried that Sven would get stuck, and was about to try and coax him back when I heard a faint whimper coming from the shadows. Whoever had made the noise sounded frightened, and that had me worried. I knew the most common reactions to fear are running away or lashing out. And being the protective big sister I am, I was worried that whoever was in the shadows would feel threatened and end up hurting Sven or Christian. So I tried to calm down whoever it was.

"It's alright, we won't hurt you," I said in a reassuring tone. Then I rested my hand on Sven's neck. "Sven, come on now, get out of there," I said. Sven took one more sniff before letting me direct him away from the gap. I kept my hand on Sven's neck, to hold him back if necessary and said, "You can come out now, it's alright."

Slowly, a little girl doll stepped out of the shadows. Her blond hair was arranged in a single braid, and her eyes were wide with apprehension. Her dress was teal and lilac with sheer sleeves, and the skirt was covered with netting and glitter. She reminded me a little of Christian, in terms of height and scale. 

The moment Christian saw her, her rushed forward. "Elsie!" Christian shouted as he threw his arms around her and hugged her. When Christian let go, words started tumbling out of his mouth. "You got your dress back. Treesa saved it. Is Annie here too?"

The little girl doll took one look at Christian, her eyes still wide, and burst into tears. Dolls can't shed actual tears, but they can cry. And this little girl doll was wailing. I moved away from Sven and hurried over. "It's alright. It's ok," I said, trying to comfort her. Christian looked hurt. "What's wrong?" he asked. The little girl doll's chin quivered as she said, "You were mean to me and Little Anna before! You pulled our braids and said we had girl cooties! And Little Sven chased us all the time! Just go away!"

At first Christian didn't understand. I guessed what had happened before the little girl doll even stopped talking, but only because I knew Christian and Sven well enough to know they would never hurt anyone. Christian is too well mannered to even think about pulling another doll's hair. And while Sven can be overly playful at times, he would never deliberately scare anyone.

I turned to Christian, to explain to him what I thought had happened. But then I saw his expression change when he realized the truth. "You're not Elsie," he said, his voice heavy with disappointment. "You just look like her."

Just then Treesa appeared. "Nora, what are you doing over here?" Treesa asked. The little girl doll, Nora, sniffled and said, "I got lost." Treesa leaned towards Nora, then she noticed me and Christian and Sven. "I see you met Elsa's family," Treesa said. She sounded a little nervous. I think she was worried how Nora and Christian would react to seeing each other for the first time. From what I had already seen and heard, it was something that Treesa had good reason to be concerned about.

Nora quickly confirmed Treesa's fears. "You never said Little Kristoff was here!" Nora said. "You said dolls here are nice!" Treesa knelt down on the bedroom carpet, most likely so she would be closer to Nora's eye level. The Treesa said, "Nora, I know this is hard to understand, but Christian isn't the Little Kristoff doll you knew before. When factories make dolls, they make a lot of the same doll, so that lots of people can have one. There are a lot of dolls that look like Little Kristoff, but not all of them are mean."

Nora still seemed nervous, so Treesa tried to reassure her again. "This is Christian," Treesa said, gesturing in Christian's direction. "He was called Kris at his old home. And this is his big sister Elsa. Elsa, Christian, this is Elsinore. I call her Nora for short. Her first owner called her Little Elsa."

I took a small step closer and said, "It's nice to meet you Nora." Nora still seemed a little afraid, but she didn't back away. Treesa turned to Christian. "Aren't you going to say hello, Christian?" Treesa asked. I don't think Christian had gotten over his disappointment yet, but he politely said, "Hello." Then he said, "I'm sorry I scared you."

"Scared her?" Treesa asked, understandably confused.

"Christian thought that Nora was his old friend Elsie." I explained. Treesa quickly apologized. "I'm sorry Christian," she said. "I was going to tell you and Elsa that Nora was here. But I just got her and I didn't expect her to wander off."

Nora looked like she might start crying again. "I'm sorry!" she said. Treesa noticed how upset Nora was and said, "It's ok Nora. It's not your fault. I'm not mad at you." Treesa gave Nora a reassuring smile, then said, "I know, how about I take you to meet some of my other Disney doll families. Would you like that? I'll be with you the whole time if you get scared." Nora sniffled again, then nodded. Treesa reached down and gently picked her up. Then Treesa carried Nora to another part of the room.

Christian and Sven and I didn't see much of Nora after that. At least, not until Petite Merida came. But that's a story for another day. This post has been in draft form for too long already, because it was so emotionally difficult to write. I kept seeing Nora's scared little face in my mind, or remembering how Christian felt when he realized that Nora wasn't Elsie. But these things have a way of working themselves out, one way or another. And while Nora and Christian still act uncertain around each other, things have gotten better. Having Merida in the house brought its' own challenges, but I'll save that story for another post. Until then, I wish you the best.

Love From Elsa

Sue's Story (redressed Pink Ribbon Barbie)

 

Fashion dolls, all toys really, are supposed to be flexible. And when I say flexible, I don't mean articulated. What I mean is that they should be able to adapt to changing situations. Playline dolls often end up playing different roles, becoming whatever their owner imagines, at least until playtime's over.

Collector dolls, on the other hand, aren't manufactured to be played with by children. They're produced for adults, with the expectation that they'll be left in their boxes or kept on display. Because of this, collector dolls tend to think differently than playline dolls. Where most playline dolls want to be played with, most collector dolls want to be left in peace, at least in the beginning. It's harder for collector dolls to feel lonely or bored because most of them are molded to enjoy solitude. Otherwise, those dolls left in their boxes or locked in glass cases would all lose their minds.

Geena already explained some of this in her post. The reason I'm mentioning it again is because I want all of you to understand why I have difficulty with change. I'm a collector doll, and like Geena I left the factory thinking that the life stretching out in front of me would unfold in a straight line. But I was about to reach a bend in the road. However, the path my life would take was slightly different from the one Geena experienced.

My first owner was an adult collector. She was what's known in collecting jargon as a 'deboxer'. Not only did she take her dolls out of their boxes, she apparently liked to redress and restyle them. After releasing me from my box, she left me lying on he desk for a few moments while she went to get something. My box had been left on the desk next to me, on its' side. That's when I first noticed that the words Susan G. Komen Foundation were printed on the front. 'Susan, that's a pretty name,' I thought. Then my owner came back, with another doll in her hand. The truth was, she had only bought me for my clothes. She stripped off my pale pink gown, carefully removing the small pink ribbon that was attached to the bodice. My long, satiny gloves came off next. I couldn't turn away, since that would have required moving in front of a human. So I was forced to watch as she dressed the other doll in my clothes. All I had left when she was finished was my sparkly tulle stole, which she tied around my neck like a scarf before she stuck me back in my box, shoved me into a closet and forgot about me.

For a long time I just stayed there in the dark closet, alone. Being alone didn't bother me as much, at first. It was quiet and peaceful in the closet. But the darkness could be unnerving. However, the thought of having to see anyone in my current state was even more upsetting. I knew how embarrassed and ashamed I would feel if another doll found me like this, wearing nothing but my stole. Some days I was so mortified from imagining it that I actually hoped I would never be found.

Not only that, but without my clothing I felt like I had lost my identity. Before then I'd known exactly who I was. I was Pink Ribbon Barbie. But because my owner had taken away my gown, with its' pink ribbon, I didn't feel I could call myself Pink Ribbon Barbie anymore. But if I wasn't Pink Ribbon Barbie, then who was I? This question kept surfacing in my mind, until one day I decided to give myself a new identity. I called myself Susan, inspired by the name that had been printed on my box. I began thinking about other ways to define myself, besides by what I wore. I started with the obvious things. I had blond hair. My eyes were blue. Then I started thinking about more abstract things: my likes and dislikes, my hopes, my dreams, what I would do if I ever did leave this closet.

Eventually, my first owner found me again. She must have been doing some spring cleaning. She pulled out my box, then looked at me for a moment. Years had passed, and the box was coated with a thin layer of dust. Not only that, but dust particles had even found their way into the box. My owner tossed me, box and all, into a cardboard carton with a bunch of odds and ends. The carton was put in the trunk of her car, then dropped off at a donation center. That was how I ended up at the thrift store. There, my dusty box was thrown away and I was put in a plastic bag.

Treesa couldn't identify me by sight, but she knew enough about Barbie dolls to recognize that I was a collector doll. After she bought me and brought me home she pulled out a large reference book on Barbie collector dolls. By comparing my facepaint, my updo hairstyle and my stole to photographs in the book, Treesa was able to identify me.

Treesa wiped away the dust and pieced together an outfit for me. She let me keep my stole as part of my new ensemble. Then she left me in her room to meet her other dolls. After spending so much time alone in a closet I wasn't prepared for the chaotic scene that followed, as more and more dolls seemed to materialize out of the woodwork to welcome me. But I was greeted warmly, which did a lot to calm my nerves.

By the time Treesa came back to the room, later that evening, I had learned from the other dolls that Treesa knew we were alive. When she saw me, Treesa smiled and said, "You're going to need a name."

"I have a name," I said quickly. Treesa looked slightly surprised. I don't know if it was the fact that I already had a name that surprised her, or if she was surprised that I was willing to talk to her so soon after she brought me home. Not speaking in front of humans is a deeply ingrained behavior for dolls, and I later learned that it often took time for a new doll to trust Treesa enough to actually respond to her.

Treesa's surprise carried over into her voice as she said, "Oh, really?"

"Yes," I told her firmly. Treesa said, "Oh, ok. What is it?"

"Susan," I answered. Treesa frowned. "I already have a doll named Suzanne," she said. "Having another doll named Susan would just get confusing. We'll have to think of something else for you."

"My name is Susan," I said, getting upset. "It was printed on my box: The Susan G. Komen Foundation. Why do I have to change my name? And why doesn't Suzanne have to change hers?"

"Suzanne was my first Barbie doll," Treesa said, also sounding upset. "I've had her since I was a kid! She has a husband, and kids. I'm not going to ask her to change her name now!"

At the time I felt that Treesa was being unreasonable. After all, did it really matter if two of her dolls had similar names? Would it really cause that much confusion? However, looking back now, I think I was being equally unreasonable. It shouldn't have mattered so much what Treesa called me. I should have been secure enough in my identity to know who I was without having to have a particular name. But that wasn't how I felt. Because I'd chosen the name Susan myself, I felt as though my stole and my name were the only things I had left that were really mine. I felt as though Treesa was trying to rip away everything that made me...me.

"How about we compromise," Treesa suggested. "Would it be ok if we shortened your name to Sue?" I thought it over. If my name was just shortened, instead of changed, then maybe it would be easier for me to cope with. Also, Treesa obviously respected me enough to try and work with me. Respecting her in return by meeting her halfway was probably the right thing to do. "Alright," I said finally.

Adjusting to life in Treesa's collection was a challenge for me. My social skills had definitely suffered from the time I'd spent in isolation, and I hadn't had much of an opportunity to use them before my confinement either. Not only that, but I still had the mentality of a collector doll. Collector dolls are most comfortable when they're in a stable environment. They like things to stay the same, and if circumstances change too quickly or too drastically it can sometimes be frightening for them. My life had changed to a degree where everything I'd become accustomed to, everything that had anchored me, was gone. It was as though after spending my life in the darkness of a closet, the sunlight seemed almost too bright, too blinding. My constant solitude had been replaced by the near constant presence of others. I felt overwhelmed, confused, lost.

I think that may be why I bonded so quickly with Geena. Geena knew how it felt to be faced with something that completely changed the course of your life. Twice she had had to reevaluate her place in the world, once when she was given to a child to play with after being designed as an adult collectable, and once when she had had to adjust to a new home after Treesa bought her second-hand. I'm grateful that Geena chose to share her experiences with me. Though we've never discussed it, Geena's words and actions have been like those of a sister, and I've learned a lot from her. I've learned that it's ok to be afraid of change, as long as you don't let that fear control your life. I've learned that any change can be an opportunity for a new beginning, and that having to start over can be a good thing. But the most important thing that Geena did for me was make me believe that feeling overwhelmed, and even afraid, in this situation was normal. People, and dolls, fear the unknown, and the future is one of those great unknowns. No matter how much planning and preparation you do ahead of time, you never really know what will happen tomorrow.

Sue and Geena

Geena said that she wrote her post for Treesa's blog in an attempt to deal with some of her unresolved fears. She said that while it wasn't a miracle cure, it was helpful. So I've followed Geena's example and am posting my story here. Hopefully, I will be able to adjust to my new life as well as Geena has. Only time will tell.

A Doll Named Sue

Alice's Story: Part 6 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

(Note From Treesa: This is a continuation of the previous post. Alice's draft was way too long, so I broke it up.
Signed, Treesa)

The next time I went to see Joy she talked a little about her past life. I found out Treesa is Joy's second owner, and that Joy didn't always have such an easy time going with the flow. She told me it wasn't until after Treesa bought her that she'd realized she'd be a lot happier if she focused on all the good things about her life, instead of carrying around grudges for things that happened in the past.

Then Joy asked me to tell her more about my life. I'd already told her, when we first met, that Treesa bought me at the thrift store. And she knew I'd been friends with Wedding Bells and Wedward. So I told her a little about my old family. I told her how much I missed everybody. I told her how Esme had been like a mom to most of us. That's how she got the nickname Esmom. I even told her a little about Jazzy Jazz, how he was always goofing around and trying to make the rest of us laugh. I didn't mention that I'd been in love with Jazzy Jazz. I didn't really want to talk about it, and I thought Joy must've already heard about it from Jasper. I did tell Joy how Jane and Victoria had actually been really nice, even though their characters are villains in the Twilight series.

"What's Twilight about anyway?" Joy asked. "I know it has vampires in it, but that's about all I know." I was a little surprised Jasper hadn't already filled Joy in on the storyline, but I didn't say that out loud. I thought maybe Jasper had a reason for not sharing more about Twilight with Joy. Maybe he was like Lois and wanted his own identity. Maybe he wanted other dolls to see him as himself, and not the character he was made to look like. Though if you ask me Jasper is a lot more like the Jasper in the books/movies than Jazzy Jazz was.

I knew it would take a while to go over the whole Twilight saga with Joy, so I warned her, "It's kind of a long story." Then I started summing up the plot of the first book. I left out the part about my character and Jasper's character being a couple. I didn't really want to talk about that either, and it was easy to skip that part because the book mostly focuses on Bella and Edward's relationship. I did mention Alice's power to see the future, and Jasper's empathic 'gift', when I told Joy about Edward's mind reading skills. When I finished I told Joy, "And that's just the first book."

At first Joy didn't say anything. She looked like she was thinking something over. Then she said, "I guess I just don't get it."

"What don't you get?" I asked. I thought there must've been something in the plot she didn't understand and needed me to explain better. "I don't get why this was such a big thing," Joy said. "Maybe if I actually read it I would. Or maybe it's a human thing."

That's when Jasper came around the corner. "Joy, I was wondering if...", but he didn't finish the sentence. He sort of froze when he saw me. Then he got this look on his face like he was going to turn around and leave again. I felt bad knowing that me being there was driving him away. After all he hadn't known I was there. He probably just wanted to spend some time with his sister. I wanted him to know he didn't have to leave just because I was hanging out with Joy. So before he could disappear I asked, "What do you think of Twilight, Jasper?"

Jasper didn't answer right away. When he did he said, "To be honest I don't know that much about it, only what was printed on my box." Then he gave this short, dramatic monologue about a 'modern day vampire love story'. I was a little confused, until I realized he must be quoting whatever was printed on his box.

When he finished Joy tapped her fingers against her palm and said "Bravo" in a snooty voice. I guess she was trying to imitate the applause of a cultured theater goer. Jasper bowed, but it looked like he was trying not to laugh. So he did have a sense of humor after all.

I was sort of stunned that Jasper could remember a whole paragraph word for word like that. "You memorized all that?" I asked. Jasper shrugged. "I was in the back row at the toy store," he said. "I spent weeks staring at the back of the box of the Jasper doll in front of me."

"Couldn't you talk to any of the dolls next to you?" I asked. Jasper looked sort of embarrassed and said, "I was never much of a conversationalist. I never know how to begin." For a minute I didn't know what to say. I knew for a fact I wouldn't have been able to take that kind of isolation. Just thinking about going through what Jasper had at the store made me upset. "That sounds awful!" I told him. "I was in the second row, but the Alice dolls were selling so fast that I moved to the front pretty quick. I can't even imagine being stuck all the way in the back for weeks!" I didn't realize how upset I sounded until Jasper tried to calm me down. "It's alright Alice," he said. "It was a long time ago."

That's when things got weird. I started feeling sort of guilty. I'd asked Jasper three questions at the most, but somehow I'd managed to dredge up what were probably some of his most painful memories. I hadn't meant to, but that wasn't the point. Because of me Jasper had had to relive his time at the store. I felt like he should've been mad at me for bringing it up, but he wasn't. Instead he was trying to comfort me. I felt like I didn't deserve it. I felt like I should be comforting him, not the other way around.

I realized I was about two seconds away from putting my hand on Jasper's arm and telling him it would be ok. He probably would've taken that the wrong way. Luckily I managed to get a hold of myself before I did anything stupid. "I have to go," I said. Then I turned to Joy and said, "It was nice talking to you again."

"Stop by any time," Joy said. Maybe next time you can tell me what happens in the second book." I nodded, told Joy, "I'll see you later," and left. For the next few days I sort of kept to myself, trying to figure things out. I couldn't understand why I'd reacted the way I had. It was one thing to feel sorry for Jasper, but it was something completely different to actually want to do something about it and make it all better. Thinking over what had happened I realized that in that moment I'd finally started to see who Jasper really was. Before then, when I'd thought about Jasper, I'd always compared him to either Jazzy Jazz or the character from the books/movies. I realized now that that wasn't really fair to Jasper. It wasn't fair to compare Jasper to a made-up character or to another doll I'd known who looked like him because Jasper would never be either of those things. All he could be was himself, and I was finally starting to see that. What I saw was a doll who could be funny in his own way, a doll who was quiet not because he didn't want to share but because he didn't know how.

I can't really explain why I went back to see Joy again. Maybe I just wanted someone to talk to. Or maybe I wanted to hang out with Joy because I thought she already knew how I'd felt about Jazzy Jazz, but was tactful enough not to bring it up. Like I said before, back then I thought Jasper must've already told Joy about my past. It'd be a few more months before I found out he hadn't.

I went over the plots of the other Twilight books with Joy, and we talked about them a little. Jasper was around for some of these discussions. When he wasn't Joy would fill him in on anything he'd missed. Joy joked that it was like being in a book club where only one person had read the book.
Jasper really seemed interested in the story though, like he wanted to find out as much about Twilight as he could. I know Jasper's a Twilight doll, but still he seemed more obsessive about the details of the books than I ever was. I actually said something about it at one of our 'book club meetings', as Joy called them. I tried to make it sound like a joke so Jasper wouldn't get offended. Then Jasper told me, "You have to know where you came from before you can know where you're going." I'm still not sure what Jasper meant, but it did make me think.

So I guess that's about it. I thought this post would be a little rambling, but I didn't know it would turn out this long. And I still feel just as mixed-up as I did when I started. Maybe I need to take a break and stop thinking so much. That might help.

Alice

Alice's Story: Part 5 (Mattel The Twilight Saga Eclipse Alice)

I should probably warn you ahead of time, this post might not make much sense. There's some stuff I'm trying to figure out right now, and I thought if I wrote everything down it'd help me sort out my thoughts. I'm not really sure where to start though. I guess I should pick up where I left off. When I last posted I wasn't really sure where my life was headed. So I was sort of on cruise control, waiting for something to happen. I know now waiting for something to happen isn't always the best idea. For one thing it gives you too much time to think, and I kept thinking about the last thing Jasper said to me.

After I told Jasper about Jazzy Jazz, the first doll I ever loved, Jasper thought I'd be happier if I didn't have to see him at all. I tried to tell Jasper I didn't blame him for me and Jazzy Jazz getting separated, but Jasper still must've thought having to be around him day after day would torture me. So he just kept avoiding me, and he was really good at it. It was early January when I told Jasper about Jazzy Jazz, and I barely got a glimpse of Jasper for the rest of the month.

At first I was sort of relieved. Telling Jasper about my first love had made me really uncomfortable. I'd never told anyone how I felt about Jazzy Jazz, not even Treesa when she'd asked if I'd left someone special behind. I'd never even told my old family, though I think some of them might've figured it out anyway. Jazzy Jazz couldn't have known, because if he had things would've been a lot more awkward between us. Things probably would've been a lot more awkward for the whole family if word got around that I was in love with Jazzy Jazz. It was sort of embarrassing and uncomfortable, being in love with someone who thought of me as a sister. So I just never told anyone.

But I had to tell Jasper. I realized pretty quick that Jasper liked me, and it wasn't fair to let him get his hopes up. The sooner I told him I couldn't love him the sooner he'd move on. So I told Jasper how I felt about Jazzy Jazz. Those feelings I'd hid and guarded for so long were finally out in the open. I didn't realize it then, but I was trusting Jasper with my biggest secret. Jasper knew though, and he wouldn't break that trust. That's why he didn't tell anyone, not even his sister Joy. I hate to say it but I was really surprised when I found out Jasper hadn't told her. I mean, I never thought Jasper would tell everyone, but I thought he'd at least tell his sister. It wasn't until a couple months after I started hanging out with Joy that I found out she didn't know.

That's right, I'm sort of friends with Joy now. When Wedding Bells and Wedward left I knew I'd have to make new friends eventually. You can't take two steps in Treesa's room without bumping into another doll, so it's not like I could avoid having any contact with the rest of the collection. And honestly I didn't want to be a loner. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life thinking about the past and wishing things hadn't changed. I wanted to be able to move on. But moving on is tough, and I'll admit I really didn't try that hard to make friends at first. I was polite to everybody, but close friendships are something you have to work at, and I knew I wasn't putting in as much effort as I should've.

I can't really explain why I started hanging out with Joy. I'd met a lot of Treesa's other dolls by then, so I could've tried making friends with someone else. But when I tried to think of dolls I'd have something in common with nobody seemed like the right fit. Halle and me both had some grudges against Treesa, but Halle's a lot more...hostile to humans than I am. Lois is a character doll from a movie, like me. But Lois has more of an independent streak than I do. Dandelion, and her friends Shade and Rampion, are fun-loving dolls who like to have a good time. The way they act around each other reminds me of my old family. But I didn't think I was lively enough to fit in with them.

When I thought about Joy, I remembered her go with the flow, take things as they come attitude. I wondered if she could teach me to be like that. And I'll admit I was also curious about Jasper. I couldn't forget the last thing he'd said to me the day I told him about Jazzy Jazz. Jasper told me he'd like to be my friend, but only if it wasn't too painful for me. For some reason that really stuck with me. Here was a doll who cared about me so much he'd put what I wanted first, even if it wasn't what he wanted. The more I thought about it the more I wondered how he could be so selfless. I mean, when I lived with my old family I was close enough to all of them that I would've gone out of my way to help them if they needed me. But Jasper had already proved he'd do anything in his power to make me happy, and he barely knew me! It made me wonder if Jasper really could've fallen in love with me at first sight. Or maybe he only thought he was in love with me. Maybe he'd fallen in love with his first impression of me, and not the real me. Or maybe, because he was a Jasper doll, there was something molded into his plastic that made him fall in love with the first Alice doll he saw. Would he still have fallen in love if it'd been another Alice doll he met, and not me? But if it was something in his plastic, if all Jasper dolls automatically fell in love with the first Alice doll they saw, then why had Jazzy Jazz only ever loved me like a sister?

I wasn't sure if I'd ever have the answers to all these questions, but for some reason I wanted to at least try and find out. I can't really explain why. Maybe it was just the timing. It was mid-February by then. Valentine's Day was coming, and without Wedding Bells and Wedward and the rest of my family around me there was no one to take my mind off it. I was in a new house, surrounded by new dolls, and even though I'd been here for a while those dolls still felt like strangers. I felt completely alone.

The first time I went to visit Joy I was a little nervous, because I hadn't come up with a good excuse for why I was dropping by. But Joy was just as friendly as she'd been when Treesa first introduced us. I don't remember exactly what I said when she asked if there was a reason I'd stopped by. I think I told her I felt overwhelmed. Trying to decide which dolls would make the best friends by weighing the pros and cons was sort of stressing me out, but I didn't say that out loud. Whatever I said probably didn't make much sense to Joy, but she didn't ask me to explain. She just started talking about the weather. Then whenever the conversation started to drag she switched to another safe, small-talk topic.

Valentine's Day came up, of course. Joy told me it's not a very popular holiday in Treesa's collection. Most of Treesa's dolls don't even celebrate it. For the most part it's an excuse for the married couples to get one of their friends to watch the kids so they can spend some quality time together. I guess it makes sense if you really think about it. Toy companies always make a lot more female dolls than male dolls, since most dolls are bought for little girls and little girls like dressing their dolls up and playing with their hair. So unless you have a really small doll collection it's almost impossible for every female doll to find the love of her life. Luckily some dolls like staying single. Dandelion and Lois don't seem like they're in a hurry to find dates.

(Note From Treesa: The post that Alice drafted is way too long, so I'm breaking it up. I'll post the rest later.

Signed, Treesa)

Harriet's Story: An Update (vintage Mattel The Happy Family Mother Hattie)

Treesa gave me a new outfit to wear. It was sold as pajamas, but Treesa thinks it works well as a summer set. She asked if I would write something for the blog, so she could post a picture of me in my new clothes.

Honey and I are doing well, all things considered. I still miss Hal, my husband. But I know I cannot mourn forever.

There are other dolls here who share some of my pain. Jane and Meg were both giftset dolls, and they both lost their husbands before Treesa came into their lives. Talking with them has helped me, although neither of them were mothers when they were separated from their husbands. Jane has a little girl, Joanna. But Jane did not adopt Joanna until after becoming Treesa's doll.

I will never forget Hal, and I would never want to. But I know I will keep healing, as time passes.

Stay Strong, Harriet

(P.S. From Treesa: The outfit came from The Beatrix Girls doll line by Popstar Club. It also fits 1990's era Stacie dolls really nicely.

Signed, Treesa)

Platinum's Story (unidentified customized blond Barbie)

I doubt any of us dolls will ever really 'get' how Treesa thinks. The other day she compared kids who try to give their dolls makeovers to some rare, undiscovered new species that scientists are always looking for in remote places like the rainforest. She said there's evidence they exist, if you spend enough time at flea markets and thrift stores you'll see plenty of dolls with cut hair and marker tattoos. But Treesa can't remember ever meeting anybody who's done that to their doll.

My first owner tried to 'customize' me. When Treesa found me at the thrift store my hair was already chopped short, but that wasn't the worst of it. My body AND my hair were also smeared with silver paint. I knew when I got to the store that the chances of someone buying me were probably pretty low. By the time Treesa bought me I'd already been at the store for several weeks and had just about given up hope of getting a new owner.

I saw Treesa a lot while I was at the thrift store. She likes to visit the store once or twice a week, when she can manage it. And I looked forward to seeing her. The other humans who walked into the toy department ignored me after just a quick glance. Treesa was the only one who really looked at me. Every time she came to the store and saw me, still hanging from the rack in my plastic bag, she'd stop and look at me just long enough to make me think today was the day. Today she'd take me home with her. But then she'd go back to searching the racks for any new stock she hadn't seen yet, and my hopes would drop like a stone. What I didn't know then was Treesa was just biding her time.

Finally, the day Treesa had been waiting for came. The store has regular sales during the week to clear out older stock. Things are color coded to show when they were put on the shelves, and on the same days every week the older colors are discounted. When my color tag finally went half price Treesa bought me and took me home.

After she got me out of the bag Treesa grabbed a Magic Eraser and took me into the bathroom. "Let's get you cleaned up a little," she said. My guess was she wanted to clean off the silver paint, and I wasn't sure she'd be able to do it. The paint was kind of...sticky, and I was worried it would just stay stuck to me. I also worried what would happen to me if Treesa couldn't get the paint off. Would she decide I wasn't worth keeping and throw me away?

It turned out I didn't need to worry about the paint not coming off. When Treesa stuck me under the faucet and turned the water on the paint just rinsed away. I was relieved, but Treesa was really disappointed. She LIKED the way the silver looked in my hair and on my face. THAT'S why she bought me. She was only trying to get off some of the excess paint on my torso, but because she didn't want to risk the paint transferring on to any of her doll clothes or other dolls she had to rinse it ALL off.

After that Treesa wasn't sure what to do with me. Because of my haircut I just looked weird to Treesa without the silver. But Treesa's no hair stylist, and she didn't know how to fix me. So she did an online search for ways to PERMANENTLY color a doll's hair. She found a technique that used shaving cream, a drop of fabric softener, and a tube of liquid watercolor paint. She couldn't find silver liquid watercolor at the store, so she picked a nice blue and just used less paint, trying to get a silvery tint. It took several applications, but eventually she got something 'close enough' to what she wanted. She tinted my bangs, and a section of hair on top of my head to try and give me a color streak. It's kind of subtle, but for Treesa it means the difference between keeping me and putting me in a box for yard sale.

Treesa named me Platinum, because of the silver paint. She thought about just naming me Silver, but decided she liked Platinum better. She said Silver sounded like I was, 'one noun away from being a comic book character'. Like I said, I don't think us dolls will ever really 'get' Treesa. But I don't really care what Treesa calls me, as long as it means I get to stay.

Stay Shiny, Platinum

(P.S. Yes, that was a Firefly reference. One of Treesa's sisters isn't quite a Browncoat, but she's pretty close.)

Joy's Story: 2 (unidentified blond Barbie)

Remember how in my last post, I said I'd noticed something a little...off about my brother Jasper, something I couldn't really put my finger on? Well, I did eventually find out what was going on. When Alice started hanging out with me, the way Jasper looked at her was kind of hard to miss. Jasper still didn't talk to me about it though, even when I started dropping hints that I knew how he felt about Alice. It wasn't until later that Alice told me the whole story.

When she first started hanging out with me in mid-February, I remember it was mid-February because it was around Valentine's Day, Alice really seemed to need a friend. She said something about feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. I knew her friends Wedding Bells and Wedward had left to live with Treesa's friend, so I thought she meant she felt overwhelmed by the number of dolls in Treesa's collection and didn't know where to start making new friends. But when Alice told me her whole back-story a couple months later, I started to wonder if the size of Treesa's doll collection was the only thing she felt overwhelmed about.

When she first started hanging out with me Alice told me a little about her past. She'd mentioned how her first owner's collection had been like a big family, and how much she missed her old friends. She even mentioned Jazzy Jazz, and the way he always clowned around and made everybody laugh. It wasn't until a few months later that she told me she'd been in love with Jazzy Jazz, and that Jazzy Jazz was a Twilight Jasper doll. She also told me that in the Twilight series her character and Jasper's character are a couple.

Well, like I told Alice at the time I had no idea things were so complicated. Alice was surprised that Jasper hadn't already told me. When I asked him later why he hadn't told me Jasper said, "Alice told me that in confidence. It wasn't my place to tell you. I thought if she wanted you to know, she would tell you herself."

So Alice assumed that Jasper had already told me, and Jasper thought that Alice either didn't want me to know or would tell me herself when she was ready. Talk about getting left out of the loop. But I'm trying not to dwell on it. It's not like Alice and Jasper kept me in the dark on purpose.

From: Joy

To: The World

Well This Is Awkward

Hello from Treesa. Today, I was supposed to announce the winner of my One Year Blogiversary Disney Giveaway. Unfortunately, no one entered. So it looks like Mini Anna and Ruby will be staying with me for the time being. On a brighter note, I'm now up to six followers. Considering how erratic my dolls' posting has been I think I'm lucky to have that many. I'll try to encourage my dolls to post more.
Signed, Treesa

One Year Blogiversary Disney Giveaway

Hello to all my friends and visitors. This is Treesa. Friday, May 20th, was my one year blogiversary. Unfortunately, I was having some computer issues and couldn't post this until now.

To celebrate my one year blogiversary, I'm hosting a little giveaway. First the rules.

Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to residents of the United States. I was checking international shipping rates and they seem to be out of my price range.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post stating that you would like to enter the giveaway. Please include the name you'd like to be known by and an email address where I can contact you if you win. I've already changed the settings on my blog so that all comments will be sent to me for approval, so your information will only be seen by me.

You will have until June 5th (that's a Sunday) to enter the giveaway. On June 6th (that's a Monday) I will choose a winner at random. I will announce the winner on the blog, and I will also email the winner using the email address they have provided. The winner will have until June 13th (the following Monday) to email me back with a mailing address. If I have not been contacted by the winner by then, another winner will be chosen.

Because this blog does not have many followers yet, and because the readership is still small, your odds of winning are probably very high. Now, on to the prizes.

Because the majority of my followers seem to be Disney fans like me, I selected a Disney Frozen Mini Toddler Anna. This little darling is about 3 and 1/2 inches tall. She also has some limited posability.

Because I didn't like the idea of Anna traveling alone, she will be accompanied by a Ruby From Enchancia figure from Disney's Sofia The First. Ruby is about 3 inches tall and also appears to have some limited articulation. Her hairstyle reminded me of the American Girl Cecile doll. Ruby comes packaged with a small plate of cookies and a plastic charm.

Since a lot of fairytale kingdoms are associated with Europe, I'm also including a package of sixth scale Euro Bills for the girls to use as pocket money.

Well, I guess that's it. Good luck to all.

Signed, Treesa

Rowena's Story: Continued (Children's Collector Series, Barbie As Sleeping Beauty)

I was gradually settling in, trying to find my place, when Treesa decided to change my name from Charity Violet to Rowena. She told me she thought Rowena was a better fit. I didn't understand, but I didn't question Treesa. Then one day Halle came by.

"Rowena," she called. I was still getting used to my new name, so I didn't realize right away that Halle was calling me. Then she said, "the doll formerly known as Charity Violet." I turned my head then and saw Halle standing behind me. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I guess I'm still getting used to Rowena."

"It's alright," Halle said. I sort of sighed and said, "I wish Treesa hadn't changed my name. I don't know why she did." Halle stared at me. "You don't know?" she said. She sounded surprised. I shook my head. "Do you?" I asked.

"Do me a favor," Halle said. "Tell Treesa you want to do a blog post. She'll set up her laptop and show you how to use it. When she leaves, go back to the main screen and click the box for Microsoft Word. Then open the file called 'Character Profiles'. It's all in there." I wondered why Halle wouldn't just tell me why Treesa changed my name, if she knew. But eventually my curiosity got the better of me and I did what Halle suggested.

When I opened 'Character Profiles', right near the top was the name Charity Violet. I kept reading and found out that 'Character Profiles' was exactly what the name suggested, a series of profiles, each with a different name at the top, each broken up into categories like 'Physical Appearance', 'Personality' and 'Background'. As I read the description for Charity Violet certain traits jumped out at me, phrases like 'somewhat wavey, golden blond hair' and 'eyes that appear blue at first glance, but are actually violet colored'. I was able to see glimpses of myself in this character, not a perfect mirror image, but close enough that I could see the resemblance. I realized then that Treesa had named me after the character, presumably a character she'd created for one of her writing projects.

Something else jumped out at me from the profile, something in the section marked 'Relationships'. Charity Violet was apparently the sister of 'Constance Daisy', and the wife of 'L'. I thought I had a pretty good idea who 'L' was supposed to be. And that's when I really understood why Treesa had changed my name. When she said in the store that I was 'perfect', she'd meant that I was the reflection of this character in her mind. Then, when she'd brought me home, I'd somehow failed to live up to her expectations. And I'd failed to make a good impression on Lawson. So Treesa changed my name to something that would be a 'better fit'.

I quickly scrolled through the character list, but I didn't see a listing for Rowena. I left the room in a daze and went to find Halle. "Why couldn't you just tell me why Treesa changed my name?" I asked when I found her.

"Would you have believed me?" Halle asked. I tried to think about the question, but my mind still felt dazed and fuzzy, like my head had been stuffed with cotton. "Humans don't get it," Halle continued. "They build you up, then knock you down again. That's why I don't trust them." I thought about asking Halle how Treesa had 'knocked her down', but from the tone of Halle's voice I thought the subject might be too painful.

I don't really know how to neatly wrap up this post. There's no real conclusion, and certainly no happily ever after. But then that's life. Movies and books may be able to end with a wedding, an evil vanquished, or some other celebration. But real life just keeps going. I've been reading the other dolls' posts, and I like what Lacey said about there not being any happy endings, because nothing ever ends. I guess that's a strange thing for a fairytale doll like me to say, but it gives me hope to know that things do change, that maybe someday I'll be able to define myself as something besides a Sleeping Beauty doll or a character in Treesa's mind. Maybe someday, I'll actually figure out how to be ME.

From The Thoughts Of, Rowena



Rowena's Story (Children's Collector Series, Barbie As Sleeping Beauty)

 

In human pop culture there are lots of stories about seemingly ordinary people who turn out to be extraordinary.  Whether it's Buffy, the high school student destined to be a vampire slayer, or Neo the computer programmer, hacker and long awaited savior of humankind in The Matrix, or even Mia Thermopolis of The Princess Diaries, who discovers she's the heir to the throne of Genovia. I think there must be some shared human wish to be recognized for your unique talents, to be special, to be chosen.

 

In a way, I think dolls share this wish. We start our lives outside of the factory sitting on store shelves, hoping someone will buy us. There's no feeling quite like the thrill of being picked from a row of dolls, especially if the other dolls in the row look exactly like you. However even when we find a home, that wish to be special doesn't completely go away. I think many dolls secretly hope to be the 'favorite toy'. And although the fear of being replaced by a newer, prettier, flashier doll is something we try not to think about, that doesn't mean the possibility never crosses our minds. Dolls who have had more than one owner are especially vulnerable to this fear. A doll who has been sold or donated or given away by their first owner often feels rejected. And if you've been rejected once, it's very easy to believe that it could happen again.

 

Treesa is my second owner. Like Geena and Celeste, I started out as a collector doll who was given to a child as a gift. To be fair, it did say 'Children's Collector Series' on my box.  After years of play, I was donated to Goodwill. My hair was messy, and my pretty dress was gone. I was afraid, wondering what would happen to me now, wondering who would want me like this. Then Treesa came. She looked me over so carefully, studying me. "Perfect," she said. She held me in her hand as she looked around the store, before going to checkout. As she carried me, I felt this overwhelming sense of safety. I felt like Treesa had rescued me. On top of that, she had said I was perfect. Treesa had seen something worthwhile in me, something that my first owner hadn't. Even without my pretty dress Treesa thought I was valuable, special. Being accepted that way, after my first owner's rejection, raised my feelings of self-worth. I was so grateful that before we'd even left the store I'd given Treesa my full loyalty. I was Treesa's doll now, and I couldn't imagine anything more wonderful than that.

 

Treesa talked to me while she sorted through her boxes of Barbie clothes, picking an outfit for me to wear. I didn't answer, of course. Although Treesa knew I was alive, I hadn't met any of Treesa's other dolls yet, so I didn't know that she knew. But I don't think Treesa really expected an answer that first night. She was just being polite.

 

After enjoying what felt like the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time, I woke up the next morning not sure where I was. When I lifted my head a little, trying to get my bearings, I heard another doll's voice coming from behind me. "Rise and shine Sleeping Beauty." I turned and saw a Barbie doll with short, dark hair, dressed in leather.

 

 

"How did you know I was a Sleeping Beauty doll?" I asked curiously. The other doll looked surprised. "I didn't," she said.  "It's an expression, you know?" She looked me over and said, "I haven't seen you around before. You new?"

 

"Treesa bought me last night," I said. The other doll got a sour look on her face when I mentioned Treesa. "She give you a name?" the doll asked.

 

"Charity Violet," I said. The other doll stared at me for a minute. She looked surprised, but she quickly shrugged it off. "I'm Halle," she said, holding out her hand in a friendly way. I couldn't help but notice her claw-like fingers. Still, I reached out my own hand to shake hers. But before I could I heard the sound of human feet coming up the stairs. I froze. Halle rolled her eyes. "Speak of the devil," she said. Treesa came into the room and headed for the spot where she'd left me. When she saw Halle standing there, she paused. "You work fast," Treesa said.

 

Halle glared at Treesa and said, "Somebody's got to help the newbies." I'd never heard a doll talk in front of a human before. It was something dolls just didn't do. Treesa didn't seem surprised though. "Typical Halle," Treesa said with a laugh, "I get a new doll, you have to be the first to know about it."

 

"At least with me around we'll find out there's a newbie," Halle said, still glaring. I wondered about Halle's attitude, wondered what Treesa could've possibly done to tick her off. Treesa just sighed and said, "I know, I know, humans don't tell you anything." It sounded as if Treesa was used to this sort of thing from Halle.

 

"Anyway," Treesa said, "since it's a weekend I thought I'd come over and check on Charity Violet before the welcoming committee shows up."

 

"Welcoming committee?" I asked, a little hesitantly. I still wasn't sure how I felt about talking to a human.

 

"I have a lot of dolls," Treesa explained. "And now that you've met Halle word of mouth is going to spread fast. By the end of the day the whole collection will know there's a new doll in the house."

 

"I'm standing right here!" Halle said, sounding angry.

 

"I'm just stating the facts," Treesa said. "You've made it your job to keep the other dolls informed, and you're VERY good at it."

 

I guess Halle didn't like being teased because she stormed off, muttering under her breath. Treesa watched her go, then turned to me and said, "I'm sorry you had to see that. Halle and me have a...complicated relationship. I do try to respect her opinions," Treesa continued, "most of the time."

 

I wasn't sure what to say, so I didn't say anything. Treesa apologized again. "I'm sorry," she said. "This must be a little weird for you, talking to a human for the first time. Maybe you'd rather talk to some other dolls."

 

"Are they all Barbies?" I asked curiously

 

"Mostly," Treesa said. "I have a few non-Mattel fashion dolls, and I have some dolls from other Mattel lines besides Barbie. And of course there's Barbie friends and family dolls who aren't actually Barbies, like Ken dolls. I have a lot of Kellys and Kelly friends."

 

"Do you have any other fairytale dolls?" I asked. For some reason, I thought Treesa looked a little disappointed. "I don't have any other dolls from your series," Treesa said. "But I have some Disney princess dolls and their families." Then Treesa's expression seemed to perk up, as if she'd had an idea. "Would you like to meet some of them?" she asked.

 

I nodded. I felt I would be more comfortable talking with other dolls than I was talking with a human. And in my experience, Disney dolls are generally cheerful and pleasant dolls to be around. Treesa and I started to cross the room. Treesa carried me, pointing out some of the highlights along the way. "The bed's over there," Treesa said. "The bureau's on this side of the room, near the closet." From my vantage point above the floor I could just make out flickers of movement here and there, other dolls, I assumed. We had almost reached the bookcase when Treesa stopped suddenly. "Oh, hey Lawson," Treesa said. She lowered me back down to the floor, where I came face to face with a muscular action figure doll.

 

"Charity this is Lawson," Treesa said. "Lawson, this is Charity Violet. She's new here." Lawson didn't say anything, but he glared at Treesa, just like Halle had. I was beginning to wonder if all of Treesa's dolls disliked her. "It's nice to meet you," I said to Lawson, a little uncertainly. He nodded once but didn't say anything. He didn't seem very friendly, and I wondered why Treesa had bothered to introduce us.

 

Treesa looked at her watch then. Lawson opened his mouth to say something, but Treesa must not have noticed because she cut him off. "I'm sorry Charity," Treesa said. "I know I said I'd introduce you to the Disney dolls but I have to go. I'm sure Lawson can give you directions." Then Treesa left the room. I was very confused. I didn't understand why Treesa would suddenly leave. I told myself that she must have a good reason, but I still felt a little abandoned. Then I noticed how angry Lawson looked. He was staring at the door where Treesa had left. I guessed he wasn't happy that Treesa had dumped tour guide duties on him. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I don't mean to be a burden."

 

Lawson looked at me and said, "Not your fault. Treesa likes messing with our lives, probably 'cause she can't get her own life together." At first I didn't understand what Lawson meant. Then I realized what he was actually saying. Lawson obviously thought that Treesa was trying to play matchmaker. My first thought was that Lawson had to be wrong, that someone like Treesa would never do something like that. But then I was forced to admit to myself that Lawson probably knew Treesa better than I did. "Treesa...does this sort of thing a lot?" I asked.

 

"You don't know the half of it," Lawson said. "If she's not playing matchmaker she's pairing up siblings or arranging adoptions for doll parents who weren't planning on being parents."

 

I felt conflicted then. The part of me that had given my loyalty to Treesa still wanted to defend her, to argue that Treesa could have a perfectly innocent reason for leaving me with Lawson. But another part of me had started to question Treesa's motives.

 

"If you want some company I'd check by the window," Lawson said. "Just pass the bookcase and keep going 'til you get to the black metal shelf unit in the corner. The window'll be on the left." It was pretty clear that Lawson wanted to get rid of me, and I needed some time alone to sort out my thoughts. "Thank you," I said politely, and left.

 

I've met many other dolls since then, and most of them aren't as hostile towards Treesa as Halle and Lawson are. I think they all get annoyed with Treesa from time to time, but for the most part they don't seem to hold grudges for long. They seem to accept the fact that Treesa is human, and that humans can be thoughtless sometimes. I've heard stories from multiple dolls about Treesa's 'meddling', so I know it does happen. But aside from Halle and Lawson, and maybe a few others, the dolls in the collection don't really take it personally.

 

(Be sure to come back to read how my name was changed from Charity Violet to Rowena.)





Great Doll Blog Award

 

Hello again friends and visitors. This is Treesa. The always generous Queen Elsa at the blog A Doll's Life For Me has nominated Fashion Doll Memoirs for the Great Doll Blog Award. It feels wonderful knowing that someone thought enough of this blog to award it. Thank you Queen Elsa.

 

The rules for accepting the award are:

1. Thank the person who awarded you.

2. Answer their questions.

3. Nominate at least 5 other doll blogs you love.

4. Notify them that they have an award.

5. Leave at least 5 questions for them to answer.

 

Here are the five questions that Queen Elsa posted on her blog, along with my answers.

 

Question 1: Who is your favorite doll that you own? And if you are a doll, what is your favorite outfit/accessory?

Answer: I try not to play favorites with my dolls. They all have such unique personalities that there's something to love about all of them.

 

Question 2: What doll have you had the longest? If you are a doll, who is the oldest doll that you know?

Answer: Suzanne was my first Barbie doll, but the very first doll I ever got was a baby doll I named Tata. I still have her.

 

Question 3: What is the greatest challenge you face in running your blog?

Answer: Getting my dolls interested in posting stuff. Most of them seem kind of ambivalent about the whole blogging thing. Also, I'm not much of a photographer.

 

Question 4: What is the greatest reward you can get (morally) for running your blog?

Answer: I'm not sure I understand the wording of the question. I think what Queen Elsa's asking is what non-material things do I get out of blogging. In that case, my answer would have to be making friends with other bloggers.

 

Question 5: What's your favorite type of weather?

Answer: Sunny, but not too hot. Maybe a slight breeze, but not too cold. And low humidity, that's a biggie.

 

For my 5 nominees I've chosen:

Planet Of The Dolls

Hey, It's Muff

Monkfish's Dolly Ramble

Confessions Of A Dolly Lover

A Day In The Life Of My Dolls

 

Here are my 5 questions.

1. What made you start blogging?

2. Are there other bloggers who have inspired you?

3. Do you have any future goals for your blog, and if so what are they?

4. What is the one piece of advice you would give to new bloggers that you wish someone had told you before you started blogging?

5. What is your favorite doll line?

 

My thanks again to Queen Elsa.

Signed, Treesa



Dandelion's Story: The Sequel (redressed Fairytopia Dandelion)

 

Sorry to barge in here.  I wasn't planning on doing another post but Treesa just dropped a major bombshell on me. There I was, minding my own business when Treesa came over and said, "There's someone I want you to meet." Then she brought over this little girl doll, a little girl doll with ORANGE HAIR!

 

 

Well, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Treesa was up to. I was so ticked. I'd thought Treesa was trying to cut back on 'meddling', but I guess not.

 

Anyway, I knew I'd have to talk fast if I wanted Treesa to hear me out. But I knew I'd have to be careful what I said. Kids soak stuff up like a sponge, and I didn't want to get chewed out by the other dolls for being a 'bad example' in front of the little girl doll. I also didn't want to hurt the kid's feelings and make her cry. So, before Treesa could get another word out I said, "Can it wait? We need to talk."

 

Treesa looked kinda nervous for a second. But she pasted on a smile before she turned back to the little girl doll. "Why don't you go play with your friend Tabitha, okay Pumpkin?" Treesa said.

 

"'Kay," the little girl doll said. She turned around and skipped away. As soon as she was out of earshot I told Treesa, "No, no way, I'm too young to be a mother!" Treesa kinda sighed and said, "I was hoping she'd be your little sister."

 

"Either way I'd have to take care of her!" I said. "I'm not ready for that! Pumpkin's a cute kid, but I'm not going to drop everything and adopt her!"

 

"Her name is Marigold," Treesa said. "Pumpkin's just a nickname. She's a Halloween doll, and when I got her she was dressed like a pumpkin."

 

"You're not listening!" I said. "I'm not 'caregiver' material! I'm a single doll who's used to doing whatever she wants! Can you really see ME with a kid?"

 

"Okay, okay," Treesa said. "If you don't want her you don't have to take her." I was happy at first. After all, I'd got what I wanted. But then I thought of something. "What'll happen to her if I don't take her?" I asked.

 

"She'll stay with my other sixth-scale child dolls who don't have families yet," Treesa said. I didn't know much about Treesa's 'orphan' sixth-scale kids. I'd heard they all tried to look out for each other, and the older ones kept an eye on the younger ones. It didn't sound that great to me, waiting around 'til someone wanted you. "So, now you're trying to guilt trip me," I said. "If I don't take her no one else will?"

 

"I didn't say THAT," Treesa argued. "You asked me a question and I answered it." Treesa must've noticed I felt sorry for Marigold. "You don't have to make a decision now Dandelion," Treesa said. "Just think about it." I knew I had to get out of there before Treesa changed my mind. "I'm going to talk to Shade," I said.

 

When I found Shade she was talking to Celeste. I thought it'd be a good idea to get Celeste's opinion too. Shade's my best friend, but she's a little too much like me. When we're excited or upset we can be a little impulsive. Celeste is a lot more...'level-headed' I guess, and she always gives good advice.

 

Anyway, I didn't want to interrupt in case Shade and Celeste were talking about something important. Lucky for me Celeste turned her head a little and saw me standing there. I must've had a bad look on my face because Celeste asked what was wrong right away. I told her and Shade about Marigold, and how Treesa wanted Marigold to be my little sister. The weird thing is, Shade didn't complain about Treesa's 'meddling' like I thought she would. She actually liked the idea of having a kid in our group. "Does this mean I get to be an 'Auntie'?" Shade asked.

 

"Traitor," I said. At least Celeste seemed to realize I didn't like the idea. "If you really feel you're not ready to be a caregiver then Treesa should respect that," Celeste said. "Being a caregiver is a lot of work, and if your heart isn't in it then any child you adopt will feel like a burden." I told you Celeste gives good advice.

 

Anyway, that's where things are right now. I haven't really 'met' Marigold yet and I'm not sure I want to. What if I end up liking her and wanting to keep her? I just know I'd be a lousy caregiver. Some dolls just shouldn't have kids. And it's not fair to Marigold if I have to give her back because I can't take care of her. Celeste said rushing things won't do any good, and I shouldn't do anything before I'm ready. So I asked her how I'll know if I'm ready. "You'll know," Celeste said. If you ask me, she could've been a little more helpful than that.

 

Later, Dandelion