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Post by Aaryana on Mar 1, 2010 12:34:38 GMT -5
I got this set as a belated Valentine's Day gift with free shipping! Given that I had a gift card for $40 and didn't have to pay shipping, the $38 price tag wasn't too bad. This set comes with so many pieces! I'll review the pieces separately. Tacos: These are very realistic! I think they look a lot like the regular crunchy tacos from Taco Bell. The coloring in person is significantly better than the photos on the AG website and in the catalogue. The size is pretty accurate as well. These are well made and will hold up to rough play. My girls absolutely love them! A+      Tortilla chips: I was a little concerned about these, but since there are no children in my home, it didn't hinder me from ordering the set. The chip bags are actually filled with some sort of filler, so I don't think they will pop with normal play. It is not air inside the bags, but more like some sort of foam or something like that. The plastic seems to be really thick and probably won't tear easily with normal play. I would much rather have had little chips instead of empty bags, but these are cute and look good in my displays. A-  This is me squeezing the bag fairly hard.  Sodas: Adorable! I love these little bottles, even though AG is stamped on the label. Oh, well. They are sturdy plastic and will hold up well. The only thing that bugs me about these is the scale seems to be a bit small. I think a regular soda bottle would look larger in a real 10 year old's hand, but it could just be me. A (for size)    Fruit kabobs: These are cute but don't seem all that realistic to me. The colors just seem to be too bright for real food. They are also sturdy plastic. A-   Serving platter: This is made of sturdy plastic and will hold either the fruit or the tacos, but not both. Very cute display piece for setting up photos. A+  Paper plates: The paper plates are very sturdy card board. They feel like the paper plates I use, only smaller. (I usually buy expensive paper plates because I don't like leaking plates.) The design is really pretty. I feel like these would hold up to normal play. A- (would be A+ if plastic)   back side of plate Paper napkins: Can you say "cheap-o"? These are super thin paper, kind of like the crepe paper that you would use on a school bulletin board. Mine are actually almost transparent. I don't see these lasting very long, as one of mine ripped a tiny bit before I'd gotten it out of the package. This is the only part of the set I'm disappointed with. C  Blanket: This is more like a table cloth than a blanket. It's a decent weight material, but smaller than I expected it to be. I draped it over Kit's Table to make a table cloth instead. The colors are nice together, but I do think it could've been a little larger. If my girls wanted to picnic in the grass, they'd have to sit on the grass because they won't all fit on the blanket. B   Pinata: The pinata is cute and a decent size for 10 year olds. It seems to be made really well, as I fell on it and it didn't bend or break (however, I have a small cut and a bruise from the edge!) I think it will hold up well to play. I would have liked to see it have a string to hold it up (the pictures are misleading) and include a stick to "hit" it with. Though, I can see them not doing this because then kids might break it and upset parents. They'd have to try pretty hard to break it though, I think. A   Overall, this is a really great set. I would've purchased it without the gift card and free shipping. I'm impressed with the quality of most of the items. Overall grade: A I will add pictures when I get home from class. Pics added for individual items above, and some full set pics below.   |
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Post by Aaryana on Nov 30, 2009 22:17:49 GMT -5
I got these as a gift from AGBB Atlanta. They fit my Sonali perfectly and look great. There's even a small bit of room to spare in her tush. Very cute!
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Post by Aaryana on Nov 30, 2009 22:13:38 GMT -5
My set arrived in the mail today from AGPC. Here it is on Chrissa in front of my girls' tree.  I think it's a really cute set. The sweater and mittens seem to be made really well and are really soft. However, the headband could use some work. It took forever to get it to lay flat on Chrissa's head. I also didn't like that you had to spend $50 to get it. IMO, $40 is a little better for a pwp. |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 23:36:12 GMT -5
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 23:27:47 GMT -5
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 23:24:59 GMT -5
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 23:20:21 GMT -5
The only thing I don't like about the wreath is that the tips of the candles are brown instead of yellow. Candles don't glow brown! Otherwise, it's a great piece. My Mattel version seems strong and really nice. It sits well on Kirsten's head too. A- (for the brown tips)  |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 23:13:17 GMT -5
My Mattel dress fits my PM doll fine. It's soft and really nice fabric, though I think the shawl is a bit small.  |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 22:37:40 GMT -5
I think Sari is my favorite doll for dolls! She's so authentic and has such a sweet and playful expression, a perfect friend for Kirsten! A+ ETA: Pics!    |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 29, 2009 22:30:57 GMT -5
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 24, 2009 16:08:47 GMT -5
Love these! They look adorable on Chrissa! The shirt is really nice, but the pants are a little thin. I've snagged the pants a couple times with the velcro from the shirt. The slippers are awesome! They're soft, thick, and fluffy! The purple elastic strap on the back holds them on well and is really well made, much better than the clear stretchy plastic ones that break very easy. These slippers will hold up to lots of play. I would've liked to have seen an extra accessory with the set, either a hair accessory, teddy bear, or doll sized book would have been nice, but I can't complain too much. I'm just glad to see $24 sets!
Shirt: A+
Pants: A-
Slippers: A+
Overall: A+
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 24, 2009 16:02:40 GMT -5
I think this set looks adorable on Chrissa, and I'm really glad I got it. The colors suit her very well, and everything is made really well (except the sandals). I don't mind the decals either because I keep my dolls' identities and where they live. The shorts are super soft and fit kind of snug, but they aren't difficult to get on at all. The shirt fits perfectly, and the windbreaker is awesome. It's a light nylon material, perfect for spring and fall days. The visor is kind of hard to adjust so that it looks right, but once I get it on it looks cute. The plastic IM thing doesn't do much for me, but I'm not an 8 year old. The shoes are hideous craft foam material that I could make from Michael's for about $1.00 or less. For $30, I'd like to see better shoes, but the rest of the outfit looked so good I couldn't send it back!
Shirt, Jacket, Shorts: A+
Visor: A
Shoes: F--
IM thing: C
For the price, I give the set an overall A-. I'd much rather pay less and get less or get nicer shoes.
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 24, 2009 15:52:17 GMT -5
I love this set! Everything is really cute, and you get quite a few pieces for the price. The cups will stay in the doll's hand if they are placed correctly, as will the pitcher. The only complaint I have about the set is the food seems to be a little too thick. The sandwiches are thicker than what most little girls would eat, as are the cake slices. I also think the cake slices should have been in either 6 or 8 instead of only 4 slices. They seem too wide. I would've liked to see the set come with forks instead of the box of sayings. I'm considering buying replacement parts so I have a full set of 4. Everything is incredibly detailed and high quality.
For the price: A
If it came with another place setting or forks: A+
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 24, 2009 15:46:14 GMT -5
Gorgeous! At first, I was concerned Gwen might look too much like my number 12 (ironically, the only JLY I have), but their hairstyles are different. 12 has the typical pie cut, and Gwen has fewer bangs. I also think Maddy (12) has ash blonde hair whereas Gwen's is more strawberry or honey blonde. Maddy is also PM, so their coloring is quite a bit different too. I added freckles to my Gwen to make her look more like the actress in the movie. Her sundress, though initially not my favorite, is growing on me. I don't like that it's white, but that's the only thing I have against it. It's nice quality. The shoes are cute and stay on okay.
Gwen herself: A+
Meet outfit: A (because of the white dress)
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 24, 2009 15:39:08 GMT -5
Sonali is a wonderful doll! Her hair and face are absolutely gorgeous. However, my QVC Sonali is one of those who have an orange body. At first it kind of bothered me, but I didn't want to send her back and risk not liking the new one's face as much. I can cover her tummy up, but it wouldn't do to not like her face. My girl's hair is super soft and silky and holds curl well after brushing. She looks especially great in green, and I shudder to say, Barbie pink. I like her tee and capris a lot, but the sweater is already raveled. I've only changed her once. I put the sweater piece up to keep, but I don't think it will go back on the doll. In theory, very cute, but not the best quality. The shoes are okay. They don't match many other things I have for my dolls, but look great with her outfit and are fairly nice quality. They slip on pretty easily. Sonali herself: A (would be A+ but her tummy is orange) Meet outfit: B+ (for the ravel and the flowers on the pants that make for less mix and match) ETA: Pics! I decided to show some pics of Sonali in different outfits instead of her meet outfit.    (orange tummy!)   |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 21, 2009 14:03:22 GMT -5
I have the Mattel version of this dress, and the quality is excellent! The gown itself is very soft fits my PM Kirsten fine. The socks also fit really well and are made with high quality. The ribbons are longer than her meet ribbons and also high quality. I'll post some extra pics after class. ETA: Pics!   |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 8, 2009 23:33:30 GMT -5
Everyone has already said all the great things about this set, so I'm going put up lots of pics.  Injured Chrissa using most of the items in the set.  Close up of Chrissa's foot in the foot cast.  Close up of Chrissa's finger in the splint. It stays on pretty well.  Different view of the splint and also the reusable "band-aids" that come with the set. The band-aids are actually stickers and don't leave stickiness on the doll's skin.  Close up of the wrist cast.  Chrissa's foot in the Ace wrap. It took some stretching to get it to stay on though.  The whole set  Open foot cast. The material inside is soft and fuzzy.  Foot cast and wrist cast sitting on Kit's table  Super cute penguin ice pack, which doubles as an ice-pack for lunch boxes as well! |
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Post by Aaryana on Oct 8, 2009 23:13:21 GMT -5
My set just arrived today! The pieces are heavy and seem really durable and very well made. The dolls sit in the chairs pretty well. A+  Chrissa and Sonali having lunch together  Table and Chairs  Front view of chair  Side view of chair |
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Post by Aaryana on Sept 28, 2009 16:53:49 GMT -5
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Post by Aaryana on Aug 21, 2009 23:46:12 GMT -5
I've been thinking and thinking about how to describe the material on this dress, and it finally came to me! I've had several Easter/fancy dresses made from the same type of material layered just the way this dress is. This whole outfit actually looks like one I wore for Easter holiday around the time it was being produced (pink dress, white denim jacket, cork wedges with beads.) I'd say it's accurate for the time as well. It's pretty soft and looks great on my Chrissa. I haven't tried it on anyone else yet. A+
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Post by Aaryana on Aug 12, 2009 23:39:22 GMT -5
This dress is adorable on Mia! It is made very well, like a real figure skating dress should be. The velcro in the back comes down a little low on the skirt, but to avoid this problem, I place a piece of velcro over it while dressing the doll. My tights were a little snug at first, but after several changes, go on fairly easily. They are made in good likeness of real figure skating tights although the ones to the Performance Dress are better. (I know because I own about 20 pairs of the real thing.) These are a little scratchy due to the glitter in them, but I haven't had a problem with them scratching my doll. I don't care much for the comb, but thumbs up for it being metal. The head band is very cute, but typically, I wear my hair in a bun without extra stuff that can fall off for skating performances. My Mia does, too.
Grade: A+!
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Post by Aaryana on Aug 12, 2009 23:30:06 GMT -5
Sophie got this set a few days ago for her Chrissa doll, and in theory it's a great set. However, the goggles left a nasty ring on Chrissa's face when she left them on over night. She doesn't put them on the doll's face anymore, but she sits them on her head. The suit is well made, and it has the type of velcro in the back that is supposed to snag less than the older kind. The towel is thin and much too small for the doll. It makes a better washcloth, and is now folded up on the pretend sink Sophie has for her dolls. The kickboard is nice, especially for display. Sophie's mom took the stickers away because she didn't want to risk them making the doll sticky.
Overall, I give the set a B+.
If the price were about 5 dollars lower and the goggles didn't leave the ring, I'd up the grade to an A.
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Post by Aaryana on Aug 10, 2009 12:48:46 GMT -5
I just got mini-Rebecca a few days ago, and she's been going everywhere with me in my purse! I wasn't sure what I thought about her or her 18 inch counterpart, so I got the mini doll when a nearby bookstore sent out a lot of coupons. Now that I have her, I know I want her big sister too!
Now for an actual review:
Outfit: A near perfect replica of the 18 inch version. Grade A+.
Face: Looks very much like big Rebecca, except the eyes vary slightly. However, this is the case for almost all the mini dolls, and I think they did much better with Rebecca's eyes than some of the others'. Grade A.
Hair: I get the feeling that her hair would very quickly become a mess if this doll were given to small children. I smooth it daily, and the curls continue to look very nice. Her hair is very soft, but will tangle and become bushy very easily. The little barrette that comes with her is removable and very cute. Grade A
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