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Post by Jackie G on Aug 26, 2016 17:44:37 GMT -5
On the positive side, the buttons are functional (yay!) and the belt is removable and fits perfectly as a headband. The dress is also a nice soft chambray fabric and a rich color. The one negative is that I found it a bit difficult to get on. I struggled to get the arms in and then had to pull, maneuver, and pull some more to get the drop waist over my doll's bum. A kid could get frustrated, or tear it perhaps. Just a caution. I'd still give it a B+ for the positives mentioned above and the $14 price.
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Post by Jackie G on May 22, 2015 15:46:13 GMT -5
Okay, $48 is expensive for a foam chair, but I absolutely fell in love with the blanket and had to have it! The little flower pillow is really sweet, too. The bed has two positions - as a bed, and as a chair. A doll sits well on the chair and fits perfectly on it as a bed as long as she doesn't move while she sleeps as there isn't much extra room. I'm not into purple, but it's a pretty nice purple. The fabric is very soft, and a little bit "nubby." The pillow is cute, cute, cute and a pretty nice size at 4". It's made of felt in a very vibrant salmon pink. And the blanket! It looks like a hand knit blanket in my opinion (though I don't knit). The yarn is white with silver threads. Both of the long edges have fringe. The blanket measures 12" wide x 20" long and completely covers the doll from neck to feet with a bit of room to spare. My only concern would be getting Velcro anywhere near this blanket - even the tag of the pillow grabbed at it a little bit. I am an adult collector, so I'm not too concerned, but I will be extra careful where I use it. If you purchase it for a child who wants to really play with it, I imagine it may not remain in the best condition (just my personal thinking). Overall, I'd give the set an A- because of the expense and the fact that I need to be a bit careful with the blanket.
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Post by Jackie G on May 1, 2015 10:29:36 GMT -5
I like this set - cute design, nice colors and fabric, but wish that for $48 AG would have made the buttons on the blouse functional. I think that would be a nice touch for these special edition, more highly priced sets. My other issue is with the overalls. I put mine on a modern doll and they are way too big and baggy (all around - not just the butt). In fact. the straps on the overalls could be 1/4-1/2" shorter. Just a caution in case you are thinking of putting this on a slimmer doll. No issues with the shoes or headband, and love the chicken (though a few eggs would have been nice)! Overall, I'd give it a B+
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Post by Jackie G on Apr 30, 2015 17:54:46 GMT -5
I agree with the previous reviews. The dress is gorgeous - very vibrant beautiful colors and a really nice fabric. I haven't loved a lot of the recent AG fabrics, but this one is just lovely. Same for the apron - a nice crisp cotton. I would have liked to have seen metal scissors (8 year olds use actual scissors!), but the design of the plastic is really cute. I also think the bird could have been an actual pin cushion for the price. Again, though, it's pretty high on cuteness. The tape measure is an actual ribbon, so that's nice, but I would have liked doll-appropriate measurements instead of inches. And the tabs are plastic so be careful if you iron the ribbon not to melt them! The problem, as others have said, is the boots. I put them on a modern doll, not Addy, and they still do not fit well - especially with the thick socks (though I do very much like the heavy quality of the socks). I also don't like that the laces are faux and not functional. Moreover, I hate that the laces are on the inside of the boot where you can hardly see them. The dress & apron get an A. The accessories a B and the shoes a C.
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Post by Jackie G on Jul 10, 2013 8:03:04 GMT -5
I got the Braided Headband - Caramel Item# F5460 for my McKenna. The good news is that the color is almost a perfect match.
The bad news is (as lindsayj said above): it is very, very difficult to get on. I am an adult and I got so frustrated and so annoyed that my DH took over and tried to do it (he couldn't get it on either - he didn't want to force it). I finally got it on with a ton of patience, a bit of extra muscle and lots of maneuvering. I can't imagine a little girl being able to do it successfully - I think the experience would end in frustrated tears.
For looks alone I'd give it an A, for "functionality" I'd give it a C-
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Post by Jackie G on Nov 11, 2012 16:28:49 GMT -5
I absolutely LOVE McKenna! I really think that if I could only have one doll (heaven forbid!), she is the one I would keep. She is so pretty, incredibly sweet-looking and is so versatile - she looks good in everything in my opinion. Here is a photo I just posted in the GrandMary's Treasures holiday 2012 accessories thread:
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Post by Jackie G on Jul 7, 2012 17:44:13 GMT -5
Let me start by saying that I LOVE this car! But, I am an adult collector. Here is how I would rate it: Collector Grade: A Play Grade: C Collector Comments: The car is gorgeous. Pictures do not do it justice. Although it is not metal, it is a heavy plastic with a beautiful bright blue coat of paint and shiny bumpers & hubcaps. Unlike some previous mentions, I sat two dolls in with no problem and no weird angles. They are arm to arm, though - no extra room. One doll fits and looks great. Following the insertion of 3 AA batteries using a phillips head screwdriver to remove the battery compartment (aka the spare tire under the hood) - the only assembly necessary of the "some assembly required" - pressing a button on the dash "starts" the car and turns on the headlights. My DH says it definitely sounds like a VW bug starting up. The engine "runs" for about 10 seconds and then shuts off. The headlights stay on for about 30 seconds and then turn off. Pressing a second button turns on the "radio." There are 4 songs that play for about 20 seconds each. They are not recognizable songs (at least not to me or DH). I assume AG didn't want to pay the rights for actual popular 70's tunes so they recorded their own. One song has a disco-ish feel and is probably titled "Shake It," if it has a title. The other three are more easy-listening style. One is about the Pacific Coast Highway & San Francisco, the second has the lyrics "free and easy rolling down the road" and the third goes something like "'round here there's nothing but fun for you." Each time you press the button you get static as if you were turning the dial until the next song comes in. The horn honks when you press the center of the steering wheel. The steering wheel tuns, but does not turn the wheels. As far as the design goes, DH says that all the details are correct. The accessories are really cute and nicely made. Play Comments: I don't have a little one, but if I did, I would hesitate to purchase this for the following reasons: - I'm pretty confident that the hood & trunk lids will break after repeated opening and closing from little hands. Even with careful play, they just don't seem sturdy enough to take much use. Even my DH commented on the fragility of the hood when he was putting in the batteries. It doesn't open all the way and he said that he could see a kid forcing it up higher and easily breaking it. The trunk lid opens a bit higher, but again seems like it wouldn't stand up to much serious play. - While two dolls fit, the "driver" needs to be maneuvered around the stick shift to get in - it takes a little patience. - The car rolls very nicely, but only straight up & back. To turn the car, you need to lift it up, and even I grabbed the bumpers to move it - wrong move! The bumpers are definitely not sturdy enough to use as handles, yet they stick out and look like they should be. The car needs to be lifted from the bottom, and I just don't see kids doing that. I think they'd keep grabbing the bumpers to move it as I wanted to do, and soon the bumpers would be off. Finally, here are some photos!
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Post by Jackie G on Jul 5, 2012 21:28:11 GMT -5
This outfit is adorable and gets an A from me! The outfit comes with: - A black long-sleeved T-shirt with ghost & candy corn design and the words "American Girl"
- An orange "tu-tu" style skirt, tulle over a "satin" lining and trimmed at the waist & bottom
- Yellow, orange & white striped tights
- Black plastic shoes with 3 little holes at the toes
- 2 orange hair bands
The tights are great - they look just like candy corn! They are easy to get on, fit well and you don't lose the pattern at all when they are on. The skirt has an elastic waist, no velcro or other closure, it just slides on and sits more on the hips than the waist. The t-shirt is a nice thick cotton. The design is like an iron-on type. The shoes are just okay, a little cheap feeling, but not bad enough to degrade the outfit. My only complaint is the hair bands which are very cheap. In fact, as I was putting them in my doll's hair they were actually flaking bits of orange. I also don't like that you see white on the bands instead of all orange.
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Post by Jackie G on Oct 29, 2010 10:47:58 GMT -5
I, too, love this set! It is plastic, but a very very hard plastic that really does mimic the original furniture of this design (which we had in our home when I was a kid as I am the same age as Julie!). The dolls slide a bit, but stay when posed or pushed up to the table pretty much like they do with most of the other AG tables & chairs. Sorry no pictures - we're moving so it's packed .
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Post by Jackie G on Sept 9, 2010 16:26:43 GMT -5
I, too, give this set an "A." The table is large, yet stores easily because the sides fold down. With it's accessories & the accompanying Baking Accessories Set (apron, bowl, spoon, sprinkles, icing dispenser, pot holders & tea towel), there is tons of play value.
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Post by Jackie G on Aug 5, 2010 9:49:54 GMT -5
I also love this outfit, and I just wanted to add that the tights in the new "Socks & Tights Set" coordinate perfectly with this as do the new "Two-toned Glasses." Here is Brooklyn modeling the outfit with those two accessory additions:
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