Candy-Making Set - 2014 Special Edition
Feb 20, 2014 1:42:50 GMT -5
Post by Aurora on Feb 20, 2014 1:42:50 GMT -5
Special Edition 2014.
Kit loves making her own gifts—and sharing treats! This set includes a pretty outfit and sweet supplies: A make-believe double boiler that's perfect for "melting" the two pretend chocolate squares from the candy box. A spoon that Kit can use to mix the chocolate before pouring it into the candy mold. Three faux chocolate bunnies. Three sheets of netting and three satin ribbons to wrap the bunnies. A pretty basket rimmed with fabric flowers to carry the treats. A fancy pink dress for Kit—it has a sheer yoke, a tiered skirt, and a satin bow across the waist. Shiny pink T-strap shoes to match her dress.
** I will add pictures tomorrow when I can take Kit outside.**
Kit's Candy-Making Set
$64 USD
Grade: A
This is an adorable addition to Kit's collection! The set includes:
A pink "organdy" gown with tiered ruffled skirt and satin waist-band
Pink T-strap shoes in a "patent leather" finish
3 "chocolate" molded bunnies
3 large lavender mesh wrappers with pastel ribbons(for the bunnies)
1 white plastic basket with daisy trim and two threaded pink satin bows
1 silver plastic bunny mold
1 stir spoon
1 box of 5-cent chocolate with 4 large bars of molded chocolate inside
1 double-boiler pot with lid
I was blown away by the detail in this set. This is the first thing that I've purchased as an adult collector that gave me the sense of awe that I had as a child looking at the Pleasant Company catalogue. Not everyone may agree, but for me, this is a solid win.
Clothing:
The dress is very well-made. The material is soft and has an elegant drape to it. (This isn't like the stiff, starchy-feeling material of Emily's Recital dress.) The dress is fully lined with a heavier material. Overall texture is silky rather than crisp like true organdy, but the vintage look is very successful at the 18" scale. Tiered ruffles run down each side of the skirt, divided by a band of plain material. A satin bow trims the waist of the dress, and is stitched into place with a slightly drooped bow. (I love that bow.)
I'm not a huge fan of the plasticky pink material used for the shoes, but the design is good and the color is pretty. When using this garment on Kit, I will almost certainly use white or black shoes rather than the pink. IMHO, they are the single weakest element in this set.
Double-Boiler and Spoon:
Of everything in this set, this was the piece that I feared the most. Early comments on it were pretty negative. It IS plastic rather than metal. However, the plastic used is extremely effective as a faux-enameled finish. It looks just like an enameled double-boiler from the 1930's, and I have seen several antique originals that look similar. The bottoms of both pots are weighted slightly, so it handles well. It doesn't look or feel cheap. Maybe my enthusiasm is tinged with relief since I expected to dislike it, but the double-boiler really is a great piece and it feels AG-quality. The spoon is sort of wood-colored and textured, but is made of plastic. What to say... it's a spoon?
Candy Components:
Rabbits! The bunnies are nicely molded and look more or less like chocolate. The plastic injection-molding technique used to make them compliments the idea that they are supposed to look hand-molded. The silver bunny mold is light and rather insubstantial, but it's cute. I'm in love with the box of baking chocolate! The graphics on the box are plain, and I didn't expect much when I picked it up. It opens to reveal 4 large bars of molded chocolate, complete with little logos on top of the bars. It's really well done and I will fully admit to playing with it for several minutes before I remembered that I hadn't seen the rest of the set, yet.
Wrappings and Basket:
I really like the mesh wrappers that come with the set. For whatever reason, I didn't pay attention to that part of the description. They were a surprise, and a pleasant one. The material looks hand-cut (it probably is, somewhere in China), and the pastel ribbons that are included look sweet against the lavender mesh. The size is good; you can easily wrap a bunny in one and tie a bow at the top. These bits of mesh were a good addition to the set, and really add to the play value. I'll give credit where it's due on this basket as well. At first, I didn't really like it. I wanted a painted wicker basket, and felt that the slatted white plastic was too modern and clunky. But, I think the basket has won me over. The daisies that are attached to the rim are really pretty and fresh-looking, and the double row of ribbon add quite a bit of detail to the outside of the basket. I'm still not 100% on board with the basket, but it's solid and looks good with the dress. Plus, you can get a couple of bunnies into it without difficulty.
Overall:
This set surprised me with its detail, look, and overall quality. I'm not a fan of pink, plastic, or bows, but this set manages to pull it off well. The play value is awesome. The basket can be used like a purse with the dress and shoes, the candy-prep stuff can be used separately from the candy-gift part of the set, and the multiple small pieces could give several children something to do at once. I don't love the spoon (where, oh where are the real wooden spoons??), and the shiny plastic shoes spoil some of the great look of the dress. These are the only two things that keep this from being an A+. I love this set, and I feel like I got a bargain at the price.
Kit loves making her own gifts—and sharing treats! This set includes a pretty outfit and sweet supplies: A make-believe double boiler that's perfect for "melting" the two pretend chocolate squares from the candy box. A spoon that Kit can use to mix the chocolate before pouring it into the candy mold. Three faux chocolate bunnies. Three sheets of netting and three satin ribbons to wrap the bunnies. A pretty basket rimmed with fabric flowers to carry the treats. A fancy pink dress for Kit—it has a sheer yoke, a tiered skirt, and a satin bow across the waist. Shiny pink T-strap shoes to match her dress.
** I will add pictures tomorrow when I can take Kit outside.**
Kit's Candy-Making Set
$64 USD
Grade: A
This is an adorable addition to Kit's collection! The set includes:
A pink "organdy" gown with tiered ruffled skirt and satin waist-band
Pink T-strap shoes in a "patent leather" finish
3 "chocolate" molded bunnies
3 large lavender mesh wrappers with pastel ribbons(for the bunnies)
1 white plastic basket with daisy trim and two threaded pink satin bows
1 silver plastic bunny mold
1 stir spoon
1 box of 5-cent chocolate with 4 large bars of molded chocolate inside
1 double-boiler pot with lid
I was blown away by the detail in this set. This is the first thing that I've purchased as an adult collector that gave me the sense of awe that I had as a child looking at the Pleasant Company catalogue. Not everyone may agree, but for me, this is a solid win.
Clothing:
The dress is very well-made. The material is soft and has an elegant drape to it. (This isn't like the stiff, starchy-feeling material of Emily's Recital dress.) The dress is fully lined with a heavier material. Overall texture is silky rather than crisp like true organdy, but the vintage look is very successful at the 18" scale. Tiered ruffles run down each side of the skirt, divided by a band of plain material. A satin bow trims the waist of the dress, and is stitched into place with a slightly drooped bow. (I love that bow.)
I'm not a huge fan of the plasticky pink material used for the shoes, but the design is good and the color is pretty. When using this garment on Kit, I will almost certainly use white or black shoes rather than the pink. IMHO, they are the single weakest element in this set.
Double-Boiler and Spoon:
Of everything in this set, this was the piece that I feared the most. Early comments on it were pretty negative. It IS plastic rather than metal. However, the plastic used is extremely effective as a faux-enameled finish. It looks just like an enameled double-boiler from the 1930's, and I have seen several antique originals that look similar. The bottoms of both pots are weighted slightly, so it handles well. It doesn't look or feel cheap. Maybe my enthusiasm is tinged with relief since I expected to dislike it, but the double-boiler really is a great piece and it feels AG-quality. The spoon is sort of wood-colored and textured, but is made of plastic. What to say... it's a spoon?
Candy Components:
Rabbits! The bunnies are nicely molded and look more or less like chocolate. The plastic injection-molding technique used to make them compliments the idea that they are supposed to look hand-molded. The silver bunny mold is light and rather insubstantial, but it's cute. I'm in love with the box of baking chocolate! The graphics on the box are plain, and I didn't expect much when I picked it up. It opens to reveal 4 large bars of molded chocolate, complete with little logos on top of the bars. It's really well done and I will fully admit to playing with it for several minutes before I remembered that I hadn't seen the rest of the set, yet.
Wrappings and Basket:
I really like the mesh wrappers that come with the set. For whatever reason, I didn't pay attention to that part of the description. They were a surprise, and a pleasant one. The material looks hand-cut (it probably is, somewhere in China), and the pastel ribbons that are included look sweet against the lavender mesh. The size is good; you can easily wrap a bunny in one and tie a bow at the top. These bits of mesh were a good addition to the set, and really add to the play value. I'll give credit where it's due on this basket as well. At first, I didn't really like it. I wanted a painted wicker basket, and felt that the slatted white plastic was too modern and clunky. But, I think the basket has won me over. The daisies that are attached to the rim are really pretty and fresh-looking, and the double row of ribbon add quite a bit of detail to the outside of the basket. I'm still not 100% on board with the basket, but it's solid and looks good with the dress. Plus, you can get a couple of bunnies into it without difficulty.
Overall:
This set surprised me with its detail, look, and overall quality. I'm not a fan of pink, plastic, or bows, but this set manages to pull it off well. The play value is awesome. The basket can be used like a purse with the dress and shoes, the candy-prep stuff can be used separately from the candy-gift part of the set, and the multiple small pieces could give several children something to do at once. I don't love the spoon (where, oh where are the real wooden spoons??), and the shiny plastic shoes spoil some of the great look of the dress. These are the only two things that keep this from being an A+. I love this set, and I feel like I got a bargain at the price.
