A Mini Melody!

Mini Melody is starting to spring up! Take a peek!

Reposted with permission by the current lucky owner (thank you Ashley!!!), Mini Melody is beyond adorable! I love her shoes (with bows), socks, dress (with bows), sweet face and her hair. So toes-to-top she's a winner!

Melody may also be offered with a matching fabric bookmark and charm, which is pictured draped over the doll.

A June Surprise! Lea Clark!

Look who has joined our poppet family!

While I went to Lea Clark's store debut at AGPSF on January 1st, I had decided to wait and discover if I really wanted to bring home the newest GOTY because of the novelty factor and rush of opening day or if I really wanted to have the poppet on her own unique merits.

I am so excited to share Lea's homecoming that this first batch of photos are merely a first peek. Here she is still in her box.

I both love her bright dress and I have no real interest in it as anything other than a romp-around outfit. I expect she will be wearing something else new very quickly.

Her arms are wrapped in plastic, presumably to safeguard against dye transfer or any other bumps in her long travels to her new home. I have not checked yet to see if she has the nee zip-tie at the neck, but I presume this is the case.

Hazel eyes and a new arched shape to her feathered brow. I think her new brow shape makes Lea's face look inquisitive and intelligent. 

I am an enthusiastic fan of the hazel eye color--it always looks life-like and warm on the poppets. Other poppets in our home with hazel eyes include Kanani, my Isabelle twin poppets, a Truly me #55, and a Truly Me #21. And no, I don't see myself ever being tired of the hazel color.

Spectacular highlights. I can't wait to let her hair down from the hairnet.

I purchased Lea as part of her Exclusive Collection which includes her Accessories and her Beach Dress. But I also absolutely had to pick up the one dress that I see as essential to her collection... sneak peak below!

Lea's Beach Dress and Lea's Accessories as part of the Exclusive Collection plus Lea's Celebration Dress!

The Beach Dress is available only as part of the Exclusive Collection bundle. While the purple tie-dyed dress, flip-flops, sunglasses and little blue butterfly hair clip are adorable the overall price of the exclusive bundled set is really a tough hurdle financially and thus emotionally. As an adult collector I can manage the added cost of the bundle but younger customers might not have this kind of stretch in their budgets. 

I love the embroidered details in Lea's outfits--a few quick snaps of this lovely detail!

I really like the embroidered symbol on Lea's Beach Dress.

The ruffle of the Celebration Outfit is full and flirty and the metallic gold in the embroidery is really special.

One thing I missed in all the early gray market leaks and even after the Celebration Dress officially debuted online last month is that the pattern on the top of the dress is also embroidered and not just a print. The embroidery is breathtaking!

The obligatory Lea Clark tag. I sort of love the tags on the GOTY lines and treat them the same way I do tags on "Levi" jeans or "Kate Spade" purses--my name is not Levi or Kate, but I have bought, worn, and/or carried these and hundreds of other trademarked items with names printed on them.

My Lea Clark doll, like all my other corporate "pre-named" poppets, will also have her very own unique name. She will also time-travel and be an older sister to another of my poppets--can you guess who?

PWP Summer Hoodie Set

The Summer Hoodie Set is bright and light and makes me smile! Beautiful tropical colors and themes including teal and fuchsia hibiscus flowers and the bursting lemon-yellow rays of the sun.

As with most PWP ("purchase with purchase") outfits, the Summer Hoodie Set does not come with shoes, but the set still seems complete with its hoodie pullover, light cotton skirt, and a coordinating bead bracelet.

My favorite surprise while examining the outfit on one of the model poppets at AGPSF was that the hoodie itself was lined with the yellow and lime polka dotted fabric of the skirt.

The skirt is incredibly simple, but appropriate to the outfit's casual feel.

The bead bracelet is constructed on a simple elastic string.

The Summer Hoodie Set is an absolutely terrific deal for just $14 dollars with any $50 purchase.

New Royal Blue Holiday Dress for Josefina?

Will this be Josefina's rumored second new dress?

Her new mantilla is a white lace with a dark comb.

I love the royal blue, but am underwhelmed by the plain black shoes. What does everyone else think?

New Birthday Outfit for Summer 2016?

Could this be the new Birthday Outfit for 2016? The outfit is showing up in American Girl adverts for the Signature Studios (Chicago, New York, Los Angles) but not yet in the stores.

I love it. The flirty sandals, the cotton candy pink skirt with shiny polka dots, the bling at the waistband, and the summer tank top. And who doesn't absolutely need a new tiara? And a satiny birthday sash? Over the top birthday girl fun!

I neeeeeeeed this outfit. Even if it means having to beg a friend or internet-friend to pick it up for me. We will need to keep an eye out for this birthday fun! Has anyone local to a Signature Studio seen this offered in their stores?

Welcome Home, Josefina!

A new poppet has joined our household!

Our BeForever Josefina was hand picked at the AGPSF store last October. I wanted to bring her home before any retirement rumor rush, which thankfully has significantly subsided (especially now with new outfits for Josefina on the horizon). I knew I wanted her either way--whether staying in the BeForever lineup or retiring--but I also knew it would be more pleasant to collect for her in the lull between AG debuts and retirements.

At the time I picked her out last fall, both styles of boxes were still available--the silhouette in the lower left corner or the newer full color sticker. 

I chose the silhouette styled box which one can see is the taller box style. I believe other than remaining old stock, the new shorter box style is here to stay.

Her hair is so sleek and smooth and pristine. I take these pictures only to record that at one point her hair was perfect, as I will never be able to return to the perfect braid once I start styling her hair.

Her BeForever skirt and sash, the only real upgrade to her meet outfit during the BeForever launch, is bright and cheerful!

The absolutely perfect bow on her sash, a wistful picture for certain!

Like her earlier version, BeForever Josefina comes with loose cotton briefs.

Her rustic faux leather shoes are pretty floppy and really don't help her balance at all like the more structured shoes with a firm and flat sole. I am pretty certain once I remove these shoes they will never be worn again.

We have been quietly collecting all through this past winter and spring for our new Josefina from the current BeForever line, the early Pleasant Company classics, as well as a few special Etsy outfits. Poppets & Posies looks forward to debuting all her new looks.

Sweet Summer, Sweet Josefina! New Outfit?

Josefina fans have waited literally years for a new outfit for Josefina. Could this be the new rumored outfit?

The outfit seems to come with an embroidered camisa, a separate cotton print skirt with scalloped edge, and a silky green shawl. It seems a complete outfit would include a Josefina-style-and-color appropriate coordinating sash and shoes still yet to be found.

Eta: A possible sash has now been sighted!

Josefina missed out during the 2014 BeForever revamp of the Meet outfits and scored only a new skirt and sash. Josefina also missed out on the 2015 BeForever Limited Edition outfits--remember for example Kit's Chicken Keeping Outfit or Addy's Sewing Outfit? Yup, Josefina missed out on being included in a great set of Limited Edition outfits! However, finally we have hope of a new outfit for Josefina!

Rumors have it that Josefina is due for 2 new outfits this year, so crossing my fingers. I am a yes-yes-yes for all new Josefina items, sight unseen. However, this early peek is a happy surprise and will be coming home as soon as it officially debuts.