Waiting for Grace: Counting the Hours!

It is the very last day--indeed we are now counting the hours--of GOTY 2014 Isabelle's special year. So it seems only fitting that my own Isabelle poppets take a final turn in front the camera before passing the baton (beret?) to GOTY 2015 Grace Thomas.

Astrid and Ingrid have been searching the closet for something to wear for the January 1st visit to AGPSF to meet Grace Thomas in person. They also have they own shopping goals for the day--they have every intention of bringing their very own (mini) Grace home to play with and share between them. 

Weather reports for California say cool and brisk but with clear and sunny skies! 

Astrid and Ingrid (in front) are wearing the Sequined Star Tee, the very newest tshirt offering in AG "in store" only separates. They have paired the new tshirt with Purple Espadrilles.

The Sequined Star Tee has a unique detail on the tshirt with its flared peplum. Even the peplum itself has a design surprise and is constructed with two overlapping layers with slanted hemlines.

The white bermuda length shorts are an Etsy find. I ordered them this past summer when I realized our closet had very few shorts to pair up with our growing tshirt collection. AG makes very few "basic" jeans or shorts and often adds some overpowering detail to them (such as red embroidered stars on white jeans) so that they cannot be easily paired with other separates. 

The shorts were custom made by GrandmasDollCloset. They are made of a stretch twill with light elastic inside of the waistband. The shorts have four working pockets.

I was offered a choice of embroidered back pocket detailing in various color combinations, but that would have defeated the purpose of having shorts that could be paired with the widest array of tshirts! I chose a straight seam pocket detail in white. 

Note here also the back detail of the Sequined Star Tee's peplum--it is a very flattering and well fitted. One of my pet peeves is ill fitting tshirts that splay open in the back at the bottom hemline.

The Purple Espadrilles are adorable. I had passed them by for months as I could not think of a reason to add them to the closet. However they are a terrific match for the new Sequined Star Tee.

My one word of caution about these espadrilles is that they are quite tricky to get onto a poppet's foot. Luckily, I have a makeshift "shoe horn" I use for slipping the heels of certain shoes onto their feet. There is no possible way I could have managed otherwise! But with my shoe horn method these finally slipped on with relative ease.

The tag! So huge and comical. I was able to get the shoes on without removing it (and then it is hidden) so the tag will stay for now.

The Shimmer & Shine Purse is another brand new offering from AG, and at least for the moment, only available in store.

The purse is unlined, but this seems appropriate enough for how small it is and its relatively inexpensive price.

The purse has a double layer ruffle detail and three sparkling rhinestones. 

Both Astrid and Ingrid love the purse and think it is a perfect added touch to this outfit combination.

Astrid (right) and Ingrid have loved their special year. Next year should be just as awesome with all new adventures exploring what it means to have "twin" poppets--my first set of twins!

While our "Waiting for Grace" series is drawing to a close, Poppets & Posies plans to continue featuring GOTY dolls, both new and old. GOTY 2015 Grace will also have a special series dedicated to her (details forthcoming). Also expect more AGPSF Flash reports, clothing and accessory reviews, and a new feature focus!

Waiting for Grace: Holiday Dress Up

We are enjoying the last few days of holiday festivities with another poppet getting dressed for New Year's Eve. 

Ingabrittaa, who just a few weeks ago was wearing a Saint Lucia dress, has selected a party dress for the big night. Because multiple poppets live in my home, keeping them all dressed for the appropriate seasons, especially if there are multiple outfit changes within a season, is really quite time consuming! 

My usual path to sanity is to change the outfits of only one or maybe two dolls a week. But this month has been a special time with our Waiting for Grace series and wanting to properly welcome GOTY 2015 with a blog post per day during the month of December!

Ingabritta is modeling the Sparkle Party Dress from 2013.

The dress comes with cream colored tights, ruby red shoe, and a headband. The dress itself features a mesh overlay which is artfully fashioned into a "bubble skirt" style.

The satiny ribbon waistband features fabric rosettes.

The dress also features a deep cranberry colored rose fixed to the shoulder.

These glittery ruby red slippers could definitely be used in a "Dorothy" outfit!

And the final touch is a headband with a row of faux-diamonds.

Ingabritta, a MyAG 56, is really a rather charming and energetic poppet, even though her hair is ridiculously unruly. We have done our best with the short notice of her outfit change and photoshoot! I prefer her in dresses and outfits that seem younger, and the Sparkle Party Dress has a baby-doll silhouette.

I do not have a single complaint about this outfit--I love the design, the fabric choices, and the color. This dress is a quiet classic well suited for the younger set. A+

Waiting for Grace: Holiday Parties

The holidays must go on! My twin Isabelle poppets, Astrid and Ingrid have selected holiday outfits to wear for the big end of year party. Thanks to my sister's Christmas gift, we now have long winter white wool coats to pair with holiday dresses.

Ingrid (left) is wearing the 2013 Brocade Holiday Dress paired with the winter white wool coat from the 2014 Limited Edition Ruby Red Ball Gown set. Astrid is wearing the 2014 Happy Holiday Dress also paired with the same 2014 Limited Edition winter white wool coat.

The fur collar add a softness and luxurious touch to the holiday dresses.

The cream color of the brocade dress is further softened by the off-white coat. The mixing of gold and silver highlights seems to work.

The 2014 winter release from AG featured rhinestones on multiple outfits. Here the rhinestones on the coat coordinates perfectly with the rhinestone detail on the blue holiday dress.

Ingrid and Astrid pose for a selfie.

The girls are now ready for New Year's Eve activities! We hope you enjoyed this Mix & Match edition of Poppets & Posies.

What are your poppets wearing for the remainder of the holidays? Will they be dressing up and going out or dressing down and staying home?

Waiting for Grace: Isabelle Sparkles

Less than a week? I haven't even completed the Christmas whirlwinds of activity and GOTY 2015 is appearing in just five days! New photos of Grace keep showing up on social media sites and even Amazon now has the book cover images up. The more I see of Grace, the more I am enamored. Will she come home with me on January 1st?

So these are truly the waning days of GOTY 2014 Isabelle's reign. But what better way to celebrate her year than to engage in some dress up fun?

Look at what my husband picked up for me from AGPSF. I had been resigned to not getting Isabelle's Sparkle Dress, especially after it sold out online as well as in our local store. But a late restock at AGPSF had me reconsider--it was the last outfit of Isabelle's that had not made it home. My husband was a doll and he made a second trip back to the store just to put this under the Christmas tree!

Isabelle's Sparkle Dress was a late release (late spring) and initially did not catch my eye. I also thought the stretchy sequin material of the leotard construction a bit strange. But once this dress was out of its box and displayed at home, I changed my mind completely. I love it!

I think the crowning touch is the hair piece--its delicate mesh and sparkle "wings" shimmer in the right light. AG packaged this piece smartly by affixing it to a piece of cardboard for transport.

Because I still have both of my Isabelle dolls with their original hair twists, the hair piece sits easily and securely in her hair.

The outfit also comes with cotton ballet slippers trimmed with silver sequins. I could see immediately out of the box the slippers were two different sizes--a bad batch. The larger shoe slipped on easily, but the second smaller shoe was a struggle.

I was hoping it was just my imagination, but below one can see how the slipper covers the toes entirely on the one foot but not on the other. I don't think this is enough of an issue to exchange the whole outfit just for better matched slippers--but it does bother me and I do feel it falls outside of acceptable variances of manufacturing for the prices AG demands.

The dress also comes with a clear beaded bracelet on a deep salmon colored elastic ribbon with a tiny bow. The bracelet is well constructed, easy to get on and off, but is rather unremarkable.

Yet in spite of the issues I have with the slippers, I was able to set them aside when I saw how charming and happy my poppet looked in this dress. The rosy salmon pink is a delightful color against her skin and hair color. This dress on Ingrid (my Isabelle I) makes me want to learn how to set up and take better photographs so I can really capture the magic of this dress. 

Because of the questionable quality of the ballet slippers--even though I really do love the dress and hairpiece--I feel compelled to lower its review grade to an A-.

And while it may take some time and study and might not happen until well into the new year, I will revisit this outfit at some point for a new photoshoot in order to better capture its full and magical effect on my poppet.

Waiting for Grace: An Isabelle Christmas

After a lot of thought--twelve long months of thought--Isabelle's Studio finally came home with us. I picked up the huge box from AGPSF last week when it was about to sell out both online and in the stores and kept it wrapped up until Christmas.

The studio armoire is quite impressive in full display. There is plenty of interior storage and the sewing table can be stored upright when not in use or the armoire is closed.

The studio comes with three plastic purple hangers, though there is probably room for up to six outfits without squishing if they are not poofy--though considering the amount of tulle in Isabelle's wardrobe that could be an issue. Six leotards or tshirts, yes. But only three tulle skirts.

The drawers are generous sized and can hold the hangers without problem or other clothing and accessories.

The dress form is so much fun. I want about five more to be able to display favorite dresses now.

The sewing machine is very smartly designed. The body of the machine is a sturdy plastic which has a glitter infused appearance (this was difficult to capture with the camera) and the spindle, sewing foot and plate are made of metal. The best part is that the pieces move--the spindle is spring loaded and retracts, the stitch selector knob twists and makes a clicking noise, and best off all, the sewing machine (two triple-A batteries not included) can be switched on! The light comes on and the sewing foots rises and falls as if it is sewing fabric--there is even a mechanical whirring sound as it works! A+, AG!

The studio comes also with a sewing basket for storing notions and supplies. The basket is made of plastic, but I appreciate the simulated wicker weave--it reminds me of my grandmother's sewing basket which I inherited from her and simply love.

The scissors scissor! Yay, AG. No, they do not actually cut material, but I love how they functionally operate like real scissors. The spools are plastic with textured surface to approximate the look of thread (so cute--why only three? I want more!) and as a bonus, they fit perfectly on the spindle of the sewing machine.

The measuring tape is just ribbon with printing and the pincushion is excessively hard and lumpy with a huge manufacturing tag (I let it drape off to the side for the picture). These two accessories I am less fond of but they will suffice.

Sketchbook with sketches already inside is very cute--I did not want to bend or crease the spine, so just this photo for now. It is perched on top of the included hatbox.

The hatbox works perfectly as a way to store the three lengths of fabric that come with Isabelle's Studio.

At first I was surprised at how synthetic the materials were, but after draping them for awhile, I realized that these fabrics will resist excessive wrinkling and thus will look nicer for a longer time, especially if subjected to heavy play.

I would also like to introduce Isabelle's Kitten, named Tutu. Tutu does not come with the studio, but she came home with me the same day. I had all but given up on Tutu, primarily because I thought she was the grumpiest looking cat ever made by AG. But the store was quiet and I had some leisure time and spent about 15 minutes simply opening up about a dozen boxes of kittens to examine their faces before I found a quite agreeable and charming Tutu. 

I am very appreciative that the sales associates allowed me to do this undisturbed. I can imagine at some times at some stores or with some associates (and with some customers) that the practice of opening and examining contents is discouraged. My tips for doing this is to open just one box at a time, to be extremely delicate with both the box lid and the tissue paper, and to carefully tuck the item/items neatly back in the box. 

I would love to have a Personal Shopper from AG to assist me with these kinds of mini quests, but there never seems to be one free when I am at AGPSF and so for now the mysteries of the AG PS elude me!

One of the secrets to cheering up Tutu's appearance is to make sure the fur is out of her eyes (so she doesn't look like she just woke up from a nap).

Tutu is lounging on the included lavender stool or ottoman. The AG website describes this as an "upholstered stool," but that is far too elevated language for this piece of plastic and gauze. I have to say that the stool is my biggest disappointment and the biggest miss by AG in the studio. 

First, the stool underneath is hard plastic that is hollow inside--which makes me immediately think "more storage space!!!" But after lifting the gauzy covering (which is hardly anything close to anything resembling upholstery) it is just one solid unending piece of plastic. It would have been so simple to have the plastic underneath have a lid! Additionally, while I would grant that the fabric covering does have a rather nice quilted top detail, it is not padded enough to really give this piece any warmth. 

Were I have a tad more time on my hands, the stool is the one piece I would remake myself with a lid that could be removed and I would use more padding on the quilted top.

The detail on Tutu's collar is cute, though hard to see under all that plushy fur. I do recommend Tutu as she is very different from most the other cats and pets offered by AG. I have come to enjoy her reclining pose, especially when draping her paws over the edge of furniture.

Astrid (my Isabelle II) poses with her Christmas surprise. She is wearing her new Metallic Dress and has placed her pancake tutu from her Mix & Match collection on the doll form. We also tried out some new carpeting and wallpaper for her bedroom and while we love the wallpaper, we are not certain it photographs very well in terms of its big and bold pattern next to the smaller details of many doll items. Annika can hardly wait to meet Grace and looks forward to learning about all of her hobbies and interests.

In closing, my reasoning for finally bringing Isabelle's Studio home was primarily that I don't think we will see this particular style of an armoire for some years--white, french country, with pale soft colors on the interior. AG has made armoires in the past, including Felicity's Clothes Press (dark wood, colonial style), the 2002 Star Armoire (pale blue, modern styling) and the 2003 Flower Armoire (pale buttercup yellow, modern styling). However, this studio armoire for Isabelle fits all my design preferences and while there is some chance that AG will produce something similar for the MyAG line soon, it is more likely that this piece will remain rather unique. A+

Waiting for Grace: Santa's Helpers

Santa's helpers are busy all over the globe tonight and Lilja and Coconut are lending a hand! 

Lilja is wearing Santa's Helper outfit from 2007, a red velour dress with white faux-fur cuffs, a matching Santa hat, plaid scarf, and finished off with shiny black boots.

The bottom of the flared skirt is embroidered in a gold thread and the waist is trimmed with a black belt and silver-tone buckle. The belt is not removable as it is secured to the back of the dress and also tacked in front at the buckle. The belt, interestingly enough, is actually made of a black elastic which has held up well so far.

Assisting Lilja is Coconut, who is wearing the Holiday Accessories from 2003. Coconut is sporting his own little Santa hat secured by an elastic band and is pulling a sleigh with a tiny present perched inside. This set also comes with a small magnetic snowman that Coconut can carry in his mouth (not pictured).

The boots for this outfit are outstanding. They have a velvet-like strap and a buckle detail at the calf. They secure in the back with velcro. I have paired these boots with modern outfits (usually short skirts) with great results.

Coconut pulls his little sleigh, the red velvet reigns attaching to him by a red collar with gold trim and decorative jingle bells.

I just love this little fellow, his facial expressions are so winsome.

Lilja's Santa hat is snug but not too snug and the faux-fur is full and plush. The plaid scarf is secured around her neck by feeding one end of the scarf through a buttonhole near the other end of the scarf. 

This Christmas themed outfit is wonderful if a bit more like a costume than a holiday dress a little girl would wear to an event. Like Starry Night, I also prefer this outfit on my dolls with older personalities. But when it comes to joining in to help with Santa's other elves, it is the perfect outfit for the occasion.

Lilja signs off with wishing everyone Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, especially to Grace Thomas, the next GOTY. 

Today was a big day for Grace as AG has uploaded many images of Grace, her clothing, and accessories which are publicaly viewable online though not yet linked to their online storefront. So many images to contemplate! More on Grace's collection itself when I am able.