Thrift Store Treasure and Calico Critters

Hi all!  Just wanted to share my latest Salvation Army find.  Had a yard sale last week, so I had a little cash to play with.  I was so excited when we walked in and they had one of the Battat brand horses there for $15!  These horses retail for about $36 new.  I like them just as much as the Paradise Horses at Wal-Mart that I mentioned before.  Both brands, I might add, I like better than the AG horses.  I think they're a slightly better scale for the dolls.  Here's a pic:

She's definitely been heavily played with.  She's got lots of scratches and paint rubs, as you can see from the next photo.  I'll probably repaint her eventually, but for now it's kinda nice having a horse the girls can just play with without Mommy stressing about them scratching the paint! :) 

Just as a side note, you can find these horses new and in different colors at Target.  Target also has Battat brand dolls, which I don't care for (their faces have an oddly vacant look...a little creepy!  Plus their hair is horrid!), but they do also have lots of clothes and accessories that are pretty nice.  In fact, when I was in Target the other day, I noticed that the Battat accessories and clothes look like higher quality than the Friends Boutique line.  Their items are about $5 more each, though.  I'd stop by your local Target when you have the time, after you go to Walmart! :) 

Another side note, I understand from Maggie that she was able to get an exclusive interview with Dorcas (my oldest daughter's doll) about their new pet.  Maggie wanted me to mention that she'll be posting the interview, along with photos, on her blog.  She can be a little pushy sometimes, but she's determined to be a journalist someday, unless she settles for writing children's fantasy books. :)

Lastly, just for fun, I wanted to post some pics of my daughters' doll house complete with furniture and Calico Critters (with some vintage Sylvanian Families thrown in, too).  Did anyone have these as kids?  I did, and I absolutely loved them!  Sometimes, to surprise the girls, I'll set up their doll house for them after they go to bed.  Then in the morning they find it all ready for them.  I guess it's just another excuse for me to play! :}  Btw, as you can probably tell from the photos, our Calico Critters are well-loved.  Many of them are losing their "fur".  The girls spend hours playing with them.  The doll house was given to us by a friend.  Her daughters built it with their uncle and then passed it on when they outgrew it.  On to the pics! 

I couldn't get the whole doll house in one shot, so here it is pieced together. 

Here's the top floor...bedrooms, laundry, and nursery.  I love all the Calico Critter babies...they're so cute! :)

On the second floor, we have the bathroom and...

...the family room.

The bottom floor has the fancier sitting room (complete with piano).

And of course, every house needs a good kitchen!

The girls have so much fun with their house.  I love just standing by the playroom door and listening to the plotlines they come up with.  It's really funny! :) 

Well, that's all for this time.  Keep checking back for more posts! :)