Goodwill Haul #2

Hey guys!  Just thought I'd get in one more doll-related post before I go out of town.  I hope to have my third and final Media Musings post up sometime today or tomorrow, too, so that can tide you over until I get back. ;)

So apparently, I was supposed to do a second thrift store finds post, but I completely spaced it and now I can't even remember what I was planning on showing you.  So instead, I thought I'd share what I found at Goodwill's 50% off sale on Wednesday.

I didn't find nearly as much this time around, but there were still a few treasures waiting to be unearthed. :)

First off, I found this really cute outfit for an 18" doll for $4.50.  (I thought I'd let Tess model it, as it's been a while since she's been featured on the blog.) :)  It was actually on a doll that was...um...quite ugly, to be perfectly honest.  (And yes, you might as well know right now that I harvest cheapo dolls for their clothing.  With all of my anthropomorphic tendencies, I really try not to think too hard about this fact, lest I start writing the tragic stories of dolls purchased solely for their clothing and then carelessly resold in the nude...okay...moving on now...) :}

The apron is not as crooked as it looks in the picture.  It's held on by this heart-shaped pin, and I had a horrible time trying to attach it correctly.   (On the original doll, it was actually pinned through her chest...ouch!) :}

The apron is completely removable.  The dress is a lovely sage green print and looks really cute on Tess. :)

The dress included a slip...

...these cute pantaloons...

...and even socks and shoes!  Everything fit perfectly!  Quite a bargain for $4.50. :)

Another look at the shoes, and pantaloons.

Here's a back view of the dress.  The dress itself has Velcro closure, and the apron ties on.

I think green is a nice color for Tess. ;)  I should have done her hair in braids...then she would have looked the part even more. 

I've been keeping my eye out for princessey dresses for my BFC Ink dolls, and there was a porcelain doll at Goodwill that looked like she was about the right size.  So for $4.50, I got this pretty blue gown for the BFC Inks (graciously modeled by Kaitlin).

Side note here:  According to my blogging friend beachbabydoll1, the BFC Ink line has been discontinued!  I know that several of you have expressed an interest in these dolls, so I'd grab them now while you can find them!  The best places to purchase them are eBay, Amazon.com, or Target.com (the prices on Amazon are usually better if you spend over $25, because Target charges a bit for shipping and doesn't have the nifty "site to store" option that Walmart has).  If you click on the links I provided, you'll be taken right to a BFC Ink search on each page.  I checked Littletykes.com, but they no longer have BFC Inks listed, and they're sold out at Walmart.com.  

Anyway, moving on from that sad news. :(  Here's a closer look at Kaitlin's new dress.  Unfortunately, it's not the best quality.  I'm glad I got it for myself and not my girls, because it wouldn't last long with a little one playing with it.  The satin is pretty flimsy, and in some spots, the material didn't meet the seam correctly.  It will work for now, though, especially for the price.  And it still looks nice on display. :)

Here's a back view.

And a couple shots of Kaitlin, just 'cause she's so pretty: 

So while I was choosing victims ...er...dolls for their clothing, I noticed a smaller porcelain doll that had a really cute little dress, and I realized that it would be just the right size for Najhi.  It was another $4.50.  It's actually all one piece, even though it looks like a jumper and blouse. 

It did come with this really cute pair of pantaloons, though. :)

Here's a back view.  It had Velcro closure like the other dresses.

So, a few tips for harvesting dolls:  

1.  If you're looking at a porcelain doll, be sure to check the back of the dress for Velcro, buttons, zippers, or some other sign that the dress is removable.  Some porcelain dolls come with clothes that don't come off!

2.  Be sure to have in mind the size of the doll you're purchasing the clothes for.  You might take measurements, eyeball it...whatever works for you.  It stinks to get home and find out that the dress doesn't fit.

3.  Speaking of stinking, be sure to smell the doll and its clothing.  For some reason, I've found more problems with cigarette smell on porcelain dolls than any other type.  Cigarette odor is almost impossible to get rid of, and most porcelain doll clothing is too delicate to put through the wash anyway.

4.  I would encourage you to wait for sales.  Even at thrift stores, the porcelain dolls tend to be a bit pricey.  I was okay paying $4.50 for the two dresses I got from porcelain dolls (I would have paid more for Tess's new dress), but I wouldn't have been willing to pay the $8.99 a piece that I normally would have had to, especially considering the less-than-stellar quality of the fabric and stitching.

Hope this helps! :)  Now onto my last treasure.

I found this fully-dressed Liv doll for 99 cents.  She's actually the third Liv I've found at Goodwill in the last month.

I really didn't like these dolls for the longest time, but they're starting to grow on me (not literally, of course!). ;)  I'd like to say more, but I'll save that for the Liv review post I'm working on. :) 

For 99 cents, I couldn't pass this girl up.  Especially since she had a complete outfit and really cute boots. :)

I will say, I LOVE the super poseability on these dolls! 

Here's a look at her shirt underneath her vest. 

Oh, and it's amazing how different they look with hair. :)

So here she is with the other two dolls I found at Goodwill.  All three of them were bald, and one of them was nude.  Target was nice enough to have a sale on Liv accessories and clothes, though, so my problem was solved. ;)

I have to say, while they all have nice faces, there's something about the brown-eyed dolls that I love. :)  I think their eyes aren't quite as intense-looking.

Anyway, as I said, I'm currently working on a Liv doll review, but it will most likely have to wait to be posted until after I get back from my trip.  

I also found a couple of cute little doll-sized books for 75 cents each.  One was a little gift book about cats, and the other was a mini "Little Golden Book" story of The Nutcracker.  I'll try to get pics of those later, along with some of my doll-sized souvenirs from my coast trip in June.  Sigh...I'm a bit behind!!

Hope you all have a great weekend!  I'm doing a yard sale and singing in a wedding tomorrow, as I mentioned in an earlier post, so I'll be a bit busy. :}  Then I've got to finish doing laundry and pack for a 4 day trip!!  :D 

And I thought this summer was going to be less crazy. :}

Talk to all of you later! :)