Thrift Store Goodies, Alexander Girlz, Hearts For Hearts Girls, Updates, and More Randomness ;)

Wow, I think that's one of the longest titles I've ever put on a post! ;)  It fits, though.  Today's post is truly a huge mix of random factoids and updates.  It'll be long, too...just so you know. ;)

For starters, some sad news for myself and any other fans of the Alexander Girlz dolls from the Madame Alexander Company.  As many of you who follow my blog already know, these dolls are usually released at this time of year in Costco.  Sadly, it looks like they will not be a part of the holiday lineup at Costco this year.  There are no dolls in my local Costco and none on their online site (last year they were in both places by this time).  I even called my local Costco to see if they would be coming in and was informed that there were none on order.

You might remember that the Madame Alexander Company was bought out by another company earlier this year.  I was concerned at this news, but my concern lessened considerably after the promising release of the "My Life" doll line at Walmart.  However, I'm very disappointed that they didn't continue the Alexander Girlz line.  I'm sure you don't need to be told again that the Alexander Girlz are my very favorite off-brand line of 18" dolls (aside from the Gotz Little Sisters and Precious Day lines from the early 2000s).  I also want to apologize to those of you that were waiting for this year's Alexander Girlz release at my recommendation. :{

All I can say is keep your eyes open at thrift stores and yard sales.  I've still seen some Alexander Girlz floating around, and it might be a while before people realize what they have.  The prices are pretty high on eBay right now, and will only be higher once it becomes common knowledge that the dolls aren't in stores this year.  I'm hoping that perhaps they'll release them again next year, but that may not be a very realistic hope. :(

It's possible that they might be available in Costcos elsewhere and just aren't on the website this year.  If any of you see them in your local stores, will you let me know?

Now on to some happier news for any Hearts For Hearts Girls fans out there.  I've had at least one of you ask about a case where your doll's eye turned purple (I'm talking to you, Elliebob!). ;)  I did some research, and it turns out that a small batch of the H4H dolls had eyes that turned purple due to a bad batch of glue.  So far, I've only heard of this happening to Consuelo and Rahel dolls, but it's possible there were other dolls affected as well.  If you have a defective doll, you can contact the Hearts For Hearts company HERE (I would recommend using the email address at the bottom of the page).  They are fully aware of the problem and are willing to replace the dolls who have it.  Your replacement doll will come with a return slip.  Once the new doll arrives, you put your defective doll in the box and use the provided label (the cost of shipping is covered).  Hope you find this helpful! :)

Let's see, on to a few fun thrift store finds! :D  Goodwill had a 50% off sale this past Monday for Columbus Day, so my mom and I headed over to see what they had.  It wasn't a great day for dolls, but I did find some shirts and pants for $2 or $3 each, which was a huge blessing.

One of my favorites was this Minnie Mouse shirt from the Disney Store.  It was brand new with the tags still attached! :)

It wasn't this wrinkled in the store...that's how it dried after I washed it. :}

I also found this really incredible tee for $2:

I found a video of the 10th Anniversary Concert a day later at Salvation Army for just 25 cents. :)

I'm what you might call a cautious fan of "Les Miserables".  I love the beautiful, sweeping melodies that are so singable and the basic story of the play.  However, there are several very suggestive songs and some language, and God's name is often used flippantly or inappropriately.  I've never seen the entire play.  I've just seen the concert versions, so I can't speak for the play in its entirety.  Based on what I know, though, I can't recommend the play for my entire audience.      

Several of you out there in the bloggy world have done major posts about Les Mis recently, so it has been fresh on my mind.  (I can just imagine some of you drooling over my find right now.) ;)  And the shirt was so unique and such a good price that I decided to get it.

And hey, for 25 cents, I just couldn't resist picking up a copy of the concert.  Especially since it's the one that has a Marius that can actually act and sing (okay, sorry, I just couldn't resist!). :}

The shirt was in excellent condition...it looks like it was barely worn.  The best part was it was just my size!  Good thing I've lost a few pounds. :)

The title of the play is printed across the back.

Jenna was super thrilled about these.  She's my Broadway geek, so she gets excited about anything related to Broadway musicals.  Also, VHS tape covers make perfect doll-sized posters.  I think I see a "Les Miserables" poster in Jenna's future. ;)

And speaking of VHS tapes, I also found this rare one:  

Rose Petal Place was from my childhood era, although I never watched it or had any of the toys (I was more of a Strawberry Shortcake and Lady Lovely Locks fan, myself).  However, for 50 cents, I thought it might be fun to try it out.  Yeah.  Let's just say that some things are better left in the 80s. ;)  Unless you're a fan of cheesy acting and bad animation.  Maybe if I had the emotional attachment to the show, I would have enjoyed it more. :}

This was a fun little gem I picked up in the music section.  It's a CD of well-known Looney Tunes characters singing old-time cowboy songs (like "Cool Water" and "The Yellow Rose of Texas") with well-known classic country singers (such as Herb Jeffries and Michael Martin Murphy...and no, I don't really know who they are!). ;)  Unfortunately, this CD was made after Mel Blanc's death, so the voices aren't original (Bugs' voice is especially bad!), but some of them sound all right...and my daughters will still enjoy it since they're not as picky as I am. :)

I also found just a few random doll-sized goodies.

I love how fancy this candelabra looks.

This velvet trunk looked like something from Snow White...hopefully not the box that the Queen gave the huntsman for Snow White's heart. Ick...maybe it's not from Snow White. ;)

The inside of the trunk/jewelry box (Whew! Just roses in there). ;) 

I really liked this sparkly red box, too.

It's the perfect size for storing doll-sized treasures.  

You might also notice that Emma is modeling the American Girl Just Like You Jumper and Boots Set from 2008.  A very kind AGPT member responded to my wishlist and sold it to me.  I think it looks great on 

Emma. :)  The only thing I'd forgotten is that the boots can be a little tricky.  They have a bit of a heel, so getting your doll to stand up in them without falling over can be a bit of a chore.  I'm very pleased with the set otherwise, though. :)  

Talking about Emma brings me to my last point of randomness for this post (I think!).  On Friday, I'll be heading out for a weekend trip with my mom and aunt and NO CHILDREN!!!  Whoo-hoo!!  I seriously can't remember the last time that happened for more than an afternoon, and I even have some spending money from my recent eBay sales, so I'm super excited!!  Emma will be coming along too, so I'll be able to document the entire trip from her perspective for you guys. :D  

I'm hoping to get another post or two published before then, but honestly, I can't promise anything.  I've got a bit to do to make sure I'm ready for the weekend (and to make sure that Hubby is ready to take over the kiddos!), ;) so if you don't hear from me for a while, that's why.

Thanks for persevering through this rather rambly post.  I have lots more reviews planned and a super exciting GIVEAWAY planned for later on, so stay tuned! :)