Marisol has arrived

 

 

 

She's growing on me, I can't quite word how I really felt when I first opened her box, but every day that I see her I like her a little more. 
Marisol Luna, I'll be changing her name, just haven't reached the right one for her yet. Marisol is a Spanish name meaning Sunny Sea, which is kind of cute, and with a surname of Luna - like the moon I guess not the big grinned clown at the Park in Sydney.  I got her book as well, which I've only flicked a bit through, but liked the idea of her cat Rascal and that she has luminating stars on her bedroom ceiling, those things I might keep.
It might be the age range, her age range I mean (not the recommended, though the + is limitless really).  I was a big Barbie collector for a long time, I imagined her minimum age of late teens.  Since 2010 Barbie has been in a box at my place and been replaced by the BFC Ink dolls.  I haven't officially aged them, but had always thought they were about 14 years old.  Journey Girls, a recent purchase, 12/13, maybe I was expecting Marisol to fit in there, but really she is more like the girl in the book, 10, if not younger. So whats the problem? I, um, I ............. (she can't explain herself)

So, madness aside, Marisol, American Girl of the Year  2005, now in 2013 that would make her 8 years old, if she was released only in 2005, hmmm  the body tag has 2008 on it.  I wonder, if she had a body replacement? My camera is not good enough to be able to focus on such a small image. There you goWiki seems to think it was not unusual and had nothing to do with the year it was made http://americangirl.wikia.com/wiki/Basic_Doll_Anatomy
 , so there you go, no conspiracy at all.
Cos its the middle/last leg of summer here I thought to take off her jacket scarf hat and shoes.  Unforunately after unpicking the cotton that kept the scarf knot in perfect condition I realised that the scarf had a velcro fastener to help remove the item without ruining the style (der).  Her clothing is really well made and I'm really impressed by it.
Her hair, a wig frightened me some, but I have to admit I'm impressed by how thick her hair is and when I brush it (yep even got a dreaded brush) it's so nice, and its thick enough to part it and  put in two tails without showing scalp. So there you go.

So would I get another American Girl Doll? Marisol would like a friend her own age:  maybe, I think so, when I'm cashed up again. I think I'd buy one from the AG website.

Hmm am plotting demolition of my BFC ink house type structures - to make way for BIGGER ones (and ones that don't have bendy floors, but we'll see, again funds are required to pull it off and it would mean making 8 girls homeless, and a bare halfbuilt thing for a bit.

My first American Girl Doll

!! In transit - my first American Girl Doll!!

Nervous...
.. the price for one thing, I've paid $100 for her, plus postage of another $50. I haven't spent that much on a single doll since.. hmmm maybe the AA Swan Lake Barbie, or the AA Romantic Interlude Barbie
.. I've never had a wigged doll before, that I can think of. Will it look like she's wearing a hat? Will it feel funny where the head meets the hairline? Based on the advice of the AG site I have also purchased a wire bristled brush - I hate brushes.
.. The body is stuffed fabric - will it just look wierd if she doesn't wear neck to knees and long sleeves? I do have some Toys'r'us Journey girls with the partial stuffed fabric torso, the neck shoulders and bust are vinyl though and unless in midriffs or bikinis you would not realise it. The strings are still visible that tie her neck to her body.
.. She's second hand, and at least 7 years old, still fetching $100 when a brand new one would be a $110, though the Ebay pics and sellers description indicate she has been well looked after though, and I am a bit of a sucker for unwanted 2nd hand dolls (if you saw my My Scene collection, and well 1/3 of my BFC inks are 2nd hand too).
I did have a list of pros and cons, but well I guess we'll have to wait until she arrives to make full decision. Its done now.

I've been tossing up for ages whether to get one or not, the frustration of one doll line going out of production (ie the BFC ink dolls) making me look around for others (a bit fickle I guess really - I still love you BFC girls and boys, and do plan on making you better homes etc).
By luck I managed to win an Ebay auction on Sunday morning.
I was tossing up whether to buy one off Ebay or not as they appeared to sell at very high prices higher than the brand new ones off the AG website even.  Though there are the discontinued dolls which if in good nick are collectible and in limited numbers, so it appears are worth more, I guess it depends what people are willing to pay for them really as to their worth.
And look at me I've joined the throng and bought one!!

I wasn't too keen on the classic mold, though I am finding myself wondering if I would just to have one, some hairstyles and colouring it may be ok. I think its the big cheeks and buck gappy teeth maybe, though they all have the buck gappy teeth (except Kaya who looks like she's about to cry).
The Asian face mold is one I'd like to have she appears only to ever have been released once, so it may be hard to find. There is the Jess version which has been released a few times that could be used instead, and Kanani with her long hair is very tempting.
Not yet sold on the Addy face mold, but it would be cute to have one of each, and I'd probably rank the Sonali mold the same way, on the list but maybe later.
I love the Josefina mold, and was originally keenest on Julie the 60's hippy girl (have you seen her VW, its gorgeous), her long straight blonde hair her dark eyes, I think it was Julie who set my mind on that face mold.  Rebecca Rubin of the wavy hair, Nellie and her strawberry blonde short hair, Josefina with hair darker skin, and then there was Marisol...
I kept forgetting about her as she is retired, Marisol Luna Girl of the Year 2005.