Over the weekend we visited The Toy Shoppe (see our recap here) and of course, we did not come home empty-handed. We added another doll to our collection – a Sonja Hartmann Kidz ‘ n Cats 18″ slim body doll named Galina. The Kidz ‘n Cats dolls come in a wide variety of faces, hair color, and personalities – and there are even boys (the Doll Wardrobe have two on the way). There were some I really did not care for, but Natalie and I just loved Galina – primarily because of her toothy grin. We like happy dolls. The other one I really like is Laura, but she is not available until March.

Galina has long auburn hair that is a side part with peek-a-boo bangs. She has the most amazing eye lashes but her eyes do not open and close. She comes with a cat – we named him Franco – who has a semi-matching denim outfit with white furry collar and a sassy little beret.

This is a better picture of those amazing eyes!

Galina’s hair is very long and smooth which makes it easy to work with. Her meet outfit includes her undies & cami, t-shirt, shorts, tights, boots, a belt (not shown), headband (also not shown) and her furry jacket. Honestly, I am not overwhelmed by her clothes – they are not the quality of fabric and ease of dressing that we have become accustomed to with American Girl, Maplelea, Carpatina and other brands.

The good news is that Galina and our Carpatina Slim Body 18″ doll Erin are very similar in size! The big difference is that the Kidz ‘n Cats dolls are articulated which means they bend at the wrists, elbows and knees as well as the hips, shoulders and head like the Carpatina dolls do. The Kidz ‘n Cats feet are also bigger than the Carpatina feet. Anyhow, Erin was so happy that Galina brought her this super cute ballet set. The set was on sale for $29 and included two ballet outfits, one pair of tights, leg warmers, and two pairs of shoes. The leotard fits Erin, but it is every so slightly short in the torso on her, so she borrowed the purply wrap from the retired American Girl ice skating outfit and it looks perfect!

Erin was so happy to finally get to practice her ballet moves. It’s a good thing McKenna’s bar works well as a ballet barre, too!

Erin and Galina are great friends already and as a thank you for bringing her the new ballet clothes, Erin offered to let Galina wear her Carpatina Afternoon Stroll outfit.

Erin thinks that Galina looks MUCH better now and I have to agree. The only thing is that Galina’s feet are pretty big so she couldn’t wear the Carpatina shoes, but Chrissa’s shoes  fit just fine and match the outfit, too. Galina wanted to go for a little ride on the scooter while Erin went back to ballet class.

On her scooter ride, Galina came across Kit who was happy to welcome her to the doll room.

Galina introduced Kit to her crazy cat Franco. And off they went to introduce Franco to the rest of the pets.

So, what do you think of our new girl? I think she will fit in just fine and will have plenty of adventure with her new friends.

You can get Kidz ‘n Cats dolls in the US through stores like The Toy Shoppe, other Madame Alexander retailers and even Amazon.

I am really loving that Natalie’s swim meets have been in fun places recently and have given us the opportunity to take in some extra doll goodness along with her swim. If you remember, a few weeks ago we ended up at the American Girl store at Tysons after one of her meets and Saturday we realized that The Toy Shoppe was only 15 minutes from the pool she was at.  The Toy Shoppe is a unique store that is owned by award winning doll retailers Danny and Barrie Shapiro and their family since 1975. Their store has collectible dolls and bears for every age and price range – from less than $50 to well into the thousands of dollars. However, that is not what makes The Toy Shoppe special – it is the incredible collection of dolls they select for their customers that is what sets them apart. They don’t work with just any doll maker or artist – they are very selective.

When we arrived at The Toy Shoppe we were greeted by Kathy who welcomed us and instantly made us feel at home. She gave us the basic overview of the store and showed us the Gallery. The dolls in the gallery are so special and so expensive that I know for a fact I will never own one, but they were simply amazing to look at. Some were very life-like and others somewhat artistic and abstract, some you wanted to just scoop up and others Natalie thought were a little creepy, but that is the thing about dolls – their appeal is so individualized and there is something for everyone.

This is a Paddington Bear by R. John Wright that was made in 2000. He is 15″ tall and fully poseable. I have loved Paddington ever since I was a child and this has to be one of the most divine Paddington Bear’s I have seen yet. Most of R. John Wright’s creations are inspired by popular children’s books, illustrations and stories. They are licensed and R. John Wright goes to extreme lengths to capture every last detail in his work.

The Toy Shoppe carries quite a bit of Madame Alexander – from the play doll line up to the most collectible items. I just had to take a picture of the Madame Alexander Wizard of Oz dolls as Natalie just got the miniature versions of these from Aunt Kay last week.

Some of the Madame Alexander Cissy dolls including A Dark Dream Cissy, Envy Cissy and Simply Irresistible Cissy – and of course, an 18″ Favorite Friends doll, too. While Natalie and I were checking out the Madame Alexander’s and the Steiff bears, we met Dana. Dana manages The Toy Shoppe Facebook page and I had left her a note the day before saying we would be down to visit. She was so much fun to talk to and so knowledgeable as well.

We continued to make our way around the store – completely overwhelmed by the diversity of dolls, bears and plush animals – as well as the incredible talent that went into making so many of the dolls. This photo shows that diversity.

Barrie, one of the stores owners, also came out to talk with us and show us around the store. This is a photo of a small piece of Barrie’s desk. Her entire office was DOLLS, DOLL, BEARS, DOLLS, and more, you guessed it, DOLLS. I’m not sure I could work in there – I’d want to play all day, but it did actually inspire me to look at my own desk and how I can rearrange things to showcase more of my own growing collection and have all those sweet little faces keeping me company all day.

Barrie introduced me to the dolls of Helen Kish. This is High Flying Raven, a 14″ ball jointed doll with 13 points of articulation. I just fell in love with this doll – especially her face, but Helen’s version of the aviator outfit on her is just adorable. High Flying Raven is $340, which is a bit out of my price range for the time being, but it is nice to know that The Toy Shoppe can do payment plans in case there is a doll you just have to add to your collection.

Barrie showed us more of the R. John Wright collection and they are truly lifelike renditions of the original – possibly even better. This is Alice in Wonderland. She is not the Disney-fied cartoony version, rather more like the original artist drawings. Every detail – down to the stripes in her socks – are created with care. Isn’t she something?

I forgot to get the name of this lifesize cutie – but she is just another example of what I mean by there is something for everyone at The Toy Shoppe.

The Toy Shoppe carries play dolls too – from the Adora 4 Ever Friends line to the jr. collector line by Sonja Hartmann called Kidz’nCats. This is Tinka from the Kidz’nCats line. They are 18″ slim body dolls very similar to the Carpatina slim body line. They have gorgeous facial features, including the longest eyelashes ever. The Carpatina slim body dolls can move their heads as well as their arms and legs, but the Kidz’nCats dolls are articulated so they can bend in many more places. We fell in love with one of Tinka’s friends – Galina – and brought her home. We will be doing a post just on Galina with some great side by sides of the other 18″ dolls, too.

You can see more photos from our visit on the DollDiaries Facebook page.

I would like to thank Barrie, Danny, Dana and especially Kathy (as she and Natalie did quite a bit of doll talk on their own) for such a warm welcome and tour of their gem of a store! I look forward to our next visit!

I just finished reading a really interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, Attack of the Tall Dolls – Toy Companies Make Them Bigger to Keep Girls Playing With Them Longer, that talks about how the various toy companies are making dolls taller in attempt to help girls see their dolls more as companions and therefore play with them longer. As a phenomenon called “age compression” continues to occur with our society, what were activities generally enjoyed by 9-11 year olds are now the hits among 7-9 year olds. Girls are giving up baby dolls sooner – often by 7 – and hair styles, fashion and dolls with common interests are winning out with the 7-11 set.

So, what are the hot 18″ doll lines for girls ages 6-11 this Christmas?

	American Girl continues to lead the pack when it comes to “companion” dolls with its line of 18″ dolls that are meant to be a girls’ best friend. Their line of historical dolls and books are also popular with girls and Moms, alike. At $95 each, they are definitely pricey, but the dolls are high quality and can easily become keepsakes. American Girl released its online world, InnerstarU this summer as another way to keep today’s plugged in girls interested in their dolls a little longer. American Girl dolls are only available at AmericanGirl.com or at one of the nine American Girl stores.
	Best Friends Club, Ink dolls were introduced last fall, were a huge seller for Christmas 2009 and I fully expect the line to be a big seller again this holiday season! The BFC, Ink dolls are 18″ tall, have realistic eyes, bendable knees, wear contemporary clothes and come with a journal and a second outfit – all for a very affordable $40 (approx.) price tag. You can find the Best Friends Club dolls at major retailers such as Walmart and Target, but Amazon seems to have the most complete selection of the dolls and their accessories. (click for complete BFC collection at Amazon)
	Journey Girls, a new line of 18″ dolls from Toys R Us, features four different dolls each with different talents who like to do different things. Callie, Meredith, Alana and Taryn are the four different soft-bodied dolls. There is a line of clothes and accessories that is available for each doll as well.
	Disney’s attempt to keep doll fans playing with its products longer is its new line of Princess and Me 18″ dolls featuring its five most popular princesses – Tiana, Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella and Belle. Each doll retails for about $50 and comes with an exclusive Disney Princess and Me magazine filled with a full-color photos, princess tips, princess quiz and royal ideas and an honorary princess certificate, plus additional accessories. The dolls are available through the Disney Store and you can purchase the Disney Princess and Me dolls through Amazon, too.
	The Kahn Lancaster Lucas group has introduced a line of 18″ dolls along with a line of doll and matching girl sized outfits. The dolls are manufactured by the legendary Alexander Co. and the dolls look very similar to the Favorite Friend line they had last year. The Dollie & Me dolls can be purchased at Sears.com (or in stores) and the line of matching doll and girl dresses can be found at Kohls and Amazon.
	Maplelea Girls are a line of 18″ dolls inspired by the girls of Canada. The collection of five dolls representing the girls from the various Canadian regions are high quality, 18? vinyl play dolls. Taryn, Brianne, Alexi, Jenna and Léonie. Maplelea dolls also have a complete line of furniture, clothes and accessories that go with the girls. You can read our complete review of the Maplelea Girl dolls here.

Other doll lines that are expected to be popular this holiday season also include:

• Moxie Teenz (14″ dolls)
• Barbie Fashionistas (11″ dolls)
• Karito Kids Giving Girls (21″ dolls)
• My Twinn The Just Like Me Doll: www.mytwinn.com (21″ dolls)

Someone emailed me asking if the Alice in Wonderland Madame Alexander dolls were going to be featured next in McDonald’s Happy Meals, and I am glad to say… YES! I am not sure of the exact dates, but if you go to HappyMeal.com, you can see that along with Batman, the Madame Alexander dolls are next – right after the Littlest Pet Shop ones.

Did you know that the Madame Alexander doll headquarters is still in Harlem, NY and you can take a tour of the 600 doll Heritage Gallery (also referred to as the museum), have a birthday party there , view their design process, and visit the company store??? I wish I would have known about this when we visited New York a few years ago. And, it will definitely be on my itinerary the next time we are in New York.

Just in time for its 87th birthday, the Madame Alexander website has just be re-launched. It is not only a great resource for collectors, but it has an online store and contains all the information you need for booking a tour, birthday party or getting the latest company news.

Some interesting Madame Alexander doll facts:

• Beatrice Alexander Behrman founded the Alexander Doll Co. out of her kitchen in 1923.
• Her father, Maurice, founded what is believed to be America’s first doll hospital on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
• The Madame Alexander doll partnerships with Fifth Avenue toy retailer FAO Schwarz began in 1923  and it’s partnership with Walt Disney started in 1933.
• In 1940s, Madame Alexander dolls were the first dolls with “sleep” eyes that open and close.
• Over 6,500+ Madame Alexander dolls have been produced with only a few different face molds – the dolls originality lies in the various costumes.

Sources: The Making of a Madame Alexander Doll,  MadameAlexander.com, Doll Reference

Some of my favorite Madame Alexander dolls that are available now are:

Madame Alexander Itty Bitty Birthday Girl – Blonde 8-inch Doll My First Baby Flower Doll 12" by Madame Alexander Madame Alexander Fashion Doll With Poodle: Poodle-Licious Madame Alexander My First Christmas With Lenox Doll Madame Alexander Holiday Parade Ballerina 8-inch Doll Madame Alexander On Top Of Spaghetti 8-inch Doll Madame Alexander Fly Me To The Moon 8-inch Doll Madeline with Genevieve 8" by Madame Alexander Madame Alexander Littlest Chef 8-inch Doll Madame Alexander Friends Forever 8-inch Doll Madame Alexander Graduation Day – Redhead 8-inch Doll Madame Alexander Ireland 8-inch Doll