Doll Stuff, For Once

Well now, I'm posting about doll stuff. I...honestly wasn't expecting that.

For those who haven't seen it, Doll Diaries posted a lot of photos from the soft opening of the new American Girl store in Columbus, over here:

http://dolldiaries.com/more-new-ag-items-at-columbus-store/

I live about 2 hours away from Columbus, so I've obviously been looking forward to the store opening. And some of the new stuff? I am dangerously close to having a SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY moment, and I honestly can't remember the last time I had that reaction to an AG release. SCIENCE KIT. BENTO LUNCH. GREY STRIPE HOODIE. Robin wants it ALL. :D

I'm just about ready to walk into AG Columbus and walk out without a doll, which is a thing that seemed unthinkable a year ago. The truth is, I'm at a point where AG is my lowest priority when it comes to fun-money spending (costumes are #1 right now, lol), and I'm quickly running out of space for new dolls. (I really want to get another shelf up on the wall, so the Small Dolls can have their own space, Team Historical can be properly displayed, and I can rotate the dolls in the Team Modern display.) Right now, it seems like a far better idea to just get accessories and clothes!

 In costume news, the Rapunzel dress is frighteningly close to finished:



 

 That was last Friday night, the moment of truth. I had just basted the underdress bodice to the skirt, and was trying the whole thing on to see how it fit. I about cried with relief when it fit, and it felt MAGNIFICENT. The skirt is slightly on the long side (it hits just above my ankles rather than mid-calf), but it is huge and swirly and I may have been doing pirouettes in the middle of the Dollcave just to see it fan out around me.

 (Look, man. 25 YEARS I have been wanting a Proper Disney Princess dress. The closest I got was a frankly hideous version of Belle's blue village dress when I was 9, made by my well-meaning but not-pop-culture-savvy grandmother. I am making up for that in spades!)

I have two tasks left: finishing the grommets on the underdress, and dyeing and attaching the lace appliques that will go down either side of the center skirt panel and around the hem. A lot of people actually embroider those designs (by HAND, aagggh), but a) I do not embroider, or at least not well, and b) I don't have access to an embroidery machine, so I am relying on quick fixes. In this case, a metric ton of floral appliques and Venice lace! After this, it's making the crown, finishing the frying pan, and getting my hair cut into a proper Spoiler Rapunzel style. :D

One last thing - I entered Pullip Rapunzel into The Doll Wardrobe's Reader Submission Giveaway Contest, so be on the lookout for her entry!