Doll-A-Day 287: Hearts for Hearts Girl Surjan and a Trip to the American Girl Store

    You may have noticed there was no Skipper on Skipper Saturday.That's because yesterday was a REALLY busy day. Ivy's birthday was on Thursday, but since she was so busy with the play we put off her real celebration until yesterday so she would have time to shop, and eat out at the restaurant of her choice. Ivy always chooses The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant, which is about an hour out of town, in Columbus. So we got up super early and were at the shopping center before it even opened. There were several places she wanted to shop. Luckily, one of them was the Barnes and Noble, and it was already open. She did her shopping, and picked out some presents she wanted, then at lunch time we went to The Melting Pot. The fondue there is good, but there's not a lot of it, unless you want to spend a fortune on fondue. Ken and Fuzz always complain that they starve to death when we eat at The Melting Pot. Actually, I got kind of full yesterday, and all I ate was some fondue with bread and vegetables and half a salad. Of course, those two glasses of Pepsi might have helped...
  While we were at the shopping center I discovered that there is now an American Girl store there. Right before we left, while people split off into bathroom breaks and quick runs off by themselves to grab certain things, I thought I would check out the American Girl store to see what it's like.It's huge for one thing. Not that you could see much of the store, since it was covered by people. I never saw a store so busy when it wasn't even Christmas shopping season. The place was packed.It was barely navigate-able, but I managed to get a quick look at all the stuff on display. The dolls are a lot prettier than the older American Girls. I was never that interested in American Girls, but I could be persuaded to own one of these. I like the realistic glowy skin tone on most of the dolls.My favourites were #61, and another doll that had the same shade of red hair, only a shorter style, and she had freckles. I think the perfect choice, if I were picking one of the dolls, would be #61 with freckles. I also really liked Kit, and the mini dolls. I think $25 is a ridiculous price for a tiny doll like that though.In fact, everything in the store was very expensive. I know all that about, 'but they're heirlooms that can be passed down'. That's all well and good, if you can afford them in the first place. Those prices are crazy. Their clothes cost as much or more than real, kid sized clothes. There were some amazing doll sized things, (I love the ice cream parlor!), and if I was a gazillionaire I might have them all. But I'd have to be a gazillionaire.Cool as it is, who can afford to spend  $350 on a doll sized Volkswagon? (And call me a nit picker, but for that price the doors should open.)I'm glad my kids never got into American Girl stuff, because I would have had to sorely disappoint them. There's no way we could have bought them such expensive stuff unless they didn't want much for Christmas.(You get a doll and 2 outfits, and that's your whole Christmas.Anything else you wanted: forget it. )
  While we're on the subject of the American Girl store, let me just say that we are very well located for all kinds of things, living near Columbus, Ohio. Columbus is a test market for a lot of things, since it's supposed to be the perfect average American city. We get a lot of products here that other people don't get because they are being test marketed, and if they don't make it here, they may not be sold elsewhere. That includes foods, and all sorts of products. Unfortunately it also means you may find something you're crazy about, and then never find it again, because it was only a test item. We also get a lot of stores that only other really big cities have, like American Girl, and the Disney Store. We live in a small town,with no book store,no music store, and no toy store, but we are less than an hour from a Disney Store and a Barnes and Noble, and within an hour from the American Girl store, several Tuesday Morning stores, Toys R Us, several Targets, several Barnes and Nobles,and loads of other stuff. (As Ken would be sure to point out, there are also lots of different good restaurants within an hour from here.)
  After we left that shopping center Ivy's next stop was Target. We did some shopping there, but had to be back in time for Ivy to perform for the second night of the high school production of Les Miserables.

...which they performed on the stage of the beautiful Palace Theatre here in town.(Yes, this is really inside. It's just made to look like he outside of a building. The ceiling is painted and inset with tiny lights, to look like a night sky.)

We got to see her that night, which is what I did the rest of the evening.

Ivy in front, just right of center, in between the girl with the white thing on her head, and the girl in black.She made her skirt and one for another girl in the play.

I have to say this was the most over all talented cast of any musical I have seen the school do since I have been attending these things when Emma started acting in them. (For the record, Fuzz appeared in them too.) All these kids could sing very well, and they were mostly pretty good actors too.

Taking  bows and curtsies. Ivy in the same place as above.

 Ivy has been so tired while working on the play. She's relieved it's over,but she learned to really like the songs during all this. She hated them when she started.
And,while we were at Target I found these:

Hearts for Hearts Girls Surjan on the left, and Zelia on the right.
They're very different head molds.

I have only seen Zelia in a store once, and I passed her up. This time I wasn't making that mistake again.I have never seen Surjan anywhere. She's new, so I don't know how available she'll be eventually, but right now she's hard to find. In an effort to pay for my Zelia I bought Surjan. I'll let her go and hope she pays for my Zelia.In the meantime, I thought there might be an interest in seeing her, since she's so new. So she's today's doll.

  Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls are characters from different countries around the world. The characters are from poor areas and have some pretty depressing stories for play dolls. Surjan is a rescued slave!

The Hearts for Hearts Girls' boxes have been changed. The new style has a clear front with no flap. The old style box had a flap with a big picture of the doll. Here's Dell's box for comparison.

The sides and back of the boxes are also different from Dell's.

As you can see, Surjan's box has had some rough treatment. The doll is perfect though.

Surjan is supposed to be from Nepal.

She has green eyes, like Ivy's: 'with brown in the middle'.Her skin tone is warm and realistic.

She has earrings, a nose ring, and a necklace.

She has a simple, but pretty dress, and pink sandals. 

"$1 of the purchase price from each doll is donated to World Vision, a humanitarian organization that helps girls like Surjan."

The Hearts for Hearts Girls are 14" tall.

They are only jointed at the neck, shoulders, and hips, but their heads can tilt slightly.Their arms can lift away from their sides as well as move up and down.Their legs can spread out a little, but not as much as their arms. They can stand on their own if they are balanced carefully.

Each doll comes with a bracelet for her new owner, and a comb. Their hair is silky and easy to comb and doesn't tangle easily. They are tied into their boxes with only thread and some paper twine wrapped around a couple of plastic pieces that lock the twine so it can't pull back through and will hold the doll tightly. They are very easy to remove from their boxes. You can see these details in my review of Dell HERE.

 Later this week I'll be reviewing Zelia.
See you again tomorrow.

Doll-A-Day 166: Review of Hearts For Hearts Girls Dell

  Today's doll is a review. I debated reviewing Dell because she has been out so long. But then I figured there are still people out there who haven't decided to buy her yet who might appreciate it, so why not?
  It's the Hearts for Hearts Girls doll, Dell.

Here she is in her box. I've had her for a while but I hadn't opened her yet.

  All of the Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls come from a different part of the world.

The back of Dell's box. These are the first 6 dolls in the Hearts for Hearts line, unless I'm mistaken.

Dell is supposed to come from the Appalachian Mountains in the United States.The Appalachians are a huge range of mountains,extending almost 2000 miles, from Newfoundland in Canada, along the eastern seaboard of the United States and all the way to central Alabama.

Her box has a flap that opens to reveal a plastic window for viewing Dell in her box.There are a few tape circles that peel up easily and the insert slides right out.

Dell's accessories include her 'Dell' booklet, 'written' by her,a comb,a bracelet for her owner to wear,and a code that allows you to enter the Hearts for Hearts Girls website.

There are a couple of paper ties holding the plastic insert to the cardboard backing, but they untie very easily. No scissors needed!

Is it just me, or do these plastic things holding the string in place look like bunnies carrying something?

Once the plastic insert is free from the cardboard all you have to do is flip it over and remove more of the easily untied paper strings, and cut a thread in a couple of places. I had to be very careful not to cut any hair, so kids might require a bit of help here.

I was very pleased to see that these were twisted paper strings, rather than those stupid plastic ties. They were so much easier to remove, and, even better, less plastic!

She's so cute! I chose Dell because I love her fair skin tone, blush, and freckles.

Dell writes songs and plays the guitar. One of the other Dell dolls came with a doll sized guitar.

Dells  booklet and the bracelet were held in by  plastic straps, but were easy to remove.

Her shirt and shorts close in the back with Velcro. Her shoes slip on and off. I don't see her bracelets being easy to remove.

Out of her box Dell still has her hat attached to her head with thread. More careful cutting to avoid cutting her hair. Her earrings are made in two pieces, a peg, and the actual earring. They come out easily and aren't connected, so it's very easy to lose the peg. Also, little ones might swallow the tiny pieces, so that's something to think about when buying the doll  for a child.

Her inset eyes are a beautiful shade of blue, and I love her realistic mouth.

Once her hat was removed, Dell decided to try it on different ways.

The blush across her cheeks and nose makes it look like she has a slight sunburn.

   With the hat off Dell seems to have a very thin place in her hair.

Here's how she looked without her hat before I caved to the temptation to let her hair down:

It's very silky hair. It feels so smooth, and is a joy to comb. It doesn't seem to tangle easily either, which is great for a play doll, and very little fell out when it was combed. (And that could have just been because it was her first combing. There's always a little loose hair on a new doll.)

 I love her cute shoes. They look just like real ones you can buy for kids.

 
Dell  even tried the bracelet on as a necklace for a bit.Her choker necklace isn't removeable unless you cut it off.

I decided to remove her earrings to make her look more like an old fashioned little girl. She's a bit of a Tomboy.

Her head is a little big. It can tilt up and down or lean to the side.

She had fun just playing around the 'farm'.(Ok. It's my yard, and it's in town. Just pretend, can't you?!)

Hanging around the old barn...

She had a little trouble standing up without support. Her limbs seem a bit loose too. I'm not sure if this is normal, or just my doll.

Climbing trees...

Her arms can extend outward, as well as move up and down.

Although I love her skin tone and her flesh looking vinyl, it seemed to pick up dirt so easily. Just from touching this tree she had a mark on her fingers. It came off fairly easily, thank goodness.

walking a narrow beam...

Ok, it's a chair arm...Her legs can extend outward,like her arms.

They can also turn inward or outward, for cute poses like this.

...picking mulberries.Yum!

And the young walnuts smell sooo good!

Thanks Dell, but those pears aren't ripe yet.

I cheated here and held her hands together with a clear rubber band.

No thank you.

Noooo!!!

Using that rubber band again.

  I think these dolls would be great for little girls. They are so pretty,poseable,and teach their owners about people from other countries.And some of the profits from the sale of the dolls goes to World Vision, a charity that helps people all over the world. I think without the earrings she could be fine for younger kids. The clothes are cute, but simple, and easy to get on and off. Other outfits are available separately.(I bought Lillian's Belarus nightgown, even though I bought Dell, just because I liked it so much.) The price of the dolls is not bad. I paid $22 for my Dell at Meijer. I'm tempted to get more of these dolls, but our Target stores don't carry them anymore, and Meijer seems to be phasing them out too. My next choice would be Zelia, from Brazil. She has red hair and brown eyes,which is a hard to find combination, and of interest to me because Fuzz and I have the same combo.

  So, do I recommend her? Yes.

 UPDATE: You may want to check out my reviews of Hearts for Hearts dolls Zelia and Surjan.
Until next time...