Liv doll Hayden & House Set

It seems quite by accident really, I've come into a new obsession, a new pastime - well I guess you can call it a new hobby. It combines problem solving with creativity which of both I like. I bought yet another doll house yesterday at Toys R Us. Hubby took me there to pick out a Barbie related item as a gift since I now have a Barbie shop at Etsy. Of course I ended up in the clearance aisle eventually and saw something I'd never seen before - only at Toys R Us. It's a Liv Hayden & House set.

I'd heard of Liv dolls before 'cause I knew some sew and sell clothes for them at Etsy, but I still didn't know much about the doll. In my research I discovered that these dolls have/wear wigs. Now come to think of it why isn't there a Wendy Williams' doll then? Anyway, I'm getting off track. No wonder I thought Hayden's hair looked a bit like a helmet. But, now I know that's fixable by buying her a new wig which is usually $10 or under on Ebay.

I also discovered that these dolls are no longer being made. So, you probably can find them, this house and their accessories really cheap if you're lucky. Will they be worth something in the long run? I don't know...But, then I think of the original Blythe doll that no one wanted to buy back in the 70s and that doll is now highly collectable along with the new ones being made and all are expensive too. And, the new ones are also expensive and collectable.

A funny thing that I learned while researching this particular Liv doll is that she's a vegetarian and an animal lover which I am too except I do eat fish. It's a match made in doll heaven I think/thought. I have to say after taking her out of the box I wasn't as impressed as I thought I might be with her.

Sure, she can be posed in all kind of positions, but she also falls down into all kinds of positions too. I hold her up and she's falls either forward or backward. I'd like to see the joints a bit more stiff instead of so loose. I've seen other dolls too though with the same problem. Since she came holding a mint, coffee cup in her right hand, well that hand looks a bit funny like she's trying to give some kind of an alien hand gesture/wave or something. And, it's permanent position/condition she and I will have to live with. I see no other Liv doll has such a "defect". But, in the end, I figure once I get her two, new wigs that I purchased at Ebay she'll at least look like she has real hair and not a hair helmet. I finally decided her hair helmet wig looks better with the ponytail shifted to the back.

Mostly, what attracted me to the set was the price ($25 vs. the original price of $45) and the fact I'd never seen it before and of course the house. I love doll houses. Getting a doll was just a bonus. Well, the picture on the box doesn't exactly match what's inside. All the pieces are there, but not in scale to what the box shows. Like for instance, the bed is REALLY low so the side of the spread/blanket just lays on the floor. But, I solved that by hot gluing 4 really large beads to the end of each bed leg. At least she can now sit on the bed properly.

These are huge beads I bought really cheap, but never knew what to make with them except maybe a Wilma Flintstone choker necklace which I really didn't need or want. If you keep something long enough you'll find a use for it; that's my motto. Once, I did that and trimmed the top and bottom of the spread with some pinking shears it looks really cool and works. (Note - When putting things away I knocked the bed to the floor and two of the beads popped off the bed legs - Ugh, so I'll have to hot glue them back on. I probably should have just used a strong glue like E-6000 in the first place.)

I'm also not a fan of some stickers that are provided to go inside the house like the large desk in the bedroom. So, I left it off. I'd rather find some interesting 3 D furnishings and wall items, maybe some pictures. I think I'll also cover the counter top with some contact paper or some scrap book paper for more interest. Now, the kitchen is pretty cool in this house with all doors opening for storage and fun. The muffin tin filled with non-removable muffins does seem a bit out of scale though compared to the doll and other accessories included for the kitchen, ie., a copper pot for the stove, eggs and milk, a coffee cup, pitcher, plate and a fork, knife and spoon - 10+ accessories.

Another disappointment is that in the pics on the box she's shorter than the house, but in reality she's a bit taller than the house. To me, that's a big minus. Oh, and getting back to the kitchen she can't really pour any coffee into her mug 'cause there's no bottom in the pot, it's hollow!

With all the flaws I think it was still a good deal as there are some positives since I got the set so cheap, but I still LOVE my retro "Totally Real" Barbie doll house with all of its real sounds the best. But, I like a challenge or two so I'll be working further on Hayden's House trying to improve it and her as well. Did I also mention that on the box she has a braid in her hair, but once again that's not a reality where the actual doll is concerned. I'm beginning to see why this line of dolls is being discontinued. Although I've read that the "Totally Real" Barbie house that I love so much didn't sell either. I don't think it was fancy enough or pink enough to interest little girls of today which I think is a shame.

Oh, and if anyone ever makes fun of me for "playing with dolls" I can legitimately use the excuse, "It's great practice for photographing my items for sale in my Etsy shops." Here's some pics...I also added a few extra accessories from Barbie and some other dolls.  Be sure to click on a pic for a detailed view of it.

 

 

 

 

 

Why is it that cats love doll houses so much!

1.Twilight singing - Who's that lady?...

 

2.I like her, I want her and she's mine!

 

3. I want to live with Hayden!