I don't go into the Goodwill very often these days. I used to check weekly - this was in the beginning stages of my Build a Bear collecting and I was crazed with seeing who I could find. I did find a LOT of them. But since I have been trying to limit my - what I like to call - gathering tendency, I've been limiting both the Goodwill and the Flea Markets. I do occasionally go and have a look around. When I went on the particular day that I am writing about, I didn't really see the point in going. I was just getting over the flu and it was the last stop before going home, which is all I wanted to do at this point. But we went ahead and ran in to see what we could find.
The first thing that caught my attention was the stack of vintage looking dolls on the top shelf above where they have those massive Barbie containers. (Barbies have been a continual strike out for awhile there lately.) I picked up 3 dolls, 2 of which looked the same in the face and heights (around 15"), but slightly different bodies. The third doll was 17", and honestly, her face actually creeped me out when I first picked her up. There was something uncanny about her. All 3 of those dolls looked familiar, but I couldn't place who they were. They all had that hair growing mech (which still worked on all 3 dolls.) I didn't have my phone with me to google who they were, so I just put them back. I also found a 12" Tressy. I was so excited! I had been wanting a Tressy. Her hair growing mech did not work, and the spot on her back was a little broken, but the rest of her looked fantastic.
Next, I selected a 14" Bellows Anne Madame Alexander doll from the late 80's. She was in very good shape and seemed to have all of her outfit pieces. I'm a sucker for vintage Madame A dolls, but I have to be very choosey as I really don't have much more room for dolls.
Going through the check out was quick and once I was back in the car, I googled those dolls that I had left behind. The taller doll is Ideal Chrissy's friend Kerry (priced at $4.29.)The shorter dolls were 2 different releases of cousin Velvet ($3.29 each.) Once I realized who they were, we had to turn around so I could go get them! I figured it would be really quick, just run in, grab the dolls and then head home.
As luck would have it, the line was long and the one cashier was having computer problems with the register so I stood there for what felt like absolutely forever until they finally called another employee to come up and open up another register. It probably wasn't as bad as it felt, but you know how being stuck in a long unmoving check out line can feel.
I was so pleased with my new dolls. The Velvet with the jointed waist is the Movin' Groovin' release and the other one is just the standard original release. They are all in pretty darn good shape. The Velvets both has some hair trimming in the front, but Kerry's hair is pretty much perfect. They all cleaned up very nicely and are presently waiting on me to feel like making them something to wear. I do need to buy some appropriate sized stands for them as they could pitch off the wall shelf at any moment, even if they look look to be fairly stable.
Tressy and my new Madame A are presently waiting for me to feel like cleaning them up. I went ahead and stuck them on my doll shelves, which I really didn't want to do until I cleaned them up. But. They needed to go somewhere to be safe away from my determined curious furballs.
Here's pics of the day's acquisitions (pre clean up):
