Advent Calendar, Day Twenty Four!

 Christmas Eve already???

This December seems to have gone by faster than usual. Maybe that's the hazard of getting older and having more to do in December than just count down to Christmas. I still have some things left to do, I got some prep work done for dinner tomorrow, but nothing too hazardous. 

Today's door is a rather large one at the top of the calendar:

 

We open it to find...

 

A sled! How cute!

 It also has a better place to put our wreaths! Although, it does leave us with an empty spot on the tree. (I know, can never make me happy). Overall, I really liked this calendar, I really hope Mattel does another one next year. Thank you all for joining me for it.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!  

Advent Calendar, Day Twenty Three!

 Hello Dear Readers, 

 Christmas is just around the corner! Today it really hit me that we have just one more day left of our calendar! Eek!

Today's door is a medium sized door: 

 We open it to find...

 A reindeer! 

 

It's a cute little tan reindeer. Very cute and a nice addition to our Mini Barbieland Christmas scene.

See everyone tomorrow! 

Advent Calendar, Day Twenty Two!

 I braved town again today. I needed to do some Amazon returns and decided to do it before Christmas in the hopes of avoiding the rush. I got a present from them yesterday, but it was the wrong item. I ordered a book on military history and got a book about a Russian painter. The replacement won't be coming until after Christmas, but at least the return is out of my hands and off of my mind.

 Today's door is a medium sized door:

 

We open it to find...

 

Our second wreath. 

 

Now that we've filled up the front of our tree, this is the only thing on the back of the tree. I feel like a bit of a Scrooge for keep complaining about the calendar, but I wish we got more ornaments to decorate the tree with. It looks so odd with empty holes, but right now we have just one thing for the back. While I'm complaining, I wish the wreaths had spots to go elsewhere in the set. A wreath on a tree just feels odd to me. 

Anyway, see everyone tomorrow.  

Advent Calendar, Day Twenty One!

Hello Dear Readers,

Christmas is just around the corner! I'm waiting for one of the last presents today. I have another one that hasn't even made it into the country, so I think that one won't be coming until well after Christmas. *Sigh*

 

Onto our door. Today's door is a medium sized door with a pretty cute picture of Ken on it:

 

We open it to find....

 

A pink present! I still think it's a bit oversized compared to the rest of Mini Barbieland stuff, but it works well for a small present for Barbie sized dolls. I added it to the front of the tree with the other presents and a few other toys we got in this calendar. I'm still not sure if that's an actual bear or a teddy bear. Either way someone is getting a surprise for Christmas!

See everyone tomorrow!
 

Advnt Calendar, Day Twenty!

 Hello Dear Readers, 

 

Got some fun goodies for me in the mail today. I'm still trying to be better about spending, but Christmas sales have gotten me weak, especially the ones Mattel have been doing. Hopefully those stop in the new year, my wallet can't afford much more of it!

 Anyway, today's door is a medium sized one:

 

We open it to find...

 

Another mini-figure! Our last one in the set. She's really cute. Again I will say I wish these were based off of real fashions. 

 

There's an issue with this particular figure where she's not able to fit into any of the heart shape spots on the playsets. I think she's not fitting on the posts. I tried her in every single spot on the front of the Holiday House (where the other figures fit on) and each time she'd pop right off and never stay. I guess she gets to be a free standing character.  

See everyone tomorrow! 

Advent Calendar, Day Nineteen!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 I braved the great outdoors again today. I needed to go back to Five Below (for totally selfish reasons) and wanted to go in the hopes that the item I wanted was still in stock. Online it said it wasn't, but I was hopeful that wasn't accurate. I really wanted to go today since tomorrow is the first day of the last weekend before Christmas, eek! 

 Today's door is another little tiny one:

 Inside we find....

 Bows! And with that, we've filled up the front of the Christmas tree:

 I did have to move around some of the ornaments to get them to hang properly. Those balls are a bit tricky, I wish they were flat on the back so they'd sit closer to the tree. It's cute, but I'm not totally sure about hanging a wreath on a tree. It just feels odd.

 Anyway, let me show you what I braved Five Below for. They sell these sets called Teeny Tinies. Their quality is mixed, but they're small sets and some of the pieces are Barbie sized. They usually do a holiday meal themed set that I buy, but they didn't do one this year. When I went the other day I picked up a set called Dessert Display. I got it for the desserts, but I realized when I got home it had the cutest little dessert shelf with it. And I decided that shelf would be perfect for displaying my Barbie accessories. Since I've started collecting more Mattel made vintage pieces I've struggled on how to display accessories. I don't have a good way to display them with the outfits, but this way I can nicely display some of my accessories in a nice way. The problem is, I only bought one when I needed at least two. They were showing out of stock online, but I found more of them hiding away in the display. I bought three more.  

 This is a quick thrown together display of some of the pieces I already had on display. Before I had these on little vintage wooden tables that I had, but I think I'll be able to get both tables onto one display. I put paper on the shelves to go between the shelves and the accessories. Everything is hard plastic so I think it would be fine, but if I can avoid melting that's what I want to do. Isn't it cute???

Advent Calendar, Day Eighteen!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 Today flew by! I spent most of the day sorting out a computer issue. I think I figured out the issue, but have no idea how to fix it, but that will have to wait for another day. I did purchase my last Christmas present today, I really need to get my act together and wrap what I have already, but my motivation has vanished. Hopefully I find it again soon. 

Anyway, today's door we have a very small door:

 

We open it to find...

 

Some letter! These are tiny tiny. They have little clips that I think are supposed to clip to the doll's hands. No picture of this because they don't clip on very well and one of them popped off a hand and almost fell into the abyss. I put them in a bag for storage. I wish we got some place to store these little bits in the calendar. Sadly they can't fit in the mailbox for storage because it doesn't open in the front and the back is totally open so they'd just fall out. 

 See everyone tomorrow! 

Advent Calendar, Day Seventeen!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 Today was a quiet day, took a little break from working on eBay, but tomorrow I'll get back on it. I need to work harder and clear out some of the clutter. I did have a Buy it Now the other day, so have a tiny bit more space, but keep buying more! I am working on it though. 

Anyway, today's door is a medium sized door:

 

We open it to find....

 

A mailbox! Little bit unexpected but it is cute. There's some slots next to the Holiday House that it goes into. There's also an opening for a doll to slot into in front of it so they can send off their Holiday letters. 

 

Ken was the first to try it: 

"Dear Santa, Please send me shoulder articulation."

 See everyone tomorrow!

Advent Calendar, Day Sixteen!

 Dear Readers,

 Yesterday I was super productive.... today I have yet to find that same motivation. I had a pretty tossing and turning night. I woke up with the top sheet under me and around my shoulders. Yikes! Hopefully I get my act together and get things done. I need to pull it together! My first present is coming today, which also includes several goodies for me! (I've been very good this year).  

Onto our Calendar. Today's door is a rather large one (exciting!):

 

We open it to find...

 

A Gingerbread House!

 

This is so cute! It's a very festive and Barbie themed Gingerbread house.

Here's the inside:

 Just like the first house it's unpainted inside and has that weird little shelf detail. I guess it's giving it some furniture without giving it actual furniture? It's very cute, but only has one spot outside for a figure to click into. I wish we had more spots for them to stand in, I keep knocking them over! We are due for a Christmas display refresh, but I'm not sure if I'll get to it tomorrow, but you all will be the first to know when I do.

See everyone tomorrow! 

Advent Calendar, Day Fifteen!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 I braved the cold yesterday afternoon to get a smaller present for my father, I also took the opportunity to hit up some stores on the slim chance that I'd find Deluxe Style Chase Midge waiting for me, but twas not meant to be. The stores were pretty well picked clean so I don't think they got much new stock since the last time I was there. I did find an American Girl doll at one of the stores and I was very tempted by her, but I decided I didn't really want her (and the price wasn't that great), so I left her there for someone else to get for Christmas. They also had some accessories that I left. I did get a serviceable present for my father, but will keep my eyes open in case I find something better, I still have some time to look. 

Anyway, today's door is a medium sized door on the calendar:

We open it to find...

 

Ken! Our first Ken in the Christmas village! Again, I wish their clothes were based off on real fashions. I want that gingerbread sweater. He has to free stand because there isn't a free slot for him to click into. Another comment on the calendar, I wish we had more places for the dolls to go. We've filled up the spots for the Holiday house, so I wish we had more places to lock them in. I have lots of stuff balanced, but keep knocking things over when trying to put them up for display.

"A may-on!"

I think we're going to have to do a redo of the display. We're rapidly running out of space especially since...

 

We have a new addition! Yesterday at Five Below (do not recommend going on the weekends if you can avoid it, it was a mad house) I found some smaller Mini Barbieland sets. I especially wanted this one because that Barbie street sign is *adorable*. She also comes with a car, but no room to put it on the display currently. I got two other sets today, at two dollars each I couldn't resist, and I have another house coming in the mail, but I think that's the end of the Mini Barbieland collection. I still want the Holiday Box set, but it hasn't dropped low enough especially when the biggest part of it is the Ski Chalet which I already have. We shall see, I'm trying to curb my spending but if it goes on sale, I could be easily tempted.

See everyone tomorrow!  

Advent Calendar, Day Fourteen!

 Hello Dear Readers, 

 I bought a few Christmas presents yesterday, so just a few more to go. My Father is being the hold out for presents, but I still have some time to decide what to get him. I have faith that I'll find something well before the holidays and shipping windows. 

Today's door is a rather large one that's very tall:

We open it to find:

 

A light post! It's very Christmassy, feels like it belongs here in the winter Mini Barbieland (although I wish it had a hole where we could put the wreath on.)

See everyone tomorrow! 

 

Advent Calendar, Day Thirteen!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 Day thirteen already! I made my goal of getting all of the presents for my sister and her family wrapped and they are currently are on their way to them. Now I need to focus on things for the family I live with. I have a few things already and some planned ideas, but need to get my act together and actually get that finished. But first, our door!

 Today's door is a little one all the way in the corner of the calendar:

 We open it to find....

 A little train engine. 

 It's cute but ... kind of random. I like the calendar overall and I know they need to make it a certain way to make it affordable, but some of these days are so lackluster. I just wish if they were going to give us an undecorated plastic piece we'd get more. I don't want to make it feel like I don't like it, I do I really do. I just feel slightly let down on some days when we're just getting pinhead sized pieces of plastic and that's it. 

Not to be a Grinch, lol. See everyone tomorrow! 

Advent Calendar, Day Twelve!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 Bit more productive yesterday, but spent the afternoon resting, but wasn't able to do much sleeping. I'm a lot better compared to Wednesday, but I'm still really tired and not back to normal. This thing kinda hits hard, then slowly eases off. 

Anyway today's door is a medium sized door.

 

We open it to find...

 

...more candy canes in a far too large for them door. 

 Here they are on the tree:

 

 Only have to more spots left on the front of the tree. Looking forward to having it filled! See everyone tomorrow!

Advent Calendar, Day Eleven!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 Feeling a tiny bit better today (can keep food down) and working on getting what I need to get done done so I can get back to bed. That includes our daily Calendar Countdown. I did manage to buy a doll today, I'm not *that* sick. 

Today's door is a medium sized tall one (with some bonus cat hair)... 

 We open it to find.... 

 

Candy canes! Can't have Barbie brand candy canes without a pink one, it's required. 

 Our tree is really filling up! Four more spots left to fill on the front. I plan on shuffling the ornament around, but will have to be careful so the holes don't get blocked. 

See everyone tomorrow! 

Advent Calendar, Day Ten!

 Sorry for this being late, I'm super sick. I spent all of yesterday sleeping and when I wasn't sleeping, I was trying to get back to sleep. I have had this thing before, so I just need to rest and ride it out. The one time I went to the doctor over it they said it was just "allergies" and sent me on my unmerry way. So I'm riding it out, as usual. 

 

Anyway, today's door is a long but short one: 

We open it to find...

 

Some Christmas ornament!

 

 Our tree is starting to get decorated! Honestly, these are a little unwieldy and hard to put on. They don't slot in all the way because of the rounded backs, I wish they were flatter so they would fit in better like the bows.

 See everyone tomorrow!  

Advent Calendar, Day Nine!

 Hello Dear Readers,

 I am mostly done with my Christmas cards. I have one I need to hunt down the address for and two I need to ask someone for the addresses for. The rest of them all done and ready to go out into the mailbox. I also started my wrapping yesterday. I got the presents for my niece and nephew wrapped and boxed up. Now to do the ones for my sister and brother-in-law and the early stuff will be done. Progress! 

Our door today is this teeny tiny one at the bottom: 

Putting the mini in Mini Barbieland

 We open it to reveal....

 Two teeny tiny plastic bows. We have more decorations for our tree! I'm so glad we got the tree first because otherwise I promise I would have lost these. They are so so small. Luckily Mattel put tape on top of them to keep them in place in the box and when the tape came off it took the bows out of the plastic because otherwise they'd still be in there. They went immediately to the tree: 

 See everyone tomorrow!