Lorifina

I first saw the Lorifina doll, by Hasbro, in 2011, while viewing this YouTube video .  After that, I searched for any reference to her all over the internet and was disappointed when I found out that she was a discontinued doll.

I continued to search for photos of her and wished and wanted.  On one of my searches early in 2012, I came across a remark that someone had made that a lot of the dolls and accessories were showing up in Texas and that they were seen at Goodwill stores and on ebay.

I took a chance and searched Amazon, not really expecting to see her there, but got the shock of my life when I found her listed by two marketplace sellers, for under US$60.00 each!  I immediately ordered the light skin tone (ivory) doll.  When she arrived, I found her  to be so gorgeous and so sturdily built,  that I decided to order the tan (bronze) one from the other seller.  I wanted, at least one, with a black wig, unfortunately they both came with blonde wigs.

I received quite a few accessories with the dolls.  They both wore the same top and shorts and blonde wig.  They both came with a top, a black fuzzy wrap and a pair of silver jeans (with some lovely detail), red shoes and metallic boots.

 

Check out the detail.  The button actually works!

I've been able to add these to my collection, from sellers on ioffer and ebay:

 

 

Doll Sewing Book - The First Maid Costume -DollfieDream-

Hobby Link Japan offered this book for pre-order in February this year.

I placed my order and waited patiently for advice of shipment, which came on the 2nd of April.  Tracking indicated that it left Tokyo on Thursday 4th April, and arrived in country, passed through customs and was being held at our national mail centre on Thursday 11th April.

On Sunday 14th April, I found out that a burst pipe had flooded the mail centre on Thursday 11th, but I did not even think about my magazine at the time.  On Monday 15th, I got my notice to collect and went to the usual postal outlet, only to be told that the package was not there and that I had to go to the mail centre to collect it as it was affected by the flood.

I played out many scenarios in my head about compensation for my damaged book, and what if I couldn't get a replacement. 

I wasn't able to get to the mail centre until the 18th.  This is what the box looked like:

Fortunately, the magazine was in a plastic bag, in a plastic bag - so no damage whatsoever!  Thank you Hobby Link Japan!

Patterns and instructions by Sawako Araki

The book is also available from:

• AmiAmi

• Mimiwoo

Click here to see photos of pages on Pinterest