Introducing...

...Hazel Mei Nari Rhee, a name that represents her Korean and Chinese heritage and her Mama's love of trees and the outdoors, though her family usually calls her Mei or Mei-Mei.

I'm going to do a short bio for now, but am working on writing out a more detailed one that I'll post soon. I'm also working on finding the poor girl a wardrobe of her own, since she's reduced to borrowing clothes for now. At least she has her own glasses. 

Age: 9

Birthday: December, 7, 2007

Family: Mama, Mommy, Bo (2 year old brother), Mommy's parents, & her Mama's parents all live within just a couple of blocks from one another.

Location: Colorado.

Pets: 2 English Bulldogs.

Nationality: 1/2 Korean, 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Caucasian

Favorite Animal: Panda. Mama and Nainai (grandmother on her Mama's side) adopted/sponsored a baby panda in her name after the huge earthquake that destroyed its home at the Wolong Panda Center in China in May of 2008. Mei has a stuffed panda representing her "brother" and hopes to one day travel to China to actually meet him. Her second favorite animal is the otter.

Favorite Book: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, though Order of the Phoenix is a very close second. 

Favorite Colors: Orange and purple, followed closely by blue. 

Favorite American Girl: Her Bitty Baby, Eleanor-Ri (named after her only aunt who she adores) has slept with her since she got her on her 1st birthday, but her favorite historical character is Melody, who was her first 18 inch doll that she got at her release last August. 

Hogwarts House: Obviously she won't know for sure until she's 11, but she feels strongly that she'll be a Hufflepuff. She relates a lot with famous Puff, Newt Scamander, and his desire to save and preserve at risk creatures. 

Random Fact: She recently cut her hair, because she thought it would make her look more "grown-up". She's not sure she likes it, but everyone else tells her how cute it is. 

I'll add more as I figure it out, and I'll be sure to post a detailed bio ASAP.

~Mrs. D 

The Risk of Shopping While Drinking

On Sunday, while watching the Oscars and sipping on a margarita, I casually placed a bid for a doll with a Jess mold and a hair cut that was ending soon thinking that she would end up going for well over what I was willing to pay. Imagine my surprise when she didn't and I found myself the owner of my first ever Jess mold and only modern doll of my own besides Gabriela. (My children have a couple of modern dolls, but Gabriela was my first. I tend to gravitate towards historicals.)

Now Gabriela comes with her own story, just like my historicals, and I love her story, but suddenly I had the opportunity to create a story all on my own for a doll, and looking at the two blurry eBay pictures I had of her were enough to create a spark about who she would be. The spark quickly turned into a flame, the flame a fire, and by last night I could confidently list off her parents, grandparents, great granparents and their countries of origin. (I don't do things half way!)

The new girl's eBay photos!

I was expecting her to take a few days, but we did stop by the AG store yesterday to pick out some glasses, because I knew she would need them to read all of her favorite books. Mr. D helped me by seeking out all of the glasses and a Jess mold in the store so we could try them on and pick the ones that fit best. I thought I had another couple of days to find her first outfit, but a battered box arrived today, and she's here!

She was tossed in with no padding and is a little loose, but it looks like my Jess mold is actually a Jess doll, though that will not be her name. Her hair cut is only a tad crooked, but it looks cute on her, and I will even it up until I decide what to do with her. I'd probably keep it actually, except that it looks like there was some damage done, possibly with heat, towards the front. If I can't easily fix it I will have to get her a new wig at some point, but that is in the future. For right now she's changed into some loaned clothes until she gets an outfit of her own, her hair is brushed, and she was very happy to find her glasses here already. She has a hard time seeing without them.

Of course, now I get to experience photographing her with a lense glare, which isn't something I have to deal with for any of the other girls. She's worth it though. I am quite smitten, and she's getting to know Gabby.

We had Tenney's shirt tucked away from the release, and I actually think it looks cute on her, but I would love it it I could figure out a way to remove Tenney's name without damaging the shirt. Any ideas are welcome.

I will do a full introduction when I have fleshed out and finalized her bio, but I wanted to share her right away! I'm actually really excited. I always thought I'd be the strictly historical collector, but I am very much enjoying this idea of creating my own modern girl! 

 

~Mrs. D