Stay tuned at the new Gazette for some exciting events! There is a big Wool Show coming up with lots of photos and events, so stay tuned!
Showing posts with label General News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label General News. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Islandshire Gazette is Moving to Weebly
We're very excited to announce that the Islandshire Gazette is moving to Weebly.com. This will allow for a lot more organizing of photos, since we'll have the capability to include Photo Slideshows, Photo Galleries and multiple pages. If you subscribe to our blog here, please just check out the new link and subscribe to our new blog. These old entries will stay available at this address and are accessible through the new site as well.
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Father's Day Fun - Boys' Camping Trip
I don't know what a lot of other Dads did on Father's Day, but our Pop decided that some of the boy dolls should go camping and fishing. It was pouring rain here, so he turned a corner of the Living Room into a camping haven for Henry and Eloy.
They pitched a pup tent, made a camp fire, set up a camp stove, opened a picnic basket . . . and ate! Can you tell that these boys like to eat? It was a veritable feast! Even the pups got in on the fun.
Of course, they had to have a full camping breakfast, complete with pancakes, orange juice and cinnamon rolls. Henry and Eloy really have the camping stove down, so they can make just about anything you want to eat.
Even the dogs will tell you the everything is totally delicious!
By the afternoon, the boys wanted to go fishing. They pulled out their rods, and guess who was at the stream with all of his fly-fishing gear? Eliot! So, the three chaps were able to spend some fun time together -- even if they didn't catch any fish.
Then . . . night fell. It was time to light up the fire and sing a few camp songs. It's a good thing that the boys brought their guitars along!
By now, everybody was pretty sleepy -- the end of another great day on Islandshire. All in all, this was some really great Father's Day fun!
 |
| Eloy and Henry relaxing around the camp fire. |
Click any photos to enlarge.
Of course, they had to have a full camping breakfast, complete with pancakes, orange juice and cinnamon rolls. Henry and Eloy really have the camping stove down, so they can make just about anything you want to eat.
Even the dogs will tell you the everything is totally delicious!
By the afternoon, the boys wanted to go fishing. They pulled out their rods, and guess who was at the stream with all of his fly-fishing gear? Eliot! So, the three chaps were able to spend some fun time together -- even if they didn't catch any fish.
Click on any photos to enlarge.
Then . . . night fell. It was time to light up the fire and sing a few camp songs. It's a good thing that the boys brought their guitars along!
By now, everybody was pretty sleepy -- the end of another great day on Islandshire. All in all, this was some really great Father's Day fun!
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Part 8: June 2019 Release - Bowling Alley
And here we are at the last pictures from the new release --- the Truly Me Bowling Alley set! 10 Stars for this very welcome playset!
In fact, this set SO impressed my Mom that she asked to write the whole review herself . . . so, the following is written entirely by her. She had been watching for Maryellen's Diner for ages, planning on getting that as her "big item" for her dolls. But read the following to find out why she changed her mind. :)
-----------------------------------------
I went to the store on debut day, after 30 minutes at home of staring at every small piece of this bowling set on the AG website, and was sure I’d find a really junky $$$ set. Boy, was I wrong! Walked in through the door, and the first display was 6-8 feet from the door. Looked at it (without halting my walk), ran my hand over the alley portion and pushed on the pins, and asked the nearby employee to have one brought from the warehouse and held behind the counter for us.
Everything about this set (and it’s all plastic) is high-class quality that you don’t often find in Mattel products. The colors are appealing and will suit both girl and boy dolls. (Let’s get the only negligible drawback out of the way – the alley is in one piece and doesn’t come apart. Be prepared to make room for 45" of fantastic AG fun.)
Once you insert your 4 AA batteries, the little screen on the front actually keeps score. No kidding. You can choose a 1- or 2-player mode. All of the switches are on top of the unit, near the back, but they’re quite inconspicuous and feel sturdy. You set your play mode and adjust the volume of the background crowd noises (no kidding, they thought of almost everything on this set) and start bowling. The wood part of the lane is molded plastic in those colors/designs, NOT the paper that I expected.
The balls are bigger than I expected and fit the dolls perfectly (same size as the old bowling set). Nicer this way, with the removable plastic handle for them to hold it, than the old magnetic glove which deteriorated and/or went missing over time.. If you’re careful removing and inserting the plastic ball handles, they should last a good long time, too (thicker and sturdier than I expected). You roll the ball (which rolls very easily and smoothly) and may or may not knock down the pins. You don’t get a strike every time. It appeared that the pins were separated in three sections (left, center and right). If you hit just one of the sides, you get a second turn. If you hit the center, they all go down.
[The video above is a quick one that my sister and I took showing the bowling action on the display model. The ball doesn't come all the way back in this movie, but it did every other time . . . it just happened that the video that worked is this one. This is a cool set!]
The countertop is super nice and could be easily used for other playtime. There is a little microwave/convection oven in the back for heating the pretzels and making the popcorn. The popcorn containers are the same 2-piece ones that came with the discontinued 18" popcorn machine and the current Wellie popcorn stand. The nacho dips with the pretzels are unique and very nice. The check-in monitor with the reversible slide-in cardstock screen has a detachable card reader and reusable game card to use in it. (Very nice, and this is definitely going to be used at Bunty’s fiber show and in my Needlecraft store.)
The shoes get an A+ for design and construction. They’re adorable! The t-shirts are nice (not too small), but I felt that the boy looked a bit “girly” in the purple design and won’t be using them on my boy bowlers. AG should offer the t-shirts and shoes as an add-on set (or include them in the $10 line) for those of us who would like to have full leagues.
I can see myself needing a second alley later. It’s just the eternal question of where to store it. I’ll be working on this. BTW – My grandparents were huge league bowlers in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I spent every Friday night running around the alley and falling asleep on the back benches. When the ‘70s approached, I joined my own league and spent every Friday night at the lane. Bowling and eating French fries. In fact, the only thing missing from this are the French fries and the hand dryer. Ah, well, it’s hard to add to near-perfection. Methinks this set will appeal to everyone with a Maryellen, Melody or Julie doll. Wish I could give it 10 stars!
------------------------------
A couple more quick notes here . . . now that Mom has been able to tell you all about this really cool set!
The box is large, but it's not very heavy. It fit into the trunk of our Chrysler 200 very well. The store put some stick-on handles on the box for us, and my sister and I had no trouble walking it to the parking garage.
As far as the batteries go in this thing . . . I would recommend investing in a set or two or rechargeable "Eneloop" battery sets. I've used them for years for cameras, and they hold a charge, last a long time, and are quite affordable. It'll definitely save $$ on this set, because once you play with this thing once, you won't be able to stop! Here's a link to the batteries as seen on Amazon: Eneloop Batteries and Charger
Hope this helps, and have fun figuring out what items you need to order!
In fact, this set SO impressed my Mom that she asked to write the whole review herself . . . so, the following is written entirely by her. She had been watching for Maryellen's Diner for ages, planning on getting that as her "big item" for her dolls. But read the following to find out why she changed her mind. :)
-----------------------------------------
I went to the store on debut day, after 30 minutes at home of staring at every small piece of this bowling set on the AG website, and was sure I’d find a really junky $$$ set. Boy, was I wrong! Walked in through the door, and the first display was 6-8 feet from the door. Looked at it (without halting my walk), ran my hand over the alley portion and pushed on the pins, and asked the nearby employee to have one brought from the warehouse and held behind the counter for us.
Everything about this set (and it’s all plastic) is high-class quality that you don’t often find in Mattel products. The colors are appealing and will suit both girl and boy dolls. (Let’s get the only negligible drawback out of the way – the alley is in one piece and doesn’t come apart. Be prepared to make room for 45" of fantastic AG fun.)
Click any photos to enlarge.
Once you insert your 4 AA batteries, the little screen on the front actually keeps score. No kidding. You can choose a 1- or 2-player mode. All of the switches are on top of the unit, near the back, but they’re quite inconspicuous and feel sturdy. You set your play mode and adjust the volume of the background crowd noises (no kidding, they thought of almost everything on this set) and start bowling. The wood part of the lane is molded plastic in those colors/designs, NOT the paper that I expected.
Click on any photos to enlarge.
The balls are bigger than I expected and fit the dolls perfectly (same size as the old bowling set). Nicer this way, with the removable plastic handle for them to hold it, than the old magnetic glove which deteriorated and/or went missing over time.. If you’re careful removing and inserting the plastic ball handles, they should last a good long time, too (thicker and sturdier than I expected). You roll the ball (which rolls very easily and smoothly) and may or may not knock down the pins. You don’t get a strike every time. It appeared that the pins were separated in three sections (left, center and right). If you hit just one of the sides, you get a second turn. If you hit the center, they all go down.
The countertop is super nice and could be easily used for other playtime. There is a little microwave/convection oven in the back for heating the pretzels and making the popcorn. The popcorn containers are the same 2-piece ones that came with the discontinued 18" popcorn machine and the current Wellie popcorn stand. The nacho dips with the pretzels are unique and very nice. The check-in monitor with the reversible slide-in cardstock screen has a detachable card reader and reusable game card to use in it. (Very nice, and this is definitely going to be used at Bunty’s fiber show and in my Needlecraft store.)
Click any photos to enlarge.
The shoes get an A+ for design and construction. They’re adorable! The t-shirts are nice (not too small), but I felt that the boy looked a bit “girly” in the purple design and won’t be using them on my boy bowlers. AG should offer the t-shirts and shoes as an add-on set (or include them in the $10 line) for those of us who would like to have full leagues.
Click any photos to enlarge.
I can see myself needing a second alley later. It’s just the eternal question of where to store it. I’ll be working on this. BTW – My grandparents were huge league bowlers in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I spent every Friday night running around the alley and falling asleep on the back benches. When the ‘70s approached, I joined my own league and spent every Friday night at the lane. Bowling and eating French fries. In fact, the only thing missing from this are the French fries and the hand dryer. Ah, well, it’s hard to add to near-perfection. Methinks this set will appeal to everyone with a Maryellen, Melody or Julie doll. Wish I could give it 10 stars!
------------------------------
A couple more quick notes here . . . now that Mom has been able to tell you all about this really cool set!
The box is large, but it's not very heavy. It fit into the trunk of our Chrysler 200 very well. The store put some stick-on handles on the box for us, and my sister and I had no trouble walking it to the parking garage.
As far as the batteries go in this thing . . . I would recommend investing in a set or two or rechargeable "Eneloop" battery sets. I've used them for years for cameras, and they hold a charge, last a long time, and are quite affordable. It'll definitely save $$ on this set, because once you play with this thing once, you won't be able to stop! Here's a link to the batteries as seen on Amazon: Eneloop Batteries and Charger
Hope this helps, and have fun figuring out what items you need to order!
Part 7: June 2019 Release - Hockey Set
Approaching the end of the photos from the new release. Only the Bowling Alley to go after this . . .
This entry is going to discuss the ALL STAR HOCKEY SET released as a Truly Me set.
Our first inkling that this set was coming out was actually on Monday night. We found the sneak-peak video released on YouTube and were very thrilled. The pieces looked so cute (never modeled on a doll), and I had visions of using this for my doll, George. In fact, by yesterday morning (when we were able to see the set online) both my sister and I felt like we wanted this! So, we went into the store prepared to buy TWO of these Hockey Sets on debut day. We left with a bowling alley instead.
The outfit is realistic enough as far as hockey players go. The colors are appealing, and the design is a great addition for the boy dolls. If you don’t interact with it or stand too close, it’s a nice idea. Get close, though, and . . . oof. All-around reminiscent of Target pieces. If this had been priced in the $55 range, you could have made excuses for the poor quality of it and given it credit for originality in design. At $75, it has little to recommend it.
The helmet is quite small and looked silly on the longer wig of the #60 doll on display at the store but fine on the #74. (It would not fit on a #77 without ruining his hairdo.) It’s made of that shiny, thin plastic that you find on OG stuff.
The “body armor” was made of that really cheap velour kind of fabric that you find in a car headliner. The plastic of the rest of the protective gear is low quality, and the hockey stick isn’t much better. (Comes with a roll of tape for the hockey stick. You can only hope that the kids don’t get a hold of the tape before the parents watch the video that AG has on their website showing you how to wrap the stick. Hope the parents know to watch the video before the kids are allowed to open the set.)
The gear bag is really cheap and flimsy. Okay, so what’s that leave? Oh, yeah. The skates and goal. The skates remind you of the original Kirsten’s meet boots. They weigh nothing and feel like a sort of cheap combination of foam and vinyl. They're more like something homemade from a cheap pattern than nice AG skates from other sets. Enough said.
The goal was the worst part, I think. The net looks like it was made from shredded pop bottles which were stretched too thin. The frame is the thinnest, cheapest plastic you find on OG pieces.
Overall, this is a very junky set. Even if you really want a Hockey set, the price tag on this is over the top for such terrible quality. This really does look like a poor offering from Target or a place like that. Little lasting play value here, in our opinion. Shame, too. The boys need something nice to play with, and this offered great possibility. It was quite deflating, since we'd gotten so excited and planned on buying two of them.
On to a happier review . . . the Bowling Alley.
This entry is going to discuss the ALL STAR HOCKEY SET released as a Truly Me set.
Our first inkling that this set was coming out was actually on Monday night. We found the sneak-peak video released on YouTube and were very thrilled. The pieces looked so cute (never modeled on a doll), and I had visions of using this for my doll, George. In fact, by yesterday morning (when we were able to see the set online) both my sister and I felt like we wanted this! So, we went into the store prepared to buy TWO of these Hockey Sets on debut day. We left with a bowling alley instead.
The outfit is realistic enough as far as hockey players go. The colors are appealing, and the design is a great addition for the boy dolls. If you don’t interact with it or stand too close, it’s a nice idea. Get close, though, and . . . oof. All-around reminiscent of Target pieces. If this had been priced in the $55 range, you could have made excuses for the poor quality of it and given it credit for originality in design. At $75, it has little to recommend it.
Click any photos to enlarge.
The helmet is quite small and looked silly on the longer wig of the #60 doll on display at the store but fine on the #74. (It would not fit on a #77 without ruining his hairdo.) It’s made of that shiny, thin plastic that you find on OG stuff.
The “body armor” was made of that really cheap velour kind of fabric that you find in a car headliner. The plastic of the rest of the protective gear is low quality, and the hockey stick isn’t much better. (Comes with a roll of tape for the hockey stick. You can only hope that the kids don’t get a hold of the tape before the parents watch the video that AG has on their website showing you how to wrap the stick. Hope the parents know to watch the video before the kids are allowed to open the set.)
The gear bag is really cheap and flimsy. Okay, so what’s that leave? Oh, yeah. The skates and goal. The skates remind you of the original Kirsten’s meet boots. They weigh nothing and feel like a sort of cheap combination of foam and vinyl. They're more like something homemade from a cheap pattern than nice AG skates from other sets. Enough said.
Click any photos to enlarge.
The goal was the worst part, I think. The net looks like it was made from shredded pop bottles which were stretched too thin. The frame is the thinnest, cheapest plastic you find on OG pieces.
Overall, this is a very junky set. Even if you really want a Hockey set, the price tag on this is over the top for such terrible quality. This really does look like a poor offering from Target or a place like that. Little lasting play value here, in our opinion. Shame, too. The boys need something nice to play with, and this offered great possibility. It was quite deflating, since we'd gotten so excited and planned on buying two of them.
On to a happier review . . . the Bowling Alley.
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