Pastelprism's Shopee Online Shop

Activities to keep adults busy are never-ending. 

Since I stopped working, I had to focus on the payment center business that we opened as well as paying attention to the setting up of our condo unit that was recently turned-over to us. These things have kept me busy even during the weekends that I don't get to play with my dolls, not even to check them out nor arrange them. 

However the past few days I have managed to slip-in some time to check them out and gather few that are duplicates and that I am no longer interested in keeping. I have set up a Shopee online account several months ago and would upload items every now and then. Pacing was slow, though. But at the start of the week, I was able to upload more items. As of the moment I have more than 100 items for sale on the said account.

I still can't do full blast, though, but it's better than not being able to do so. I still  have so much items to sort and sell. 

I also love the idea of getting moolah out of these toys and at the same time make other collectors happy as the stuff I have might be the ones that they have been looking for the longest time.

Please drop by my Shopee account. As of this time, shopping can only be done within my country, the Philippines, but I am considering being able to sell internationally perhaps through eBay. I just need to learn more about shipping internationally.

I know I haven't gotten much readers, but to you who's reading and perhaps also following, thank you very much.

Here is the link for my Shopee:

https://shopee.ph/pastelprism

Ciao! 😊

Pastel as of November 2018

Haven't written for a while again. But just to update you, I am not longer working and now manning the business that Doc M and I opened. We do not have a clerk yet as the previous one has resigned, so I am the one doing the task. At the same time, I have become active with my online selling through Shopee where I try to sell my dolls that are duplicates, and other toys that I am ready to part with and no longer plan to keep. 

I have lied-low in terms of purchasing preloved dolls online. Shipping has become expensive, and oftentimes higher than the items I buy. I also need to slow down with my spending, given that I am no longer employed, and doesn't have consistent moolah supply unlike when I was still working. I have gotten back to purchasing from stores from the malls. I am also standing by for the sales that shall be happening in the next few weeks.

Hopefully I'd also be able to focus with my blogging and be able to write more often. I have so many new dolls and toys that I can post in this page and they will surely add so much flavor in this blog. 

That's it for now. I am closing the shop in few minutes. Ciao!

Wednesday Doll Thoughts

It's lunch time. I am at the office, still with so much stuff in my head. At one corner I would like to let go of my passion for dolls as it is somehow overwhelming, but at the other corner tells otherwise.

Doll-collecting is not a cheap hobby in the first place. At my age of late 30’s, I am supposed to be focusing already on my future funds like retirement. I should already be cutting unnecessary purchases, which dolls mostly fall under and just get my basic needs.

It is, however, uneasy.

I have written from my previous blogs that I have tried to abstain from doll-collecting, which I thought I was successful as I have managed to turn my glance away from toy stores. Little did I know that staying “sober” was just for few years. The Monster High Doll collection had re-hit the “addiction button” and sooner I realized that I am back to the hobby.

It was back with a vengeance!

I have now considered other dolls like babies, toddlers, 18-inches, vintage, Japanese, etc, and these are bigger dolls. My storage space issue has actually increased. The bigger dolls require bigger spaces compared to the ones that are Barbie-sized.

I have started selling my duplicates. I am tempted to sell the others. The thought of making money out of these dolls is exciting, but something whispers that I might regret letting them go afterwards.

To sum it all up, I am back to zero. No progress whatsoever. Melancholic.

How can a source of happiness be also a source of distress? Ironic.

My Latest eBay US Haul & Shipping Cart Experience

Since I restarted my doll-collecting hobby, my passion has become more varied in terms of the types of dolls I acquire. If previously I was only collecting Barbie and dolls that were presently available in the market at a certain span of time, I was not into acquiring dolls that are second hand and from previous eras. Bigger dolls have also tapped my interest.

The availability of online platforms like FB Marketplace, Shopee, eBay PH and Lazada has opened doors of opportunities to venture into different dolls, but as the The Greatest Showman song goes… they will ‘never be enough’.

A day in May of 2018, I tried scanning eBay US site for dolls that I’ve learned about, but weren’t available in the local online marketplaces.

I was JUST curious.

I initially I searched for the 18” Madame Alexander dolls, and finally have gotten other types as well like Sekiguchi, Lissi, Barbie, etc.

I signed up for a Shipping Cart account several months ago, but was never serious about using it and it was just a matter of ‘just-in-case’.

After several dolls that have gotten my attention, I have thought ordering, pay through PayPal, and send it to my Shipping Cart US address.

Process was easy breezy! It was encouraging!

From eBay, I get to track the status of the items I bought. Once the status becomes “shipped”, I will then receive an email from my Yahoo (the address that I registered in SC) advising that they have received my package. Then I will have to wait for about a day in order for my item be available in my ‘cart’, together with photos. This will already have option to ship to my registered delivery/home address. There is a 30-day allowance for them to store my stuff, which gives time to consolidate items that I ordered from other sellers. I was encouraged to order more, thinking that I’d save on shipping costs that way.

If only I have budgets for all the dolls I want!

When I reached about 13 dolls ordered, I have decided to stop and proceed with the shipping to my home address as I reached my target shipping cost.

I proceeded with checking out the 13 dolls and I chose the Sea Cargo as it is much cheaper. I didn’t mind waiting for 30 days or so in getting my dolls. Days melt so fast lately anyway.

Wait, wait, waited….

I check the Shipping Cart website every now and then for the status. What’s good about them is that they give updates as to where my items are. Of course once they say that it’s already sailing, I can’t expect any other update until it reaches the port.

Having such an update page has given me peace of mind. Being under LBC, which is a big local logistics company, has also added to the confidence factor of seeing the items I ordered. I just had to wait.

My expected delivery date was July 20^th, but the box came earlier on July 14^th, which I really appreciate. It was also delivered right at the doorstep of my deliver address. I didn’t have to worry about finding time to visit the post office, and most of all, I didn’t have to worry about being charged exorbitant amount for taxes. What I paid for already covered them all.

When it arrived, I was out of town and only retrieved the box on a Monday, July 16^th. Since it’s so special, I didn’t want to open it right away but wanted to record, edit and put up in YouTube my “box opening” video.

The dolls had to wait in the box for 2 days more as I was always getting home late, tired and sleepy.

Finally, the evening has come!

Seeing a huge box was overwhelming and even with just the thought of unboxing them was heavenly! More so with the actual unboxing process!

Without further ado, here are the newest dolls in the Pastelprism world!

The 13 dolls came in a huge box!

Magic Attic Doll
She is adorable! All vinyl, but no longer available in the market.

My Beautiful Doll
She truly is a beautiful doll!

Lissi Doll

Madame Alexander Doll

Madame Alexander Doll

Madame Alexander Doll

Princess & Me Doll
by Jakks Pacific

FibreCraft Doll

Sekiguchi Doll
Her body and legs are made of plush.

Effanbee Cissy Doll

CPK Bethany Mae Porcelain Doll
by Danbury Mint

Barbie Fashionista and Liberty Barbie Dolls

What I Have Been Up To... Dolls Galore!

Hi there!

I tendered my resignation from my job during the last week of May and today, June 12^th is supposed to be my last day. However, I was asked by the company HR to stay and I have agreed to extend until the end of August 2018. I cannot stay longer that date as it will certainly mean pushing back more of my plans.

Doc M and I are setting up a business. As of this writing, we are almost complete with the documents, which by the way were a pain to accomplish, and we are just at the final preparation for our proposed store opening on July 24^th, Tuesday.

In addition, we already have planned trips on September in Singapore (for his birthday) and one in December (Davao) to attend a seminar that is a required for our business. There is a certain service that we will not be able to offer until we are done with the said seminar.

Anyway, so much of my blabbering about personal stuff that are not dolls and toys-related. So after laying out my future plans, part of it is being able to focus on my hobby, which is toys and doll-collecting.

Lately I have been so engrossed in acquiring second hand dolls from online sellers. It’s overwhelming on the number of used, quality dolls in the local online market. I even have joined several Facebook groups, both international and local, that focus on doll collecting. Joining these groups has tapped my curiousity in finding out more about dolls throughout the years and I did not expect that there are a lot. Literally a lot! It also have encouraged me to collect more and more dolls.

You see, I started with Barbie dolls, then bought the ones that are available in the market. I used to prefer buying brand new ones with little bit of used ones.

Now, I have several vintage dolls already that goes as far as the 50’s I think. I am surprised on how these dolls have survived over the years, but thinking about their age and what they have gone through somehow gives me the creeps with the possibility of these old dolls being haunted. The thoughts, though, do not stop me from getting these dolls.

My storage problem, which I have mentioned several times over my previous blogs has not been resolved but actually have gotten worst. Our family house has been literally turned into one big dollhouse, with dolls all over the place. My mom’s console table situated at our entrance door is now filled with dolls, one of our sofas is gone on sight as it’s covered with dolls, my dad’s bar has several Barbie dolls on stands, half of my room space is occupied by dolls in boxes, my parent’s room also has dolls, and I won’t even mention the rooms at the second floor of the house plus the attic, but I guess at this point you are now getting the picture.

The addiction is not stopping and I am even now involved in trying to restore dolls. Lately I find joy in cleaning up the dolls and gives me sense of accomplishment when they have been finished – all cleaned, fixed and dressed up. I will be creating another blog entry with regards to how I clean up my dolls.

Going back to my decision to resign, one reason as well is wanting to dedicate days to clean up my clutter, which includes dolls and toys that I am no longer interested in keeping. I have started selling online, but it’s a struggle to have consistent sales. Add to that is the annoyance coming from buyers who are persistent in getting my dolls for almost free. I definitely want to earn money from these dolls.

I also would like to have time to fix them once and for all and perhaps even set up sort of a museum where I can showcase my collection. If the said ‘museum’ pushes through, I am thinking of placing in one of my dad’s houses outside the city. I have plans already, but execution is another story. My other option is fixing our attic.

I also want to travel more, and write my experiences through blogs. Besides exploring new places, my search for dolls is always in the itinerary. That holds true during my recent trips in Taiwan. The first time we went in September 2017, I hoarded Licca dolls and fashions, which required me to add baggage allowance, just to be able to bring them home. The most recent one in May of 2018, I bought a DC Wonder Woman doll, a You & Me talking doll, and 2 Mell Chan dolls, which I find rather expensive.

That’s about it so far I guess. I haven’t written for a long time so this entry somehow gives a summary of what I have been up to the past days that I was silent.

I wish to draw more readers to my blog, which obviously requires consistent entries, and be able to interact to others who also appreciate my passion of doll-collecting. Wishes do come true!

Till next! Ciao!

In the meantime, I am sharing with you the set of dolls that I have acquired the past few months.

A Productive Weekend Plus American Doll

It's Monday, start of the Holy Week. It's quite slow as a lot has already started their vacation leaves. I am working until Wednesday as I have filed my leaves during the 3rd week of April, my birthday week. Family is scheduled for a Vietnam trip.

My Saturday and Sunday was productive as I was able to finish off cleaning most of my adopted dolls from the past weeks. Approximately about 15 dolls, combination of big and small dolls. As of this writing, I left them at the windowsill to air dry.

It's an accomplishment really, as I have been wanting to clean them before letting them join my other dolls.

Since they are second hands, I have to be sure as most of them weren't from original owners. One doll actually had a stain on the shoulder, which seemed to me like a blood stain. Some, especially dolls that are semi-plush had mixed stains, which I am thinking might be pee from the kid who originally owned them.

My boyfriend was actually kinda creeped out when I told him that I've been buying second-hand dolls. He supports me with my doll hobby, but those are for new ones. He's not too informed yet with my current addiction to preloved ones.

Anyway, the highlight of my weekend was my American Girl doll, whom I have been wanting to somehow restore for the longest time. She's  been in the attic until yesterday.

So here are her photos. I let her wear Dora's Birthday fashion, which fit her perfectly!

Latest Thoughts, Latest Dolls

I haven't written in a while. My brain have somewhat froze back there due to 'real world' stuff that I need to attend to.

Despite that, I haven't stopped getting the dolls I encounter in stores and online.

They are quite a lot now and my problem of storage space remains despite deboxing several dolls already.

The "Attic Project" is still ongoing. I have made quite a space already, but still not enough to be able to totally renovate the room as it still contains so much stuff.

We are thinking of setting up a garage sale for 2 weekends in April. Mostly for household stuff that are no longer being used. I don't think I'd be able to part with my other toys. Not yet.

Although after I have sorted things out, especially my toys,  I will be setting up an online shop to sell the ones that I am no longer keeping. I do have lots of them!

The issue is that since I started getting dolls from Facebook, I got introduced to more types and brands. I have gotten a number of vintage pieces already. I also have bought several baby dolls as well. It's so varied now which added to the challenge of doing inventories.

This is truly an addiction as I can't seem to stop wanting to acquire more dolls. Doll collecting is happiness, but it also comes with great responsibility.

I have set up an FB account that is a bit easier to maintain as it doesn't need much writing.

So here are some of the dolls that I have adopted over the past few months.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! Peace and prosperity to each and every one of us.

It's a holiday today and didn't have work. I took this chance to go to the nail spa, which I have been postponing for the past few weeks. O finally had my 'me' time.

Strolled a little at the mall afterwards, which includes the toy store of course. However, nothing was interesting enough to be brought home. I ended up buying 2 dresses to update my wardrobe instead.

I might have not gotten any doll from the mall, but I did through the online shop Shopee.

Interestingly, I found another "Holly" doll, which increased my curiosity about her and I am no so eager to know who she is.

In addition, I also got a Mattel baby doll.

The seller didn't have the COD option so I chose over the counter, which proves to be inconvenient as I had to wait in queue for a while. It's a backward process if you ask me. I really hope they'd have Paypal option, which is so much easier.

Anyway, here are the photos. Note that these are the sellers' photos.

The one on the right wearing black is what I ordered today while the one on the left is from another seller. They are expected to arrive next week.

Another Batch: Bratz, Cinderella Toddler Dolls

It's Thursday but feels like Friday. 😁 Tomorrow is a holiday because of the Chinese New Year .

I have colds for 3 consecutive days now and it's not the happiest feeling! Having to sniff all the time partnered with headache is pain. Despite that, I still go to work.

I am just glad that I have dolls to shift my mind to, which are actually happy thoughts. I am also glad to be able to write more often. Thanks to smart phones.

Well, I said I'd stay away from buying 2nd hand dolls until next month, March. However, it's quite difficult not to look so when another batch of dolls was uploaded by the online seller that I have been following, I browsed... and found good stuff.

I got 3 Bratz dolls, since I have quite a lot of stocks of clothes and shoes. Besides, they are bo longer available in the market so I think it's already good buy.

There is this black doll as well, who's so cute to resist. I know I saw her before but I can't remember anymore. I will have to wait until I get her. I also liked her yellow clothes.

There is a La Dee Da, who's not available in the market anymore. It's my first time to buy 2nd hand and she has bitemarks. I also do have fashion packs so I'm sure I'd be able to find one that will fit her.

There is a Cinderella toddler doll released by Playmates in early 2000. I liked the toddler dolls then as I see them cuter than the ones being released today. They are also more proportioned if you ask me.

One doll is also unknown for me, but I like her unique face and her red, long hair. She seems like a Tinkerbell friend.

Last is a doll that has Holly stamped on her nape. I can't find her at all, but would take a chance on her.

Unfortunately, I missed the chance of having  Pepper doll from the 60's, sister of Tammy doll by Ideal. Someone got her first.

So here is the group pic of dolls that I am expecting to arrive in the next few days.

Doll Stands, Shoes and Accessories

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day! I don't really celebrate but I'm greeting you anyway. 😄

Days have melted immediately after my last post. It's already Wednesday. I am actually glad with the pacing as weekend is near.

Weekend - something that I usually look forward to... Friday is a holiday because of Chinese New Year so it's better.

Anyway, I'd like to share with you today the stuff I got from the mail yesterday. I got a total of 50 doll stands... yahoo!  That's additional dolls to display.

I also got few accessories, plus shoes for my newly-adopted 18" dollies.

Online shopping is such an addicting, wallet-draining activity.

So here are my new stuff:

More Monster High Dolls!

Monster High dolls have been pulled out from the stores with less chances of being restocked. I think they have stopped production.

I see some online but they are being sold at crazy prices. The ones I've encountered from recent warehouse sales were in extremely dented boxes.

Just imagine the glee I had when I stumbled upon a store that still carries them. And just like a kid who just saw candies, I grabbed each and every doll that I still so not have and few pieces that are duplicates. I don't know how much longer then can hold on, but I'd rather get  extra supplies than end up saying "I should've gotten it".

The shop's shelf is almost empty when I left, only about 5 dolls left. But the sales lady was surely happy. She said that she already got notice for the pull out of dolls but she opted to let them stay longer.

Seems like the girls really waited for me, huh!

My MH haul includes:
* Clawdeen Wolf in Boo York, Boo York
* Howleen Wolf in Ghoul Fair
* Clawdeen Wolf in Freaky Field Trip
* Operetta in Freaky Fusion (duplicate)
* Frankie Stein Basic (duplicate)
* Spectra Vondergeist in Ghoul Spirit
* Venus McFlytrap in Ghoul Spirit
* Operetta in Dance Class
* Howleen Wolf in Dance Class
* Spectra Vondergeist in Ghouls' Getaway

So here is their group pic:

Saturday Bath: Hobby Holly, Corolle and Rapunzel Dolls

It's Saturday and I am at the dining table, just finished my lunch of pizza and pineapple juice.

I spent a couple of hours cleaning and bathing 5 of my newly-adopted dollies: Corolle mino toddler, Mattel baby, toddler Rapunzel, vintage Holly Hobbie and the Mattel Holly Hobbie.

Then spent another couple of hours washing the dolls' clothes and mine.

Now I'm munching on chocolates. Tired and sleepy. Waiting for the dolls' hair to dry. Brush Rapunzel's long hair every now and then.

Perhaps in few minutes I'd be napping.

In the meantime, here are snapshots of my

earlier tasks.

New Preloved Girls: Our Generation by Battat and Mini Clodrey Dolls

...and I just ordered a couple of 2nd hand dolls online. I think I have to stop immediately!

1 is an Our Generation girl who needs extreme care because of ink marks all over including her hair, and a vintage 9" Clodrey doll who also needs an overhaul. They also need to have new set of clothes.

With the little time I have for my hobby, I will soon be swamped with 2nd-hand dolls that aren't ready to be displayed yet. Hence, they will continue to be piled and the next thing I know, I am overwhelmed again! Although I think I am challenged by these girls that makes the process exciting.

I also need to look after my budget as the doll-collecting hobby, whether new or preloved, definitely drains the pocket.

Hopefully these 2 will be my last preloved purchases... at least for the month of February-March 2018. I shall turn off my notifications...

So here are the 2 new girls that I am expecting:

 

Baby Dolls Galore!

I have incoming dolls again that I ordered online. Mostly baby dolls (Mattel, Corolle and Madame Alexander). I love watchig thrift store doll shopping in YouTube and this is similar to that activity since these are also 2nd hand toys. The difference is that the dolls are now pricier because of the middle man, and shipping adds on the cost as well. The fun of walking around overwhelmed with so many options is also not in the equation.

I am certainly glad, though, for finding these dolls as I won't easily get them anymore. I will just have to make use of what I can get to try restoring them. I still wish that I have the talent to restore dolls.

They are being shipped as of this writing and expected to arrive tomorrow, Feb. 8th:

In addition to the baby dolls, there is also a toddler Corolle doll, which I still have to identify when received: 

 I also do have a new-found doll, which I assume to be Holly Hobbie:

Apparently, Mattel produced a modern Holly Hobbie, which I was also able to find through our local ebay. I will show you in a separate blog entry.

So that's it for now guys! I am excited for their arrival. Will update you the soonest!

Shopkins Season 7

After an out of town activity yesterday, Feb 4, we went to the mall for our usual toy-hunting. There wasn't much delivery for this week so I wasn't able to buy dolls.

However, my 8-year old niece have been requesting us for Shopkins, which I am not too excited about because they are so small and so easy to be misplaced. She actually had about 50+ pieces that we got her for Christmas then, but now down to less than 10 pcs.

Finally she was able to convince us yesterday and promised that she'd be more careful this time and would make sure they don't get lost.

Here are the ones she got:

Friday Thoughts

It's Friday. A very slow Friday. I am at the office, but my mind is wandering. Somewhat excited for the 2 days of weekend that are filled already  with activities:

*Saturday to meet a childhood friend and of course to bathe my newly-arrived 2nd hand dolls.

*Sunday to go out of town to attend an activity and do a tour of the place at the same time.

Toys and travel are 2 of my most favorite things in life.

Last night I already opened the box of toys I bought from Facebook. It was late already at around 11pm and initially wanted to open them this weekend, but I have thought that being enclosed in a tight box isn't fun and they might get deformed or something.

As to end this work week, here are the dolls when they arrived to me. Sorry for the photo quality as it's a screenshot of the box opening video I made.

Princess & Me Dolls by Jakks Pacific

One of my latest purchases from Shopee, which I am pleased about are four Princess & Me dolls by Jakks Pacific.

I have always been curious about them since I saw them in YouTube, but I think they were never made available in the Philippine market. So my curiousity just remained as it is.

Until I saw the post online and immediately caught my interest. I started negotiating with the seller and she's agreed to give discounts plus free shipping. And so the sale happened. Next thing I knew is that the girls were already delivered. It took another day before I was able to open then as I wanted to document mu box opening through the form of video, which I will be posting in my YouTube channel soon.

They smelled like they came from storage, similar to what you'd smell in thrift shops so I had to give them long baths and good scrubbing. I shampooed and conditoned their hair too.

As of this time, I only have completed Rapunzel, while the rest I have only fixed the hair but continue to be naked. I shall include them in my 'Doll Rescue Project'.

In the meantime, here are their photos, including the before and after of Rapunzel.

Here are the seller's photos of them:

Here are photos when I received them: 

Now here is the upgraded version of Rapunzel. Not everyone may agree, but she's turned into an ordinary school girl upon putting on a set of Tolly Tots fashion.

I like how she turned out:

Thanks for dropping by guys!

Overwhelmed

Eversince I started my 'attic project', I have been overwhelmed by the toys I have acquired over the years. I have lately realized how huge and diverse my collection is and that they immediately need urgent attention to be organized. Organizing them is quite a challenge given the little time I can allot for them. I only have 1 whole day each weekend and about an hour in the evening when I get home from work.

The activity is a heart-pounding one as I unravel treasures I didn't realize that I've had all along. Really exciting!

It is a heartbreaking process at the same time, having to discover toys, especially dolls that got damaged due to prolonged storage.

Right now all I can do is to stay positive and hopeful that I will be able to organize, identify and keep track each and every one of them and be able to provide a proper storage or display area for them.

The attic is still a mess, but slowly gaining space.

Facebook: Pastel Prism

Besides YouTube, I also have started a Facebook account.

I kinda diverted from Flickr, as FB proves to be more interactive.

Progress is just right as I am able to post every week. Having a smart phone also helps a lot in keeping up. Like right now, I am typing this inside the car while stuck in traffic.

The FB account consists of current as well as throwback items.

And as always, I am hopeful in terms keeping it updated.

Please add me. See you soon!

Incoming Assorted Dolls

I just ordered online another set of dolls and few re-ment items. They are expected to arrive either tomorrow or Wednesday.

Besides that the online shop's holding a sale, I also find the dolls as good buys. I will definitely do thorough cleaning but depending on their status, I might change their clothes.

You'll see the seller's photos below:

One of them looks like a toddler Mariah Carey, don't you think? I'll still have to identify her when she arrives.

The Elsa doll has minor damages but since she's an Animator, I don't mind. She'll be the first on my collection as the Animator line is not available in my country.

I am also excited about the Tyco as it was released early 90's. I was surprised that it's supposed to be a 'mommy' doll and she's supposed to be pregnant.

I also go the naked Liv doll, which I will resdress as I have several Liv fashions in my collection.

The re-ments and small items will be added to my dollhouse project.

For Groovy Girl plush, I just thought of getting because I have several playsets like pool, kitchen, etc and yet I didn't have an actual doll. The Barbies and other fashion dolls can actually share the playsets with her as they are of similar sizes.

That's it for today. Ciao!

The Attic Project

I am in the process of cleaning up our attic and I am so glad to be finding a lot of treasures - toys and dolls of course.

My 8-year old niece and I have decided to divide it into 2: one side for her to display her dolls, and one side for me.

Oh by the way, my niece have lately discovered the joy of doll collecting, which  obviously was my influence. This have made her decide to take good care of her dolls as she used to ruin them.

For my part of the attic, I plan to convert one corner into a mini studio, where I can take photos and videos of my toys in order for my YouTube and online accounts to progress.

As a starter, I have already orderes online 2 rotating displays that I can use for small toys and dolls and 1 set of portable studio.

So nice to have something to look forward to. I'd definitely keep you posted. Ciao!

Here are my incoming items: