Freaky Field Trip Clawdeen Wolf

Wow, long time, no blog, huh? I was pretty busy with volunteering (I run a drama program for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities and our big show was last weekend!) and then my Internet went down for the better part of a week, but I'm back with a new doll to review

Remember when I reviewed Freaky Field Trip Gigi and Toralei, and I left Clawdeen behind but said I might go back for her? Well, I went back for her! I actually got her on sale for half price, so she was $9.99 which is a hard deal to pass up! This Freaky Field Trip line ended up being one of my favourite budget lines, I think, and I really love how all three of them look together, so I'm definitely glad I picked her up.

Without further ado, let's have a closer look at this simple but beautiful Clawdeen Wolf!

Gloom and Bloom Jinafire Long

The doll that I am reviewing today is one that I am incredibly glad to have gotten my hands on! A few weeks back, I reviewed Gloom and Bloom Cleo, and I think I mentioned that when I went back in hopes of getting Jinafire, the shelves were just full of more Cleo's. Normally, this wouldn't be a huge concern, but considering that these dolls are (apparently) Target exclusives, and all of the Target's in my area are now officially closed, time was definitely of the essence! Luckily, at a more recent trip to Target, they had restocked, and I was able to grab myself a gorgeous Jinafire.

Honestly, I can't believe I successfully walked away from her the first time, just look at her! As gorgeous as Cleo is, there's something incredibly arresting about this particular Jinafire, and she's just stunning.

So, I guess my general feelings are out of the bag on this one, but click through to get a better look at all her beautiful details!

Ever After High's Duchess Swan (complete with mini-makeover!)

So, I know I said I was thinking I might be done with Ever After High...well, turns out they aren't done with me yet! Recently, the newer wave of basic has started appearing at my local stores, including Duchess Swan, Kitty Chesire and the re-released Lizzie Hearts. I actually thought I'd end up getting Lizzie, because I'd been wanting her, but I am unimpressed by the release, so I passed on her for now. Kitty is very cute though, and is definitely on my list, but the real star for me was Duchess Swan! It's odd, because I hadn't even really considered getting her, but then I kept picking her up in Wal-Mart every time we were there, kind of mesmerized by her pretty face, and then there was a 50% off sale at Toys R Us that I could price match at Wal-Mart...and well, you know how I am about sales! Duchess came home with me last weekend, and as soon as I took her out of the box I was in love with her, but I also knew I was going to be giving her a bit of a makeover.

So, to see what Duchess looked like right out of the box, and also for some details about the makeover I gave her, click on through!

'Haunted' River Styxx

Way back at Christmas, I was given Vandala Dubloons as a gift, and then the Haunted dolls kind of disappeared from my area until very recently. Their return happened to coincide with a 50% off sale at Toys R Us, and so I grabbed myself a River Styxx! Of course, she wasn't the only doll I got with such a good sale, but she was the only Haunted doll I picked up.

Speaking of Haunted, I bought the movie on Tuesday, and I really enjoyed it! Now that I've seen it, I need to pick up Kiyomi and possibly Porter as well...and maybe Getting Ghostly Twyla and Rochelle...sigh. Monster High knows how to hook me, I always want all the dolls after I see the movies. What did you guys think, if you're seen it?

But this post is all about River Styxx, the adorably spooky daughter of the Grim Reaper, so let's get to it!

Original Ghouls Cleo DeNile

I still remember, wayyyy back in 2010, wandering through the toy department at my local Wal-Mart while doing groceries, and seeing an end cap full of dolls that stopped me in my tracks. I'm a lover of horror movies, especially classic horror movies, a lover of dolls AND a lover of collecting things in general, and from that first moment I saw Monster High dolls, I was a goner! That day I came home with Draculaura, and soon after, Frankie and Lagoona followed, as did Ghoulia, as soon as she hit shelves. At the time, I didn't pick up Clawdeen, though I got her a few years ago second hand, but until recently, I'd never bothered to get myself a Cleo. Interestingly, despite my love of Ancient Egypt, Cleo was never a doll that grabbed my attention. She's not as "monstrous" as some of the other ghouls, and I think the fact that she originally came in a two-pack hurt her chances of joining my collection. Now I don't blink at buying a two-pack, and I love the boy dolls, but back then, that was more commitment then I was prepared to make!

That's a very long story to get to here...I recently purchased the re-released basic Cleo, and I am very glad to have her join my collection! I've been feeling the gap left by her lately, as I've really grown to love her character. I saw her numerous times in stores before I finally decided to take the plunge and grab her, and she is definitely worth it.

Let's have a closer look at the queen bee of Monster High, shall we?

Love in Scaris Rochelle Goyle and Garrott du Roque

I am basically powerless to resist a good deal (something you'll know if you watched my latest toy hunt!), and that's how I ended up with this set. I went to Toys R Us intending to buy River Styxx, but then I saw the sale sign. Monster High dolls $39.99 and over were 30% off, and they had just gotten in the Ghoulebrities in Londoom three pack AND the Love in the Scaris two pack. With the sale, the two pack was less than $2 more than River by herself...so my plans changed, and Garrott and Rochelle came home with me! Hopefully they'll do another similar sale, because I do want the three pack too...but that can wait for another day!

Today, I've got this gorgeous two pack to review, and I am very excited! I've been wanting this two pack since we saw it way back at SDCC, because the Rochelle is beautiful, and Garrott is a brand new character, which is always fun! I know he's been a highly requested character since Scaris came out a few years back, and I was eager to see if they'd do him justice. I also love the idea of these couple two packs, and I hope they keep doing them! I loved the set with Frankie and Jackson, then this one, and we know there's a Gil and Lagoona set coming up as well as a rumoured Ghoulia and Slo Mo set (!!!)...I'm a sucker for this kind of thing, so keep it coming, Monster High!

But this review is all about Rochelle and Garrott and their Scarisian love affair, so let's get to it!

Freaky Field Trip Gigi Grant and Toralei Stripe

A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to Target during their liquidation sales, and I was very pleasantly surprised to see the new Freaky Field Trip line on the shelves! I'd been looking forward to getting the Gigi from this line, so I picked her up for myself, and my husband really loved Toralei, so he grabbed her for me as a Valentine's gift. I love when he gravitates towards a doll, and those ones always join my collection! There is a third doll in this collection, Clawdeen Wolf, but I passed on her for now. She may come home with me eventually, but she didn't grab me nearly as much as these two!

This line is a great example to me of Monster High doing a budget line RIGHT. The details are creative and on-theme from top to bottom, and we even get a bunch of new accessories! I know not every budget line can have as much going on as these dolls do, and that simplified lines definitely have their place, but I appreciate this line so much for reasons that you'll see as we get into this review! As always, you can check out my video review of these two, linked in the sidebar of this blog!

Everybody have your permission slips signed? Then let's head out on our Freaky Field Trip!