Friday, December 21, 2018

My Blue Usaggie

Dear Readers,

Usaggie Nº 036 was released by Petworks Doll Division this year.  She is pastel blue and her cheeks are dusted with a slight pink blush.  A very cute bunny that has now joined my collection of Usaggie dolls.  

I starting buying  hair bands and bows for her ears (^_^)

She is wearing a Middie Blythe dress.

They all have the same body type so it's easy for the Usaggie and Kumabolo to share clothes and shoes.  The shoes are from Petworks and they fit all the following dolls: Odeco-chan, Nikki, Usaggie, Kumabolo, Jossie, Hitsujii (also called Hitszie).

I found some more clothes for them in the past few months.  Mostly Madeleine doll clothes from Eden and clothes for Middie Blythe on Etsy.  Not all clothes for Middie Blythe will fit though because the Middie have thinner arms so you can't buy tops with long sleeves.

They are wearing Madeleine clothes from Eden.


I have two more dolls from Petworks coming next month and I can't wait to show them to you!

I wish you all a great weekend!


Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not paid or received gifts to write this or mention any stores or website. You may find a better store in your area.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Midori Traveler's Notebook

Dear Readers,

It's already the end of the year.  Where did this year go???  Are you ready for the New Year?  I have been preparing my planners for 2019.  I started using a planner when I was a university student.  Mainly to remember appointments and due assignments.  Even now in the age of smart phones, it seems superfluous to use a paper journal when you can set up your cell phone to remind yourself of any events with a day countdown and notification alarms.

But I still use a planner because I like the very action of having to write down my life events and the tactile feeling of paper is just something that electronic devices cannot replace.  Just like reading an actual paper book instead of an e-reader, I prefer holding a book in my hand and flipping the pages. 

I used only one type of planner until now: a ring binder that allowed me to add categories and paper as I wish.  But a ring binder was cumbersome, heavy and the rings in the middle were in the way when I had to write.  I went through a few brands but I never really found "planner peace" because something was always missing or not quite the way I wanted.

Then I found out about Midori Traveler's Notebooks, nowadays re-branded as  "Traveler's Notebook" or "TN".  It was a simple system: a leather slip cover with elastic bands that can hold slim paper booklets.  Once the booklet is completed, you can easily archive it and replace it with a new one.  The booklets can take many forms: ruled, grid, or blank. You can add a business card holder, zippered pouch to hold stickers or stamps, a pen holder, etc.

At first, I doubted such a system would work for me because it seems so simple and the price was about $50 USD for the leather slipcover alone!  Each inserts was about $8 USD and more.  It added up quickly but I found a cheaper version at Michael's Craft Store and there are many nice choices on Etsy as well.



I added my own paper to cover the TN inserts

TN with inserts

I glued an envelope inside the cover page

Traveler's Notebook by Recollections

I found a charm to add on the cover

Some move covered booklets

Traveler's Notebook VS Recollections Notebook
Both planners are about the same size and use the same principle but you definitely get what you pay for.  The Traveler's Notebook is much nicer and the inserts are lighter.  But if you don't like to use real leather, the Recollections planner is a good alternative.

There are many tutorial in blogs, and videos about how to use this planner  and it's really fun to discover new ways of organizing so I hope you'll give it a try if you want to find a system that would work better for you.

I have been using this planner each day which is really an amazing feat for my lazy self so this system works for me.  I will share the inside of my planner in another post.  I am trying to blog more often but it will all depend on my health and my family too.

Do you use a planner? Is there a planner that you prefer?


Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not paid or received gifts to write this or mention any stores or website. You may find a better store in your area.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Odeco-Chan and Nikki

Dear Readers,

It has been a long time since I wrote on my blog.  Health issues have been plaguing my family and it was difficult for me to get back into writing again.  But everyone is doing better nowadays and so I want to continue writing about my hobbies and things that spark my interest.  Sharing my experience with others makes me feel happy and I hope you will feel that happiness too!

I have quite a few more dolls in my collection since my last blog post so I won't be able to cover all of them in one single blog post but I'll start with the more recent acquisition: Odeco-chan and Nikki with printed eyes from Petworks Doll Division.   

Odeco-chan is a girl and Nikki is a cat.  They have the same type of body as the Usaggie and Kumabolo dolls but they have a girl body instead (Usaggie and Kumabolo have a boy body).  Basically, the only difference is that Odeco-chan and Nikki have breasts.  And Nikki has a long tail.

They are usually sold with eyes that can close if you lay them horizontally (aka sleep eyes) but the dolls I bought have painted/printed eyes so they can't close their eyes.

The great thing about these dolls is that they can share the same clothes and shoes as my Usaggie and Kumabolo dolls.  They are about 20 cm tall so they can share the same clothes as dolls such as Strawberry Shortcake and other dolls in that size.


I purchased my dolls and the shoes especially made for them (called Deconiki) directly from the official website of Petworks Global Store. The website is in English and is very easy to navigate.  They ship internationally and the shipping cost is about $20 USD minimum via EMS.  I don't get paid to post this information by the way.  You may be able to buy the dolls from a local store near you or from another seller.


I am so happy with my present collection of dolls from Petworks. I hope to get more of them eventually.  Do you like Odeco-chan and Nikki dolls?


Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not paid or received gifts to write this or mention any stores or website. You may find a better store in your area.