Bookcase Dollhouse

Dear Readers,

I didn't realize how long it has been since I posted on Blogger!  Free time is a luxury nowadays so I usually post pictures on my Instagram account because it takes less time than to write a blog post!

Thanksgiving weekend has given me a little bit more leisure time so I finally got the chance to post about my present project: a bookcase dollhouse.  Or rather a dollhouse in a bookcase.  

I have a few folding Barbie dollhouses but the display was never permanent and I had to store everything away once I finished taking pictures.  They serve their purpose and I am happy with them but I also wanted a permanent display of my Re-ment collection and doll furniture.  

I didn't want a big Barbie dollhouse because the accumulating dust would drive me crazy (I already have quite a lot of dusting to do with the little Sylvanian Families dollhouses!).  So I opted instead for a bookcase or cabinet with closing doors so I can keep the dust away!

Since the bookcase fits dolls of about 9 inches tall, I decided to give this dollhouse to Licca and Dal dolls yet.  The furniture from Licca, Re-ment and IKEA brands can fit these dolls very well.   The Licca furniture set I have right now is available on Amazon.com. The Re-ment furniture are available mostly on Ebay (at very high prices) but there is a new collection of furniture being gradually released so I am hopeful that Re-ment will eventually remake some of those rare items. 

Right now, I only have two shelves furnished but I am not done decorating them yet.  I intend to set up all four shelves eventually.  

Do you have a dollhouse in a bookcase too? If not, how do you solve the dusting problem with an open display dollhouse?

Have a lovely week!

Moxie Girlz Jammaz House

Dear Readers,

Are you a fan of Bratz dolls? I must admit I have never been interested in them but I adore their playsets! Maybe it’s a reaction to the eternal Barbie pink. I am usually more inclined to buy a dollhouse or furniture that is NOT pink and Bratz has issued many non-pink items. I personally think the Bratz World House and furniture are among the greatest doll playsets I have ever seen.

Unfortunately for me, I came too late in the dolly world so I wasn’t there when these awesome toys were released. But I was lucky and got a hold of some of them on the secondary market and in some cases, the items were brand new.

The Bratz World House however is usually sold for quite a hefty price and I didn’t want to buy something at such a high cost, especially when I risk getting a damaged house (which happened to me one time too many).

So I was really happy when I saw the Moxie Girlz Jammaz House. It’s basically the same design as the Bratz World House but with slight differences in colors, furniture and accessories. Beware though, the Moxie Girlz Jammaz House was released in two different models: one playset comes with a bed and bathtub, and one does not!

The Moxie Girlz House is a folding dollhouse so it takes very little space! There is an outer shell and two walls that can be flipped over to show a different background. Everything fits perfectly inside the outer shell for easy storage (except the furniture).

Here is what the dollhouse looks like from the front, when it is folded.

Although the house is now released as a Moxie Girlz dollhouse, it still shows the Bratz logo.  Not surprising since MGM Entertainment which produced Bratz, is the also the company that produces Moxie Girlz.  They were just a bit lazy here and re-marketed this dollhouse without making much changes.  Not that I complain!  It's a great dollhouse to re-release!

The back of the house.

The bathroom is by far my favorite wall.  It is so detailed and lush.

Here is Emma for size comparison. The shower door can open.

Here is the bath tub that came with the house. 

The kitchen is my least favorite wall.

It looks pretty but it's super flat!  You can't put much in that oven.

Emma does not care.  I don't think she cooks.

This is the wall that you have seen in my previous post. So versatile!

The flat-screen TV and fireplace mantle.

The bed came with a pillow.  

The closet and vanity you see here did not come with the dollhouse.  They are from a Bratz Furniture Playset, but their color match perfectly with the Moxie Girlz House and the bed.

And lastly, thhe accessories that came with the house. There were also a white hand towel, a pink towel/blanket, and stickers for the TV and Kitchen.

The main difference between the Bratz World House is that the Bratz World House came with a sofa and a dining table and chairs and some kitchen accessories while the Moxie Girlz Jammaz House comes with a bed and bathtub instead. 

Of all my folding dollhouses and playsets, the Moxie Girlz Jammaz House is my favorite. It is just so beautiful! There are so many details on these walls and they are very functional.  You can arrange your house is so many different ways!  It’s just the perfect house to use as background pictures and I can see how it can appeal to children as well just as a regular play house as well.

Licca dolls fit wonderfully in this type of house. They are about the same size as Bratz and Moxie dolls so it’s a perfect fit. I can’t gush enough about how much I love the house. I wish MGA Entertainment will keep on coming up with more great playsets like this and issue more furniture!

Emma's Bedroom

Dear Readers,

I intended to make a long post to show you the dollhouse I have chosen for Emma, my new Licca Castle doll, but it was much too busy yesterday to take pictures of everything so I can only show you a few shots of her bedroom.

I bought the Moxie Girlz Jammaz House many months ago but I didn't want to post about it until I got Emma because she was just perfect for this house.

The Moxie Girlz Jammaz House was released in two different editions:  one with a bed and bath tub (which I bought), and one without those furniture pieces!  Since I don't know exactly what edition is sold on websites, I don't want to link them and confuse people as to what issue they will receive.  In case of doubt, it's always best to ask the seller before buying.

The vanity table is from an old Bratz furniture set (Bratz World Yasmin's House).  The cosmetics are from Re-ment.  I found out about them HERE thanks to Moonrabbit's Miniature World who blogs about Sylvanian Families, Re-ment, Blythe and Miniature in general!  You should check out her blog!  She takes gorgeous pictures and she writes detailed reviews

Now back to Emma in her bedroom.  When I set up the dollhouse on my table, I thought it looked quite pretty; the most elegant dollhouse I have ever seen.  Once I placed Emma in her bedroom, it became so much more!  She was the ONE for this dollhouse.  She just belonged there.

Emma in her dainty bedroom!

The bed came with the dollhouse.

View from the top

Full view of her bedroom.

The dollhouse has a lot more rooms/walls and I can't wait to show them to you!  But I need to have time first.  Baby didn't sleep until 10 pm last night and I was too tired after that to take more photos.  I took the photos while she was awake and it was something I will not attempt again.  She was constantly trying to grab the items from the table.  Although she was too small to reach any of the furniture, her constant hovering around the table made it difficult for me to set up the display.  I gave her another dollhouse to occupy her but she wanted me to play with her, so in the end, I could only take a few shots before putting away everything. 

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.

Barbie 1998 Family Cottage

Dear Readers,

I was hoping I would be able to evade the cold that my husband, son and baby all caught.  But it finally won over and I am the last one to be sick.  Since nobody has complained and went on like it was nothing, I feel like a wuss for being weak and sickly.  You see, my husband and children are completely different than me when they have a cold.  They go on like it's regular business and don't fret at all.  On my side of the family, it's totally different.  My dad and brother act like they are about to die.  I am in-between.  I don't feel good at all and I want to lie down in bed and can't sleep because I feel so sick.   So I get up and work as usual except it's not the same of course and I am forgetful, unfocused and grumpy.

So I hope my writing today won't be too erratic because I just finished the photoshoot for this Barbie cottage that I meant to show you for months!

One of the advantage of living in a big city is that there are many people who will get rid of their unwanted toys.  It's not uncommon to find dollhouses in garage sales, thrift stores or personal ads.  A few months ago I found a dollhouse for sale for a good price.

It was in such good condition I was wondering if it was played with at all.  This dollhouse is the 1998 Barbie Family Cottage.  It is equipped with sounds for the microwave, radio and telephone (it requires 3 AAA batteries).  

The house is beautifully designed with reddish orange scalloped roof, blue walls, beige windows and lattice details. The outside of the house is very nice with a fountain/sink and a box for flowers.  The latch in front of the gate opens to reveal a compact but complete interior.

The back has nice windows and what looks like doors but they do not open.

The central piece rotates to display 3 different areas: a kitchen, a bedroom and a fireplace mantle.  On the left is a lounge area, which doubles as a bedroom or a bathroom.  On the right is a dining room.

The central room can be a kitchen equipped with a fridge with a door you can open to reveal a storage area.  There is a sink, a stove and a microwave.   The telephone and microwave make a sound.

The central room can also become a bedroom with 3 beds:

• one large bed Barbie size doll
• one medium bed for Skipper size doll
• one blue crib for Kelly size doll (the crib is missing so I replaced it with another one)

There is a computer with pullout keyboard and a shelf with a Radio that Plays music (it's pretty lame elevator music though).  I am missing the original cream-colored chair that comes with this playset.

This is what it looks like when the beds are pulled down.  I added a crib from another playset.

A fireplace with mantle is the third part of the rotating section.

The last side of this rotating center is where the batteries are found.  The hollow space on the bottom is probably where the original crib and chair would be stored away but I don't know for sure.

On the right is the living room/bedroom/bathroom. The room can be a living room but when you pull the wall down, you have a large bed for Barbie-sized dolls.  If you lift the lid on the bed, you have a Bathtub/Shower which comes with a rack for bathing items.

On the left there is a Table that folds down to create a small dining area.  There should be a fold-down bench attached to the wall but that piece is missing.  There should also be a baby chair that you can attach to the table but it's missing.  In 1998, Mattel created many furniture in the same blue color so I used my 1998 Barbie So Real So now furniture to complete the cottage.  It now has chairs for the dining room.

A dresser with mirror (from the 1998 So Real So Now Bedroom playset) is added to the bedroom.


I really like the door/gate.  It's so pretty and elegant.  The flowers on the front are beautiful.

The left-hand side is equally pretty and detailed.  I find this home cozy.  The cats sleeping in the front represent the cottage very well: it is a Home Sweet Home :)

One of the thing I like best about this dollhouse it that it's foldable so it does not take much space to store.  I don't think it will work for a diorama for my dolls but I want to keep it for sure for when my baby girl will be old enough to play with Barbie dolls.

Here below are my Licca dolls on the beds so you can see how a doll would fit on them.  I like how the dollhouse is meant to be a home for a family and not just for a single doll.  Still, that bed is very narrow and can only fit one doll... so dad sleeps on the floor?

A Bedroom for Licca-Chan

Dear Readers,

About three months ago, I was determined to stop buying 1:6 scale furniture for my full-size dolls and focus on my 1:12 miniature instead but then I suddenly found out that Licca's Bedroom by Takara Tomy was on sale at $30 on Amazon.com, which is half the usual price! I just couldn't let that chance go and I click on that "PROCEED TO CHECK OUT" button pretty quickly.

I immediately started writing a post about it so other Licca fans could buy it too...and 5 minutes later I was ready to publish it my blog, I checked the link again to see if it worked properly, ...but the price had gone back to it's original amount!  I guess I was lucky to get that flash sale but it's unfortunate other people couldn't get it!

Well since the sale no longer existed, I decided to wait until the package comes so I can write a review.  It came very fast, in less than 2 weeks and it was very well packaged for shipping.  Kuddos to E-Japan (via Amazon) for doing a great job despite the fact that I paid close to nothing for shipping!  Sometimes, sellers would advertise their product and promise free shipping but the packaging is terrible and careless but it was not the case for this item!  Everything arrived in perfect condition!

Thank goodness because the house is made of cardboard.  It is not very thick cardboard and is rather flimsy.  But the colors are sweet and the design is very clever!

There is a handle on the top so it is easy to carry around

Licca dolls are only 9 inches tall compared to the 11 inches Barbie dolls so most of the used Barbie furniture I have don't really fit my Licca dolls.  I was drooling over this bedroom set for quite a long time but never thought I could buy it at such a high price tag.

The inside of the cardboard room-in-a-box is soooo pretty and colorful!

There is so much going on this side of the room!  So many details! 

The door can really open because the door outline is pre-perforated so you can swing it open.

I wish that puppy could be a real Licca toy!

Apart from the plastic furniture, there are many pieces made of cardboard in this playset.  You have to cut out each piece and build the boxes for the cabinet.  There are 3 boxes in total and the rest are magazines, notebooks, cell phone, cookies.  It would have been a lot better if the items were 3-D plastic objects.

What I like about this playset is that you can use the furniture in different ways.  The bed can become a loft bed and the cabinets can be used as support for the bed or standalone.  The vanity can become a study desk and the cabinet can transform into a wardrobe.  It's so awesome!

I like this setting very much!  A loft bed is so cute and the ladder fits perfectly against the bed.

But I like this setting even more because you can display and see better the storage cabinet.

As you can see in the photos below, Licca-chan fits perfectly in her new bedroom :)

I did not add any other accessories than the doll and her teddy bear to the bedroom set so you can see how it looks like just by itself.   But for the future, I will probably add some of my existing miniature items from Re-ment and Barbie collection to embellish the bedroom.

Takara has released a new Licca bedroom with a Hello Kitty theme!  It's exactly the same model as this bedroom but with red accents and Hello Kitty objects.  So maybe the price for this pink bedroom will go down in the future?  If I do notice it, I will blog about it so you can grab it while it's still available!

Do you like the pink-haired Licca doll in today's photos?  She is a Licca Castle I bought from the Etsy store Found in Japan!  I will blog about her and my other Licca Castle doll (the blue-haired one) soon :D

Have a good week!