Sunday 9 June 2013

How To Fix: Monster High Dolls - Broken Pegs and Snapped Elastic.

Monster High dolls were originally produced with a small loop of elastic which attached the legs together at the hips. This elastic often snapped due to rough play, simple wear and tear or the old plastic pegs that the elastic was looped around broke.
This problem was resolved after, and including, Toralei's first release, when a new plastic peg system was introduced. 

However, older dolls' legs are still falling off! 
If you receive a faulty product there are often helpline numbers where you can ring the company and a representative will offer a solution. My personal experience of Mattel UK customer services is that it is somewhat lacking, and they generally say 'sorry, there's nothing we can do' unless the doll is in production right then and they may send out replacement shoes/accessories, so broken legs is a different story. 

Instead of trying to sell the doll on, or even throw it away, try fixing it up!

Saturday 8 June 2013

Doll Review: Monster High - 13 Wishes - Lagoona Blue


My previous post General Overview of Mattel and Monster High Dolls was originally intended to just be a doll review of Lagoona, but once I'd finished with the beginning section about the production company, Mattel, it was obvious I'd written way too much! 

So instead of chopping out important details, I decided just to split it and create a new post for the review.
The franchise is ever-growing, and one of the latest lines to hit the UK is 13  Wishes: Haunt The Casbah, with an upcoming CGI special which will be release on DVD.

The newest story revolves around Howleen Wolf, Clawdeen's younger sister, who is tired of living in her sibling's shadows. She dreams to become popular but ends up in trouble. As punishment she is sent to clear out the attic of Monster High and chances upon a genie's lamp! Enter Gigi Grant, who bursts forth from the lamp and grants (eh.. Geddit? *elbow nudge*) Howleen not 3 but 13 Wishes! We don't know at this point exactly who wishes for what but we know things don't go as planned: Howleen begins to hate the popularity she magically gained and Lagoona looses herself after changing into a Freshwater monster from a Saltwater one. We don't have any more details but I imagine hilarity ensues, lessons are learned, everyone wins and we all have a fashion show at the end. 
It's going to be brilliant!


Like the previous special Scaris: City of Frights, new characters and are introduced to promote their new dolls. 
Twyla (daughter of the Boogieman) makes an appearance alongside Gigi and she is adorable! We don't know anything about her role in 13 Wishes yet, but I assume she is watching from the shadows as the situation unfolds!

Look at how cute Twyla is! But that will be for another blog post!

I eagerly reserved Twyla and Lagoona at my local Argos store as soon as they were 'in stock' on the website. I'm still not quite sold on Howleen, but I may get her at some point. Gigi isn't being stocked in the UK yet, but will follow the same distribution pattern as Jinafire and will be sent out in cases later on. Clawdeen, Frankie and Draculaura (as pictured on the DVD cover) and a DJ booth/dance hall playset with Spectra haven't hit the UK yet, but a tie-in beachside playset including a Cleo doll has been spotted in Europe. 

These two, Howleen and Gigi retail at £16.99, with the deluxe dolls costing playsets at £25-30 when they're released, and I danced out the store as I picked them up. Happy Nuu!

Here's Lagoona!


Friday 7 June 2013

Doll Review: General Overview of Monster High.

I like to take a look at the company behind the dolls that I'm reviewing before I start writing about the actual product. For specific doll lines that I've already gone over I'll skip straight to the product review, but if I come across a new franchise or company then I'll make an effort to research it!