Monday, May 18, 2020

Opening and Review of Joss's Volkswagen Surf Bus GOTY 2020

Today I will be opening and reviewing the new 2020 Girl of the Year Joss Kendrick's Volkswagen Surf Bus from American Girl. I did post an opening and review on my YouTube channel if you'd like to take a closer look at her outfit and the doll itself. Here's the link to the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqPeSqdORgo 

 I just wanted to say a huge thank you to American Girl for sending me this product for free to review, I really appreciate it! 
Be sure to comment down below your thoughts and opinions on the surf bus.


Joss's Volkswagen Surf Bus is the main feature set apart of the Girl of the Year 2020's collection. This item retails for $650 and includes a variety of accessories and features within the set. The surf bus itself is a blue and white color with yellow, orange and pink stripes along the side. The set is quite heavy though it is made out of plastic. The door on one side opens, as shown in the photo, while both front doors open and close. The boot door is separated into two parts and those open and close to access the kitchen compartment of the set. The wheels do move backwards and forwards. There is also a section to attach batteries to the set in order to access the different features.


The front of the bus has a few different features once the batteries are added. The horn honks and the wheels turn. The gear stick also moves up and down, also the indicator moves up and down which also switches each blinker on and off. A few buttons are situated behind the wheel. Some of those features are: the window wipers, music, sounds and lights (which switch the front and back lights on and off).


On the other side, there's a compartment for the vase and a glovebox compartment to store smaller accessories.

There are two chairs: the drivers seat and passengers seat with both being white and blue to match the bus itself. The passenger seat does swivel so it rotates to it facing the front and the back. There are also seatbelts on each chair, with a velco strip at the end to hold it in place.


Here we have Joss sitting in the passengers seat with the seatbelt attached and the chair facing the back of the surf bus.


An orange compartment above the table stores the brochures. A great feature of the set is the table itself. It can be stored away or displayed (as shown in the photo). This makes the surf bus quite versatile. Along with this, there's a small light just above the table which can be switched on and off. 


The small storage compartment is located underneath the bench, which opens and closes. Even though it is quite small, it can hold a few outfits and accessories. The item that I have placed inside of the set is the sleeping bag.

 

One of Joss's favorite activities is skateboarding which is why there's a hook over on the side! 


The small kitchen is situated at the back of the surf bus. There are multiple sections which can be taken out and stored away and this includes two pullout drawers, one on either side. One section is a storage container, while the other side has pop out stove. In the middle, there's an opening to store the cooler.


Another great feature of the set is that there's two hooks, one on either side, to display the fabric screen for the video projector. 


Here we have one of the discs, cheer, in the video projector. There are multiple images to slide through with three different discs in the set.


Before we set up the day scene with the couch and table, here's the night scene. Velcro pieces are attached to the bottom of the mattress so it's able to stay in place. Here we have the pillow, throw pillows, blanket and sleeping bag.


Here's the set designed as a day scene. There's a small strap which can be attached to either side of the set to hold it up as a couch, I have added the pillows and wrapped the blanket around the back.


Of course, the table needs a few accessories added to it. Along with the laptop, I have included some food and a smoothie too.


On top of the surf bus, there's a rack to store Joss's surfboard. There's a strap on either side to hold it in place.


Let's go ahead and take a look at some of the accessories apart of the set. Here's some medical items including a: first aid kit, ointment, bandage wrap and an ice pack just name a few items.



Up next, there's some items for the kitchen (pot, pan, tongs and a spatula). The next item is a cooler with the classic Joss wave logo at the front. The lid opens and close and there's a handle attached to the set.

 

There are breakfast, lunch, fruit and snack items included in the set.


Here we have: a plate, spoon, some popsicles, dog food and drinks.


These items are perfect for Joss's collection. They are all themed to the beach and have a pink/orange/green color scheme. There's a: towel, blanket, pillows and a sleeping bag.


As I showed previously, there are hooks to attach the fabric screen to the set. Let's take a look at the accessories for this item. The video projector is a silver and pink color with a small insert to attach the image discs, this item does need batteries to operate. There's a total of three image discs: surf, cheer and beach. There's also a laptop with interchangeable screens (they are double sided) and a sheet of stickers to personalize the surf bus.


The next two items here are both related to sports. The surfboard is styled very similar to the other one in her collection, though it has a different design, while the other item is a skateboard with straps for the feet so they stay in place.


There are a few smaller accessories including a few brochures and pamphlets and five images themed to the beach, surfing and cheering.




Overall, this set has so much detail to it. From the accessories to the surf bus itself. I would recommend it if you're interested in purchasing it, though it is one of the most expensive sets American Girl has released but it is also one of the most interactive set as well. If you'd like to see the full opening and review of the set, click on the link down below:



Thursday, May 14, 2020

Opening and Review of the Explore More Travel Outfit ~ Who Wore it Best?

Hey everyone!

Today I am going to be talking about the new Explore More Travel Outfit from the Truly Me line. It comes with the outfit itself along with some smaller accessories. If you'd like to see a full opening and review of the set, click on the link down below!


Here we have the front of the box, with an image of the outfit on the lid to show an overview of the set. 


The first item is the tank top. To tie in with the travel theme, the shirt has the text 'Explore More' on the front in a silver font. In the middle of the shirt, there is a cactus design with a flower on either side. As this shirt is for summer, it is styled to be a tank top with a knot design on the top of each sleeve.


The next item apart of the outfit are the shorts. They are mainly a mint green color with a cacti and floral print on the front and back with pockets on either side. There is elastic on the waist with a bow on the front with two pearl beads attached to them. What's interesting about the shorts is that they are styled very similar to a skirt, making the item quite different from any other set released by American Girl. The item made out of a lightweight material which ideal for hot weather.


Here we have some glitter jelly sandals. There are straps on the front of the shoe for design and one along the back to hold the foot in place.


A summer set wouldn't be complete without a pair of sunglasses. They are a bright pink color to match the accessories apart of the set.


The last accessory item is the purse. The purse is clear to be able to see what's inside, though it is mainly a pink color. There is a strap that wraps across the back so it can we worn.


There is velcro on the flap to be able to open and close the purse. This avoids any smaller accessories from falling out.


Here we have the accessories from the set. Overall, this is a wonderful summer outfit with some great smaller accessories. I do really like the cacti theme to the set and the outfit is styled quite differently from any other outfit American Girl has released in a while.


I often post 'Who Wore it Better' posts on my Instagram so I thought I'd bring it over to my blog. Here we have two of my newest dolls in my collection, Meadow (Truly Me #86) and Hope (Truly Me #88).
Who do you think wore the outfit best?

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Opening and Review of American Girl Airlines Set from the Truly Me Collection

Hey everyone!

Today I am going to be talking about the new American Girl Airlines Set from the Truly Me line. The set includes a variety of travel related accessories that would be brought on or used while on a plane. Here we have the front of the box with an image to show an overview of the items in the set. I did post a full opening and review of the set on my channel. Be sure to click on the link to see the video!

 I just wanted to say a huge thank you to American Girl for sending me this product for free to review, I really appreciate it!

A question for you, will you be purchasing the set when it's been released?


American Girl Airlines Set:
Pasta, Dinner Roll, Butter, Neckpillow, Headphones, Book, Airline Ticket, Tray, Tablet, 2 Interchangeable Screens, Plate, Two Sets of Shortbread Cookies, Knife, Fork, Water Bottle and Placemat.


Let's go ahead and take a look at the food items in the set, there is a full meal provided. The first piece is pasta with some detail of basil, cheese and tomatoes on the set itself. The next item is a dinner roll, which looks very realistic while a small butter packet is provided with it as well. All of these items are made with a plastic material.


An airline set wouldn't be complete without a plane ticket. The item is a blue and cream color with small details on it to replicate a real ticket. There is departure (LA) and arrival (NY) information on the corner of the ticket, along with a flight number, departure time, gate, class, reference number and flight number with a barcode on the side and lower part of the ticket. The other item included in the set is a 'Smart Girls Guide' book. This one is of course related to travel, with the title "Travel: Everything You Need to Know About Adventuring Near and Far". There is a larger copy available at American Girl so this set does nicely tie in with the real item.


There are images and text included in the book, though the text is quite small to fit into the miniature sized book.


The next two items are related to comfort, in order for the doll to have a relaxing plane trip. The first item is a neck pillow, with a bright green and yellow print. The design is themed to summer with with small prints of pineapples with heart shaped eyes throughout the item. There are also a set of wireless headphone which are pink and white. This item is made out of a plastic material.


To continue along with comfort items, here we have a tablet with 2 interchangeable screens. The tablet is pink and white, to match the headphones. There's a stand of the back in order for the item to sit upright by itself and a removable stylus pen. The 2 interchangeable screens are doublesided, therefore there are a total of four different screens to choose from. One of the screens is based around Blaire's book (GOTY 2019) and a Sudoku game while the other screen is based around entertainments/games (Just Dance and Megablocks).


There is a small opening on the side of the tablet to change the screens when neccessary.


Along with the main meal there is a small snack included in the set. This includes two shortbread cookies sets, with two cookies in each packet. There is a red label at the front, while the rest of the packaging is clear to be able to see the items inside.


Some more essentials that are apart of the set includes: a napkin, a knife/fork set and a napkin.


The next item we will be taking a look at is the plate. As you can see it is arched on either side, though the items do stay on the plate itself. It is a lightweight plastic material.


Most food items are served on a tray when on a plane, therefore this set wouldn't be complete without one. The tray is a dark green color with the classic American Girl star in the middle. The item is a lightweight plastic material, though there are no stoppers on the bottom which may cause it to slide. There is also a placemat included in the set. It is made out of a paper material which can easily bend. The item is a teal and purple color with AG Airlines and a design of a plane in the middle of the item.


Overall this is a very well rounded set with multiple travel related items. The food pieces look quite realistic and the comfort items are great additions to the set. Are you planning on purchasing the set when these items are released? Comment down below!

If you'd like to see the full opening and review, click on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1XII7F0VbM


Sunday, May 3, 2020

Opening and Review of Joss's Nfinity Cheer Backpack Set and Joss's Cheer Team Jacket GOTY 2020

Hey everyone!

Today I am going to be talking about some of the new cheer items from the Girl of the Year 2020 Joss Kendrick's collection. She comes with multiple cheer items in her collection which includes: Joss's Cheer Practice Outfit, Joss's Cheer Competition Outfit, Joss's Nfinity Cheer Backpack Set, Joss's Cheer Team Jacket and Joss's Cheer Practice Equipment Set. Today we will be taking a look at: Joss's Nfinity Cheer Backpack Set and Joss's Cheer Team Jacket.

 I just wanted to say a huge thank you to American Girl for sending me this product for free to review, I really appreciate it!

A question of you, if you could choose between Joss's Nfinity Cheer Backpack Set or Joss's Accessories, which one would you choose? ðŸŽ€


Joss's Nfinity Cheer Backpack Set
This set includes: Nfinity backpack, makeup kit, cheer bow, ankle socks, teasing comb, hairstyling tool set, a set of hairbands and bobby pins. This set retails for $40 USD.


The first two items in the set are the bow and teasing comb. The bow is a dark blue sparkly cheer bow, with a hair tie attached to the back to be able to tie Joss's hair into a high ponytail. This bow is very similarly styled to the bow that is apart of Joss's Cheer Competition Outfit. Up next, there's the teasing comb to hep style her hair. It's a lovely peach/pink color and is a great addition to the set.


To continue along with the hair accessories apart of the set, there are 5 hair elastics and 5 bobby pins. The hair elastics come in the colors: peach, black, pink, teal and white to match the outfits and accessories in her collection. The 5 bobby pins all match Joss's hair color.


Up next, there are ankle socks. These are teal, green and white with a cheer graphic on the front.
In order for Joss to perform her cheer routines, the set also comes with a makeup kit with a brush. The kit opens and closes with a mirror on the top and multiple fake eyeshadow colors on the bottom with a small compartment to store the brush.


One of my favorite items in the set would have to be interchangeable hair styling tool set. These items come in three different pieces: the curling iron, the hair straightener and the teal handle. Both the curling iron and straightener have attachments at the bottom to be able connect the handle to items. The teal extension does have a clear handle in order for Joss to hold onto it.


The curling iron is a silver color which opens and closes to be able to style Joss's hair.


As for the hair straightener, it is predominantly black, which also opens and closes to be able to style Joss's hair.



The main feature of the set is of course the glitter rose-gold Nfinity backpack to be able to hold all of Joss's cheer accessories. There are two pockets at the front (the larger one on the bottom and the smaller one on the top) and the main pocket at the back. There are also two side compartments to hold her water bottle. The straps are located at the back in order for Joss to wear it. I have heard that the backpack does snag on some of Joss's clothing, in particular her cheer jacket, due to the rough material so you may need to be careful when putting it on and taking it off.


Here's a comparison between two cheer themed backpacks from American Girl (Joss's Nfinity Cheer Backpack Set: left and Nfinity Cheer Set: right). I wanted to show the two items together side by side to give you an idea on sizing of the two sets. The rose gold backpack is significantly larger than the teal backpack. The fabric is also very different with the teal backpack being very lightweight compared to the rose gold back. Both items do have pockets on the front, with the teal backpack only having one and the rose gold backpack having 2, water bottle compartments, straps at the back and the classis Nfinity logo on the front.


Overall I would recommend this set as it comes with quite a few items to help Joss get ready for her cheer competition. I especially love the interchangeable hair styling tool set as it's easy to pack in her bag once you are all done with it. The detail is really great with each item and this will definitely be a popular set this year!


Joss's Cheer Team Jacket ðŸ’™
This set includes: a cheer team jacket. This item is only available to AG Reward Members. It retails for $15 USD.


This jacket is a lovely addition to Joss's collection. The color themes are mainly: teal, white and peach. Along the middle of the jacket, there is a zipper which does open and close, with the words 'Shine Athletics' written in a small font along the side.


On the back of the jacket, 'Shine Athletics' is written in a larger font with stars on the top and bottom of the writing.

Overall I would recommend purchasing this set if you are an AG Rewards Member if you would like to complete Joss's collection.

Again if you'd like to see a detailed opening and review of these sets, be sure to go and watch the entire opening and review on my YouTube channel by clicking on the link below ðŸ’•