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Annie by Kiddiefun a Cute Irish Lass

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For St. Patrick’s Day and Irish Heritage Month, here is Annie from Kiddiefun.  I found Annie, the Irish Babe, in a thrift store and had never heard of her before. However, the luck of the Irish kept her tag attached, so I found enough facts to do a little research   Annie is a soft cloth doll made by Kiddiefun in 2004. Kiddiefun produced a variety of Irish souvenirs, especially a brand of  plush toys, specifically sheep and bears, often associated with St. Patrick's Day and Irish themes, that were made in Dublin, Ireland. Kiddiefun closed its doors in 2019.  Annie has a plush body with medium orange “red” hair pulled back into two ponytails, an embroidered face with green eyes and a wide smile. She wears a kelly green crop top, cut modestly long with a shamrock and “Irish Babe” embroidered on the front. Her kelly green and white skirt is a shamrock print. She wears green and white leggings and bright red tennis shoes.  Research shows the Kiddiefun dolls and toys...

St. Patrick’s Day Gnomes vs. Leprechauns

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  ☘️   It’s St. Patrick’s Day Weekend and the Gnomes and Leprechauns are celebrating.  ☘️  Gnomes vs. Leprechauns: The Ultimate St. Patrick’s Day Showdown St. Patrick’s Day is a time for shamrocks, shenanigans, and—if you look closely—a covert battle between two pint-sized mythical misfits: gnomes and leprechauns. Though both groups have mastered the art of being delightfully diminutive, they couldn’t be more different. Let’s take a humorous romp through the quirky world of these legendary beings. Appearance: Dapper Dudes in Disguise At first glance, gnomes and leprechauns might both remind you of a particularly festive garden ornament, but their style speaks volumes. Gnomes sport the classic red pointy hat—a nod to their mischievous yet dependable nature—and typically sport a flowing beard that suggests centuries of wisdom (or at least a solid commitment to facial hair). Leprechauns, however, take “dressed to impress” to a whole new level with their vibrant green at...

A Shamrock of Tiny Betsys

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 The shamrock is the three-leaf clover that St. Patrick used to teach the Irish about the trinity. ☘️  In honor of St. Patrick’s day, here are three cute Tiny Betsy dolls in their Saint Patrick’s day finery.  While they aren’t nearly as cute in the face as the original Tiny Betsy dolls, these newer versions made by Robert Tonner are pretty adorable in their own right. All three dolls wear home-made, shamrock-print dresses.  Happy St. Paddy’s day from this trio of Irish cuties!  Related: The History & Traditions of St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock: Three Poems for Saint Patrick’s Day Saint Patrick’s Shamrock Haiku St. Patrick’s Day Poem Who Was St. Patrick? St. Patrick’s Confession Quotes for Saint Patrick’s Day from the Irish

Bunny Brigade at Michael’s

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The big (and small) Easter bunnies are out at Michael’s! The largest bunnies are dressed in their spring finery and are the size of a small person! Other rabbits come in various sizes and colors. This display features flocked and glitter bunnies.    Other bunny figures in various sizes and styles are on the Michael’s shelves, so hop on in and paws to admire the selection. Everybunny needs an Easter rabbit! 🐇 🐰  Related: A Tisket, a Tasket, Fashion Dolls in a Basket G nome Sweet Gnome 2025 Bunny Figures Are in at Michael’s Getting Dolled Up for Easter with the Moxie Teenz

Gnome Sweet Gnome

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  I admit I am late to the gnome party. I first started seeing them at Dollar Tree a few years ago, and then they were all over Michael’s every season, but it took a while for them to grow on me. Finally last year I bought one, and then another, and now I have a gnome or two dressed in seasonal fashions for almost every holiday.  The latest selection of gnomes at Dollar Tree is the Easter collection. There are four different Easter characters this year: a boy gnome dressed in green with a white yarn beard; a girl gnome with bunny ears wearing a pink polka dot dress and a sequined hat; a boy gnome dressed in blue and pink with a pastel beard; and a girl gnome dressed in blue and pink with 2 ponytails.   There are also bunny rabbits made in the same shapes and sizes that come in brown and white. I picked a white gnome bunny up last year and am glad I did because it is better made than this year’s bunnies. I added the silver mesh ribbon around my bunny’s waist.  Michael...

The President Who Is Immortalized in Pop Culture as a Doll

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  To commemorate the inauguration of President Donald Trump, this is an appropriate time to look at the fun figures inspired by the man himself. While some would disagree, many would say the man himself is a living doll.  There’s no denying he has inspired several dolls and figures   First is the Donald J. Trump 12” talking doll (center) which was released in 2004 while he was the star of the tv show, “The Apprentice.” This doll is a relatively life-like depiction of how Donald Trump looked while on the reality series and it says 17 phrases in his voice that were made popular on the show.  It is dressed in his typical navy blue suit with red tie   Next is the Trump troll doll (left) which was issued fairly recently, probably in 2023 or 2024. This troll is also dressed in Trump’s normal blue suit, white shirt and red tie and sports his flamboyant hair.  Most recently, Proud Patriots released a Trump elf (right) in September 2024. This elf is dressed all in r...

2025 Bunny Figures Are in at Michael’s

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 The fashion bunnies—soft cloth figures of Easter bunnies dressed in cute outfits—are on the shelves at Michael’s!  The little boy bunny is wearing overalls and green boots. The girl bunny wears a calico dress, yellow boots and has a green bucket. Another set is dressed in blue. Sadly, the girl bunnies were all gone.  All the cloth bunnies as well as the white bench are $19.99 at Michael’s   Better get hopping if you want a pair of these bunny rag dolls. They are too cute to last long! Related: A Tisket, a Tasket, Fashion Dolls in a Basket G nome Sweet Gnome  Getting Dolled Up for Easter with the Moxie Teenz