Made in Germany - Heart and Soul Dolls by Sonja Hartmann

Aletta Heart and Soul Doll (Dark Brown with Blue eyes)

Sonja Hartmann, German doll artist, has created quite a following in the US with her Heart and Soul Dolls (aka Kidz n Cat Dolls).  At the current time, her most popular doll is Aletta.  This very special limited edition doll follows the same format as last year's doll, Henriette.  There were only 300 Aletta dolls created worldwide and both her hair and eye color is customized.  In other words, there are 9 possible combination with eye color choices of blue, brown, and grey-green.  And hair color choices of either blonde, brown, or dark brown.  In addition to purchasing Aletta, a very pretty limited edition white party dress can also be purchased with this doll.

Each Heart and Soul doll stands 18 inches tall and is articulated (which means that they can be posed in numerous ways).  Sonja Hartmann, the amazing German doll artist who creates these dolls, has been creating Kidz n Cats dolls since 2009.  In the beginning there were issues in getting the dolls distributed in the US so Madame Alexander Dolls carried Sonja's dolls.  At this time, the Heart and Soul Dolls were made in China which was very disappointing.  Anyway, this lasted only a couple of years as the Alexander Doll Company was fairly recently bought out by a PA company named Kahn-Lucas.

We were so pleased to discover that Sonja had decided to continue with her collectible dolls and that they are now made in Germany (and it is proudly displayed on each and every doll box).  Definitely great news for any doll collector. . .

Each Heart and Soul doll has a German look to her with delicate facial features and unique outfits and accessories.  A stuffed plush kitty cat pretty much comes standard with each Kidz n Cat doll.

A must have doll to add to any doll collection.

Quote of the Day - "All true love is founded on esteem." - George Buckingham

2014 Heart and Soul Dolls to be Arriving Soon

Sonja Hartmann's new 2014 lineup of her Heart and Soul dolls are wonderful as always.  Besides bringing back some old favorites with doll collectors, such as Lena, Alister, Laura, and Jakob, she has introduced several new collectible dolls.

Each vinyl doll is 18 inches tall and quite slim in stature.  Sonja ensures that every outfit is meticulously detailed and always comes with an accessory.  Most of the time it is a plush kitty cat that is dressed in an outfit to coordinate with the doll's outfit.

Several Heart and Soul Dolls have won national awards in the past, and 2013 was no exception.  Both Kiki and Carlotta won the DOLLS Award of Excellence (otherwise know as the DOTY Award).  Kiki was retired but Carlotta will once again be available for purchase in 2014.

These new editions are expected to start shipping in April with the remainder arriving in the August timeframe.

The delicateness of their faces and international look of these dolls make them a must-have for any doll collection.

Quote of the Day - "Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.' - Mary Anne Radmacher

Doll Collecting is Really A Grown-Up Hobby

Why do adults collect dolls?  We have read several articles on this very subject and agree with many points "Not Just for Little Girls:  Doll Collecting A Grown-Up Hobby" written by JoAnn Jacobsen-Wells several years back.

Listed below are her major points in the above-mentioned article sprinkled with some of our commentary:

1.  At first doll collecting was just a fad.  It has evolved into a love and the love turned into a true doll collector.  That would be defined as the person who buys a doll because she loves it, wants it, and enjoys it.
2.  Many doll collectors look at dolls as "works of art" only buying limited editions or OOAK (one of a kind) creations.  This can therefore lend itself to be an expensive hobby but the happiness doll collecting brings is much more satisfying than the money spent to buy the doll.
3.  "I appreciate my husband, as he doesn't understand my love of dolls, but he allows me to indulge. That is how his Dad was as well.  He understood it only because he knew that we loved it."
4.  Each collectible doll has some sort of sentimental value, and each represents a cherished moment.
5.  Each person who collects dolls does it for a personal reason.  For some it fills the void in their lives.  The dolls are comforting when the children and grandchildren are gone.  Some doll collectors remember the smell of a new doll at Christmas and want to recapture that smell because it triggers the memory of a good experience in the past.
6.  Others collect dolls because it just plain makes them happy.  Dolls don't talk back, they don't require changing diapers or food, and they definitely do not require anything but me looking at them and smiling.
7. Some doll collectors claim that doll collecting is less expensive than seeing a psychiatrist.  Some women have reported that doll collecting helps her deal with her depression.  Another woman has reported that collecting dolls fills the void that she feels when she thinks of her deceased son.

Whatever the reason collectors continue to add dolls to their collections, it is a wonderful and endearing hobby.

Quote of the Day - "A light heart lives long." - William Shakespeare