Back in the mists of time, my very first supplier was DKL, who trusted me with a £300 credit limit and let me explore my idea of selling Hama Beads in unusual mixes and kit forms. Kai’s trust in me led to a total change in our life; I set up a business which we now (more or less!) supports us and which enables us to live a lifestyle that gives us time as a family while our children are young.
Over the years, we’ve gone on to sell more and more of DKL’s products and I’m very grateful that they’ve offered me a series of products to indulge our business and blog readers with over the next few weeks. While I love all our suppliers, DKL have a special soft spot in my heart for all the support they’ve given us through the years and they sell gorgeous things, so I hope you’ll enjoy them. I sometimes struggle with reviewing products on my blog, but I suppose in the end PoP has always been about the Merrily Toys Shops and how we run a small business as a family, so I hope you’ll enjoy and indulge.
First up is Corolle Dolls Camille in the Snow with an RRP of £39.95
The Les Cheries dolls are the wholesome girl about town of the doll world; 33cm tall, with a lovely vanilla smell and lots of other outfits to buy too, they make a gorgeous ‘older girl’ doll. I’ve loved Corolle since we first started stocking them; they are well made and beautiful to look at with bags of personality. I love that there are plenty of non-pink outfits too – always a good thing in this house!
Corolle are also offering free gifts at checkout on our sites so you can get something extra if you buy your Christmas presents from us 🙂
I’d be very grateful if you’d join our Facebook page too, although the competition does not depend on this. However, over the coming months it will have some exclusive discounts and special offers and first dibs on give aways advertised there. We don’t go mad though, I promise, so you won’t be bombarded!
To enter (UK only) leave a comment below. If you tweet the competition, leave another comment, if you facebook it, leave another. If you blog a link to PoP or PlayMerrily, leave more comments. I have one doll to give away to a lucky winner.
I will draw the competition on Saturday 12th November at 12pm and the winner will have one week to send me their address. If we get lots of entries, I’ll add some PlayMerrily gift vouchers in too 🙂
Just about to Facebook it for you :o)
Good luck everyone.. Shared on Facebook xx
ooo thats gorgeous my LO would love it 🙂 will facebook and twitter it too xxx
I can think of someone who’d love this 🙂
My daughters would love this!
Oooo – I’m thinking crimbo pressy for my little niece
I’ve facebooked, twittered, liked and google +’ed! Great to see how well you are doing!!! How long since you opened the shop? I remember it like it was yesterday; I must be getting old :o) !! Hugs to you and yours,
Carrie xxx
Do you know BeadMerrily first opened, with just an order form and no pictures, in 2003!
Wow… I remember now as it was the year we moved up here to Yorkshire, Marieka was just 6 years old she’s 14 now going on 20 lol.
I’ll mail you as would love to catch up; I first picked your HE brains when she was a toddler I think, so maybe 1999 odd? Couldn’t have done it without you!! Scary stuff, where does the time go? xx
I know a small girl who would adore one of these 🙂
Wow, avid Corolle fans here…..my daughter would LOVE this. We’ll be sure to check your FB page for offers over the coming weeks 🙂
Have just bought a pull-along monkey from you for my 2 year old twin girl. Babbo Natale will trundle it down the non-existent chimney for a very precious monkey loving bambina on Christmas day as she stares expectantly at the beautiful moon and stars awaiting that special moment Bernadettexx
Will tweet as well.
The doll looks fab. Please enter me.
What a lovely giveaway! Off to tweet and FB! 🙂
Lovely to hear about how you started out. I’d love to win the doll for my daughter,
The Corolle dolls and outfits are stunning. I bought my daughter a Miss Corolle brunette doll and ballet outfit two years ago and it is one of her favourites. Many people also comment on how beautiful the doll is and say that nice dolls are hard to find these days.
As for the service in ordering goods it is first class and one of the few companies that make you feel like a valued customer.
Thank you
I will share this on facebook as well.
I know a little girl who would love one! good luck all. Xx
Have shared on twitter
And on my Facebook page’s wall (tagging Play Merrily Toys) 🙂
She’s is a lovely doll. My two grandaughters would love her join their doll family. They have named the Corolle dolls the ‘pretty girls’ when they are looking at them in catalogues etc! I llike them because they are a refreshing change from allthe adult shaped dolls..maybe Father Christmas will oblige if we cannot win one! Will make FB link to help promote ‘proper’ dolls more widely! Glad to hear that your business has gone from strength to strength..not suprising with the range of produts you choose to sell.
What a beautiful doll. I know a very good home for her where she will be loved and cherished
I love the Corolle dolls, they are such timeless dolls and still remain childlike.
What a beautiful doll, my daughter would love this. Thanks for the opportunity.
I have shared on facebook
I tweeted too as @mumoffunkids
https://twitter.com/#!/mumoffunkids/status/135111710754353152
Love Corolle dolls, have tidoo for my 22 month old daughter and was going to buy another for her as a gift from baby number 2 due in 10 weeks, would help my new year finances immensely if I won instead 😉
i love the whole `les cheries` range…..i buy them for my daughter…..but really they are for me to play with! xxx
I know someone who would love this!
Also shared on facebook!
What a lovely doll, my girl would love it 🙂
How generous, thanks for the opportunity!
My daughter would play happily for hours with this doll and she would look wonderful cosied up in her soon to be dolls pram from Old St Nick.
Once again thank you for giving us all this opportunity!
Financially, I think we are all feeling the squeeze, and winning would be lovely for any of us!
My daughter loves the les cheries dolls and admires them on the website constantly. She has had her Camille for 3 years and somewhere along the line, in her being brought here and there, and loved to pieces, her hair has gotten completely frizzed and wreaked and she has marker here and there. Many an hour our girl has spent scrubbing and working hard to get her pretty again. I always wonder if we should just get another “rose”, but I left it up to the whims of fate. Therefore, it would be wonderful to win… to give our girl another chance to see her doll pretty again.But also, good luck to everyone else, I grew up with a Corolle, and the Les cheries line is an amazing addition to any family.
I facebooked your page. Look forward to the posts.
I loved dolls as a child and have passed this on to my beautiful daughter, We love playing together and this would make a great addition to our ever growing collection! xx
I know bags of little girls with bags of personality this doll would be perfect for!!
Hi and huge congratulations on growing your lovely business.
You must be proud, keep up the great job. We would love to win a Corolle doll, my three year old zara has haba dolls and baby Ella got a beedibies from you last Christmas and she is mad about the smell. We will be pleased to do our Christmas shop again and will join facebook too. Love giveaway from a lovely com
Grr hit the wrong button sorry meant to say lovely giveaway from a lovely company.
Mummy to 4 beautiful girls
(1 of whom would adore a Corolle doll, she has been promised a surprise when she learns how to swim and this would be perfect).?
Thank you all very much for your entries and help in sharing the competition. Another one will begin on Monday 🙂
I used a randomiser to choose the winner, skipping over my response to Carrie and her additional reply as they were not ‘entries’.
The winner was number 15 Claire Shepherd.
Claire, I will email you and you have a week to get in touch 🙂 Thank you very much for your lovely comments 🙂
Your site is a “dream world” for grandchildren and very special adopted grandchildren. We can wish, dream, and pretend always. This can give tremendous joy… It isn’t always possible to have things, but the imagination is a great gift!
Please, would it be possible to have more dolls with black and brown skin? There is also a need to have good quality dolls that children with dis-abilities can identify with.
Thank you…!
http://www.playmerrilytoys.co.uk/section/672/1/multicultural-dolls
We have quite a few 😀
You have a few black dolls and perhaps what i would call, mutirace dolls. What about a doll who uses a wheelchair or a down syndrome doll, dolls that are attractive and well made? Is it possible? Are there any like this made? Thank you for listening! Baracha
It’s difficult. We don’t make the dolls, we just sell what manufacturers make and what distributors choose to stock. Unfortunately in thee constrained times, dolls which will always be niche dolls tend not to have money spent on them at the early levels of the chain. Which means we can’t get them to sell 🙁
We have 2 Rubens Barn dolls and a few Sri Lankan dolls. The Sri Lankan dolls are good for pretend play, but not “take to bed” dolls. Rubens Barn are very special and are constantly being talked to. They also are tremendous for s “special” child and comforting. I found these dolls many years ago, when they were known by another name. It would be so good if there was a Rubens longer haired black doll! Again, Baracha I have MANY grandchildren!