Dolls and Doll-related Items for Sale

Monday, June 3, 2019

LORI Camper

I first noted the existence of the LORI camper, made by Our Generation for their 6" doll line, back in August of 2015. Our Generation is a doll company that makes lower cost (and quality) 18" dolls, like the American Girls. They also make extra clothes, accessories, and even roombox playsets. With the popularity of the mini AG dolls, Our Generation also began to make mini 6" versions of their bigger dolls. Then they introduced the LORI line, which makes 6" dolls of better quality, at a higher price point, and also lots of accessories, like outfits, cars, horses, a stable, a dollhouse, individual room furniture sets, and the camper below (or caravan for my friends outside the US.) :) Speaking of the US, LORI items only seem to be available at Target stores in person, although LORI also has a presence on US Amazon.
I'd wanted to buy one fairly soon after I saw it, but I kept putting it off. I finally decided I'd better buy one, since who knows when they're going to stop being produced, so I'd like to share a few pictures, now that I've gotten it home. I do wish I'd bought one back when the exterior trim and interior seating and beds were blue. They're now pink.
The camper comes with everything you see inside, plus another pot and a frying pan, cooking utensils, and a set of dishes and silverware for two. Most of those items have also been included with one of the cookware and food accessory sets, if you've seen that. The kitchenette drawers and doors open, although the doors under the kitchen sink are kind of warped. I'm thinking the doors can be fixed, or replaced. Also functional are the cupboard doors just under the roof of the camper, but they only open in pairs, so there are only two doors, and not four. The camper is exactly suited for the 6" doll, but since I don't have a LORI doll, I'm substituting mini American Girl Ruth, friend of 1930s character Kit Kittredge. She's the most modern era mini AG that I own. According to the American Girl website, the mini dolls are 6.5" tall, while LORI says their dolls are 6" tall. I think Ruth looks great in there anyway.


The small silver bar above the kitchen sink contains a light, which can be turned on by the tiny button you may be able to see on the right of the light. I forgot to get a picture of the camper with the light on. :(

I suppose the color scheme doesn't matter in the long run, since I really want to revamp this camper. I'm currently trying to think of a theme that I would like to use. Oddly enough, I haven't seen many pictures of this camper at all online, much less inspiring ones. Maybe mini doll collectors have moved on to other things, but this could still be used for other types of dolls of this size. Someone on Flickr took progressive photos of how she started with the LORI dollhouse as a shell, and almost completely broke it apart and put it back together with additions, using it for her miniature family and furniture. One person on Flickr did an impressive upgrade of the camper, using a Route 66 Western theme. She also added her own lighting. I also found one person who left the interior mostly the same, but did add her own bedding, and cushioning and pillows for the corner seating, plus a few decorations. And here's a second one with just new bedding, seating and curtains.

If I redo it, it's definitely going to be more of an overall transformation, like the Route 66 version. I may do something similar to what she did with the overall wood look, only make mine with more of the look of a rustic cabin. Buffalo check blankets, snowshoes, that kind of thing. It would take some research, but I have a vague idea, if I wanted to go that way. There are also lots of people who have done creative things with DIY camper kits, like the kind that you can buy at AliExpress. I feel that those ideas would be useful, because those kits are not very large, so you're also trying to make a lot of a small space. For all that LORI calls this item a "glamper," this really doesn't have the space or amenities that a lot of real-life big campers do.

When I was adding the links to this post, I noticed that the same person who changed up the LORI dollhouse, also made the Route 66 camper. I guess that really shouldn't surprise me, but it is even more of an indicator of how little creativity with these pieces is being shared on the Internet. The same person also did some pretty racy stuff with other dolls in another Flickr album; you have been warned if you go looking around her photo account. Lastly, one weird note: the table in the camper was originally the same fuchsia pink, and was spray painted to match the color of the wood-look floor. One good thing about this camper is the floor and table already have that wood look and an actual textured wood grain appearance, which I think would look great repainted.
Does anyone else have a home on wheels for their dolls? Do you yourself like to camp, in a tent or a camper? Or do you not vacation anywhere that you can't call room service? ;)

6 comments:

  1. Hi Barb! This a very nice little camper/caravan and I would love to see the same in 1/6th scale. :)
    I did look at the ones in your links, but I'm more interested in what you're going to do with yours. Personally I prefer to holiday in comfort so I'm not a camper myself, but I don't mind my dolls going camping. :)
    Big hugs,
    X

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    1. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing the same thing in 1/6 scale either. Mattel has introduced several RVs over the years, but I don't remember anything like this. I'm still not sure what I'll do with this camper, but I shouldn't let myself dither too long, or I'll probably never get to it.

      My family went tent camping when I was a child, since we didn't have a lot of money for vacations. Mr. BTEG and I also took our daughters tent camping a few times when they were small, as little ones seem to enjoy it. I think it's the novelty.

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  2. I love that caravan! You get the Lori stuff at Kmart here, and I always look at their stuff and I'm impressed by it, but I'm never sure if it'd fit any of my dolls. I did buy a pack of Lori food stuff for my skeletons though. . . But do skeletons even eat?

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    1. I definitely think 6.5" (16.5cm) is about the tallest you could go with those dolls, although a bit smaller might work too. I put my Cu-poche doll in there, and she didn't look too bad, although she would need a step stool to reach the sink and the top of the stove. :)

      Doesn't the cat skeleton in that line come with a litter box? For that matter, doesn't the skeleton have a toilet? I would think that must mean they eat something. :)

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  3. What a cute camper. I will look in the local Target to see if we have it.

    The shape of the camper makes me think of the old Airstream campers. I have never seen one in person but I sometimes watch the travel and/or decorating shows where folks take the old campers and modernize them. For some people, the Airstream is the top of the line.

    To answer your question, I am not a camper-outer. I don't even like to go outside (there are bugs out there - laugh).

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    1. Dorothy, I looked around at Airstream makeover images online, but nothing caught my interest. I have some firm plans about where I want to take my decorating now, though. It's going to take some time and work, but I can't wait to see the finished look.

      Campground bathrooms generally have spiders and bugs, which is why if I ever went camping again, I would probably like to camp in an RV that has a bathroom, however small. Spiders are icky!

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