At least I finally fixed Shinobu...
Now Playing: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" -a Father/Son favorite
 

Current Mood : tired

 

Today was the usual Monday scramble. Rooting through Dearest Son's school backpack revealed the monthly snack and activities calendar from his teacher - wow. He only has three weeks of school left ! Where did the year go ? I'm just glad he has a week off before Summer School - and they're actually on the ball about that this year. I already have most of the information I need, and I should have his bus assignment in two or three weeks. This is the first year I haven't had to fight and fuss to find out what's going on !

 

Had a little doll time today, so I went to play with Shinobu. Couple weeks back, I boil-permed her hair. Freed of the thick hard hairspray Mattel had on her, the back was a chopped up mess and the sides sprung out like an umbrella from her head. No amount of combing could get it to look less like gravity had given up on it. Hence, the boil perm. This took *all* the springy out of her hair and more or less plastered it to her head. At first, I was rather upset, but I got to play with it a bit, and it really is about what I wanted. Can't do much about the chopped-up back, but the sides look like a human's would. I even managed to keep a bit of the curl at the ends, so I'm happy. It's funny to me, because last week, I was still rather upset about the whole thing... 

 

Michelle, I've often wondered the same things. I think a lot of us are working things out using our dolls - but I know that when I was a kid, I was happiest when I was playing with my very small family of ‘em. So why give that up just ‘cause some other yape thinks I'm too old for it ? Who knows what bizarre hobbies the yape is into ?! (lol) There's a lot to recommend a doll hobby. They're as inexpensive as I want ‘em to be, patient with my creativity, and I can infuse five or five hundred with a separate part of me, or an aspect of life I want to explore, however I choose, in any combination, permanently or temporarily.

 

As a kid, I could be anything, do anything, say anything with my dolls, and as long as I played quietly, no one could stop me. I took this into adolescence, a difficult period for every human in one way or another. I'd given the dolls away, but no one could take my imagination and thoughts. And, after a year or two of being ‘the nail that sticks up is the one that gets hammered down', I chose to ‘take it inside', so to speak, and rarely voiced my opinions even around those I mostly trusted. So I learned valuable things - when to speak up, and when to blend in with the roiling mob, yet still be me regardless - but I was still missing something important. After some thought, I realized that, even as an adult, I could still use some childhood happiness, and take it with me. So I returned to dolls, and my voice came back with them.

 

Now I can make my outrageous statements and wear my weirdest clothes, because I have a safe place (the Lab and my site) and a supportive, loving home (even Beloved Hubby calls this place ‘Chez Insanity' now). I'm just one person with one voice, and that's OK. At least I use it again, and if the dolls help me figure out who I am, I say it's cheap therapy !

 

And Miz Velvet says she's fine, but five kittens means someone's always on the bottom ! Sibling rivalry is already in full swing !  

The kittens' first photo shooot !
Now Playing: me being lazy !

 

Current Mood : Surprised anyone can ever take any pet photos at any time. Those kittens learned to hate the camera flash pretty darn quick ! But as you can see, they're eyes are just starting to open ! Cuuuuute overload !!

 

Had an interesting epiphany today. Was cleaning up the Lab - with all the new dolls and stuff, it was a total pit ! - when I got to my Walda-like doll. I've already put aside the dress she came from the thrift store in (Playmates' Interactive Belle's blue Village one), and was cleaning her up a bit. Her face was grimy with that kind of greasy dirt you find caked up in yer kitchen. Well, maybe just my kitchen, I'm a terrible housekeeper ! It was coming up easily enough, but I was thinking of Waldas and porcelain dolls, and dolls in general.

 

Y'see, I don't like porcelain dolls. Never have. Even took a class in making them overseas - twice ! - and I secretly loathed both of the ones I made, despite having customized them with favorite hair and eye colors. I knew part of it was the breathless adoration of antique porcelain in doll magazines, while I prefer dolls I can play with and alter...and afford ! I also don't care much for the ones in doll magazine ads of cute boy dolls going potty and over-ribboned little girl dolls with butterflies on her three-layer lace-edged skirt matching the one alight on her hand just turned my stomach. I'm lookin' at you, Hamilton Collection, QVC, and Bradford Exchange ! They were over-idealized images of childhood that *nobody* ever had. I doubt anyone here had wild songbirds perch on upraised fingers and sing with him or her - but the dolls posed and accessorized for this are legion.  It probably goes back to my whole ‘princess' issue...desperately want to be one, knows I'm just too ‘me' to be that, ever. These dolls, however, seemed to promise a fantasy that no one had until the doll existed.

 

I bought and read Life-Like Dolls, supposedly a study of the modern made-for-collectors porcelain doll lifestyle. It was more of a condemnation of lonely 60-something empty-nesters than an actual study of advertising, society, class issues, and personal choice, so I read it again. Nope. Still a ‘that house fulla $100. dolls won't be worth a dime when yer dead, Granny !' attitude permeating all the text. So it didn't help much. I think the author didn't like dolls in any media, which didn't help her thesis or the book.

 

I then paid loose attention to what I did like. Fashion dolls were easy enough, but what about the other dolls ? I soon realized, with the acquisition of Baby Chrissy, that I don't like mixed-material dolls. If the head and limbs are vinyl, I really don't like a stuffed fabric body. It needs to be vinyl, too. If everything's fabric or plastic, that's fine. But it's a good reason why I don't like porcelain dolls - it's rare that the chest/body is porcelain, too. If I could find an American Girl clone that's all vinyl, I'd probably buy her. It's typical that the soft parts sag, and in a play doll, the stuffing might even shift, so you're stuck with a floppy doll that's difficult if not impossible to fix. It just seems like it would be easier to go all one-way or the other when it comes to doll body materials.

 

So. While I was cleaning the poor-quality-even-for-Walda clone, it hit me. Porcelain's fragile, of course, so it makes sense the chest-body have some flexibility to it, especially back in the day when plastic and vinyl were science fiction impossibilities. But this is also the area darn near always covered by costume - it often wasn't as attractive as the rest of the doll, either. And that part was often dirt cheap. Waldeena, here, has a body made of such cheap fabric, the recycled carpet cushion she's stuffed with shows through. Her arms, legs, and head are attached with plastic twine, wrapped around several times, tied, and sloppily glued down. Seams are crooked and uneven, with the barest possible seam allowance keeping her together. Even her feet are unpainted, with the expectation that her shoes and socks would remain covering them. Nope. You end up wanting to make sure she's covered, neck to ankles, to hide her ugly body. Seriously, I want to make Waldeena here a burqua. I want someone to think she's pretty, but there's not much here to recommend her.

 

It really boils down to more of what I see as a quality issue more than anything else. I really hate paying for only what I can see, but doll and toy companies are founded and flourish on that. When a company cheaps out on the part that doesn't show, I feel they cheaped out on me, and are unworthy of my trust and cash. And pretty much every porcelain doll is beautiful only where it shows.

 

Who'd have thought I'd actually have a reason to not like porcelain dolls ? I thought I was just being a reverse snob, because no matter how cute they are, I don't like Shirley Temple dolls either. They're expensive, have a rabid fan-base, and have reams of paper dedicated to their adoration. And most of them have all-compo or all-vinyl bodies. But I'm really just not into Shirley Temple. Every so often, it really is that simple.

 

And I'm free from ever even having to think about porcelain dolls ever again...unless I strip one for her dress ! From what I've seen on eBay, Crissy can fit that classic brown Walda praire dress ! Anybody want a copy of Life-Like Dolls ?

A nice Saturday...
Now Playing: evening

Current Mood : Tired and very happy...but I hate to see today end.  

 

Oh, sinful me ! While on the way to pick up Dearest Son from his grandparents', I stopped by that yard sale I got Tracy from. She'd promised to have more dolls out, and I'd successfully beaten back the desire to go Friday...

 

No new Barbies, but Skateboard Shannon and Toddler Ariel had found new homes, which was great. Found a Happy Meal beanie-baby monkey in Cut and Style Barbie's yellow vest and skirt, so I snagged it. And a nice purple strapless evening gown, probably a Fashion Avenue. But the real luck was for Dearest -  I was amazed to find one of the two vintage Disney Love Bug/Herbie children's books - I'd wanted to get them for him for ages ! Also scored a Star Wars Jar-Jar Binks beginning reader.

 

Surprisingly, I saw another Charmin' Chatty ! This one was blonde, but was in far worse shape. Half her hair was missing, one of her eyes was half out of the sleep mechanism, and her nose was dented. No record, so there was no telling if she worked, and she was wearing an ill-fitting kids' shorts set, barefoot. I was rather glad I'd already bought my little redhead, or I'd have promised myself to reroot this one. The price was reasonable - $5. ! - but mine was in better shape.

 

She also had a pretty Revlon clone ($20.) and some vintage Madame Alexanders still in their boxes, probably well-priced at $75., but nothing I was looking for. It was just funny to me that I'd gone my whole life never seeing a vintage Chatty doll, and in less than 24 hours, I not only saw two, but owned one ! Doll's older than me !

 

Found a blouse with gold metal buckles on the thin straps, and a dressed stuffed-cat Simplicity pattern that I'll probably adapt for Charmin' clothes. The only pattern I can find made for her is kinda pricey. I thought I'd have time to measure her for DSD, but...

 

It was Touch-A-Truck day, a once-a-year event that Dearest looks forward to. Basically, a bunch of companies, local and nationwide, send over a variety of vehicles for kids to climb in, touch, pretend to drive, etc. for a few hours at the county fairgrounds. A small suggested donation benefits the Children's Library, and it's good PR for the participants. The driver/company representative normally hangs around, distributes candy, and answers questions in between posing for photos and lifting kids into cabs. We had a Life Flight helicopter, two race cars, six different police vehicles, a cement mixer, a huge crane, several ambulances and fire trucks, some semis, a satellite news truck, and more this year. The hot-air balloon couldn't make it, though. There aren't any vendors or sales, which is nice. The kids usually get a handful of candy and a shirtful of stickers, and the parents get brochures and general PR pieces. And lots of photo ops ! I took at least 20 m'self.

 

By the time we were done, Beloved Hubby was home from work, and the rest of my day was outside, keeping Beloved company while running for tools and finishing taking the stuffed bear apart. He finished work on the tool trailer, his big project for the last two weeks, today. 

 

So I never got back to Charmin', but it was a nice, full day. And, as you can see, the Hibiki's had a good time in their backyard today, too !

Well, there's some charm here now...
Now Playing: Friday traffid
 Current Mood : I can't really describe it right now... 

 

I think next Thursday and Friday, I'm gonna hide my car keys in Beloved Hubby's lunch cooler. Maybe that'll keep me home and encourage me to create, not buy.

 

Yes, my friends, I have done it once again. At least this time, I haven't gone berserk with second-hand Barbies. But I did buy another doll today. (sigh)

 

The monthly flea market here is a kind of traveling show. And when the owner/manager obtains use of the fairgrounds at other times due to cancellations, it goes from a flea market to a garage sale. Same folks, mostly the same stuff. But the flea market is when smaller sellers appear, and regular booth-holders drag out the stuff that's been moldering all winter in a tin shed on the dark side of Io. Lots of stuff with weird textures and smells, most of which is rotting, but a few interesting things bubble up to the surface, too.

 

Like today. Very few sellers. I thought this'd be one of the rare times that I prowled without buying anything. And I was inches from the door when I decided to poke around one booth again. Hmm. A doll leg under the table. Big one. I leaned waaaay over...oh ! a redhead Charmin' Chatty doll. I'd never seen a real one, just ads and doll reference photos found while researching Timey Tell and Hi, Dottie. She rather reminded me of Brikette, another doll I'd only seen as a reference, with her pointed chin, odd eyebrows, and close-mouthed smile. A tag on her wrist identified her as a Charmin' Cathy (close, but not quite) for $15.

 

Hmm. I really wanted a closer look at this doll, but she wasn't on display. For all I knew, the absent booth owner had purchased her and tucked her underneath so no one would try to buy her. So I found myself on my knees at a second-hand venue for another week, staring at a doll curiously, wondering if I should try to pick her up.

 

Then the booth owner appeared, and asked if I'd like to see her. Yes, she was for sale, there just wasn't room on the table. I got to hold her, and see that her eyes were good and clear, opening and closing as they should. An ink mark decorated one cheek, but otherwise, she just seemed a bit grimy, not really damaged. She had on a skirt with a bib front, and some blue and white saddle shoes with the Mattel seal embossed on each sole. Amazingly, her voice still worked, but it was hard to understand. Her hair was very thin up front, with many missing hair plugs, but it was barely noticeable.

 

Now, I've never really wanted a Charmin' Chatty doll. Maybe a Chatty Cathy, but even that was remote. And this one had kind of a weird expression. But she's part of doll history, and I'd never expected to see, much less hold, a real one. Compared to my mother's Patty PlayPal, Chatty was lightweight...easy for a kid to carry around.

 

I guess the seller noticed my wavering. He offered to sell her to me - because he could see I liked her, and would get her cleaned up and dressed nice - for $10. (sighhhh)

 

I have two My Size Barbie dolls already. And a Baby Chrissy. I don't need this Charmin' 25-inch tall doll, no matter that I could probably sell her shoes for what I'd pay for her, or what her history was. It didn't matter that I had $15. in my wallet, either. I just did not need another doll.

 

Yeah, right. She's standing right here beside me, with her hair brushed - lightly, it comes out waaaay too easily for my peace of mind - and some of her grime scrubbed off. The ink mark will need acne treatment to fade, and she needs clothes from scratch, but the skirt and bib she wore, as well as her saddle shoes, are original to her. She does talk, but sometimes it garbles a bit. I saw her original ad on YouTube, and it really was charming.

 

I just couldn't say ‘no' to her. Maybe the seller was right, she needed me. But I swear, next week, I'm gonna hide my car keys ! Along with my wallet and the ATM card !

 

Another booth set up as I tried to make for the door, two small girls eyeing my newest doll friend. I smiled, but their mom beat cheeks. Oh, well. Maybe she thought I was trying to sell the doll. Found a yard and a half of ‘paper doll' print fabric that'll probably make several nice dresses for a buck, and several spools of vivid thread for 25c each. I'm a slave to pretty thread - especially when it's so inexpensive !   

 

I don't regret owning Charming Chatty. But I do need to rein in all this buying ! Oh, and I'm taking name suggestions ! I'll post the ‘Hibiki Backyard' photo tomorrow, and Charmin's on Sunday. We're getting close to mid-book on the Barbie images !

Things we do to ourselves, knowingly, twice...
Now Playing: Beloved and Dearest on a Wii game - I think it's 'Blazing Angels'...
 

Current Mood :  My amazing luck is starting to unsettle me a bit...

 

Sometimes, I'm amazed Beloved Hubby lets me out of the house. Ran a few more errands, including ditching the soda cans at the recyclers' for a quick $4.75. And, about six blocks away, there was a yard sale...

 

You guessed it. I spent $5. Got a copy of Gene Marshall : Girl Star (more later about this one), a Disney Princess baby doll ‘diaper bag' in cheap nylon, with a crawler made of identical fabric (gonna take that sucker apart !), and a friend-of-Barbie Tracy bride doll ! You know me, I'm a sucker for a Steffie face, and brown hair and green eyes make her darn near irresistible. I knew about her, but she was always on the ‘nice if I can find one cheap' list, not the ‘hunt ‘til you find and devour' one. Tracy was released in 1979,  along with bridegroom Todd, but she has butt markings instead of lower-back ones. She's in pretty good shape, but I have to fix her faded eyebrows. And maybe her lips. While she was out-of-box, she still had her wedding gown - it only needs minor repairs and a good soak.

 

The seller had lots of dolls, but I guess the 50c sale Friday spoiled me. I felt a bit titchy about paying $3. for Tracy. If she'd had a non-Steffie face, I'd have probably left her there.

 

Like last Friday's seller, she had lots of 80s and 90s dolls, with one TNT from the early 70s. She wanted $10. for her, and I hated to keep asking ‘how much' about the other stuff I was interested in. Besides, I didn't have much more cash on me. I may go back Friday or Saturday, but she clearly knows what she has and what it's worth - a rare and good thing, and her prices are reasonable - but I just wish she'd have been a bit more honest. She'd give me all these details about the doll, then shrug and say she really didn't know much about them. Uh huh. It's nice to meet someone who's so knowledgeable, but I doubt I'll find a fantastic bargain there.

 

Found another ‘Little Princess' - Ariel this time. That makes the fourth of her, and I think it's now six Cinderellas and three Belles. I'm still hoping to someday find a Snow White or Mulan, but I doubt that'll happen any time soon.

 

OK, about the Gene book. I'm not really into Gene. What I know about her is mostly from ads in doll magazines and photos on doll boards. She's an adult fashion doll who premiered just when adult collector Barbie was just beginning to take off - and in those early days, you'd spend weeks drooling over a prototype photo of an $80. doll that, under the big dress, was of lower quality than the $5. swimsuit ones. Much as I love and adore Shinobu, seeing how badly her hair was done and cheaply her body was made under that fabulous kimono turned me away from Barbie Collectables for life. Mattel's sharpened their game somewhat since then, but I refuse to ever get caught in that trap again. That's where the ‘I refuse to buy a doll until I can see her myself in the harsh light of retail' vow came from, BTW.

 

So you can imagine how I reacted to Gene. I hated her. Too expensive, with brow-to-lash blue eyeshadow and drag-queen eyelashes, she looked haughty and dismissive to me, and even at 15 ½ inches tall, seemed to always be looking down at me. While I loved her clothes and the 40s era of her story, I really didn't like her. And I've had this book before - bought it as a remainder from Dollar Tree, of all places. And the book made me hate her even worse. Y'see, her creator, Mel Odom, is in love with her. Seriously. She's his dream fantasy girl, absolutely perfect in every way, and no one should really be surprised. But...

 

The backstory of personal tragedy and humble beginnings that should have charmed me instead made me want to buy the doll and peel out on her face with my car. Or a very large truck - like a Peterbilt. Just by breathing, Gene charms the universe and every creature in it, and anyone who dares breathe contrarily to her is evil incarnate. She basically stands there and looks sweetly confused, and the studio falls at her feet in worship. Yet she's a consummate actress, blending seamlessly into any role asked of her, with never a contrary opinion or ideas of her own. She just stands there, and is a star.

 

Another actress doll is part of the storyline. She had to earn her way into the studio shuffle through hard work, crap roles, and earning every last bit of fame she got. Stunningly, she isn't immediately enraptured with the beloved newcomer - you guessed it, instant Ugly Stepsisterhood for her. The sole male in the storyline is, of course, yearning for Gene and avoiding Madra (they even gave her an ugly stage name - and her ‘real' name is even worse !) who likes him. I felt sorry for Madra - at least she was a human being who had some emotion and blood in her ! Gene just stood there, angelically smiled, and was adored.

 

Gene's just too darn perfect. I'm amazed she has to trod the earth with the rest of us mortals. Maybe that's why most of her shoes tie on - otherwise, she'd float out of them all the time. I gave my Dollar Tree book away a long time ago, and mistakenly thought it had lots of wardrobe photos in it. Now that I sew, I could probably use those. Well, I've since had time to look at the book...I forgot that Gene mostly wears gowns, costumes, and rhumba/tango dresses. I'm better off with eBay and the old magazine ads.

 

Still, there's a vintage Barbie-like charm to Mr. Odom's line drawings. I'll probably scan ‘em and post ‘em here before the book passes from me once more. Mental Note to Self : Don't buy this thing again ! Seriously. Ashton-Drake may no longer be making Gene - Jason Wu is now - but this book is always gonna tick you off !

 

PS - Kittens all say 'Mew !' to you !

life going on...
Now Playing: "Star Wars Episode 3 : Revenge of the Sith" (or is that 'sick'...)

 

Current Mood : a bit worried, a bit weird 

 

Dearest Son's home sick today - sore throat and headache - so not much got done today, either. So I gave some thought to what to do with all of Friday's dolls that I want to keep - which is roughly about half. And I spent some quality time with my seam ripper and a home-made stuffed bear I bought for his fabric.

 

The sewing on the bear is kind of odd. There's quite a few indications of a sewist who knows what he/she's doing - trimmed ends, backstitching at both ends of a seam, even stitching and good proportions. But there's just as many things that indicate a lack of skill or maybe just caring - notches that are inches from matching, stuff that's pushed together hurriedly leaving puckers and pleats where it should be smooth, and raw, fraying edges. Even the stuffing shifts a lot, and seems inadequate for the bear's size. Normally I feel bad about buying something to take apart, even when it's ‘stuff a bag for a buck' people clothes. I won't go near a rack of that until just before I check out, in case someone else can use it as-is. But in this case, I almost feel justified. I don't think it was happy being a bear.

 

Got everything cheap-serged and washed, now I just need to make something ! And hope that Dearest feels better tomorrow.

Walda and other doll tidbits...
Now Playing: motorcycles at 7-11

 

Current Mood : sleepy 

Not much going on today - I'm still sneaking peeks at the kittens. They all survived the night, which is good news. I'm still digging through all the stuff I bought Friday. Believe it or not, I didn't go out for yard sales Saturday. After Friday, it seemed a bit pointless ! I haven't even brushed all the hair yet, much less begun deciding who's staying and who's moving on.

 

And I haven't even mentioned how the rest of Friday went ! Beloved Hubby asked me to pick up another season of Futurama, if Hastings had the second or fourth seasons used. They had both. So I took the second to the register - and heard the cashier tell the customer that there was a buy one used, get a second for a penny sale going on. Um, did that include DVD sets ? Oh, yeah ! So I got the two we didn't already have for $20. I even saw the Haute Doll with the pattern - interesting, but not worth the cover price to me. Still no Barbie Collector final issue, so I doubt I'll see that outside of eBay.

 

Also got the last sewing machine charm and the resin dress-form wedding place card holders I wanted from Hobby Lobby - 50% off ! Now there's nothing I want there...

 

Hit the GoodWill today while running errands. Evidently, someone's no longer collecting Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. There must've been a dozen. Most were from the Mattel years. I'm not a big CPK fan, but somehow, I know the difference between a Coleco and a Mattel version. (sigh). And another Toddler Cinderella, this one in a sleeveless dress. Found a cheap ‘Walda' type porcelain doll in Interactive Belle's blue village dress, so I got her instead - I'll take the dress apart for a pattern, and redress and redonate Walda. While I'm not a big fan of porcelain dolls at any price point, the super-cheap ones are just depressing on all levels.

 

‘Walda' has a fascinating history, for a cheap 70s doll. Want to learn more ? http://dollreference.com/walda_porcelain_doll.html  Doll Reference is a fantastic site to begin with, and they put the whole Walda story in front of you on one page. You know me, it'd take me three pages and two days of research to do the same thing !

KITTENS !!
Now Playing: someone's over-loud motorcycle

Current Mood : slightly shell-shocked 

 

Today got off to a late start. Had some trouble sleeping, so I didn't do the usual grocery run right after Dearest Son's bus left. Stretched out in bed with a book for a bit, intending to have a quick nap.

 

Velvet didn't see it that way. As is her usual, she jumped up, purring and craving attention. We both soon nodded off- until she made a weird noise. Oh, heck. We've known for about a month that she's pregnant, not fat, but we had no idea when she was due. Looks like today was the day !

 

I got her onto an old bath towel, and stroked her side while she panted and yowled. Was this her first litter ? Did she know what to do - because I was unprepared ! I thought we had another week or two. She seemed to push a few times, and...kitten ! She did everything she was supposed to do, and for those who haven't seen kittens born, I'll say no more. Everyone else is probably gagging a bit. I moved her to the closet, where I'd begun to set up a towel and fabric nest so she could have peace and privacy...later. I stayed and petted her, just in case.

 

The rest were almost as easy for her as a sneeze. Her first kitten was all black, the second had her Maine Coon compatible markings, the third was grey and white, and the last two were black and white. The last born has more black than white, it was the only way I could tell ‘em apart. They mewed from their first moments, and they even had tiny claws ready. So sweet ! Within an hour, she'd given birth to all five, and they were clean and drying, and oh, so hungry !

 

 I want to give them at least a week before I take photos. Mamma Velvet's been a great parent, and I made sure she had tuna tonight. She's been very protective, but patient with my constant peering and petting. Dearest Son was thrilled.

 

A very powerful experience. It's the first time I've ever seen a birth - I didn't even get to see Dearest's. As soon as these sweeties are weaned, Mamma Velvet will have an appointment with the vet, so she can be Miz Velvet again. These kittens are adorable, but so are all kittens, we don't need more.

 

Oh, and I got to do groceries a bit late - and found a cute little vinyl Snow White doll. 50c, in a grab bag of other toys, at the thrift store next door. She used to be part of a Fisher-Price castle. Just about the right size for Baby Ariel to play with !

The Great Wall Of Cases - part 2 !
Now Playing: haven't a clue...

 

Current Mood : unfocused happy 

 

Aaaand, here's the rest of the Great Wall of Cases. As you can see, I can't cut Midge out of a photo, no matter how hard I may try. Continuing the song, it's eBay, eBay, eBay. The ‘Barbie Goes Travelin' one is a favorite, too. The doll sits inside, and her face peeks out from the plane on this side, and a car on the other. It's by Standard Plastic Products - explaining the SPP on the plane's tail - and it came in pink, blue, or yellow vinyl edging. Expect to pay well over $100. for a good one. Mine was $15., because it was in sad shape. There's scratches and the inside is dingy, and the hinged left side is pretty much gone. It's fitted together like a box up there. But since I just wanted to display and look at it, that was fine with me. At least the seller was honest about it. Just wish she'd mentioned the tape holding it together...

 

Mostly I wanted it because I liked the ‘doll looking out' engineering, and the plane's flying over Neuschwanstein Castle - that gorgeous fairy tale one. It's also known as "Mad King Ludwig's Dream". It really exists, in Bavaria, close to the German/Austria border. Tours and everything, it's one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany. I had three miniatures of it before I clued into the fact that somewhere, it must exist ! Well, that'll happen when you buy stuff used, with no boxes or documentation ! I finally found it on a calendar, but I still have to look up how to spell it.

 

Standard Plastic Products has a fascinating history beyond Barbie cases - although they made about half my collection ! An artist/salesman named Don Levine came up with an idea - to put his pony-tailed bobby-soxer drawing on vinyl cases and such, and market them to the younger set. The ‘teen' youth movement was just starting up back in the 50s, and he knew this idea would sell. His boss didn't share his optimism, but Standard Handbags did. Levine was soon a partner, and they were pressing his design of vinyl over cardboard on about 25 items that first year.

 

And we all know the rest - it was such a roaring success, they changed their name to Standard Plastic Products, and entered into agreements with major players to make similar branded items for them. Including, of course, Mattel, Hasbro, and Thermos. The ‘Ponytail' logo on many of the doll and Barbie cases is actually a Don Levine/SPP trademark, not a reference to Barbie's hairdo !

 

Of course, the company who didn't give his ideas the time of day soon started making their versions - under the Pony Tail (versus Levine's ‘Ponytail') moniker. I doubt seriously that these shenanigans would fly today ! Rest assured, there is justice in this world sometimes, the copycats didn't sell well. However, the mean ole company still exists - and Mattel bought SPP in 1966.

 

And yet another confession. I posted a photo of Shinobu, Inaba, and Michio on In The Pink yesterday, for a contest. Presumably in their backyard, it used the My Scene Spa, the gazebo, the green-painted grill set, and some other loose props. I thought it was a pretty good diorama. Didn't win though - it was a drawing, and I never win those. Ask me stupid trivia questions about doll cases, and I can clean up ! Drawings and judged contests, hardly ever. I'll post it here next Saturday, promise. By then, I won't be so bitter ! Oh, and Shinobu's wearing a swimsuit I got from the Friday yard sale haul !

Superbad me !
Now Playing: "Cars" - for the Wii - found the disc behind the TV when I had to replace the power strip !

 Current Mood : Still overwhelmed ! 

 

And, as requested, there's most of The Great Wall of Cases ! Or, as Dearest Son might put it - eBay, yard sale, flea market, eBay, eBay, yard sale, (breath for bottom row) yard sale, GoodWill, yard sale, thrift store. They're a bit over eight inches from the ceiling. My two Midge cases are there - it's the black one I got into a bidding war over, and won - and I have an identical 'Enchanted Evening' case in blue that isn't on display. I prefer the black one ! You get the rest tomorrow !

 

Well, it's shameful confession time. I went back to the bonanza yard sale late yesterday afternoon, and bought more dolls. Since these were mostly yer standard ‘big blue eyes/bent arm/blonde' Barbies, I confess that I bought ‘em for their clothes. But even at 50c a doll, the outfits I picked are worth it ! Plus, I'll clean, redress, brush, and donate most of them. It didn't look as though anyone had bought a single one since I left with the first happy haul.

 

I now have the rest of the "Sharin' Sisters" set, including the three dolls. Still no vest or skirt, though, but I have two of the lace-and-pearl-decorated pink blouse. Always thought the idea was great, but wondered how the same shirt could ‘fit' both an eight inch and an ll ½ doll. Loose and snug, and ‘thank heaven for stretchy knits' is your answer here !

 

Scored another Tyco Ariel, with almost the same face paint as the one I got earlier. But she has the archetypical bangs !  I need to get photos of all three of my Tycos together. Also claimed a Gymnast Stacie, as a donor body for my recently-discovered-damaged Gymnast Whitney. Not to be confused with the '05 Star Gymnast line - they're bigger - these dolls are basically ‘flat-chest younger sister' Skipper replacements that came out in '95. Luckily, Skipper - oops ! Stacie has the exact same body tone as Whitney, so it was a perfect match. I'd have kept Whitney regardless - she's Rick and Lisa's daughter !

 

Whitney used to be a Barbie-age doll in the late 80s - with a Steffie face, brown hair and green eyes. Yeah, you know I'm familiar with this doll ! I once bought Jewel Secrets Whitney for a little girl, and a used-in-bad-shape nude Nurse Whitney, years ago. I was gonna try to get the ink out of her face and fix her faded brows, and ignore her chewed hands. Can you believe I paid $5. for her, with all that damage ! Doll shop owner convinced me she was rare and needed the kind attention of a good person...sheesh, but she laid it on thick ! And I ate it up.

 

Now I know her brows were gone because someone else (possibly the seller !) tried the acne medicine route and it didn't work for him/her, either. A bit of research shows Perfume Pretty and Style Magic, but I've never seen them before. Seems like little girl Whitney and big girl Whitney were in roughly the same amount of ‘friend of ‘ lines, too. Can't blame Mattel for reusing names they've trademarked, or obtained via buying other toy companies !

 

There was also another Teresa, whose head is glued on for some reason, and I now have the ‘Glitter Hair' blonde Barbie dress. I've had the brunette one for a while, bought in a lot. Not sure why I wanted this one, unless I'm going for the set. There's another version for the redhead GH doll...

What kinda tanks is that all these dolls - 16 total - are all great. Even with huge mops of blonde nest hair, they have pretty eyes and sweet smiles. But there's no way I can keep them all ! Belle and Cinderella and Ariels and one of the Teresas are definitely staying, but the Sharin' Sisters are so cute, and the beach Teresa has the prettiest hair and eyes...And Locket Surprise is simply so bizarre...Arrrgh !

 

While I'm glad for every last doll I got, I really bought myself a pack of decision ! Darn you, cheap beautiful dolls !!!