An Evening's Work

 Wandering around an antique mall today.  All the Barbie stuff was priced for collectors (out of my range for play use).  Then we found this: 

Yes, I know it's a bad picture.  I took it in the back seat of The Boy's car while pulling off all the frippery glued on by a previous owner.  This is the 1971 Barbie Country Camper.  For 20 dollars.

Here's a better picture, swiped from the Internet.  

The Country Camper is the second best Barbie camper EVER.  Mainly because, unlike today's Barbie campers, it does not unfold into a mansion with a pool.  It's only second best because the Star Traveler exists.

 This is one area where the Star Traveler is beat - can't easily pop apart a Star Traveler.  The chassis and roof are hard plastic.  The walls are vinyl over a core that's either harder vinyl or tin.  It sure ain't cardboard.  

It still had one of the camp stools and a sleeping bag.  That other stuff is the frippery.  The dark fabric was meant to be seat covers and the other served as curtains on the rear window.  The pompoms were either armrests or pillows on the wheel-well benches.

After a good scrub.  Sticker removal means only the stovetop and sink remain of the kitchen, and the bumper lights are gone.  Neither of those things is a priority for me.

Interior walls before cleaning.

Exterior walls before cleaning.

After cleaning.  The license plate was a sticker.  I'll replace that when I do the bumper lights.

Stickers and residue gone from the inside, as well.  That entertainment center is nicer than the one in my real life apartment.

The cab walls, before cleaning.

The cab walls after cleaning.  At least the headlights and dash console weren't stickers!

The pop-out tent was beyond my help, so I trimmed it off and cleaned up the fold-down wall/floor.  Some of the Country Campers had cute floral designs for the tent and sleeping bags.  This tent was bright orange!  (You can see a bit of it on the edge.)

An overhead of the chassis, including a good angle on the kitchen.

Walls in place.  Funny thing is, all these cabinets and wall art are on the inside of the sliding door! I was already giggling at the false windows on the exterior.

The whole side of the van slides back!  (Excuse me, I'm easily amused.)

Given the hippie aesthetic, Albus seems appropriate to serve as my model in comparison photos.  Here we see the entry ramp that used to be a tent floor.  All those cabinets can stay put now. 

Another vintage photo showing a way prettier tent.  Note the matching sleeping bags.

Albus can fold down the rear table and sit on the camp stool. 

He wishes the pretty girl in the vintage photo was cooking for him.

Time to hit the road, we fold up the table.

Cram our driver through the windshield.

The dash lifts easily so we can get him behind the wheel.

Close the ramp.  Hit the road, Jack.  I mean Albus.

Mine was missing a stool, a sleeping bag, and a windshield.  You can see the notches for the windshield hinges, at the top.  I guess that was for ease of cramming the driver in.

Parked behind the Star Traveler.  It's ready to play.  Unless you're worried about those turn signals. 

Downsizing Is Hard (Part Three)

 

I already mentioned that the adolescents in the classroom are either Harry Potter, Creatable World, or Claudia.  My dollhouse family males are hybrids, but the girls are not.  Jeremiah is a Fashionista and the twins are Finnick from Hunger Games, all three on MTM bodies.  Fred is a Kelly on a Zoe body.  Diana is Wonder Woman.  Belle and Hermione are from the recent Harry Potter line. Emma is the Hermione doll from the 90s.  Samara is a Babysitter Skipper baby.  

The children are mostly Chelseas and Kelly/Zoe hybrids.  Dan is the Harry Potter from the 90s.  Roxy is a Gymnast Stacie.  

The shoe holders house everyone else.  Most of the dolls pictured here are hybrids. 

MTM, Inspiring Women Susan B.  Anthony, and two wrestler ladies.  I'm pretty sure the wrestler ladies have the same body mold as Diana.  Divergent couple, Navajo Code Talker GI Joe (broken talk box), and Happy Family Grandma.

Cutie Reveals, Star Wars, and Barbie Extras.  

Fresh dolls, BMR 1959s, and two hybrids.

BTS, Barbie The Look, and a BRM 1959.

Harry Potter adults and a BTS.

Hiding in the bottom of my closet.  Wheelchairs, donor bodies, stands, etc.

Up top in my closet and neatly labeled.  Okoye's box (with all her stuff in it in case I decide to display her) and Western Fun Barbie in her box.  The Western Fun Barbie is notorious for not aging well and mine is no exception.

The display dolls are in the living room.  Two 18 inch Pocahontas dolls, Video Girl Barbie (who does work), Monster High Cleo and Lagoona, and Rusty.  I dress Rusty for upcoming holidays.

Downsizing Is Hard (Part Two)

 

First on the agenda:  All these kids sitting on the classroom floor bothers me.  The desks I have don't match since two of them are Monster High, so I'm not worried about that.  To buy enough for everyone, even at knock-off prices, will cost me at least 30 dollars and include things I don't want.  I decided to try making my own.

I knew the instructions on myfroggystuff would result in a desk that could not survive The Boy, and possibly not even my own use, so figured out a pattern to cut out of cardboard.

It held Tommy long enough to take this picture and make my hands cramp.   Another tactic was needed.

The desks already don't match, so who says everyone has to be at a desk?

Space is limited.  I managed to seat four at the tan table and the remainder on the long bench.  When playing, I'll remove the bench and spread the desks out a bit.  Not everyone has to be in attendance for every class.  At least nobody is sitting on the floor.

Next on the agenda is vehicles. My dolls have a few.  

I kept the two largest horses.  

Most of my doll play is family oriented, which required passenger seating.  My rule is that the car has to seat more than two adults.  Exceptions are made for the ATVs and Volkswagens.  And gifts.

Y'all know The Tank is staying.  It is the only one that's really a storage issue, since I use the first floor of the dollhouse and the space under the coffee table as parking.

Only two went.  The blue ATV and convertible Beetle were broken beyond my abilities or inclination.  I did group them by type when putting them back - here are the SUVs and the camper 

The Vespa got stored with the horse-related vehicles.

The ATVs between dollhouses.  Parking under the coffee table for the rest.

Third item on the agenda: Oven door.  I just cut thin cardboard to fit and covered it with contact paper.  Toothpick across the bottom to hold it in place.  I'll be keeping a lookout for something better.

Doll shelves are done. On top and bottom, set pieces.  DIY supplies in the attic, kitchen/pantry, playground and classroom.  The big clear bin is wardrobe. Part Three will show the finished (for now, anyway) area.  They still use more of my bedroom than I do!