Yard Sale Haul (Choosing Keepers)

I was surprised to see that most of the dolls did not need extensive trims.  Almost everyone's hair combed out with little effort.  Those I don't keep will appeal to a new human more if they don't look like they just got hit by lightning.  

After that was done, the selection process began.  Since my space is small, I limit the number of dolls in Barbieville.  One of my friends added more dolls to her dollyverse than I had in total during 2019!

The Mattel Princesses and Barbies.  There were a few here I knew were keepers from the start, even without working knees and elbows.  I was hoping some head swaps would help with that.  Also, I hoped some of the boys would be body donors for Kevin and Jeremiah.

Clone dolls, Monster High, and Hi Glamm (previously identified as Winx).  Only one of these was a keeper - the man with the gray beard.  The rest suffered from poor articulation, deformities, and/or Vapid Face.

Bratz.  Neither boy was suitable for Kevin or Jeremiah, even with feet attached.  The lemon-on-a-toothpick proportions are just too far from reality for me, so none of these dolls will be keepers. 

Holly Hobbies (not Strawberry Shortcake) and Wee Three Friends.  I debated these for quite a while.  The combinations of childlike features and adult shapes or sizes led me to decide against them.  I even had the Wee Threes with jointed elbows in my keep pile for a while.

This is the gal I mentioned in the previous blog, with the wild hair and face I really liked.  I thought she was Diva, from Barbie And The Rockers, but once I tamed the hair... she's Midge.  Every Diva I've ever seen had really heavy eye makeup, but I can't remember a Midge with super curly hair.  Research provided only the information that Diva and Midge share a face mold.

I think these three are celebrities.  Pretty sure the one on the left is Brandy Norwood.  

Shoes.  Lots of sizes and only three orphans.  They will all stay except the orphans.

Cinderella figures.  I waffled on these because that one of the stepsisters makes me giggle.  Decided not to keep them or break up the set.

Bratz feet and snap-on hair for one of the smaller gals.  I was bummed to see the black boots were Bratz.  None of my dolls can wear them.  Same with the roller skates.

Happy Meal toys.  Bratz and Barbie.  These will go into Doll County Day Care's toy stash.

Madame Alexander Happy Meal toys. Not keepers, but I stole what clothes I could for the toddlers. Was mad when the pumpkin costume didn't fit anyone.  

Cabbage Patch Kids.  Happy Meal toys,  Not keepers.

Sally Secrets Happy Meal toy - her feet are hole punches (one makes stars, the other hearts).   Debated keeping her just because she's so cute, but decided against it. I wouldn't use her.

 Wedding cake and bowling set.  Those balls are not the original ones - they're stress balls. The kind that clank against each other, not the squeezy kind.  The cake is a double of the one I already have, just in a different shade of pink.  The stress balls will probably go away but I'm keeping the pins and cake.

I have no idea what this is.  I thought it was the cap for a pencil-shaped pencil case, but it has what looks like Hebrew characters on it.  A dreidel?  I'll be keeping it for now.

After some head swapping and debate, these eight will be the only ones kept.  My Scene Chelsea, Gray Beard, Rapunzel, Hula Hair Barbie in rear. Brunette, Midge/Diva, Cho's mommy, and Purple Slippers in the front.

Hula Hair Barbie is on a My Scene Kennedy body - her own was very floppy and she chose to be less articulated.  Also, she gets a nice shoulder tattoo.  A snowflake in colors that match the dyed portion of her hair.  I kept Rapunzel because I thought they made a nice mom/daughter pair.

Midge/Diva and Purple Slippers upgraded to jointed elbows and a solid body, respectively.

I've got roles in mind for Gray Beard, the brunette, and of course Cho's Mommy.

After Christmas Markdowns

NUDE DOLLS AHEAD!  YOU WILL SEE FEATURELESS GROINS!

Finally got over to Maysville for groceries and to hit the post-holiday clearance.  Of, course, since this is me we're talking about, that included toys!  The only actual Christmas stuff I got was 200 ornament hooks for a quarter and 2 boxes of cereal for three bucks.  (I used the cereal boxes and a towel I already owned to hide my messy kitchen.) 

Found Supergirl at the thrift store.  Her noggin was beyond help, my help anyway, but I'm pretty sure the only thing missing was her boots!  They had a plethora of Barbies, most not articulated, but at least I scored a good body donor.  Complete with cute dress, necklace, and socks. 

Found some furniture at the thrift store as well.  Looks like I can actually set scenes in PJ's office now.  I have removed the cardboard bit for cleaning - I never trust thrift stores or yard sales.  ETERNAL VIGILANCE! (Bonus points if you get that reference.)

Also picked up a table and a shelving unit with a clock.  All for less than six bucks!  

These two guys came from "real" stores.  10 bucks for a fully articulated dude?  I can deal with permanent blue hands!  I've already got a few in fingerless gloves running around Barbieville, anyway. They had a couple of his Marvel Rising team mates, but I'm not quite desperate enough for an articulated girl to deal with metal hands or a fist nearly the size of her head.

The other dude is a five-pointer, but anyone who knows me can guess why I grabbed him.  His hair and that tie-dye shirt, of course!  He'll have to wait for me to find a matching body donor, poor guy.  My only male donor is way too pale.

The box tells me Blue-hands is Rayshawn Lucas AKA Patriot.  Rayshawn has lots of articulation, including a version of the Made-To-Move knee! He's got a mischievous grin, which makes me think he's gonna be a lot of fun. 

I was surprised at how mature Hippy Ken's face looks.  I'm thinking he's gonna be a parent for one of the younger teens.  

They tried to trade clothes, but Rayshawn's thighs are just a bit meatier than Hippy Ken's. 

Rayshawn: Ha ha, I can almost sit in the Lotus Position!

Hippy Ken: Ha ha, I've got real hair!  By the way, Jeanie, can we wash all this product out of my hair?

Look!  He's weeping with joy! 

I've Been Shopping

NAKED DOLLS AHEAD

GO AWAY NOW 

Trader's World is one of those huge flea markets a person could spend an entire day in.  We went there before Christmas but, since I was shopping for Santa, I couldn't take advantage of the excellent deals I saw on dolls.  I've wanted to go back since, but it's nearly a two hour drive and I'm possibly the most nervous driver in Ohio.  Maybe even in America. 

I got my chance today!  The bargains weren't as plentiful this time of year, but I think I did all right. 

Becky Lynch.  She was new in box, so she's ready to play right now!  

I have a Becky, so she's going to go by Lynch. Pike does it, so can she!  I already did a review of these WWE Superstars (aka Wrestler Ladies) so y'all know I love the body mold.  Her hair's more orange than Morgan's (formerly Eva Marie) and I really like those steampunk britches.

Special Air Service GI Joe.  He's got a Union Jack on one sleeve and #13 on his back. The shirt is molded on, but at least it's a black T and not something hard to work with.  He was in a bin and badly needs a bath.  His noggin's skin doesn't quite match the rest of him, but I'm not sure if that's the plastic aging or if he's had a head transplant at some point.   

Topless Moana.  She was also in a bin and her hair is a mess.  Bath time for her.

This dude is wearing in this picture exactly what he had on in the box. I've been reading The Drawing of The Three and the scene where Eddie goes into battle stark naked was fresh in my mind.  Care to guess what I've decided his name is?

Since he's obviously not new in box, he'll be getting a bath before play.

When I took him out of the box, I found his uniform inside the bottom flap.  BONUS!  

Soapy bubbles and a scrub later, the men are ready for the dish doll washer.  Moana's hair rescued her from that little adventure.  It was here that I realized Lynch and both these guys are redheads.

Hand-washed and ready for the laundry basket.  Well... not the boots, gun, necklace and helmet.

Before making a decision on Moana, I compared her skin tone to Courtney Montez.  Not close enough for my comfort.  Courtney will get a new friend instead of working elbows and knees.  Moana's shorter than Skipper size dolls, but taller than Stacie size.  But she has breasts, so she'll be one of my middle school students.  She'll just be short, like Frodo. 

Moana, after a bath and hair styling, joins Lynch in waiting for the guys.  They're both glad they couldn't join the guys in that noisy machine.

All clean and ready for play.  Now to figure out what roles they will be playing in Barbieville.  Oh, yeah, and a name for #13.

Holiday Fashion Show

My dolls got all kinds of spoiled this Christmas.  Cleo De Nile and Lagoona Blue joined the party.  The Bags behind Cleo and Lagoona are full of things for dolls - mostly clothes.  The bag with the tree is for Barbieville citizens and the Santa bag is for Rusty.

Today we're focusing on the tree bag.  I'm not sure what I'll end up doing with Cleo and Lagoona.  They're my first Monster High gals,  as I'm not really a fan.  It is nice that I have a Cleo again.  I had a feline companion for almost 20 years named Cleo.  

Keep in mind, these clothes were removed from any packaging!  I had to conserve space as much as possible to fit all my gifts into my vehicle and then my apartment, since Santa delivers for me at a relative's.  Some were store bought.  Some looked to be from Etsy shops or EBay.  

This red purse and yellow watch were, I think, in the package with the Super Mario dress.  

The kitten came with a ball of yarn and a bag of food.  Puppy can hold the Frisbee in his mouth and has a bone-shaped chew toy.  Both came with removable collars and a food dish.  Max, Soot, and Ash are happy to have some new friends.

Four pair of shoes, two colors, all the same mold.  The ankle straps either made putting these on difficult or just broke.  I'm mad at them.

Two pair of purple clogs.  These stayed on surprisingly well, considering only the single strap help them in place.  

I've heard this style called mules.  Jointed knee dolls they slipped off of easily, but the click knee dolls had no trouble.  The different types of plastic?  

Pointed toes!  Something about these says "witch".  Also, kicking people gains a whole new level of pain infliction.  They stay on well and look cute in the process.

Now we're on to the fancy pairs with detailing.  Red studs, Red grapevines with a cluster of fruit, Blue roses (remind me to remove that extra bit of plastic before putting this pair away), and simple blue sneakers. My favorite here is the grapes, hands down.

The first pair here looks like the ruffled collar and buttons down the front of a Victorian dress.  The second reminds me of a curtain tie-back.  The third pair is stunning, and I heartily apologize for not being able to get a better picture.  Trust me, I tried!  They are translucent and look like liquid gold dripping off her ankles and heel.  

White sneakers, white studs on a wide ankle strap, and black studs.

Fine green chains.  Swans with stars for heels.  The boots remind me of Batman nemesis Poison Ivy.  A green pair of mules that don't want to stay on.

The first pair look like they're made from a purple toolbox, the truck-bed kind.  The center pair was almost impossible to get on the foot.  That third pair has heart shaped cut outs!  

Very Cupid-esque shoes.  The heel is an arrow and there are wings at the ankle.  The second pair has hearts along the front/top of the foot.  Both very cute.

Ballet slippers.  Nuff said.

First pair looks like drops of condensation on a cold drink.  Daisies on that second pair. Third pair has a nautical/mermaid vibe - scales and chains.  Simple wide straps on the fourth.

Ballet flats, sneakers, and a pair way too small for anyone.  I even tried them on Stacie! 

Guy shoes - high top sneakers, work boots, and regular sneakers.

All told, we're very happy with the shoes.  Only a few pairs that can't be used out of so many.  And I just love the details!  I just wish my close-ups had come out so y'all could see them!  

On to the clothing.  About time, right?  Especially considering how little time my dolls spend in shoes?

Four, Tanner, and Finnick are the most medium sized men I've got, so I chose them to model the few outfits I got for the guys.  These were all Mattel and I'm pretty sure I've paired them up right.  Four is rocking the lumberjack look.  Tanner flashes his abs in a bomber jacket and sweats.  Finnick looks preppy in a hoodie and faded jeans. 

They report these tops are slightly snug in the biceps, but otherwise quite comfy.  Bad news for the muscle men.  

The pants are another matter.  Four's sporting a quarter moon and Finnick has a full moon rising.  Tanner laughs at them both.  Kevin and Ricky steal Finnick's pants.  Four, who can at least move, flees the scene.  

On to the ladies.  Midna (who, remember, is named for a Legend of Zelda character) sports the Super Mario mini that I mentioned earlier.  PJ and Violet look ready for Ladies' Night.  Esmeralda is sporting a denim (yes, real denim) skirt.  

Here they show the difference in Velcro closures.  Esmeralda's dress might be better suited for a belly-button body. Violet's is straining a bit, but both PJ and Midna are secure.  This is a good indicator of variation in the mold of the dolls and the patterns of the clothes

Raven's ready to go motorcycle shopping (in a skirt?).  Batgirl's rocking separates - love the high waisted skirt.  Whitney is also in separates but she really wants Raven's jacket to complete the look. Too bad it's attached to the rest of Raven's outfit.  Mariko says her dress really needs to be a shirt.  She's no prude, but...  

Ready to hit the gym?  Rose-Grace, Tris, and Clara are wearing unitards.  Pocahontas and Kyra have separates.  They were gonna trade shirts but decided y'all needed to keep your eyeballs.

Let's go casual.  Zenobia's pantsuit is prone to wardrobe malfunctions if she isn't careful how she turns.  Nakoma, Candy, and Becky don't have those worries.  Loving the high waists! 

The extra separates. We already saw the unitard and Kyra's shorts.   Kyra's top is nice, but what is that thing around Rose-Grace's waist?  Maybe on a gal with slimmer hips, it could be a tutu?  Tag says Hairmonies.  Research will be done.  Because as it is... it's a very frilly belt.

Time for some glam!  Batgirl proves redheads can rock pink, Zenobia gets her peacock on, Tris sports an alternative to the LBD, and Candy hopes her top doesn't slip.  I am thrilled that the Liv body can wear that peacock dress.  It yelled "Zenobia" as soon as I saw it. 

Raven in another real denim skirt.  Mariko, PJ, and Becky ready to party.  Kyra?  Kyra, honey, what is up with that bow?   

And the last set of clothes... a whole passel of sundresses.  These shots show the fun designs, but also how well the dresses fit dolls of different body molds.  Rose-Grace thinks I put her in that dress because of the roses.  Really, it was the way that yellow pops against her skin tone.

Zenobia only took off the peacock dress because I offered her the blue and white.  These are so much fun, even just to look at.  

All told, I and the citizens of Barbieville are tickled pink (pun intended) by the vastly expanded wardrobe.  Kyra's already planning to wear the one she's modeling here to meet Brent's sister.