15 Girls and a Guy in the Spotlight

Introducing more dolls to my collection that i recently purchased from Barbiecollector.com.  My shipment somehow survived the cold and rainy weather.  The boxes were cold when I took them out of the large FEDEX shipping box. However, they did not arrive in their pristine condition that I wanted as a doll collector  More about my on-going issue with this company in a moment.

Silkstone in the Spotlight

From the Barbiecollector.com website:
"The "Since 1959" Collection commemorates famed vintage fashions, re-invented for a new era! Barbie® doll is always the dramatic, superlative star! Stunning in the Spotlight™ Barbie® Doll is ready for her close up in a re-creation of the 1960's Solo in the Spotlight® fashion with a modern twist."

I adore the updated Solo in the Spotlight, a silkstone reproduction of the 1959 classic. Her undulating hair was restrained in a little hairnet when I lifted the box. I purchased her for $120 (regularly priced at $161.96).

Previously, with her hair net on. 

The box with the cool "kitschy" artwork.

A brief description on the back:

 

Winter Wonder

Already sold at Mattel.com, I was able to acquire this beautiful doll for $39.99.  This year's Holiday Barbies are already collectors' items.  I wonder if it has to do that they are welcoming the new decade in the traditional red and white.   

"Once upon a time, there were three little girls who joined the police academy..."

I don't know how long it has been that my daughter has been asking me to buy this cute Charlie's Angels giftset featuring Kelly, but now she has these "little angels"!  I was able to purchase this on sale for $12.  My daughter noticed that there is a slice on the plastic at the lower right front of the packaging. Bummer...

My daughter holding the dolls in a Toys "R" Us this past summer (the giftset was a little over $30 with tax...)

It just seemed like yesterday when Charlie's Angels premiered in 1976.  I thought this tv show was groundbreaking for ladies to take the lead in a dramatic series, or simply the world of television. 

  Black and Back to the Basics

Two more ladies join "Steffie" in my current "Barbie Basics" collection.  The left one of the pair has the Lara face mold and the right one has the "Asian" or possibly updated (?) Kira face mold which resembles the Asian Mikelman-Candy dolls in my collection.

The backs of the boxes:

I See Her True Colors

Barbie proved that she can have fun in 2010, but in a tamer manner than Cyndi Lauper did in 1984. Mattel made Barbie glamourous in a Kitty Cartwright  sort of way.   If Barbie's mane was "unkempt"  looking and more unevenly cut, then she would better capture the essence of this crazy and talented performer.   

I am guessing that a Lara-type face mold was used for Barbie as Cyndi.  I am just curious about what was Cyndi's "true" opinion about this doll.  She's still a pretty doll.

After looking at the Cyndi Barbie's side profile "time after time" ,  I see more of her resemblance to  Cyndi!

Another Lady of the Eighties

Not only big hair and gaudy clothing trended in the 1980's, but romantic and dreamy invaded the fashion scene.

The Un-Wild Pair
Harley Davidson Barbie and Ken giftet for 2010 which I purchased for $49.99.  I have a giftset from several years back where Barbie and Ken look "meaner" and "tougher" than the current version. 

 

 Even with a tattoo, Ken looks more like a "surfer dude" than a Harley dude.  Although he is "fine" looking, he would make a "wimpy" Harley biker dude.  Barbie reminds me of JWoww from Jersey Shore.   What was Mattel thinking?

Ken and Barbie from the late 1990's.
















The highest price that I see 1996's Harley Davidson Barbie #1 going for is $599.  There is a vendor at Amazon that is selling it for $199.  I don't see this doll in my collection just yet.

Here is an interesting blog post from an expert doll reviewer:

http://terrigoldphoto.blogspot.com/2010/03/harley-davidson-barbie-and-ken-giftset.html

Back of the box with the huge H-D trademark:

Malibu Dream Designer

Check out this "groovy" Barbie designed by Jonathan Adler who is also a judge of "Top Design".  One of the reviewers in Amazon.com mentioned that "the side table really opens and the lamp has a light bulb".   This Barbie seems to be a wonderful gift for those who own Jonathan's furniture and accessories.
More about Jonathan from his website:
http://www.jonathanadler.com/about.php

 After a little of research, I discovered that Mr. Adler "for her (Barbie's) 50th birthday celebration March 9th (her actual birthday),  designed a REAL Barbie Malibu Dream House. And it’s way better than a house you fold in half when your Mom calls you for dinner! The 3,500-square-foot pad overlooking the Pacific Ocean is incredibly chic, utterly adorable and totally over the top in a way only a doll house could be."

The blogpost in its entirety:
http://weheartthis.com/2009/03/16/barbies-jonathan-adler-designed-malibu-dream-house/

Further research yields that Jonathan is the brother of David Adler, author of "The Life and Cuisine of Elvis Presley" and of law professor Amy Adler, at NYU Law. 

http://www.thefacultylounge.org/2009/03/jonathan-adlers-magnificent-malibu-dream-house-why-is-this-a-law-issue.html



 

Girl Power

"Give me a "G", a G"..."  This is such a cute giftset that celebrates young ladies and their talents. Courtney and Grace joins my daughter's S.I.S. collection.   My daughter already has the pair of Trichelle and Janessa, and the pair of  Kara and Kianna. Each pair of sisters come with a hobby or talent such as music, art or dance. These dolls are designed by Stacey MacBride-Irby who has been a Barbie designer for more than 10 years.

Queen of Comedy

I was in disbelief when I found this in Barbiecollector.com for $25! It was originally released on October 2008. So, I was surprised to find that is still available.  Without hesitation, I added this to my on-line shopping cart.  I definitely "love" Lucille Ball. When I do get a chance to see an episode of her classic show, I still giggle!  The Lucy Barbies in my collection are the "Paris Gown" (including the Kelly pair) , "Italian Movie", "Be a Pal", and "Sales Resistance".  I give kudos to the producers and designers of the "I Love Lucy" Mattel doll series. Lucy would have "loved" each clever and artistic recreation of her classic episodes! 

"Dis-Order"
After placed on hold for 26 minutes at Barbiecollector.com's customer service line and then expressing my concerns and frustrations with the delivery of my most recent order to two Barbiecollector.com representatives, I was given a direct telephone number to Mattel's customer service department.  I was able to immediately speak with a representative from that department.  She listened to my concerns and will forward them to the powers-that-be at Barbiecollector.com.  I  expressed these concerns in an email that I earlier wrote on Barbiecollector.com "contact us" page addressed to the customer service department. Somehow the website was experiencing "technical" problems after I hit the "submit" key. 

"After ordering from BarbieCollector.com for years, never have I received the dolls in excellent condition.  Just today after opening one big cold box (there has been rain), the dolls came packaged in white peanuts that "stained" (left a foamy residue and scratches) the boxes , especially the plastic covering of the boxes.  One recommendation that will please the doll collector, please bubble wrap the dolls so that they are well protected.  Also why not place them in more than one box, to prevent the crushing and denting of the boxes... " 

Star Tekkies

I was not fully aware that there was a "Computer Engineer Barbie" on the market months ago. 

http://blogs.technet.com/b/chenley/archive/2010/12/13/computer-engineer-barbie.aspx

What's next an I-Pod Touch Barbie?

Here's my "Lil Miss MacIntosh" by Robert Tonner that I purchased years ago on ebay.  She is part of the discontinued Kripplebush Kids series. Her sweet face bears a resemblance to the Madame Alexander 8" dolls.  

Have a happy new year!

Hello Dollies, Holiday Wishes, Twilight Time, They Will, They Will Rock You

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas!

Flashback: My 2002 Holiday Barbie

****Newly acquired dolls ****
Before I could return to Barbiecollector.com, Barbra had been sold out!  I was able to find her at Walmart.com and picked her up along with my daugher's ipod touch accessory kit and another doll, at my local Wal-mart without extra shipping costs.

Her name "Barbra Streisand" did not photograph well.

Looking sleek in her red dress and dark curly hair, is the reproduction of 1980's Black Barbie.  She has the Steffie face mold.  She reminds me very much of the beautiful and talented actress/singer, Melba Moore. 

For my daughter's Twilight collection, I purchased the seemingly rare Alice Cullen doll at ebay.   I purchased Jacob along with Barbra and my daugher's ipod touch accerories on my walmart.com order. We like Alice's outfit and someday soon be able to imitate the look. I did not think that this Jacob has any resemblance of Taylor Lautner. 

Earlier this year, I purchased the Bella and Edward dolls.

 The back of the boxes sometimes are interesting and have some artistic value.
Victoria will complete the collection. 

From a decade ago, my Celebrate Millenium Teresa.

From 1997: the 10th Happy Holidays Barbie, one of my favorite dress designs in the series.  If I am not mistaken, she has the "superstar" face mold.

From 2004, another Holdiay Barbie.

On a musical note, here are the vibrantly stunning Hard Rock Barbies in rock, goth, and rockabilly styles (2006, 2008. 2009).  If I were asked to vote for which I liked best out of the three, it would be the doll on the right.  I thought rockabilly was a throwback to 50's rock and roll.  The doll on the right seems more like Bettie Page meets Katy Perry, a Biker Chick and Fredericks.  I can easily imagine a Kate Perry Barbie that would most resemble the rockabilly doll.  My daughter the goth and rockabilly Hard Rock Barbies. 

I give credit to artists of the boxes,

 From the sides:

 From the tops of the boxes:

 The back views:

Besides doll collecting, I like to sew during my spare time.  I prefer working with retro/vintage patterns due to their distinctive and flattering styles. 

I recently sewed for my daughter a pair of matching Charger footbal fan fleece capelets or shawls which are also reversible.  I used a current Simplcity pattern.

Then with just one turn of the cloak, we acquired our cheetah spots!

 

It's fun to play dress up, just like Barbie.

We wish you a very happy new year!