What in the world is a grown woman doing collecting Barbie dolls, let alone blogging about it? It mean, really?! What is the world coming to? LOL I've heard those sentiments so many times and guess what? I don't care. I love my Barbies!
The name of this blog came from my brother. He would look at the Barbies in my bedroom and the dolls that came in when I ordered, shake his head and say "Vanessa, Don't just play Barbie, be Barbie!" Thus the title of this blog. If he had any idea that he would contribute to this I'm sure he would have kept that comment to himself.
Anyhoo, I'm just doing this to have fun and relieve a bit of stress. I'm also incorporating my love for fashion and accessories into this blog. Stay tuned and feel free to join in. :)
There's a lot of excitement around the new Ava Duvernay Barbie, and rightfully so. However, Mattel has also produced other fabulous Black Barbies for the adult collector. Here's one of my favorites, Mbili Barbie from the Treasures of Africa Collection by Byron Lars. She was produced in 2002 and is no longer available from Mattel.
So the Ava Duvernay Barbie sold out within an hour, or minutes, on the Barbie Collector website according to various media outlets. Wow. How many units are being produced? I was not one of the lucky purchasers. Deep sigh. Loving the braided hair a lot like the African-American Harley-Davidson Barbie from 2001.
For sure many of my Facebook friends were unaware of the many Black collectible Barbies. It's been fun sharing pictures and information on Black Barbies and my other collectibles.
Good morning, fabulous people! It's so great to be back. I hope everyone has been awesome. I'd been dealing with a technical issue for months that wasfinally resolved with some sweat equity, the help of sympathetic folks at Google and a couple of sympathetic tech guys I know. I hope...I pray that I will NEVER, EVER, EVER have to experience that again. Anyhoo, I was down much longer than I'd planned but never really out if you know what I mean. I'm back just in time for the holidays so let's have some fun. Smooches....
The fabulous collection of Barbie Collector Stanley Colorite was recently featured in the Daily Mail in the UK. Close-up photos of a few of his dolls were published, including Pink Splendor Barbie and Billions of Dreams Barbie. I noticed the doll dressed in the Bob Mackie Goddess of Africa Barbie attire. I'm not the face mold expert but that's not the Goddess of Africa doll because the face mold looks more like the Asha face mold that has been used on several Barbies.
On display in the Barbie Man's massive 2,000+ collection is a doll that is not the original Goddess of Africa (see below). I do believe this doll wears the Asha face mold although it could be Christie.
Star Skater Barbie with Asha face mold
Bob Mackie Goddess of Africa
The Goddess of Africa face mold was also used on the Barbie Basics Model No. 04.
Barbie Basics Model No. 04 from the Barbie Basics Collection 001
Here is a great article with more information than you probably want to know about face molds used in Barbie dolls. It's a bit dated but still very informative.
This is a photo collage I made using the Pic Collage app on my iPad. It was my tribute to Barbie for her 54th birthday this year. It was fun stress relief using my creative brain cells.
I would love to live in this Barbie room in the Barbie Man's home. He has three more bedrooms and a bathroom full of Barbie dolls and other Barbie toys.
If you are a Barbie Collector, surely you've seen coverage of Stanley "Barbie Man" Colorite of Florida and his collection of 2,000 Barbies (and 3,000 outfits). I would love to bask in the fabulous Barbieness he has amassed.
His collection fills four of the seven bedrooms and one bathroom in his beautiful Hudson, Florida home. Surely Stanley lives alone because no one would tolerate so much Barbieness, right? Wrong! Stanley's partner Dennis Schlicker, began collecting Ken dolls after he and Stanley met. So far Dennis has 1,000 of those. The couple has been together for 13 years.
If Stanley ever allows private tours, I'd love to be on the list.
Barbie Millicent Roberts was born fifty-three years ago today. Any serious Barbie collector or Barbie blogger just has to recognize and celebrate this important day in history. Barbie started out as a blonde-haired beauty and has been transformed into every ethnic group in the world. In spite of the controversy about Barbie's unrealistic body proportions, she has provided girls the opportunity to be anything they wanted to be.
I really wish I hadn’t surfed across Joe’s List - Joe Blitman’s Fashion & Celebrity Dolls. OMG he has an extensive offering of hard-to-find doll collectibles for sale. There’s an African-American Barbie Convention Doll Set I could die for but $400 is just not in my budget right now. Arrgh!
He also offers other Convention items as well as mint condition clothing and accessories. Check out the other Mattel fashion dolls available as well as fashion dolls by other manufacturers.
Barbie and computer gadgets are my weaknesses so Joe’s site will definitely be a struggle for me to avoid spending money. Please pray for me...I am so serious.
My friend, Rona, sent me this cute Barbie Christmas photo and I'm sharing with you. Please share photos of your new Barbies you receive or purchase for Christmas. Remember the reason for the Season. Smooches...
I received my Byron Lars Fenella Layla Barbie in the mail. She’s beautiful as are all of his dolls but her outfit leaves a lot to be desired. I think I see the multicultural mashup concept of the design but it lacks the funky, fashion forward, awe-inspiring flavor I’ve come to expect to adorn a Byron Lars Barbie.
Instead, the outfit looks thrown together. There’s not nearly enough Kente cloth shown. The plaids are overpowering and make the design feel “heavy". After reading an interesting post on the Black Doll Collecting blog, I find that under the Byron Lars design name, Fenella Layla Barbie was actually designed by Ann Driskill.
I usually like Driskill’s designs. I’m looking forward to more great ones from her in the future. I’m still adding this to my Barbie Collection and looking forward to the next Byron Lars Barbie.
Here are close-up shots of the Model No. 01 or No. 04 in No. 1's dress? She is not disturbed in the box so I guess this is an error and she's way more valuable than the $20 plus tax I spent for her. Hmmm...?
By the way, I purchased her from the Target in North Miami, FL.
I was pleased to find this lovely doll to add to my collection. She is Model No. 1 from the Barbie Basics Collection Red, a Target exclusive.
I love the electric red color against her ebony skin and the Goddess of Africa face mold is one of my favorites. She was the only one on the shelf so I was blessed to find her.
I surfed across an article about a Barbie exhibit essentially in my backyard. Three collectors are sharing over 400 dolls with the community in one of the historic sites in South Florida. I do hope to swing an interview or at least some photos soon. If I do, you know I will share on this blog.
If you're in South Florida or will be visiting before the exhibit closes on August 19, do stop by for a visit. Here are details from the Museum's website:
SHE'S HERE!!!
Come and see hundreds of fashion dolls from all different eras on display in our museum. If you love fashion, you'll enjoy this exhibit. If you love dolls, you'll be in heaven!
Tour times: Tue-Saturday 10-2pm Cost: $7/adults $5/children (12 & under) Children 3 & under free
Old Davie School Historical Museum 6650 Griffin Rd. Davie, FL 33314
Check out this super cute Barbie photo blog by Stacy McAnulty,My Life According to Barbie. She’s also written a book by the same title. It’s available on Amazon.com via Kindle.
Smooches and best wishes for a pink and pretty day go out to one Ms. Carrie Oakley who honored this blog by listing us among the Top 40 Doll Collecting Blogs. Woo-hoo! Yes, we are blushing.
Thank you, Carrie and thank you to everyone who reads this blog. Stop by Carrie's blog and say hello. Remember to make 2011 fabulous!
NOTE: I do not represent all of these photos as my own; these are photos of Barbie and other dolls that I find to be fabulous! If you are the actual photographer and would like to be credited, send me an e-mail.
Barbie Fans
Barbie History
Barbie was named for a real young lady from California named Barbara Handler. Barbie, the teen fashion doll that debuted in 1959 was created by Barbara's mom, Ruth Handler, who named the doll after her daughter and the rest is doll history.
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