Books in Baggage - A Moving Post

Okay, I have doll books to pack. How should I do it?

Small-to-medium boxes, you might suggest.

What about something different? I've tucked some of my doll books away in a carry on luggage case. Yes, it's heavy, but I like being able to move a batch of books with one hand and a push.

There is no padding at the bottom of the case. I just added books and books.



I've managed to add some shorter, paperback books to the side.



To fill in the empty gap between the case top and the last book, I added two empty Mattel Barbie Fashion Fever tubes and stuffed a mosquito net to the side. Ta da! Book bounce reduction.



Now to zip close the case.




Neat, huh?

Packing the Motorcycles and Bikes - A Moving Post

Packing? Have awkward shaped items like cars or motorcycles to carry? I do. Here's how I solved that problem.

Ta da! That is a denim clothes hamper you see. It opens at the top so you can fill it with laundry. But as you can imagine, there is no laundry in mine. (Human laundry not being a PhillyCollector subject.) Noooo ... I have doll goodies inside.

Here is the zipped closed denim hamper

Side of the zipped closed denim hamper

Initially, I had two playscale cars and a slightly smaller-than-playscale golf cart along with two playscale, unadorned Christmas trees inside. I did not like the idea of the cars in such a loosely structured container so I removed them. I have other plans for them.

White and green Christmas trees and red Barbie Porsche seen.

Oh! Yes, that's how opened inside of the denim hamper looks.

Hello! The inside of the denim hamper, empty.

Is it just me or does that hamper base look vulnerable? It wants something soft and comfy. Something padded. Down goes a spare pillow. Nothing fancy. Something to keep the first item in protected - the Mattel Barbie Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Mattel Barbie Harley Davidson motorcycle

Adding a Mattel My Scene Madison's Vespa to the side

Next, I wind a cloth under bed storage bag around those two bikes. Next in the bike line up is my Kawasaki motorcycle. I am placing a padded chair seat in next. There remains room for my Mattel Barbie bicycles and the Dinah-mite bike. I'll pad them and zip closed this bag.

That's how I have used a hamper bin to pack playscale motorcycles. Hope these photos have stimulated other ideas for your packing needs. 



Memorial Day Photos - Photography Suggestions Anyone?

Memorial Day 2015.

I acknowledge and thank the soldiers who died in service to this country. In observation of this day, I am sharing this Wikipedia article and  this brief video.  (A black cat is involved; how could I fail to share that?)

I took some dolls and doll bikes out earlier to photograph. I wanted to show off Carnival Barbie on her new body. I wanted to take advantage of the sun shining and the day not being too humid. I wanted to use the bikes before I packed them away. And I wanted to acknowledge Memorial Day. So I went out and took photos.

Usually, I like my outdoor photos. Natural light helps. Usually. But I was not happy with these results. The last group photo is okay, but the bike photos are dark in spots and fuzzy. Any suggestions?

Thanks for looking and any feedback.

Full-Figured Raven Dolls by Two Companies

We doll enthusiasts read and hear a lot of negative comments about unrealistic doll proportions. In this post, I want to share two manufacturers' alterations to their basic fashion doll bodies to better represent a fuller figured actress, Raven-Symone.

Two months ago, I had mentioned Mattel's That's So Raven doll. I had decided to use that body for Mattel's Festivals of the World Carnival Barbie. I was happy that the Raven doll body is rounder than most Barbie bodies. That difference made me wonder. Was the Play Along Galleria Garibaldi's doll body different, too? Guess what? It is. The Play Along Galleria's doll body is heavier than the basic Play Along fashion dolls.

Let's start with the Mattel Raven: her legs and torso are shorter and wider than that of this belly button bodied Fashion Fever Barbie.

Mattel That's So Raven doll (l) and Fashion Fever Barbie doll (r)

Back view of Mattel That's So Raven doll (l) and Fashion Fever Barbie doll (r)

Side view of Mattel Fashion Fever Barbie doll (l) That's So Raven doll (r)

Let's see Raven with other Mattel teen dolls closer to her height: Raven is heavier than Generation Girl Mari and hobbit-bodied Rebelde Lupita.

Mattel That's So Raven doll flanked by other Mattel dolls: Generation Girl Mari (l) and Rebelde Lupita (r)

Back view of Mattel That's So Raven doll between Generation Girl Mari (l) and Rebelde Lupita (r)

Side view of Mattel That's So Raven doll and other Mattel dolls: Generation Girl Mari (l) and Rebelde Lupita (r)

The Play Along Galleria Garibaldi's doll body has more contrast to the basic Play Along doll body. Her painted-on underwear is different: Chanel on the left wears a white bikini bottom while Galleria wears embossed pink briefs.

Front view of Play Along Cheetah Girls Chanel (l) and Galleria (r)

Back view of Play Along Cheetah Girls Chanel (l) and Galleria (r)

Play Along Cheetah Girls Chanel (l) and Galleria (r) in profile

What about the two Ravens, side-by-side? Do you think one better resembles the actress, or do both fail in that department?

Profiles of Mattel Raven (l) and Play Along Cheetah Girl Galleria (r)

Front view Play Along Cheetah Girl Galleria (l) and Mattel Raven (r)

Back view Play Along Cheetah Girl Galleria (l) and Mattel Raven (r)

Side view Play Along Cheetah Girl Galleria (l) and Mattel Raven (r)

Me? I think that the Play Along doll has a slight edge in resemblance. I appreciate her heavier frame, but I like the bendable arms and the complexion of the Mattel doll better. However, my Carnival Barbie will be getting that body. The Mattel Raven head mounted on a new body will become another character. Though lovely on her own, the Mbili-faced doll does not resemble the actress at all. That is my opinion.

I'd love to read your reaction. Please share them in the comments ;-)

Quinceañeras and My Sixteenth Year Decision

Could Kelly have hidden Mitchie's other high heel?

Kelly, Mitchie, and Barbie hope you all had a happy Fifth of May!

Yet another Mexican-themed doll post? No, I have NOT recently discovered Mexican ancestors. I have learned about a doll-quinceañera connection. It is so opposite to my coming of age experience that I had to share it here. What better way to share than in a post-Cinco de Mayo post? 

Many non-Latinos are aware that the Latin American celebration, the fiesta de quince años, marks a girl's fifteenth birthday. The birthday girl or quinceañera can wear make-up, and she receives a pair of high heeled shoes to mark her transition from childhood to young womanhood. New-to-me, though, is that the quinceañera receives a "last doll" from her father during the celebration. At the end of the ceremony, the quinceañera gives that doll to younger girls. Charming?

Aside: okay, you "know" me: I would have tried to switch my new doll for an unwanted doll. Pause to cover face. Would that have been cheating? I suppose it would. And I have loathed high heels since my teen years when wearing them gave me the grace of Big Bird. Replace dolls with high heels? No way. I did not sacrifice my dolls and action figures.

Did I get teased at fifteen for "playing with dolls?" Yes. Did peer pressure stop me? No. Why not? Because I was an outcast already. One of my younger brothers was "not retarded" per the doctors, but he was ... different. Today, he'd probably have been categorized as autistic, but back in the 1970's, shrug. He was handsome and charming and loved. Every now and then, however, he would throw temper tantrums. He'd wail and bite his hands and pound his chest - and hit anyone in his path. So we did not do a lot of socializing. So I could keep my dolls.

In my sixteenth year, though, I became a "collector." That redefinition allowed me to continue doing what I wanted to do: retain playscale figures and miniatures in my life. My family would tease me about "playing dolls." I had to demonstrate "maturity." Play? No more ... I was a curator. Mock serious face. I had a Duty to the Future, to future students of twentieth century culture. There were not many Barbie collectors back then. Antique and/or artist dolls reigned as respectable dolls; Barbie and similar vinyl dolls were considered "tacky." I was the Vanguard of the Vinyl Playscale Doll Movement - and every bit as pompous as that sounds, lol.

Eye roll. Shrug. Sigh. That's my coming-of-age, doll enthusiast origin story. 

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day

Cinco De Mayo: A Brief List of Mexican Dolls and Action Figures

Three Mexican Señoritas

Mattel Rebelde Mía Colucci, YNU Group Mixis Rosa Dominguez Katz, and Disney Camp Rock Mitchie Torres hope you had a happy Cinco De Mayo.

I did not notice any doll-related Cinquo de Mayo posts from Tuesday so I thought I would share this list ... please share if you know any I have missed. Thanks in advance!


Mattel's Mexican dolls

2014 Dolls of the World Collection - Mexico
2012 Dolls of the World — North America - Mexico
2008 Rebelde Miguel Arango
2008 Rebelde Diego Bustamante
2008 Rebelde Mía Colucci
2008 Rebelde Lupita Fernandez
2008 Rebelde Giovanni Méndez
2008 Rebelde Roberta Pardo
2006 Dolls of the World — Festivals of the World - Cinco De Mayo Barbie
2004 Dolls of the World — The Princess Collection - Princess of Ancient Mexico Barbie  
2003 Toys R Us Friends of the World Kelly Mexico
2000 Quinceañera 15th birthday Barbie
1998 Generation Girl Ana Suarez
1996 Dolls of the World — North America Mexican Barbie 2nd Edition
1994 Toys R Us Quinceañera 15th birthday Teresa 
1989 Dolls of the World — North America Mexican Barbie 1st Edition


Mexican Dolls and Action Figures by Other Manufacturers

2005 Toy Biz Susan Storm aka the Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba)
2008 Disney Camp Rock Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato)
1996 Arm Enterprise Selena (Quintanilla)

May 2015 Topics: the Annual Stuff and Something New

• National Bike Month
• South Asian American Heritage Month
• Haitian American Heritage Month
• [East] Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
• National Pet Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Mother's Day
• Cinco de Mayo
• Older Americans Month
  

Wow. Lot of stuff happening in May. But more than these annual favorites is one event that trumps them all (except Mother's Day; nothing trumps that):

I'm moving.

Pause to cover my ears and scream. Cover my ears to protect them. Scream because I'm excited and frustrated. I'll have to schedule posts around packing and selling. I will do better to sell some things and that means figuring out the best way to do so. Sigh. So much to do.

What I probably will not be doing is a lot of shopping. Sigh. But I saw these Chelsea friend cuties at Walmart so I'm sharing them now.

Anyone have packing tips to share? I thank you in advance for sharing them. Links welcome, too ;-)