New I-Girls Folder in Webshots

Here's the link ....

I-Girls folder

Deboxing and Photographing I-Girls

I spent part of today deboxing and photographing my four I-Girls. Still have more to un-do for Sahara and the camp set. Off the cuff comment, these dolls are pretty but not strong on ethnic looks. Also, the Get Real Girls - probably the closest to the I-Girls in figure and outlook - have sturdier bodies. I'll write more about them and upload photos tomorrow.

10 Series of Barbie Doll Alternatives, Past and Present

Barbie, Barbie, Barbie.

Sigh.

The playscale fashion doll scene seems to revolve around Barbie. Shorthand: fashion doll = Barbie. Non-collectors describe dolls not produced by Mattel or under the Barbie brand as "Barbie." Collectors compare other fashion dolls to Barbie: cheap playscale dolls are called "Barbie clones." Clone in this case is a negative. But is every playscale figure a Barbie clone? Usually, clones are cheaply made, poor quality dolls like some of the dollar store offerings. What about decent quality or even better quality playscale fashion dolls? Do they exist?

Yes, they do. Here are ten playscale doll series that "correct" or "improve" on some aspect of Barbie. They are less sophisticated, more ethnically "correct" or physically realistic, more brazen in three cases, more "intelligent," or otherwise ANTI-Barbie.

1. Ideal - Tammy the Doll You Love to Dress

2. Various companies - Sindy the Doll You Love to Dress

3. Hasbro - JEM

4. Hamilton Designs - Candi Girl / Candi (later designed by Jason Wu and Integrity Toys)

5. Get Real Girls

6. Get Set Club

7. Lanard - I-Girls

8. Smartees

9. Mattel - Flavas

10. MGA Entertainment - Bratz

Mixis Reviews on Amazon.com

Yesterday, I added reviews for Mixis Emerald and Mixis Houda to their entries on Amazon.com.

The more I look at these dolls, the more I like them. I'm thinking of deboxing the Get Real Girl outfits I have so that they can wear more suitable -- late fall -- outfits. I might also borrow from the I-Girls dolls. The Mixis outfits are online, but I won't be able to get them for some time.

Maybe I'll add extra photos to the Amazon.com entries for the Mixis dolls that I have ....

Surprise Find at E-Z Discount Store on 60th Street

Yesterday, I went to E-Z Discount Store located on 60th Street below Market Street in West Philadelphia. Sometimes you can find older dolls and action figures in small stores, not part of a chain. There were no older Barbies -- or any Barbies -- but there were some 11.5 fashion dolls by Totsy that belonged to the Legends of Yesteryear Series: Emeraude. The 11.5 fashion doll resembles the Disney/Mattel Esmeralda from The Hunchback on Notre Dame film. She's the sort of cheap doll that I would usually bypass, but ... Emeraude did not come alone. No, and I am not referring to the $20.00 set that included her and the Quasimodo counterpart. I'm talking about the $9.99 Festival Emeraude who comes with a 1:6 scale GOAT. Sure the goat's eyes need work, and why are his inner ears and nostrils fuchsia? This has to be a first for me ... a playscale goat.

I have a donkey with the Power Team World Peacekeepers Trailwalker aka Farmer Miles. My Lanard I-Girls have two toucans, a panda, and a brown lab retriever dog. Not a single goat though. Now we have a goat. Just what every urban farmer needs. Chevre cheese a-coming next.

Aside: maybe the pink ears and nostrils on the goat are not unnatural. See the goat photos shown at this web page:

http://www.goatladydairy.com/News_Recipies.htm