Showing posts sorted by date for query Mixis. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Mixis. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Friday, August 14, 2015

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Thanks, RagingMoon1987 of Confessions of a Dolly Lover, for nominating me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.



Here are some steps I am to follow:
  1. Thank the blogger who nominated me and link back to her site - see opening paragraph.
  2. Put the award logo on your blog. (I "borrowed" the logo used on this site.)
  3. Answer the ten questions sent to you - see below.
  4. Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer - see below.
  5. Nominate bloggers who you feel deserve the award - see below.


1. How old were you when you started collecting dolls?
16 years old. I wrote a post about that decision earlier this year.


2. Why did you start a doll blog?
I was laid off. I wanted to do something new. So I combined my love for dolls, writing, and the World Wide Web into one activity: blogging.


3. Do you have one particular doll that is the favorite in your collection?
No. I love too many to single out any one. Besides, they're jealous ;-)


4. What hair color do you prefer your dolls to have?
Black or red.


5. Do you know exactly how many dolls you have in your collection (you don't have to tell the number of course :-) )?
Over 500 ... roughly. I have sold some. I will be selling more.


6. What does your family think about your dolls?
My Mom likes some of them. My siblings don't find them appropriate.


7. Do you ever take your dolls out in public?  If so, where do you like to take them?
Yes. To a park or an empty train station.











8. Do you remember your first doll?  If so, who was she/he?
I think she was a S/L Midge. I traded her in for a TNT Barbie.


9. Is there a retired doll or doll line that you'd like to bring back?
Yes, the Get Set Club dolls OR Liv dolls.


10. If you could design your own doll, what would it look like?
Her face would have a nose like Mixis Rosa, eyes slightly larger than Get Set Gia, and a full mouth like Integrity Toys Janay. Full, textured black-brown hair like Get Set Vanessa only cut to her shoulders. Her articulated body would be fuller like the Get Set dolls only with much slimmer ankles. She'd wear no-iron shirts and tee shirts, midi skirts, palazzo pants, or fitted but not tight bootcut jeans, and sneakers, flat sandals, or flat boots. She'd have both a desktop and a laptop computer, books, notebooks, and pens. She'd have dark chocolate bars, Goya plantain chips, and sundry other edibles. She'd have an armchair to curl up in and a computer chair to to protect her back. And she'd come with a black short-hair cat - green-eyed cat.

Next steps are to nominate others and to set questions.

I am going to ask for volunteers. If you have not been nominated, and would like to participate, please send me the link to your Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award blog post. Here are my questions if you choose to participate:


1. Why did you start a doll blog?

2. What is your favorite doll-related activity?

3. What do you like best about the doll and action hobby?

4. Do you remember your first doll?  If so, who was she/he?

5. What is the most unique doll in your collection?
 
6. Which doll/action figure manufacturers do you admire most?

7. For 1 week, you can be any doll you want, brought to life. Which doll are you and why?

8. Do you ever take your dolls out in public?  If so, where do you like to take them?

9. Is there a retired doll or doll line that you'd like to bring back?

10. If you could design your own doll, what would it look like?

I look forward to reading your posts. Thanks in advance for taking the challenge!

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Happy Canada Day!

A PhillyCollector (D7ana) and the citizens of East Philadelphia (the dolls and action figures) wish our Canadian neighbors a Happy Canada Day. While we will not be having poutine or any other Canadian delicacies, we do want to acknowledge this day because Canada brings us the Mixis dolls by YNU Group Incorporated and brought us the ever popular Liv dolls by Spin Master.

Other events in July include


July 4 - Independence Day (I'm including a link to guide for 1:1 scale events for those planning to be here)

July 6 - my birthday

July 19 - Mattel Barbie's Hispanic friend Teresa's birthday


D7ana: Rock Ringmaster Lukas M wants to share photos. I'll leave the uploading to him because I am so tired. Night all.

Lukas M.: How many of you are tired of girl pictures? Here are some photos of me instead. Happy Canada Day!

Feet of a Rock Ringmaster        

Put your hands together now.






Chilling.





Lukas Rising





Too hot

Friday, May 8, 2015

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

Mattel Rebelde Mia, YBU Group Mixis Rosa, and Disney Camp Rock Mitchie Torres
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)



Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

I missed seeing the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but I want to acknowledge the holiday here. Irish Barbies are everywhere online so I decided to photograph any dolls and/or action figures wearing green. I found a Black Barbie, a copper-tressed Midge, a YNU Group Inc. Mixis Houda, an M & C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Para jumper, and a Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol already dressed in green. Here they are along with my wish that all celebrating St. Patrick’s Day are having  or have had a jolly one.

Barbie Birthstone Beauties: May
Barbie Birthstone Beauties: May wearing an emerald green glittery lace minidress with a green bolero jacket






YNU Group Inc. Sunset Edition Mixis Houda and Mattel Surf City Midge
YNU Group Inc. Mixis Houda wears her original sundress and Mattel Surf City Midge wears a Fashion Avenue outfit





M & C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Para jumper and Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol
M & C Toy Centre Power Team Elite Para jumper wears an olive green zipped jumpsuit and Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol wears a green and gold trimmed blouse and skirt



Oh and I must not forget this video that explains how the wearing of green became associated with this holiday.

May the road rise to meet you.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Links to Hispanic/Latino Dolls/Action Figures

Black Doll Collector asked if I would submit a post about Latino dolls and action figures. I had compiled a list of Hispanic/Latino dolls and action figures so I am happy to share that information as well as posts from other bloggers. If you know of additional sites about
Hispanic or Latino dolls and action figures, please leave the web address(es) in the Comments. (Thanks in advance.)

Note: additional posts about Hispanic or Latino dolls and action figures on this blog can be found under the word, "Hispanic."

Note2: usually, I have used the word, "Hispanic," because my understanding had been that "Hispanic" was the "correct" North American-centric term or ethnonym for people who live in the United States whose ancestors came from Spanish speaking countries. "Latino" is the "correct" North American-centric term or ethnonym for people who live in the United States who have Latin American origin or ancestry and who may or may not speak Spanish.

The dolls below may help clarify what I mean. On the left, I have Mattel's Shakira doll, representing the Latina singer. On the right, I have Haschel Toys' Olga Tañón representing the Hispanic singer. (Olga Tañón has also been described as "Latina.") Shakira is Colombian, thus, Latina; Olga Tañón is Puerto Rican, thus Hispanic. 






Identification

Teresa's List of Hispanic Barbies and friends, 1980-2009
Lauriko's Teresa section on BarbieWorld, 1987-1998 (Smaller Places mentioned this site)
Roxanne's List of Hispanic/Latino dolls and action figures
Smaller Places Review of Nicole by Kenya's World LLC     
Black Doll Collector's Review of Nicole by Kenya's World LLC
Male Doll World Hispanic Heritage Tribute 2012
Male Doll World Hispanic Heritage Tribute Tribute 2011  


Comparison

Black Doll Collector's Mattel So in Style Marisa and YNU Group, Inc. Mixis Rosa post



Controversy

NPR post about Mexican Barbie





Thursday, October 23, 2014

Polish American Heritage Month in Playscale

October is Polish American Heritage Month. (Among other ethnic groups, but this post is about Polish American dolls.) Time to bring out the Polish and/or Polish-American dolls. Right. Cough. I have a small problem: Mattel only produced ONE Polish Barbie.


Mattel Polish Barbie 1998
Mattel Polish Barbie 1998


Mattel Polish Barbie 1998 face only
Close up of Mattel Polish Barbie 1998

Yes as in o-n-e. One. Amid the many Irish, Italian, French, and British dolls. Then again, if you had asked me about Poland before I wrote this post, I would have been hard pressed to comment about Polish America. I have eaten kielbasa and pierogi. A Polish American teacher told my class that surnames ending in "ski" or "sky" were Polish. I remember being told that there was a Polish resistance movement during World War II. Oh and we have a Polish American Cultural Center in Philadelphia! No, I have never been there, but I know it exists and where it is. More importantly, for this post, though is finding playscale Polish American dolls or action figures. Where can we find them?



1. We could "borrow" dolls from Mattel's Dolls of the World Europe line from neighboring countries like Germany, the Czech Republic, or the Russian Federation.

2. Find celebrity dolls who are Polish American. Ding, ding! A few hits!

Hot Toys
Silken Floss; Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)


Mattel
Lord of the Rings Arwen (Liv Tyler)
High School Musical Troy (Zac Efron) - more than 1 version; I like the grin-faced one best


Play Along, Ltd. 
Hairspray Link Larkin (Zac Efron)


Toy Biz
Lord of the Rings Arwen (Liv Tyler)


3. Or we can find dolls or action figures from different backgrounds. Here are some figures I considered. Let me know which ones you think "work."


Mattel Skipper as Velma from Scooby Doo
Mattel Scooby Doo Skipper (as Velma)

I suggest Scooby Doo Skipper (Mattel) for her fair complexion, auburn hair, and blue eyes. 


YNU Group, Inc. Mixis doll Houda in profile
YNU Group, Inc. Mixis doll Houda


Houda? Yes, her stated ethnic mix is French/Lebanese. How about her profile? 

What about these two action figures? They are Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right). Would you use them in playscale roles for Polish Americans? Let me know in a comment. (As always, thanks for your comments.)



Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right)
Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right)



Profile of Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right)
Revell GmbH& Co. KG Benjamin Lauth (left) and Jakks Pacific Van Helsing (right)


Additional subject reading wanted? Try this article by Matt Soniak or this article by Matt Kiebus. My favorite Polish American contributions are Häagen-Dazs frozen treats and sound in film. 

P.S. Bonus link to a Barbie-clone named Joanna produced by Polish company Krawal shown on here and here.

So Mattel's Polish Barbie need not stand alone in your Polish American display.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Hispanic and Latino Doll/Action Figure List


Haschel Toys Olga Tanon and Bbi Sargent Mendez
Olga Tanon and Sargent Mendez


Jakks Pacific Valerie (Rosario Dawson)


Integrity Toys Street Fusion Alysa 2004 (Dealer version)
Integrity Toys Street Fusion Alysa (Dealer version)


Mattel Kelly Club Tea Party Nia
Mattel Kelly Club Tea Party Nia


Here is my list of Hispanic and Latino dolls and action figures.

ARM Enterprise

Selena Quintanilla



BBi 

Perfect Body Female Action Figure
Perfect Body

Male Action Figure
Sargent Mendez



Chic Boutique

Chicas a la Moda Arianna
Glamour Girl Flower Power



Get Real Girl

Gabi



Get Set Club

Isabella



Hasbro

G. I. Joe (various)
Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez
Carmen 'Raya' Alonso, drummer JEM
Rio Pacheco, manager JEM



Haschel Toys

Olga Tanon



Hot Toys

Bronze TrueType male figure
True Type Cuban American female



Integrity

Alejandro
Alysa
Candi



Jakks Pacific

Fashion Doll: Muneca de Mode Catalina
Fashion Doll: Muneca de Mode Damita
GirlForce Bianca
GirlForce Lola 
GirlForce Natalie (Cameron Diaz) "Charlie's Angels"
GirlForce Valerie (Rosario Dawson) "Josie and the Pussycats"
Maleficient (Angelina Jolie)




Kenya's World

Ariana* (Thanks Smaller Places for sharing this new series!)
Nicole


Kumik

Jessica Alba head



Lanard

I-Girl Rio



Mattel

Alex Russo (Selena Gomez) "Wizards of Waverly Place"
Generation Girl Ana Suarez
Barbie
ChaCha "Grease"
Barbie and the Rockers Derek
Desi Arnaz
Gabriella "High School Musical"
Jennifer Lopez
Kayla
Kelly (David's Bridal Perfect Pair)
Ken
Li'l Friends of Kelly Marisa
Model of the Moment Marisa
So in Style Marisa
Kelly Club Nia
My Scene Nia
Flavas P. Bo
Rebelde Diego Bustamante
Rebelde Giovanni Mendez
Rebelde Lupita Fernandez
Rebelde Mia Colucci
Rebelde Miguel Arango
Rebelde Roberta Pardo
V.I.P. Selena Gomez
Shakira
Teresa
Tommy (David's Bridal Perfect Pair)



Mega Star

Ricky Martin



One World Project

Prettie Girl Valencia



Play Along Ltd., Division of Jakks Pacific

Cheetah Girls Chanel
Cheetah Girls Dorinda




Playmates Toys Inc.

Ever Girl



R&D Dolls

Susie



Shindana

Disco Juanita



Smartees

Teacher Taylor



Spinmaster

Liv Daniela


Takara

Samba Jenny
Samba Kisara


Tiger Toys

A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez) "Saved by the Bell"


Totem International

Carlos, Billy's Puerto Rican boyfriend  (Thanks, Roxanne, for the reminder!)



Toy Biz

Sue Richards (Jessica Alba) "The Fantastic Four"


Woolworth

Manuel, wife and baby



Yaboom

Christina Aguilera



YNU Group Inc.

Rosa Dominguez Katz "Mixis"

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Hispanic Heritage Month Doll Focus: YNU Group Mixis Rosa

Hispanic Heritage Month Doll Focus: YNU Group, Incorporated Mixis Rosa Dominguez Katz


Here is the First Edition Rosa Dominguez Katz. Since some of Rosa's family come from Mexico, she is participating in the Hispanic Heritage Month posting. I first saw Opal and Rosa on September 13, 2008 at the Black Latino Expo in the Convention Center. The owner from the now defunct company Dolls Like Me allowed me to choose the two dolls I wanted. (Emerald was on back order so they didn't have any Emeralds to show.)  The dolls were a little under a foot tall, but they had a heavier, more substantial body than Barbie and most Barbie clones. They had detailed, classy accessories and unique faces suggesting their multi-racial background.

Rosa wears her original shrug and tank top. The skirt is borrowed from First Edition Emerald Okada.

Here is the back view of Rosa. You can see her wavy dark hair.



Below is another Rosa doll: this one is the Limited Edition doll with the articulated elbows. Her face is a little fuller than the First Edition Rosa. That Rosa has an early production number. This Rosa has a higher production number - do you think that the molds wore down as the years passed, making the face fuller? I think that this Rosa looks older than the other one.




Back view of the Limited Edition Rosa doll shows her arm bend, wavy hair, and dress details.




Limited Edition Rosa on the left; First Edition Rosa on the right. Do you think one is prettier? I do. But I would rather not say which.





Want to read more about the Mixis experience by D7ana. Check these links:










Curious about Hispanic and Jewish connections in the United States? The Atlantic addressed this topic

Monday, September 15, 2014

Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15th - October 15th



In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, some of the Hispanic dolls and action figures posed for this photo. The plan was for everyone to wear something red, but as happens with the best of plans, everyone does not always follow through. Can you recognize the renegade who wore purple? I won't name names, but I'll leave that to you. Some of these have appeared in other years' heritage photos. Some may not have. There are - of course - more Hispanic dolls chez moi, but these were closest at hand and wearing red. Sigh. Mostly.

I will be posting a "master list" and featuring individual Hispanic dolls throughout this period. So Mixis Rosa, Mattel Teresa, and Integrity Alysa WILL have individual posts. And a post with links to other collectors' Hispanic dolls and/or action figures as well as a Wish List of Hispanic dolls and action figures I would someday like to own.

Anyone celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month or planning tribute posts? Please share the links in your comments.





Thursday, July 31, 2014

New Mixis Review on YouTube

There is a Mixis doll review of Houda and Opal on YouTube by Ashley Bramblet. So if you are feeling Mixis fever or if you would like to hear a review from a young collector, stop by and watch the video. Hope you enjoy the video.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Mixis Fans Alert ... There's a New Mixis Campaign!



First Edition Mixis dolls Rosa (left) and Emerald (right) paused to pose for this summer 2014 photo. They are excited about the new Mixis crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo

Surely you know that YNU Group Incorporated has started a crowd funding campaign to expand the Mixis brand via an animated series about the Mixis characters along with a web comic and an interactive web site? The target audience is children from age 6-11. And you, yes, YOU can contribute to the development of this doll series. The campaign started on July 9, 2014 and will end on August 25, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. PST. The goal? $56,000 ... and there are 26 days left.

Before you haul your wallet out, you may want to check the Perks offered. Perks, you ask. Perks, I answer. Here are a few:

$10.00 donation will get a Virtual Shoutout on Facebook and Twitter

$25.00 donation will get a Mixis T-shirt

$50.00 donation will get your choice of one of the First Edition Mixis dolls AND 6 E-patterns for Mixis fashions

There are more Perks - do check the website to see them all. The best Perk for me would be for additional dolls to reach the market. I suppose that would follow a successful response to the animated series and online sites. Crowd funding campaigns can get different doll brands out. The success of the Lammily doll proves that crowd funding can get a new brand attention and financial support previously not easily obtainable.

Any thoughts about the Mixis campaign or about crowd funding in general? Do you think that you will support the Mixis campaign?

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

July Challenge 2014 and Takara-Bbi Gatchaman Jun CyGirl

Back in 2011, I took a daily blog post challenge for that July. That month, I submitted 22 posts. Let's see what happens this year. I have many posts that I need to complete from previous months - oh, yes, I have posts-in-waiting in my Drafts folder. I'll complete and publish them. So I have an edge there. But what about new topics? 

July 1st Canada Day - Hey, hello, and hooray to YNU Group, Inc. for making the lovely Mixis Dolls.

July 4th Independence Day - Naomi is tearing up because Pennsylvania will be listening to Whitney Houston's version of Star Spangled Banner. You can check what the other States will be listening to here.

July 6th My Birthday - yeah, I'm celebrating this year. Stop by and wish me a happy one. Time and sentiment permitting, of course ;-D

National Ice Cream Month and National Blueberry Month, too. Maybe I will work those themes in, too. Maybe ;-D

Oh and I am going to try for a photo with every post this month. See below, Takara - Blue Box Toys  G3 Battle of the Planets (Gatchaman) Jun.