Ten Disney Dolls for Less Than $100

MissSpottyJane has a blog post with interesting news about the 12" basic. I am not going to repeat it here, but I'll leave a two word teaser, "new bodies" to pique your curiosity.

Anyway, MSJ had me thinking about the 11-12" Disney dolls so I thought, let's see what the Disney Store is offering this time. Well, I saw that they were offering a Classic 10-doll box of Disney Princesses for $99.50 USD, so I had to note that here on PhillyCollector. And the companion guys are on sale for $8.00 each. So if you have been seeking Disney Princesses or their companions, now might be a good time to buy them.

Happy hunting! Thanks, MissSpottyJane, for the tip!

Joss and Tosh ... The Other Two Star Dolls

I mentioned that I had bought two other StarDolls. Officially, they are Pretty n Love 2 and Fallen Angel 1, but here in East Philly, they are Jocelyn aka Joss and Toshiko aka Tosh. Joss and Tosh are college students who model to pay for their college expenses.

Roxanne is considering her new body options. She thinks she might settle for a Monsieur Z (Integrity Toys) body. She would have liked a rounder body, but this one might suit. Hmmm ....

Paul of S Club 7 and Possible Body Styles for New 1D Band?

Curious about how Hasbro might create a member of a pop music group? Let's look at their past work - in this case, Paul from S Club 7. What body type does he have? How accurate is the resemblance? You may have seen Paul before on the Keeping Ken site, but here he is out of his box.

First, here is Paul in his box. While we tend to associate Hasbro with G.I. Joe, Hasbro has created other doll lines before - Jem, Maxi, Destiny's Child, S Club 7, etc. so neither dolls nor capturing celebrity likeness is new for them. (Aside: although the Destiny's Child dolls are not necessarily ones to brag about. Their Beyonce was on the homely side.)

Note Paul's profile ... decent resemblance to the singer.

Next his body type: can you say "fashion doll?" Why? Straight arms (or permanently bent ones) and click bend knees. Manufacturers working in "fashion doll mode" did not like the look of articulated bodies. See Paul stretching to show off his plump calves; no nasty breaks for joints.

Here is Paul goofing around with two Hasbro G.I. Joes - Lamont A. Morris (1992) on Paul's right and Marvin F. Hinton (2003) on his left to show the body variety of Hasbro's male figures. Mr. Morris can twist his arms to face in or out while Mr. Hinton has joints at his elbows and wrists. All three Hasbro males from Paul's fashion doll body (straight arms and bend leg knees) to Mr. Morris' hybrid doll/action figure body (arm direction ability and bend leg knees) to Mr. Hinton's action figure body (joints at elbows, wrists, and knees) can extend their arms out from their side and spread their legs wide. So there is some additional body posing available to Hasbro figures.

But what about the S Club 7 today? Check their updated website.

Coming Soon: One Direction by Two Companies

Regular readers will remember that I mentioned Vivid Imaginations' One Direction dolls last year. Well, guess what? The boy band has become even more popular since then. They are now a force here in the United States. So much that Hasbro is bringing out their version of the British-Irish band. Sound exciting? Yes, it does - to me anyway.

Oh, but I have NOT gotten the Vivid Imaginations guys yet.

I wonder if the Hasbro versions will be play scale, have rooted hair, and/or be jointed? Boy I'd like to know. Snaps fingers. Why not ask?

"Dear Hasbro ..."

Lazy Susan for Accessory Storage

I bought this three-level lazy susan from an arts and crafts store several years ago. It holds shoes and footwear, wigs and head gear, musical instruments, and other miniatures that lack a home.

Pros:
It can hold larger stuff. Keeps things tidy. Easy to drop stuff in or to remove things.

Cons:
Heavy. Takes up a good chunk of space.

Wizard World Philly

Remember I said that I would attend the 2012 Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Convention?

 

Well, I was not able to go after all. 

Sorry to disappoint. 

International Black Doll Show 2012, Pt. 2

Behold! a blast from my past: Soul Sister doll seen at Linda C. Hayes' table. Talk about childhood memories ... many years ago, I owned a Soul Sister doll. Seeing her triggered an involuntary smile. I almost forgot my shoulder pain and being broke. That's why I attend the International Black Doll Show and Sale. Why I appreciate Ms. Hayes' annual presence at this event. You never know what fun, charming, amusing, exciting object will appear next.


Soul Sister doll was only one of the many interesting dolls for sale by Linda Hayes, doll dealer extraordinaire.  From sport figures like Kobe Bryant and Dennis Rodman or a play scale rickshaw or special issue-themed dolls like Cammie Goes to College, Ms. Hayes never disappoints her fan base at the Show. For example, the special item that she discovered in the West Indies - please see Debbie Behan Garrett's blog or Ms. Leo's blog.


Another IBDSS "regular" was Anna's Collectibles. In addition to collectible Barbies, Anna's offered Madame Alexander dolls, Gene dolls, Lee Middleton and Tonner dolls as well as toy bears, figurines, and nutcrackers. If you missed the Show or missed Anna's tables, you can visit her online shop where she has Barbies starting at $9.00! Per a lavender flyer distributed by the Anna's team, Anna's accepts credit cards and lay-a-ways. Yes! Either of those options is likely to loosen purse strings in these difficult financial times. Contact information via the Internet is annascollectibles@hotmail.com or by telephone at 856-667-2916 or fax at 856-779-8868.


Zister II Creations offered Black Barbie-clone "Air Freshener Dolls." The dolls seemed to be heads-torsos with arms ... you've probably seen those half-dolls whose full skirts cover tissue boxes and other household items. Well, these dolls skirts presumably covered air fresheners. The gowns looked attractive and interesting, but I wondered if the legs were ... well, there. I confess, I did not check. I could imagine the dolls screaming, "What have you done with my LEGS!" Shudder. However, if you are curious about this series, contact B. Scott by e-mail or telephone 718-573-6712 or 718-909-5497.


I missed any other dealers selling play scale figures. However, I did meet new to the IBDSS doll artist, Jacqueline Bryant Campbell. Ms. Campbell creates cloth dolls in a variety of shades - obtained by tea dying. Her daughter and inspiration to create cloth dolls was not there. You can see her adorable dolls at her website and e-mail her: she is also on Twitter @JBryantCampbell and on Facebook.


Additional doll artists Scharynne Holmes, Frannie Robinson, Laura Tuzio-Ross, and Goldie Wilson. Owner of Dolls, Teddy Bears & Gifts, Eleanor McGhee was present also. I just gathered cards and/or took a photo of those tables because they were outside my main interest, play scale figures.


For additional photos of this event, please see the 2012 Black Doll Show album on Webshots site. For additional coverage of the Show, please see I-Luv-Dolls or Debbie Behan Garrett's blogs noted above.