Happy Independence Day - Free Doll Feet

Happy Fourth of July!

Yes, it's Independence Day in the United States of America. We celebrate "the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776." Officially. Unofficially, we celebrate summer. Think sun and beaches and outdoor eating (cookouts) and fireworks. Summer fashions are lighter weight and brighter colored. Footwear changes at this time. What's the "official" footwear of summer? Sandals! 

jSarie commented about Lukas having "sandal-friendly feet." I think she meant sculpted feet where the big toe is slightly separated from the smaller toes, allowing the doll to wear flip-flops or thongs (a kind of sandal). "Sandal-friendly feet" is a feature of some doll lines by these doll manufacturers: Integrity Toys and MGA Entertainment. Here are some examples of this foot type:

Integrity Toys Fashion Royalty Paparazzi Bait Adele's feet

Monsieur Z Summer Babe Wild's feet

 America's Next Top Model (ANTM) Sidney's feet

Most fashion dolls have some variation of the early Barbie's high heel-molded foot like the Eskimo Barbie feet (left) and Integrity Toys Queen Adora feet (right) shown here.

Mattel Eskimo Barbie feet (left); Integrity Toys Adora feet (right)

Integrity Toys has improved their playscale doll feet since the days when the Janay and female friends playline dolls had "Sharpie" feet. (Nickname came from the foot's resemblance to
"Sharpie" band magic markers.) The male dolls from the Integrity Toys playline had a more basic flat foot, I think of as "sock feet." I call these feet "sock feet" because they look like the doll wears an invisible sock. The feet have a "foot-like" shape, but they usually lack the detail of the "sandal-friendly feet."

Get Set Fiona's "sock-like" feet with the original pedicure

On the plus side, these feet usually allow dolls to stand unassisted. They are easy to put shoes on, too, as long as you have shoes to fit.

A few dolls and many action figures have articulated feet, but that's material for another post.

Do your dolls have "sandal-friendly feet?" Please share their original names and manufacturers..



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For these photos, I used my computer monitor for the background. These are the sites I used:

backdrop for Integrity Toys Monsieur Z Summer Babe Wild, MGA Entertainment America's Next Top Model (ANTM) Sidney, Mattel Eskimo Barbie, Integrity Toys Queen Adora, and Get Set Fiona

backdrop for Integrity Toys Fashion Royalty Adele

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

World Doll Day Tag

Saturday, June 13, 2015 was World Doll Day.

Mildred Seeley established World Doll Day on June 14th, 1986. I have copied her letter so you can read about this day in her words:

Three of my doll blogging buddies tagged me to participate:

Billa
Vanessa
and Lisa

Tagged participants then follow and/or adapt these three actions. List 3 favorite dolls from the ones you got last year. List 3 dolls currently on your wishlist. Tag 5 people to do the same thing.

1. 2014 Favorite Dolls (and/or Action Figures)

Like Vanessa, I had to review last year's blog posts to see who either arrived last year - or given my self-imposed buying restriction - was opened or altered last year. These are my choices:

* Mattel Disney Snow White (head) on SpinMaster Liv body
Surprised? Me, too. But this Disney perennial has become a favorite. The Spin Master Liv body helped define her new character. She can pose better than on her old, staid body. She won't be accepting poisoned apples from anybody nor will she be serving aged men in a musty cottage. Fit, she is optimistic and buoyant. Behold Snow-as-positivity.


* Mattel Jazz Diva Barbie
No surprise here. She's a lovely doll, and she's got fun accessories like wigs, flowers, a mic, a dressing gown, etc. Check her eyes though. The whites are red. Lady sings the blues; lady's lived the blues. Her man done her wrong. Her house was struck by lightening. Her life's savings were lost in the house fire. Guess what? She gets up, applies her make-up and sings the night down. Introducing Jazz Diva-as-perseverance.


* Mattel Harry Potter (head) on Obitsu teen body
He's back! New body, new name: Julian Syphon, only son of banker Ned Syphon and former child actress Moira Martindale, is lovingly nicknamed "Our Jewel." His paternal grandfather heads the local Political Science Department and dotes on his only grandson. Like that smirk? I do. Julian's my Puckish, plucky fellow. 

(Note: I will need to carve a larger head hole to allow his head to fully sit on the Obitsu neck.)

Here are my 2014 picks in recent photos:

Hybrid Snow White and Mattel Jazz Diva Barbie

Harry Potter Re-bodied on Obitsu Body

2. 2015 Wish List Dolls (and/or Action Figures)
Okay, now these will be tip of the iceberg doll/action figure wants. I have not bought many new dolls or action figures so I have a BIG back load of wants. 

* Mattel Gustav Klimt Barbie - a Linda Kyaw designed vision with flyaway black curly hair and a stunning gold-multi Klimt inspired dress. I LOVE that dress; it's described as having "Byzantine mosaics and Egyptian motifs."

* R&D  Dolls / Integrity Toys Dynamite Girls Love Revolution Sweet Freedom Susie - cute outfit, but I love this Susie's eyes. They are so dark. She'll be a welcome addition to my Susie collection someday.

* Majestic Studios Blacula Action Figure - check out his fine suit! And cape? Woot, woot! Three heads he has, too - one with maggots (will give away or sell), one human, and the last, vampire with fangs exposed. I intend to get an extra body so one head will remain human; the other, vampire.


3. Tag 5 people to do as I have done.

Super Cool Doll House

 
There's Always Another Doll



For The Love Of Dolls


Big and Little Creations

  
Dollz4Moi's Vinyl Musing


 
 Queen City Beautiful Doll Club created a Facebook page for this event. 

Barbie Look Metallic Dress Colors – Barbie Fashion Dolls | Barbie Collector

Barbie Look Metallic Dress Colors – Barbie Fashion Dolls | Barbie Collector



Have you seen them in stores?

Fashion Insider Ken Shares Traditional Father's Day Gifts

Happy Father's Day to all fathers.

The accessories for Mattel's Fashion Insider Ken Giftset from Robert Best's 2003 Barbie Fashion Model Collection struck me as examples of traditional Father's Day gifts. The only "traditional" pieces missing are a wallet, gloves, slippers, cuff links, and a grill. Now I am NOT critiquing the giftset; I bought it some 10+ years ago. I found it quaint and charming. Here are some photos of Ken and some gifts that he might have received.

Mattel's Fashion Insider Ken

Common gifts for fathers -  sunglasses, briefcase, and loafers

Any dads who have NEVER received a suit, belt, or tie?

Matching pants - or trousers - to be worn with the jacket

Remember, men wear garters, too!

Ken shows the back view of his boxers

Last year, I posted a list of playscale fathers. If you missed it, you can find it here.

So, did any father's receive any on-traditional gifts? If so, please share what. 

Sir Christopher Lee: May He Rest in Peace

Sir Christopher Lee: May He Rest in Peace




When I was young, I watched a lot of horror movies, especially Hammer Film Productions films. Think big-haired, bosomy damsels-in-distress, sneering, supercilious villains, and bright-eyed, guileless heroes in Gothic settings. Castles. Stormy skies. Menacing music. Lots of screams, on-screen and off. (Hey, I was young and that was a more innocent time.) Christopher Lee dominated those movies. Usually as Dracula or some other villain - but occasionally as the Good Guy - he strode his over 6 feet frame, wielded that baritone voice, and commanded our awe and attention. My sisters and I never tired of watching him on our black and white television.

BBC obituary 

Plaid Stallion tribute

Here are links showing playscale Christopher Lee action figures. (Possibly there are more, but these are the ones I have seen.)



Distinctive Dummies Duc de Richleau as mentioned in this Fangoria article by Ken W. Hanley



Hammer Films Dracula as shown in this review by Ron Hatchell


Hasbro Count Dooku as shown in this review by @lex Gen X 1:6 Hardcore of Toyhaven



Sideshow Collectibles Scaramanga



Here are photos of a Christopher Lee action figure in one of his not-Dracula roles, the villain Scaramanga from the 1974 James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun.

 

Please note: this Sideshow Collectibles figure is NOT part of my collection so I could not debox him. However, Customikey provides a guest review on Michael Crawford site   I like how the guest reviewer posed the figure and how he compares the Sideshow figure with a Hasbro figure.

While I wish peace for the late Sir Christopher Lee, I am glad his playacting lives forever in film.

  

June Topics: Shelter Cats, Carribean Heritage, Fathers, Gay Pride, and Men

June is here so summer is coming soon. Not today though. What topics other than moving, selling dolls and accessories, and improving my photography skills will I cover - time permitting? Here's my short list:

Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month
 
Caribbean-American Heritage Month

Father's Day