Updating and Branding A PhillyCollector Blog

Okay, I am overdue a makeover. Well, A PhillyCollector is due a makeover. While I'm at it, why not throw in some branding, too? This is the year to go BIG. I'm working on a Pinterest board with ideas about colors and fonts and layouts for A PhillyCollector. If you'd like to throw in suggestions or tips, please do. In the meantime, here are some past faces of A PhillyCollector, courtesy of the Internet Archive.

2011

2012

2012

2014

2015

I like the airy look, but it's too bare and too cluttered along the side. I've got two colors in mind. I haven't used them before. I'm saving them because I don't want to spoil any color suggestions you might have. Feel free to advise as you would - if I went to a party wearing heavy lime green eye shadow,  orange rouge, and silver tinsel hair swatches, you'd tell me I was a shade garish, hmm?

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!

Peeping the New Barbie Eye Doctor

I'm not supposed to be looking at the new dolls yet. Between culling dolls to sell and boxing keepers, I decided to NOT buy new stuff yet. Well, I was in Walmart - and as you'd guess by that beginning, something bad followed. Not a case of furniture fell on my head bad - in which case I'd probably not be blogging about that - but temptation bad. I saw a doll that I should not have seen. Cause now she's on my Wish List. Sigh. And I'd been sooo good.

Here is the newest Barbie doctor, Barbie as an ophthalmologist.

Barbie Eye Doctor Black version

Barbie Eye Doctor Black version

Little patient of Barbie Eye Doctor

Gorgeous face paint of Barbie Eye Doctor, Black version

If you cannot find her in your local stores, she's up for "pre-sale" online. (Shipping by date on the website is August 13, 2015.) Cost? $19.99 - before shipping costs.

Oh and check this YouTube review. It's a mixed but mostly favorable review ... cheapo fashion and stiff NOT articulated body countered by a cute doll and cool playset.

So are you "eyeing" this new Barbie doctor?

Seven Years Makes Me Think Long-term Goals

Seven years for a marriage means wool, copper, or brass gifts. With A PhillyCollector's anniversary being in late August, we're bypassing wool in favor of copper and brass. The DAFs found a Barbie tea kettle for this post's photo. Gifts are not as important as reflections. (Um, that's how not so keen on copper, brass, and wool I am. But I digress ;-) 

Let's talk GOALS.

My long-term goals for this blog are

* to be a reference for collectors of 1:6 aka playscale vinyl/plastic dolls and action figures,

* to be a forum where collector/enthusiasts can react to dolls, action figures, and related events,

* to curate other blog posts or websites of interest to collector/enthusiasts, and

* to share the creative fun of customizing figures and creating fashions, diorama, and stories.

Is there anything else I should add to that list?

August Topics: Blog Anniversary, Moving, Selling

No heritage is celebrated this month; this August's topics are:

* The MOVE - have to get packed and leave

* Selling stuff

* Seventh anniversary of A PhillyCollector of Playscale Dolls and Action Figures

My seventh anniversary blogging. Yes, I am overdue for a blog make-over. I need COLOR and less clutter. What happened to my About Me page? How can I add those neat headers for links, etc.? Any suggestions welcome. I'm going to create a mood board for this topic.

Next, selling dolls and action figures. In August. Before a move. Great timing, huh? Well, things are as they are. I do have some things set aside.

Finally, although this one is the big focus: the Move. Back ache threw me off schedule, but I can delay no more. I found a helpful post on this topic that some of you have read; I recognized some names in the comments.Have to do what I have to do.


These three topics do not rule out random postings. 

      

Happy Birthday Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is 50 years old today.

Harry Potter is 35 years old per this article.

Shocked? Why? People grow older. Fortunately, our playscale figures don't except when we want them to. Here are some Harry figures that will not grow on you. Granted, the price is ... steep. I'm glad that I got my Harry (now Julian) years ago, for less than $20.00. 

Behold! The birthday boy is boogying. Go on, dude. That laughter? The girls are happy and excited for you. 

Harry (Julian) boogying

Any Harry Potter and/or J.K. Rowling fans celebrating? How?

Playscale Wonder Woman List

Xena: Yo, D!

PhilyCollector: Hey, Xena. What's up?

Xena: Rumor has it, you want a Wonder Woman character so bad, you're getting a Barbie for the part.

PhilyCollector: Rumor is wrong. I like Mattel's newest Wonder Woman doll* shown at the San Diego Comic Con. Her face is longer than most Barbies; she's got personality. She won't stay Wonder Woman once she's here. She'll be an interesting new friend for you.

Xena: Hrmph! Too many Barbies here already .... I could be Wonder Woman. See.

Xena: I have black hair, blue eyes, and an Amazonian build

PhilyCollector: You're already a Warrior-Princess.  Why go off-brand?

Xena: "Versatile" is my middle name: I can twirl around in my underwear just as easily as any Barbie.

PhilyCollector: The Wonder Woman role may be more difficult than you think: not including the unreleased Comic Con Barbie, there have only been four playscale Wonder Woman dolls and one playscale action figure.

History of Playscale Wonder Woman dolls

1967 Ideal Super Queens series included a Wonder Woman doll. She has Tammy's Grown Up friend, Misty's head on the adult "poser" body. Doll Reference site shows the doll out of her box.

1978 Mego Wonder Woman doll based on the American television show. This doll seems to be on the same body as Mego's 12.5" celebrity body.
  

2000 Mattel launched their first Barbie doll as Wonder Woman for the Collector Edition. She has the Mackie face.


2008 Mattel Wonder Woman Barbie doll in the Barbie Loves Pop Culture line. This Barbie has the Lara face, articulated elbows, and click bend knees. She was designed by Bill Greening.


2009 DC Direct Wonder Woman 1:6 Scale Figure. Fuller articulation aside, what makes this one an action figure, rather than a doll? Molded plastic hair. Goliath Angelus reviewed this action figure on YouTube.

Related Wonder Woman Links

Wonder Woman Museum

Create a Wonder Woman Doll from a Barbie doll.

Upcoming Releases in Other Scales


* Mattel modeled this doll after actress Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman in the upcoming, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie. I am glad to see that the doll has full legs and feet - unlike the Athena Barbie from a few years ago that had boot feet.