It's time for another one-on-one conversation with one of the AFB Podcast Hosts, and this time around it's the turn of yours truly!
You can download Episode 3 of the AFB Q&A - an interview with Scott "Andy" Anderson, d...
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The AFB Podcast Q&A Episode 3 – Scott!
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Lorrence Makes It Work with Dynamite Girls
Lorrence, aka WuDollsClubKid, posted his reinterpreted versions of Mattel's set of Tim Gunn dolls on the W Club board. Lorrence used Dynamite Girls by Integrity Toys instead of the original Barbies. I love how well the clothes fit these bodies.
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If you look back a few posts you can see what the original dolls looked like. Which do you prefer? I like the Lorrence's Dynamite Girl version because they are articulated and make the best use of the cute outfits. It makes me want to purchase the Barbie dolls just for their clothing. It wouldn't be the first time I've done that but I always wind up selling both the Barbies and the clothes due to the quality issues.![]()
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Photography by Lorrence.
If you look back a few posts you can see what the original dolls looked like. Which do you prefer? I like the Lorrence's Dynamite Girl version because they are articulated and make the best use of the cute outfits. It makes me want to purchase the Barbie dolls just for their clothing. It wouldn't be the first time I've done that but I always wind up selling both the Barbies and the clothes due to the quality issues.
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MUSIC VIDEO - BATMAN MOVIE Theme Song ( Metal Version )
Here's an extremely excellent version of Danny Elfman's BATMAN MOVIE Theme Song that recently popped-up on YouTube, enjoy. ( Thanks Lee, The BatFan! )
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VIDEO - Batman's 1966 Batcopter and Batmobile Team-Up!
OK, anyone who has been following the BAT-BLOG for awhile knows that we have an excellent group of friends in New Jersey who are always contributing some very cool Batman-related stories. Here's a very good example:
Recently they all got together and created this Mini BATMAN TRIBUTE Movie that shares the adventure they had at the 2012 New Jersey State Fair. While there, they had the opportunity to film the Original 1966 Bat-Copter ( flown by Capt. Gene Nock ) and a beautiful 1966 Batman TV Show Batmobile Replica Car together!! This stuff is pretty cool to see so please check it out. Also, if you're a Facebook Member, then PLEASE share it so others can enjoy it too, thanks!
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4 Dividend Stocks to Make you Say "Oh Yeah"
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Disneyland: Official CARS Land Art
If you’re at Disneyland this month, check out the store “Off the Page” for a limited edition of 12 Lightning & Mater sketch … Tweet This Post
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California Banker Leads Field Of 350 At 2012 National SCRABBLE® Championship
[PR Newswire] - ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After 12 rounds of intense play over the past two days, Jerry Lerman, 62, a Bank Risk Manager from Foster City, CA, is in first place with a 10-2 record and ...
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Singing A Happy Tune Over This Vintage Steiff Musical Bear
Some questions are just like music to Steiffgal's ears. And this question from a reader sounds just like a happy tune. Check out this note from Danny, who writes...
"Steiffgal,
I’m sure you get a million of these. I’m looking to identify this bear with no ID ear tag. The music box works when the red patch is pushed. I’m only looking for an approximate era.
Thanks, Danny"
Danny, yes, Steiffgal is fortunate to receive what feels like a million Steiff questions... but your special bear is considered by many collectors to be a one in a million find! What you have here is simply called Music Teddy. This bear was produced from 1951 through 1957 only. He is 35 cm, five ways jointed, and made from caramel colored mohair. His hand and foot pads are made from tannish peach colored felt. His face is detailed with brown and black glass pupil eyes and a brown hand embroidered nose and mouth. Smack dab in the middle of his belly is a red felt circle; when he was new, it had the word "music" in printed in white on it. When this spot was squeezed and released, it played a sweet lullaby.
To see how that worked, please view the YouTube video posted below... This is not Danny's bear but another example of the same model, "for demonstration purposes only!"
Feeling this bear worthy of an encore, Steiff decided to produce the original Music Teddy as a worldwide limited edition of 7,000 pieces in 1993. This replica is pictured below.
This singing sweetheart is a modification of Steiff's extremely popular and beloved "Original Teddy" design. This now classic and highly sought after pattern was produced in gold, blond, caramel, brown, and white mohair in the 1950 through 1966 time frame in 10, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 28, 35, 40, 43, 50, 65, and 75 cm. An example of this bear in caramel is pictured below.
Collectors went ape over Music Teddy in the early 1950's, so Steiff decided to create another musical sensation - this time based on their classic Jocko the chimpanzee. Simply called Music Jocko, he was based the company's standard line 35 cm brown mohair chimpanzee. A picture of Music Jocko appears below; this particular example sold at auction at Christie's in 2010 for about $700. Like Music Teddy, Music Jocko had a squeeze-activated music box implanted in his belly, which was also noted by a red felt disk on his belly. Music Jocko appeared in the line from 1951 through 1957.
Now the question that gets Steiffgal feeling a little off key - his value. As always, Steiffgal is not a formal appraiser and believes something is worth what some will pay for it. She has not seen the item firsthand and cannot account for any details of its aesthetic or structural integrity, all which play an enormous role in his true "worth." His somewhat worn appearance and lack of ID does subtract from his value. However, this particular item is of particular interest and appeal to collectors based on his age, limited time in the line, and relative rarity overall. Given all of that, and based on comparable sales, here in the USA he most likely values in the $450 to $800 range today.
Steiffgal hopes this discussion on Danny's Music Teddy has you singing a happy tune.
Have a question about one of your Steiff treasures? Let's talk! Click here to learn more.
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My Crazy Quilting Passion - So What Will These Supplies Become?
I've been rather busy the past few weeks working on some of my blogs and some of my websites, but I've managed to get some shopping in.
Oh, what a surprise, Linda? There's always time for shopping! Right?
Now you might be wondering exactly what kind of shopping I did and what is it for? As to where I went shopping - if you know me it's a combination of letting your fingers do the walking and actually getting in the car and going retail shopping.
What it's for has to do with my new found crazy quilting passion and gifts for the holidays. Since some of it is for gifts this holidays season I don't want to spoil the surprise for the recipients so you'll just have to guess what I might be making out of all of the things I bought.
So, what did I buy?
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Well, we have some whites........
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We have some creams......
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We have some beautiful golds....
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We have some elegant silvers....
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The ever formal and traditional blacks.....
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Some linings perhaps.....
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Maybe some pink lace edging can be used somewhere?
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How about some delicate green and black lace edging?
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It might even be time to utilize the beautiful lace from my sister's friends' old wedding gown....
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I really hate cutting such a beautiful gown, but the lace is just gorgeous....
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Wouldn't you agree it's perfect for some crazy quilting piece(s).....
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How about some amazing trims and embellishments from Flights of Fancy....
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I didn't forget the dragonflies.....
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Some cording and straps from Joanns.....
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Some beautiful florals from Pamela Amundson of theDelightfuldesigner on Etsy...
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Some exquisite trims from Pamela Amundson of theDelightfuldesigner on Etsy...
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Colorful silk ribbons from silkribbons4you on Etsy.....
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Maybe some of my own ribbon trims might be put to use.....
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Maybe even some of my lace trim stash.....
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Perhaps something from my bridal floral stash.....
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Didn't forget the threads from Joanns..... I haven't had time to shop for Kreinik threads yet....Don't worry, however, I will.....
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Or, maybe I might even use some of the buttons from my stash.....
I can hardly wait to get started on this crazy quilting idea. First, I have to develop my patterns. That's right there's a plural (s) in there. Can't exactly give everyone the same style. Can I? They compare after all....
So, I'm left to developing a general pattern that I can modify here and there.
Have any idea what all the above is going to make?
Stay tuned. For sure it will be revealed after the holidays....
I know, I know that's a long time to wait. But, I don't want to give away the gift surprise.
Well, maybe I'll show you a few things between now and then.
We'll see.....
Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - "Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!"
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Oh, what a surprise, Linda? There's always time for shopping! Right?
Now you might be wondering exactly what kind of shopping I did and what is it for? As to where I went shopping - if you know me it's a combination of letting your fingers do the walking and actually getting in the car and going retail shopping.
What it's for has to do with my new found crazy quilting passion and gifts for the holidays. Since some of it is for gifts this holidays season I don't want to spoil the surprise for the recipients so you'll just have to guess what I might be making out of all of the things I bought.
So, what did I buy?
I can hardly wait to get started on this crazy quilting idea. First, I have to develop my patterns. That's right there's a plural (s) in there. Can't exactly give everyone the same style. Can I? They compare after all....
So, I'm left to developing a general pattern that I can modify here and there.
Have any idea what all the above is going to make?
Stay tuned. For sure it will be revealed after the holidays....
I know, I know that's a long time to wait. But, I don't want to give away the gift surprise.
Well, maybe I'll show you a few things between now and then.
We'll see.....
Posted by Linda Walsh Originals- "Doll Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns - "Instant Download E-Patterns for Grown-up Girls!"
Linda Walsh Originals Dolls - "Handmade Dolls & Crafts for Grown-up Girls!"
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Our LeapFrog Touch Magic Playdate
Today we had a special playdate with the thanks to LeapFrog! We were sent some of the new LeapFrog Touch Magic toys to review with friends so we had some friends over to enjoy the toys and some snacks. The two products we were sent were the LeapFrog Touch Magic Rockin’ Guitar and the Touch... [Continue Reading]![]()
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The Heart Smiles
I enjoy being with my girls, in fact when I recently took a trip to New York I realized how much I don’t like being away. This is my little piece of the world and I love being here, with them. They are mine. Even our dog Marley. He’s such a great dog! He’s very... [Continue Reading]![]()
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My Invisalign Journey: Starting Refinement
Before I left to New York I visited my orthodontist to receive my next set of Invisalign trays. My attachments were taken off after I completed my first 17 trays and they took new impressions of my teeth. I have 14 trays to go and my teeth should be perfect. Looking at tray 14 in... [Continue Reading]![]()
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JetBlue Summer Reading Program
With school out for summer and families across the country gearing up for summer vacations,Soar with Reading – the collaborative national initiative of JetBlue and PBS KIDS – is back for its second year to help inspire kids everywhere to get excited about reading! This award-winning program places books in the hands of kids in... [Continue Reading]![]()
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Snackin’ Safari
Young children aren’t always very good at staying still long enough to play a game, but Snackin’ Safari doesn’t involve any sitting around whatsoever.
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Mattel Disney Pixar CARS 2 Diecasts: Hydraulic & RS Ramone
“John H.” was nice enough to photograph and compare all the Ramone’s of CARS 2. The single Hydraulic Ramone, the Target only 7-pack Hydraulic Radiator Springs Ramone and Chase Radiator Springs Ramone. Yes, there will be a quiz later. Low & Slo … Cruisin’ The parking at Radiator Springs is getting ridicules. Plaque in the [...]
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Doll Break: Dolly Deluge
Welcome back to Doll Break! This week was "one of those weeks," by which is mean one of those weeks that gives you perspective into what's really important in life by placing upon your head a huge potential disaster and demanding that you deal with it. Because of this I found myself moping around a lot and thinking I would need to delay the column when suddenly I was hit by a deluge of doll news! It not only cheered me up, but it provided a welcome distraction from real life. Thank you, hobbies!
This time around, there's an really beautiful collaboration with Groove that's just been announced, a whole new line of dolls from the makers of Lalaloopsy, some high-end handmade doll goods, and a mini section on customizing Monster High dolls. Hit the jump to read on!
All week, I've been abuzz about this beautiful new mint colorway of the Alice du Jardin doll from Groove. Of course, I've also been in a cloud of willful denial, hoping it would pop up on my regular sites, but no; it's a Kera Shop exclusive. You can reserve her now for ¥12,600 (US$161) and she will be released around mid-September. I'm crazy about this release and I'm not sure why: the standard colorway is pretty, but this one is an even more stunning version of an already lovely doll. However, there is absolutely no way I'm paying that much money, so I might content myself to get the standard colorway, which was released in April and is still readily available.
Ah, but here's the rub! Kera Shop is also releasing this amazing Angelic Pretty x Gothic and Lolita Bible collaboration Pullip carrying case in conjunction with the mint Jardin Alice! It has a throne for the dolls to sit on and if you want to take it out, you can use it as a wardrobe for clothes. You can reserve it for ¥9,030 (US$115) with an early October release date. Again, there's no way I'm paying that much, but now that the company has produced it my hopes have been raised that there will be a more affordable colorway released for us commoners down the road. Lots more of the official Kera Shop photos of the case are in the gallery, including some of mint Alice secure and ready for travel.
I don't have any of the Azone dolls in my collection, just a few pieces of clothing, but that might change soon. I stumbled upon this gothic darling. Part of the Sarah's a la Mode series, she will be released late in August. Lise (which I've also seen written as Rise) is around ¥11,500 (about US$150), but the detail on the clothing is amazing so she may very well be worth the cost. Pre-orders are still open at HobbyLink Japan, AmiAmi, and Hobby Search.
Speaking of new dolls, I've been looking forward to seeing the new Novi Stars line by MGA Entertainment, the makers of Bratz and Lalaloopsy (so I just learned). They're alien girls and they've come to Earth for ... fashion and pizza. Okay, so they're marketed toward kids and I literally had to reach over the head of a 10-year-old girl to look at one on the shelf, but hey, they're interesting and the US$20 price point is a relief from time to time. Each one has a shtick: Mae Tallic talks, Allie Lectric lights up, Una Verse has clear legs filled with glitter and water, and Ari Roma is scented. What I like, aside from the designs in general, is that they remind me of toys from the '80s where they've have some crazy random thing that was supposed to "sell" them for kids. An example was those Barbie roller blades that "twinkled," but were just fixed with lighter sparkers thus some kid lit their house on fire, remember? Anyway, I didn't think I'd be able to find these Novi Stars locally, but I (obviously) did, and my first impression is a positive one. I bought one so expect a proper writeup next week with photos!
While I was at the store scoping out the Novi Stars, I decided to pick up some parts for a Monster High custom I'm attempting to finish. It grew out of one of the Create-a-Monster kits that they make and it has started to spiral out of control a touch. Why? Because the kits don't actually come with all the parts you need to make a doll and the parts they do include are, from my experience, not interchangeable with stock dolls. Goodbye, Plan A! One of the people out there helping Monster High customizers deal with this crazy is Rachael of Jemgirl Creations. She makes replacement torsos for MH dolls along with amazing shoes plus all kinds of Blythe goods. You can buy these torsos as a set or individually and she even has a clear one available that would probably look great with the new ghost girl kit. Thank you to Rachel for giving us permission to use your photos!
Okay, why be coy: here is a piece of the aforementioned Monster High custom that's driving me crazy. It all started with the skeleton add-on kit that I foolishly presumed would be interchangeable with a Laguna Blue I already had at home. Not so! On top of that, I discovered that the wig that comes in the kit was hands down the worst quality wig I have ever had the displeasure of handling. It was a dry, frizzy mess and the customizer in me cried out "Unacceptable!" Before I knew it I had ripped out all the hair, removed the paint with acetone, and was knee-deep in a Saran reroot. I've rerooted about two dozen G3 My Little Ponies and one Blythe doll, but I feel like this MH reroot is taking forty forevers. It's probably because I'm taking the time to do it properly — just because it's a US$20 doll doesn't mean I should do a US$20 job — but it drove me a bit nuts and I had to take a break. I'm feeling a bit more inspired now, so I hope I'll be able to show off the fruits of my labor soon. Cross those fingers.
Moving on from customizing to handmade, if you happen to have a pile of cash burning a hole in your pocket there's a new release from high-end doll fashion design house Jojiko. The Sweet Pink Hearts Lolita Dress is full of pink, ruffles, and other such girlie charms; I for one think that it's darling. At ฿4,491 (that's Thai baht) or about US$145 it's an investment, but if this dress is your cup of tea, it's an investment I recommend. I happen to be fortunate enough to have the Pink Rabbit Lolita set in my collection and I can say that, without a doubt, their clothes are worth every cent. If you're outside of Thailand, I suggest just scrolling down the page and emailing them directly to order. Thank you to Kanjana for letting us use her photos!
Staying on the topic of high-end doll goods, if you're a fan of Marina of Enchanted Doll but can't afford one of her amazing handmade ball-jointed art dolls (approximate cost, my yearly salary), then this new Enchanted Doll face necklace might be for you! They are made to order and cost $98 CAD, which is approximately US$98, and are cast in silver. I love the Enchanted Doll line, but this isn't my cup of tea. My favorite part is probably the crown bail, I cannot deny the attention to detail on it, and it's lovely.
Thank you for taking another Doll Break with me! I'll have tons of my photos to share with you next week so I hope you'll stop in again and as always feel free to email tips/ideas to brig@tomopop.com or leave a comment below!
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Mattel Disney Pixar CARS Diecast: The Ramone Quiz & Answers
If you want to take the Ramone quiz without the answers, go here first and then come back or if you can trust yourself without peeking, take the quiz! There is no prize other than the satisfaction that you know everything about Ramone but not much about John Hanson … it’s ok, you can blame [...]
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set database: LEGO 3931 emma’s splash pool
set database: LEGO 3931 emma’s splash pool
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set name: emma’s splash pool
theme: friends
year: 2012
pieces: 43
prices: us$6
minidoll: 1
new friends theme.
image courtesy of legobrasil
image courtesy of Grogall
set number: 3931set name: emma’s splash pool
theme: friends
year: 2012
pieces: 43
prices: us$6
minidoll: 1
come with a splash pool.
the pool has a lounge chair, an umbrella, an ice cream dish and a small plant.
minidoll included emma in violet shirt and pink skirt.
great playability.
overall design is great.
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tokidoki's upcoming blind boxes are oh so sweet
tokidoki's donut-suited sweetie, Donutella, won't be the only one wearing a pastry come December. It looks like the poor gal was lonely and invited some friends to party in her new blind boxed plush series. The plushes are a good size of 3 inches tall and, as you can see from the header, are so cute it'll give you cavities (but it would be totally worth it). There are a eight of them to collect, and while their names are not currently known, they are simply bursting with tokidoki personality.
What's that? Where can you buy them? You can pre-order them now at Entertainment Earth, either as a set of 16 boxes for US$159.99 (note that this does not guarantee that you will get every character -- they are blind boxed, after all) or an single box for US$9.99. I imagine they will be available at other retailers once they are released in December, though.
Are they any characters you are hoping to get?
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Shadow-Lapin Custom
Shadoe Delgado is back with another custom 8" Dunny. (This piece was customized for a private collector.) It's the second time Shadoe has worked his custom magic on the Dunny platform...and he's calling this one the Shadow-Lapin.
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More Pages to Explore .....
