For those of you who have followed April's blog over the years, I am sorry to announce that she passed away on August 22nd of this year, after battling cancer for months. I will be leaving this blog up for some time, as April asked me to re-home her doll collection via EBay, and the photos in these posts are priceless in helping me match dolls to names, and guess at fair market values.

For those who would like the opportunity to adopt a bit of April's passion-project, they can be found under the seller ID of "skitter_bug". The convention exclusives won't start selling until mid-October, at a start. I need to clear out a bunch of NIB Barbies just to get to the bookcases. There'll be doll books, convention programs, and action figures as well. This is gonna take me a while.

Thank you all for being such a loyal audience over the years, and if you've met April at Con, keep her in your thoughts.

David

Barbie Extra Dolls Really Are Extra

Earlier this year, as a late birthday present, I received this Barbie Extra Doll #2. She wears an eclectic outfit of pieces that wouldn't look out of place in the 80s and 90s. 

The beanie is straight out of the early 90s grunge look, while the shimmery, pastel dress is reminiscent of my 1989 prom dress. The lace collar and baby-blue puffed-sleeve top just scream late 80s/early 90s with their Laura Ashley vibe, while the white fishnets evoke 1984 rock music videos.

All together, the doll wears an outfit that shows she knows what she likes and doesn't care what other people think about her fashion choices.

The Extra Minis were a surprise gift from a friend.

Extra Mini #5 wears a great tie-died shorts outfit in bright summer colors of orange, yellow, and blue. This outfit reminds me of a yellow, tropical short set that my mother made me for the summer of 1985. I wore it with matching yellow lace anklets and yellow and white polka-dotted sneakers. A yellow scarf tied in a bow, in my hair (ala Madonna) and lots of bracelets topped off the look.

Extra Mini #8 is the ultimate Material Girl. Her ruffly dress looks like the one I danced a Tango in, back in the 2000s, when I was taking ballroom dancing lessons. Her total look makes me think of Paris Hilton, back when she was in her reality show "The Simple Life" in the 2000s.

These quirky dolls really made my week, when they showed up unexpectedly. They really are EXTRA.

The Witches Come Out to Play

Halloween was last week, so yesterday I packed up the Halloween decorations. Since I already had about half of my witch dolls out for the display, I thought I would get the rest of the witches out and do a group shot.

The Annalee witches got packed up with the rest of the decorations, so they are not in the grouping.

To qualify as a witch, the doll had to have a conical witch hat, or a broom, or have witch in their name or description.

First up is Pop Goes Oz - Wicked Witch of the West.

Next are Jill Wilson's Scary Godmother and Maru Mini-Pal Fire Witch,

Madame Alexander's Wicked Witch of the West, My Friend Jenny in an OOAK witch costume, and Bratzillaz Witchy Princesses - Carolina Past.

Licca in an Azone witch costume, Happy Meal Wicked Witch by Madame Alexander, and Trick and Treat Cissette.

Hiding in the back is Moonlight Halloween Barbie.

The last doll is another Bratzillaz - Yasmina Clairvoya.

Not a bad group of witches, if I do say so myself.

I have posted most of these dolls before, but never as one group. I hope you enjoy seeing them all together.

Witches! (And cats)

September is almost over, Autumn is here, and that means it is time to decorate for Halloween.

I seems like I definitely have a preference for witches and cats.

Re-Ment Table Gifts 2022

 I had time this past week to open up 2 Re-Ment sets that I received as table gifts at the convention.

The first is a tiny log chopping set. Kenshin is posing with the miniatures to show what scale they are in.

The set includes a carrying basket filled with burnt wood/charcoal, a sickle, an ax, a wood round, and 2 pieces of a split log.

The other set I received is a really cute concept.

"My Own Cooking"

The title is misleading, the karaage is store bought, but then dressed up to look like it was homemade. LOL I'm pretty sure lots of us have done something like that at least once.

The set includes a plate of karaage with sauce, chopsticks,

a container of sauce with a lid (looks just like Gladware),

a grocery or convenience store package of karaage, 

And an almost empty bottle of Kewpie Mayo.

These are a welcome addition to my Re-Ment collection.

Album of Americana - Barbara Fritchie Doll

 One of the two items I purchased at the UFDC Convention is an Album of Americana doll, Barbara Fritchie.

The box has some minor damage, but with a little tape should display well.

According to the box, she is Series 1, Vol. 5. Some of the other dolls from the line are: Molly Pitcher, Martha Washington, Betsy Ross, Mary Todd Lincoln, Dolley Madison, Clara Barton, and Priscilla Alden.

On the inside of the lid, an illustration of Barbara Fritchie is displayed next to a blurb about Barbara Fritchie.

Barbara Fritchie is a local icon in Frederick, MD, the town that I currently reside in. Her home, out of which she (supposedly) stuck her head out of the window, waving her U.S. flag and shouting at the confederates passing by is a historical landmark in town, and I was lucky enough to tour it when it was still open.

The doll itself, produced by Plastic Molded Arts Co, in New York in the 1950s, is a rather plain doll, of the plastic dress-me style of dolls. 

As simple and ordinary as the doll is, the packaging and story is a nice addition of local history to display in my home library.

2022 UFDC Convention in St. Louis - Timeless Treasures: Day 5

 Day 5 - Saturday

I was up nice and early to help set up and work the Helper Drawings. It is always nice to hear people cheering when they or a friend win a coveted item. I won two items from the drawings: a Robin Woods Alice in Wonderland doll and accessories in trunk, 

and a Zwergnase doll.

After putting away my items, I worked the Mini-Offices last shift - 10AM-12PM.

I again ate a quiet lunch in my room, this time leftover Chinese food from the night before, packed as much as I could in my suitcases, and rested.

Kelsey and I dressed up for the final event.

And then we headed down to the cash bar cocktail hour and the final banquet.

The centerpiece was a simple tri-fold that mentioned this year's theme and led us into next year's theme.

My roommates Little Fox doll joined Kelsey at the table.

Table mates were generous with table gifts.

During the dinner, we were entertained first by a barbershop quartet, and then a video of convention goings on set to music.

At the end of the evening, souvenir dolls were passed out to those who had pre-ordered them, and we opened them all together.

The doll is Lena Sutherland by Jennie Sykes.

After oohing and aahing, it was time to say our final farewells to friends and head to bed, especially since our ride to take us to the airport was scheduled to pick us up at 5AM.