Trichelle the photographer

Trichelle from the Barbie So in Style collection was cast as an artist.

But the art school accessories didn't just include paints and an easel. She also had a very serious looking professional camera.

I've had her on display before, but not recently. She'll be the next doll on my desk.

Barbie Basics: Decisions, decisions

I have been admiring the second run of the Barbie Basics dolls. They are the perfect dolls for adult collectors such as myself who enjoy realistic details instead of, shall we say "pink box" dolls.

I've narrowed the choice down to two.

The one on the left looks as close to me as a Barbie doll can be. She has brown hair with highlights (I admit my brown hair has gray streaks!) and the haircut is pretty much the style I wear now. Just put some glasses on her and she can be cast as Paula.

The blonde girl is a surprising choice for me. I shy away from the blondes. They are so, well, so stereotypical Barbie.

But this one kind of "clicks" with me. I'm even thinking about what her hair might look like if it was styled differently.

The dolls are $20 each at the Wal-Mart in Monroe, Mich. I don't plan to buy both at once. I've already spent a good chunk of money on doll clothes this month.

So I'm trying to decide which one I want first, and which one will wait for later. (Maybe I'll get lucky and find a clearance sale on the second doll!)

Midge wearing a My Design outfit

This is an example of the fact that I don't necessarily keep the original outfit with the original doll. I do try, however, to keep as many of the pieces of the outfit together.

This is a bathing suit Midge doll that I bought in the late 1990s.

She is wearing a special edition outfit that was also sold during the late 1990s from the My Design Friend of Barbie collection.

My Design hasn't been available for several years, but it was fun. You could go on the web site and design a doll from a variety of features, skin color and hair color.

You had to wait for the doll to be shipped and it was a little pricey, which is why I ordered only one for myself and one for my daughter. When I did My Design, I ordered a doll with short brown hair.

You could also download and save the jpg image as if you had made a paper doll. The collection of "paper doll" images I had saved in my computer files helped me ID this outfit, by the way!

When my international dolls visited the library

This is a picture of some of my Barbie Dolls of the World when they were on display during September 1998 at Ida Rupp Public Libray in Port Clinton, Ohio. 

The card on the bottom shelf features the logo from my web site, and says “Find us on the Internet” with the web addresses for Barbie Collectibles and what was then my Barbie fan page.

Why Barbie dolls were considered "expensive" back in the day

I've had some queries from the social club members in Monroe, Mich., to talk about my Barbie doll collection. I did start writing a script, although the event it was written for got canceled and I had a schedule conflict for another requested date.

That being said, I saved the presentation draft on my computer and will update it / rework it as needed. I was reminded of some interesting details while reviewing my reference books, particularly on the cost of the dolls. Here's the snippet from my program on that topic:
 

The first dolls we know as Barbie were made at a factory in Japan. They were introduced at the 1959 International American Toy Fair in New York. Barbie’s birthday is considered to be March 9, 1959, in honor of her debut at the toy show.

No one had seen anything like this in America. Some people in the toy business liked it, some didn’t. Some parents liked it, some didn’t.

The earliest fashions were as detailed as if they were made for a real person. They were typically hand-stitched and made of the best fabrics available. The earliest styles included a two-piece suit called “commuter set” that cost $2.50 and a wedding dress set for $5. Now keep in mind that the doll herself cost $3.

This actually was a very expensive toy at the time. When I compared common household prices from the late 1950s to today’s prices, it’s pretty clear that a Barbie doll in 1959 would cost the equivalent of $30 today. And that wedding dress set would cost $50 today. (For comparison ... look at this chart that was on a 1960 year in review history page I bought at a scrapbook shop several years ago. Median family income then was $5,620 ... median family income in 2009 in Monroe, Mich., was about $52,000, etc..)

Did you wonder why the grownups in your family who would were little girls during the 1960s had so many handmade doll clothes in their collection? That’s why. Any mom or grandma who had a sewing machine, as many women did back then, could make adorable outfits for Barbie and her friends for a lot cheaper than the outfits that were sold in stores.

Why was the doll so expensive? You can get a bathing suit Barbie doll for only $5 now.

Here’s my guess: the creation and manufacture of Barbie was a trial and error process.

For example, very first Barbie dolls had holes in their feet in hopes that a doll stand could hold her up that way. But that idea didn’t work out, and the holes in the bottom of a Barbie’s feet were quickly dropped. You’ll find that the easiest way to get Barbie to stand is with a stand that wraps around her waist, although there are stands for some dolls that go between her legs or grab one leg.

The earliest dolls also were made of solid vinyl. So they were much heavier in weight than today’s dolls, which are hollow inside.

Here is another problem that took years to notice: the older dolls who were given metal earrings often get green discoloration around the ears because the earrings reacted funny over time with the doll’s body. Doll collectors who have tried to erase the green stain say it’s difficult, and sometimes impossible, to remove.

And the Talking Barbie produced in 1967 has been known to break even if never removed from box because of the problems in trying to squeeze the talking mechanics into the doll.

So as you look at today’s Barbie on the toy shelves or play with them, be aware that you are enjoying more than 50 years of Mattel learning not only what appeals to little girls, but also how the doll can hold up to many hours of play time. ...

How to start collecting from Barbie Collectors Guild

The Barbie Collectors Guild has a great piece on its web site called How to start collecting.

Barbie Collector summer 2011 catalog

The Barbie Collector summer 2011 catalog arrived in my mailbox today.

I am impressed with the artistry of the Goddess of the Galaxy doll, but I do not like it enough to buy it. I do not have the proper space to display something this out of the norm of my usual doll collection.

That doll also costs $100, and my personal rule is I most ADORE any doll that costs more than $25 if I'm going to acquire it.

Other new releases featured include Farrah Fawcett doll, the Pirates of the Caribbean duo and the Museum Collection series.

The Harvey satchels and totes are pretty but that's beyond my budget.

The Sun Kissed Doll accessories are far more budget-friendly.

Do you want to be on Mattel's mailing list for the Barbie collector catalog? Sign up here.

The Miss America Barbie dolls

Since we're on a doll pageant thread, did you know there was an official Miss America Barbie doll series in the early 1970s? The Doll Reference site has pictures and details.

Madame Alexander's 90th Anniversary Miss America Doll

There is an official doll for the Miss America Organization, and it's a Madame Alexander doll.

She wears a blue dress, has a crown, sash and flower bouquet. The doll is $149, and limited quantities are still available.

Amazingly beautiful doll dresses from Olivia's Doll Closet

I'm used to buying my artist / crafter made doll dresses at the craft and vendor shows. But I live in Michigan, where the recession has certainly changed how people shop and what they are looking for.

The craft and vendor shows that once were so common as fundraiser events for the churches and mother's clubs have morphed into Mom 2 Mom sales and rummage sales. It's a sign of the times. If the crafters can't sell pieces, they won't book a table. If the tables don't book, the sponsors don't earn their money. What sells right now is the stuff people need - and doll clothes just don't fit that bill.

Therefore: while I have a nice collection of handcrafted doll clothes, I haven't had any new outfits in quite awhile.

A few days ago, I decided to do a pageant theme with my doll on my desk. I know a lot of people who are, or have been, involved with the local pageant system and thought that would be fun to add to my doll rotation. I had several dolls that would work, and I know what store local to me has the LBD models on clearance prices. I thought I had some appropriate dresses (after inspection, I did have two pageant frocks).

But I needed a crown that was doll-sized and knew I didn't have any.

After a search on eBay and Amazon, I found some crowns from one dealer that would stand in well for a pageant crown. I looked to see what else I might find from that dealer, and ordered five ball gowns in addition to a pack of six crowns.

The package from Olivia's Doll Closet arrived today and I was extremely pleased with the pieces. All I have to do is put a sash on top on any of these frocks and give the girl some flowers -- and she'll look just like a pageant queen.

While I didn't intend for these two white dresses to be bridal gowns, they were sent with veils so that I could make them wedding outfits. How nice.

Since I set out the brunette doll today with my older pageant frock, I'll put a crown on her head tomorrow and that will be the pageant doll for now.

The local pageant season is in August and while I haven't decided which doll to set out then, I do kind of like that pink dress. It has a shoulder wrap with it.

But when it's Miss America week in the winter, oh, yes, we'll either show off one of these two white dresses ... or the black and white dress that is my favorite of the ones I purchased. This is a close-up of the details on that skirt.

Barbie Birthstone dolls: Cute pink box gift

If you are looking for an inexpensive, but extremely cute, birthday gift doll for the little girl or big girl doll fans, the Barbie dolls I saw today at the Kroger store in Monroe, Mich. would fit the bill.

They're called Barbie Birthstone. There is / will be one doll for each month of the year, wearing a jewel-toned dress and necklace that represents the birthstone month. The doll owner also gets a play ring in the same color.

The display rack I saw had blonde dolls with outfits celebrating July, August and September.

Retail cost is $7.99, according to the price check I did.

I wouldn't mind getting one as a gift, and that price point is certainly friendly enough. But at this point I'm not buying one because I found other stuff I want to spend my Barbie money on this month.

Salute to Miss Michigan

The newly crowned Miss Michigan from the Miss America Organization pageant system is Elizabeth Wertenberger of Dundee, Mich.

While she ran under the title of Miss Southwest Michigan, Elizabeth is a former Miss Monroe County queen. My job as a reporter for The Monroe Evening News includes getting the Miss Monroe pageant appearances listed in the newspaper - although when it comes to actual competitions, that assignment does vary based on who is scheduled to work that weekend. I've also met many of the queens, contestants, princesses and volunteers over the years. That includes Kaye Lani Rafko Wilson, Miss America 1988, who still lives in Monroe.

Because I figured it was time to do a pageant doll display on my desk, and the local pageant season will be in August, I ordered on line a few days ago some doll-sized crowns and an assortment of beautiful ball gowns.

I'm really glad I did that now, but the doll fashions haven't arrived yet.

This will be my "doll on my desk" display for now. This is a brunette Barbie from the late 1990s. She came with beads you could pinch into her hair. I still have the hair kit, although I don't use it much. This was the first "pink box" Barbie I bought for myself as an adult. Her face was just too cute. Once I bought that doll, I knew I had crossed over into Barbie land.

The pageant frocks are, as best as I can remember, from the late 1990s because that is when I bought a lot of pink box fashions. The red dress and its sash came in a package of three outfits intended as college campus wear, along with a graduation cap and gown. The blue dress may have belonged to my daughter at one time. Personally, I like the red dress so that's what the doll will wear today.

I also found some fake flowers in my craft supplies that she can hold.

I have nothing - absolutely nothing - that can be repurposed as a doll crown unless I want to take a crown off one of my collector dolls. I'm not going to do that when I'll have a selection of doll crowns in a few days.

Update: Here's the doll on display, with her crown: 

Where do I keep my dolls?

When people see the doll on my desk, they often ask how many dolls I have.

About 100. The last time I counted, there were 70. I haven't counted since.

The collector dolls are a topic I'll discuss another time. Most of the dolls that take a turn on my desk are from the "pink box" line. They weren't designed to be collectibles that are put securely away in a curio cabinet. They were designed for little girls to play with, or for big girls who appreciate life depicted in miniature.

The advantage is: none of the dolls I put on public display are worth much on the second hand market. They are out of the box. The outfits and accessories are not necessarily original to that doll, nor may I even have the "complete set" from that accessory pack on display. Reason: I did not acquire my dolls for resale value. I bought them because I liked them.

I have four smallish plastic tubs where my pink box dolls, clothes and accessories are kept. The doll tubs are in my craft space in the basement. I also have a fashion-doll sized dollhouse, but that's a story for another day.

This afternoon, I brought all four tubs into the living room, dumped the contents, and made piles of dolls, clothing, shoes and tiny pieces. Then I started repacking and organizing the stuff into baggies, tubs and the bins.

I did this because I was annoyed at not being able to find some of the accessories and clothing pieces.

As part of the resort, one doll and a small plastic shopping bag of doll clothing has been set aside as hand-me-downs. I expect it will be given to some little girls I know whose Barbie playthings are worn out.

I won't miss the hand-me-downs. They are items that are really too "pink box" for my taste. Over the years, I've found some beautiful outfits from crafters that I like much better to dress my dolls with. That also will be a discussion for another day.

The doll birthday cake

I played with my childhood dolls for a long time, and started my current fashion doll collection in 1995.

But there was only one year (so far) in which I had a doll birthday cake. This was in 2009. I asked my sister, who had started her cake design hobby, whether she would take on a doll cake.

I found the doll pick at Crafts 2000 in Monroe, Mich. My sister had a cake pan that would be suitable for the skirt, and her creativity took over.

My sister actually made two doll cakes for me that year so she could practice the design and construction. That worked out fine because my birthday celebrations had to be split up over two days with different people.

This is me with one of the two cakes. The purple skirt and music notes are a salute to the high school my sister and I attended. We were both in the marching band. The school's colors are purple and white.

10 tips to collect on a budget

Dolls Magazine posted an article in summer 2009 that still holds up very well: 10 Tips to Collect on a Budget.

A birthday doll with a tiara

This is an extremely cute doll that I saw today at Kmart in Monroe, Mich. She's a Happy Birthday doll for a little girl. The doll also comes with a tiara for the honored doll owner.

If you like the idea, but not that particular doll or her crown, then go to any craft store and look in the wedding supplies department. You will find a nice selection of rhinestone tiaras in a variety of price ranges. Use a craft store coupon, and you'll find that the price for a nice crown compares pretty well to a plastic one from a toy store.

But can they model actual doll clothes?

Have you seen the Barbie Basics Little Black Dress doll series? This was on the market in early 2010, and I'm finding the dolls on clearance now at Meijer in Monroe, Mich.

My husband gave me one of the dolls last year for Valentine's Day gift. I left her in the Little Black Dress for display purposes.

But given the fact that this collection was obviously meant for adult collectors and doll artists, can anyone explain to me how we are supposed to dress dolls into tiny crafter fashions when their arms are crooked and cannot be bent back out?

The reason I'm puzzled is: I want a doll that looks to be a woman in her early 20s for a future doll on the desk display. The pink box dolls are too juvenile. I may have an appropriate doll in my collection already, but I was considering another LBD doll because of the clearance price until ...

I was stumped as to whether she could even be redressed.

"Is that a Barbie on your desk?"

Welcome to the "just for fun" blog hosted by Paula Wethington of Monroe, Mich!

Here is the story behind the dolls on my desk. It was May 1997, and I was working as a reporter at The News-Messenger in Fremont, Ohio. I was given what was intended to be a temporary transfer for a few weeks to our sister paper, the News Herald in Port Clinton, Ohio.

I now had two workplaces and two desks.

In the spirit of marking my temporary spot, so to speak, I grabbed a Barbie doll from doll a collection I had started two years ago. I dressed her up in a summer outfit as if she was enjoying a day at Lake Erie. The inspiration for that outfit is that the newspaper office was just two blocks away from the lake.

This temporary assignment morphed into a permanent transfer and I spent the rest of my days with Gannett in Port Clinton.

The doll on my desk was traded it out with the seasons. I was particularly pleased with a Christmas display I did one year.

In January 2000, I took a job as a reporter for The Monroe Evening News in Monroe, Mich. On the first day in Monroe, I focused on learning the computer system, meeting my new co-workers and finding my way around.

On the second day, I brought a doll. I stood her up via a doll stand on my desk, just like I had done at my previous job.

One of my new co-workers walked by, did a double take, and exclaimed, "Is that a Barbie on your desk?"

"Actually, it's a Midge," I said, not skipping a beat.

I've always had a doll on my desk since. But when the work stations got moved around during an office renovation, it was not so easy for people to see the doll I had chosen for the week / month / season. That changed drastically a year or so ago, when I moved the doll to a slightly different spot.

My doll collection has since become quite a conversation piece.

I did host at one time a hobby web site called Paula's Barbie Dolls of the World. It was meant as a reference site for doll enthusiasts. I started it in 1998 and kept the information updated as new releases were issued for about four years. I took it down when it seemed that better resources were starting to launch on the web.

I've since discovered the blog format. Some of you know me as the Monroe on a Budget blogger where I talk about frugal living, couponing and money-saving concepts. And I've had a few Barbie collector posts on the budget blog.

But it's time again for a Barbie conversation all to its own.