Barbie steps up to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!

Barbie meets the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge! I think it's pretty cute. I can't wait to see Bill Greening, Linda Kyaw, and Robert Best meet this challenge as well.

Talking Busy Steffie

Today, she's particularly excited about having her own TV. Produced originally in 1972, this is one of the three dolls with the Steffie name (the other two are from the same year, Busy Steffie and Walk Lively Steffie).

You can see the video above or on YouTube.

Steffies of the 1980s

OK, I admit I might be having too much fun with videos. You can watch my latest Steffie fetish with Steffies of the 1980s.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel (truly, words I thought I'd never type) for the latest releases, and leave a comment if you like!

Steffies of the 1970s

Check out my latest video on YouTube or embedded right above. I've gone through many of the US-released Steffie-faced dolls released between 1979 through 1980. I hope you enjoy this video podcast. It's just a little over three minutes.

Dolls of the World with the Steffie face

Another YouTube video, since that last one was so fun... this one is a reference about the Dolls of the World that use the Steffie face.

Malibu PJ on YouTube

Like YouTube videos? I've read recently that there is some demand for more Steffie videos, so I made a short one on Malibu PJ. You can check it out above, and also at this link. I'd love to hear what you think!

Fabrizio Vitti's private doll collection

This may be slightly old news, which I unfortunately only discovered today. Originally posted in December 2011 on the Louis Vuitton website, you must visit the actual link for an amazing stop-motion video. (If you love dolls and shoes, that is.)

"Step back in time to 1944, following World War II when due to a shortage of resources, the Haute Couture fashion houses of Paris created the Thêatre de la Mode. Imagine a spectacle of fashion in miniature, designed specifically for dolls but with all the exquisite detail and perfection of the regular collections."

"Similarly, the shoe department at Louis Vuitton is inextricably connected to the sphere of dolls. Exactly the same workshop in Fiesso d'Artico, Italy, where the Louis Vuitton shoe collections are created is entrusted with the task of fabricating the parallel miniature versions for Fabrizio Viti’s private doll collection. The attention to detail is striking and in this short stop motion animation, his dolls and shoes come to life in another inspiring spectacle."

If you liked that article and video, you should check out Part I:

"Photography, the glamour in old style movies, especially French movies from the 60s, art and fashion books, are all an inspiration to Fabrizio Viti, Louis Vuitton’s shoe style director. Nonetheless, it is the history of fashion dolls and fashion dolls today that stimulate his imagination. He has been collecting dolls since he was three years old and as a result, today he has a collection with around 500 pieces."

"The creative process works in both directions, either using his dolls as a canvas for experimentation or adapting the Louis Vuitton shoe designs for his dolls. Fabrizio will often custom make shoes for his dolls and this year he made a specific shoe with a platform for one particular doll. After it was made, he liked it so much that he made it into a larger human scale version and it incidentally became the season must have."

Jet Set Convention - a slideshow recap.

If you're curious about the event, as per the Integrity W Club updates, you can take a peek at my little slideshow. All photos are courtesy Integrity Toys, of course. (It took me a little while to find official photos of some of the dolls.)

I hope you enjoy!

Doll Tour Part 3

Yes, this is the last video of the day. I'm concluding the Doll Tour of my 11-12" fashion dolls with the remaining dolls in my display cabinet, as well as the grail dolls in my glass cabinet from IKEA.

I have plans to give similar tours of my Tonner Doll collection as well as BJD collection in the near future. Thanks for looking! You can subscribe to my You Tube channel here.

Vanessa and Poppy obsessions on You Tube

Why stop with a good thing? The Doll Tour continued--and meet my other two kitties, Lily and Chanel. I was getting a little tired here, so inserted a few extra frames to self-correct.

I have to confess, podcasting without video is a lot more friendly.

More Barbie videos on You Tube

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for the latest updates in doll-related videos. (Can you tell I'm really trying to make the best use I can out of technology these days?) Here's what's up there so far:

• Sleep-eyed Sleeping Beauty Barbie from 1998
• 1964 Miss Barbie sleep-eye action
• JennyGrey's Strawberry Festival show - fashions for dolls, human and vinyl
• 1968 Talking PJ
• 1968 Talking Barbie
• 1969 Talking Julia

Leave me a comment if you like them!

Doll Tour, Part 1

The above is my first attempt at a video podcast--though not really. It's a little video tour of my current Barbie collection, including vintage Barbie and Steffie collection.

I have plans to upload pieces of Vanessa and Poppy obsessions next. (Did you know I was obsessed with Poppy Parker? Eeek!)

Plus, you get to see my latest hair color, and meet two of the boy kitties. If you listen carefully, you might get to hear some of my kids in the background. They didn't want to be in this video.

JennyGrey Designs shows at the Strawberry Festival in Vista, CA!

On Sunday, one of our contributors, Jen, presented both human- and coordinating doll-sized fashions from her fashion line, JennyGrey Designs, in a real-life fashion show at the Strawberry Festival in Vista, CA.  You can see the runway show above, and find out more at her shop on Etsy.

I'm hoping she will be posting large-sized photos of each of the doll's fashions (and hopefully the people's fashions, too) on the Fashion Doll Review within the next few days! The show turned out perfectly. Congratulations, Jen!

Nokia N8 Pink - Freedom ad, featuring Dynamite Girls!

Those of you who know me personally know I'm kind of an Apple girl. I know, I know, I can't help it. I just can't stand messing with my phone or computer. I'm too technically inept to do anything but "plug it in and turn it on." (Plus, I've had a nerd-crush on Steve as early as I can remember. Black turtlenecks! *swoon*) However, I won't let my bias interfere with posting an adorable Nokia commercial.

Check out the cute (and rather disturbing) video featuring a soundtrack by Sugababes and (Wave I) Dynamite Girls (perhaps among other dolls?).

Is it me, or am I the only one thinking, "Ouch, ouch!"

It's very fun, just the same. However, some shots break the cardinal rule of doll photography: If a person can't pose like that, it won't look natural for a doll to pose like that, either.

1969 Talking Julia

1969 Talking Julia, originally uploaded by alington.

This is 1969 Talking Julia. She is the favorite talker in my collection--her voice is like butter. She is the one talker Mattel modeled after an actress, Diahann Carroll, who played Nurse Julia, from the 1960s TV show.

Originally, she came dressed in a gold and silver jumpsuit,. I have her dressed in the repro nurse's uniform for now.

She says more phrases than this, but I didn't want to make the video longer than about 30 seconds. You can hear my 11 year-old son's voice at the top of the video, giving you his professional opinion of my talkers.

Also, about 20 seconds into the video, you can see one of our kitties, Lily, in the reflection of the glass top table. It's cute. Our cats don't know what to make of the talkers.

1968 Talking Barbie

1968 Talking Barbie, originally uploaded by alington.

In case anyone has ever wanted to hear a Talking Barbie talk, here she is. This is a 1968 brunette Talking Barbie, dressed in the Close-Ups fashion from 1969 (I think).

If you need to see her original commercial, I found a low quality one on YouTube.

She says some other phrases, too--but I find that I have to keep her up high on a shelf in my glass cabinet. Pulling that string is just cathartic to me. I could sit here all day.

Why I like BJDs...

Get to know me a little better through this slideshow that my friend and fellow BJD collector Melissa put together for her class.

Why do I bother with a blog? Why are my posts so sappy, sentimental and excited all at the time? How many BJDs do I actually have?

Watch the video and you'll see how my obsession started.