2011 San Diego Comic Con Registration

Online registration for the 2011 San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) opens Monday, November 1st, at 9 am pacific time. Both four day and one day memberships will be available. All four day memberships with preview night are already sold out. Kids 11 and under are admitted free with paying adult.

Why attend Comic Con? Besides being a lot of fun, it's amazing the number of doll and doll-related vendors that are in attendance in the Exhibition Hall. This past year Mattel provided a sneak preview of five different collector Barbies from the 2011 line in addition to selling an exclusive color variant of Frankie Stein from their new Monster High play line. Jun Planning USA had a booth where they were selling their Comic Con exclusive Vampire Byul Lilith in addition to all of their regular line dolls at show special prices. Hobby Link Japan sold out of their Re-Ment stock on the first night. A local vendor was selling Jun Planning's J-Doll at incredibly low prices. Those are just a few examples.

Don't wait too long to purchase your membership. Each year "the Con" sells out earlier and earlier. The 2011 SDCC runs from July 21st to July 24th. I hope to see you there!

Style Icon: Cheryl Tiegs

If Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy were the faces of the 1960’s, then Cheryl Tiegs had to be the face of the 1970’s and indeed on into the 1980’s. She was the all American girl next door. She exuded the casual American active lifestyle but still had an air of allure and sexiness and made her a favorite of just about everyone.

Cheryl Rae Tiegs was born on September 27, 1947 on a farm in Breckenridge, Minnesota. The daughter of Theodore and Phyllis Tiegs, she moved with her family to the Los Angeles suburb of Alhambra in 1952. She attended Alhambra High School, where she was a pep rally leader and played violin in the orchestra. She graduated in 1965. She then went on to attend California State University, Los Angeles and became a little sister to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Chinese Baby Adoption Barbie, an exclusive from the White Swan Hotel

At the risk of posting some controversial, I read this interesting article about "Going Home Barbie" in Marie Claire magazine, thanks to JennyGrey, who pointed it out to me this morning.

In reading a bit about this doll online (and yes, I know you shouldn't believe everything you read online), I hear some advocates are pressuring Mattel to a) make this doll available to all adopting families, and b) make this doll in other races besides white (hello? What year is this again?).

And others are generally offended by anything Barbie says or does, and she's just a doll (who doesn't say or do anything).

Look, for a mere $70, this doll is available from Amazon.com:

Guest post: The Role of the Doll in Society Throughout History

by Caity Collins

Caity Collins is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online schools for Guide to Online Schools.

Dolls have served a role in societies around the world for thousands of years. Whether as a plaything, religious icon, or medicinal prop, cultures throughout time and across the globe have considered dolls a source of utility and enjoyment. While our modern conception of the doll is as a light source of entertainment for young girls, their history is actually quite varied, just as the materials from which they are made and the variety of types found.

The No. 10 Scandal - Is Barbie too busty? - Part 2

The No. 10 Scandal - Is Barbie too busty?
Originally uploaded by alington

This doll (Barbie Basic #10) was all over the news (well, in Minnesota), and all over Twitter last month. I was thinking, Come on, people. It's a doll. If you don't like it, don't buy it.

Recently, I was at Toys R Us. I saw (and just had to buy) both of these dolls displayed on the shelf. My question to you, dear readers: Is this a "production variation" or has Mattel caved to the pressure? ;)

You can read Part I of the saga here.