Washday and some FUN FINDS

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Dreary weather always makes me want to do some project that has been sitting around. 

My progress in the basement has been slow...but I have been going through everything, including purchases and bins of clothes. I always have a bag for repairs or stained/soiled clothing and accessories sitting on the desk. 

Well, my bag was getting full, so I needed to wash some things out!

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Since so many of my doll clothes are from thrift stores, many are in need of special care, especially vintage (1950-80's). 

I love the vintage red clothes---but, they almost always bleed into trims and everything else.  Reds must only be soaked in red batches in warm or cool water with soap and no bleach.

I use 1-2 Tbsp of Arm and Hammer Liquid with Oxyclean to gently soak all my doll clothes in a 2 quart or so container. I use the same on our clothes---we have well water and this seems to counteract any issues we have.

 

I NEVER put doll clothes in the washer, or in bags in the washing machine. I always hand wash gently.

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This batch was a red/browns in cool water.  I also did blues/greens in hot water, a pink-prints batch in hot, and two separate white batches in hot, one for added bleach and one without. I use all my metal and plastic kitchen bowls for this. 

WARNING: HOT WATER can de-flock any flocked materials, same with some metallics and increase or disintegrate leather type fabrics.  Do use cool water for those items. (I've had good luck with car cleaner for vinyl upholstery.)

 If an item is semi-trashed it's worth taking a risk. I take the attitude, if it is dirty or stained it is no use to me, so....no holds barred on trying to get it clean. 

Everything in these batches seemed to come clean. Rinsing is the most tedious. I rinsed at least 3 times, squeezing out as much water and also under the faucet as well as the entire sink full of cool water.

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I hang everything up to try after finger straightening the fabrics. I'm fortunate my husband placed two towel racks on the sides of my upper cabinets over the sink. Some string woven back and forth and I have an extensive mini-clothes line. 

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Be careful when placing different colored items next to each other, again watch for bleeding. Dish strainers and colanders are also great ways to do dry clothes.

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The Fashion Queen swimsuit isn't going to make it...it was disgusting and all the metallic on the bottom half disintegrated. It was in really bad shape, I may rescue the belt to use for something else.

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Everything is set to dry sopping wet, or you can roll them all inside folded towels to remove the excess water. 

I even bleached the white shoes...that were so disgusting. I had added 2 tablespoons of bleach to a bowl of water for soaking.

This project took over 2 hours...but it is a Zen sort of activity...and I finally got my garden nails totally clean!

NOW---I haven't found my mini-iron---sigh...! But the knits are all ready to go as they dried!

I do mending after washing, this batch was pretty good, just a few missing snaps and a seam or two to fix.

HERE IS MY FIND for the WEEK!

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 My 2022 convention table host was Hande Balleweg, who does divine crafts and accessories for Barbie. She came up with these adorable handbags and coordinating shoes...I love the details...so much fun. 

If you need to get these you might be able to contact her on Facebook. So cute, reasonable and carefully shipped and wrapped! I can't say enough about how super these are. Thanks, Hande!

Do You WASH and REPAIR 

 DOLLS' clothes?

All the opinions and photographs on this blog are my own, unless otherwise stated. 

PLEASE do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

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Sandi

Back to School for Dolls Redux.

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This is an updated how-to post from 2017

Assembling and altering furniture to make a back to school study area for the kids. (First posted in 2017). I'm trying to update some of my blog posts, especially the how-to's.

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First a few acquired items for supplies. Our Dollar store provided containers(colored pill boxes and clear storage), colored art pad(bright paper nice and thin). Michael's stamps--in their promo bins. Small crayons and water color box from Dick Blick--only $2.49 each--adorable. Where to put it all?

(I'm sure everything has gone up in price now.)

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I forgot to take a picture, before I started sawing on this. It's an old non-Mattel changing table, one drawer works, the others are fake. I decided to remove the front fixed drawer panel. I used a Dremel, but it was very messy. After filing and sanding---it turned out better. 

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I popped the top off and painted it with NEW paint pens.

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These are craft paint pens from Michael's, basically their store brand, Craft Smart. This set was only $8.00 US.(Now they are 14.95-yikes!)

So far they have worked on everything I have used them on. I clean my plastic items with alcohol first. These pens are alcohol dissolvable and clean-up. Which is great, and are far cheaper than the name brands. They leave a nice smooth finish, and I seldom do two coats, except on yellow and pink, which are the most translucent. They get stubby fast, so great for larger areas. If you want to protect the surface you can apply any kind of sealer.

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Here you can see the nice finish the blue paint pens left on this drawer. I did not paint the handles, but left them as is.

I used foam board covered with white contacts paper to do the back and shelf...you can't even see my messy cut.  The top is painted blue also, cute three dimensional stickers from dollar store used on the drawer and top. I keep in mind, the Grand is a little girl, but she relates to Chelsea (who is imaginatively age 10.)

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The Grand: I'm so creative Gramma. (Gramma nods yes, she is.)

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Here is the back before I totally covered it in white covered foam board.

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Now to make supplies to stock the cabinet with, first colored pencils made from bamboo skewers, and paint pens. 

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Sanded the tips of, and then painted the sticks with paint pens, trimmed, sanded tops and then painted those with black and a silver band. The Grand was here today, and declared the pencils Fake Real, 

"See, Gramma, they almost work, they are Fake Real," 

as she feverishly had Chelsea drawing on her paper at the desk.

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Cute little plastic book stack picked up in a grab bag---first coats. Had problems with these, finally used tiny brush dipped in craft pen paint, since I could easily clean them with alcohol.

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This is the back of the OLD Barbie Back to School easel from early 1990's-- found at a thrift store for $1.99. Someone had left the batteries in it, but surprisingly---no rusty corrosion. I removed and properly placed batteries in recycle return box. (GREEN thing to do).

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I cleaned the contacts, and surprisingly it still works. The clock at the top ticks, the buttons say encouragement sayings, and the slot for the pencil sharpener makes noise (w/o the sharpener, I may have to look for that on Ebay.) 

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For the REDO, I left it the original color at this point, but refaced the green chalkboard with black chalkboard sticky paper. I used chalk pens to write on it. The center section was a piece of foam core with a free on-line map printout. The pin is in Chicago---for home base. 

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 NEW, Great source for printable and cute ideas, myfroggystuff---printable bookcase of books.

 Perfect size as printed for the shelf. Please do not copy from here, but go to her site.

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I used a piece of the paint pen packaging for a REDO and made an invisible clear tray for the chalk. Photos of making that, just didn't show. I plan to cover the back in white contact paper, so it disappears on the living room side. 

Or maybe I will make a visual bookcase out of it, with another printout.

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NEW Chalk from bamboo skewers and paint. So cute. 

NEW Erasers are two thicknesses of stickum foam sheet, 

and top and bottom in orange/black stickum felt.

So if the chalk were real, the erasers would work, lol

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An OLD 1:6 computer got an update. I painted the edge of the screen, added a slot for the disc, and a couple of painted nobs. The keyboard was missing, so I used stickum felt and foam. I pressed a piece of plastic canvas down hard on the foam and then rubbed on the pink surface to make ridged squares. 

Rolling a Q-tip in some silver paint (from paintpen),

 I brushed lightly across the ridges left from the canvas---instant keys. 

Outlined them with a fine tip Sharpie pen. The mousepad is black chalkboard plastic on purple foam, on black stickum felt. 

The 'Mousie' was in the grab bag from the thrift store with the computer.

 .

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Here is the work area set up. Mouse must be hanging off the side, or the cat got it?

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The school storage shelf is well stocked. 

The bottom drawer holds plastic files(made from real plastic dividers)

 for homework, and mini-stickums and stickers.

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The Paste and Modey-Podgey jars are a REDO of dessicant capsules(emptied) 

 from prescription bottles. The lids pry off easily and they are the perfect size. 

A plastic container of colored pencils, mini jars of glitter from

(NEW Dollar store nail decorations from packs of 8/$1.00). (Haven't seen these recently)

NEW Erasers are made from pink foam stickum, two layers.

Assorted books. Scissors, glue, and tape recorder found in a small lunch box in a vintage accessories lot  from eBay. I always buy OLD if I can, a GREEN thing to do.

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Anna:This will be a perfect work space of studying. I'm so excited to start American School today.

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Elsa:I'm also excited to teach Scandinavian Culture and History to American students. Girls, it is time for the school bus, hurry and get your packs ready. I want to take some pictures to send home to Norway. 

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Barbie: Everyone smile, please. Chelsea you moved, let's try again.

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Barbie: Now hold that pose, smile! 

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Barbie: One more coming out the door---super!

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Barbie: Hoping everyone has a wonderful first day at school, from the HFIM house on BarberryLane.

Thank you for visiting,

Barbie:Old New Green Redo.

 I will be happy to answer any mail or questions or comments. 

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All the opinions and photographs on this blog are my own, unless otherwise stated. PLEASE do not use photos without linking back to this blog 

without my permission. 

 I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinion,

 or with products shown, or from where I shop. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

Who wore it BEST?

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Hi, dear doll lovers. One of the themes from one of my online groups, 'Doll Divas at Boardhost' for this week was 'Who wears it Best?'.

Again digging in old photos, I had to find pics of two different dolls wearing the same thing and leaving out tee-shirts and jeans as that is totally boring.

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For my guy share we have Danny on the left, in the shirt I found him in at a thrift store...and "Peder/Alan later on the right using it as a work shirt. The groups' reactions were totally split on this one.

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The Midge's have it ALL. (Left)One of the original Midges in 1963, actually came wearing this dress. The dress is from  #987 ORANGE BLOSSOM and came out in 1961.  My second In the 'Dreamhouse' Midge is wearing another I own...in better condition. 

Pinterest

'

The original Barbie"Orange Blossom" outfit came as shown here...and the flowers were small posy type in a lace surround. I have one but it's 'mashed up'. The original mules are the ones that split and fall apart. 

I chose wearable shoes that are more recent. I have gloves, but honestly they are such a pain to put on and off. The hat I have never seen...and probably never will.

Those bar shaped hats pretty much needed to never be touched to survive.

My Doll Diva friends were highly in favor of the original Midge doll, while those who love the 'Steffie'

 face mold with the eyelashesloved the second. 

What do you think?

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The third outfit I'm showing for comparison is No. 3 Barbie in  'Katherine Johnson's' 1960's outfit. I have to admit, the bust on this dress barely came together on the back of my 1960 Barbie, but I wanted to use her in something from her period. 

The Katherine Johnson doll on the right who worked for NASA, was the group's favorite and I think so, too. She really comes to life in front of a chalkboard full of calculations. It always amazed me that NASA was relying on someone/woman scribbling on a chalkboard at that time.

I really found in searching my photos...I realized, some dolls have 'claimed' their wardrobe. 

I'm wondering if your DOLLS claim their wardrobe? Do you buy clothes, or do you specifically make them for one specific doll? 

Please share in comments and of course 

WHO WORE IT BEST!?!

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by

 blogger or FOLLOW IT which you will find in the

 upper right hand corner of this page. 

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Vintage Charm

All of the opinions in this blog are my own.

 I have not been paid or reimbursed in 

anyway for my opinions, posts or any 

products shown. 

Please do not use my content or photos without linking back to this blog 

or without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi Magle.

Disclaimer: I am nor is this blog in anyway affiliated with Mattel, Barbie, or any of the places I shop--mostly thrift stores. Any photos not mine are attributed to online sources and noted, no copyright infringement is intentional.

Sandi

 

SUPER THRIFT STORE FIND!!!!!!!!!

 Barbie Lovers, buckle your seats. 

Just your average day of thrift shopping...I'm being  very careful to only search for small stuff and miniatures because of my space issue. 

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Down on a lower shelf was this box with a brass plaque...it rang a brain bell, but since I had only seen this piece in photos----I didn't really recognize it.

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It was all taped up---had a healthy price on it for a toy thrift item, but when I saw the plate (which was dirty and scratched slightly) and the leather handle I knew it was special.

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When I managed to open it, .....OMG....what did I find?!?

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the inside in Perfect condition...

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Only missing the ribbon ties for SILKSTONE dolls! 

which I don't have any of. The case is highly collectible as it was the 

Barbie Fashion Model Collection Wardrobe Carrying Case Gold Label from 2003

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The inside is pristine...why would someone let this go?

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The outside has some bits of dirtyness---minor 

and so far has cleaned up.

All the hardware is perfect except for the name plate.

COLOR ME  HAPPY!!!!

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All I have to do is replace the blue ribbon ties and add some hangers...

I think this may be my FIND of 2023 maybe of my lifetime! 

Disclaimer: (I am nor is this blog in anyway affiliated with Mattel, Barbie, or any of the places I shop--mostly thrift stores). Any photos not mine are attributed to online sources and noted, no copyright infringement is intentional.

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by

 blogger or FOLLOW IT which you will find in the

 upper right hand corner of this page. 

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Vintage Charm

Inspire Me Monday

Love Your Creativity

You're the Star

All the opinions in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use my content without linking back to this blog or without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi