Thankful for Barbies at Windy City Barbie DollCollectors Club

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Our November meeting at our doll club's theme  was Thankful for Barbie, and I thought I would share a few photos!  We have a lot of 'boxers' or people in the club who never remove their dolls from the box, so they are 'pristine' no matter how old they are.

This one is Holiday Hostess Barbie -gold label from 2010 and she goes for a very shiny penny now in the secondary market.

This is one of the Victorian Barbie's so popular in the 90's...she is adorable and had been a special gift to the owner.

This is a Brunette #3 Barbie from 1959-60. A replacement for the owner's original Barbie as a child. She is wearing Busy Gal parts of the outfit from 1960.

Some more 'I'm Thankfuls' left an early Barbie, #3 or 4 an early Skipper and I think a a Malibu Barbie, they are wearing "Day at the Fair 1965-66"..and the Pilgrim Barbie from 1995.

This is a Birthstone Barbie for November (Topaz) and was a special gift for the owner.

A Bubble cut Barbie from the 1960's and Theatre Date #1612 I think on a repro, not sure.

Here is my Eleanor dressed as a Gramma, and a Skipper dressed in 1966 Rainy Day with Checkers...Food on the cart (from the 2022 convention) is Mattel pieces repainted and homemade pieces. The dishes are all vintage.

Another gal brought this lovely Titian is a #1, or 2 in Swinging Easy in green from 1963. The other dresses are her own creations with the same pattern.

This special doll is from 2002 and designed by Byron Lars and is called, Tatu, from the Treasures of Africa series.  she was gorgeous!

Even max lightening of these photos  didn't help here. Lovely dolls, I can't tell what or when they are, but a wonderful collection.

Finishing here with this fun post of Generations of Dreams a gorgeous doll by Mattel for the 50th anniversary of Barbie, so 2009. 

The owner loved this shoe (it's a sippy cup) and there were many more, but my photos were really bad for those. 

Anyway we were all definitely 

"I'm Thankful for my Barbie Friends"

I made the name cards for the meeting and it says it all!

That goes for all you out there, too!

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Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi






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How to Make Dollar Store Trees Perfect for your DOLLS!

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A "HOW TO"

Christmas Tree...it's about that time of year again, 

The dollar store holiday trees are great, but they are a bit big and sparse to look in scale with our  dolls.

Vickie and Joe chose a simple color scheme to go in their condo, and this white tree is perfect for their mid-century vibe furniture!

Let's See  how to make a tree 

perfectly in scale for your dolls.

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Opal is a 11 1/2" Barbie...and well the branches are big and open..and it's so wide, will it fit in the house?

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These trees come in a variety of colors, if your local store has them in stock. I tried to do a video of this for a Halloween tree....but holding a camera, talking and doing a demo are too hard for my old hands and brain, apparently. So back to photos and text.

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Here is the tree viewed from the top down...it is almost 11" across. Most doll spaces are only 12" deep in Mattel houses, maybe a bit more in homemade displays. This tree would take up more than half the space or depth in a house or display.

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On the right is a second tree I have trimmed. This is an easy project, you need a clippers, a ruler, a low-melt glue gun and glue sticks. Now to make it beautiful and ~!FULL!~

Assemble your tree. Pull down the branches straight out, going around in a circle one branch at a time.  Once that is done from bottom to top, you are ready to trim.

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On the bottom row, clip the branch about 3" off. This doesn't have to be exact, but it helps to be close.

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Keep your branch clippings in a separate pile for each level of the tree.

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The second tier up, clip 2 to 2 1/2" off, and place these in a second pile.

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The third tier, just clip 1 1/2 to 2" off, and place in another pile.

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The top tiers, clip 1 1/2" and put in the fourth pile. The tippy-top branch cut in half and put with the first pile.

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Now you are ready to make your tree full and fluffy. Each branch will have a flatter side. Starting with your first pile and the bottom pieces, place a big squeeze of glue on the flat side at the bottom of the cutting--

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You can see, this is a good gob of glue. 

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Turn it over, glue side down and place the hot cutting half way inside the bottom branch at a 45 degree angle and hold pressing down. Watch your fingers, though cool melt will cool off quickly.

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Turning the tree, apply all cuttings the same way....here is the tree before adjusting the branches all the glued on branches. Adjust by moving the alternate branches up and down by going around in a circle, push down, pull up...go on to next level and do the same.

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Opal standing in front of her full fluffy  tree, that now measures 7-8" across, a good scale and ready to decorate!

Opal: Don't forget to put your lights on first...this is so classy now! And, this gorgeous tree will actually fit in our condo!

Special NOTE: Do not store anything made with hot glue in an attic or garage...the temps will be too high, and you end up with everything a mess. 

Tools and supplies needed:

Dollar store tree

Wire clippers

Cool-melt glue gun

Ruler 

Please Share your dolly holiday DIY's in the comments, links are fine if they aren't advertising!

This is an updated repost and was previously published in 2021. 

If you enjoyed this post(s), please join me by email- at 

FOLLOW IT---upper right hand corner.

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or products shown, or from where I shop. 

Please Join me at these Fine Blog Parties!

Grammy's Grid Unlimited

Grammy's Grid All about Christmas

Tuesday Turnabout Christmas

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

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi






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Halloween Doll Meeting and my Venetian Muse!

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 We still aren't in full house-living mode, with so many totes and seasonal items displaced. I have only utilized what I have found so far...well, maybe next year?

Thursday I had my monthly doll club meeting, and this is the meeting where everyone goes nuts and brings 3 or more dolls to display in some spooktacular settings. This year was no different. I imagine there were more than 90 dolls at this meeting.

My dolls' seasonal is all messed up, too. I knew where I had one small box full of costumes, and I knew where this doll was and her fantastic dress. I paired her Venetian Muse gown, sans the crazy headpiece, and added a Vampire cape....her accessories are for the Halloween masked Ball, and of course a spare bottle of blood, just in case pickings were slim at the ball.

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Madam Venetian Muse said, "My Dearone, this bottle is near empty, would you like to step into my carriage and I'll whisk you away to my Chateau for a nightcap?!" 

Mrrr aaaa HAahaHA-ha-Ha......!

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Another member's Fabulous Barbie House redone into a Haunted Mansion or Hotel....! all the rooms were full of spooky things and dolls!

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Of course the Bride of Frankenstein is leading the gals outside!'

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Costumes varied from Barbie Western, to classic,  to Skellies!

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Another cute scene were the little kiddies...out for

Trick or Treating! 

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How about Mattel's big American Girls ready for banging on doors for Treats and

        SWEETS!       

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I took Venetian Muse home and she almost looks like she is casting a spell on the toadstool.

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She is so over-the-top dramatic in black and white!

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At home, my Venetian Muse had to land on the Buffet. 

Who could forget that rattling bass voice of Lurch?

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One of the fun things we did at the meeting was make this fabulous Vellum backdrop...some glue and paste as our craft host cut all the paper on a Circuit machine. 

Helen BC is still center stage, but is joined with my artisan gourd cat...so cute.

My mom's antique copper coffee pot, some toadstools, Lurch's bell pull. Who could forget that rattling bass voice of Lurch?

"You Rang.....!" 

I had fun with this, and moved it around until I thought it was done.

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Decorating differently each year is sometimes quite organic and always changing as the season goes along. Remove and add and it will be a quick change to Thanksgiving in a few weeks.

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My monster $Store Spider is just the right touch, they had been destined for the lamp post outside...but the weather has been too cruddy to work outside. 

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Sitting on a artisan pumpkin, HelenBC is perfect for the season

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And the handmade backdrop is spooky for the setting! 

This is all I will be doing for Halloween! 

Hope you are having a 

     SPOOKTACULAR 

HALLOWEEN SEASON! 

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by blogger in the sided 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!

Metamorphosis Monday

All the opinions and photographs 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 photos without linking back to this blog without my

 permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

Bridesmaids for Carly's Wedding

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Something New at Vickie's: Carly's Bridesmaids.

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Vickie: It's okay you can come out now, Carly is gone home.

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You all look fabulous from here!

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(Jeffrey's Sister) Jen, Zoe, and Marley (Carly['s Cousin) are modeling the bridesmaids gowns that just arrived.

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Marley: Thanks Vickie for finding the perfect dresses. I know Carly will love the color.

Vickie: I can't get over how much you look like Carly!

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Vickie: Honestly you are the most divine looking bridesmaids, the color looks so good on everyone! 

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Jen: (L) The backs are most important...and I'm happy with my small sleeves.

Marley: I think so too. Should we wear our hair up or down?

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Vickie: Maybe up---because the backs look so fab!

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Zoe: Well, we aren't exactly three little maids, but the sparkles ARE the best!

Jen: That's for sure, I've got three kids and have been married FOREVER!

Marley: Now what are we going to do for the bachelorette party????

(more to come)

(Normally, I do my own projects, but since I can't find my sewing 'bin' with all my fancy fabrics as well as all my needles/scissors and threads,) I purchased these dresses from an Etsy entrepreneur, her workmanship was great, and they arrived quickly. And they were reasonable. So this is informational, not an ad...for 

 

Linda's Passions

found on Etsy

Have you ever sewn dresses 

for an event for your Dolls?

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by blogger in the sided 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!

All the opinions and photographs 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 photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi