This wonderful doll, a terrific addtion to the Mattel line of Wizard of Oz dolls began in 1995, was made available in general release on February 23, 2007. Finally, Barbie as The Wicked Witch of the West! Although not labeled as "Barbie", it most definitely is that lovely lady, albeit with green skin! While sure to increase in demand and value as time progresses, there should be some caution as to purchasing her on line immediately post release. Prices are ranging from $30.00 to $50.00 and more on ebay and I've seen it for $35.00 on Amazon. The problem is, she is selling off the shelf and online at WalMart for $24.93 as are all of the new Wizard of Oz dolls to date! Beware when you see listings stating "RARE" or "HARD TO FIND". Believe me, it isn't either rare or hard to find, at least not at the end of February, 2007. This situation is identical to the "Lucille Ball as Santa" doll from last fall.One needed only to go to your local Walmart, generally a superstore,in October of 2006 to find these so called rare and hard to find dolls on the shelf selling for the same price as the Wicked Witch is now, while online selling for twice that. Some sellers are either totally in the dark as to the availability of these items, or they are purposefully trying to scam the unsuspecting. So, when looking to add this wonderful Barbie as the Wicked Witch to your collection, do a bit of researching prior to parting with your dollars, but be sure not to miss this offering!
Orignal From: WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST BARBIE PINK LABEL DOLL 2007
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Choosing the right doll or bear stand
There are many styles and variations of stands but they can generally be grouped into 4 main categories.Regular Stands These are the most commonly used stand and they have a narrower top than a wide body stand. Wide Body Stands Wide body stands are like regular stands but for dolls and bears with larger waists. These have a wider top to accomodate the larger doll. They can have a larger base than the regular stand but not always.Saddle Stands The saddle stands fit between the legs with tabs that go up the front and back of the doll usually under the clothing for an invisible stand (the base is visible). Specialty standsBaby bear seats and display cases which not a true stand but can support and protect your doll. Stands can be used inside of display cases as well. (Check the base diameter to be sure the stand will fit inside the case.)Choosing the right stand1. Choose the style - regular, wide body, saddle or specialty. Generally, Baby dolls and bears take the wide body stands and Fashion dolls generally take regular stands. Very small waisted dolls should use a saddle stand. 2. Choose the size - Stands are sized by the height of the doll. A stand may be for a 11" to 20" doll or a 8" to 14" doll. Now here is an important distinction. Both of the stands will hold a 13" doll but the stand sized for the 11" to 20" doll will hold it much more securely. This is true for 2 reasons. 1. Usually the base will be larger in diameter and heavier in weight. 2. the post will be extended more in the smaller stand and give less support to the doll or bear.Our recommendation is to always buy the stand that will hold your doll the most securely unless you need a smaller stand for some reason.
Orignal From: Choosing the right doll or bear stand
Orignal From: Choosing the right doll or bear stand
Doll: Blythe Doll
Blythe (pronounced "blithe" or like the 'bli' sound in "blind") is a doll created in 1972 by designer Allison Katzman with the now-defunct American toy company Kenner. Reportedly, she was modeled after drawings by Margaret Keane, similarly to many other dolls of the '60s and '70s. Her most unique and notable feature were blinkable eyes that changed color with the pull of a string attached to the back of her head. Blythe dolls were only sold for one year in the U.S. (produced in Hong Kong), during 1972. She was not very popular and faded from store shelves quickly.Thirty years after her first release date, Blythe regained popularity. In 1997, New York TV and video producer Gina Garan was given a 1972 Kenner Blythe by a friend and began using it to practice her photographic skills. She began taking her Blythe everywhere with her and took hundreds of photos. Then, in 1999, a chance encounter with CWC's Junko Wong brought Blythe to the attention of Parco and toy executives. In 2002, Gina published her first book of Blythe photography with Chronicle Books, This is Blythe. Later that year, Hasbro (Kenner's successor) gave the rights to make Blythe dolls to Takara of Japan. Blythe was used in a television advertising campaign by the Parco department store in Japan and was an instant hit. Success in Japan led Blythe back to the U.S., where she become a niche product in a marginal market, selling largely to adults. In 2003 she was the subject in a segment on the popular VH1 special, I Love the 70s, where she was said to look like either "Barbie with elephantiasis" or "Christina Ricci" among other things. One panelist asked if she could take a doll home! In 2004, the Ashton-Drake Galleries began to produce their own Blythe replica dolls in the United States.A vibrant Blythe subculture flourishes on the Internet, predominantly in forums and usergroups. There is a market network of hobbyist Blythe clothiers, designers, and customizers.There are two types of Blythe dolls: the 28 cm version and the 11.2 cm "Petit Blythe." Only large dolls have color-changing eyes, which include the colors blue, green, orange, and pink (except for cases with limited-edition dolls). Newer releases of the Petit Blythe dolls have moveable eyelids and bendable bodies.A smaller Kubrick version of Blythe also exists.The measurements of Blythe: 4.17-2.76-3.89 (in inch) or 106-70-99 (in mm). The measurements of Petit Blythe: 1.77-1.18-16.5 (in inch) or 45-30-42 (in mm).Unlike Barbie, Blythe does not have a boyfriend. She also does not advertise her professional life. Kenner is now owned by Hasbro.Go to our store: All At Great Prices Go to our store: All At Great Prices Neo Takara Blythe releases * Parco (Limited) - Parco (short/abbrv) * Mondrian - YSL (matte face) * Mondrian (FAO exclusive)- YSL (matte face) * Mondrain (FAO exclusive) - YSL (shiny face, relaxed eye) * Hollywood - Hollywood (matte face) * Hollywood (FAO exclusive)- Hollywood (shiny face) * Aztec Arrival - Aztec * Rosey Red - Rosy (matte face) * All Gold In One - Goldie (matte face) * Kozy Kape Inspired - Kozy(matte face) * Aztec Arrival Inspired - Aztec * Sunday Best - SB * Dotty Dot - DD * Miss Anniversary (Limited) - Miss A * Bohemian Beat - BB * Asian Butterfly - AB * Piccadilly Dolly - Picca * Skate Date - SD * Rouge Noir - RN * Excellent Hollywood - * Cherry Berry - CB * Cinnamon Girl - CG * Tea For Two - T42 * Fancy Pansy - FP * Disco Boogie - DB * Love Mission - LM * Bohemian Beats Again - BBA * Nike Blythe (limited) - Nike * Fruit Punch - FP * Very Cherry Berry - VCB * Superior Skate Date - SSD * Very Inspired by Pow Wow Poncho - PWP * Velvet Minuet - VM (Korean Toys R Us 1st Anniversay Limited) * Silver Snow - SS * I Love You Its True - ILYIT * Sunday Very Best - SVB * Happy Every Day Over The Stripes (Limited) - OTS * Lounging Lovely - LL * French Trench - FT * Art Attack (Limited) - AA * Paradis by Mono Comme Ca (Limited) -MCC * Birdie Blue - BB * Mademoiselle Rosebud -MRB * Samedi Marche - SM * Groovy Groove - GG * Mittens Blythe (Limited) - Mitten * Lil' Heart aka Milk Blythe (Limited) - Milk * Tweedly Do - TD * Inspired by Pinafore Purple - PP * Margaret Meets Ladybug (Limited) - MML * V-Smash - VSmash, VS * Candy Carnival - CC * Cinema Princess - CP * Roxy Blythe (Limited) - Roxy * Good Neighbor Cafe - GNC * Tommy February 6 Blythe (Limited) - FEB * Asian Butterfly Encore - ABE * Samedi Marche Encore - SME * Rendez-vous Chouchou(Limited) - RCC * White Magic Morning(Limited) - WMM * White Magic Afternoon - WMA * White Magic Night - WMN * Merry Skier - MS * Cute and Curious (Limited) - C
Orignal From: Doll: Blythe Doll
Orignal From: Doll: Blythe Doll
Lundby of Sweden/Tomy Smaller Home
Lundby houses, furniture and accessories are 3/4-inch scale, also known as 1/16 scale, where 1 foot in real life is 3/4 inch in dollshouse size. The Tomy Smaller Home
Orignal From: Lundby of Sweden/Tomy Smaller Home
Orignal From: Lundby of Sweden/Tomy Smaller Home
MIKELMAN BARBIE, CANDI
MiKelman is a doll artist. MiKelman has created several doll lines that have his name.1. MiKelman began the very FIRST Barbie make-overs. He repaints, reroots, restyles the dolls from scratch. MiKelman even created a line of reproduction Barbie dolls to REALLY look like the early dolls. MiKelman created many famous OOAK Barbie's long before Mattel did them; Marilyn Monroe, Lady Di, Lucy, Marlena, Paul Newman, Paul David, and many others. Mikelman's one of a kind celebrity dolls auctioned for over 1,500.00 each. 2. MiKelman is the creator of the popular CANDI doll. He painted all the faces, and designed all the clothing from 1995 thru 2003. The Retro Candi line, The Popular Price line, Christmas Candi, Santa's Helpers, Betty Page, New York Collection. MiKelman took an unheard of doll line, revamped, repainted and resculpted the doll and made her world famous. Many other artists want to take credit for what he did. MiKelman moved on to another doll line when his Retro Candi line was stolen, his name was removed from all the packaging and was sold by some unscrupulous dealers. During MiKelman's Candi reign, ONLY his authentic doll line was sold at the Paul David Barbie Warehouse in Ohio. 3. MiKelman is the creator of the popular CHARICE doll line. Early examples released with a mis-spelled name of Charisse. The RETRO line was extremely successful. MiKelman painted all the faces, styled all the hair styles and made all the fashions for the Charice line. He even created a Boyfriend for the Charice doll named Dominic. Dominic was 12" tall, like Ken dolls. A huge wardrobe was created for the Charice and Dominic lines. Charice lines were Velvet N Bows, Glamour Girl, Digital Darlings, Fuschia Fantasy, Santa Baby, Christmas, Neuveaux, New Retro, Betty Page, and many more. His FABULOUS FUR line of Charice was the most popular. Most of MiKelman's Charice lines were only limited to 250 pieces per doll. Some 125. Once again only the authentic line of Charice dolls were sold at the Paul David Barbie Doll Warehouse in Ohio. Knock-off lines were sold under another name.4. MiKelman currently is working on his own 18" doll line. Candi and Charice have retired. MiKelman still works on revamping and repairing Barbie dolls. He hopes for his new line to debut in 2009.MiKelman's dolls and work can be seen at his website and you can also ask any questions you may have about his Barbie, Candi, Dominic, or Charice dolls. MiKelman has a huge following on ebay.
Orignal From: MIKELMAN BARBIE, CANDI
Orignal From: MIKELMAN BARBIE, CANDI
What's Mohair, Wig for Riley, Helen Kish?
What's MohairMohair refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn which made of the hair of the docile goat from Angora region. One of this specific goat is able to produce 11 to 17 pounds of mohair in a year. Shearing is done on a clean swept floor with intensive care taken to keep the hair clean and free from debris.Essentially, this mohair is shorn from the goat without harming the animal. Shearing is done only twice a year, in the spring and fall, for the reason that the weather is not too chilly-cold for this goat.As the characteristic of this mohair is so soft and its texture which resembles fine human hair, mohair is extremely perfect in making high quality cap-wig.Also, much longer is much more expensive, because there is not more than 1% per bundle of raw mohair is longer than 6 inch. Before dyeing, this mohair will be processed to remove any natural grease, dirt and vegetable matter. After standardizing the length, the dyed mohair will be wefted by machine or even by hand-knotting on the head cap.For some particular designs and styles, permanent attachment with special adhesive is required in holding the wig tightly. Below is the petite head-cap customized especially for Riley. In the most cases, the area of the hair partition or crown will be hand-knotted in forming the most natural final outlook. From all of these viewpoints, it is clearly illustrated that this mohair wig requires extensive production time and ultimate workmanship. Every single of our mohair wig is fully and strictly followed by all of these steps.WOW! What an irresistible glamorous look of this cutie Riley! This mohair wig clearly shows the youthful beauty and energy with fabulous blossom of curls. Browse All Wig Available from me!
Orignal From: What's Mohair, Wig for Riley, Helen Kish?
Orignal From: What's Mohair, Wig for Riley, Helen Kish?
My Love for OOAK Polymer Clay Baby Art Sculpts
Wow! What a fascinating and loving art- that of OOAK babies, faeries made of polymer clay! I began my love for this art, after a great friend and fellow ebayer introduced me to one of her OOAK newborn babies. I was so intrigued! I promptly began to study and look at every piece of "baby art" I could find. I had to learn the basics, I didn't even know what "OOAK" (one of a kind) meant! I now know that it is an artists depiction to help describe how their doll was made, usually meaning "made without the use of molds", letting the buyer know that their doll will not be reproduced. Making dolls starts by taking a lump of polymer clay, conditioning, rolling it in your clean hands. Emphasis on CLEAN hands! Polymer clay picks up every little piece of microscopic dirt, lint you can imagine...and some you can't! Using baby wipes usually helps to keep your hands and clay free of dirt. I always start with the head, rolling out a piece of clay in my hands. Then I usually stick "the ball" on the end of a wooden stick. This helps to keep my fingernails and fingertips from making unwantedindentions or impressions into the clay. I divide the clay into "fourths" for the face, remembering that a baby has a much larger forehead than a grown person. I position the eyes just a bit above the "half" mark, that way, the baby still has plenty of forehead and I can start from there. Making a closed eye baby- I roll two small pieces of circular clay and position them on the head.I try to make sure that each piece is as close to the other as possible. Then I make a slightly bigger, round piece of clay and position it right below the eyes. I just stick it on there for now. Then using a kemper tool, I open the mouth, and try positioning it the best I can. I make two tiny snake "rolls" and place one above my mouth opening (for the top lip) and one below for the bottom lip. Then I go back to the eyes and work from there, creating eyelids, shaping a baby nose and nostrils using tools. I do not use molds in any of my creations, as with most artists. Shaping and smoothing the face can be very trying, sometimes adding and sometimes removing portions of clay. Everyone has their own ideas and techniques. Alot of the technique is trial and error. What works for one person, doesn't always work for the other!These beautiful, life-like babies are all different. Some have soft, stuffed bodies with poseable arms, legs and head. These dolls are usually dressable in cute little hand-made outfits. Others are full sculpts- meaning the entire doll is made of clay. If you have any questions about the doll you are looking at- ask the seller, I have found that almostall are more than willing to answer any of your questions.Once you buy one and it arrives on your doorstep- instant addiction is almost guaranteed! Stay tuned...more to come. =)I hope you enjoyed reading my "thoughts", which are not always the clearest. =) Feel free to askANY questions, I love to talk to others and don't mind helping! God bless! April @ Sillybugs Nursery
Orignal From: My Love for OOAK Polymer Clay Baby Art Sculpts
Orignal From: My Love for OOAK Polymer Clay Baby Art Sculpts
How to remove Barbie earrings
Some Barbie dolls have pierced ears wearing earrings. Most original Barbie earrings are made of plastic or rubber, and they look like a long nail with a protruding triangle at the end so that once it is inserted into the earring hole, it will not easily come off. This is a safety prevention. It is very hard to pull the earring off by brute force, and you may crack the hole or break the earring if you try too hard.
Orignal From: How to remove Barbie earrings
Orignal From: How to remove Barbie earrings
A Barbie Collectors' Guide to Green Ear
Definition: Green ear is a condition caused when metal earrings have corroded, and the resulting green corrosionhasbledinto the vinyl. Condition can vary from a tiny amount of green ear within the earring hole itself to a doll who may have green ear that'swrapped into the hairline and/or around into the face. Because vinyl is porous, it absorbs into the vinyl as opposed to sitting on the surface - which is what makes it a challenge to successfully treat it.Prevention: The best way to avoid green ear is to minimize the amount of humidity to which your dolls are exposed when they're wearing any metal items (earrings, necklaces, etc.). As with any metal, exposure to moisture will eventually cause corrosion. If you are a serious collector, it's best to invest in a humidifier or dehumidifier (depending upon your home conditions) in order to maintain a humidity level of approx. 40%within the area you store or display your dolls. If you have central heat and air, it's likely not necessary to do so. Controlling humidity (and heat)also helps to preserve your dolls' vinyl - preventing or minimizingdrying, splits, glued joints, etc. Vinyl dolls left in prolonged contact with vinyl case interiors can also melt together under the wrong conditions. Plastic shoes and other accessories will bleed color into vinyl dolls that are improperly stored. NEVER store your dolls in an unfinished attic, porchor basement or where they'll receive direct sunlight from a window or skylight. Treatment: If you have a vintage doll with green ear, you'll need to carefully remove the head for treatment. If it's a tiny amount just inside the earring hole itself, it's best to clean it using plain rubbing alcohol anda toothpick with a tiny bit of tissue on the end. Clean the inside and outside of the earring hole; being careful not to enlarge the hole with the toothpick. Rinse thoroughly with clean, cool water and dry completely before returning the head to the doll.If it's severe, consult the internet for Barbie restoration services. You can try to remove it yourself, but if youhave an expensive or sentimental doll that you do not want to damage, treatments for severe issues are best left to the pros. I personally do not recommend some of the oxy-type treatments as they may temporarily fix the issue, but will damage the doll for the long-term. These treatments are designed to remove color, and therefore may also fade the vinyl (over-bleaching). I have also seen tiny crystals bleed out of the vinyl after a period of years on dolls who have been treated using such methods, or the vinyl has turned yellowish or grey and becomes sticky. Professional doll restorationists can also repair faded vinyl, reroot and/or restyle hair, repaint faces and nails, and repair joint damage. However, if you have an inexpensive doll and want to give it a try, just Google 'Barbie green ear treatment' and you'll find a variety of treatments available.If it is severe, be sure to remove those earrings now- if you haven't already! Treat what's there with alcohol to minimize the spread until you can have the doll treated by a professional. I've seen lots of dolls listed where the earrings are left intact to continue to corrode and spread damage.Be advised that no metal earrings, even solid gold ones, can guarantee no green ear will occur. Even solid gold has a trace of base metals. Earrings with vinyl or nylon posts can also melt into your doll's vinyl. The good news is that you can use most any new or vintage metal or vinylearringsas long as you store your doll in the right conditions - and that the vintage earrings haven't already started to corrode. I hope you've found this helpful. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Orignal From: A Barbie Collectors' Guide to Green Ear
Orignal From: A Barbie Collectors' Guide to Green Ear
Vintage Hollywood Doll Mfg. Miniature Hard Plastic List
I have often seen people looking for identification help for this particular style of costumed little hard plastic dolls. Hollywood Doll Mfg, (Glendale, California) made a huge amount and variety of dolls in almost every size, style
Orignal From: Vintage Hollywood Doll Mfg. Miniature Hard Plastic List
Orignal From: Vintage Hollywood Doll Mfg. Miniature Hard Plastic List
CARE BEAR PROFILE: SUPERSTAR BEAR
Care Bear Profile: Superstar BearSuperstar Bear is the newest and brightest star in the Care Bear universe. She is bright yellow with deep yellow feet and light yellow troll hair. "Ready, set, go! In sports and off-court Superstar Bear dazzles everyone with her winning attitude. Whether she wins or loses, this bear always keeps going all out! Whatever you're doing remember what her tummy symbol means --- at the center of every "star", there is a big heart."So far she is only available in the 10" all plush and the 8" Beannie style #5 from the Collector's Edition Series 5. The 8" style has just been released and is commanding between 25.00 and 50.00 on eBay.If you wait a few weeks, she will be more widely available at a much more reasonable price.The 10" style has been out for a little over a month and the cost has dropped from almost 50.00 to 10.00-15.00.Thank you for stopping by!Kathleen PriceToy-Xpress
Orignal From: CARE BEAR PROFILE: SUPERSTAR BEAR
Orignal From: CARE BEAR PROFILE: SUPERSTAR BEAR
NO MORE TMX ELMOS TILL 2007!
It has come to my attention that Fisher Price will not be releasing anymore TMX Elmos until 2007. Production has been to hectic with supply and demand.I havespoke with various Managers at Walmart(including a district manager hich is a very good friend of mine) and they have told me that sometimes WalMart will release half of what they receive, and release the rest around Christmas. Unfortunately , they have very very little stock of this item(if any at all).If you need proof feel free to go to Fisher Price.com and type in Tickle Me Elmo TMX. It clearly states OUT OF STOCK until 2007. I even spoke to a rep. from Fisher Price(whos name that I cannot give per their request) who has stated"we are completely out of stock until 2007"I have been buying and selling the hottest toy of the year every time that it comes out, and have never experienced this kind of shortage. To all of those who get their hands on one now good luck! I could easily say that these little furry guys will go for 400-500 each. Have a great day!
Orignal From: NO MORE TMX ELMOS TILL 2007!
Orignal From: NO MORE TMX ELMOS TILL 2007!
Glass Doll Domes
Selecting a glass dome is a good choice, for the elegant look of your display. Glass domes come in 2 pieces (Glass dome and a wooden base), with the glass dome lifting off the base.When deciding how wide of adome (inside)you need, always use the 2 inch rule.Measure the total width of the item you wish to display, thenadd 2 inches. This would be the "diameter" of the base you would need.It will give your display item 1 inch on either side,to prevents a "cramped" look, and makes a nicer viewing display piece. Most bases are wider then then diameter listed, with usually a 1" lip beyond the "groove" in the base. This width does get smaller, the smaller dome your purchase.When deciding how tall you need yourdome to be, again, use the 2 inch rule. Measure the total height of your display object, and add 2 inches.Domes curve on the top, and this will help prevent your object top from gettingplaced in the curving area.You may have to go above the 2" rule on top, to find a height you need. Or just email me, I love to help!When placing items on ebay, my domes are describedby the inside area.Domes come with a choice of real wooden bases ( Walnut, Oak) ormore shiny surfaces (Satin, Brass, Shiny Brass)Check the description of each dome, to see your choices. Most have a pick of several choices, blending in with your home decor. Bases come with felt or rubbertabs under the base, to keep it from sliding or scratching the surface you set it on, to display.If still not sure, email me, I love to help my customers find the correct combination, to display their collectables with a smile!
Orignal From: Glass Doll Domes
Orignal From: Glass Doll Domes
Doll: American Girl Collection dolls 2 (1995-2006)
(Continue from Doll: American Girl Collection dolls 1) Just Like YouFormerly known as the "American Girl Today" line, this style of doll was introduced in 1995. In December of 2005, the name of the line was changed.The "Just Like You" line of dolls has twenty-three options (three have been retired), each with a unique combination of face mold, skin, hair and eye color. This allows the owner to choose a combination that best resembles herself, and dolls are not customized by the company. The doll comes dressed in a modern outfit and includes a book of questions to get to know the doll and create her story. Many modern accessories are available for these dolls, from ever-changing clothing to beds to furniture wheelchairs. The dolls are the same size and style as the historical line.Beginning in 2001, American Girl introduced limited edition Girls Today, which featured smaller, specific collections and individual storybooks, similar to the historical doll's "Meet" book. Although each collection is specific to the doll's character, each features accessories based on the book's plotline, and each doll has an animal companion. Each of these dolls was only available for a year after being released. The line is now known as the Girls of the Year.Girls of the Year2001 - 2002: Lindsey BergmanLindsey is a ten-year-old Jewish girl who is eager to help. But sometimes, her help creates more problems than solutions.This was the first of the "Girls of the Year" series.2003 - 2004: Kailey HopkinsKailey is a devout environmentalist who faces a test when she needs to save her beach from developers.2004 - 2005: Marisol LunaA dancer from Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, Marisol is devastated when her parents move away from her close-knit community...and leave her without a place to dance!Introduced during the Christmas season of 2004, Marisol was retired December 2005. This character's story caused some controversy. Her collection sold out in early December, 2005.2005 - 2006: Jess Akiko McConnellJess, along with her parents, goes to Belize to explore Mayan ruins and makes some important discoveries of her own.Introduced in December 2005, following the early sell-out of Marisol's collection, Jess has a unique face shape shared by no other American Girl doll. This is the first specifically bi-racial doll introduced by the company (her father is Irish and her mother is Japanese). She is also the first L.E. doll to be given a middle name.Other product lines of noteBitty Baby CollectionBitty Baby, a baby doll, comes in several different styles (African American, Asian American, Blond Caucasian, Brunette Caucasian, and Hispanic). She is 15 inches tall. She comes wearing a sleeper and with her own Bitty Bear (a small, 5 inch tall teddy bear).This collection was originally introduced in 1990 as 'Our New Baby,' with a complete line of very realistic accessories for the doll as well as matching ones for real infants. However, this collection underwent a drastic change and was re-aimed at the toddler set, with the accessories becoming less realistic. In addition, the clothing line was revamped to be sized for toddlers and preschool aged girls.Also part of this line are the "Bitty Twins", a set of boy/girl toddler dolls that come as a pair in either blond or brunette. They feature 'real' hair, unlike the molded hair of the Bitty Baby line.Hopscotch Hill CollectionBased on the book series by Valerie Tripp, this was a set of four dolls aimed at school-aged children. They featured hard plastic bodies, unlike the other dolls by American Girl, and were multi-jointed. The first dolls to be introduced were Hallie, Skylar, and Logan.They were then joined by Gwen.Hopscotch Hill CollectionBased on the book series by Valerie Tripp, this was a set of four dolls aimed at school-aged children. They featured hard plastic bodies, unlike the other dolls by American Girl, and were multi-jointed. The first dolls to be introduced were Hallie, Skylar, and Logan.They were then joined by Gwen.The line was removed from catalogues in 2005. Currently the line has been set for retirement but some portions are still available on the American Girl website on clearance.Girls of Many LandsPremiered in 2002, this set of eight dolls was aimed at twelve-year-old and older girls. The dolls were each from a different, pivotal time in history, and were a large departure for the company, as only one of the dolls was American. They were also far more detailed and designed more for display, rather than play.Despite winning the Oppenheimer Toy Award in 2003, this line was retired in 2004.Angelina BallerinaBased on the Angelina Ballerina series of books, this collection featured a dancing mouse and many accessories for her world. This set was aimed at the three-to-seven age group and was another departure for the company, as the main character was - a mouse.Introduced in 2002, this set was removed from catalogues and retired in 2005. Product line then was transferred to target stores and HIT entertainment.MoviesSamantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004)Samantha was the first American Girl movie to be broadcast on television, on 23 November 2004. During the movie, animated commercials for Tide, a brand of laundry detergent, were broadcast. One of the commercials included a scene where a girl received a Samantha doll for Christmas. The movie was broadcast again on November 25 (Thanksgiving Day U.S.). It drew six million viewers. The movie starredAnnasophia Robb as Samantha ParkingtonKelsey Lewis as Nellie O'MalleyMia Farrow as GrandmaryJordan Bridges as Uncle GardRebecca Mader as CorneliaThe movie went to VHS and DVD quickly in time for Christmas 2004.Felicity: An American Girl Adventure (2005)Shailene Woodley as Felicity MerrimanKatie Henney as Elizabeth ColeJohn Schneider as Edward MerrimanMarcia Gay Harden as Martha MerrimanKevin Zegers as Ben DavidsonEulala Scheel as Nan MerrimanThe movie went to VHS and DVD quickly in time for Christmas 2005.Molly: An American Girl Victory (2006)The third movie is currently in production to be released this fall.The first two movies were broadcast on The WB; Molly's movie will be on Disney Channel since UPN is merging with the WB and both sides feel that the movie's content will not fit with the goals of the new network.Maya Ritter as Molly McIntireTory Green as EmilyHannah Fleming as SusanSamantha Wilson as LindaJosette Halpert as Alison HargateDavid Baker as Dr. James McIntireMolly Ringwald as Helen McIntireGenevieve Farrell as Jill McIntireAndrew Chalmers as Ricky McIntireSee Our Dolls CollectionsGo to our store: All At Great Prices All At Great Prices (ebay ID: AllAtGreatPrice2000)New items coming every week, 30%-50% less than you expect to pay in specialty and department store. Come and check them out!
Orignal From: Doll: American Girl Collection dolls 2 (1995-2006)
Orignal From: Doll: American Girl Collection dolls 2 (1995-2006)
Barbie Doll Shoes - Buying Guide
Barbie Doll Shoes - Buying GuideBarbie Doll ShoesMuch as you love the best shoes for your own outfits, so will your child enjoy a selection of the best shoes for her Barbie doll outfits. There are a number of considerations when purchasing Barbie doll shoes:All too often you will find Barbie Doll shoes (labeled as shoes for 11 1/2 inch fashion dolls, which is Barbie
Orignal From: Barbie Doll Shoes - Buying Guide
Orignal From: Barbie Doll Shoes - Buying Guide
Tid-Bit -- Did You Know on M. Jumeau?
LUMINOUS AND BODY OF THE JUMEAU DOLLDid You Know - 1. The eyes of Jumeau dolls were a beautiful feature, made of blown glass, deep and luminous. 2. There is no mistaking the eyes of a Jumeau doll for anything else and here can determine originality.3. Jumeau doll wigs were tacked to a cork fitted into a large opening in the head.4. That at first the wigs were made of the hair of the Tibetan goat, later mohair.5. M. Jumeau's fame as a dollmaker dates from 1844.6. M. Jumeau was then using German heads but dressing his dolls in handsome clothes.7. That M. Jumeau exhibited at the "Crystal Palace Exposition," in London in 1851, remarks on the beautiful clothes, but calls the dolls ordinary.8. At first head and shoulders were in one piece, andafter 1869Jumeau's eldest son invented a swivel neck, a decided improvement.9. That bodies on Jumeau dolls went through a long evolution and they were made in fourteen sizes.10. The earliest dolls were stuffed with sawdust inside jointed kid, the dollscould not stand up. Thus the jointed wood body was made with kid placed over it.11. M. Jumeauthen made a wooden and kid body with each joint and memberand the kid was shrunken on before assembling the dolls.12. In advancing the dolls, they were made of stockinet, cloth, and an all woodbody.13. A cotton body with leather arms was made for the less expensive Jumeau dolls until 1880 the bisque shoulder-head was used on all.14. Inthe year 1880, M. Jumeau's son invented a composition body first made in the Jumeau factory that was similar to modern dolls.15. These composition bodies were strung together with elastic cord and the shoulder was abandoned.16. Until these dolls appeared, the JUMEAUS WERE SELDOM MARKED EXCEPT IN UNUSUAL CASES.AND A FINAL TID BIT .... DID YOU KNOW17. In the transition of Jumeaus' body variations, there were transitional hands and feet; and the material present was depended on what was at hand. The facts indicates that the Jumeaus used leftovers from one body to finish the next until all was used up and finally,18. THE ONE CONSTANT FACTOR REMAINS IS THE BEAUTY OF THEEYES.***This Tid Bit data may give the Jumeau Doll collectors or beginners an eye opening on why some of the Jumeau dolls appears on different types of bodies, or why one hand may be bigger than the other or arms look different, or legs look different. But one thing is for sure the Jumeaus' doll eyes are brilliant. ***They used gas jet to make a circle to take it round the pupil to give the color of the eye. Then with a fine piece of white glass the small lines around the iris that produces the luminous eyes. With a new system thereafter, makes it possible to create the "human eye." In this way the stick of white glass instead of being made into a thread is now slightly twisted and this forms, when the rays are put into the iris, a multitude of small ramifications that imitate nature perfectly. ***Once the iris is made, white enamel is heated and applied into a mould for exact size and using special tools gouges out the middle where the pupil and iris are placed and finally it is crystalized to be un breakable andto bring in the brilliance like the natural eye.***But Did You Know,another inovoation by M. Jumeau created the "half spherical" eye. The pupil and iris are now made in exactly the same way, yet for the difference is the enamel is round instead of being oval, so that the "bebe" will be able to raise and lower its eyes.It is my desireforguide give you some insight when searching for Jumeaus, in that the key element will be the luminous eyes.Thank you.
Orignal From: Tid-Bit -- Did You Know on M. Jumeau?
Orignal From: Tid-Bit -- Did You Know on M. Jumeau?
Making The sale or Making the Purchase
SELLINGAnyone can SELL an item, but not many can sell effectively, Selling isn't just selling, selling is communicating. You as the seller, need for one to be able to speak to your buyer. You need to be able to answer all their questions, honestly and without any deciet. You are not just trying to make money, remember you need a reputation too, the better the reputation, the better your sales will get. One thing in EBay that I dislike when buying, is looking into a seller's feedback and seeinglots ofnegative feedback about the same problems with the same items. This suggests to me, that the item is in poor quality and the Seller doesn't care as long as they get paid. Many negative buyer feedbacks i know from experience, simply come from the seller upsetting the customer in some way, weather it be poor shipping (Which is not the sellers fault). Or not responding to emails soon enough. and SOME not all, don't ship items at all. One bad thing for ANY seller to do, is to respond to feedbacks in a very unprofessional way by Name Calling, or referring to buyers as "Morons" "Idiots" Etc. Remember, when a potential buyer sees you replying to other people like that, he / she may soon lose interest in your salesmanship ability and in the purchase. When i recieve a negative feedback, i simply respond honestly, firmly but politely. For example, let's say John buys a guitar from me, he gets it, and its broken or not working right, after waiting probably two weeks for it, he is furious and goes directly to his Emails,If Ineglected to gethis email, or wasn't in, he goes to his feedback and leavesme a negative. My reply would be something like: "Seller was unavailable and missed email, Willing to resolve matter". At least a customer who sees THAT may feel a bit more trusting, knowing that you are not ignoring other previous customers. A previous customer should also be a future customer. So by giving something back to them, they feel happier. The best thing you can give a customer, is a little time if they are unhappy with a purchase. Selling is also respecting the customer, because a customer who doesn't feel respected, won't return. You may say, there are millions more of them, but if you keep treating customers unprofessionally, you will soon find that there aren't as many as you think. Because you will be losing them more and more because of your unprofessionalism.Okay, so I agree, the whole point of selling, is making money right? But if we want to make money, and keep making it, we need to be responsive to customers needs, willing to resolve issues, Selling the item is only part of the sale, you have to let the customer know that firstly they can trust your transaction with them. You have to be able to tell them anything about the product you know. You have to RESEARCH the market, find things similar to yours and browse the average cheapest prices. If you want to be successful you need to be able to compete with them.Decide on a minimum amount you wish to walk away with, and start an Auction with that. If yougive enough information in your listing, and you convince the customer that this is a good sale without blinding them with science, you may make more than what you decided, because if you gave enough information, and showed professionalism in your listing, people will fight for YOUR product!BUYINGIf you are Buying an item, as a customer you will always need to read the listing carefully, make sure they accept your payment method, currency. Make sure they ship to wherever you are. Before making a committment to buy, take a look at the seller's history, count the negatives, and it's percentage level. If you see negatives, look athow many out of 100% are negative, then read them all carefully, reading the positives is also important. You know they are good, but if you want to know how impressed buyers were, read them too they are just as important. In the Negatives count how many times you see the same complaint, about the same item, you will get an idea of it's quality as both a buyer and seller i find this important. Also what i find important is how the seller replies to Negative Feedback. To me, a good seller will not insult, verbally abuse or name call the buyer. A good seller will also not make statements about the customer's behaviour because THAT is between the seller and buyer. I find it off putting to see a Seller calling a customer a "Moron" etc. because it suggests to me that the Seller isshrugging off the customer now that they have the money. If a Seller behaves in this fashion, and you are reading it in the negatives, you don't feel so confident going through with the purchase anymore.
Orignal From: Making The sale or Making the Purchase
Orignal From: Making The sale or Making the Purchase
Barbie OOAK Design Crochet Thread
To find a Barbie Doll in one-of-a-kind crochet thread OOAK design, simply search under "Barbie Crochet". You will find unique Edwardian,Calendar,reborn Barbieensembles designed by the artists. Most patterns used are Paradise, Annie's Attic and Needlecraft from the past. Most are made with beautiful crochet thread taking hours to create by avid crochet enthusiasts who take great pride in their designs. To avoid viewing Barbie Crochet Patterns, search using "Barbie Crochet Thread." You will enjoy just viewing the passion of many Barbie lovers. I will be happy to answer any questions. Thank You bb*charmer.
Orignal From: Barbie OOAK Design Crochet Thread
Orignal From: Barbie OOAK Design Crochet Thread
ROSALIE'S GUIDE FOR DETECTING STEIFF ID FRAUD: 2009!
I HAVE COMPLETED THE NEW EDITION OF MY GUIDE WITH LOTS OF PICTURES! IT IS NOW ON THE WEB. I DID IT THAT WAY BECAUSE IT IS TOO LONG TO INSERT INTO THE SPACE EBAY PROVIDES. WHAT YOU SEE BELOW IS JUST A "TEASER." PLEASE SEE A LINK TO THE GUIDE ON MY ME PAGE
Orignal From: ROSALIE'S GUIDE FOR DETECTING STEIFF ID FRAUD: 2009!
Orignal From: ROSALIE'S GUIDE FOR DETECTING STEIFF ID FRAUD: 2009!
All porcelain BYE LO BABY by Grace S. Putnam
I have been shopping for Bye Lo all bisque baby dolls made by Grace Story Putnam in the 1920s. I wanted to know more about her and her babies. I am not an expert, but it seemed like a lot of people were making up things about these dolls. I researched them to present the facts. I just love dolls and have for a long time.DESIGN Grace Storey Putnam wanted to make a baby doll you could snuggle. There were dolls before that, but not babies. She went to the Salvation Army Hospital near where she lived in Californiato look at the babies in the nursery. She saw a very pretty little three day old girl who was not swaddled and her legs were spread -- frog style. Grace either sketched her and/or made a wax model of her. She wanted to make a quality doll, so she applied for a patent or copyright and submitted the plans to GERMAN doll makers. She sent the wax model to be used for making the mold.Ms. Putnam wanted a softer look, so she chose unglazed bisque clay. She designed the arms, torso, and legs of fabric with the legs in the now-famous frog position. The hands and head were bisque. She was seeking perfection and changed doll manufacturing companies in Germany many times! These included Kling
Orignal From: All porcelain BYE LO BABY by Grace S. Putnam
Orignal From: All porcelain BYE LO BABY by Grace S. Putnam
Vintage Antique Doll Identification Marks How to Find
Vintage Antique Doll Identification Marks and How to Find ThemDue to a huge blunder I am putting my experience to good use.I foolishly thought due to the wonderful condition of a doll that I didn't want to remove her clothing to see any markings that may have been hiding under them. This was a mistake I hope that will not ruin a great listing.Marks can often be found easily and in plain site even on a dressed doll. Others you might need to look under panties, in arm pits, inside thighs and hidden under the hair in back of head.I missed under the undies this time. I caught under the arm pit and on bottom of her foot. Her hair is still in store plastic so didn't even bother trying for hair line.I also foolishly agreed with her box and papers that gave her date and didn't research farther.I have found that my original information may have been right. A GREAT web site for doll reference isDoll Reference Antique To Vintage Dolls 1800 - 1970's - eBay does not permit links, but I am sure you will find your way to the site - this is typed exactly from top of page and if you cut and paste it should take you to it.This site proved that my eyes mayhave beenmore at fault then my listing. My eyes see 1968 date - yet the site states that it is a five and not a six. Check out this site when your looking at dolls to buy or sell. I think you will agree it has Valuable information for any doll collector!Please check YES if you found any information helpful.
Orignal From: Vintage Antique Doll Identification Marks How to Find
Orignal From: Vintage Antique Doll Identification Marks How to Find
Tips on buying a reborn doll
Reborn dolls (also known as "fake babies"); What are they and how do I get one? First of all, a reborn doll is just a doll that has been either repainted to look realistic or it has been created from a bare sculpt with the help of a (hopefully) talented artist. These dolls have been selling on ebay for about 5 years or so and are increasing in popularity. The average reborn doll 5 years ago sold for around $200 if it was of good quality. Now you're lucky if you can buy a decent reborn doll for under $500. The community of talented reborn artists grows by leaps and bounds, yet something still remains the same; if you don't research your purchase, you will eventually end up paying way too much, or buying from a dealer that isn't honest. Believe it or not, many reborn artists use friends and family members to push up the price of their babies on ebay. This leads to exorbitant prices on these dolls. Buyer beware. If you see a new listing for a reborn doll and within one day, the price already exceeds $1,000...chances are it's being "bid up". And even if it's not, there's no reason to spend that much money on a quality reborn doll. Don't take the bait. Look for another reborn to purchase. There are dozens of quality reborners out there that don't charge a fortune for their babies and would love to have you purchase one. Here are a few things to look for if you're in the market for a quality reborn doll. First of all, do some research on what sculpts are available. You can do a search for "reborn doll sculpts" with Google and find a sculpt you like. Then do an ebay search under "Dolls and bears" for the name of that particular sculpt. Usually the reborn artist will list that sculpt name in the heading of the listing. Next, if you locate a doll that you're interested in, "watch" that item and continue searching for more of that same sculpt. When you have several of them in your watched list, you need to research the sellers a bit. Check out their feedback scores; actually READ what buyers have written about their dolls. Look at both sides of the coin; research what sellers have written about them too. You can find out a lot about a person's character through good buying and selling practices. If the person is just starting out, steer clear until they have a few sales under their belt. There are too many scams these days to warrant you losing your hard earned money over a doll. Next you need to read their listings thoroughly and make sure you understand ALL of their terms. Look at the pictures carefully. If a seller doesn't take quality photos, chances are you'll miss important details that will haunt you later. Large, clear photos are a must. Make sure you can see every aspect of the doll from hair to toes. Often times you will like the face on a particular sculpt, but not the limbs. Ugly feet on a baby is not something I would want in my collection. Check to make sure the baby is painted with quality paints like "Genesis heat set paints". Does the reborner use an extra small rooting tool, like a 42 or 43 gauge needle? The hair is very important. If it's not rooted properly, it looks bad. There are several types of bodies out there, and the doe suede is probably the best. It's both soft and durable with extra stitching on the seams. Make sure the weighting material used is the highest quality. Find out if the baby is fully jointed for easy movement and posing capabilities. Baby fat pellets are preferred, but there are several other materials that will do fine. You can get fine glass beads, silicone pellets, or even baby fat "tummy/tushy" inserts. It's all about preference. Don't be afraid to ask the seller any questions you may have previous to bidding. Find out if they offer a payment plan and how much your shipping will be. If you need extra photos, ask. If the seller is late or rude in telling you what you need to know, avoid doing business with them. Always give them a full two days to respond to your questions and never assume that they got your message. If you still haven't received an answer within that time frame, ask your question again. Once you've decided upon a specific doll, determine what your highest bid will be and stick to it. Always wait for the last few moments to place your bid so you can be assured that it won't be pushed up unnecessarily. Another method is to place your highest bid and then just walk away until it's over. If you win it, YAY! If not, there will be another darling baby just around the corner. Don't kid yourself into believing you'll never find another one that you really like. It may take a little time, but you WILL find another perfect baby to bid on. Treat it like an adoption; you don't always get a baby on the first try. ;-) The most important thing I'm trying to impart on your memory is to do all of your research BEFORE you place your first bid. You won't be sorry, and you'll learn a lot about this art form. Do yourself a favor and "watch" several babies; not just the ones your interested in. It will give you an idea of just how fickle this particular form of collecting can be. Check the "highest priced" babies as well as the "newly listed". I have researched reborns for over a year now and have personally bought 4 of them. I have beautiful babies, made by quality reborn artists and the highest price I paid was $500. Last, but not least; if you find a reborn doll you really love, but you lose the bid, consider asking the artist to make you a custom baby. Many of them will, and some also offer payment plans and lay away. Make sure you find out everything about a seller before you make that arrangement, as some of them aren't as honest as you would like. I have personal friends who have waited for extended periods of time for a baby they already paid for; and that's not the worst thing that has happened. I've heard of scams where people have bought a custom baby and never received it. Meanwhile, the supposed "reborn artist" has dropped their ebay name and moved on to another unsuspecting victim. DO YOUR RESEARCH! If you get scammed by an ebay seller, report them to ebay right away.Good luck shopping and as always, have FUN!P.S. There seems to be a lot of people reading my guide; could you please vote when you do? That would be great! Thanks!
Orignal From: Tips on buying a reborn doll
Orignal From: Tips on buying a reborn doll
Buying Antique Japanese Dolls
There is much confusion about buying and collecting Antique Japanese dolls. I will try here, to give some basic pointers about how to purchase a Japanese doll with confidence. The first thing to consider is that the classic Japanese dolls are still being produced today, as doll festivals such as O Hina Matsuri are still very popular holidays.High quality new dolls can be very costly, even more so than an antique doll of the same quality.The reasoning behind this is complex, but briefly, the Japanese as a rule value high priced gifts and gift giving, and tend to discard old items. Japanese dolls are usually bought as gifts for the household, ones children etc.This is changing now that there is a great overseas demand for the antique dolls, as well as the whole doll culture of Japan has shifted somewhat so that there now are many shops with exquisite high-end antique dolls. The key here is high-end. Even if the doll is old, it must be an example of great art, usually by a master craftsman to have significant value.Many sellers on eBay are not experts in this field, or are purposely trying to give that impression so an inferior doll can be passed off as being more valuable.Be very concerned if the seller says "I think," "I am not quite sure," or other such vague comments that tend to be an out if being accused of inaccuracy of the seller's description. Whether by ignorance, or design, you do not want to pay a lot of money for a doll that is not worth half of what you paid. Also, don't as rule, use, or believe the retail prices you see on the internet. Surely do not base a doll's value on a similar doll seen on a collectible doll website, or the seller's reference.This is because of a few factors.Many doll sites are not specializing in Japanese dolls. They might be knowledgeable about European doll prices, or contemporary doll artists, but they use outdated, and generic doll value guides to determine prices which are often wrong or very vague.Even from a dealer of Japanese dolls, both on the web and an actual store, you must be aware of the necessary mark up and overhead attached to the doll's price. If you see a very expensive doll from a dealer, remember that it most likely has some special attribute, or is a superior example to command the high-end price. The dealer's stated price can often be bargained down, especially if the dealer has had the doll in stock for a while. I was able to purchase an ichimatsu doll made by TOKO I from a well known dealer for 40% off the listed price because I just happened to inquire about it at the right time....so retail means nothing more than a negotiable starting point.The key is how much the dealer bought the doll for, and how long the doll has been in inventory.If the doll is taking up space in his shop, or has been listed on his website for months, the price may be negotiated. However, the amount the seller is willing to devalue the doll would depend on how much wiggle room he has, and how much cash-flow he needs to generate. Also, the dealer need to show fresh items, both on a website or in his shop or collectors will stop looking. Just like at a tag sale, or flea market, you should always start negotiating from a reasonable low offer, but don't offend the seller either. If a Taisho doll by Hirata Goyo is priced at $5,000. don't start the offer at $500.Use common sense.Also remember that age alone has nothing to do with a doll's value, but size does to some extent. The Japanese dolls had a golden period during the long EDO era. ANY doll in fairly good condition from this period is possibly quite valuable. If it is a 18th c. doll, it usually is only found in very high-end shops or museums. Later, pre-Meiji dolls c. 1850;'s -1860's are more common and are priced more reasonably. The main time periods (eras) that a Japanese doll collector should know is the Edo (17th c. to 1868) Meiji (1868-1912) Taisho (1912-late 1920's) Showa (late 1920's until late 1980's.A doll is considered "modern" after the occupation of the late 1940's. I will not address these dolls here.I also will mot discuss specific types or construction of the many areas of Japanese doll collecting except when needed to determine value.Here are things most important to considered when buying an antique doll:If the doll is signed on the body it has more value than an unsigned doll. If it signed by a well known doll artist (not company) it has even more value.All Japanese antique dolls are made from natural organic materials. In general, there is NO PLASTIC used before WWII . clothing was made of silk or cotton. NO SYNTHETICS.Dolls have silk, human, or animal hair. Human is the most common in larger dolls.Antique dolls have a finish called GOFUN which is a paste made from oyster shell and glue. It is usually highly polished during the Edo period. It can be polished or matte in later eras. Traditional Japanese dolls (not the European style dolls made in Japan) are NOT made of porcelain (though many uninformed sellers will mistakenly use this term)Older, Meiji era dolls of higher quality are "sexed" This is usually an indication of a high-end doll, but not always. The dolls are either jointed or non-jointed. Not ALL jointed dolls are valuable. ONLY the Meiji era true MITSUORI dolls have a substantial value. Many dolls are called Mitsuori when they are NOT. Later dolls limbs could be bent by various methods, loose joint hinges, wires etc. This is not an indication of value. In fact, a bendable doll that is not Mitsuori, was most probable made AFTER WWII and is not an antique at all!Different doll makers, and dolls coming from other regions, Kansai for example, rather than Tokyo have other attributes that determine value.Other things to look for is detail. On Ichimatsu / play dolls, look especially at the hands, feet and ears. The more highly detailed (fingernails, creases, carving) the more valuable doll you may have. On Hina, Musha, and other style dolls, pay attention to the quality of fabric and accessories (or lack of there of.) and missing parts of the dolls or accessories. Commonly lost accessories are the Emperor's hat and sword, paddle, and the Empress's fan and head dress / crown.. Sometimes these and other items are replaced and it is very hard if not impossible to tell if they were original to the dolls. In the case of the Emperor and Empress dolls, for a matched pain, look to see if the clothing designs and colors match (though they do not always match, but should be similar in style and age) The relative size of the Imperial pair is that the Emperor without his hat is a bit taller (but not much) than the Empress without her head piece. however, the tall head piece of the Empress is taller over all than the Emperor with his hat on. Be advised that it takes many years of studying Japanese dolls to be certain of the era that the doll was made. Edo dolls tent to be quite large, and have either very elongated faces or, in the case of very early Edo dolls, have almost round faces. Edo dolls have more squinty, half-closed eyes than later dolls. Obviously though doll styles did change over time, it is quite impossible to date most Japanese dolls especially ones made near the end or beginning of an era. A late Meiji doll made in 1900 will not differ from an early Taisho made around 1913. UNLESS THERE IS DOCUMENTATION, no exact age can be attributed to a particular doll. A best guess is all one can do. Some dolls are more easily identified than others.Sellers who actually know very little about Japanese dolls, just put a bunch of facts gathered from internet sources to puff up their listings and give a false sense that the seller knows what they are talking about. If you are buying an expensive doll, you should already be knowledgeable to some extent, and do not need the seller to give you the history of Japanese dolls...just the facts about the particular doll you are bidding on.Also, be wary of third party referred testimonials about the doll. "The previous owner said..." "I was told..." "I read on the internet..." are useless in evaluating a particular doll.Again, I must stress that the condition, quality, and perhaps maker of the doll is more important in determining value than age.For the most part, I see very few really fine Japanese dolls on eBay. Even more distressing, besides misrepresentation and fraud, is that many dolls are in a very bad state condition wise. UNLESS the doll is extremely rare, or by a very famous maker, if it has major flaws..STAY AWAY. Its value has been compromised. Japanese dolls are very delicate objects. I wouldn't turn away from an otherwise fine doll because of a hairline along the neck or limbs, a small abrasion or chip to the finger or toes etc. But large cracks or chips, especially on the viewable face, missing fingers or toes, or missing foot etc. Missing, or hair that falls out, MUST be considered when buying. Unlike their European counterparts, Japanese dolls cannot be fixed in the same way Western dolls can. Thee are a VERY FEW Japanese doll repair artists in Japan, and only ONE in the USA that I know of. Even if the doll can be fixed, the cost may be more than the doll is worth.So DON'T buy a doll with the idea, well, I'll bring it to my local doll hospital, or I will attempt fixing it myself...you will probably end up with a doll that is worse than before. A bad, noticeable repair is quite ugly, and far more unsightly than the original damage. Even just dirt is a problem. The clothes are delicate, and in some cases, non-removable. The gofun coating is water soluble so NEVER CLEAN with water, or liquid cleaners on any part of the "skin". ( a well-known trick is to use a pencil eraser, 0000 steel wool, or even Magic Eraser) However, you must be very careful, do it in stages, very lightly, and stay away from painted parts, such as eyebrows, cheeks, lips etc.I am not saying don't buy a doll that is damaged, only that it should be priced accordingly, and you should be prepared to "live" with the doll in the state you bought it in.The most important thing is that you must love the doll for itself, and pay only a reasonable price for it. If you are only buying as an investment, or to "flip" it, you better know what you are doing.In my many years on eBay, I would say that most Japanese dolls are either tourist quality, or very overpriced, largely because of condition.. But, as I said, even if the price is lower than a excellent condition doll, you cannot in most cases fix it, so it is what it is...The best way to be a good buyer is to read as much as possible about Japanese dolls and collecting. Besides the internet. Dr. Alan Pate has published 2 books recently that cover everything about Japanese dolls. NINGYO, and THE JAPANESE DOLL are available from sources like Amazon.com.
Orignal From: Buying Antique Japanese Dolls
Orignal From: Buying Antique Japanese Dolls
Is there a brown-eyed Toni?
Is there a brown-eyed Toni? Yes indeed, there is.It is often said that Ideal planned to make an African-American Toni, then scrapped the idea. Whether that is true, I am not sure. They did make some brown eyes, and used them in a very limited amount of Tonis, now considered as "rare." I was lucky enough to obtain a mint in box example, and she proudly won some ribbons at doll conventions and is one of my favorite Tonis.I have only seen these brown eyed tonis in the P90 walkers, whether they used them with the strung dolls, I have not seen any.One thing to be careful of is the "turned-brown" Tonis. Some of the eyes tend to "turn" or "change color" over time. Blue eyes can sometimes turn to green, and sometimes you will see a Toni that has what appears to be "hazel" eyes or even brown. The true "brown" eyed Tonis will be an unmistakable brown with no variation to the eyes such as flecks of blue or green. The brown-eyed Tonis will have very brown eyes with no variation in the color.Happy Doll Hunting!
Orignal From: Is there a brown-eyed Toni?
Orignal From: Is there a brown-eyed Toni?
Cleaning plastic and rubber toys and dolls.
If you've ever tried to clean an old rubber or plastic toy you know that soap and water won't always do the trick. You have to be very careful as well when using solvents or harsh cleaning products because they may actually destroy the item you're trying to salvage!There are two products that have produced fantastic results for me. The first one is called OOPS. You can find it in most hardware stores. It is just great for removing sticky residue like that left behind by tape or labels. It also will remove marker with varying degrees of success but be sure to rub the spot only a couple of times with a paper towel then get a fresh one or you might just end up smearing the marker to other areas. It also works great on glossy book covers and most non-pourous hardback books.For cleaning grimy or heavily soiled plastic or rubber the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (extra strength) are really magic! I usually cut mine into small squares so I have more control over the area I'm cleaning. These sponges seem to work well if you use hot water as opposed to cold water. Besides cleaning plastic and rubber, these sponges are simply unbelievably great in the kitchen. If you have a glass top stove you have to try this product! I just can't say enough about them. Things that would take me 10 minutes to clean now only take a few seconds! It's so nice to find a product that actually does what it claims to do!I hope this guide is helpful. :)
Orignal From: Cleaning plastic and rubber toys and dolls.
Orignal From: Cleaning plastic and rubber toys and dolls.
barbie collectible and how to restore
Restoring barbies is quite easy if you know what to use on her hair and body. I have found a dirty barbie can be easliy cleaned with goo gone, it does not affect the vinyl and then use a light amount of comet to take off light ink and to get oily residue off and ground in dirt. Use your fingers and a little water and rub all over barbie to get out deep grit. The hair is not like our hair, so it needs to be handled differently. Wash the hair in a natural degreaser such as orange product shampoos, it will take out the grime and grit. Then condition with a orange product conditioner . To curl the hair, you will need to boil water, yes boil water, and curl hair with paper ends and curlers for permanents, the small ones work best. Then after boiled, and curled, dip hair in water for about 20 seconds, then immediately dip in ice cold water and take out and let dry. The hair will then be set and can be styled and fixed after dry. Now you have a beautiful barbie, and not much work. thanks for looking. picasimus, collectibles and more savings always.
Orignal From: barbie collectible and how to restore
Orignal From: barbie collectible and how to restore
How to buy a Kenner Blythe (72 KB) Cheaply? Part 2
Prices of the KB girls are rising, as the number of Blythe lovers from Thailand, Europe, Brazil and China etc increases, I observed.There is no quick easy way to get Kenner Blythe Dolls cheaply. Beloware a few things thatmight help you save when buying a Kenner Blythe Doll:Look for Ship to US ONLY auctions. There are estates in the US or doll shows, where collectors can go around and find KB dolls at a better price. Some US sellers only sell to US buyers and the end price of these auctions are always lower because of the elimination of non-US buyers. If you can get a friend in the US to bid and pay for you then ship the doll to you, you might have a chance to get a KB doll at a lower price.Look for badly taken pictures and poor listing. These auctions usually ends with a lower price, but it may also meant that the sellermight purposely take poorer (unclear) pictures where defectscannot be clearly seen. Ask a lot of questions about defects to ensure that you know every defects of the doll before placing final bid. The more questions you ask and the more defects being reviewed in the Q
Orignal From: How to buy a Kenner Blythe (72 KB) Cheaply? Part 2
Orignal From: How to buy a Kenner Blythe (72 KB) Cheaply? Part 2
Precious Moments MUST READ!
The precious moment figurines have continued to drop in price for 18 month now. I actually followed this trend since we collect them. People must understand when listing, either put it at a price that will get bids or waste your money with listing fees. The market is at the bottom now, an all time low, especially in teh last couple months.You see people listing the canoe PM figure for 650.00 saying teh book value is 800.00.....lol.... that figurine has never sold for that amount, and the fact many dont understand, is the book value is 50-70% over rated. meaning they say there worth two and a hlaf times what they will actually sell for. Another prime example, the god loveth a cheerful giver figurine, they always says its the rarest and hard to get, not true, and today i can find 4 on ebay alone, that will sell for under 280.00, this time last year they sold for 4-500. and there always again quoting teh book value of over 2000.00 on them, they never sold for that, best i ever seen was 780. 3 years ago.of course they all come from a smoke free home, there all perfect with no chips and they all have been stored in teh dark out of dust, not likely, some maybe, but few, anyone who has had that piece since 1977 has at one point showed it off in there home. so lets get real with prices if you want to sell, my advice is to keep them, wait til the market rebounds then sell, your giving them away if you sell them now. thanks
Orignal From: Precious Moments MUST READ!
Orignal From: Precious Moments MUST READ!
Baby Dreams Reborn Baby Guide
Don't you just love them? The first time I saw one I fell head over heels in love with it. My me page informs how I learned to make them, this page is about how to choose one when considering a reborn for yourself or another.First, determine how much you want to spend.Staying within your budget can keep you from experiencing buyers remorse. Next be aware that many good artists are lousy photographers. If she offers money back,be willing to take a risk, I did once and the baby was perfect and I kept it.Many artists hire professional photographers to take their pictures. I knew a lady who brought her dolls to a studio each month for photos, now that could give the artist an edge but also make for a pricey baby.Read feedback and ask questions.I make a lot of custom babies , if a person wants a custom of any doll, I create an auction for them and send them the number,so always ask an artist if you don't find the doll you want, she may be willing to make it for you.Reborns come in all price ranges and I have read where the line, you get what you pay for is used but I don't agree. Many times the artist is not trying for a sky high profit and offering a beautiful baby.It is true that the higher the quality of the doll they begin with usually insures a more realistic baby but not always. I like lee Middleton dolls because of the exceptional quality to begin with.I also love the Berenguers because they are tried and true great for reborning dolls.I base my price on what I have invested in the baby and consider any profit a gift of which I'm most grateful to earn.Does belonging to a group make for a better artist? I doubt it. These are clubs and clubs are fun but many good artists are loners because they want to be.Cleanliness is extremely important to me and I would advise looking for that in photos, if the baby comes from a dirty home, the signs are usually there in the photos. I once saw a doll pictured on a filthy sofa and a clear food stain on the blanket, can you imagine.? So look close!When I first began to look at ebay for reborns, I made a list of catagories. Super realistic newborn, beautiful reborn I would be proud to display, lightly reborned ( little more than enhanced)and the insane, like a newborn Linda Webb Emily with 4 inch pigtails on each side of her head! Sometimes going over the list will help you determine just what kind of baby you really want to own.I hope this helps, I will add more later and thanks for reading this, I really appreciate it.Warm wishes,Sarah.Baby Dreams Nursery.
Orignal From: Baby Dreams Reborn Baby Guide
Orignal From: Baby Dreams Reborn Baby Guide
Choosing the right fiberfill to stuff your toy.
Fiberfill is fiberfill right? Not really there are several grades of fiberfill and choosing the wrong grade can give your doll or bear an unexpected feel.There are the eocomy or bargin grades of fiberfill. This fiberfill should be used when you are looking for a firm to hard toy. (The old exceliser stuffed bears would be an example of a hard stuffing.) The advantages of the better quality fiberfill is lost when you stuff to a firm or hard consistency because they cannot expand back like they are designed to so you use more of the expensive fiberfill to accomplish the same effect. These fiberfills cost the least.There arepremiumgrades of fiberfill.These areused the most often and gives a soft but substantial feel. It should be used when you want a squeezablebut firmtoy. These fiberfills cost about half again as much as economy but you will use a lot less in a soft toy so it actually costs less overall.There are ultra grades of fiberfill. The Ultra Slick includes special coatings to make the fibers slide better so it bounces back the most. This is used in those dolls that you can squeeze to almost nothing and they bounce right back. Ever tried to squeeze the whole doll into your hand (most of us have)? These can cost up to twice the cost of eonomy but they are the only way to get the really soft feel. Don't over stuff a little goes a long way!Here is why. The higher quality fiberfills rebound more fully when compressed.This is accomplished by using better materials and special coatings so the fibers rebound and slide better.Beadscan also be used to giveyour doll or bearweight. Be sure to sew them into a double bag and fasten it in the seat of the doll so they do not spill or move around.
Orignal From: Choosing the right fiberfill to stuff your toy.
Orignal From: Choosing the right fiberfill to stuff your toy.
Tips On Becoming a Successful eBay Seller
Each day my morning begins with the newspaper, a cup of coffee and breakfast, and then I open the window to eBay and invite people all over the world to join me.I started selling on eBay in 1998, after retiring from a corporate company and raising my three sons. I was an antique dealer, before I began selling on eBay, and while I was still working an 8 hour job.Beforeselling on the Internet, I had ample time to learn the trade and already had a lucrative business in local antique malls.I can remember my early purchases, as I was learning, what to buy and what would most likely sell, and often I would make a small profit or break even, but I kept trying. Knowing what to buy is the most difficult part of selling antiques and collectibles and it is much more complicated, than selling new items.Knowledge is definitely the key to success in these two categories and also building trust with your clients is of utmost importance. I always am very open and honest with my customers,when buying or selling to them.In the past, I have taken the time to examine their items and give my opinion as to worth of those items they have decided to keep. This is only done, when I am contacted first,and asked to purchase items. I have had people contact me and then ask me the value of their items and conduct their own estate sale. I try to avoid these type of situations, as it is a waste of my time, and very unfair to an antique dealer. When conducting an estate sell, I do not price and buy items, as I feel this is dishonest.Remember when you are dealing with a person, especially if they have lost a loved one, you want to walk away knowing that you have somehow helped them. Many of my contacts have come from referrals.EBay has become part of my family and my daily happiness depends on the kind words and encouragement so many have given me. I try to extendthe same feelings of happiness and satisfaction to my valued buyers.Estate and garage sales are overly populated with people, so you have to shop early and you needto know what you are looking at and the value of the items. While you are trying to make a decision, someone may have already purchased the item you now want, so my advice is prepare yourself with knowledge. Always, closely examine an item. Many people selling items do not tell youif there is damage, so it is your responsibility to closely examine an item.For a new eBay seller, it is best to stay in one area and formalize yourself with that category. I am a seller, who buys in almost all categories, but it takes a great deal of time to learn how to do this.I do not always sell everything and a local charity receives those items and they give me a donation tax receipt.I feel that this is a way I can contribute to the community and also not continue to pay fees on items, which do not sell. When you are first learning how to sell on eBay, do not be too hard on yourself for purchasing the wrong items.This is all part of the learning process.Through the years, I have made many extremely good finds and eBay has allowed me to retire early and work from home. A novice eBay seller, has to work to succeed, so put on your tennis shoes and get going and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. That valuable item everyone is ignoring might be your gateway to wealth.
Orignal From: Tips On Becoming a Successful eBay Seller
Orignal From: Tips On Becoming a Successful eBay Seller
The COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DOLLS-COLEMAN
VOLUME I--1968,, by Elizabeth and Dorothy Coleman.If you don't already have this book, then you definitely need it, if you are interested in Dolls in any way..This is a master book of all kinds and types dolls.. 2000 illustrations and marks, both in color and black and white. This isthe first. There is a Volume Two Enclyopedia that you will surely want after purchasing this one..Entries, in alphabetical order, cover everything, including aChronology, and a section onbodies.It covers German dolls, French dolls and a host of others.. It is about antique dolls and only goes up to 1924 and the Bylo baby.Issue price was 27.50, but you will have to pay more for it now, since it is 38 years old, and fairly scarce to find.. I cannot even imagine anyone undertaking a book of this size today.. The second volume is even larger.I'm sorry.. This was intended as a book review and I got it in the wrong place.. Oh well, maybe it will help you in some way..
Orignal From: The COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DOLLS-COLEMAN
Orignal From: The COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DOLLS-COLEMAN
How to start a Barbie doll collection!
The Barbie Doll Collector, all grown up!What to know when you no longer want to brush her hair and change her outfit. Set your budget! For ten Collector'sEdition Barbies, plan on spending close to $1000. This price could beconsiderably less if you aren't looking for the most desirable dollsand much more if you want pristine, vintage ones. Purchase a Barbie doll identification guide like Barbie Doll Collector's Handbook. Search for Barbie Doll Collector's handbooks available in e-bay! Decide what kind of dolls you are interested in. Do you only wantBarbies from the 60's? Do you want to center your collection around atheme like "Career Barbie," "University Barbie"? This decision mayaffect the number of dolls you are able to purchase based on yourindividual budget. Search for Vintage Barbie on e-bay If your budget is small, you may want to consider purchasing current CollectorEdition Barbies, which run in the $40-$150 range. Below is the LillyPulitzer Barbie, which is currently being sold for a very reasonable$34.98. Barbie is also producing NEW vintage reproductions for around$50. Find Lilly Pulitzer's Barbie on e-bay! If you decide to collect currentBarbie dolls, you will want to join The Barbie Fan Club for $19.99 peryear in order to be able to purchase exclusive dolls onlyavailable to members(currently Rhapsody in New York, below, and The Victorian HolidayBarbie). Do note the Barbie Fan Club membership runs out on December 31of every year regardless of when you joined in that year. Search for Rhapsody in New York Barbie on e-bay! If you go vintage, you will want to purchase a "Buying Guide" like Barbie: The First 30 Years. Vintage Barbies were those produced prior to 1972. Search for a Barbie buying guide on e-bay!
Orignal From: How to start a Barbie doll collection!
Orignal From: How to start a Barbie doll collection!
Dollhouse Miniatures Hard Questions with Simple Answers
Making unusual items for your collection can be challenging, but alot easier than you may think. You just need the right information. Have you ever wondered how to reduce personal photographs and customize them with pictures from your own home and family? A throw away or regular camera is recommended.Arrange your photographs on the ground in direct sunlight.Stand above the arrangement on a chair with your camera.View the photos through your viewfinder for size and take a picture of the arrangement.When you have your film developed, request a matte finish.Cut the pictures out and frame.
Orignal From: Dollhouse Miniatures Hard Questions with Simple Answers
Orignal From: Dollhouse Miniatures Hard Questions with Simple Answers
Ebays DSR problems for low volume sellers
I have noticed that even when I run to the post office immediately following any payment (1/2 hr drive) that I am at the mercy of the delays caused by the shipper and this has been reflected in my shipping time in my DSRs. This isn't really fair for international sellers who have enormous delays in shipping which are caused by border delays and transfer onto the USPS system. International shipping feesare much more costly than US fees. The buyer is very concerned with shiping fees and delays. They are often easily upset about what would cost 3$ to ship across the US within 3 days, but 10$ to ship from Mexico or Canada, or 15$from Australia or UK. Again it appears that ebay is putting all its eggs into the same basket with these 2 DSRs concerning shipping. There is another alert that comes up when ebay assumes a seller is putting a shipping fee in the auction which is too high. How about me for example. I live45 minutes drive from the closest PO. I do NOT use UPS or other carriers due to high volume of loss and dammages I've experienced in the past so I fall victim to high fuel prices and shipping delays because I sure won't go to the PO every day to ship out 1 battery sold with free shipping.I'm not 100% sure, but ebays shipping policy doesn't really reflect on these issues,and for DSRs to drop as much as they do as a result of the 3rd party, it might be something ebay would want to remodel so that sellers dont get burned as bad. Especially the little guy. Since the DSR system has come out and the new feedback system, most sellers rarely see any feedback. People seem to be in fear of leaving it and in some cases they use a positive feedback but hide their nastyness within the DSR system instead of getting informed. Unfair! I say, and I'm sure in time ebay will agree. I thought ebay has diversified into an international system but it still appears that it is all based upon the USA shipping systems. Its gotten to be so bad that handling fees are balked at and expected by the buyer that this fee comes out of the sellers end. who is making the money? Ebay, paypal, shippers, and unless the seller is selling new items in high volume, the flea marketeror garage sale ebayer is suffering...... Now, I am told that the revenue system want to know what us garage sale type ebayers are pulling in so they can tax us? Do you see IRS running around every corner on sundays to see what the Jones's are selling in that days garage sale? Do they tax the USA ebay flea marketers or garage sale types? Why the discrimmination? I'm pretty sure ebay starts letting the IRS into everything we sell then ebay will meet its end. Sellers lets pull together. Under the A-Z index in the S section find Suggestionsn and make them to ebay so they can revanp this idiotic DSR system. All the suggestions are reviewed and ebay will have to make changes.
Orignal From: Ebays DSR problems for low volume sellers
Orignal From: Ebays DSR problems for low volume sellers
Barbie/My scene/Bratz/ what ever doll your into
All little ones love them as well as some parents.Barbie and friends have been around for years. Shopping for them can be easy. Shop for items you can use for more than one thing.such as a doll with an xtra item .This can be used for all dolls in that play session. mix boy dolls and girl dolls. When buying these items shop new and used they can both be a treat. This is something i have done just to share! I have puirchased a basket (cheap) purchase new and used dolls dress them in many colors.Added shoes to the bottom of basket .Added a few candy treats,stickers,and a few $1.00 bills .after a bow and wrap i had a gift for giving. My best freind and i still do this for the holidays. Shop wise for used dolls if you can get the barbie for $1.00 and pay$ 9.00 for shipping did you buy a ten pound barbie? If so shes in need of a diet.
Orignal From: Barbie/My scene/Bratz/ what ever doll your into
Orignal From: Barbie/My scene/Bratz/ what ever doll your into
Crafter's You're NOT Charging Enough!!
As a crafter, sewer, quilter I am AMAZED as I pull up auction after auction and see realhome handcrafted, (not made in a foreign country handcrafted), items being sold for almost zero dollars.You've all seen them. Handmade quilts for $4.99. Sure, we as buyer's love to see bargains like this, however, as a crafter you are shooting yourself in the foot!!I'm assuming because you're selling on eBay you are operating a "business". The object of a business is to make money. A PROFIT if you will. How many of you crafter's can HONESTLY say you are making a profit? Come on now!!Are you one of these crafter's that says "Oh, well, I'd be making them anyway so I don't have to charge much. If I just get the money back that I put in materials I'll be happy." In order for you to get the MONEY BACK that you have in the product you have to charge for more than just the material!You must charge for your LABOR, you must charge for your OVERHEAD (yes! even if you work at home, you have overhead), and you must figure in a PROFIT.Isn't your time worth something?As a crafter charging an hourly wage would be ridiculous. The way to figure a fair labor charge when crafting is to determine a percentage, be it 5%, 10%, whatever, but charge something for your labor.What you spend on OTHER stuff is your overhead. These are your eBay fees, phone (you have internet if you're selling on ebay), electricity, supplies, etc. This can also be figured as a percentage. Again, 5%, 10%, it is for you to determine. The Material, Labor and your Overhead are what equals COST TO MAKE. After you have the Cost to Make you must figure in a PROFIT. The big "P" word. It's not that scary. Pick, again, a percentage, this time a bit higher. 25%, 40% or even 100%. An at home crafter would be doing good to pick at the lower end of the percentage scale to begin with. ARTISTS aren't afraid to put their profit margin at the high end of the scale, WHY are you?So hypothetically here is a formula.MaterialCostsare always the base for your formula and you build from there.Material Costs= $10.00Charge50% for Laboror Half the cost of MaterialLabor =$ 5.00Now Charge 50% for Overhead or Half the cost of the LaborOverhead= $ 2.50 Cost to Make= $17.50Does this surprise you? If it does YOU ARE NOT CHARGING ENOUGH. And, we haven't even added in the PROFIT margin.Once you have theCostto Make total you add inthe PROFIT. I've beendoing good with 50% so we'll stick with that. My math skills are SO....challenged. You will add your own percentage 5%, 10% or whatever the market will bear. Meaning a little bazaar at the local grange hall isn't going to bear a 100% mark-up, but a Craft Booth in big Xmas Show might. Know your market. Cost to Make$17.50 50% =Profit$8.75ADD Together Cost to Make AND Profit $17.50 $8.75 =Retail Selling Price $26.25 NOW YOU NEED A WHOLESALE PRICE.Do you sell directly out of your home. This is what to charge when you don't have eBay fees, craft booth fees, etc. This is what to charge when someone comes knocking on the door, and says, "I hear you sell crafts, I'd like to buy something."Take away acertain percentagefrom the Retail Price.Retail Price $26.25 -25% = Wholesale Selling Price $19.69You'll hear a lot of crafter's doing the 2 Times the amount formula and that works too. BUT you have to do it.From what I am seeing snooping around eBay - most of the crafter's aren't even doing that. If you spend $5.00 on material and sell on eBay for $5.00, you would be PAYING somebody to buy your product. You have eBay fees, you have gas, you have electricity and you have your time. GET IT??? Crafter's you have to start charging more. Charge as much as the market will bear. Oh, Yes! I can hear you. "But nobody will buy if I charge more." Yes, they will. Stop putting your product down. If you're selling on eBay you must think your product is worth something. RIGHT? Then get a fair price for it and selling for what you have in materials IS NOT A FAIR PRICE!Make a spreadsheet. Fill in the formulas and you will know right away what to charge after you put in the Material Cost, because the formula is driven by the Material Cost. AND don't second guess the spreadsheet. It's correct. You might have to play with the formulas for a bit to determine what the market will bear, but you'll eventually come up with a spreadsheet that works well for you and you will be MAKING A PROFIT.Get started TODAY. Charge more for your home crafted product. It's worth it. You deserve to be making more MONEY!Decorator Pillowcase Pattern
Orignal From: Crafter's You're NOT Charging Enough!!
Orignal From: Crafter's You're NOT Charging Enough!!
Packing porcelain Diana dolls
I am writing this Guide only after receiving a total of FIVE (5) broken, smashed-up and completely ruined porcelain Diana dolls.I could re-sell them as broken dolls, but that is not my Way. I strive to sell quality items and get them to the buyers in the same shape I've sold them. Actually, this Guide can be applicable to ANY breakable object. But the Diana dolls, with their beautifully sculpted arms and legs, are especially vulnerable to breakage. With a delicately made porcelain doll, it must be VERY FIRMLY SECURED to its box.. Without a box, It should be put into a comparably-sized box, lest the doll bounce around inside it during all too often rough handling by the Post Office (sorry, USPS, but I've gotten a few too many badly banged-up boxes...If UPS weren't so expensive, I'd go that route, but then buyers wouldn't be happy with the much higher shipping costs. But, then again, you get what you pay for.) THIS is what "handling" is all about. If sending a Diana doll, correct-sized box or no, a great deal of padding MUST be put between the legs so they don't bang about and simply shatter. The delicate arms need extra padding as well. LOTS of bubble wrap, or other soft and protective materials should be used to ensure against breakage. It is a very disappointing thing for a buyer who has been patiently waiting to hear a strange slinking cound, only to open the package, cut a finger on broken china, and then realize their precious investment has been ruined. And SELLERS, espcially those who have not packaged their items as well as they should have, should be willing to work with very disappointed Buyers who wish a partial refund, or some other compensation. A Buyer who is asked to return a broken item,must sacrifice initial shipping and "handling" charges, PLUS the costs to return a broken item...and wind-up with NOTHING. I had a Seller ask me to return a broken doll at my expense, along with the dress the doll came with and rip-off the doll's wig (which I was unable to do). So, I would have wound-up paying double shipping and handling for a shell of a broken-up doll. Needlessly to say, I asked for a rebate of partial costs instead. If you really pack and ship an item very well, you, as a Seller are entitled to ask for a picture of the broken doll before issuing a credit. That is only fair. I hope that this guide was helpful for both Buyers and Sellers. I can see both points of view. But if you are a Seller, make sure your item doesn't have any wiggle or jiggle room if it is breakable. I hope that this guide has been helpful.
Orignal From: Packing porcelain Diana dolls
Orignal From: Packing porcelain Diana dolls
Postage - First Class or Parcel Post
I see so many people charging for parcel post for items weighing 13 oz. or less. Anything up to and including 13 oz. will go first class, it is less than half the cost of parcel post and will go twice as fast. Don't lose sales by overcharging on shipping on small items by using parcel post.
Orignal From: Postage - First Class or Parcel Post
Orignal From: Postage - First Class or Parcel Post
Selling Barbies: What Buyers Really Need to Know...
I have been selling barbies for quite some time now. And have decided my time is done, but before I go I would like to share what I have learned from others and from purchasing Barbies myself before I leave.I have found that people, myselfincluded respond very well to complete honesty when listing and describing Barbies with all the flaws that your Barbie may have. Include Box flaws, Plastic flaws, any you may find...Before you list your item run your fingers over the plastic for any indents, dings or dimples, swirly round marks usually on the sides of the plastic. These detailsarewhat thethe buyer is seeking to find out. Tell them exactly where if any and how many flaws your barbie has. The box itself is just as important. Include a picture of the Back as Well as the front. We would like to see if the back is nice and flat. If the circles are still attached and if any of the box has rips or tears on it anywhere. Is there tape on the box? These are so important, a buyer will respect you if they know exactly what they are bidding on. I myself include a picture of the front, each side of the barbie and the back of the barbie.I list all the flaws I can see, should I miss something and I include this in my auctions I have the pictures there so they can see the barbie they will be bidding on and may find something I over looked. Thats the reason forall the pictures of every angle of my barbies, because I could miss something front sideother sideback2 different boxes bubble wrapped from top to bottom, then side to side. do not be skimpy with wrapping and packing materials. They can and will keep your barbie safe...Another thing I include is the way I will be packing my barbies for the postal system. I use new boxes, when you buy in bulk you can buy 12X18X18 that cut down to three sizes for .89 a piece at packitusa.com on line. The more you buy the less you pay for shipping. I also use bubble wrap and packing peanuts to secure my dolls for shipping. These items I buy on ebay. There are a lot of people who sell these items. I have had 2 boxes get broken during shipping, One lady had told me that when the delivery person was bringing the box to her packing peanuts were coming out of a hole in the new box, but when she opened the box her barbie was in excellent condition due to my packing practices. Another man had purchased 3 Barbies and had a similiar story.both are in my feedback. when he opened the box all 3 barbies were in excellent conditon. They were both very happy returning customers.Insurance is another biggie that people do not add as optional. If your not paying for it why would you not offer it? It not only helps you should something go wrong but it saves the auction, when they are able to retrieve there loss with no problem they are less likely to get angry with you. If I sell something over $60.00 and the person did not purchase insurance, I will go ahead and purchase it myself. I have only had to use it once, but the people were so grateful that they did reimburse me and became repeat buyers andpurchased the optional insurancefor everyfor every auction they won.Good luck to you all and remember honesty go's a long way on ebay.
Orignal From: Selling Barbies: What Buyers Really Need to Know...
Orignal From: Selling Barbies: What Buyers Really Need to Know...
Caring for Antique Teddy Bears and Stuffed Animals
If you are like me, collecting Antique Teddy Bears and Animals has been a very rewarding experience. Not only do you get the pleasure of now owning one of them, but just knowing that these Antique pieces have such rich history from era's long ago. From the well loved toy of a child who found true friendship and love in their piece, to the child who occasionally slept with it for comfort, or the little girl who loved throwing Tea Party's with all her favorite stuffed toys, each piece tells a story. It is now our responsibility to care for and preserve these collectibles for generations to come! There are obviously many ways one of these treasured stuffed toys can become "Well Loved," as so many of us refer to them, when finding them in a deteriorating condition. Looking on the surface (their exterior), its easy to see the mohair loss, the paw pad condition and any rips and tears to their fabric, but since most of us are not restorers, one never really knows what is going on inside of these stuffed toys. Some have been packed away for years in Attics or Basements, or in a paper box, a cedar chest or just left out in the elements where dust, moisture and insects can really do harm to their overall state. In reading a recent *Review* on Caring for your pieces, I read a reviewer stating "How to Care" for insects in a Teddy Bear or Animal, and this is what I want to hopefully address within this review. I am sure all of us who buy these stuffed toys, wants to help continue caring for them for the next generation.Insects are one of those scary aspects that come along with collecting stuffed toys. No one wants to buy a
Orignal From: Caring for Antique Teddy Bears and Stuffed Animals
Orignal From: Caring for Antique Teddy Bears and Stuffed Animals
My twinn mold names
Back in the 90's and in the begining of the 2000's The my twinn company had MANY more molds then they do today about 42. Now in days since my twinn was bought over by Etoys direct they have shortened the amount of facemolds they supply. The fallowing is a list of all the molds that have been created:-Allison-ArielBeatriz-Berkeley-Bernetta-Beth-Caitie-Caitlin-Clemintine-Cookie-Danielle-Denika-Emma-Helen-Josie-Karen-Kate-Kim-Lenora-Lois Luanne-LS Catherine-LS Jessica-LS Kelsey-LS Melissa-LS Tasha-LS Teresa-Lydia-Madalene-Mallory-Micale-Michelle-Nora-Pearl-Rose-Rosemary-Sharon-Tamsen-Vanessa-Whitney-WilmaAnd those are the names of the molds. I hope this helps!* please, when reviewing this guide remember it is ONLY the doll names. There are not supposed to be pictures.
Orignal From: My twinn mold names
Orignal From: My twinn mold names
Buying Waldorf dolls: a beginner's guide by a dollmaker
"Waldorf" refers to a style of handmade cloth dolls that originated in Germany and have become popular here in the U.S. because of their classic, child-friendly design. There are Waldorf dolls for all ages, from infants to grown-ups. What makes them similar is how they are made. Each Waldorf doll is handmade, so each one is unique. They are designed to encourage children's creativity: their faces are hand-embroidered and simple to allow children's imagination to give the doll whatever facial expression their play calls for. Generally, all of the materials Waldorf dollmakers use are organic. Each doll is stuffed with high-quality wool that holds the body heat of anyone who hugs it. Sometimes, a little packet of herbs (lavender, etc.) is put inside with the wool to give the doll a soft, comforting smell. The doll's "skin" is made of a special type of cotton that is incredibly soft and comes in a range of tones, from very fair to dark brown. Perhaps the most unique part of Waldorf dolls is their hair: dolls for babies often have the hair embroidered onto their head, while dolls for toddlers and older children have hair made of mohair wool. Mohair is thick yet soft, and very durable, allowing it to last for years without damage. Because it is too unruly to be brushed, some dollmakers style their dolls' hair permanently in braids, ponytails, or other styles that will prevent tangles. Waldorf dolls' hair can be curly or straight, short or long. Since the Waldorf philosophy promotes racial awareness and empathy, Waldorf dolls can be made to resemble any ethnicity--one of the latest hair styles available are dreadlocks. Waldorf dolls come in a wide range of prices, depending on what type of doll you buy. The classic Waldorf doll is designed for ages 4 and is 16" tall. It generally runs anywhere from $50-$80, both on and off ebay. To make sure you are buying a high-quality Waldorf doll, here are some details to look for and questions to ask: Does the dollmaker have experience? Check the seller's feedback to make sure other buyers have been happy with their dolls. Ask for photos of the seller's other dolls: a more skilled dollmaker will have consistently cute, well-designed dolls. Just because a seller hasn't sold a Waldorf doll before (and so doesn't have feedback) doesn't mean the doll won't be well-made, though, so look for these clues: Has the dollmaker used high-quality materials (wool rather than polyester stuffing, mohair yarn rather than polyester/cotton yarn)? The most difficult part of making a Waldorf doll is the hair, so check that as a quick clue to whether you're dealing with a novice: make sure it's not too thin, or lop-sided. A doll from a more skilled dollmaker will generally last longer than a beginner's doll because someone with experience with Waldorf dolls will know the tricks to make the doll more durable. Dolls that are made to last are often "double-stitched," so check for that in the description or ask the seller. If you're buying a doll for an infant, make sure that the doll does not have mohair yarn for its hair, as that can "shed" fuzzies in your baby's mouth if s/he chews on it; look for embroidered hair instead. Most importantly, though, just make sure the doll's cute! If you want a hair or skin color that you can't find among what's being sold, ask a seller if s/he will make a doll especially for you. The seller can post a "buy it now" so that you can pay in advance, allowing the dollmaker to buy the materials needed. Since some types of hair are more expensive than others, you might pay a bit more, but it will be worth it. If you want to commission a doll for a child's birthday or Christmas, be sure to begin contacting sellers well in advance to allow enough time for them to get the materials (which often must be ordered online) and sew the doll and its clothes. I recommend allowing at least a month, just to be safe. Some sellers may not do customized dolls on a regular basis but will sew one for you if you give them enough notice so that they can clear their schedule. That is my own policy, since I usually concentrate on one doll at a time and want to ensure adequate time to concentrate on the doll you request; dolls made in a hurry are never as well-sewn! Some parents like to ask for dolls that match their child's eye, hair, and skin color; those dolls can be very special for a child. Having a beautiful doll that looks like a child can help him or her feel beautiful in return; and having a doll made "just for me" can make a child feel special and important. That's one of the reasons I love making dolls. If you would like me to make a doll especially for your child, please e-mail me. Knowing I am making a doll for a certain child isextra-special for me! I also would like to make a variety of dolls (different ethnicities,hair styles, etc.) but I can't know what people want unless they tell me, so please do, even if it's just a general heads-up e-mail to let me know what types of dolls you and your friends would like to see being sold. My personal dollmaking experience: I began sewing when I was ten, both by hand and on the machine. My mother and her mother are both skilled seamstresses (my grandmother sews clothes, and my mother quilts), so I've had good teachers. I made little sock dolls when I was younger, then spent years hand-quilting. I began making Waldorf dolls six months ago and fell in love with the process. I love kids and sewing, and dollmaking combines those two things perfectly! I use an old Singer machine (the old ones are the best!) to sew the parts of the doll that require the strongest stitches, since a machine can produce smaller, tighter stitches than even very experienced seamstresses's hands can. All of the embroidery I do by hand, however, as well as stuffing the doll, most of the wig-making, and sculpting the doll's head. I double-stitch wherever possible (double-stitching involves sewing something together twice, so that if one thread breaks, another is there to hold the clothtogether). And, of course, I use the Waldorf materials I described above (sheep's wool, mohair yarn, etc.). Below are two photos of dolls I have sold: the first is the classic 16" doll, and the second is a doll designed for young infants. You can see the difference in hair types(one is curly mohair, the second is embroidered).
Orignal From: Buying Waldorf dolls: a beginner's guide by a dollmaker
Orignal From: Buying Waldorf dolls: a beginner's guide by a dollmaker
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)