Vintage Barbie Dolls And More - A Fabulous Display

I made the time to go for a long-awaited, much-needed visit earlier this month with my very dear old friends up in Camino, and while I was there, we also went downtown (to Placerville) so we could have lunch and cram in a wee bit of shopping in our short time allotment that day. We ended up splitting up, and I headed straight for the antique shops (there are no thrift stores on Main Street!).
One of the shops I visited was  Empire Antiques (I hope I have the right place), and when I came upon these wonderful displays, I just HAD to snap some photos so that I could share them with you here!
First of all - a LOT of vintage Barbie, Midge, Ken and other dolls:

It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, and honestly I didn't even look at any of the price tags because I had no money to spend on vintage dolls or clothing for myself!
 I can't usually afford to buy vintage Barbies anyway - you can see some of the prices, here. They're just nearly always too "spendy" for my thrift shop budget!

But the displays! The rooms were large and all set up behind Plexiglass or something.
 I don't know whether this was something that had previously been in a collector's home, but I'm just assuming so.
I mean - they were fabulous!
Check out the kitchen:

All of the women and children are busy in the kitchen - so cute!

Oh, is that hubby sitting in an easy chair in the other room?
Gee - does that seem familiar to anyone?
What a delightful Christmas scene, though - preparing to have dinner in the dining room:

And I had to take a picture of this set-up, as well - with the sort of "mod" look furniture, and such.

I was extremely impressed with this vendor's doll display, as I'm sure you can tell by my post!
Sorry I did not get great photos of it all, but there was not a lot of light, and I was using my phone, and had the reflections to deal with, etc. I did my best!
I hope I have more time next time I go, and if I have any money I can afford to spend, I will take another look at those price tags!

Happy Halloween From Barbie And Skipper

Wishing you a very Happy Halloween.......

....one that is only as spooky and scary as you want it to be!

 Perhaps your Halloween will be spent waiting for trick-or-treaters at the window with your Jack O' Lantern, like Barbie, Skipper and Scooter here on the cover of this Barbie magazine from 1965.
Happy haunts and a bit of the BOO to you!

Barbie Dress Up Day #21 Swingin' Easy

Today's Barbie post is all about "Swingin' Easy:

I spotted a Barbie inside of a case at one of the local thrift shops. The Barbie was not vintage, but the dress she was wearing was! I happily brought her home, because I would have paid more than the asking price for just the dress alone. Here's my vintage Barbie modeling it for you:

And here's Midge wearing the blue "Let's Dance" dress:

And now, the two together; aren't they a pretty pair?

Midge and Barb: best friends forever....

Barbie Dress-Up Day #20 Found In The Case

I could not believe it when I walked into one of my favorite thrift shops and found this vintage Barbie case with a price tag on it that said $1.49. Are you kidding me?

There were also quite a few clothes inside. Not vintage ones, but hey - when the case was so inexpensive, who am I to complain about what's inside? 

Blonde Barbie, below, is rocking the pretty pink floral bell bottoms:

 

She looks pretty cool, right?

My vintage redhead Barbie, below, is modeling a mini-skirt and striped pullover. 

I'm not sure how I feel about her in the "mod" looking clothes:

What I DO know is that I was pretty happy when I spied that carrying case!

Barbie Patterns, Old And New

I love these old Barbie patterns!

View "C' in the pattern above is made from a handkerchief. Cute, right?

And, as for the new Barbie patterns? Well, you might want to consider picking up a copy of this book:

"Hankie Couture", written by Marsha Greenberg and published last year by Running Press. The dresses and outfits she created for fashion dolls like Barbie out of vintage handkerchiefs are nothing short of spectacular! I had a 60% off coupon for JoAnn's, and I decided I wanted a book and I was so happy to find this one there! Marsha's creations are wonderful. They just make me smile, that's all.

Barbie Dress-Up Day #19 In A Gathered Skirt

I found this Barbie at a thrift store, and I bought her mostly because she was wearing three pieces of vintage clothing. Mind you, this kind of find doesn't happen for me very often, and I love vintage Barbie clothes! I wrapped a vintage handkerchief around her for a top/scarf combo, because I can't get to the rest of my Barbie clothes right now.

She came with this "Gathered Skirt":
And also a jacket - like the one you see here as part of the "Resort Set"

The third thing she was wearing was this white under-dress from the "Friday Nite Date" outfit:

It was yellowed with age, and it needs a bit of mending, but I just soaked it with a few other white things in a mild bleach solution, and it came out looking great. I'm happy to have it!

Barbie Dress-Up Day #18 Bride's Dream

Barbie and Ken today, shown here wearing all that I have of the "Barbie's Dream" wedding ensemble and Ken's "Tuxedo":
Below, you see a good example of why you should make sure that you know what is in the background when you are shooting a photo. No, Barbie did not have a crown of leaves on her head (as you can see in the slightly different first shot). But then again, for perhaps an autumn wedding, that might not be such a bad idea, right?

And here is a photo of the same outfit, from one of my Barbie books:

So pretty.

Barbie Dress Up Day #17 For Love Of The Ornaments

I was so happy that I was able to pick up some of the 2011 Hallmark ornaments after Christmas for 50% off! The only ones I collect are the ones with the vintage outfits on - I love them! So, for "Barbie Dress Up" today, I had to do the best I could - I don't have Ken's "Campus Hero" outfit, but I do have a blonde Ken (not the fuzzy-hair one, though!)

And I don't have the brunette bubble-cut Barbie, either, so I had to settle for a wig. I have the red suit, but it is looking pretty ragged. (Hey - I did the best I could!)

Here she is from one of the vintage booklets:
Since I don't have the real vintage clothes for him, here's a photo of Ken wearing the outfit instead - nice!
And here are two images of "Campus Hero" from the booklets, as well:
If only I owned more of the vintage clothes, I'd be more than happy to share them with you!

Barbie Dress-Up Day #16 More Handmade Fashions

Today's Barbie post is all about home made fashions. The only example I have of a crocheted or knitted item like some of those I'm featuring today is this Tyrolean-looking outfit:

In the one below, Barbie is ready to travel - with luggage that matches her hair!

Barbie and her beau Ken, all set to go ice skating (with Skipper!), or out for a stroll in their pretty green knits:
Stylish separates, including ponchos, one with a cute matching hat!
Skipper will stay nice and warm in her lovely coats:

An advertisement from 1965:
Here's a full shot of Barbie in her outfit. She's quite the fashionista, really - and I believe I heard her whisper something about not being caught dead in this get-up:

Sorry, Barb - I only bought it because my name is Heidi, and I thought it was cute.

Barbie Dress-Up Day #15 Ken In Training

Ken has the right idea - lift those weights, build those muscles:

I should be doing some of that, myself!

Barbie Dress Up Day #14 Skipper's Skating Fun

No Barbie this time - it's Skipper's turn today - in her "Skating Fun" outfit.
Here she is again, below, wearing it on the cover of this vintage Barbie magazine.
I saw the magazine in a shop window on Thanksgiving when Lori and I walked downtown after dinner to do some window shopping. I went back just two days ago, and I thought for sure it was gone, but I looked all over the store and found it! See - it waited there just for me. How often does THAT happen?

I do not remember how old I was when I received my blonde Skipper doll for Christmas. I was so happy! I loved her. I think I got the doll in her box wearing her little red and white bathing suit , and then I was also given one outfit - "Skating Fun". The doll and outfit you see here are NOT my originals from back then.
You see, this story has a sad twist. We three girls went out to play that nice Christmas day, and I took my Skipper with me.
But then I LEFT HER OUTSIDE.
And our dog bit her arm off at the elbow.
I know.
I don't even want to think about how much trouble I got into. I believe I may have deleted it from my memory.
Yet, somehow - I think my beloved doll losing her arm before she even had a chance at life was somehow punishment enough for me.
Many years later, I found another Skipper, and I found the skating outfit, too. Naturally, I had to make them mine. I just realized that you can't really tell it in my photos, but this doll does have both of her arms intact.
(P.S. I'm sorry I was so careless with you all those years ago, Skipper. I truly am.)