Dolly Report: Monster High Spectra
As mentioned in my last Monster High post, I found a Spectra (daughter of ghosts) recently at Kohls. She was 30.00 plus tax, but all in all, I’m glad I picked her up when I did. I haven’t seen her in any stores since!!!
I was on the fence about Spectra based on promo pictures. Something just seemed ‘odd’ about her. I must say, she looks much better in person. The see-through hands and feet look really cool and her eyes are quite popping. Here’s a few owner pictures of Spectra. (Please note: These are my photos– they are not to be posted elsewhere or edited without my permission.)
As you can see, Spectra has a purple color scheme going throughout her whole attire. She comes with a purse and her pet.
Here’s a close up of her face. She definitely looks older than some of the other dolls, but if you think about her storyline (ie: daughter of a ghost), her body type and face make more sense. Her angular face makes her look more like the ghost she’s supposed to be. Her make up is perfect and really stands out in photos.
Her outfit is really cute! I like the skirt a lot!
And the cool footwear (or kick ass footwear, as my mom would say) trend continues with Spectra. Notice in this shot how her legs go from light purple to see-through. I love that effect. Mattel did really well with making Spectra look ‘ghostly’.
Spectra’s pet ferret. He stands pretty well on her arm, leaning against her body, but does not stand on his own. I wish they’d designed him with more of a base so that you could just stand him by Spectra, as opposed to having him have to lean on something.
This post wouldn’t be complete without some photos of Spectra and the Monster High Gang…
According to the Monster High journals, Spectra is a gossip. She would say that it isn’t her fault if people don’t notice her, especially if she’s invisible! Here, I tried to make it look like Spectra was spying, whoops, over-hearing Frankie and Cleo’s conversation!
With so few guys in the Monster High line, they seem to get around! Holt is no better than Deuce! I love pairing Holt with the more subdued dolls, like black and white Frankie. His orange always makes a great contrast with dolls like Spectra and Frankie!
And my favorite shot of the photoshoot. For some reason, this really reminds of me Gone with the Wind. Don’t they look cute together?!
All in all, I like Spectra. She adds a new, fun element to the line and her see-through limbs are fantastic! Kudo’s to Mattel on making a very cool doll. What do you think of Spectra? Let us know! Leave a comment and for instant updates, subscribe to the blog!
Dolly Report: New Skipper Sets
Back in 2003, Barbie’s original sister Skipper was discontinued. I believe the official statement said something about her attending ‘boarding school’. This post is dedicated to the new line of Skipper dolls that have started popping up since 2010!
Camping Skipper: Debuting in 2010, Camping Skipper is such a cutie. She has side-glancing blue eyes, blonde hair with pink highlights, and is dressed in a long purple shirt, silver belt, and shiny capri jeans. Skipper has molded elbows and knees, and is slightly shorter than Barbie.
(Long shot borrowed from Amazon.com)
I love the side-glancing eyes on this Skipper and her outfit really is rocking! I would wear it! As far as Skippers go, I love that Mattel decided to introduce Skipper as a pre-teen/tween, instead of her 2003 older teen self.
Sisters Skateboard Set with Skipper and Kelly (oops, Chelsea!): This set includes two dolls, Skipper and Kelly. Kelly comes with a scooter and helmet, while Skipper comes with a skateboard, helmet, and Ipod/headphones . What is unique to these new 2010 Skippers is that they are brunette! (Early prototypes and even the illustrations on box show a blonde Skipper.) The only thing I miss is the side-glancing eyes ‘Camping Skipper’ had– these look straight ahead.
(Long shot borrowed from Amazon.com)
A user photo of the Skipper doll… I quite like the brunette on Skipper.
Beauty Fun Bathroom Set: This set includes Skipper in her nightgown, along with a bathroom mirror and sink set. While prototype images show this doll as a blonde, she comes only with Brunette hair, this time with purple highlights.
I love the layout of the furniture and cardboard cut-outs of Stacie and Kelly (oops– Chelsea)!
Apologies for the crummy pictures! I haven’t opened this set yet, because I don’t have space to display it! (I know, that doll room needs to come pronto!) However, this Skipper doesn’t disappoint! I really do like the head mold they are using on these dolls. It’s not ‘inflated’ like the current Barbie line and fits really well with the pre-teen/tween body mold!
I’ll keep you posted on any new Skippers I see on store shelves and of course, if you see one, let me know!!!!! Follow the blog via e-mail subscriptions for up to the second updates! Thanks for hopping by!
Dolly Report: Polly Pocket (G1)
Originally created by Bluebird Toys, G1 Polly Pockets debuted in 1989 and ran for ten successful years. Seen as the girls answer to ‘Mighty Max’, the concept of Polly Pocket was simple and super cute. Polly came in a compact case that when opened looked like a house, diner, safari home, pet shop, vet– you name it, Polly had it… Polly and her friends, hard plastic figures less than an inch tall, fit perfectly in the tiny environment! The compacts came in all shapes and sizes, just like the Polly and her friends came in different outfits, colors, and hair styles.
While not exactly a ‘doll’, I grew up on Polly Pockets. How can you not adore them? The miniature environments and figures are just too cute. Plus, they’re easy to store. Mine currently reside in a bag hiding by my dresser, waiting until I get a shelf to display them.
In 1990, Bluebird was bought by Mattel, who changed Polly a lot. Mattel began making her out of a more pliable plastic, made her a bit taller, and gave her rooted hair in some cases. My personal preference will always lean towards liking the originals more than the current re-incarnation (G3). While the current line is cute (and I do own a few), the mini’s have charm that the large ones just don’t have. Plus, they have the added benefit of being easy to store/display!!! (Can I stress that enough?!)
I took my Polly’s out for a bit today for a few quick photoshoots. Here’s what came out of it!
This is one of my favorite sets! It’s stage area is really well done and I love the piano player!
I like this hat shop playset, as well! The Polly is really cute! The detail is great, too! Notice the paint brushes and paint on the base by Pollys’ feet!(At least, I think it’s the hat shop playset!)
This set was swimming themed. Notice the bathing suits and the beach ball!
Polly playsets even included fun moving pieces and differently shaped figures, like these kids!
A few more photo’s are posted on my Flickr account (link on sidebar). Are you a Polly Collector? Do you have a fun Polly memory? Share it below! As always, thanks for checking out the blog! Subscribe via e-mail for fantastic auto updates!
Dolly Report- Jem and the Holograms
As promised, I’ve started up my Dolly Reports! What doll line graces us with its presence this week? Jem and the Holograms!
Back in 1985, Hasbro had an idea for a doll line about a female musical group with truly outrageous fashions. This group would soon be known as Jem and the Holograms! To market their doll line, Hasbro used something that was very popular back in the 80′s– cartoons.
The Jem and the Holograms cartoon debuted October of 1985 and ran for 65 episodes! It’s hard to give a good description of the show (for me anyways!), but I’ll try! The show follows Jerrica Benton, owner of Starlight Music and the Starlight Home for Girls, as she tries to outwit conniving record producer/rival Eric Raymond. Eric is set on putting Starlight Music out of business and in order to do so, employs ‘The Misfits’, a wild rock group. To combat ‘The Misfits’, Jerrica uses holographic earrings to turn into Jem, lead singer of Jem and the Holograms! Together with her friends Kimber, Aja, and Shana, the band has to outwit Eric and The Misfits, while dealing with their own obstacles! One of the best things about Jem and the Holograms is that the storylines usually crossover into multiple episodes. Not to forget the music in the series!
The Jem Doll line is known for a few things. First off, they’re known for some truly outrageous fashions. Fashions are usually pretty flashy and bright. Secondly, they’re know for some wild hair. Jem/Jerrica has a mix of pink/white blonde hair, while her hologram friends have colors as out there as blue, purple, and bright red! Personally, I love the hair colors. It adds a neat element to the dolls! Last, the doll line is known for their facepaint and size. Jem dolls are taller and thicker than your typical Barbie doll. They have a different look and each has unique make up. Funnily enough, the make up doesn’t match the make up in the cartoons. It would have been interesting to see a doll that modeled the cartoon look.
The doll line ran through 1987 and grew to encompass a grand number of dolls, including two hologram, misfits, and Rio lines, secondary characters like Danse, Synergy, and Video, various playsets, including the Rock’n Roadster, and even Starlight girls Ashley, Ba-Nee, and Krissy! Prototypes for season three characters ‘The Stingers’ were created, but never mass produced due to the cancelation of the line. (Too bad, as the prototypes looked GREAT!)
This Christmas, I made it a goal to ask for more Jem and the Holograms dolls. You see, while I am a product of the 80′s, I only received one during their original run. That one being a first edition Jerrica/Jem with light up earrings. A few years back I found a Shana at a toy show. At JemCon 2007, I picked up my first Misfit, Pizzazz, and Jems boyfriend, Rio! My mom, who is fantastic about listening to Christmas/Birthday idea’s, ran with the Jem and the Holograms idea and ended up wrapping up a second generation Kimber and Aja for me!!!
My collection is not complete by far, but the fact that I have the complete Jem and the Holograms (minus season 2′s Raya) makes me pretty happy! Next up on my Jem wishlist? Stormer, Synergy, and the Rock’n Roadster!
Here’s a bit of photo-spam of my dolls!
There are some great resources for Jem info on the web. ‘Totally Jem’ is a great resources and still gets updated on a frequent basis! And don’t forget the great, creative people who OOAK Jem dolls, like JemGirl!
Do you have a Jem collection or have fond memories of the cartoon/doll line line? Leave a comment and share!
Like this:
Dolly Report: Tonner’s Captain Jack Character Figure
Want to see pictures of Tonner’s Character Figure of Torchwood/Doctor Who’s Captain Jack? Here they are!
Jack stands at about 17″ tall and is limited to 2000 units. He’s fully articulated and stands and holds poses really well.
The dolls likeness to actor John Borrowman is fantastic. They definitely got it right in the most important area– the eyes. In my opinion that is the key to getting a characters likeness and Tonner did it.
Jack is dressed in his Torchwood attire and from what I can tell, the outfit is high quality. I love the suspenders, even if they hide under the jacket. When Jack arrives, his jacket will be tied up tight, like a robe. Don’t leave it like that. It looks weird. It might have been nice if they had a hidden snap inside the jacket so you could close the jacket and see the inside shirt, but odds are, like me, you’ll just want to keep the jacket open.
His only accessory is his watch. This comes separate and needs to be put on him, which may take a minute or two, but it definitely completes the look. (No severed Doctor’s hand, I’m afraid!)
A quick sidenote– his hand are really big, even for his large size. They could have made them a tinsy bit smaller.
A long shot, so you can see the ‘overall’ look. I think it all goes together rather nicely.
To end this dolly report, here’s a shot of the box. Look who’s also pictured with Jack and Gwen… If Ianto ever does get made (which as of this writing has not been announced) and he looks as good as Jack does, well, I think I may just need to add him to my collection!
Dolly Report: Little Miss No Name
This weeks Dolly Report is on a doll that to me is adorable, but to the vast majority of the people I’ve shown her to, well, she seems to freak them out.
Little Miss No Name (LMNN) was released in 1965 by Hasbro. Designed by Deet D’Andrade (who also designed of the Blythe dolls), LMNN is 15″ tall with rooted blond hair, enormous (Keane Style) eyes, and round cheeks.
She wears a brown burlap sack with two patches sewn on it. Originally, she came with a headband for her hair, a safety pin to hold her burlap outfit together, and white undies. If you lift her arms, her hands are molded in such a way that you can assume she might be asking for money.
The neatest part about LMNN’s design is her tear. Early LMNN’s came with a hole right above their eye where you would insert a peg ended tear. Later throughout her single year run, the hole would be lowered a bit and eventually removed all together.
The Keane-eyes on LMNN are the most endearing feature on this doll. Ironically enough, that is the feature that most of the people who have seen her find freaky. There are some scary looking dolls out there– a dirty, scraggly haired LMNN isn’t the prettiest thing around. (If you find yourself with a doll like that, it’s usually easily fixable if you give her a good washing and give her a decent haircut/hairwash)!
It is rare to find a LMNN mint in a box for less than triple digits. Actually, I’ve never seen that happen– ever. I recommend watching Ebay and checking frequently for dolls up for auction. You can pick up a doll in decent shape for upwards of $50 in most cases.
And that concludes this weeks Dolly Report. Check back next week for another Dolly Spotlight.
Dolly Report: Hujoo Wings
Almost two years ago, I became aware of a new line of dolls called Hujoo’s. Hujoo’s are similar to Asian ball jointed dolls, because they wear removable wigs and removable eyes. The difference between most Hujoo’s and BJD’s is the fact that most commonly you’ll see Hujoo’s made from ABS Plastic and not resin. Hujoo’s do come in resin, but I personally have seen more made from ABS.
Happily, I received my first Hujoo this Christmas season! As with most BJD like dolls, I have her a cool, hip name– Kyp. Kyp is a Hujoo Wings with an immature body. Wings look slightly less alien than the original Hujoo’s, in my opinion. The main keypoint in their face are their big Little Miss No Name/Blythe type eyes.
I recommend you check out the Hujoo website at http://www.hujoo.kr/ and for those who want to order from a site within the US, check out http://www.junkyspot.com.
Dolly Report: Skipper, Barbie’s Little Sister
A Dolly Report on: Skipper Barbie’s Little Sister
We all know the history of Barbie. ‘Born’ in 1959, she was made by Ruth Handler after a quick trip to Germany where Ruth saw a Bild Lilli doll that would inspire her to create a similar doll named ‘Barbie’ after her daughter, Barbara.
Then, shortly after, we had ‘Ken’. It was match made in heaven as the two love birds found each-other in 1961.
And now, to the star of this Doll Report, ‘Skipper‘. Skipper came out in 1964 as a little sister to Barbie. Skipper was made to appease the audience who thought Barbie was too mature and womanly for their young ones to play with.
Skipper is my favorite doll and is the collection I put above all my others. her appeal is instant. With the vintage dolls, you instantly notice the beautiful face and the three (though I would argue that she had far more) shades of hair (Brunette, Blonde, and Titan). Vintage Skipper is proper and fun all in one combination.
Vintage Skippers can also fetch a hefty price on the second hand market, depending on condition, but for those who don’t mind a ‘fixer upper’, I’m sure you can find one for a decent price. One of my favorite Skippers is the Japanese Market Skipper. She has eyes are that drastically different from the other markets. Her eyes look more like the traditional dolls made in Japan at that time, side glancing and painted with black paint. She’s very hard to find and very expensive, but is so pretty that she’s definetly worth it for a collector!
The 80′s and early 90′s Skipper, also known as the ‘Big Eyed’ Skipper is a favorite of mine, as well. I grew up with that Skipper and most in my collection are ones came from birthday parties and christmases. The ‘Big Eyed’ headmold came out around 1988 with the ‘Teen Fun’ line. The ‘Teen Fun Line’ is an adorable line of dolls and actually includes two of the few Skipper dolls to have an eye color other than blue! Of the three dolls, one has blue eyes, one has purple eyes and one has pretty brown eyes. Odd, right? I think so.
Through out the 90′s and early 2000′s, we saw more new molds for Skipper. In 2003, we saw our last Skipper for a while (Rio Di Jenario) before she was sent off to ‘Boarding School’.
This little stop actually helped me a bit, as it gave me time to catch up on the vintage dolls without having to worry about new issues. Course, it also makes you notice how expensive each older doll can be and how nice it was to be able to walk into Toys R Us and pick up a new doll on the spot!
Thankfully, Mattel heard us collectors and came out with a Skipper to celebrate Barbie’s 50th. She looks younger than she did before she went to boarding school, but, let me tell you, I adore this doll and hope they make more with this mold/body. Camping Skipper has great hair, blonde with purple highlights and a great looking face.
And there you have it… More info on specific Skippers is sure to be posted sometime, but for now, this is all for the Dolly Report.
