Archive for June, 2006
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Since its debut at the American International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959, Barbie dolls have become a part of life of almost every girl in the world, especially in the United States of America. Girls like to keep their favorite doll always with them and treat it just in a manner as if it were a living being. Barbie doll house gives the Barbie collectors a chance to have their Barbie dolls in the houses, with all furnishings and accessories. There is Quick Build Barbie doll house (Readymade) as well as Plywood Barbie Doll house Kits available in the market. Barbie doll house is different from other scale dollhouses. Barbie doll house is specially proportioned for fashion (Barbie) dolls. It is also referred as a play-scale dollhouse. These dollhouses are apt for elegant Barbie dolls.
A Barbie doll house further adds beauty to the already attractive Barbie dolls. It gives the right ambience in which the beauty of the Barbie toy is significantly reflected. They not only give an opportunity to the enthusiastic collectors to cherish the memories of their Barbie dolls but also to value and take pleasure in their display. The Barbie doll house must be chosen taking into consideration, the height of the concerned Barbie toy.
June 9th, 2006
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On March 9, 1959, the American International Toy Fair witnessed the debut of Barbie, the world’s most famous and best-selling doll. This date is also marked as Barbie’s official birthday. This beautiful doll is manufactured by Mattel, Inc.
Totally Hair Barbie, also known as “Ultra Hair Barbie” outside the US, out in 1992 is the highest-selling Barbie doll. Barbie and her accessories are produced to about 1/6th scale. Ruth Handler is said to be the “creator” of the Barbie doll.
The first Barbie doll was dressed in a black-and-white “zebra-striped” swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail with tightly-curled bangs. There were blonde Barbie dolls as well as brunette Barbie dolls available. Passage of time saw different hair styles and colors of Barbie. Barbie’s exaggerated proportions have always been an issue for her critics. Changing fashion trends have resulted in adjustments to Barbie’s proportions, but still many people feel that the present Barbie doll body is unusual of most women. It is claimed that approximately three Barbie dolls are sold every year.
In fiction, Barbie has been given a fuller name, Barbara Millicent Roberts, and a family and a group of friends. She had been dating her beau Ken since 1961. However, after 43 years of courtship, on February 12, 2004, Mattel spokespeople announced the break up of Barbie and Ken.
Several occupations have been taken up by Barbie like Olympic athlete, Paleontologist, Doctor, Astronaut, Fashion Designer, Politician, Rock star, Firefighter, McDonald’s employee.
Her clothes have been designed by many designers over the years. “Colored Francie”, the first of Barbie’s black friends, made its debut in 1967. But it was soon discontinued. In 1992, a talking version of Barbie, named “Teen Talk Barbie”, was released.
June 9th, 2006
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Doll collecting in general as a hobby has lived for well over 100 years. Collectors in huge numbers amassed antique and vintage dolls and dolls intended for children. However, the phenomenon called collectible dolls i.e. dolls especially made for enthusiastic adult collectors not for children’s play, really took hold in the 1980s.
The value of the collectible dolls is greatly determined by its condition. Attractive collectible dolls presented in an original unopened box bring in more money than the ones not presented in their original costumes or accessories. Reputation of the artist and the limited edition numbers also act as major factors in determining the cost of collectible dolls.
Collectible dolls market has not yet witnessed any economic downturn, at least since 1980s. Growing market and increasing profits are as if the permanent features of the collectible doll market. However, bankruptcy of reputed old doll companies such as Effanbee and Knickerbocker is just a tip of the iceberg of the growing adverse effects of economic downturn on collectible doll market.
Creative ideas, Limited Editions and effective marketing system are a few of the measures the doll companies can take to deal with the present economic downturns. For example, it is the effective marketing which played a major role in the success of Barbie dolls.
June 9th, 2006
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The world’s most famous Doll House is Queen Mary’s dolls’ house. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, for Queen Mary. At Windsor Castle, England, it is a tourist attraction, especially to people with an interest in miniature houses and furniture. It was made on a scale of 1:12 and everything in the house is perfection with running water, a full electricity supply and a working lift.
Dolls’ houses are available in as many designs as their full size counterparts. It may be a simple metal Triang mock Tudor houses of the 1930’s or modern Doll House and replicas of various styles and architectures throughout history. Infact, Doll Houses and miniatures is the second biggest hobby in the United Kingdom. In the 17th and 18th centuries Doll Houses were generally made on commission by cabinet makers for affluent patrons.
Open room and shop examples of miniatures made without roofs and frontages just include simple room settings such as a kitchen that can then be fitted with furnishings with all the pots, pans and moulds that would have been found in a kitchen of the period.
After having acquired a Doll House, the actual fun starts in spending time in looking out pieces of the same period as the house ensuring the scale is correct. The selection is endless with wooden, plastic and metal furniture and miniatures. This hobby has boomed from the 1960’s. The Doll House furniture of the 20th century is much prolific and affordable.
June 9th, 2006
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Doll house furniture is the best way to customize a doll house according to one’s own whims and fancies. It gives the doll house the look and the surroundings one has in mind. The era in which the doll house is based is actually reflected in the doll house furniture. Doll house furniture has got as many as varieties that are available in the sphere of real furniture. We have oak doll house furniture, walnut doll house furniture, pine doll house furniture, cherry doll house furniture, mahogany doll house furniture and even unfinished doll house furniture which gives the collector an option of painting or staining himself.
Doll house furniture is readily available to be directly kept inside the doll house. Bespaq is the leading name in the list of Doll house furniture manufacturers. One can procure Bespaq doll house furniture only though authorized dealers and not directly from the factory. An enthusiastic collector has to be very careful in buying furniture, as there are many imitations of original Bespaq doll house furniture in the market. Doll house furniture must be in proportion to the scale of the doll house. A lot of work is done on doll house furniture. The designs and curves on the doll house furniture are a result of a lot of labor. Proper care must be taken, since they are very delicate and can get damaged easily.
June 9th, 2006
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Doll house plans are your guide when you decide to make your doll house yourself. They are the actual layout of the dollhouse that tells you what will be made where. Making of a doll house may not be possible without the doll house plans.
However, to make a doll house from the doll house plans may not be that easy task for you. Particularly, for the people who are trying them for the first time, doll house plans can be very demanding.
The doll house plans look very simple. However, the real strenuous task appears when you need to cut all the pieces by your self. All these pieces are then put together. This whole activity can be quite difficult, especially, as we said before, for the novice.
However, if you have a little skill, knowledge or experience about the doll house plans, you may take real pleasure in making the doll house. The doll house plans then prove as a great help. There are many such dolls house plans available for children and adult collectors. You can buy them, from a doll house store or a hobby shop near you.
Here are some tips for you to use the doll house plans effectively. You need to make out, what type of wood you will use in your doll house. Though there are many different types of woods available, MDF or plywood are the most popular. Selection of wood can alter the measurements so plan accordingly.
If you will make your doll house with the help of the doll house plans, you will find that it is a very inexpensive way. Moreover, you get the doll house of your choice and liking. However, in any case, you need to buy the tools for it and this can be somewhat expensive.
June 9th, 2006
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There can hardly be any one who does not love the doll houses. The doll houses are the toy homes that are made in miniature sizes. The term ‘dollhouse’ for the doll houses is quite common in the United States and Canada. For centuries, the doll houses have been the attraction point for the children. However, their crafting has also fascinated the adults who love to collect them.
The miniature doll houses fully furnished with domestic items and inhabitants are in existence for thousands years. The earliest examples are that of Egyptian Tombs of Old Kingdom built around five thousand years ago. They have wooden postures of servants, boats, furnishings, livestock and pets kept in the Pyramids.
The history of actual doll houses can be directly traced back to the sixteenth century. The primary ones used to be the baby houses of Europe. The baby houses were actually wooden cases for cabinet display and had extremely detailed furnishings and accessories. People used to fill them up with miniature items of household. As time passed by the construction of the doll houses also underwent changes. The earlier dollhouses when compared with present day’s doll houses seem to be unique and modern.
June 9th, 2006
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Dollhouse accessories are indispensable for any true dollhouse keeper. Dollhouse accessories such as glue, tools, and instructional materials are available in the market in huge numbers with wide range of variety. Dollhouse accessories also include miniature-canned foodstuffs, soda bottles, dishes, miniature magazines and many other miniature items found in a house. Especially for Christmas, many doll Companies have even released dollhouse accessories like Christmas tress, lights, Christmas packages and decorations.
It is always a daunting task to decorate a dollhouse with right dollhouse accessories like curtains and others. Not only the accessories should match with the settings of the dollhouse but also should be of the same scale. Otherwise, selecting dollhouse accessories for decorating dollhouse is an exciting and fun-filled task. One has to have a lot of patience in selecting the right dollhouse accessories, so as to not to compensate on the beauty of the dollhouse. Many times it happens that a dollhouse accessory is not available in a certain scale. Different styles of doll house like Victorian, Georgian, Tudor, Arts and Crafts, cotemporary and southwestern, also determines the selection of the dollhouse accessories.
Dollhouse accessories like glue, tools, and instructional materials help in keeping the dollhouse fit and maintained.
June 9th, 2006
Visit Our Online Store: www.dollhousecollectables.com
Dollhouse kits market is one of the largest markets in the world of toys. Dollhouse kits are available with different choices of exterior finish such as milled plywood, milled MDF, or smooth plywood, which gives the collector an option of deciding the exterior look which he wants have to have on the finished dollhouse.
There are many miniature dollhouse kits available even for the beginners. They include an easy step to step instruction manual which assures that a good quality dollhouse is made at the end.
Greenleaf Dollhouse Kits, which have been in the market for about 17 years under several ownerships, are known world wide for their exceptional design and affordability. They are considered to be worth the money spent. It is also one of the largest Manufacturer of Dollhouse kit in the world.
On the other hand, we have Dura-Craft Inc, started by Christine and Mil Chapman about 35 years ago. It is also one of the largest manufacturers of Dollhouse kits in the world. Their collection of kits ranges from Log cabins to elegant Victorian style homes. They are the only one in the market who offers full warranty with their dollhouse kits. They replace damaged parts, even though they were damaged while assembling.
June 9th, 2006
Visit Our Online Store: www.dollhousecollectables.com
dollhouse miniatures are considered on a high in present times. You cannot say that the dollhouse miniatures are only for the children and not for adults or vice versa. They are for both of them—the kids love to play with them while the adults collect them.
The dollhouse miniatures are the short version of the original houses. They are made in different designs just like the original houses. You can get the dollhouse miniatures in any fashion that you like, be them Victorian dollhouses, Tudor, Georgian, Contemporary, Southwestern, mansions, cottages, houses, wood dollhouses and more.
So what makes the dollhouse miniatures look like the real houses? Well, it is the interior of the house. You need to make up for the whole view getting the matching curtains, wallpapers, floor design, furniture, toys, decorative and other miniature things. All of them teamed up together make for fantastic looking dollhouse miniatures.
The doll or dolls that you collect must be in view of your dollhouse miniatures. For example, it must be comfortable inside the dollhouse, with enough space to sit and stand. What can hamper the look is when the height of your doll is more than the height of the dollhouse.
You can look for your choice of dollhouse miniatures in the market. You can visit the dollhouse store in your town and see the choices available with them. Internet search and online shopping are another best idea where you can shop for particular dollhouse miniatures that you want.
If you do like to have a fully furnished dollhouse, you can buy the dollhouse miniatures kits too. You can buy the kit of your choice from the renowned dollhouse companies and can be easily assembled following the instructions available with the kit. In this way you can make your own dollhouse miniatures.
June 9th, 2006
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