Black Doll Collecting: October 2021

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Makena Williams and Addy's Kwanzaa Ensemble

Makena Williams is part of American Girl's "World by Us" collection,

Makena Williams from the American Girl "World by Us" three-doll series arrived recently. In three words to share my overall opinion of this adorable 18-inch all-vinyl doll, I love her!

In addition to her adorable face, I love her two-strand twisted hairstyle.

Makena has the most precious face and big brown eyes. Fully described in her separate installment in DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum, additional photographs of Makena are included there. (See the link below.)

HRF Design fashions by Nichole Lynel

At the time Makena was ordered, I preordered the two fashions from the Harlem Fashion Review collection shown above. These fashions are designed by rising African American fashion designers who have partnered with Mattel (American Girl). The fashions I ordered, designed by Nichole Lynel, are scheduled to arrive in February 2022.

The boxed package of Addy's Kwanzaa Celebration ensemble includes an image of the contents.

Additionally, I ordered Addy's new Kwanzaa Celebration ensemble. The two-piece fashion (sleeveless top and maxi-length skirt) is made of orange Kente-cloth-print fabric that is unlined and quite thin.

Also included with the fashion is a matching headband, adjustable string bracelet with Panafrican colored beads, black sandals, set of seven candles, kinara, Umoja unity cup, mat, and content booklet.

Close-up of the Kwanzaa Celebration bracelet, two-piece dress, matching headband, and sandals

From the back to the front are the Umoja cup, kinara, packaged candles, and mat — quality and authenticity-wise these are all very nice.

Makena models the Kwanzaa fashion.

Since Addy still wears the Kente-cloth-print fashion designed by Misha Yarbrough for the American Girl Addy Facebook group's 3-year anniversary, Makena tried the new fashion on instead.

Side-by-side comparison photo of American Girl's Kwanzaa Celebration fashion and the limited-edition fashion made for the American Girl Addy Facebook group

Both fashions are nice, but the quality of the limited edition non-AG fashion is superior. I also appreciate that Misha Yarbrough's dress (on the right) covers all of the doll's cloth body. One of my pet peeves is dressing cloth-bodied dolls in clothing that exposes the cloth.

Related Links

Makena Williams and Book

Harlem Fashion Review Collection

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There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Doll Studio Boutique

Doll Studio Boutique by Erin Hentzel is a new doll pattern book.
(All photos by Sydney Paulsen.)

Doll Studio Boutique by Erin Hentzel provides detailed instructions for sewing a wardrobe for 14-1/2-inch dolls with some designs that fit 14- to 15-inch dolls. Doll models featured in the book include dolls by Wellie-Wishers, Hearts for Hearts, and Ruby Red Fashion Friends. This 112-page, full-color book provides thorough details to sew skirts, tops, bottoms, dresses, knitwear, sleepwear, and accessories for these and similar-size dolls.

These girls enjoy wearing designs made from patterns in Erin's new book.

The designs are simple for beginning sewers or inexperienced sewers like me. Some designs are more difficult, but even beginners can complete each project using the great photo tutorials and written instructions.

The necessary tools, types of fabrics, how to use patterns, fabric preparation, general sewing techniques, and a glossary of terms are included to help make each project completion a snap.

Each project outlines the materials needed and cutting and sewing instructions with delightful images of the doll models included. Additionally, a link to bonus sewing video tutorials is included.

Ruby Red Friends Maya examines accessories made from patterns in Doll Studio Boutique.

Not having sewn anything in years, I am motivated to borrow my husband’s sewing machine and make something for a special edition Ruby Red Fashion Friends Maya after she arrives.

If you love sewing or are interested in learning to sew for your 14- to 15-inch dolls, I highly recommend Doll Studio Boutique by Erin Hentzel. The book is available on the publisher’s website, on the author’s page (find that link below), on Amazon, and through most other booksellers.

About the Author: Erin Hentzel is a sewist who has been sewing since the age of 10 and now designs for dolls. She has written five doll pattern books. See more about the author and her books on her Amazon author page or her website.

Happy reading and/or sewing!

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Festival of Black Dolls Show and Sale

American Black Beauty Doll Artists (ABBDA) will present the 2021 (virtual and in-person) Festival of Black Dolls Show and Sale on November 6, 2021.

In-person attendance will be held at the
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
659 14th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST

Simultaneously, the show will stream online from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST on Facebook and Youtube, streaming at the following URLs

facebook.com/weloveblackdolls (not to be confused with my private Facebook group)

and

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9NBRqag_uITGJ1s_mZFB4w

The theme is Afrofuturism, “Back to the Future”

Special Guest Speaker: Professor Lonny Brooks, UC East Bay, Hayward, CA

Raffle Doll: Madam C.J. Walker (shown in the above flyer)

Sign up to attend virtually here.

Doll Exhibit: September 10 - November 6, 2021, a doll exhibition by ABBDA is on display

at the African American Museum and Library at Oakland

659 14th Street

Oakland, CA 94612

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Monday, October 18, 2021

New, Fairly New, and New-to-me Dolls

These dolls arrived at different times during the past few months. At the time of arrival, they were photographed and added to my 2021 Doll Inventory spreadsheet, but I have not blogged about them. If they were gifts, after arrival, an email and/or a handwritten note was sent to acknowledge receipt and to thank the sender. Who they are and why I purchased the others are included in the photo captions and additional text.

Guardian Angel

A lovely handmade guardian angel arrived in January 2021.

During the last week of January 2021, I received a beautiful handmade guardian angel from one of my blog readers, Virginia Carpenter. It was a very thoughtful surprise gift that she began working on in December 2020. Along with the guardian angel, Virginia sent a packaged cross (that the angel now holds), and her detailed notes of the creative process. At the end of the notes, she wrote: As you are a guardian angel of black dolls, I took pleasure in making this angel for you, Debbie. Love, Virginia.

I love that title, "Guardian Angel of Black Dolls."

The guardian angel has beautiful gold wings.

Underneath the angel's cone-shaped body is a printed tag that Virginia also signed and dated.

The following description recorded in my Excel Doll Inventory workbook on the 2021 worksheet provides the guardian angel's details:

6-1/2-inch handcrafted angel has a light brown fabric face and handsewn beads for the eyes and mouth. The eyebrows and corners of the mouth are embroidered. Black gimp creates the hair. A golden aluminum halo is attached to the top of the head. Indian embossed gold scrapbook paper fashioned into the shape of a cone creates the body. Delicate metallic gold lacy wings are attached to the back. A sequined black and gold shawl is wrapped around the angel's torso into which a golden cross is tucked.

Under the "Marks" cell of the spreadsheet, I entered:

The printed cloth tag attached underneath the cone reads, An Original By Va. Schaaff Carpenter. The cloth tag is signed Virginia Carpenter / Dec. 2020 (as illustrated in the third picture above).

Chelsea

Chelsea by Mattel is a friend of Kelly. Her love-inspired fashion, ebony complexion, and Afro puffs hairstyle inspired the purchase.

This close-up photo illustrates Chelsea's adorable face.

Chelsea reminds me of my Clonette-inspired figurine by Fugi Naim of Israel. (See the link to the post about the Fugi Naim figurine at the end of this post.)

Purchased in June 2021, Chelsea's Doll Inventory entry reads:

6-inch doll has brunette hair styled in two Afro puffs, brown eyes; wears a "Love" themed red, white, and black-trimmed dress. The skirt of the dress is removable. The bodice is sculpted. Wears silvery Mary Janes.

I'm a Girly Fashion Doll Kayla

I'm a Girly Fashion Doll Kayla was also purchased in June 2021 solely because of the doll's deeply discounted price of $20.75 on Amazon with free Prime shipping. How could I refuse her?

Designed to be rewigged, Kayla came with one straight black wig that has a center part.

For an 18-inch doll, her face looks more mature than her body.

A groove around the circumference of the scalp accommodates wig placement.

I do not like the "Planet of the Apes" hairline of the wig that came with Kayla. I tried a couple of on-hand wigs on her. This wig with two braids has straight bangs.

The second braided wig has curly bangs and curls that frame the doll's face and the nape of the neck. She wore this one with a red elasticized headband.

The colorfully illustrated back of the box has pictures of other dolls in the I'm a Girly Fashion Doll line. The deluxe doll that comes with a curly wig was my preference, but that one was not available for $20.75 at the time I ordered.

This back-of-the-box illustration shows a close-up of the other dolls.

As indicated on the back of the box, other wigs and accessories are sold separately for the dolls.

For months, Kayla remained in the original shipper because I didn't know if I was going to keep her or not. The time for me to return the doll has lapsed; she still remains in the shipping box inside her original box still attached to the box lining, but I am going to keep her.

My spreadsheet description entry for Kayla reads:

18-inch all-vinyl doll designed to rewig. Comes with a black straight center-parted wig; has brown stationary eyes with applied upper eyelashes, wears a two-piece blue jogging suit with black and white sneakers. Designed by Girls.

Our Generation Mini Keisha Read and Playset

The plan is to incorporate Our Generation Mini Keisha Read & Play Set into my Dolls with Books collection and to use the doll in future Dolls with Books exhibits.

Close-up of Mini Keisha

Keisha is still attached to her sealed book. The back story behind her broken left arm, which is in a soft cast as illustrated, is unknown.

The illustrated Keisha on the book's cover also has a casted arm that's in a sling.

Made by Maison Battat, Inc. with the copyright year of 2021, purchased in August 2021, Keisha's spreadsheet entry reads:

6-inch all-vinyl doll has dark brown rooted hair styled in two side-banded pigtails, brown stationary eyes; wears a navy blue floral-print hoodie, gray knit pants, pink shoes; has a blue cast on the left hand and arm. Includes a chapter book.

Pincushion Doll

Circa 1940s-1950s pincushion doll

Side view of the pincushion doll

View from the back of the pincushion doll

In August, I received the following email from Ms. Grace K. Anderson:

Dear Debbie,

I hope this email finds you well! You were so helpful in helping place my mother-in-law's two dolls in your collection and I love the blog you posted about it too! Thank you!:

https://blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com/2019/09/doll-gifts-part-2.html

I have found one more recently, it is a pincushion doll, and wonder if it may be something you might be interested in? Attached are a few photos for reference. As you can see, there are some pinholes, so it was certainly used as a pincushion.

The dimensions are: 5 1/2 H x 3 W x 3 1/2 D inches

Thank you again!
Grace

The uniquely made pincushion doll arrived in early September. The spreadsheet description for it reads as follows:

6-1/2-inch handmade pincushion doll is fashioned around a stuffed cloth tomato using cotton (nonsynthetic fabrics). Made of black cloth for the face, button eyes, red embroidered nose and mouth, black looped yarn hair, red cloth for the blouse and arms; and red, white, and black floral-print fabric for the pants and legs. The arms and legs hug the sides of the cloth tomato.

Additional spreadsheet notations indicates, "a gift from Grace K. Anderson, this pincushion was owned/possibly made by her late-mother-in law. Grace gave me two other dolls that were her MIL's in 2019."

Adelaid's Baby

Adelaid's Baby by Goldie Wilson

This little one was offered on eBay in September in a buy-in-now auction for a price I could not refuse. Made by Goldie Wilson, this doll is 1 of 60 companion dolls for larger dolls named Adelaid. The larger dolls were auctioned at a UFDC luncheon in 2016. The spreadsheet entry below the next picture of the baby provides additional details.

Adelaid's Baby was originally presented in a decorative teacup and saucer as seen here. The seller did not include this baby's teacup and saucer.

The baby's spreadsheet description reads:

6-inch porcelain baby with black painted hair, painted facial features, made in a limited edition of 60 for the Kindred Spirits Circle of Friendship Luncheon hosted by Maryland Society of Doll Collectors for UFDC's 67th annual convention held from July 27 to July 30, 2016, in Washington, D.C. Wears a white christening gown, white ribbon bonnet, white pantalettes; feet are bare.

Additional spreadsheet notations about Adelaid's baby note, unmarked; has signed certificate of authenticity and luncheon brochure. This baby was the companion doll for a larger souvenir doll named Adelaid made by Goldie Wilson for the same UFDC convention luncheon. (Adelaid's Baby is stored in Bleuette's box, another GW doll.)<===note to self.

Replacement Fashionista 105

This duplicate of my Fashionista 105 Barbie (released in 2018) arrived in September with a damaged blister cover. The damaged cover is why, when others are selling for $40+ on the secondary market, I was able to purchase this one for $12. I removed the damaged blister cover after the doll arrived and will eventually remove the doll from the card.

Close-up of Fashionista 105 Barbie's face. Yes, she has pink lip color, but that can be remedied with acrylic paint later.

My original Fashionista 105 Barbie poses with the replacement doll.

In 2020, as part of a doll group project, I created a Christmas tree dress for my original Fashionista 105. The nonremovable dress is complete with two strings of battery-operated mini Christmas lights. After creating the dress, I began looking for a duplicate doll. It took several months for me to find one reasonably priced.

My spreadsheet description cell entry for the duplicate doll reads as follows:

See the 2018 spreadsheet; this doll is a duplicate to replace the original doll that I redressed in a nonremovable Christmas dress made of green garland and other materials.

This completes the dolls that had not previously been shared in blog posts.

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Meet Yasmin

Yasmin is from MGA's Dream Ella line.

Yasmin is one of three dolls by MGA Entertainment in the "Dream Ella" line. Ella and Aria are the other two dolls. See all three here.

Yasmin is presented in blister packaging.

Yasmin is illustrated on the cardboard insert of the packaging. "I am a doctor" is written on the lower portion.

The back of the package reads, "Meet Aria, Yasmin, and Ella, three best friends that can be anything they dream!"

11-1/2 inch Yasmin is a doctor dressed in a pink satin top, white leggings, and white platform-soled sneakers that accommodate her high-heel feet. She has a soft plastic gray stethoscope.

Yasmin's legs are slightly bowed. The doll's right foot curves in some, which is probably a manufacturer's flaw. The soft vinyl of the legs and feet makes repositioning possible.

Slightly curved in foot

Yasmin's high-heel feet are much larger than Barbie's. She can wear Monster High shoes and shoes made to fit Integrity Toys Color Infusion Janay.

Yasmin has a crimped ponytail.

Yasmin's eyes are brown. She has texturized (it feels like Kanekalon), rooted black hair styled in a high ponytail, the ends of which are crimped and extend to the mid-thigh.

Redressing

I recently purchased this Fresh Fashion from a Walmart Superstore — a store I had not entered in months before this visit.

The Fresh Dolls fashion is paired with shoes made to fit Monster High dolls. I purchased several identical pairs of these black high heels several years ago. Some can be painted in different colors.

Close-up of the Monster-High-size shoes

They fit her perfectly.

Yasmin tried on this Fresh Dolls dress with shoes made to fit Integrity Toys Color Infusion Janay. This dress is not very flattering on Yasmin, in my opinion. The sleeves are too long and it fits a little wide at the hips. I like it better on the doll she borrowed it from seen here.

In addition to the Fresh Dolls fashions, Yasmin tried on several different Sparkle Girlz fashions and one Barbie fashion. I was surprised that most Sparkle Girlz fashions fit Yasmin. She might become my Sparkle Girlz fashion muse. I have several Sparkle Girlz fashions that are still on the cards.

Yasmin looks cute in this one-piece top and shorts romper worn with her own shoes. The top is supposed to have a blouson fit, but Yasmin must be slightly taller than the Sparkle Girlz dolls.

The same fashion is worn with the Monster-High-size shoes.

I really like the overall look of this dress on Yasmin.

The top of this two-piece shorts set fits well. The shorts are a bit too low cut and expose Yasmin's mock panty-line.

I guess Yasmin's hips and derrière are wider/larger than Sparkle Girlz'. She can still wear this since her hair covers the back.

A full-length photo of the same fashion from the back

Wait, what? No, this isn't Yasmin. While going through my fashion doll clothing stash, I found this skirt for The Looks Barbie Model #2 to try on. She's wearing it now temporarily with her black catsuit, a new pair of silver earrings, and a pair of black mules.

Back to Yasmin's Redressing

This Sparkle Girlz coral dress is an okay fit.

Yasmin models a denim Barbie fashion. The pants are a bit wide at the hips on Yasmin.

Yasmin chose to wear the green partial sweater dress. I pierced her ears.

Using quilting pins inserted diagonally to avoid piercing the sides of her face, Yasmin's ears were pierced.

With the pins still in her ears but pulled down, I painted the light blue "studs" green to match Yasmin's dress. In this photo, after they were painted, the pins were allowed to dry before they were fully inserted.

Yasmin is temporarily on display on my desk with similar-size dolls.

As a collector of Barbie clones and competitors, at $8.99 with Amazon Prime shipping, I added Dream Ella Yasmin to the mix. She's a "pretty" cheap fashion-doll thrill.

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