My Brown Blythe

Dark-skinned Blythe was described on Aliexpress as "Super Black Blyth Doll."

A birthday doll from me to me, brown Blythe was purchased from an Aliexpress seller where there are currently several offerings from different sellers -- search Black Blyth at that website or use the search link provided at the end of this post.  My doll is shown above as she arrived "wearing her birthday suit" (nude).  As mentioned in my previous post, she stands approximately 11 inches tall and has a mature bosom, which is blurred in this photo.

With the pull of the string located in the back of her head, Blythe's eyes change to gray, blue, hazel, and bright green with directions of either forward or to either side.

The gray eyes glance to the doll's left.

With a forward stare, Blythe's eyes are blue.

When she looks to her right, Blythe's eyes are hazel.

Her bright green eyes stare forward.

Blythe tried on several Sparkle Girlz fashions that she paired with shoes I purchased from an Aliexpress seller.  The fashions are modeled next.

One-piece, one-shouldered striped top with denim pants is worn with her white Mary-Jane-style shoes.  Two white barrettes keep her curly Afro away from her face.

The same shoes are worn with most of the fashions Blythe tried.  This is a two-piece fashion with a multicolored top with pink ribbon shoulder straps and yellow pants.

Blythe strikes a pose wearing the same fashion worn in the previous photo.

She looks cute in these one-piece shorts.  Next, Blythe poses two additional times wearing this fashion.

I noticed that most of the Sparkle Girlz fashions I selected for Blythe to try on are yellow.  This dress has a yellow bodice and a floral-print ruffled skirt.

Pink is the main color of the dress Blythe wears in this photo.

Blythe wears a pair of black shoes with the final dress, which has a multicolored top with bell sleeves and denim skirt.

Still wearing the fashion shown in the photo immediately above, Blythe models one of the two pairs of sunglasses she owns.

Blythe dolls were created in the 1970s and sold in the states by Kenner.  Black dolls were not included in the original line.  Read more about the history of the dolls at the final link in this post. Before discovering the Aliexpress brown Blythe offerings, I purchased two "tan" complexioned Blythe dolls in 2015.  Still longing for one with a deeper complexion than theirs, I had been tempted, only slightly, to have a white Blythe doll customized as a brown doll.  Thank goodness I waited for my authentically brown Blythe, who poses with her sisters in the final two photos.

My brown Blythe is flanked by her tan-complexioned sisters.

The girls each strike a final pose in their pink-themed Sparkle Girlz fashions.

Because of their oversized heads, Blythe dolls cannot stand alone. The tan dolls have Blythe doll stands.  When the order was placed for the newest Blythe, I forgot to order a stand for her; this has now been done. 

Aliexpress Black Blythe Offerings
Blythe Doll History

dbg

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What a Girl Wants!

New doll

I expected my mid-April decision to temporarily cease all doll buying to prove itself a difficult task. Fortunately, it has been effortless without much temptation at all.  However, a month into the decision, when my daughter sent me the following text message with the subject "Birthday?!?! Whadaya want?" just seconds after I viewed a doll that Linda Hayes was selling, I expressed my desire for the doll. Hey, she asked.

Me:  Oh here we go again (earlier in the month she'd asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day).  How much are you spending?  I saw something for $__ that interests me, but that doesn't include shipping and I need to see more pictures of it before I decide I really want it.

Daughter: I'll get that. Send me the link.

Daughter:  Oh lord. You're so indecisive (she'd just read the "before I decide I really want it" part of my answer).

I see where I get it from.

Me:  I know.  It's the nature of a Gemini, but you are far worse than I have ever been!

Will let you know if I want this or something else later today.

So after requesting and viewing additional photos of Madame Alexander's circa 1965 Leslie ballerina in blue, I "allowed" my daughter to purchase the doll as my birthday gift.  :-)

Leslie was waiting for me at the post office on my birthday.  Other than missing her original drop earrings, which have been replaced by a similar pair, she is in superb condition and still has her original Madame Alexander hang tag which identifies her.  Someone placed a $350 price tag on her, which is far more than my daughter's cost.  Yes, back in the 1990s-day, these dolls were valued as much, but not in today's market.

An original hang tag and tagged Madame Alexander dress are two important features of vintage dolls by this company.  Their boxes are added pluses,but I collect dolls, not boxes.  Additionally, for me, if the original box accompanies a vintage doll, I am more inclined to leave the doll in the box.  Without the box, I can enjoy its presence.

From Virginia Beach, Leslie traveled with two additional "free gift" dolls from Linda.

Doll gifts from Linda as an expression of her appreciation

One of the dolls Linda sent is a circa 1970s, 15-inch fashion doll (with shag hairstyle) made in Hong Kong, the other a souvenir doll from Puerto Rico.  The souvenir doll holds a woven straw handbag with floral accents that match those at the waist of her dress.

The '70s fashion doll is adorned with rhinestone earrings, necklace, and bracelet that are appropriate for her more mature look.  I replaced the blue gingham dress and bonnet she arrived wearing with Dena's yellow dress and shrug, which better complement the jewelry.  Her new look is completed by a pair of black flats that I had on hand.

70s girl shows off her shag 'do and her curves.  

The souvenir doll is now on a shelf with other similar souvenir dolls of her 60/70-ish time period. On the opposite side of the room, Leslie has joined two of my three other Leslies, a bride and ballerina in pink.  They were introduced here along with another Leslie that wears a Franklin Mint dress designed for their Princess Diana doll.

While others delight in a variety of other things to purchase for themselves or to receive as gifts, dolls are my thing.  For any occasion, give me a doll--a non-porcelain brown or black doll created as a positive reflection of black beauty--and I'm happy, especially during a time when I have chosen not to buy them for myself.

 dbg

Birthday Dolls From Friend to Me

Madame Alexander Wendy dolls, Balloons for Your Birthday and Dairy Queen Blizzard -- these Wendys use the exclusive African American head sculpt. 

UPS delivered these two little girls last month on the date of my birthday.  They arrived in a box load of other beautifully wrapped (non-doll) birthday gifts from my friend, Debra R.

Balloons for Your Birthday Wendy - stock photo

Balloons for Your Birthday (Wendy) is a-dor-a-ble!  Wendy has long bone-straight black hair with bangs and brown open/close eyes.  She wears a white cotton dress with pastel colored polka dots and a dark pink ribbon at waist.   The dress has a pale pink cotton slip attached.  The pale pink hair bow, white ankle socks, and pink Mary Jane-style patent-leather shoes complete her outfit.  Included are three happy birthday felt balloons that Wendy can hold in her too cute hand (with the aid of a clear rubber band).

This happy birthday-themed Wendy marks the 4th Madame Alexander Wendy in my collection.  Two of the others were gifts from Debra R. in past years.  I also have Happy Birthday Boy from 1992. 


Happy Birthday dolls by Madame Alexander, Birthday Boy and Girl (1992), Happy Birthday Wendy (1999) and Happy Birthday Wendy 2005 -- these dolls have the original Wendy face, which was used for both AA and Caucasian dolls.  Wendy's appearance changed in 2004 with an exclusive head sculpt created for the AA doll.

DQB Wendy - Stock photo

I did not think I would have the opportunity to see in person, let alone own, Dairy Queen Blizzard Wendy (DQBW).  I had preordered her through one of my doll clubs around this time last year.  Unfortunately, ownership of the Madame Alexander Doll Company changed shortly after the order was placed.  After waiting for several months, we were informed that Alexander Dolls could not fulfill the orders for African American DQBW because the doll was sold out.  I mentioned this dilemma to Debra R., who later found this one for me on eBay.

Dairy Queen Blizzard Wendy has dark brown hair styled in three curly ponytails accented by red and white polka dot ribbons.  Her blue twill dress is embellished with upright and upside down images of the Dairy Queen Blizzard cup with straw.   A red and white polka dot ribbon is tied at the waist.  The DQ emblem is embroidered on one collar.  A two-layer petticoat (one red and one white crinoline) creates a perfect flare for the skirt of the dress.  DQB Wendy also wears blue and white striped tights and red Mary Jane shoes of patent-leather.  To say she is so cute would be an understatement.

Thank you Debra R. for my wonderful gifts that I can tell are always handpicked for me with love!


dbg

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She's Here! She's Here!

Who's here, you ask?  My birthday doll from me to me.  The doll that traveled from Germany to America.  My smiling beauty, who was formerly unnamed (I thought), for whom I solicited name suggestions was picked up from my PO box this past Saturday, June 1st.


In my haste to examine my smiling beauty and to try on the three dresses that doll friend, Betty A sent me for no particular reason, I did not take a full-body photograph of her in her original fashion, a deep coral colored, butterfly print, silky sarong.   A full-view photograph in the sarong was really not necessary because she looked exactly like the full-view picture shared in my original post.

As indicated, initially I thought my lovely girl was unnamed, but her accompanying certificate bears the name given to her by Woelfert-Puppen, "smilling beauty Debbie."  So that is her name.  (Smiling is spelled with two l's on the certificate.) 

My birthday doll holds her certificate from Woelfert-Puppen, which bears her company-given name and other vital information.

Before her arrival, I had settled on the name Destiny Zipporah.  Destiny was suggested by doll friend, Janice Larsen-Tyre, which seemed appropriate to her and to me because I was destined to own her.   I wanted to use a biblical name as her middle name.  Zipporah, was inspired by Moses's wife.  As it turns out, Debbie is a short form of a biblical name (Deborah).   

The two Debs

I love everything about Smiling Beauty Debbie.  Her human hair wig has a beautiful texture and feel.  Her mouth-blown brown glass eyes are beautiful!  Her broad-like-mine nose is adorable as is her toothy smile.  What I love most is her soft and supple, but sturdy all-vinyl composition.  I initially imagined the vinyl would be rigid like that used for most artist dolls.  For those familiar with John Nissen dolls, Debbie's vinyl is comparable, making her less weighty than a Himstedt.  She is jointed in the usual areas in addition to the waist and knees. The only thing I would change about my namesake would be the addition of elbow and wrist joints.  That would increase her pose-ability. 

Debbie and I spent most of Saturday afternoon deciding which of the three dresses from Betty A. she would wear.  I also tried one additional outfit on her.  Surprisingly, the dress I thought I would enjoy most on her has now changed to another.  Her photo shoot is below.

First we tried on the brown and gold African-print dress.  The brown suede sandals belong to Matoka by Annette Himstedt.

Since she already had on Matoka's sandals, I tried Matoka's original fashion on Debbie.  The wrap skirt is a little big on her waist, but it can be adjusted.  I think she wears it well. 

Next we tried on the brightly colored yellow dress with red circle-print pattern and red and white polka dot sash.   The child's size 6 white sandals are a little long (but this gives her some "grow" room.)  She looks ready for a warm day of play. 

Debbie looks adorable in the red and white polka dot sheer dress.  I used the sash from the yellow dress as a headband and added a white satin ribbon waist sash.  The white sandals also pair well with this dress as will white or black patent-leather Mary Janes that she can borrow from Matoka's shoe stash.

Debbie poses with Himstedt's Matoka.  The two dolls are about the same size, 33-1/2 inches and actually could pass for sisters.  Matoka remains my favorite doll by Himstedt and now Smiling Debbie is my favorite doll in this size range.

I love her!  For me, she was well worth the wait and the cost.

Which of these dresses is your favorite on Smiling Beauty Debbie?  Did I write that I love her?  Well I do!

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