Glam Boho Barbie #85 and More Redressing

One of Glam Boho's first in-the-box photos

Glam Boho was ordered several months ago from ShopMattel dot com. Shipping of the first preordered dolls took place during the last week of September, which is when my doll arrived. At the ShopMattel site, the doll, shown as Fashionista #86, is currently not available. It is unknown if quantities will be replenished.

I do not know if the #86 used to describe Glam Boho at ShopMattel is an error or if dolls will be released in boxes marked #85 and later #86.  As indicated in this photo, my doll's package is numbered 85.

Before releasing Glam Boho from the confines of her box, she took this headshot comparison photo with Natalie (The Barbie Look Curvy Nighttime Glamour fashionista).  They use the same head sculpt and have the same hair color, but their eye color differs.  Natalie's eyes are hazel.  Glam Boho's eyes are gray and her eyebrows are fuller than Natalie's.  Glam Boho also has freckles.

Freed from her box, Glam Boho poses with her extra romper and aqua hat lying beneath. She carries a black shoulder bag and wears a yellow lacy dress, black choker, and silver (painted plastic) drop necklace.  White wide-strap high heels complete her look.

Her freckles are barely visible in this photo.  An additional photo later in this post better illustrates the freckles.   

I have decided to name her Rainbow, but will call her Bo for short.  She did not spend much time in the extra romper, which she paired with a pair of black high-heel Mary Jane-style shoes found in the shoe stash.  The romper is cute, but Bo prefers her yellow dress, which she put back on before posing with her big sister, Natalie.

They do look like sisters or mother and daughter.  I have not decided their exact familial relationship.  Bo's complexion is a shade lighter than Natalie's, which is not an uncommon occurrence in families.

The illustration in the lower right-hand corner of Bo's box shows her wearing the aqua scarf with the faux bow in front.  I am not at all fond of head scarves tied in this manner.  Therefore, Bo will wear the bow of her scarf in back or to the side.

In this photo, Bo wears the bow of her headscarf to the side.  Her freckles can be seen somewhat better in this photo.  Stretching or otherwise enlarging this image might aid in visibility of the freckles.

Her honey blonde hair with highlights is curly and of better quality than Natalie's.  With the exception of two side braids that frame her face, illustrated in the previous photo, Bo's hair is worn loose.

In my post about Natalie and ZiZi's redresses, I mentioned an eBay seller, who makes Barbie clothes from knit fabrics using a glue gun as opposed to sewing.  After Natalie and ZiZi swapped clothes, I checked eBay to see if this seller was now making clothes for curvy Barbie.  I was pleased to learn  she has indeed incorporated fashions for the curvy dolls into her merchandise.  As a result, I purchased two dresses made for Curvy Barbie from this seller.  Bo and ZiZi model these next.

Bo wears a black knee-length, collared dress with black high-heel Mary Janes.  The dress accentuates her curves, but is not unflattering.

ZiZi chose to try on this one-shoulder yellow dress.  The yellow nicely complements her complexion and like Bo, the dress accents her curves.  She temporarily borrowed Bo's white sandals.

Both ladies eventually returned to what they were wearing prior to trying on these knit dresses, but they both explored different shoes.

Bo thought this pair of aqua ankle booties would look great with her original yellow lacy dress and aqua scarf, and they do.  Unfortunately, the top front of the booties juts out a bit due to the arch of her feet.

After ZiZi put the brocade dress back on, she and Bo made one last shoe swap.  ZiZi now wears the aqua booties.  That color picks up the aqua in her dress.  Bo wears her original white high-heel sandals.  During this time, Natalie was content to watch their quick redresses and shoe swaps.  Because she still enjoys wearing her tan dress and animal-print jacket, she had no desire to participate in this redressing session.

If you are in need of clothes for your curvy Barbies or fashions made for ModelMuse and other average body types, check out Barbie-Couture's economically priced fashions on eBay.


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A Quick Redress: Nighttime Glamour and ZiZi

The Barbie Look Nighttime Glamour Barbie checks out a new lavender dress, hoping she can wear it.

Several weeks ago The Barbie Look Curvy Nighttime Glamour Barbie (shown above in her original clothes) and ZiZi (Zig and Zag) were redressed.  In ZiZi's case, she was re-redressed.  The lavender dress Nighttime is admiring is what inspired the ensemble changes.  As indicated on the package with check marks underneath the illustrated Barbie body types, this dress is cut to fit all currently marketed Barbies.  I wanted to see for myself.  I was surprised with the outcome.

Nighttime was the first to try it on.  While she seemed pretty happy with the dress (the fit is fine), I do not think it "does anything for her."  It is somewhat matronly looking in my opinion, which may be due to the length.  I tried tucking the hemline under to see if that would help, but it did not add the flair she craves or that I crave for her.

Next, ZiZi tried it on.  While it looks a little better on ZiZi (in this photo the hemline is tucked under), it's just not her style -- too conservative.  With it she wears a pair of flat white T-straps that were part of the original outfit worn by Goddess Emerald (named by me), a Barbie Fashionista from 2014, first seen here.

ZiZi looks a bit surprised.  Trying on the lavender dress and returning to the tan and animal-print ensemble she had been wearing was all she had planned to do, but now it seems her friend has confiscated her clothes.

While ZiZi was trying on the lavender dress, Nighttime (Natalie... I just named her) put on what ZiZi had been wearing.  It fits her to a T.  The tan dress with animal-print jacket was made by an eBay seller who uses a hot glue gun in lieu of sewing.  She uses knit fabrics which can stretch and conform to a doll's figure, which is why the curvy Barbies can wear this style, even though it was made for ModelMuse and other slimmer Barbie body types.

Feeling a little dismayed because ZiZi does not care for the lavender dress and definitely does not like it at the designed length, which is shown in the photo immediately above, ZiZi decided to try on Natalie's original dress.  "Two can play this fashion swap game, " she thought.

We all love this dress on ZiZi, which she continues wearing the white T-straps.  I am thinking about  shortening the sleeve length from full sleeves to short sleeves (but not sleeveless).

Natalie complimented ZiZi on how cute she looks in the brocade dress by saying, "Girl, the gold in this dress really compliments your hair color.  It's so you!"  ZiZi thanked her and told her she understood why she confisc.. decided to continue wearing the tan dress.  "It shows off your curves as well as it does mine," she said.  There is no love lost between these two.

A unanimous decision was made to place the lavender dress back into the original package and stored it for now.


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HSM Taylor, Gabriella, and Tamika's Redress

High School Musical Taylor

Taylor
On a recent trip to the thrift store to see if any dolls were available that interested me, I found a nude High School Musical (HSM) Taylor.  Initially, I did not know who she was because her hair and the plastic baggie she was in covered her markings.  After seeing another doll of a similar size there, Gabriella, and seeing Mattel's name stamped on Gabriella's back, I put two-and-two together and realized the doll I purchased was Taylor.  I already own this version of HSM Taylor, still in box, but I reasoned that rescuing this one would provide a quick, inexpensive doll fix.  I left Gabriella behind because I already had her, although until finding Taylor, I had no idea who my Gabriella was.

Gabby
Finding Taylor did indeed help me identify the tan-complexioned doll, found at the same thrift store several years ago, as Gabriella.  Until then, I had incorrectly assumed she was a recent Skipper.  My husband even asked who Gabby was after noticing her sticking out like a sore thumb among all the brown dolls that surrounded her.  "She looks a little out of place, doesn't she?" he asked. I replied, "No, she's a friend."

Before Taylor arrived, my dyed/painted Skipper had been Gabriella's BFF.  She enjoyed Baby-Sitter Club Claudia's companionship too and Bob Scout liked them all.

Gabby had originally been dressed in part of an Only Hearts fashion:  pink sleeveless top, off-white twill skirt, and rust-colored wedge loafers, but after Taylor arrived and received her trip to the spa, I dressed the two in similar fashions.

Taylor and Gabby

Taylor's hair was a mess upon arrival

Before dressing Taylor, I washed and conditioned her hair, allowed it to air dry overnight, and styled it in a side ponytail.

I dressed both dolls in Sparkle Girlz fashions, which are a little big at the waist, but not terribly so.

I pulled the top Velcro closure of their pants over more to the right and pressed it down onto the knit fabric of their pants instead of pressing it onto the bottom Velcro.  Later, I'll add another small piece of adhesive backed Velcro alongside the bottom piece to make a permanent waist closure adjustment.

Taylor and Gabby now both wear Barbie shoes made for Fashionistas with flat feet.  Taylor's high-top white sneakers have mock laces, which my camera was unable to capture.

The final touch for these two was quilting needles to pierce their ears and to use as stud earrings.  The studs of the needles were light blue.  To better match their new clothes, I painted the studs using green glittery fingernail polish.

Tamika's Redress

Tamika now wears a Sparkle Girlz fashion and the shoes that came with it.

While I was in redressing mode, I decided to redress Tamika in a Sparkle Girlsz fashion, too.  She models the blue baby-doll top, white jeggings, and pink high-heel shoes above and below.

Royal blue quilting needles were added to her Mattel-pierced ears.  The holes in her earlobes are too large for the quilting needles to remain in place.

Tape, which is barely visible in the above photo, has been wrapped around the needle to increase the diameter.

Scotch tape was wrapped around the upper-to-mid section of the needles/earrings to increase the diameter and prevent these from falling out Tamika's ears.

After giving me a nice dose of doll therapy, they all posed for one final group photo, looking quite refreshed in their spring fashions, shoes, and earrings.

It's a tight squeeze, but Taylor joined Gabriella on top of the bookcase where Gabby had been prior to Taylor's arrival.  Tamika remains in her preferred spot on my personal desk where I can see her at a glance.

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Maru's Friend Tanya, Her New Friend, and Raven

First-issue Tanya of the Maru and Friends doll line in one of her first photos taken in 2008

Meet (first-issue) Tanya of the Maru and Friends doll line introduced in 2008. Below, Tanya shares her entry in my book, The Doll Blogs When Dolls Speak I Listen, which provides her details without "me" having to rewrite them.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

My name is Tanya.  I am one of the three dolls in the Maru and Friends doll series.  I stand 21 inches (53.34cm).  My curly hair is auburn and my eyes are hazel.  I wear a two-piece turquoise knit top, matching pants, and black boots.  I was sculpted by Dianna Effner for Maritza Gutierrez, who created me.  Gutierrez also wrote my hardcover book, Forever Friends.  In the book, I am an Army brat, who moves to different locations each time my dad changes command.  I become friends with Maru and Jamie after my family relocates once again.  In “reality,” I was a Christmas present this year for Debbie from her daughter, Angela.  Debbie thinks I’m cute.  She’s not too crazy about my outfit, though.

Love,

Tanya

The Maru and Friends website describes her height as 20 inches, but Tanya is correct about my dislike for her original outfit.  After discovering her ability to wear clothing made for the Karito Kids dolls and clothing made for some 18-inch dolls, Tanya has undergone a few redresses here.

Tanya wore the Karito Kids "Holiday Dazzle" fashion and became part of my 2008 Christmas decor.

She was later redressed in a dress made for 18-inch dolls, worn with the ivory tights and brown patent-leather shoes from the "Holiday Dazzle" fashion.

Tanya remained dressed in the above fall fashion for several seasons until recently when I saw a photo of a child holding a doll like her.

Internet-captured photo of child holding Maru and Friends Tanya

This photo prompted me to give my doll some attention and reminded me of two, still boxed, Karito Kids fashions that had been purchased for her years ago.

These two very springtime fashions, Pretty Paisley and Flower Power, made for the Karito Kids dolls, were purchased sometime ago for Maru and Friends Tanya to wear.

Time eventually availed itself for doll play, which included redressing Tanya.  I chose to dress her in the Flower Power Karito Kids fashion.

Tanya takes an outside photo dressed in Karito Kids "Flower Power" fashion.

She is joined by her new friend, my version of Madame Alexander's "Thank You."

The two remain displayed together in the doll room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Stock photo collage of Maru and Friends, Raven, 2nd issue

In a recent comment to another post, Arlette of Thammie the DollMaker, mentioned her purchase of Maru and Friends Raven, shown above.  This is the second-edition Raven.  The first-issue doll wore a different fashion and was not introduced with the three original dolls:  Maru, Jamie, and Tanya. Had Raven been available in the core collection, she would have been my choice as the one Maru and Friends doll to own. Tanya has also been reintroduced with a new hairstyle, which I am not at all wild about.  I do, however, like what I see in the new Raven.

Who knows, even though I now try to shy away from dolls her size, Raven might somehow find her way here.   Hmmm... I'm thinking Christmas and I'm thinking I know the answer to my daughter's usual question, "What do you want for Christmas?"

Explore all the dolls in the Maru and Friends line by visiting their website.

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Future Redressing Fun for One, Maybe More

New dolly fashions from Shasha

Three beautifully presented envelopes arrived from the Philippines this week from Shasha of atelierniSHASHA.  Unfortunately for me, I have absolutely no time for doll play until after October 15th or shortly thereafter.  Color Infusion Janay's tribal chevron dress, which is Shasha's 2014 dress of the year, should be here by the time I am able to  go into full play mode. 


The Reveal

Because I think tunics and leggings are nice wardrobe staples (for playscale females, certainly not for me), I ordered several.  I also purchased Shasha's 2013 dress of the year.  I had it made in beach colors.  I did order a tunic made from the black and white striped material used for last year's slip dress.

I am looking forward to mixing and matching these pieces; and perhaps, if Janay does not mind sharing, some of the others will have an opportunity to wear a piece or two.

***

Shortly after photographing the clothing, I noticed Halle's hand gesture (shown above) and wondered if this was her attempt to get my attention to let me know she's long overdue for a redress.  I know I didn't position her hands like this.  Maybe the others put her up to it.  See a full view of Halle and some of her co-conspirators below. 

They all look a little guilty to me, as though they were secretly scheming something with Halle, whose hand gesture blew their cover.  Bob probably knows what's been going on.  Look at him, sitting in the corner, trying to look innocent.  


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Walmart Exclusive Quick Fix

A quick visit to Walmart for three things led me to the doll aisles where I found the above Only at Walmart Barbie fashion.  It includes a halter dress, pink hooded jacket, pink handbag and matching high-heels.  What looks like a shopping bag is part of the card graphics.

There were other Walmart-exclusive Barbie fashions (see two more here), but this is the only one I purchased.  It was $5, supposedly reduced from $6.97. 

The sherbert-like colors of this particular fashion appealed to me.  The color combination also reminds me of some of my late brother's artwork, which was usually done in pastels. 

Swappin' Styles Artsy models the fashion without the jacket.

Swappin' Styles Artsy, who had been wearing a love-themed two-piece fashion for several months, was chosen at random to wear the new fashion.

With jacket on, Artsy poses with a some of my brother's artwork.

 

I think Artsy (in name alone) was the perfect doll for this fashion. 

*****

Happy birthday, Ronald!  I love and miss you.

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