Finally!!! Barbie Basics #17!

Barbie Basics the AA male!


I had to order him because he was not showing up at any of
my local stores! I'm feeling some kinda way about that!!

So I order him and pay shipping (bummer!) and he arrives!

He is gorgeous! The hair... the eyes...and oh, I already knew

about the body. Yeah, we all wanted articulation and are

disappointed that is doll was not a Fashionista because the

AA Fashionista never showed up (oh, am I wining?) OK,

but...

his shirt what a disappointment! It has a malfunction

in the collar! It is a second! This type of thing you would

never have seen 10 or 20 years ago!

It doesn't even close properly in the back. Tsk, tsk, tsk!

I gotten a better shirt on a $6.00 doll. Is it me or is the

company wobbling? Great head, poor body, great body,

poor quality fashion, great idea for a doll but not enough

diversity.

So now he has to go shirtless. Good thing he is a hunk!

with a cute butt!

great abs!

I think it is a "Situation"!


Great eyes too!

Tour of the Pacific Rim Dress Rehearsal

The Dress Rehearsal! 

This is the dress rehearsal for the Korean dance to take place at the Chinese New Year Festival in Johnsontown. Hae has taught Ing the dance. Now Ing and Mulan are having a dress rehearsal. They are wearing traditional dresses for their dance. Mulan has had these dresses sent to her by her aunt who still lives in Korea. The Hanbok (South Korea) or Chosŏn-ot (North Korea) is the traditional dress worn in Korea. It has vibrant colors and simple lines. The hanbok or Chosŏn-ot has two parts...the jeogori and the chima. The jeogori is the upper part blouse/jacket and the chima is the skirt. A sokchima is the under slip or petticoat worn with the chima.

 

This is not a traditional Korean dance but one she learned at a dance school in Korea. This is the first time Mulan is preformed the dance in the U.S. and it is very important to her.  

Ing has been a good student and learned the dance well! They both move gracefully!  Mulan loves this part with the fans! The fans add something special to the dance. Mulan would have loved to performed the Buchaechum. She learned that too but it requires more women to perform that dance. This is not quite the Buchaechum, fan dance of Korea, but it is beautiful. The music rises! The dance is complete!  

They both think that the dance will be received well!

OK, Thanks For Looking!

Tube Dresses!

Making Of The Tube Dress

This year I’m making more things for my dolls…

getting my creativity on as they say! So one of the first

things I’m making are tube dress. There are many types of

tube dress and tube wear but I am going to make one type

here today. This the first dress and it is the simplest dress

you can make. My inspiration for this dress came when I

bought the Liv windows. The mannequins have on a simple

tube dress.

As anyone who watches fashion knows, it is the

accessories that make the outfit. So I plan to spend a little

time picking them out than sewing.

This outfit is so simple.

So let's make a simple no sew tube dress. Where would

you get such a thing? Let’s start at my favorite places…

The Dollar Store.

Here is a picture of some that I purchased the other day.

They are brown, black and white striped and blue. (Sorry for

the dark background.) I have picked up a few fabric hair-

bands that are in a tube shape and doesn’t have a seam in

the back in a great color solid or print. If you can't find ones

without a seam, then you will have to make the seam the

back or side of the dress. Because these items are tubes,

they won’t require a lot of sewing. I know some of you will

want to sew to alter this dress for a more perfect fit or

more permanence and that is OK too. The bands I

purchased came with hair ties too and I will use

them if I can on the dress.

Here are the tubes!

I have chosen the strip tube so that you can see it well.

I am going to cut the seam that holds the two ends

of the tube together.

Just that quickly I have a dress! This one is going to be a

long dress. Reecie has volunteered to be our model on this

project. Thank you Reecie!

I could leave it just as it is, which might be good if I was

making the dress with a small child. It makes it easy for

them. I'm going to tuck the ends under at the top and the

bottom. It does give it a more finished look. Those of you

who are sewers, may want to sew the top and bottom under,

so feel free, but those of you who don't can simply tuck.

Now, the dress looks a little loose in the waist. You can sew it

for a better fit, or belt it! I am going to belt it...and not just

any belt but I will use those hair ties that came with the

hairband. I used three black hair ties as a belt.

So here you see the three hair ties on the dress as a belt. She

looks stylish already. I will and a few other accessories and

Voilà

High fashion!

We can cut it and make two matching dresses or we can

a short dress, or a top and a skirt.

Brown Hairband

I cut the seam jointing the two end off and made a dress for another

doll.

Meet America Juarez

She is a local child actor who recently got a national

commercial and a small but very good part in a major

movie. She doesn't have the money of a big Hollywood

actress but she does have style!

I will post the top and skirt later!

Introducing Rees

Introducing Rees

Ms. Rees!

I thought it would be a natural follow up to Janay to introduce

Rees (Reesie). She is the only new Integrity Toys doll I have

purchased in a long time. I really thought that the Integrity

Toys dolls had become overpriced...especially the men.

It is plastic after all! When Dynamite Girls Rees came out,

it was the first doll that I thought was a great price.
She is wearing the Fashionista Artsy dress and Barbie Fashion

Avenue boots. This doll really has all the charm and flirtiness

of Francie! Now if you have read my blog, you know I don’t go

in for the sideways glancing dolls. I have to make an exception

for Ms. Rees!

Would I like her more if she were looking straight on….maybe.

Her glance makes her look more mischievous, than jealous,

sneaky or like she thinks that there is someone behind her.

Yeah, she looks like a real handful… a sprite. She is the girl

in the middle of the room with the straight face when

everyone around her is dying laughing. If any doll would

get up and move things around when you weren’t home,

it would be her!

I have given her the name Reesie because

she is like Reese's Cup... little sweet and a little nutty

in one bite! Oh, and if being cute

was illegal, she would be arrested!

Those lashes and brown eye are alluring. Her hairstyle

is classic and she looks good in everything from evening

gowns

to her birthday suit. Sorry no birthday suit photos.

This girl knows how to say no!

She is having lunch. She really loves a great burger!

She can't imaging a life with out meat! She is having a

burger, nachos and a champagne cola. (Put your hand up

if you know what champagne cola is!) She very thin so

she is not worrying about her figure.

Re-bodied Janay! Head Swap Doll

Hey Gang!

I first saw the Janay doll while cutting through the Gallery Mall in Center City Phila. She was in of all places, the window of the CVS there. 

I stopped dead in my tracks! She had a beautiful face and great makeup! For me, it was unusual to find a doll other than Barbie with a great face screening. The name of the company was Integrity Toys! Hmm…, new!  I picked up the box and saw other dolls in the line but the store only had this one. I purchased her and took her home happily.

When I opened the box the pamphlet inside showed several dolls in many different outfits. 

A black doll, an Asian doll, and a Hispanic doll. There was a phone number on the 

pamphlet, so I called it. I have a gift shop in Baltimore. It may have been black-owned. 

The shop was very busy and I was only able to ask a few questions before the person 

had to take care of other customers in the store. As time went on I saw more and more 

dolls from Integrity Toys in the area toy stores. Then it stopped! I didn't know why? 

I couldn't find the phone number I had for the company. Poor Janay! I thought she had 

gone under. But she hadn't she reappeared online! 

Out of the box!

Janay

Jordan

I am not sure who owns the company anymore but they are doing new and different 

things. I am waiting on a new doll I recently purchased from Integrity Toys. 

I will post her when I do!
Re-bodied Janay

 Right now you are looking at one of the first Janays faces that Integrity Toys did. This is

 the one without the smile. They made this same face with a smile. I have re-bodied 

or head-swapped her onto a SIS Grace body. She is enjoying a fine spring day!

In the meadow!

OK! Next time I will remove the stand.

I always loved her hairstyle and makeup!

The old Janay had the old Candi body. Maybe I'll do a comparison later!

The sweetest expression! Nothing like all those pouty

mouthed dolls that look mean and constipated!

In a different outfit. This way she can wear more things.

The new body makes her look extremely leggy!

OK, Thanks For Looking!

The Ancestor’s Room

Let KiKi Show You Her
The Ancestor’s Room!



The new house is still under major construction.
There was a long debate and two family meetings before the
Laurents decide to move and when they were going to move.
They are all starting new. They sold their expensive
condo in Center City and moved to Johnsonton. In a house
that will have five bathrooms only one and a half is done.
But they had less space in Center City and survived. This
is a very busy time for the whole family. KiKi is leaving her
old job as buyer and assistant manager in a department
store in Metropolitan. The younger kids are starting a
new school. The old children are starting their careers, and
Terrence will be starting his new position at the hospital.



The only thing that comes close to being finished
is the Ancestor’s Room. This is very important to KiKi.
For years she and her family have lived without one. It is
very important to her that this room be the first room done.
It provides for the spiritual health of the family. The wall
and ceiling are finished. KiKi would love to show the room
thus far. She has just received the first items that must occupy
the ancestor’s room.

This room will hold heirloom from both KiKi and
Terrance’s family. It is a room for meditation and reflection.
It is a place where the ancestors can comfort and inspire.
It is a place that reminds you who you are.



This is a traditional Rouban chest. It belonged to her mother.
It was shipped here from Rouba to be with KiKi.


It is adorn with the artistic style of her village.
These designs are carved and painted on it.


The inside is the color of honey. It represents the
sweetness of family.



The Cava!


This is a Cava- the traditional serving dish of her county.
It is similar to a Tagine or Mesob. The food is placed on this
dish and brought to the table. The dish is placed on the center
of the table. Tradition is that everyone eats with their hands
using Moto (a flat bread) so the dish must be close. The lid is
removed and everyone used the bread to eat the items on the
dish. KiKi can smell the fried plantains, Suya (spice meat kabob)
and a spice rice called Micca this dish will hold .


Life forces present.



There must be water…the life giving element and

there must be nature in this room right now it is this plant
from Rouba. It was very hard to get through Customs. KiKi

is expecting other things from her homeland.

Camille has promised to send some things too!