5 comments about Home Decor for 18" Dolls.

1. I made several things from this book. It's a little outdated style-wise, but that's easy enough to change with your fabric and notions. I also used the sleeping bag as a guide on sizing to come up with a more complex design.



2. I was terribly disappointed with this book. It looked like it had plans for building furniture for 18-inch dolls, but doesn't. It suggests where you can buy the furniture, but that company no longer produces furniture. When I contacted the author, Joan Hinds, she said she was disappointed, too, that they no longer make the furniture. Book, therefore, is useless to me.



3. It says "Home Decor"... It says "Full-Size patterns for fashions and accessories.." I was so excited because I wanted all the ideas of how to make the furniture shown on the cover-- thought the furniture was an accessory pattern. Well, there are no furniture patterns in this book... It's just pictures of "bought" furniture arranged in rooms and painted and/or decorated in different ways. It has a pattern for a rug, for a cushion, etc. and clothes patterns... I'm going to give it away or something.



4. What a fantastic book for those hard to make beddings and decor! She even tells you exactly where you can purchase the unfinished furniture. The patterns are excellent and easy to understand and follow. Finally, there is a book that shows how to dress up the decor and accessories!



5. It is a lovely book but I want to caution you that there are no patterns for the furniture. The furniture is bought ready made from Walnut Hollow and the directions are for decorating it. At least one of the items is not available in the Walnut Hollow catalog that just came out. There are directions for making foamcore backgrounds. If you already have the clothing books you may not want this one also unless you need instructions for tablecloths, bedspreads and such. Cute ideas though.

No comments about Antique Dolls.

5 comments about Barbie and Her Mod, Mod, Mod, Mod, World of Fashion.

1. This book is as close to being perfect as any can get in the Barbie world. Not only is it informative and well-written, it's fun too!

   Each outfit is explained in detail, with each part listed, along with what parts may be more difficult to find, any variations in the outfit, etc. All of these items, where possible, are photographed flat and clearly so you can see each item separately and know what each thing is. Then, another photograph is taken on the doll, in a fun setting that usually goes with the name of the outfit somehow, so you can actually see how the outfit looks on a doll, something which I think is really important.

   The photographs are great pretty much right across the board. The book is well-written, with a great sense of humour. All in all, you can't go wrong if you're into Mod-era Barbie and buy this book!




2. This is a fabulous book! Wonderful and informative descriptions. The photographs are some of the cutest and most creative I have ever seen. Lovely. I highly reccomend this book!



3. Everything you could want to know about this period of Barbie and the photographs are beautiful.



4. This is the best and most comprehensive book on barbie fashions of the mod era. It shows you what the fashions look like nrfb as well as loose. It is a must have for any barbie collector.



5. It tells you so very much about the mod world of Barbie. It gives you so much to sink your teeth into that I couldn't put it down for about an hour or longer.

1 comments about Dolls: And Why We Love Them.

1. The title and cover illustration of "Dolls and Why We Love Them" compelled me to pick it up. I then could not put it down because the illustrations so beautifully portray why I love dolls. Vintage paintings of children and their dolls fill the pages of this short book with nostalgia and idealistic images of children caring for their beloved companions.

   The text rises to the stories told by the paintings with short prose and poetry sections based on different themes introduced throughout the book. The text is not a deep or lengthy look at why we love dolls, but the sentimentality well reflects the emotional tone of why we love dolls. This quick read is a treasure that will be picked up again and again by those doll collectors who love their dolls.

1 comments about Dolls' Clothes.

1. I was loving this book for its designs until I came to the pattern section. Normally this type of book, for people who sew doll clothes, has a pattern piece with 3 sizes outlined on the page. Once you understand the format, you can either trace the size you need or copy the page and cut out the size you need. In this book, they have superimposed a pattern piece over another piece, so there can be 2 or 3 or 4 pieces on one page! What results is a mass jumble of lines. It takes forever to make sure you have the pattern piece you are looking for, because there are lines everywhere. In addition, they run pieces across the middle binding, which adds to the confusion and creates a problem reproducing it. Other books print the extended piece of say, a pair of pants, as a separate piece on the next page and you have to cut the piece and combine it on your fabric...much easier for the sewer. I think they were trying to cut down on the number of pages, but all they got was a confusing, time-consuming mess. The designs are great; the pattern format makes it not worth my time or money.

3 comments about Revlon Dolls and Their Look-Alikes.

1. Revlon Tv adds can be bad enough, Now they are selling Dolls? Right, and Sears has a good auto repair service.



2. This book was like a trip back in time. I saw pictures of dolls that I played with and dreamed of owning. Recently I have been purchasing some of the dolls of my childhood to collect and display. The book is essential to help verify the authenticity of what I am buying. Is a dress truly a Revlon outfit or a copy? I enjoy referring to the book on many occasions. Kathy did an excellent job in documenting the history of Revlon dolls for doll collectors.



3. As a collector of 1950s fashion dolls, I can't buy a doll lately without checking this book -- for authenticity of outfits, identification of obscure companies, or comparing original dolls with "knock-offs." The Revlon information is the most complete available anywhere, in print or on the web. The additional info on similar dolls produced by competing companies is just as valuable. (No Madame Alexander info, but there are volumes of Alexander books already on the market.) And, like browsing a 1950s Sears catalog, it is just a hoot to see authentic '50s fashions in idealized miniature versions. Good for nostalgia, fashion research, and to prepare for browsing Ebay!

5 comments about Encyclopedia of Cabbage Patch Kids: The 1980s (Schiffer Design Book).

1. Although I did enjoy reading the facts about the kids, their orgin, rarities, head mold facts.....and so on.....This book ONLY focused on MIB kids. Even though there are great photos (hundreds of them), several are duplicates and the author consentrated mostly on the beloved #4 head mold. ALOT of the kids talked about were mentioned as *hard to find* and *extreamly hard to find* MIB. I do not believe all head molds and eye/hair color combonations were pictured. I also believe that what one collector views as mint another may not agree upon. For instance, some kids are redressed and out of the box...is that still considered mint in the box?
   
   The first 14 pages are very brief paragraphs of the different headmolds, clothing, eyes and hair colors, boxes and so on. No price guide on any clothing with the exception of animal sleepers, terry sleepers and rompers.
   
   I feel as though in my opinion only, that a Collectors guide for Cabbage Patch kids has alot of potential if more information was given and less of identical photos. This book just didn't give ME the info. that I was so hoping it had.
   
   With that said, this book is a definate read for any collector, but quite pricey.



2. My second wife (a shrew of a woman if ever there were one) blessed me with three little kippers--and each bore a strong resemblence to a cabbage patch kid (Note: the woman had the largest cranium I've seen prior to Shreck). This encyclopedia was invaluable during the difficult child-naming process and has been a nostalgic reference these passing years since the harlot took the kids (and the pudgy judge-awarded palimony) to Kansas in order to follow some religious kook and raise the bigheads in an "upright" environment. I miss them occasionally, and when I do, I shed my tears with this fine book by my side. Thank you Schiffer Design Books.



3. This book gives the complete picture of cabbage patch kid collecting. I haven't seen a more overall picture of the dolls anywhere. It is a fantastic guide not only for the new collector, but also for the expert. Thank you.



4. The cabage patch kids are one of the best books i have read!!. It is easy to read and is full of drame and really keeps you on the endge of your seat the whole time while you are reading it. I cant wait to read it again!!



5. This was an awesome book! As an avid collector of Cabbage Patch Kids, it is nice to know that there is some value to my collection. Further, this provided many of my friends and acquaintances with eager cries of "Mine looked like this one!" The research that when into this book is obvious. As one skims over the glossy pages of pictures, they find themselves stopping to read the stories behind the value of "kids." I enjoyed this book thoroughly and often stay up late rereading it.

2 comments about The Story of Barbie Doll (Story of Barbie).

1. interesting, but in my opinion it could be better with more photos



2. This beautiful book contains over 300 full color sharp pictures about Barbie. It provides an excellent history of Barbie and her evolution. A wealth of information is provided, not just the usual brief descriptions. You'll find out how she was created, how she has changed over the years, fashions, relatives and friends, ethnic and foreign Barbies and how to take care of your collection. Special issues and buyer cautions are included. A beautiful book every Barbie collector and owner should have.

5 comments about Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll.

1. I grew up thinking that Barbies were evil dolls that were part of the Establishment's plan to keep women in their place. I never had a Barbie and I only gave one to a child who specifically requested it. After reading this book I realized that I had been too hard on Barbies. They were part and parcel of our culture, not part of a plot. Just recently I read a "Best Toys for Children" review that still recommended dolls for girls and toy trucks for boys.
   
   The author covers a tremendous range of Barbie-related material, and the book seems to have been well-researched, with many good references.
   
   I began to wonder what it would have been like to have had a Barbie (instead of a working toy cannon), so after finishing the book I went to Toys R Us to see the current Barbies. Then I went to a thrift store.
   
   There were dozens of Barbies at the thrift store, most of them hanging feet-up, naked in plastic sacks. I bought one of the few of them that was dressed and took it(her?) home. She (I haven't named her) has been sitting on the edge of the sofa all week. I am trying to get a feeling of what it is to own a Barbie doll. I look at her, but she just stares into the distance. I could not tell you if she is dreamy or disdainful. I get absolutely no "velveteen rabbit" emanations.
   
   All I can think of is a poem I read long ago - Keat's "Ode On a Grecian Urn"*.
   "She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
   Forever will thou love, and she be fair!"
   
   She is, I guess, what you make of her, and still reflects our culture.
   
   *I looked it up.



2. I know you think I am a little young for this book but trust me it's great! It's so good! I never looked at a Barbie the same way again! This is a must-have for Barbie fans! I like how she talked about how Barbie made African-Americans and American-Asians feel undermined what with not a lot of ethnic Barbies being sold now. I loved loved hearing about the collector things and the weird people who think Barbie is the most fabulous thing ever. She also covers feminism, society's messages towards women, anorexic stars, and rituals that seem to be incorporated into Barbie play. And she gives some neat background dirt on Mattel. He, he!
   I did not like how she said the pregnant Midge doll was "icky". This book is cool with lots of photos and stories of interesting people and disturbing artists as well as the acessories made to make up for Ken's groin loss (lol) and the secret messages implanted in Barbie's accessories. I will never see Barbie as a cheap piece of skinny plastic anymore. Now, she is society in doll form. Believe it!
   Wamina!



3. On the one hand, this is an impressively researched book written with humor and intelligence. I'd love to see a new edition tracking some of the more recent developments in Barbie's empire. But some of Ms. Lord's arguments drift unpersuasively far into psycho-sexual realms. When she used an obscure 43 minute 1987 documentary as her three-page focus for the conflicting causes of eating disorders, she completely lost me.



4. This book isn't the next _war and peace_ nor was meant to be. Just like that dude J. Alfred Prufrock, it's good for swelling a crowd, and giving you something less-embarassing than watch television to do when you want to just relax. Analyzing pop culture, learning obscure facts about something I am vaguely ashamed of myself for being interested in in the first place . . . mmmmmmmm, pass the oreo ice cream, please. The author definitely shares my sheepish fascination with Barbie. His/her(?) text explores many aspects of our relationship with Barbie - as children, parents, adult women, queers, artists, etc., as well as a lot of very interesting background info on how she was created, the company who has promoted her over the years, and the toy industry in general. Holding my interest *without* getting so serious that I wished the book had come with a discussion section that met once a week, _Forever Barbie_ was like a long, interesting cultural-analysis chat with an amusing girlfriend. I would read it again in a few years or recommend it to friends . . .



5. This is not a "pro-Barbie" book, or an "anti-Barbie" book. It is an exploration of all aspects of Barbie the author finds significant. Topics include:

   The history of Barbie's creation, her marketing and engineering by Mattel.

   The differences between male and female executives in handling of the Barbie line.

   Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator, and other prominent women in Barbie's life such as Charlotte Johnson, who designed her clothes in the early years, Judy Shackelford, Mattel's first female vice president, and Jill Barad, the marketing director & later Mattel COO, who pioneered the "We Girls Can Do Anything" advertising campaign in 1984.

   A history of Barbie and ethnic identity (unfortunately someone had clipped pages out of this chapter in the library copy I read, so I can't say too much about it.)

   Explorations of symbolic, sexual, & psychological meanings of the doll.

   I found this book fascinating. A very enjoyable read. While it explores both the positive and negative views women have had of Barbie, I especially enjoyed the positive, including Barbie's history as a single independent career woman, the powerful career women involved in her creation, manufacture, & marketing over the years, and the somewhat fanciful but enjoyable discussion of her as a mythical archetype of the feminine.

   I like when this book ventures into realms of the bizarre, like the exploration of Barbie's image in the context of fetishism and pornography. I suppose some people might be disturbed or offended by this, however.

   I was frustrated by the lack of a list of illustrations, since photographs appear throughout the text, & are often mentioned later in the book. It's hard to go back and find the picture she's talking about.

   I was confused by the author `s seeming lack of awareness that people might read the book 6 or more years after its publication. For instance, she refers to women of the Barbie generation as "women under 40." I had to think to realize this included me, since I'm not under 40 now, but I was when the book was published in 1994. The confusion will increase as years go by.

   This is too bad, since the book is a unique treatment of Barbie in cultural context, and should be read well into the future by students of popular culture as well as individuals who like to ponder such things. Unfortunately, it's out of print. This makes it unlikely that a 2nd edition will ever appear, which is also too bad, since I would love to know what the author has to say about innovations subsequent to its publication, such as Barbie's new more lifelike proportions, and the introduction of her belly-button.

   Some people might find this book too intellectual, or possibly over their heads. Probably many people who like to ponder the meanings of popular culture are anti-Barbie, and might be turned off by the book's positive spin on the doll. Barbie enthusiasts might be put off by the negative spin, as well as the stranger explorations. I love the book, but I have to admit it's not for everybody. Maybe that's why it's out of print. But if you are open to both sides of the Barbie controversy, and like to wax philosophical and think about things, this book is definitely for you.

2 comments about Warman's G.I. Joe Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warman's Field Guides).

1. This guide is very incomplete! It only has the basic figures and uniforms only up to the 1990's even though it just came out in print in 2006.



2. The Warman's G.I. Joe Field Guide is not a comprehensive, all-encompassing guide to G.I. Joe figures. Writer Karen O' Brien makes this clear in the introduction. Rather, this small (5" by 4") book serves as a convenient, pocket guide to G.I. Joe figures and accessories and includes hundreds of clear, vibrant photographs. It's the kind of book you can pack along easily when you travel to garage sales, flea markets, or collectibles shows. While it may not be exhaustive, there is still a lot packed into its 512 pages. O' Brien provides a brief history of the figure line and the opening section of photos display the various copyright marks and facial and uniform variations on the early figures.
   
   Some figures are show loose while others are show still in their original boxes. For pricing purposes, only a MIP price is given. Another plus is that O'Brien provides the Hasbro item number for the figure (although not accessory sets). Some of the rarest Joe figures are pictured including the Soldiers of the World sets, the rare Canadian Mountie Sears figure, and the Action Girl G.I. Nurse, valued at $4000, perhaps the rarest figure of all. The various adventure sets were always my favorite as a kid and the book includes photos of these great sets including the Secret of the Mummy's Tomb, White Tiger Hunt, and Fight for Survival dog sled set. You know I still have those plastic husky dogs over thirty years later!
   
   The first 380 pages of the book are dedicated to the original G.I. Joe line while the last 130 pages are given over to the 3 ½" line. Only figures are pictured for the 3 ½" line, no vehicles or accessories are included. As a basic, carry along guide it serves its purpose well to provide some guidelines for pricing and identification. You can get more comprehensive guides but this fills the bill for being compact and inexpensive.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson