Books for African American Children

In addition to the dolls children are very fond of the books. So today I want to draw your attention to some very interesting books about African American children and about their hair; it's a very original theme for the books.

If you are the proud parent of a beautiful black child, you will want to make sure that they grow up proud of their hair. One way to achieve this is to provide them with positive role models and images. This can be done by choosing books and DVDs that will show them how great black hair can be.

HERE you can find these interesting books.

African American Children's gifts, dolls, books etc. from  You Tube

How to Create Lifelike Reborn Dolls

This is the amazing book!!! "How to create lifelike reborn dolls" - it worth every penny. In this book you will found the technique how  to transform the regular vinyl doll to a One-of-a-Kind Heirloom Collectible. You can use this technique for all kind of dolls - Caucasian, Asian and African American.

 Includes 300 Full Color Pictures Sections include such topics as: Supplies, Disassembly, Bathing, Blushing, Soft Body, Basic Facial Features, Subtle Veining, Magnets, Pacifiers, Juices, Milk Bottles, Stuffing and Weighting, Baby Fat, Manicures, Heart Boxes, Heat Pouches, and also includes many Life-Like Reborn Samples, Reborning Tips & Techniques and more... 

HERE you can find this book for $39.95

Real Life Like Reborn Dolls! Not a Fake Baby! Enjoy the You Tube Video

Oreo Fun Barbie

Oreo Fun Barbie - African American Doll from 1997 became a controversial issue due to a negative interpretation of the doll's name. Critics argued that in the African American community Oreo is a term meaning that the person is "black on the outside, and white on the inside" like the chocolate cookie itself. The doll was unsuccessful and Matel recalled the unsold stock. Here is a quotation from the article:

A Black Barbie doll with a new name and strong collaboration can still be successful despite of new entrant.  

Click HERE to read the full article

And very Funny Video about "Fail Toys" by Mike Mozart

Alexander Doll Company African American Doll

Alexander Doll Company designs and manufactures all of the exclusive dolls for the Madam Alexander Doll Club. The company manufactures a variety of dolls, including collectibles and play dolls, African American Dolls, in addition to its signature line of Madame Alexander Dolls. 

In the early 1950s, the Alexander Doll Company was one of the first major American toy companies to begin manufacturing an African-American doll. The doll not only fulfilled Alexander's goal of using dolls to expose children to many different cultures, it also allowed the company to extend its marketing reach more deeply into the black community..

Click HERE to read full article and see an amazing picture of an African American Doll.

Watch the You Tube Video: "The Alexander Doll Company has taken Kay Thomson's beloved Eloise character and turned her into a classic rag doll"

African American Skin Reborn Dolls

I think that making reborn dolls  is a very difficult  process, especially if we are talking about skin tone. But if you read this article written by professional you understand that this is not really hard, but African American Dolls need more time and patience to get the right color. 

Depending on the darkness of skin tone you intend to create, you can use the kit in the solution for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the depth of color that you want to achieve is to the left. For African Americans, you should remove after 15 minutes, the process can be repeated if your not happy with the depth of color. After removal from its mix of dye and rinseTo dry, leave your pieces to cure 24 hours before the blackout decisions, this will give time to really grab the vinyl dye and give you an exact idea of color.

HERE you can read the full article.

Reborn Babies by Mary's Sugar Babies from You Tube

Thanks!

African American Dolls - Interesting Facts

African American Dolls deviate from Caucasian Dolls with hair and skin color, eye shapes and body structure. But many manufactures just used the colored mold from white dolls to make African American Dolls. Here are some interesting facts about the differences between black and white dolls.

A recently released line of dolls has incorporate more African features into the design of the dolls, including hair color, eye shape, nose shape and in some models, rounder cheeks. This progress has been welcome in general but many critics have noted that body structure of theAfrican Barbie Dolls is still a caricature of the white ideal:

• long legs,

• a small trim waist,

• larger than average breasts

• and a heart shaped face.

Click HERE to read  full article

African American Baby Dolls Collection on You Tube

Enjoy!

African American Dolls Appraisal

What are antique dolls worth? Professional appraisers can identify and evaluate collectible, antique, African American Dolls .  Many antique dolls are marked with a mold number , and the mold number may be enough to identify the maker of the doll. Debra - the doll appraiser tells us how to have Christmas every day :)

Ten years ago on my birthday, a New Jersey resident brought in a doll which had been in her family.  It was wrapped in a black garbage bag without the added protection of bubble wrap or tissue paper.  I was thrilled to discover that her family doll was a Bebe Modele by Bru, circa 1879-80, on its original articulated woden body and featuring the desirable Circle Dot head model.

Click HERE to read full article 

Antique Marks and Appraisal from You Tube. Quick & easy VISUAL research guide. 

Enjoy! 

African American Festival - Folk Art Dolls

Danna Crawford is a dolls lover and collector, Her African American Dolls are beautiful and amazing. Black dolls are a positive affect on African-American children. A child who plays with one that resembles his or her ethnicity develops a stronger sense of identity.

It is important for African American children to have African American dolls. Child psychologists say that doll play is valuable for many reasons, including self-esteem and ideals of beauty. Children learn who they are and imagine what they might be through their dolls, so it is very important that their dolls look like them, or like attractive role models with whom they can identify.

Click HERE if you want to read the full article

Folk Art Dolls by Linda Williams. Linda Williams speaks with Danna Crawford about her Divine Inspired Dolls

Thanks for watching! 

Natural Hair Dolls

Are you tired of dolls with regular, synthetic hair? There is some exciting news for you!. Tabloach production makes dolls with locks, braids, and all types of natural hair styles. Especially, African American Dolls look fantastic with natural hair. 

When I had my little girl, we were fortunate.  At that point there was Black Barbie and Skipper and other black dolls were available, looking beautiful, but they all had long straight hair, unlike my daughter's beautiful, long, kinky hair.  I was thinking about this and decided to find out the status of Black dolls today and I located a treasure that I am delighted to share with you

Check out this BLOG for more information

Tabloach productions YouTube video - this is amazing! 

Enjoy! 

Terri Lee Dolls

I have exciting news today for you. Classic Terry Lee Dolls are back! They were the best dressed toddlers in 1940s. They were extremely popular. Additionally they  had the most distinct fashion wardrobe, over 500 different, exclusive outfits. Terri Lee Dolls come in four different seasons but we are  interested in African American Doll - Ready for Recess. She is a wearing a white dress with a nice blue jacket and a matching hat. Great article from PRWeb. 

New stylish wardrobe? Check. Adorable new packaging? Check. A revamped website to shop, learn and play? Check. At long last, Terri Lee Associates is thrilled to reveal their 2010 line of play dolls called “The Four Seasons Collection” for girls everywhere ages 3 and up. 

 

Read the full article about Terri lee Dolls

Someone made a very interesting video on the YouTube with no music, however the animation is fascinating.

Thanks. 

African American Dolls - Expressions of Color

Today I found the  great website  called "Expressions of Color".  Expressions of color designs and sells dolls, not regular dolls, dolls of color, African American Dolls. The collaboration of the husband and wife team ( Jean and Henry)  have make this labor of love a concept that expresses the couple's talents and abilities. I hope you will enjoy your visit to Expressions of Color. 

 

Jean and Henry did their first show together in November 1997. Not only did people but they dolls, they bought the furniture for the dolls. It was than that Expressions of Color was born. Since that time the couple have exhibited the numerous shows annually including New York International Fair, Doll and Teddy Bear Expo and the Philadelphia Black Doll Convention. 

 

Click HERE to visit the website Expressions of Color.  

 

They don't have any YouTube video, but I want to show you very colorful and bright video, called Expressions of Color. 

 

 

Enjoy! 

Van's Doll Treasure

Today, browsing the Google, I found the great doll lover and collector. Her name is Vanessa Morrison and she lives in Lilburn, GA. In her collection you can found a very beautiful and nice African American Dolls. In 1996 she started to create porcelain dolls, and they are amazing.

I absolutely loved it. After my 2 nd class, I bought a kiln and set up my own little studio. Of course, I was still very much into Barbies and Gene dolls. I became an avid collector. How else does an adult justify having so many dolls? 

No matter what job or business I venture into, I keep gravitating back to dolls. My passion for dolls is still guiding me to this day. 

If you click HERE  you can find her own website, called Van's Doll Treasure

And nice collection of her African American Porcelain Dolls. Let's watch them on YouTube!!!

 

Enjoy! 

 

African American Dolls of 60's

Some European companies preceded American companies in manufacturing black dolls. Black dolls were extremely populars. Tammy was a popular black doll in her day, in the 60's. She was competition for Barbie, had extensive wardrobe and big family. Her slogan was: "The doll you love to dress". Today I found very interesting article by John Medeiros about African american dolls of the 60's. 

One of the first black fashion dolls to be released in the 60s was a black version of Ideal's Tammy doll. Two types of black Tammys have been found. One used the earlier "baby" Tammy face body and the second variation was a "Grown Up Tammy" with the later, more teenaged looking face.

Click HERE to read full article.

And don't forget to watch very fascinating  video about Tommy Doll

Thank you!. 

New Style Bratz Dolls

New Bratz dolls reappeared on store shelves. They cute as always, but looked less sexy and more shy. Sasha - the African American Doll looks great in her new outfit. 

Good article from LATimes.

"They're really cool and they're really fun to play with," the Culver City fourth-grader said. "With Barbie, it's more for like younger kids, but for Bratz, they're more for like kids my age. I'm more skinny jeans and skirts and stuff — and with Barbie, it's more like dresses and pink.

Click HERE if you want to read the full article.

And as additional the You Tube Video - as always.

Talking Bratz Dolls

Philadelphia Doll Museum

Absolutely unique Doll Museum in Philadelphia. There are 300 African American Dolls in their collection. Some of them beautiful, some of them rare, and some of them passed through history. In this great collection you can find African, American Folk Art Dolls, European and the amazing collection of Roberta Bell Dolls.

The I. Roberta Bell exhibit presents all 26 dolls offered to the public in the series of famous blacks created by Bell (1904-1992). In 1970 she became the first black person elected to the National Institute of American Doll Artists.Whiteman explains that the first doll Bell designed was scientist and educator Dr. George Washington Carver and the last Harold Washington, mayor of Chicago. The clothes and accessories for her dolls were made by Ruby Brewster, Whiteman notes.

Click HERE if you want to read full article.

Amazing You Tube video about Philadelphia Doll Museum Experience.

Enjoy! 

 

Bratz Dolls

Everyone knows Bratz Fashion Dolls -   Cloe, Jade, Sasha ( African American Doll ) and Yasmin - big heads, skinny bodies, glossy lips and almond-shaped eyes. Check out  this article  by Denise Van Patten about Bratz. 

Bratz Dolls are made of vinyl ---  hard vinyl for the head and body with softer, bendable vinyl for arms and legs. Bratz dolls also have unique feature --- when you change their shoes - you actually change  their feet --  the shoes and feet pop off as one. 

Bratz Doll - Read here the full article

And nice YouTube Video as always

Enjoy! 

Ella Smith Doll Company

Good article about Ella Smith and her Doll Company in Alabama. Antique Dolls from early 1900's.: Alabama Baby, Alabama Indestructible Doll, Roanoke Doll and Ella Smith Doll. Ella Smith produced ten thousand of her dolls each year, included African American Dolls too. 

Smith was the first dollmaker in the South to manufacture black dolls, which made up approximately 10 percent of her production. With a hymn-singing parrot on her shoulder, she worked in a locked room on the second floor of a doll factory which her husband had built for her.

The full Story about Ella Smith Doll Company you can read  HERE

Don't forget to watch and enjoy the beauty of an antique dolls. 

Enjoy! 

Collectible African American Dolls Book

Very interesting book about African American Dolls by  Yvonne H Ellis.  A lot of information, descriptions and market value. Every collector should read this book.

History comes alive in this beautifully illustrated book of legendary African-American dolls. This book showcases hundreds of African-American dolls, beginning with the early 1800s through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Collectible African American Dolls

Don't forget to watch the video about Collectible Ethnic Dolls. 

Enjoy! 

African American Dolls

Nice article by James about African American Dolls, and how  important they are in African American kids  life. 

It is important for African American children to have African American dolls. Child psychologists say that doll play is valuable for many reasons, including self-esteem and ideals of beauty.

African American Dolls

Check it out this video. You will find wonderful collection of African American Baby Dolls. View beautiful reborning designs of Vernita Andrews. 

Thank you!

Rose Splendor Barbie Doll from Avon

News for Barbie Collectors! The new African American Barbie Doll is available from Avon's catalogs from October 2010.

"The doll looks very beautiful from the picture that Avon has come out with. I think she will be well liked among collectors," says Donna G. in West Nashville."

Special preview: new Rose Splendor Barbie Doll by Robert Best available from Avon and Mattel

African American Dolls Cabinet Card

Today I was searching  Flickr. This is an absolutely amazing place where people share their photos, videos, stories. Sometimes you can find there some brilliant pics. Look at this, this very interesting picture of African American Dolls comes with an even more interesting story. 

It was only when I got home from my day's excursion that I examined my find. It had the dolls and it had African-American, but now that I looked closer I saw "I.T." Indian Territory. Bingo. A collecting trifecta 

Of course, it's a wonderful photo and I wouldn't sell it, but getting all three of those on the same card was still a wonderful coup. 

Here the full story: African American Dolls Cabinet Card

Enjoy!

--
M.

My Barbie, your Barbie, our Barbie

Mattel's newest line, So-In-Style, features six African American Dolls Barbie Dolls that highlight the importance of mentor ship, with three older sisters and three younger sisters. Nice article from Michel Martin about Barbie Ethnic Dolls Collection. 

Barbie is introducing a new line of dolls, specifically to better represent African American girls (as it was explained to me, Mattel has made African American dolls for quite some time ... since the "Julia" doll in the 1960's and there have been black Barbies, but no dolls made to look ethnic other than in skin color).

 Here you can read th full article ( from National Public Radio) 

Meet the So - In - Style BFF's from the YouTube. 

Thanks for watching! 

Barbie So In Style

Some news from  Kathryne Darden  - Barbie Collecting Examiner. 

Little S.I.S Friends dolls by Mattel part of So In Style line of ethnic dolls.

The adorable So In Style Little S.I.S Friends dolls by Mattel are on the shelves of toy stores around the country, and are well worth a look by any Barbie doll collectors. These little ethnic, African American Dolls are a bit taller than the Kelly dolls with a different body style and limbs and represent an older age than the Kelly line.

So in Style Line of African American Barbie Dolls 

And YouTube video as additional info. 

Corn-husk, Silk and Wishbones

Today at the library I found "A book of dolls from around the world" by Michelle Markel.  It is a very interesting book, and I found many intriguing articles about porcelain, traditional or black dolls. Here is one of these articles. 

When Zulu boys of South Africa tired of playing with their clay cattle, and girls were past the age of playing with clay dolls, they began to think about getting married.Years ago, a young girl asked the leader of unmarried girls if she could court a guy she fancied.It was not acceptable for her to tell the young man her feelings. First she acted grumpy when he was around. Next, she gave him a doll tightly wound around a roll of cloth. She told the boy her doll's name. He wore it on a string over his shoulder, or hung it in his grass hut,perhaps with other dolls that were offered to him. If she was his favorite, the two would later marry. Someday, stringing beads alongside her daughter,the young woman might tell the story of her courtship and the doll, who was a messenger of love.

-- 

Michelle Markel is very good author and also writes cool books for kids.

M.

Kokeshi dolls from Bento&co

Dolls can be  so distinct and various, as well as  from all  around the world. Look for these incredible Japanese dolls - called Kokeshi, they are absolutely different from African - American dolls,  and read this article by Maki from the Just Bento website.

A kokeshi is a traditional Japanese doll made of turned wood. They originated in the northern parts of Honshuu, the main island in Japan, but nowadays you see them sold everywhere in Japan. Japanese people love kokeshi; they’re so iconic that Nintendo took their inspiration for the Mii avatars used in Wii games from the kokeshi form.

http://justbento.com/back-school-week-giveaway-bentoco?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+justbento+(Just+Bento+-+meal+in+a+box)

This Youtube video from Diginfonews is very interesting. 

 

 

Tables by Sam Baron

Here is an interesting article by Jaime about Phillipe I tables by Sam Baron. 

Sam Baron designed these Philippe I tables for Casamania — the evolution of their Marie Antoinette Pop Collection, presented by Casamania in 2009. The tables are made of a combination of lacquered MDF with rich walnut. To me, the legs look like ballerinas delicately balancing on their toes, and overall, the table grouping reminds me a bit of chess pieces…seems kind of an unlikely combination.

These tables are not only cute with a very smart design, but they  also can be a great display for your collection of dolls

Tables by Sam Baron

Here is the Casamania website where you can get more information about these coffee tables.

CASAMANIA

Enjoy! 

 

Barbie Video Girl

How far uses of technology have advanced is impressive.Who would have thought that dolls would  be better than regular cameras? Today's Barbie can compete with  some famous camera product. Furthermore, there is a nice article titled "Barbie Video Girl" by Kelly Reeves.

Barbie Video Girl  is a wonderful mash up between a video camera and a Barbie doll. She has a camera lens within a necklace on her chest and a color LCD screen on her back that shoots and plays back video footage in real time. Not only can girls film their world from Barbie's perspective, but there is also downloadable editing software available for aspiring wee videographers. 

http://www.urlesque.com/2010/07/20/barbie-video-girl/

And also I want to show you the comparison video between Barbie Video Girl and Canon7D. This is so COOL! Thanks to Brandon Bloch.

Michelle Obama Doll

This week I was looking for something interesting about African American Dolls and look what I found. I liked this article from  author  Martina Stewart  on CNN and Femi Oke video. Check it out! 

 

The White House said it had no comment Monday in response to the upcoming release of a new Michelle Obama action-figure doll.

The 6-inch doll is made by New York toymaker Jailbreak Toys and is set for release on November 20, but the company began work on the new product six or seven months ago, according to Jason Feinberg, Jailbreak Toys' 32-year-old founder.

White House mum on Michelle Obama doll

Porcelain Doll

Black porcelain skin and painted face

Sitting on my bed is your forever place

A beautiful costume with ribbons and bows

I loved dressing you up in cute new clothes

To my heart you hold the key

Because you were always there for me

When I talked to you and felt sad

You listened and never got mad

I’m sorry if I ever left you alone or thrown on the floor

Forgive me, if I was reckless before

However you’ve listened to all my tales

And even let me dress you up and color your nails

You kept me company when I was bored out of my mind

A doll like you is surely hard to find

In all, you were my favorite childhood toy

Through all our years , you have bought me joy.