Barbie Mouthwash and Some Doll and Toy Memoirs on Kindle

OK; I've seen it all. I bought Barbie Listerine Smart Rinse, complete with a photo of herself. I love it! It is one of many products of the Great Doll I've spied in stores. I don't buy them all, since I can't be Mrs. Burkhalter, but I love to notice them. These are great accessories for Barbie displays and collectors. It tastes like bubble gum, what else?

Kudos to our friend Nancy McCray of Cedar Rapids who was doing an appraisal on Antiques Roadshow tonight.

Also, Kindle is a wonderful place for books about dolls, both entire books, and those to sample. I recently downloaded for free A Talke of Two dutch Dolls and a Golliwog and The three volume biography of Eugene Field, whose house I was privileged to visit last Nov., an item on my bucket list.

Sorry for typos; hand still bad; it isn't going to get better, I fear.

But, not to digress, on Kindle, also Laura Starr's book on dolls, 1908, and two memoirs by Madonna Dries Christianson, Dolls Remembered and Toys Remembered. One is a complilation of women's memories of their dolls, the other of men and their toys.

I like both very much. There are also websites given for the authors, including Virginia Heyerdahl who writes articles about dolls and who also had a prestigious political career in D.C. Each book is 9.99 on Kindle, and mine were gifts of my mother in law.

Also, There is Flanagan's Dolls, a mystery by Warren Adler, and many novels about doll and toy manufacturers, as well as a history of, yes, kids don't look, Sex Dolls!

You can sample any of these for free. There are also books about collecting and about Barbie and specific dolls in particular.

I have been very lucky in my finds, and able to get out a little despite this pestilence/cold/perpetual allergy attack I've contracted. I was able to add six vintage Sasah dolls to my collection, as well as a porcelain Midge, Burberry Barbie, several artist dolls, and an Annette Himstedt. Santa brought others, including a mint A/M 390 head, a topsy turvy doll with compo head masks, a few little dolls including a celluloid, a book about Living Dead Dolls, and several interesting Goodwill finds, Barbies I'd never seen, Bratz and My Scene that were unusual, two beautiful bisque dolls, handmaded with gorgeous dresses. All were about 90% what they would normally cost. I got a barette that is "doll art" by DollFace, a self-made folk artist that does assemblage locally. Very nice, and a porcelain cheerleader wearing a copy of my old 7th grade uniform during a brief stint as an intramural cheerleader. Still have my red/black pompoms!

There were some good after Xmas selections at Target and Hobby Lobby, at 70 to 80% off, including many small dolls made of wood and mercury glass, with wigs and real clothes.

Part of our friends' travelling Xmas display is a pair of realistic looking rattle snakes rearing up, and wearing a knit red skating outfit, and tiny Kelly pink plastic coat with white faux fur cuffs and collar. They are visiting me at the time, but will move on, only if the rest of the gorup promises to protect both snakes and outfits. We need a little whimsy, if gnomes, frogs, bears, and dolls can travel, why can't a couple of fake snakes?

Enough for now. Happy 2012/! Remember, we love comments!