Collecting

  Since I was a little girl, Barbie has been magical to me. It's almost like an obsessive sickness with me. I had my favorites, which I kept separate for when friends came over. I had a completely different set for friends to play with. Don't think they were crappy or anything. I was generous and all, I just had special ones.

 I used to play my Barbies in story lines. Yeah, I was a weirdo. Always a weirdo, nothing new there. Ha! That's kind of how I started this make over business. If I didn't have the proper clothes to fit whatever story line I was going with, I'd have to make it myself. And so I did. I have 3 very special Barbies from my childhood stashed away in my closet. I figured they managed to make it these 20+  years, they deserve it. I had a lot more left, but sorry ladies, they went to art.

 I have a lot, maybe 20-30 Barbies still in boxes and lots that SHOULD be in boxes, but their boxes got ruined over the years and they were freed. I don't even know what half of them are. Some of them I even played with as a child, then retired them to display status.

  You can see everyone in boxes behind, but I believe both ladies in front are from Avon? I could be wrong. I know for sure the Lady wearing read and black is an Avon Holiday Barbie, but I don't remember what year. Ms. Purple there, I honestly have no idea. Any thoughts out there?

 
  These are a couple prizes of my collection. The Birds Barbies, which I just think is incredibly cool. To this day, The Birds is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. I was very small when I saw it and even as an adult, large groupings of birds make me very uneasy. heh

  The Aquarius Barbie isn't the most special in terms of collecting itself, but she's a redhead Midge like doll. I LOVE Midge. She is my favorite, next to Theresa, but trust me, we'll get to that. These are the 2 dolls that I will have to die first before Olivia (my daughter) may get her hands on. lol

  This is a scene out of my China cabinet. That would be Beatrix Potter Barbie posed having a tea party (I also seem to collect tea sets? Don't ask.) with a little doll they featured in Happy Meals a couple years ago, which I also collected. *cough*

 
  What you can't really see in this picture is my whole China cabinet, filled with Barbies in and out of boxes. Lower left corner are 2 Native American Barbies that I played with when I was little. Very treasured. Lower far right corner are 2 more Avon Holiday Specials. One with blonde hair and one with brown hair, same dress. I used to have another of the blonde in a box, but I gave it to my Great Niece.

  Middle row there  has the Beatrix Potter Barbie, plus various in box dolls from the 80's. Holiday specials. Christmas, Valentines day, etc. Also, a fairly recent Kelly doll for Easter.

  Top is the tea sets I mentioned before (the one in the middle is actually my own mother's from the 40's) and those Happy Meal dolls. heh

  Okay, on to the good shit. I recently got the best Barbie present of my life. I said I LOVED Midge. She has ALWAYS been my favorite. My most treasured doll that lives in my closet is a Wedding Day Midge I got for Christmas 1991. She has been played with very well. lol I found another WD Midge at a thrift store last month some time. I was going to use her in art, until I did some reading and found out just how rare Midges actually are. None so rare as this one though...

  Do you SEE this? Do you KNOW what that IS? That, my friends, is an ORIGINAL Midge from 1963. Do you know where she came from? No? Well, I'd be more than happy to tell you. My bestest friend Apey  gave her to me.

  She was actually garbage picked out of the trash and needed some love. Apey said the only reason she know who/what it was is because of all the years I've been talking about her. I am not kidding when I say this is the crown jewel, the real prize of my collection. I cried. CRIED. When she gave this doll to me. It was like every Christmas ever rolled up into one moment of my life. I still tear up when I hold her. lol I love her.

 I cleaned her up. She's wearing this for now, but I will find the perfect outfit for her. This isn't quite it, but works for now. She's so special. *sigh* Love her.

  I repainted her finger and toe nails too. They were a bit warn off. Luckily, I had like, the exact color. lol

 So I guess this is my very open and very public THANK YOU SO MUCH to my bestest of the best, Apey . I love you so much and you take such good care of me. I don't know where I'd be without you. You've picked me up and brushed me off more times than I can count. You keep me going, keep my laughing and complement my crazy like no one else I know. Here's to a long and happy friendship. Cheers, girl! :o)

- Joy -