Saturday, November 5, 2011

The Doll Show. Caution: Some of the Prices May Shock and Amaze You

Today was the annual local November show.  I had the best time, mainly because I got to see some of my favorite dolly people.  Limbe dolls, Georgia Girl, and Robyne from Desperately Seeking Dolls were all there.  This was my first time meeting Robyne in person and you would have thought we were long lost pals.  We really were like two little school girls as she dragged me to a few booths showing me all the things she thought I should buy for my stories.  Speaking of the stories, I was amazed at how many people there were fans of my videos.  Rod, Melanie, and Danielle, were talked about in great detail on several occassions.  As most of you know, Limbe dolls is Auntie Paulette in my stories.  Well Limbe dolls brought Danielle a bridal shower gift and card from Auntie Paulette, along with another gift for the boys.  Wait until you see them. 

Here I am on the left and Paulette from Limbe dolls is on the right.

Georgia Girl is on the left, and I can't remember the lady on the right's real name, but her blog is Dazzle Dolls.

I had no plans to spend anymore than $30 at his show.  My plan was to come in, sit down and just observe other people shopping.

Well, this is me not spending money at the show.

When I first arrived, I saw one of my friends who used to have a doll shop, selling mostly Barbie dolls.  I just went by to say hello.
Well look what she had there for $30.  I recently saw this doll on Clicking Dolls blog and I fell in love with her.  Of course I searched high and low for her, and she was nowhere to be found.  Oh yeah, there was one in some far away land for $250. 

Here is another one I saw on flickr a few months ago redressed and looking fabulous.  Again she is nowhere to be found on ebay or Amazon.  So my friend had her for $20.  Are you guys keeping track of all the money I have saved so far?  It gets better.

By this time, I am happy and satisfied to just have these two dolls. I have decided not to look at any more doll booths.  Well along comes that darn Robyne, who wants to show me a few things.  She dragged me to two booths, and I held steadfast and said "NO".   Well at the third booth she dragged me to, I caved.  I had $10 cash left in my wallet and this item was only $10!

It is the Barbie Friendship plane from 1972.  It is in great shape. I need to do some minor repairs and some cleanup.  As most of you know, I have had a plane on my list for awhile.  I had no intention of buying this vintage version, but it works on many levels.  First of all it seats 4 people, unlike the new planes which seat 2 or 3.  Secondly, it keeps me from having to spend time making a plane. Thirdly, it was $10, vs the $80 for the new ones.   
It does open all the way up, but my picture taking space was limited.

I have to fix the table, but that won't be a problem.

So I was happy, happy, happy.  The last booth I went to with Robyne, was the booth that she told me to stay away from if I didn't want to spend money.  Boy was she right!  I stepped in the booth and literally lost my mind.

This was the first set I spotted.  I have been looking at this set for almost a year, mainly because I love this guy. He's nicely articulated and such a cutie pie. I think this is Dean from Dollies Series.  I'm not sure. Either way, he's now mine, mine, mine.  Guess how much I got the set for?  Can you say $20!!!  You can find this set on ebay anywhere from $50 up to $150.  Typical price is $75 - $99.  I noticed when I got home that he is wearing a great tuxedo that I will be able to use in the wedding. 

I then spotted this Janet for $8.  I need that body for my Todd.  Having the pommel horse is nice, too.  I am hoping I will be inspired to do something fabulous to this hair, so  I can have 2 heads for my Nikaya doll.

I then saw this Skipper for $8.  I don't have any this size.

Yes, I am still in that same booth.  I saw Disney Taylor for $10.  Sometimes you can find her on ebay for slightly less than $10, but the shipping is usually $8 - $10 on top of that.  So she, too, was a good deal.

My eyes spotted this doll that I have coveted for some time.  I didn't seek her out, but knew if I found her for a good price she would be mine.  Well at $10, could I really say no?  I didn't know she had an articulated body.  Surprise, surprise.  So my total damage in this one booth was only $46.  Pretty good, wouldn't you say?

So I was done after this booth.  There were probably 50 vendors there, and for the first time in my doll show attending career, I only went to 6 booths.  Can you imagine the damage I would have done if I had visited more booths?  I really need to stay away from flickr and other blogs.  LOL.  The enabling that goes on those sites is criminal I tell you.







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27 comments:

  1. Wow you got some great buys. I can't wait for my annual doll show in April. You did better than if you had to buy all these items on ebay. You saved hundreds of $$

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  2. Cleaning up is an understatement. Wow! You came home with lots of nice dolls for practically nothing. Congratulations on everything.

    Gymnast Janet is on my wish list. eBay sellers want an arm and a leg for that doll. Did your Barbie friend happen to have another Gymnast Janet? I'm collecting all AA Staceys, Skippers, and Janets and only have a few more to go to complete the collection since Mattel hasn't made any since the 1990s.

    That's a great picture of you and Paulette. It was so nice of her to give Danielle a bridal gift.

    Great picture of Georgia Girl and Dazzle Dolls, too. I'll have to check out her blog.

    Had you not stopped at 6 vendors' booths, you would have definitely done a lot more damage. And to think your plan was to just sit and watch other people shop. I don't think that's possible at a doll show.

    dbg

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  3. looks like you had alot of fun!...Its amazing what you can find at doll shows. I am so lucky because i would have been soo broke by the time i left! Cant waite to see your finds in your stories!

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  4. LOL! Vanessa, what a HAUL you ended up with! And goodness knows you would have needed a fork lift to carry your goodies home, had you gone to more booths! I can wait to see what you have in store!

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  5. WOW! What a fabulous day you had and some great finds. I'm kicking myself because I had that airplane as a little girl...who knew it would have come in handy as an adult, LOL. The other great thing about the fact that you bought the vintage one is...it's not PINK! ;)

    That's actually the the James Bond 007 Ken doll you have as a set. He's the one I commented on one of your past posts, that I think would make a nice couple with Halle. The Ken doll in the Dollies series is Tango Ken.

    I am totally excited now, to see how you bring these new characters into your stories. I feel like I won the lotto and I wasn't even there. :)

    Thanks for sharing Vanessa and it's so good to put faces with the other bloggers. Such lovely ladies.

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  6. Dollz4Moi - You really know how to make a girl feel better about spending money. That was the exact logic I used as I was piling the load in the car.

    william - You won't believe the stuff that I just left there. And everyone was willing to wheel and deal. It was so overwhelming.

    MJ - Christmas came early! It really is easier to justify the spending when it is this close to Christmas.

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  7. DBG - I will ask my friend if she has Gymnast Janet at home. The lady that I bought this one from didn't have another one there, but she said that what she had there was only a part of her collection and that she had lots more that she would be bringing at the next show. If I find one, I will let you know.

    I'm not sure why my hair is looking so uncombed. Oh, I remember. My sister-in-law that came with me, kept pulling on my hair. I guess a mirror would have come in handy. Oh well. Paulette was looking cute and adorable as usual. She looks all of 18 years old in person. Dazzle doll hasn't updated her blog in a while. She said she would be getting back to it.

    You are right it is not possible to just sit and watch at a doll show. That is why I didn't even go to the one in May.

    When I got home, the Asian Only Hearts doll pair and little Sydney were waiting for me. And let's not forget High Brow Adele is arriving shortly. OH MY WORD. NO MORE DOLLS. I am finished for sure....until I find something else on flickr that I can't resist. LOL. I won't have any problem finding a wedding planner now.

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  8. Tracy - You are so right. Dean is Tango Ken. I could have sworn you suggested Harley Ken for Halle, not this cutie pie. I will definitely check to see if she likes him. You know how picky she is. I just think she likes being single. I did feel like I had at least won a really good scratch off ticket. That plane is going to come in handy. I like the face to face set up too. Just picture Darius and Nikki flying off to Denver to go skiing (that's coming up real soon). They are taking another couple with them, but I will leave that as a surprise. Darius and BB2.5's husband will be flying off on business trips. Danielle and Rod will probably take the kids to Disney World. I love that I have room for the kids now. Okay you can stop me anytime. This airplane is going to get as much use as my little restaurant. Another great way to use some of those extra dolls I have. There will be lots of different flight attendants, etc. Now I have to run to Walmart to get that pilot fashion. You still haven't stop me yet. I will stop myself. I'm so exhausted. I'm too tired to go to sleep.

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  9. OMG, what a shopping day!! Where I live there aren't such events, you're very lucky! Great purchases, they're all lovely!

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  10. What wonderful finds you purchased at the Doll Show! And such good prices! Great find on that Vintage Airplane. Been seeing the newer version at the Flea Market and Thrift Store, but had to pass it up since I have no more room for larger items. It was nice that you were able to meet up with Paulette and Georgia Girl. Wish there were some local doll shows in my area.

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  11. OMG! That was so much fun. And I'm just reading. What more if I was there? :)

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  12. Rosetti - I can't imagine life without doll shows. We have about 4every year. It is so much fun to see the dolls in person that you only get to see on line in a picture.

    Frannie - Hard to believe that you guys don't have local shows there. It's such a big area. Those new planes are really big. You would think they would have a lot more seats considering.

    Niel - What fun if there was a whole gang of us there. It would have been nice to see people you know buy things that you like but couldn't afford to buy. That way you might have a chance of seeing it in the blogosphere at least. That is why Robyne made me buy the airplane. She wanted to buy it, but couldn't figure out how to sneak it in the house. LOL. Limbe dolls found articulated dolls for 50 cents. She is great at peeping those deals out at the shows.

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  13. Hi Vanessa,

    It was really good to see you at the doll show. Looks like you made out as well as I did although as usual, I concentrated on scoring articulated bodies from the bargain bin. I thought hard about that Uptown Chic Barbie but opted for a Just Girls Asian princess instead. One of my doll regrets was not buying these dolls when they were on clearance when K-Mart was going out of business in 2008. Integrity Toys manufactured three versions of this doll for Sears but they disappeared before the price dropped down to what I was willing to pay. I was very happy to get an off-brand Asian doll in a beautiful costume for $10. You know how I am about avoiding Mattel face molds.

    Consequently I greatly appreciate the three dolls you gave me. One is an original Janay. I love her face and can’t wait to make a nice wig for her. The Kari Michelle had flat feet, which I had never seen before but the Kari Michelle face and body are always welcome in my collection. I am also always glad to get Chic Boutique faces so I appreciate the third lady as well. Now I just have to find a good body for her.

    I think my best find of the show was Raven from the Cheetah girls. Got her nude for $1. I had been developing plus size lingerie designs for a character who is on a Rosie O’Donnell body but Raven is more voluptuous so she will be my plus size lingerie model. She’s been enjoying the chair and ottoman you gave me and will be reclining on it in a Saint Regis Lace ensemble in a future tutorial.

    Sounds like the plane was a terrific find for you. When you re-dress gymnast Janet as a boy, be careful removing her shoes. The ankle joint broke on mine shortly after I took her out of the box while I was trying to remove her sneakers. In fact, her little foot is still stuck down in there. I just made a splint and left her in the bodysuit so you can’t see that she is injured.

    Thanks again!

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  14. Word of caution if you find a Janet with sneakers there is one who's shoes are not removable. She is on a jointed body they are from the Skateboarding line. This is one of my favorite dolls because her hair is natural

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  15. Awesome!! I also want the Go Red Barbie. I don't think we have something like that around here. i would love to go to a doll show. I have never been to anything like that. Maybe one year I will be able to treat myself to such an event.

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  16. limbe dolls - Always great to see you in person. I have never found so many deals in such a short period of time. There was so much more there to be had, but I am proud of myself for resisting. Thanks for the tip on removing the shoes. I will probably just cut them off to avoid any issues. I have been showing the lingerie and card to everyone I have come across. Now that I have finished this latest video with Rod and Melanie, I can go full force into wedding planning mode. I am going to surprise you and make some more lingerie for the bridal shower.

    Dollz4Moi - Thanks for that info. I love that Janet too. I do not have her. I also wouldn't mind having bowling Janet.

    mrscarissa - Go online to see if there are doll shows in your area. They used to be advertised in all the doll magazines, but since so many of the mags are disappearing, online is probably a better choice. You would have a ball!

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  17. Thanks Michelle O... I mean Vanessa (it's the smile). I hope to find Gymnast Janet and maintain all my limbs in the process.

    Your hair looks fine in the picture.

    Paulette does have a very youthful face.

    Congratulations on the Asian Only Hearts doll pair and little Sydney. I need to debox my little one.

    You and your doll acquisitions are enabling me to seek out another particular doll at a non-eBay price.

    The doll fever or the need to add just one more doll to my collection will never end!

    dbg

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  18. I love your post and loved sharing the show with you even more! You are a sweetheart! I can't wait to see what you create from all of this!

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  19. LOL...I'm not going to stop you because I reap the benefits of another great video! :)

    I love the idea of Darius & Nikki taking off to Denver for a ski trip...you've got some great ideas coming up for that airplane. I think you'll MORE than get your monies worth.

    Yes, I did also suggest the Harley Ken. I think when I originally suggested the Pierce Bronson Ken, I saw the 007 doll set on eBay for $69.95 but figured it might not be something you'd want to buy and the two not have any chemistry. It's awesome that you got him for a deal and no shipping! :) This guys is really, really handsome to me. Those icey blue eyes with black hair...hot!

    I'm definitely looking forward to your next post. :D

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  20. robyne - Wasn't that fun? Who knew a couple young women like us could be so giddy! Thanks for showing me that plane. My collection is almost complete now.

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  21. Tracy - Girl I just fainted! Do you know I didn't realize this was the Pierce Brosnan doll you were speaking of. That totally slipped my mind. You mean I have Pierce, love of my life, please have my baby, Brosnan in my studio. Girrrllll, I gotta go introduce myself properly. Thanks for straightening me out.

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  22. Great seeing you Vanessa. I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Thanks for the mention.

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  23. Thanks for sharing your trip and the photos of you and Paulette and Georgia Girl and Dazzle Dolls (I can't find her online ... anyone have her URL? Thanks in advance ;-D)

    I love seeing your findings and reading about your reactions to the finds.

    BTW for Paulette, here in the Philly Big Lots and in the Norristown Big Lots, there are LOTS of Chic Boutique dolls. They range from $3.00 to $20.00 if they have fantasy horses. Just to share that source for those dolls ;-)

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  24. Wow, sounds like you had a great time, and you made some great buys! I've never been to a doll show. I'd love to go and find some great deals.

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  25. Roxanne - Never been to a doll show! That is the place to be. That is where I have snagged my best buys over the years. We have 3 - 4 a year here in Atlanta. There is one on May 5th. I'm already broke just thinking about it.

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  26. What NICE!!
    All The Ladies Of The Amazing Blogs, In A Reunion!!
    You look So Chic Vanessa!!And it was cool seeing also Paulete(So Beautiful!) from LIMBE DOLLS,and Georgia Girl,Ladies that use to follow my blog too.Thanks for the mention,Vanessa!Do you took your Cheerleader,finally??

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    Replies
    1. Jorge - That is the best part of going to the shows, seeing all the wonderful people. And yes, can you believe I found cheerleader? I couldn't believe it.

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