Barbie Loves Glitter GLAM VAC & Doll

Mattel has me on their mailing list and insisted that I check out their sale (again.) These are the items that caught my eye:

If you saw a doll named Glam and Vac, what would you imagine? I just had to see the glamorous Barbie that also vacuumed. I thought, hmm...now this is real life. Mattel is getting with the program. WRONG.
The vac is a tool you get in the package to clean up your messy glitter after you glue it to Barbie's outfit.

Girls can glitterize Barbie doll's outfits and accessories! Just choose a sticker and apply it to the surface of the item you want to decorate. Pick a glitter color (pink or purple) and use the scoop tool to pour glitter over the sticker. Then press the gem button on the Glitter Glam Vac to clean up the excess glitter and store it in the gem top. So glitter-rific and fun!

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So let's say you don't want the all that loose and dreaded glitter in your home but you must have a Barbie Loves Glitter Hair Doll. It comes with "fabulous glitter mascara to color Barbie doll's hair." I envision a creative child also coloring the family dog's fur.  I don't think the VAC would work on that.

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But the weirdest item of all is the Barbie Doll'd Up Nails Digital Nail Printer.  It doesn't work with a Mac system so I'm safe.

Here is the description of what it does:
"There's so much stylin' fun at your fingertips with this digital nail printer! Now, both girls and their moms can get creative with their manicures. Simply select from 1,000+ adorable nail designs, choose the color, size the image to fit the nail, and print. Voila... your own custom manicure, at home! You can even upload your own photos to print and wear on nails for the most unique manicure of all."

I'm guessing you have to stick your fingers in one at a time. And it's reduced to $149.99. If you buy it on sale you pay only $119.99. 

I can think of all sorts of unique uses for this toy.

Freddy Tan's Monster High Doll Repaints

We have a case here of a master repainter making a silk purses out of a sows' ears. Forgive me for calling MH dolls sows' ears but they are cheaply made, fragile dolls. However,  in the hands of Tan, they become jewel-like, precious creations.

Here are a few of his amazing OOAKs. Below you will find a link to his flickr photostream. It's highly recommended viewing!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanchuanchuan/

Ellowyne Wilde Pattern Book

Doll Reader Magazine announced the opening of the pre-order period for the Ellowyne Wilde Pattern Book. If you order between December 1, 2011 and January 1, 2012 you will get a 25% discount off the regular price of $19.99 ($15.99.) Shipping is free in the U.S. and Canada. They do ship overseas for a fee. Click on the picture below to go to the Doll Reader promotional page.

Books will begin shipping January 15, 2012.

Seen on the Doll Boards (R-Rated)

eBay seller markandmu aka artist Fetique+Clinique posted on the doll boards about new wigs and a new anatomically correct Ken doll. As expected the wigs are edgy. What I did not expect was this:

Do you think it's removable?

The description reads: "The sexy young fit model Taurus is special repainted and with anatomy correct like a real human." If I ever saw a real human with that anatomy I would have remembered.
More: "He is added with goatee, body hair, pubic and male organ. He look absolutely hot and sexy."

If you care to see the actual auction, click on the picture above or click HERE to go to fetique+clinique's flickr photostream.

Tonner Factory Sale 12/3, 10am-1pm Holiday Inn, Kingston NY

This is the funniest email Tonner has sent out in a long time.

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November 29th, 2011

Dear Collectors,

Hi!  Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know what to expect this weekend at the Factory Sale (12/3, 10am-1pm----> Holiday Inn, Kingston NY)!  After using the same space at the Holiday Inn several times now, it has been our experience that, due to the large size of the room, there is plenty of space to accommodate everyone entering at once. So, this year, we will not be handing out numbers in the morning, as we have in the past.

Here's some more guidelines and tips you might find helpful this weekend:

• Bring your own bag!  ....and the bigger, the better, we can assure you! 

• There will be a wonderful Holding Area, where you can sit with un-purchased items while you decide what you'll go home with.  To be as fair as possible to all our collectors, we will be asking people not to delay in making final decisions and completing purchases. So, encampments around the perimeter of the room will be kindly asked to disperse - no tear gas or law enforcement worries! 

• We accept many forms of payment for your convenience:  Cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Bribery and Flattery.  Sorry, we do not accept personal checks, Diner's Club, your first born child, or the Discover card.

• No pushing, shoving, running, or kicking.  Or punching.  It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...

We cannot wait to see you this weekend!!  We will see you bright and early Saturday morning, and hopefully you'll follow us onto the Tonner Company Store, as Robert will be there to sign your latest and greatest finds!

Travel Safe,

Team Tonner

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For those of you who have not attended a factory sale in the last three or four years...this is really what to expect:

1. The 'early birds' line up with the intention of getting anything they can lay their hands on before you.
2. The doors open and the first to enter grab anything and everything they can lay their hands on.
3. The shoppers accumulate in small groups around the room with their grabbed stuff to decide if they really want it or not.
4. Eventually they pay for it and leave the scorched earth for everyone else. (50 Harry Potter wands and another 50 Betsey anklet socks. ) They do put some stuff back. Hey, I still have an enormous bolt of apricot silk that cost me only $5. I have no idea what I will do with it, but it was quite the bargain.

5. You wander around looking at what's left trying to decide if you want it. 

I'm quite certain that there are at least three or four (and maybe more) fully armed and coordinated groups of buyers who plan their moves in advance. Their strategy is: one goes left, one goes straight, one goes right. Their theory is that if they grab enough stuff fast enough, they will get something they want. Do not, I repeat, do not talk to them during this maneuver as they will shoot you a dirty look and will not respond. Do not ask to see what they are getting. They are very secretive and suspicious of anyone who approaches. I swear this is the truth. I've been there and I know exactly who I will see at the front of the line if I go on Saturday.

The staff is extremely coordinated and helpful. They are always a pleasure to deal with and it is a relief to check out of the madness. There's usually a bunch of sale items at the store after a sale but don't quote me. It's just my experience. 

I wouldn't try to dissuade anyone from checking out one of these sales. It's much more fun than a cyber-factory-debacle. And you can meet up with the same addicted collectors you saw the last time to share tips and hints. Then, of course, you get to mingle with friends at the store and chat with Robert, Noreen and any other staff that might be around.

My favorite big sale was one that was at the store about 1-1/2 years ago. It was a little cold and there were tables set up outside as well as inside. It must have been early spring 2010. I got such nice things that day and I didn't have to rise at the break of dawn or get mauled while shopping.