I started this site a little over a year ago. Back in February 2012, I was laid off from my job of 5 years. I was actually excited and a little worried as I think anyone would be when they are laid off. (Mainly, worried about money factors and so on.) One reason I was excited is because I could finish my masters degree without having to work. I was in my last class when I was laid off and the work I was putting into my capstone project could (and did) take up the better part of an 8 hour work day. I finished in March and now I'm the proud owner of a nice piece of paper on the wall with my name and "Masters of Business Administration" on it, all for a whopping $24k. And I am by no means disappointed, it was worth every penny and the job I have now contributed to that so I'm very blessed and thankful.
What to do with my time after the MBA finished? Here enters Barbie. I hadn't taken out my dolls in years. I think the last time I took them out was when I still lived at home after college and my 6 year old cousin wanted to have a Barbie slumber party. I had them here at my house now and decided to dig them out and research some of the vintage clothes I had from my mom's collection. It was fun to have all the time I needed without having to run off and do something else (besides job searching of course!) Then I started this site to share my love of Barbie with others and get answers to my Barbie questions (I'm horrible at trying to identify dolls). And I've met some other cool doll collectors in the process!
My mom got back into the fun of looking for Barbie at garage sales and since she is the master of finding a good deal, she brought me some used Barbies that needed a good home. In my research of finding out the identities of these dolls I revealed that I had some playline dolls. Here is where I bring them to you!
I think that playline dolls are fun and we've had a lot over the years. I don't know which playline was first or how it even started but I think this has started a new era of Barbie collecting. Girls watch the movie then have fun recreating the scenes with their dolls. Or maybe just imagining what they could come up with on their own!
We'll start out with this pretty doll. I love the crimped hair (probably because I'm an 80's girl) ;) This is Barbie from The Barbie Diaries.
My mom picked her up for me at a garage sale and she came to me in a very unusual outfit. In the box of dolls was also a mish-mash of clothing and I realized that these were her original pants. They seem a little big for her though but put them on anyway because the butterfly belt matched her bracelet. She needed a shirt and since I didn't have the original, decided to dress her in Really Rosy Christie's top. I think it's a good match for now.
Again, I love her hair and she has not been given a bath because she was really good already! I love her face though. The eyes are really neat.
I would love to put her together someday.
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Also with her, I have not given her a bath because her hair is still very perfect. She is clean and looked well taken care of. That can be told by just looking at her wings. Such a major score!
At the thrift store a few months ago, I found another pink fairy and also the blue one, who unfortunately looks like she has a case of hypothermia, poor thing.
So now we have pink and blue. Anyone know the other fairy color? Purple!
My mom bought this one for me when I was about 17 or so. I was not thrilled to get her because at that time I was not interested and just really didn't care about Barbie anymore, especially the playline dolls. I wanted my holiday one and that was it. But now I am really excited that I do have her. And she is really really pretty. I think I like the purple one the best.
I think that Fairytopia was one of the more popular ones. I remember everything being "Fairytopia! Fairytopia!" Also if you have been finding these regularly second-hand, then you know they were wildly popular. I've got three second-hand so far!
Here is one that I dressed in a beautiful ballerina dress because she really is a ballerina. This Teresa doll is The Fairy Queen in Barbie of Swan Lake.
I wrote about her here and I really REALLY want her beautiful original dress.
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Now we have two more dolls that I had no idea who they were when I got them.
Included in that run to the thrift store I got these two skirts.
These two ladies are Aramina (in Blue) and Corrinne (in Pink) in Barbie and The Three Musketeers.
Aramina is very pretty but unfortunately her mask is broken off. Seems to me that this would be problematic in regular play. The fun thing about the skirts shown above is that they have a gold interior so they can also double as a cape for the dolls.
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This is another one that I had no idea who it was when I got her.
This is Princess Luciana from Barbie and the Island Princess. She is a talking doll and sings "A Love That's Always There." (You can find it on youtube if you want to hear it.) I like her but she is a bit shorter than regular dolls. So that is why I put her in Rapunzel's dress from Tangled. I wondered why her one arm was hinged but when you look at her in the box, you can see it is so she can hold her cat.
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There were a few dolls from this line. The other girl was Tori (the blonde) and there is a guy too. There were singing dolls, transforming dolls (from princess to pop star!) and this is the generic fashion doll. I like the outfit but hate the one bent, one straight arm. But I think that was so she could hold her guitar.
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I can't remember if I got this one or if my mom did. Either way she is cute. This is Princess Merliah in Barbie in a Mermaid Tale. She is wearing Surf City Barbie's swimsuit. I love how I got her with her crown still intact. And I love the name Merliah!
I would love to have her original outift. This is one that I am considering getting someday. A mermaid tail that transforms into a snazzy beach hoodie. And the flip flops, how cute!
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I thought it would make a fun staff for one of my princess dolls. When I went back home to grab my massive collection of Happy Holiday dolls, I found a large box of three dolls.
The entire Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus dolls! I remember I got this group of dolls around the time I got my purple sparkle Fairytopia doll. I was not into Barbie Playline and actually never liked having these dolls. I can excitedly say that now I love having them!
First we have the BEAUTIFUL AA doll, Rayla the Cloud Queen. Love the dress, hair, necklace, and even her little pegasus pony (with sparkly wings I might add!)
She really is a beautiful doll. And dressed perfectly for a Cloud Queen. The necklace reminds me of "wind".
Next we have Prince Aidan and his bear (?) Shiver which has a bobble head!
What do you think of this man head mold? I kind of like it.
And lastly, we have Barbie as Princess Annika. She is beautiful too.
I love her little sparkling eyes.
But what do I see in the box? The same wand I purchased at the thrift store. It was a major ah-ha moment! I like when I can figure out where Barbie items came from.
The fun thing about Princess Annika is that she has a transforming look for two fabulous princess outfits!
On the back of the box, it has the story of The Magic of Pegasus. Let's read about it:
"Barbie stars in a delightful tale as Princess Annika who refuses to marry an evil wizard. When he casts a spell on the King and Queen, a flying horse rescues Annika, and they fly to the Magical Cloud Kingdom. There, Annika learns that the horse is really her sister, Brietta transformed by the wizard years before!
With the help of Aidan, Annika assembles the Wand of Light that breaks the spell. She saves her parents, her sister once again becomes a princess and all celebrate in the kingdom of the clouds!"
Aww, no commentary on how Rayla helps out? But looking at the back of this box, you can buy Brietta the pegasus (which looks like she has a light up crown too!) and then there are three Kelly dolls with their own pegasus horses and they are Cloud Princesses. And the magic light up wand must be the Wand of Light (because it lights up, clever) ;)
Again, I'm really glad that I have these dolls. :) Thanks Mom! Even though I didn't like them before I LOVE them now!
So now that I have these dolls, maybe I should go online and search for some clips so I can see what the story is about! It might be kind of fun.
So friends, I'm sure you have many playline dolls either new or second hand. Which are your favorites? Any one know what the first playline dolls would be? Maybe these 80's stars?
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