Barbie - The Queen of the Doll collection

Barbie in a custom made, seed pearled, Victorian costume
OOAK Barbie Doll Hand Crochet Seed Pearl Dress - eBay (item 370234595648 end time Aug-23-09 10:26:33 PDT)

I grew up too late for Barbie. I was 14 in 1962 (go ahead, I'll wait while you do the math. YES I am that old. ) But I bought a lot of Barbies for my youngest sister - who had NO clue where they are right now.

However, I've had lots of Barbie dolls the last 13 years. We originally sold toys on eBay, primarily action figures, but I always got hold of whatever Barbie Dolls my toy wholesaler could provide because the MOMS who brought their sons in to my b&m store liked to look at and frequently bought the Barbies.

The one above belongs for now to my friend Dar. I bought the holiday Barbies for both of my nieces and I bought some in Europe - and now that you remindd me of it, I'm going to go list it on ebay too - i'ts a 1996 International Holiday Barbie.

And very festive in her green velvet top and white satin striped skirt.

My favorite Barbie sayin gis "I had to grow up to be Barbie. The B*)&#) had everything. ! )

Let's Do Lunch - boxes that is

I've got more info to show you on this but for this minute - here's a link to a story I saw on AOL this morning - about a Superman lunch box that sold for $11,500. Wish it had been mine. But even some of those plastic 1980's lunch boxes are worth reselling on ebay. For now read the story and I'll come back with more links and tips in a few...

Lunchboxes

My Glass Whatsthis for the week! ID'd!!!

I bought this pretty piece of orange custard for 10 cents - I think at a rummage sale. It's really pretty and I thought it was maybe part of a two part sherbet (Blue Royal Lace by Hazel Atlas has some short ones that are two part but the glass part fits into a metal base and obviously THIS is a glass piece.

BUT - this morning I had one of those friendly "Ask the Seller a Question" popups on my computer screen and it was another knowledgeable ebayer who told me this is indeed a base but, it's to a Westmoreland Glass FAIRY LAMP. Now I'm not as well versed as this person but now that she's told me what it is, I can really see it. And here's my whole ebay listing with more photos. And I'm off to research Westmoreland Fairy Glass Lamps for you.

Vtg Westmoreland Peach Custard Glass Fairy Lamp Base

For the Love of the (Board) Game | GeekDad | Wired.com

This blog post on Wired by Geekdad

For the Love of the (Board) Game GeekDad Wired.com

Brought to mind how we used to have "game nights" when I was growing up. Now keep in mind, I'm talking back in the dark ages of the 1950's. Practically Medieval. We played checkers, Chinese Checkers, horserace, Monopoly, Scrabble, and something called DUTCH BLITZ.

A family friend, Miss Dolly, (reall name Ida Rae Bragg) who was my Girl Scout leader found that card game, as a self-published game, from a flea market upstate somewhere in Penna (might be Zern's in Zieglersville but frankly I don't remember).

Dutch Blitz is Solitare on Speed with 3 ofyour best friends (or worst enemies...which ever). 4 sets of cards - you take turns putting your cards out on the piles but sometimes you end up all playing at the same time. You can't put the same color twice so if 7 is yellow, 6 has to be one of the other colors, like blue. And when you can not put down one of your own cards, you have to draw. When you get rid of all the cards in the pot and all the ones in your hand, you yell DUTCH BLITZ at the top of your lungs. Then all the points are tallied and the most points wins. Til you play again. As kids we got really fast but none of us could beat my brother Dave (and later my younger brother Eddie got almost as fast- WAY faster than me.)

So, while you are "stacationing" at home, go find some old board games and start a new family legend. Dave's invincibility lasted til he met my 7 year old twin nephews from my husband's family and the two of them beat ALL of us old folks. Now where did I put that Dutch Blitz game?