Birthday Dolls

Birthday dolls: 50th Anniversary 1959 Debut Barbie, 18-inch Crocheted Doll, articulated brown-skinned Blythe

Only three new dolls were received as birthday gifts this year. One was an unexpected duplicate; one was requested, and I purchased one.

50th Anniversary 1959 Debut Barbie was released to the market in 2009.  Having purchased my first one when it was released, this one is a duplicate.

As described in a previous post, this lovely doll is a dark-skinned replica of the #1 Barbie from 1959; however, Mattel did not release a brown-skinned doll with this head sculpt until 2002 (Silkstone Lingerie Barbie #5).  The 1959 Debut Barbie is dressed in a black and white sequined bathing suit and wears gold tone dangle earrings, gold tone Barbie charm bracelet, black high-heel ankle-strap shoes; comes with hangtag and certificate.

The friend who gave me the 1959 Debut Barbie had hoped it would not be a duplicate.  "I never know what you have," she said, "so I took a chance" on choosing this doll because she knows I like African American #1 Barbie clones.   Not to worry, this doll lover always accepts twins.

Part of the 2012 reproduction Barbie "Let's Play Dolls" gift set that included a Barbie and four fashion packs for each season, the Fall fashion, shown here was another birthday gift.  It includes one-piece silk sleeveless jumper pants; orange and gold lacy full-length, full-skirted dress; gold lamé wedge sandals, and a Barbie/Ken card.

Should I decide to debox the duplicate 1959 Debut Barbie, I will redress her in the Let's Play Dolls Fall fashion that was a gift from the person who gave me the doll.

Hand-crocheted, one-of-a-kind doll by Creations by Ba'ucham.

During the week prior to my birthday, doll artist,  Ra'chel Ba'ucham shared photos on Facebook of "Precious," a hand-crocheted one-of-a-kind doll.  I asked my daughter and son to buy this doll for me for my birthday.  Precious arrived the day of my birthday thanks to Ra'chel, who paid the extra postage to expedite her trip.  Precious is as adorable in person as her online photographs suggested.  She stands 18-inches tall and has a signed certificate of authenticity that verifies her one-of-one edition.

11-inch brown-skinned Blythe was sold nude by an Aliexpress seller.  Eyes can change to four different colors by pulling the string in the back of the head.  The body has multiple points of articulation.

After Roxanne's post about her rebodied Babysitter  Inc. Skipper using an articulated Blythe body, I inquired about the buying source.  She shared the eBay seller's link.  While on eBay, I searched for "whole" brown-skinned Blythe dolls and discovered several.  Instead of purchasing from eBay, I purchased my doll and an extra articulated body from different Aliexpress sellers.

An additional articulated brown-skinned Blythe body and shoes that fit the feet were added to my Aliexpress cart when the Blythe doll was purchased.  The bosom of the extra body, like the one on the doll (which I blurred out in the photo), is mature (not flat chested).  I am not sure which doll head will be used for the extra body.

Shoes for Blythe and two pairs of sunglasses (not shown) were also purchased from different Aliexpress sellers.

One-dozen bite-size Buntinis from Nothing Bundt Cakes

A couple of non-doll-related birthday items included a dozen Buntini mini bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes.  I initially asked my daughter to bake a 7-Up cake for me but changed that request to a dozen Buntinis, which are bite-size bundt cakes topped with cream cheese icing.  They are available in a variety of flavor choices.  I chose four different flavors:  carrot, lemon, marble, and pecan (three of each).  They are delicious!  Ask my son, who devoured most of them.

Collage frame with inserted gift cards

My "bestest" doll friend, Debra R. chose a quite clever way to present the above variety of gift cards, which were included in my birthday bundle from her.  (She gave me the 50th Anniversary Barbie and the Let's Play Barbie fashion, along with several other non-doll related items).  In the collage photo frame,  Debra inserted gift cards into the photo areas.  The gift cards, of varying monetary values, are from Walmart, T. J. Maxx, Target, Visa, Bath and Body, and Subway.  Was that clever or what?  With the gift cards removed, the photo collage will serve its intended purpose with photos inserted of my favorite four (my two children and my two grandsons).

Separate follow-up posts on Precious and my brown-skinned Blythe will follow.


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