It’s Alive!!!
Well, what else can I say…life got busy and then busier. You would think the pandemic would have been prime time to get the blog going again. It was indeed the plan but alas, plans don’t pan out. I’m still here. I still collect. I still take photographs of my dolls ( although not a lot in the past couple of years). Why am I blogging today you ask. Well, my good friend Hilda Westervelt ( Bellissima Couture) have cooked up a collaborative Holiday collection and I wanted to share. It felt good to pick up the camera and create again. I think I will try to do more of it in 2023.
It’s full on holiday spirit in the studio. If you are interested in any of these beautiful outfits, contact Hilda Westervelt at hildaewestervelt@gmail.com for prices and particulars. There are 6 fashions for sale. The little Amaryllis plants and paperwhites are available as well. They are $40/ plant. They are made by me ( I enjoyed paper gardening during the pandemic) from paper, wire and ink. For those of you who own some of my miniatures, you are aware that I like to pay attention to detail. I am happy with how these turned out.
On to the photos….
Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday!! Hope to post more soon.
–Rebecca
Big OOAK Sale Today!!
Hello all! Just wanted to give a shout out about an exciting sale going on today for all you vintage and OOAK Barbie lovers out there. The talented duo of Hilda Westervelt and Maryann Roy have a new collection of Mannequin Mavens they are debuting today as well as fashions by Hilda and furniture by Maryann. They are working with some amazing prints from David Rose this time around and the results are nothing short of stellar! There is sure to be something for everyone in this epic sale and if you are one of the many who are sad about not attending Barbiecon this year, here is your chance to get some of the things you only see there. For all the images and prices of what is available, please visit Hilda’s or Maryann’s blogs at
www.bellissimacouturefashions.com (Hilda) fashions
www.maryannroy.com (Maryann) Furniture, Room Boxes and OOAK Mannequin Mavens.
To entice you to go, here are a few luscious images of some of the things available today.
The Mannequin Maven Collection
Hilda also has some fantastic OOAK fashions that she is offering. Here are a few.
All these beauties are available either through Maryann’s (OOAK’s and furniture) or Hilda’s ( fashions) blogs so go check out their websites!
–Rebecca
High Toned Hankie Chic
I stumbled upon another fantastic Etsy site the other day and just received my first item. The very talented Sylvia Bittner of Hankie Chic makes these wonderful ensembles out of vintage handkerchiefs. http://www.etsy.com/shop/HankieChic?ref=seller_info_count
(Photo credit: Sylvia Bittner)
How cute and inventive is this?!! I was so intrigued by this product, I had to ask Sylvia a few questions.
1. Where did you get the idea to do this?
I got the idea for making Barbie dresses from a book, Hankie Couture, by Marsha Greenberg. I found the book while I was trolling JoAnn Fabrics a year ago. It was love at first sight. I bought the book for inspiration and then directed my husband to the nearest antique mall to stock up on hankies. Since then, I’ve made close to 100 dresses, some from patterns I’ve drafted myself (such as the outfit you purchased) and some from patterns by others or commercial vintage patterns.
2. Are you a fashion doll collector and if so, what do you collect?
I didn’t own a Barbie at the time I bought the book, but I’ve made up for it since then. I started by collecting most of the Barbie Basics dolls, and then moved on to vintage reproductions, and now Silkstones. I currently have 70 or so, but I’m thinking about downsizing and selling some of the model muse dolls on eBay and just concentrating on Silkstones, since most people seem to want to purchase clothes that fit Silkstones.
3. Where do you find these glorious handkerchiefs that you use?
I look for hankies everywhere … Antique shops, EBay, Etsy … I travel frequently instate for my job, and out of state on vacations, so I’m always looking for antique shops wherever I go. All the hankies I use are vintage and I’ve been blessed to find some really beautiful ones. You can see my entire hankie collection on my Pinterest board, pinterest.com/sylviabittner/ on the board, my vintage hankies.
I want to extend a huge “Thank You!” to Sylvia for being willing to be interviewed for the blog and for doing such amazing and creative work. I love it! And folks…these beauties aren’t just for Silkstones .
Model: High Toned Rayna
Purse: Redefined Accessory Kit by Integrity Toys
Shoes: Gift from a friend ( love ya!)
Decking the Halls with Paintbox Designs
One of my favorite things about being part of the collecting community is discovering amazing OOAK fashions for our diminutive divas. This past June, Pam Seeman of Paintbox Designs brought her fabulous fashions to the National Barbie Convention for the first time. I think it is fair to say she and her fashions were a huge hit. Paintbox Designs has been a fixture at Fashion Royalty convention but this year was the first time we had the pleasure of seeing and purchasing her fashions for Ms. Barbie. I must have spent a good thirty minutes at her table…along with a whole host of other shoppers and walked away with some beautiful OOAK outfits. I adore the floaty rose fabric she used for the skirt of Dasha’s dress. Loni’s dress is one of her signature designs and it never disappoints. I must have this design in at least three different colors. You can find Pam and Paintbox Designs at http://www.paintboxdesigns.net/index.html
Models: FR2 Always Polished Dasha and Lemon Crush Loni Lawrence
Gowns: Paintbox Designs ( http://www.paintboxdesigns.net/index.html)
Shoes: FR2 “Shoe Win” shoe pack from 2012 FR convention( Dasha), Mattel (Loni)
Set: Feather trees in 15’” and 18” from Target. Repainted chair is Petit Luxury Arm Chair for Pullip.
It looks like Dasha is completely bored at the country club holiday party…LOL!
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 