Welcome to Grandma’s House. Serving Up Smiles & Memories. Toys, Nostalgia & The Little Things. XOXO
#twinningtuesday When is your creative time? Mine is early in the morning. Since I had children, I’ve gotten up before the sun 🌞 to work on projects because it was the only time I was alone. I’m most creative when I’m surrounded by silence. •How about you? •link to file cabinet in bio
Photo by @greggsegal
#twinningiswinningwithgrandma #twinningiswinning #barbiegetsreal #grandmagetsreal #barbiephotography #barbiephotographer #dollstagram #modernminiatures #tinythings #barbiecollector #barbiecollection
💐 Happy Mother’s Day! ❤️ What really worries me about motherhood is the rumor going around that every time you give birth, you lose one-fifth of your brain cells. I had four children. You do the math…. because I can’t. 😂 It doesn’t seem fair to have lost my brain cells and my waist. 😬
* Back in the day, all I had to juggle was myself, my red mustang, my apartment and my job. I married and added a man to the mix which significantly increased the dirty socks and dishes. Then I had a baby, and another, and another, and another. Boy, I was really juggling then. Showering became a luxury. I ridiculously thought, When they get out of diapers this will be easy. Ha! Let the games begin. As they grew, we added ballet, trumpet lessons, and algebra homework to the mix. Juggling motherhood became an Olympic sport, and I had trouble keeping all the balls in the air. ❤️ I was not a perfect mother - but I did my best. ❤️
* I am not alone. Mothers have been struggling and juggling forever. In the 17th century, women usually gave birth to 13 children--a baker’s dozen. The most children born to one mother is 69. They came in 27 pregnancies of various sizes: twins, triplets, and quadruplets. That mother wasn’t just juggling; she had a whole circus act. The oldest mother recorded gave birth at 74-years-old. That makes me tired thinking about it. I wonder, during her pregnancy did she take pre-natal vitamins or Geritol? Is it possible to experience post-partum depression and hot flashes simultaneously? 😂 Just some thoughts to ponder. Happy Mother’s Day. 💐
Happy Twinning Tuesday! Are you ever too old for a little silliness? What makes you smile?
😀•MAKE SURE TO CHECK MY STORIES TO SEE MY FRIENDS TWINNING WITH THEIR MINI MES! 😀
Photo by @greggsegal 📸
#twinningiswinningwithgrandma #twinningiswinning #twinningtuesday #grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal #barbiecollector #barbiecollection
Have I posted something that you would like to find for yourself? 😀 Just ask. There is an Amazon link in my bio that shows where I find some of my tiny things. These Fisher-Price items are a mix of @hallmarkkeepsakeornaments and Worlds Smallest by @superimpulse I am always happy to share where I find my items. Just ask me and I’ll try to get back to you. XXOO 👵🏻❤️
If you got to spend a day with Barbie from @BarbieStyle - what would you ask her? 👵🏻Grandma asked, “What is your secret to looking so young?” 😉 •scroll thru to see the unboxing ➡️
@barbie
@mattel
#barbiestylefashiondoll #barbiestyle #barbie #grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal #barbiecollector #barbiecollection
Happy Twinning Tuesday! Do you have a mini me? Join me next Tuesday, May 4, and post your twinning photos. Use the hashtag Twinning Is Winning With Grandma. #twinningiswinningwithgrandma •I will share your photos in my stories! I can’t wait to see all your mini mes!! 😃
First photo by @greggsegal
#twinningiswinning #twinningtuesday
#grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal #barbiecollector #barbiecollection #barbie
#tbt Did you ever think being thinner or looking like a fashion model would make you happier?
Many women are being seduced into believing that looking like a cover girl will make them happy. Take it from me. It will not!
With my “California girl” good looks and the backing of many top-modeling agents, including Eileen Ford, I was granted every opportunity to become a supermodel. Because of my internal personal struggles and failures, the inability to keep my body looking flawless, and a self-destructive search to fill an emptiness in my life—I was incapable of maintaining my success. It’s all part of my story now.
Thanks to my Barbie friends for helping me recreate some of my modeling photos.
@thebarbiehoarder @dollylandinbrazil @dawsondigsdolls
🥖🍞🥯🥐 Did you start baking bread last year? My Bread Baking Barbie became quite famous during the pandemic. Quarantine bread baking was an international obsession. I was commissioned to recreate her for two museum exhibits - one at the Victoria and Albert Design Museum in Dundee, Scotland. One for The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Which doll is your favorite? They are a bit different. 🥖 🍞 🥯 🥐 I made a video about how I made her. I’ll put the link in my stories.
#quarantinebarbie #grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal
#breadbaking #breadbakingtherapy
Did you find yourself eating more junk food during the quarantine? What was your favorite comfort food? When I posted this #quarantinebarbie A YEAR AGO 😱 - it was as a comedic commentary on my experience during the lockdown. I took my curvy Barbie in stretchy pants - and then searched thru my miniatures for her accessories. ➡️ scroll thru to see the tiny things and behind-the-scenes videos.
•PS - I added the whiskey because of the book title - “Whiskey in a Teacup.” I haven’t actually had whiskey since an unfortunate night 😬 when I was 16 and made an extremely bad choice to drink some in excess. 🤮 🤮Just the smell of whiskey barrels in the garden department at Home Depot brings all those memories back. 😳🤢
#grandmagetsreal
#barbiegetsreal
#quarantinelife #barbiecollection #barbiecollector
👋 Let’s be social! I’m Tonya Ruiz and I live in Southern California. 🌞🌴•My hobby is recreating my life in miniature.
➡️ Scroll thru for a behind-the-scenes video
Do you have many photos from your childhood? Are you old enough that they are in black and white? I’ve recreated my family’s photo from 1966. •When my kids were little- we watched a lot of classic movies together. One day my 5-year-old son asked, “Did real life use to be in black and white?” 🤔 I can understand why he thought that.
Do you have many “kid” (Kelly/Shelly/Chelsea) dolls? I have hundred of Barbies- but not many choices to find a young version of 🧒🏼 myself. What do you think? •How many kid 🧒🏼 🧒🏻🧒🏿🧒🏽🧒 dolls do you have?
Did you ever have a dream house? Which one did you have? I purchased this reproduction 1961 dream house a few years ago when it came out. Scroll through for a trip down memory lane. Do you remember having cardboard furniture?
👵🏻 What do you plan on doing when you are a senior? “How old is a senior?” you might ask. Apparently, over 55 - because at 57 👵🏻 I get the senior discounts when shopping and I’m in @aarp 😱. What would you like to do when you retire?
Have you ever built a dollhouse?
🐣 Happy Easter!
🐣 How will you celebrate Easter tomorrow? We plan on watching church online 🙏🏼 and munching on a Charcuterie board. How about you?
🐇 Did you know that there is a Beatrix Potter Barbie? I am a big fan of Beatrix Potter, so I was thrilled when I found this at a doll show. Did you read Beatrix Potter as a child? I love her illustrations. 🐇
What’s is the most used room in your house? My kitchen definitely has the most activity- in doll life and real life. 😂
#monday4dolls KITCHEN
Have you ever used an app to bring your dolls to “life”? The first one was done in the @myheritage_official and the rest in the @muglifeapp
Creepy or amusing?
👁❤️🧊. What about you? 🧊 or no 🧊? When my sister and I go thru the drive-thru she orders extra ice in the drinks. It’s a family thing. My mom was the same way. In my opinion - the more ice 🧊 the better.
This tiny little ice tray was made by ReMent in 2006. It’s part of the fruit smoothie set. Isn’t it so cute?
* “RE-MENT Co., Ltd., located in Chiyoda Tokyo, is a Japanese manufacturer of collectible plastic toys. The company's name is derived from a combination of the phrase "reform the entertainment", alluding to their desire for innovation in the toy market. Established in 1998, Re-Ment currently sells a line of highly detailed miniature food, furniture and animal figures as well as mobile phone charms, doll fashions and magnets.” #rement #rementjapan #rementcollection #kawaii #ice
Happy Monday! 🖍️ Do you ever color? I’ve got to admit - I enjoy a new box of Crayons. 🖍️ Big or Tiny.
Are there any Girl Scout cookies in your house? What’s your favorite?
I was not a Girl Scout. I am a Brownie dropout and apparently not cut out for the rigors of scouthood. BUT... I am an excellent cookie eater 😋 who is currently in possession of three boxes of cookies. 😳
Thanks @midgefan73 for reminding me about the current events and National Days. ❤️
#tbt 1981 Do you collect postcards when you travel? I did.
Living in the beautiful city of Zurich, Switzerland was like living in the scenery on a postcard. Drinking establishments were abundant in the charming old section of town that lined the cobblestone streets. The Americana Bar was my favorite hangout.
I danced around my hotel room to Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” playing on my boombox . I exercised at the local Badenhouse. I would go swimming, steam myself in the sauna, and throw myself into a pool of ice-cold water.
In March of 1981, I saw my image on the cover of Das Gelbe Heft (The Yellow House)—a Swiss magazine. Looking very athletic in my aqua stripped sweater, with wristbands and a visor—I leaned against bicycle handlebars.
Scroll thru to see my photos - and postcards.
🎂 Happy 62nd birthday Barbie! How old were you when you got your first Barbie?
Do you like Charcuterie boards? My daughter makes them for our family- and we go crazy 😋
🧀 🫒🥒🥕🍇🍓🫐🍫🍖
Did you ever wish you could be a CoverGirl?
#tbt 1980 Jan - I was flown to Gran Canaria Island, one of the exotically beautiful Canary Islands, Spanish possessions off the West Coast of Africa. It was a week-long shoot for Carina, the German magazine for young women that had become my best client during the fall. The models and crew woke up early each morning so we could be ready to starting shooting at dawn. Sunrises and sunsets were the favorites of Gunter, the photographer, because of the beautiful soft lighting.
• May - Much to my surprise, my face also smiled at me from the front of Carina—my first magazine cover. The photos shot on location in the Canary Islands the previous January filled the pages—it was not Vogue—or even close—but it was a start. No one had told me I would be on the cover. My heart beat wildly with excitement. There I was dressed in a sailor’s suit complete with a jaunty hat and pigtails. Ironically, my idol Cheryl Tiegs was on the BACK cover advertising cosmetics for Cover Girl. Quickly, I called home and told my mom and dad the exciting news. I described the pictures to them.
How do you decide what to take photos of and post? I’ll admit that I’ve been mostly random. 🤪 BUT... I’ve recently decided to try to start posting by theme. Have you noticed I’ve been posting “baby” stuff? My itty-bitty diapers are always my most asked about minis. I’ve recently added to my tiny diaper collection.
👶🏽The @rascalandfriends are part of the new wave of @mini_brands_official ❤️There are diapers & wipes! Thank you @zuru.toys for sending them to me for free!
👶🏿The Pampers are from Ali Express and eBay.
👶🏼The Huggies came all the way from Australia 🇦🇺 Cole’s Little Shop - collectibles from a few years back.
👶🏻The Japanese Pompons box and tiny plastic diapers are older pricey collectibles made by ReMent.
YES. 🐣 that is a baby chicken.
Have you ever tried to make a doll look pregnant? 🤰🏽My granddaughters wanted a doll to be expecting. They tried a ping pong 🏓 ball and they used clay. Finally, I found these mommy-to-be dolls at the swap meet and borrowed the belly. What have you tried?
•It’s been nearly 30 years since I had a baby - I’ve included a photo. 🤰🏼
Which of These Toys Are In Your Dollhouse?
A few years ago, I started a doll account on Instagram and stumbled into a rabbit hole that led to a tiny plastic parallel universe. One thing led to another – I had the dolls, then I needed a dollhouse, then I needed furnishings and appliances, artwork for the walls, rugs for the floors…. I set out in search of tiny things that mirrored my real life: A coffee pot, shampoo bottles, books, and on, and on, and on… It was delightful to find so many mini things.
During the pandemic, the toy industry has seen record sales and it’s not just for child’s play. Adults are buying dolls and building dollhouses in record numbers. Are they reminders of a happy childhood or a non-controversial comfort away from the “real” world?
The good news is that companies are making more toys to fit my fashion-doll size world. Zuru Toys came out with an amazing line of Mini Brands and Toy Mini Brands that have rocked social media, Super Impulse makes The World’s Smallest nostalgic toys that are delightful, Moose Toys sells some Shopkin’s Real Littles that are great in my tiny kitchen and Just Play Products produces a fun variety of Totally Tiny foods. I see these popular items in my social media news feeds daily. I am glad that toy companies are beginning to market to adult collectors. There are a lot of us big kids out there and our inner child has a credit card.
*In full disclosure – the companies I mentioned have sent me free products in the past.
Are you the oldest, middle, or youngest child in your family?
In the Barbie family- Barbie has younger siblings: Skipper, Stacie, Kelly / Chelsea, Tutti and Todd , and Baby Krissy. Kristine “Krissy” Roberts was Barbie's baby sister. She was introduced in 1999 and was discontinued in 2001.
I am the youngest of my family. My siblings say I was babied. What I remember is being at the bottom of the dog pile and abandoned at the park. 🤣 I might need therapy.
* The baby I am holding is not a Krissy doll. When I bought that set at an estate sell the wrong baby was in the box. But I think she’s cute. 👶🏻
Remember the Happy Family? Did you have them? Check my stories to see a my video about my Happy Family Collection. Wikipedia: “Happy Family" The year after Midge and Alan were married, a picture of the couple with twin babies was shown in a pamphlet, but the dolls were never produced. However, in 2003, she and Alan were re-introduced with a family consisting of them and three different kids, three-year-old Ryan, and newborn baby Nikki. This was known as the "Happy Family" line, and was similar to the discontinued Heart Family line of the 1980s. The dolls came in both European American and African American versions. This was the first time an African American Midge was ever produced. Midge was sold "pregnant" with Nikki, who was a tiny baby inside Midge's magnetic removable womb. This led to some controversy with some consumers saying that the doll was inappropriate for children, or that it promoted teen pregnancy. Another cause for this controversy was that Midge did not initially have a wedding ring, but this was later fixed. She also was packaged without Alan. Customers complaining about the doll led to Wal-Mart pulling the Happy Family line off their shelves. A new version of this Midge was produced for Wal-Mart, this time not pregnant and with a cardboard cut-out display of Alan and Ryan standing next to her inside the box. The Happy Family Line included everything from a talking house, a backyard swimming pool, neighborhood market, and playground. Later, around Nikki's first birthday, Midge was "pregnant" again with another child, who was neither named or given a specific gender, as the gender was a surprise when the owner opened the doll's box. Midge has two known parents who are simply called "Grandpa" and "Grandma". At first, the grandparent dolls were sold together as part of a big set consisting of the dolls and a kitchen play set, but for Nikki's first birthday they were sold separately. Midge, Alan, and Ryan gave Nikki a dog for her birthday. They too came in both Caucasian and African American versions. They use different body molds, to reflect their age.”
Do you leave your dioramas set up? I have a few that I usually leave put together - including the nursery. If you want to see a more close-up, slower look at this nursery - I’ll put the link to the full video in my stories.
#twinningtuesday When is your creative time? Mine is early in the morning. Since I had children, I’ve gotten up before the sun 🌞 to work on projects because it was the only time I was alone. I’m most creative when I’m surrounded by silence. •How about you? •link to file cabinet in bio
Photo by @greggsegal
#twinningiswinningwithgrandma #twinningiswinning #barbiegetsreal #grandmagetsreal #barbiephotography #barbiephotographer #dollstagram #modernminiatures #tinythings #barbiecollector #barbiecollection
💐 Happy Mother’s Day! ❤️ What really worries me about motherhood is the rumor going around that every time you give birth, you lose one-fifth of your brain cells. I had four children. You do the math…. because I can’t. 😂 It doesn’t seem fair to have lost my brain cells and my waist. 😬
* Back in the day, all I had to juggle was myself, my red mustang, my apartment and my job. I married and added a man to the mix which significantly increased the dirty socks and dishes. Then I had a baby, and another, and another, and another. Boy, I was really juggling then. Showering became a luxury. I ridiculously thought, When they get out of diapers this will be easy. Ha! Let the games begin. As they grew, we added ballet, trumpet lessons, and algebra homework to the mix. Juggling motherhood became an Olympic sport, and I had trouble keeping all the balls in the air. ❤️ I was not a perfect mother - but I did my best. ❤️
* I am not alone. Mothers have been struggling and juggling forever. In the 17th century, women usually gave birth to 13 children--a baker’s dozen. The most children born to one mother is 69. They came in 27 pregnancies of various sizes: twins, triplets, and quadruplets. That mother wasn’t just juggling; she had a whole circus act. The oldest mother recorded gave birth at 74-years-old. That makes me tired thinking about it. I wonder, during her pregnancy did she take pre-natal vitamins or Geritol? Is it possible to experience post-partum depression and hot flashes simultaneously? 😂 Just some thoughts to ponder. Happy Mother’s Day. 💐
Happy Twinning Tuesday! Are you ever too old for a little silliness? What makes you smile?
😀•MAKE SURE TO CHECK MY STORIES TO SEE MY FRIENDS TWINNING WITH THEIR MINI MES! 😀
Photo by @greggsegal 📸
#twinningiswinningwithgrandma #twinningiswinning #twinningtuesday #grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal #barbiecollector #barbiecollection
Have I posted something that you would like to find for yourself? 😀 Just ask. There is an Amazon link in my bio that shows where I find some of my tiny things. These Fisher-Price items are a mix of @hallmarkkeepsakeornaments and Worlds Smallest by @superimpulse I am always happy to share where I find my items. Just ask me and I’ll try to get back to you. XXOO 👵🏻❤️
If you got to spend a day with Barbie from @BarbieStyle - what would you ask her? 👵🏻Grandma asked, “What is your secret to looking so young?” 😉 •scroll thru to see the unboxing ➡️
@barbie
@mattel
#barbiestylefashiondoll #barbiestyle #barbie #grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal #barbiecollector #barbiecollection
Happy Twinning Tuesday! Do you have a mini me? Join me next Tuesday, May 4, and post your twinning photos. Use the hashtag Twinning Is Winning With Grandma. #twinningiswinningwithgrandma •I will share your photos in my stories! I can’t wait to see all your mini mes!! 😃
First photo by @greggsegal
#twinningiswinning #twinningtuesday
#grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal #barbiecollector #barbiecollection #barbie
#tbt Did you ever think being thinner or looking like a fashion model would make you happier?
Many women are being seduced into believing that looking like a cover girl will make them happy. Take it from me. It will not!
With my “California girl” good looks and the backing of many top-modeling agents, including Eileen Ford, I was granted every opportunity to become a supermodel. Because of my internal personal struggles and failures, the inability to keep my body looking flawless, and a self-destructive search to fill an emptiness in my life—I was incapable of maintaining my success. It’s all part of my story now.
Thanks to my Barbie friends for helping me recreate some of my modeling photos.
@thebarbiehoarder @dollylandinbrazil @dawsondigsdolls
🥖🍞🥯🥐 Did you start baking bread last year? My Bread Baking Barbie became quite famous during the pandemic. Quarantine bread baking was an international obsession. I was commissioned to recreate her for two museum exhibits - one at the Victoria and Albert Design Museum in Dundee, Scotland. One for The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Which doll is your favorite? They are a bit different. 🥖 🍞 🥯 🥐 I made a video about how I made her. I’ll put the link in my stories.
#quarantinebarbie #grandmagetsreal #barbiegetsreal
#breadbaking #breadbakingtherapy
Did you find yourself eating more junk food during the quarantine? What was your favorite comfort food? When I posted this #quarantinebarbie A YEAR AGO 😱 - it was as a comedic commentary on my experience during the lockdown. I took my curvy Barbie in stretchy pants - and then searched thru my miniatures for her accessories. ➡️ scroll thru to see the tiny things and behind-the-scenes videos.
•PS - I added the whiskey because of the book title - “Whiskey in a Teacup.” I haven’t actually had whiskey since an unfortunate night 😬 when I was 16 and made an extremely bad choice to drink some in excess. 🤮 🤮Just the smell of whiskey barrels in the garden department at Home Depot brings all those memories back. 😳🤢
#grandmagetsreal
#barbiegetsreal
#quarantinelife #barbiecollection #barbiecollector
👋 Let’s be social! I’m Tonya Ruiz and I live in Southern California. 🌞🌴•My hobby is recreating my life in miniature.
➡️ Scroll thru for a behind-the-scenes video
Do you have many photos from your childhood? Are you old enough that they are in black and white? I’ve recreated my family’s photo from 1966. •When my kids were little- we watched a lot of classic movies together. One day my 5-year-old son asked, “Did real life use to be in black and white?” 🤔 I can understand why he thought that.
Do you have many “kid” (Kelly/Shelly/Chelsea) dolls? I have hundred of Barbies- but not many choices to find a young version of 🧒🏼 myself. What do you think? •How many kid 🧒🏼 🧒🏻🧒🏿🧒🏽🧒 dolls do you have?
Did you ever have a dream house? Which one did you have? I purchased this reproduction 1961 dream house a few years ago when it came out. Scroll through for a trip down memory lane. Do you remember having cardboard furniture?
👵🏻 What do you plan on doing when you are a senior? “How old is a senior?” you might ask. Apparently, over 55 - because at 57 👵🏻 I get the senior discounts when shopping and I’m in @aarp 😱. What would you like to do when you retire?
Have you ever built a dollhouse?
🐣 Happy Easter!
🐣 How will you celebrate Easter tomorrow? We plan on watching church online 🙏🏼 and munching on a Charcuterie board. How about you?
🐇 Did you know that there is a Beatrix Potter Barbie? I am a big fan of Beatrix Potter, so I was thrilled when I found this at a doll show. Did you read Beatrix Potter as a child? I love her illustrations. 🐇
What’s is the most used room in your house? My kitchen definitely has the most activity- in doll life and real life. 😂
#monday4dolls KITCHEN
Have you ever used an app to bring your dolls to “life”? The first one was done in the @myheritage_official and the rest in the @muglifeapp
Creepy or amusing?
👁❤️🧊. What about you? 🧊 or no 🧊? When my sister and I go thru the drive-thru she orders extra ice in the drinks. It’s a family thing. My mom was the same way. In my opinion - the more ice 🧊 the better.
This tiny little ice tray was made by ReMent in 2006. It’s part of the fruit smoothie set. Isn’t it so cute?
* “RE-MENT Co., Ltd., located in Chiyoda Tokyo, is a Japanese manufacturer of collectible plastic toys. The company's name is derived from a combination of the phrase "reform the entertainment", alluding to their desire for innovation in the toy market. Established in 1998, Re-Ment currently sells a line of highly detailed miniature food, furniture and animal figures as well as mobile phone charms, doll fashions and magnets.” #rement #rementjapan #rementcollection #kawaii #ice
Happy Monday! 🖍️ Do you ever color? I’ve got to admit - I enjoy a new box of Crayons. 🖍️ Big or Tiny.
Are there any Girl Scout cookies in your house? What’s your favorite?
I was not a Girl Scout. I am a Brownie dropout and apparently not cut out for the rigors of scouthood. BUT... I am an excellent cookie eater 😋 who is currently in possession of three boxes of cookies. 😳
Thanks @midgefan73 for reminding me about the current events and National Days. ❤️
#tbt 1981 Do you collect postcards when you travel? I did.
Living in the beautiful city of Zurich, Switzerland was like living in the scenery on a postcard. Drinking establishments were abundant in the charming old section of town that lined the cobblestone streets. The Americana Bar was my favorite hangout.
I danced around my hotel room to Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” playing on my boombox . I exercised at the local Badenhouse. I would go swimming, steam myself in the sauna, and throw myself into a pool of ice-cold water.
In March of 1981, I saw my image on the cover of Das Gelbe Heft (The Yellow House)—a Swiss magazine. Looking very athletic in my aqua stripped sweater, with wristbands and a visor—I leaned against bicycle handlebars.
Scroll thru to see my photos - and postcards.
🎂 Happy 62nd birthday Barbie! How old were you when you got your first Barbie?
Do you like Charcuterie boards? My daughter makes them for our family- and we go crazy 😋
🧀 🫒🥒🥕🍇🍓🫐🍫🍖
Did you ever wish you could be a CoverGirl?
#tbt 1980 Jan - I was flown to Gran Canaria Island, one of the exotically beautiful Canary Islands, Spanish possessions off the West Coast of Africa. It was a week-long shoot for Carina, the German magazine for young women that had become my best client during the fall. The models and crew woke up early each morning so we could be ready to starting shooting at dawn. Sunrises and sunsets were the favorites of Gunter, the photographer, because of the beautiful soft lighting.
• May - Much to my surprise, my face also smiled at me from the front of Carina—my first magazine cover. The photos shot on location in the Canary Islands the previous January filled the pages—it was not Vogue—or even close—but it was a start. No one had told me I would be on the cover. My heart beat wildly with excitement. There I was dressed in a sailor’s suit complete with a jaunty hat and pigtails. Ironically, my idol Cheryl Tiegs was on the BACK cover advertising cosmetics for Cover Girl. Quickly, I called home and told my mom and dad the exciting news. I described the pictures to them.
How do you decide what to take photos of and post? I’ll admit that I’ve been mostly random. 🤪 BUT... I’ve recently decided to try to start posting by theme. Have you noticed I’ve been posting “baby” stuff? My itty-bitty diapers are always my most asked about minis. I’ve recently added to my tiny diaper collection.
👶🏽The @rascalandfriends are part of the new wave of @mini_brands_official ❤️There are diapers & wipes! Thank you @zuru.toys for sending them to me for free!
👶🏿The Pampers are from Ali Express and eBay.
👶🏼The Huggies came all the way from Australia 🇦🇺 Cole’s Little Shop - collectibles from a few years back.
👶🏻The Japanese Pompons box and tiny plastic diapers are older pricey collectibles made by ReMent.
YES. 🐣 that is a baby chicken.
Have you ever tried to make a doll look pregnant? 🤰🏽My granddaughters wanted a doll to be expecting. They tried a ping pong 🏓 ball and they used clay. Finally, I found these mommy-to-be dolls at the swap meet and borrowed the belly. What have you tried?
•It’s been nearly 30 years since I had a baby - I’ve included a photo. 🤰🏼
Which of These Toys Are In Your Dollhouse?
A few years ago, I started a doll account on Instagram and stumbled into a rabbit hole that led to a tiny plastic parallel universe. One thing led to another – I had the dolls, then I needed a dollhouse, then I needed furnishings and appliances, artwork for the walls, rugs for the floors…. I set out in search of tiny things that mirrored my real life: A coffee pot, shampoo bottles, books, and on, and on, and on… It was delightful to find so many mini things.
During the pandemic, the toy industry has seen record sales and it’s not just for child’s play. Adults are buying dolls and building dollhouses in record numbers. Are they reminders of a happy childhood or a non-controversial comfort away from the “real” world?
The good news is that companies are making more toys to fit my fashion-doll size world. Zuru Toys came out with an amazing line of Mini Brands and Toy Mini Brands that have rocked social media, Super Impulse makes The World’s Smallest nostalgic toys that are delightful, Moose Toys sells some Shopkin’s Real Littles that are great in my tiny kitchen and Just Play Products produces a fun variety of Totally Tiny foods. I see these popular items in my social media news feeds daily. I am glad that toy companies are beginning to market to adult collectors. There are a lot of us big kids out there and our inner child has a credit card.
*In full disclosure – the companies I mentioned have sent me free products in the past.
Are you the oldest, middle, or youngest child in your family?
In the Barbie family- Barbie has younger siblings: Skipper, Stacie, Kelly / Chelsea, Tutti and Todd , and Baby Krissy. Kristine “Krissy” Roberts was Barbie's baby sister. She was introduced in 1999 and was discontinued in 2001.
I am the youngest of my family. My siblings say I was babied. What I remember is being at the bottom of the dog pile and abandoned at the park. 🤣 I might need therapy.
* The baby I am holding is not a Krissy doll. When I bought that set at an estate sell the wrong baby was in the box. But I think she’s cute. 👶🏻
Remember the Happy Family? Did you have them? Check my stories to see a my video about my Happy Family Collection. Wikipedia: “Happy Family" The year after Midge and Alan were married, a picture of the couple with twin babies was shown in a pamphlet, but the dolls were never produced. However, in 2003, she and Alan were re-introduced with a family consisting of them and three different kids, three-year-old Ryan, and newborn baby Nikki. This was known as the "Happy Family" line, and was similar to the discontinued Heart Family line of the 1980s. The dolls came in both European American and African American versions. This was the first time an African American Midge was ever produced. Midge was sold "pregnant" with Nikki, who was a tiny baby inside Midge's magnetic removable womb. This led to some controversy with some consumers saying that the doll was inappropriate for children, or that it promoted teen pregnancy. Another cause for this controversy was that Midge did not initially have a wedding ring, but this was later fixed. She also was packaged without Alan. Customers complaining about the doll led to Wal-Mart pulling the Happy Family line off their shelves. A new version of this Midge was produced for Wal-Mart, this time not pregnant and with a cardboard cut-out display of Alan and Ryan standing next to her inside the box. The Happy Family Line included everything from a talking house, a backyard swimming pool, neighborhood market, and playground. Later, around Nikki's first birthday, Midge was "pregnant" again with another child, who was neither named or given a specific gender, as the gender was a surprise when the owner opened the doll's box. Midge has two known parents who are simply called "Grandpa" and "Grandma". At first, the grandparent dolls were sold together as part of a big set consisting of the dolls and a kitchen play set, but for Nikki's first birthday they were sold separately. Midge, Alan, and Ryan gave Nikki a dog for her birthday. They too came in both Caucasian and African American versions. They use different body molds, to reflect their age.”
Do you leave your dioramas set up? I have a few that I usually leave put together - including the nursery. If you want to see a more close-up, slower look at this nursery - I’ll put the link to the full video in my stories.
