So Good to be Back; African Dolls and Barbie Body Image, all for Free!

We can Stop Talking About her Physique! This week, Barbie was on the cover of "Time."  Quite a feat, and still at the fairly young age of 57!  The new Barbie bodies are out, and available online.  Mine is on back order, but they are out there.What do you think of the new bodies? I'd love to know!  Tomorrow, February 8th, Theriault's Rendezvous will feature some amazing Ginny dolls with clothes, furniture and accessories.  PBS is replaying the first three episodes of "Anne of Green Gables", which has been a muse for many types of Anne and Diana dolls.  The setting, Prince Edward Island, is on my bucket list, how about you?  We'll take another look at Chatty Cathy prices, and during Black History Month, we'll take a survey of African and African American dolls and their importance in festivals like Kwanzaa. Finally, our finale this week consists of recent auction results as posted by our friends at "Antique Doll Collector" Magazine.  Tonight is the Super Bowl, of course, in my old hometown.  Do you know where your sports mascot dolls, bears, and bobble heads are?  Ellen Tsagaris Doll Collecting Expert

We can Stop Talking About her Physique!   In response to public interest, Mattel has given the blonde maven a new body makeover; go Barbie!  These new dolls are diverse and beautiful.  They have diverse hair styles, skin tones, and body types.  We girls can really do everything now, and in our own unique shapes! READ NOW

African Dolls and Kwanzaa   African dolls have a rich and ancient history.  They are important to many festivals here and overseas.  In fact, they play a role in the beloved festival of Kwanzaa. READ NOW

Chatty Cathy   She is still talking after all these years, and prices online indicate we are still listening. READ NOW

Auction Updates from Antique Doll Collector   Late fall and winter have proved to be busy doll auction months, with unusual dolls continuing to find new homes.  Read more about it! READ NOW

Recpe: Marrow Soup

1-2 packages beef marrow bones
1 60oz can tomato sauce or homemade sauce
12 oz or so chicken broth
chopped onions
salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary to taste
Spaghetti, about half a package
 Water to cover

Wash the bones and cook/boil with broth, onions, water, and spices.  It takes about one half hour for them to cook.  Marrow and any meat will brown, onions will clarify.

Add the tomato sauce,bring to boil again, then simmer.

After about 40 mins, let boil again and add pasta; any kind works, but I like the spaghetti.  When pasta is done, sprinkle with parmesan or romano, or mdzithra cheese, and serve.

Stock photo shows marrow bone soup with bones cooked and browned.  I added

 pasta, not potatoes and greens

Of Birds and Nests

It's been a strange, strange winter.  I saw my first robin in January.  We have little or no snow, and it is over 40 degrees one day, then below 20 another.  The birds seem to be frantic; they are hopping around with seeds in their mouths, their eyes bright as black beads.


When I was at school years ago, we had an alcove in the university building where I worked where pigeons roosted.  The whole five years I was there, there was a lone nest in the corner, with two eggs in it.  They had petrified for sure by the time I graduated, and they had never hatched.  They were the same eggs.  One, sometimes two pigeons, sat by the nest and just stared.  Were they wishing things were different?  Were they contemplating futile efforts?  Their loyalty and devotion were touching, even if a little misplaced.

Free Newsletters are Back!

Dolls in Strange Places; What a Mystery! Doll sleuths are always looking for dolls hiding in strange places, and I found one amid the pages of a Sue Grafton novel, "N is for Noose."   New dolls like Amelia Whistle-Wickham Ghastly is now available by Tonner, and a lovely, ghostly creature she is!  Barbie made another magazine cover, with new bodies to boot, and "Closer" Magazine has a cover story on Shirley Temple's childhood.  Below are also stories on paper doll doodling in adult coloring books, more on how to find dolls and a preview post on what's next at Dollspart Supply.  More highlights include the Feb. 2015 issue of "Antique Doll Collector" with recent Theriault's auction results, and stories in "Antique Week" on Star Wars collectibles and action figures, with a $150,000 action figure!  I love to hear from you, so remember to write, and to suggest ideas for what you would like to read.  Happy Collecting! Ellen Tsagaris Doll Collecting Expert

Dolls in Strange Places; What a Mystery!   Dolls, especially Barbie, love a mystery.  Here is Sue Grafton's "N is for Noose" which includes a Barbie collector who repairs Chatty Cathy dolls READ NOW

Doodling For Dolls and Doll Houses   Coloring books for adults are the latest craze; many include paper dolls to color! READ NOW

Dolls Are Where you Find Them   So said my friend, noted author and collector, the late Mary Hillier, about how to find dolls to collect.  READ NOW

Dollspart Huret introduces more Huret Accessories   Here is a preview of a duet of articles featuring Dollspart Supply's great accessories for Huret and other French fashion dolls. READ NOW