Boil Perm Tutorial! (Video Below)

So

There are a lot of questions and misconceptions about styling and boil perming fashion doll hair.

First, let me say it should be done with adult supervision if you’re not at least 16 or unfamiliar with your stove.

Second, there are many different methods you can use not just the one shown. Trust me; I’m not the best at it. There are many people who do it much more than I who are neater and more precise. You can be as well with a little practice.

If you are apprehensive remember, as you dip the doll into boiling water you do it with the back of head first to keep face away from the  hot water.

Also 30 seconds in boiling water is perfect to do the dip.

If you’re still apprehensive you can roll doll hair in curlers then fill a spray bottle with boiling water and spray doll hair down. (Caution, do this method in a large kitchen sink with spray bottle on sink bottom. Hot water can make plastic spray bottles soft and they are liable to fall from spray top splashing dangerously hot water everywhere)

AND IF YOU’RE STILL APPREHENSIVE

Purchase a $5.00 Swimsuit Barbie and use her for “Experiments” with boil perms, Iron curler and flat iron temperature.

Consider this a basic tutorial to one method of boil perming

Supplies needed:

Perm Rollers of Various sizes

Perm Papers

Boiling water

Shampoo & Conditioner

Spray bottle

Alcohol Free Wig Spray (Hair spray has alcohol that can eat away fibers over time)

Any Fashion doll (Barbie, Fashion Royalty, Tonner, Bratz)

Once these are all set you  can begin!
Let boiled hair set or dry over night to brush out gently and style or remove curlers 5 to 10 minuets after for wet look!
Spray either of these looks with wig spray and your girl is ready to WORK!

NEW NEW NEW Fashionistas 2012 HIT USA

The NEW NEW NEW Fashionistas are in the US!
Strange, because of shelf gridlock we skipped over a wave (featuring the too sexy Sassy) But that is a good thing because both waves of the Head Swappin line were AWFUL!

With the exception of  that last too sexy Sassy and Glam (Below)

The new Fashionistas are right where Barbie should be in 2012.
At least the packaging for the new Barbie Fashionista on the right (below). The pink goes perfectly with the outfit and together it makes for a fresh and exciting offering from Mattel.

The other dolls on the other hand are just frightful!
There are some positives.
They have a new skin complexion which is very appealing to the eye.
The above Teresa's fashion is not so terrible but there is nothing 'fashionista" really about these Fashionistas(and there never has been in the history of the line)
Take the doll below "Raquell" Looks like she's wearing a Misfits's reject outfit.
The outfit on the left (Summer) is just nonsense that no adult or child would want to wear
BUT
has an outstanding pair of boots that are two toned!
(But they don't necessarily go with the stupid outfit)

SO! An OUTSTANDING JOB with the new Barbie of this collection!

It's right where Barbie should be in 2012 (The packaging not so much the outfit unless you subtract the tacky frill on the bottom...she's not a birthday cake!)
However for these Fashionistas to really be true Fashionistas you may have to take a peek at the pages of Vogue or Teen Vogue or US Magazine or Star or any newspaper to see what girls really wear outside of the house!
BUT PLEASE,  JUST OPEN A MAGAZINE OR TURN ON THE TELEVISION OR SOMETHING!

Target Exclusive Holiday Barbie

The NEW Holiday Barbie Target Exclusive is out!
She is cute
As always (except for those tacky red basics) Target Exclusive Barbies are Fun Cute and Exciting!
Pick one up while you can these go quickly!
I like to grab mine on Black Friday!

More Monster High Sneaks of Operetta

Mattel's Monster High Facebook page released another sneak of Operetta
The daughter of Phantom of the Opera
I wish the Barbie designers had this much talent and artistic vision
Read below post or check out Monster High Official Facebook Page!

Target Halloween Collection 2011 (Video Below)

Target stores are ready for the most wonderful time of the year!
There are some awesome new products this years including these push pins that can turn or pumpkin (real or fake) into a Cookie Monster! (other styles available; Toy Story, Cars Spiderman Star Wars see video below) The pieces push in just like a Mr Potato Head!

If carving is still your thing fear not!
Carving patterns books are still available including the new Barbie set (other styles also available see video below)

There is also tons of different costumes for Children, Teens Adults and Pets!!
And what American Halloween would be complete with out miles of Candy!

But if Candy is not your thing there are also mini toy treats including the new Target Exclusive Halloween Barbie, and Lalaloopsy!
Theres also Hot Wheels, Lego, Monster High and Mr Potato sets available for that special little trickster in your life (or neighborhood)

So grab your broom stick and fly on over to Target before these ghoulish goodies disappear!

                                                                 Click Here for HD

Fashion Royalty Dress Code Vanessa Deboxed and Debunked

So I have her in hand and ready to debox and debunk the critics!
Dress code Vanessa in my opinion is AWESOME!
My Favorite Vanessa is Metal Maven but they can't all be Metal Maven or whatever your fave was.

There are some small complaints: The outfit is DEAD and actually gives the doll a hump back. The jewelry or bracelet can't open so it can only be put on a handspeak body. Lastly, my hair was a little frizzed no biggie.

On the Positive
The hair color blends well with the red lips, VERY SEXY
The shoes have elastic backing and Velcro fasteners that keep them firm and secure!
There is no blue, green, purple or yellow eyeshadow!

SO
Watch the clip
Decide for yourself if she's for you!!
And
Pick her up if you didn't get her!

Masters Of The Universe Classics 101

Click HERE For HD

So!
You wanna know where all these Masters Of The Universe (MOTU) Classics action figures are coming from and how to get them!?!
Well
Click above for a 101 lesson in how to get your hands on some and what to look for if you're picking them up on EBay!

New Monster High Character Operetta !!

New Monster High Character Operetta!
She is supposed to be the daughter of the Phantom Of The Opera
So maybe she'll have a French accent??
Her hair is red so maybe Christine Daaé is NOT her mother??
Also
it looks like she may play guitar instead of organ (like her father) or sing (like Daaé)
Check out Monster High Facebook page for more!

Barbie Charm School Princess Hits TODAY!!

Barbie Charm School Princess Hits stores today!

I haven’t watched it in its entirety but the first hour is surprisingly awesome!
The animation is also exquisite and finally the CGI is surprisingly lifelike.
The color scheme is lush and vivid.
It captivates you to purchase the dolls.

The best part is the catchy songs and actually enjoyable and not loud screaming girls trying to sound "hip"
As always there is one of two DVDs with accompanying toys and play set for 3rd and 4th quarter Christmas barrage!

So the new DVD with one or two of the gifts below and the accompany book will make a GREAT Christmas three pack for someone amazing!
Be back soon with full review!

Lame He-Man Halloween Costume!

Oh My God what a lame He-Man Halloween costume!
This is probably the first official He-Man Masters Of The Universe Halloween costume since the Ben Cooper Plastic in a cardboard box from the 80's
My biggest complaint is the muscle suit!
I hate when they make these Halloween costumes with the muscle suits!
What if you don't need one!

A much better Halloween option from Mattel and Target!

Here is a much better Halloween option from Mattel and Target!
Thumbs up to whoever is designing Barbie Target exclusives (check out the awesome Barbie Fashionistas World Tour)

This appears to be a Sassy Fashionista head on a playline body
Even though the design is still a little dorky with the bubble skirt (Very similar to the current Bratz Masquerade line),  there are some positive aspects, like the pumpkin vine shall. 

The icing on the cake is the too sweet Jack 'O lantern candy bucket!
I wish I could buy a dozen of those alone!

So pick this up in your local Target's Halloween section!

Bratz Don't Match!

Above is the latest MGA Bratz Toys R Us Exclusive Masquerade Cloe! (Click Here For Info)
While she is an awesome piece that is inventive, exciting (and thankfully because its not Barbie) she's not dipped in pink.
However
She does suffer from a common MGA Bratz line weakness; and that is: She does not match up with her promotional pictures, packaging photos or artwork.
Sadly MGA is not the only manufacturer that commits this infraction.
Many doll and toy companies commit this error for various reasons including Mattel and Integrity toys. (Although, Integrity dolls usually look better than promo pics)
They usually blame it on fabric shortage issues in factories.
However
This is a normal occurrence with the MGA Bratz line and substitutions are never made.
For example, if a doll's promo pic features a pink vest (as with 10th Anniversary Adri) a fabric substitution was not made, they just produced item sans vest.
Also details that accentuate the design, excitement and prestige of the piece are left out.
Take the doll above
The package art features a white ribbon corset and a much more glamours skirt design that didn't make the final cut.
BUT
MGA uses the more exciting photo to sell the doll.
MGA is SMART
They sell the IDEA of the doll
They sell the doll with an exciting photo of the doll that is not as detailed and cheaper to produce.
Packaing is everything!
But some customers actually would like the actual doll they are sold and would'nt mind paying the extra dollar!
So if you feel this way go to http://www.mgae.com/ click Registration and tell them what you would change about your latest purchase!
All you need is the barcode of your last purchase.
You can also email them HERE!
They seem very receptive and in the end they  produce great designs so good luck with it!
And we'll see what happens!

Imaginext Batman Bat Cave Playset! Awesome for any age (Video Below)

An absolute must have this Christmas is the Imaginext Superfriends Batcave!

This is not the Fisher Price of the 80’s!

This is an AWESOME Batcave

And the Imaginext line has been creating some head turning pieces since 2002.

Unlike the ho-hum learning apparatuses of our day, these new items are designed to inspire immense adventures with pirates and Dinosaurs that are just simply too damn cool looking!

These are oversized, strong fat pieces that a child (or adult) will love in their grip and they are tricked out in eye popping colors.

I’d like to say they’re not gender specific toys but sadly I think they are designed from a masculine or aggressive point of view.

With all the licenses Mattel acquired for this line none of them include a female descriptive; No Barbie or Disney Princesses (perhaps a good thing) and there is a glaring omission of feminine D.C. Comic icons Wonder Woman and Catwoman from the Batman/Super friends  line.

Despite that I hope that little girls would enjoy the impassive point of view with these pieces and dive right in to their own pirate or Batman adventures*.

The size alone (of the packaging) would make this a stupefying gift to have under the tree for little tikes and the pieces seem affordable (Bat cave sells for $55)
Click Here for Toys R Us

And

The best thing for parents….

Little or no assembly required!  

*A note about pirate toys: Generic pirate toys can be invaluable because they make a great segway into books on pirates and history that can become more complex as a child advances in age/grade level!

Alexbabs Made me do it! (Video Below)

So I woke up this morning  to go to the gym and checked my YouTube videos
I was very happy to see new reviews by Bratz king Alexbabs12345
He was reviewing Bratz Masquerade Cloe!
I was excited because I actually planned on picking her up for Halloween during my annual trip to Salem Massachusetts, in my Fave Massachusetts TRU in Peabody (or is it Danvers)
ANYWAY
His review was so AWESOME I had to pick her up today!
So
After my workout I drove down to my local TRU and grabbed her right up
SHE IS AWESOME!
AND
The BEST thing about her is that since she's and angel you can use her for Christmas too!!
So Pick her up
And subscribe to Bratz king Alexbabs12345 here!

Here is his video review:

Scary Halloween Indeed!

Above are the two offerings from Mattel for Halloween 2011.
The left is the Barbie Fan Club Exclusive Halloween Hostess and to the right, a simple playline or "Pink Box" Halloween Barbie 2011.

At first (when I first saw the sketch) of the Halloween Hostess I was excited and looking forward to an upscale Halloween offering because the playline offerings are always so tacky (See picture on right).
But then we were told that not only was this NOT a silkstone but it was $75!
Then the sixties T.V. dinner/corny sitcom/dull as dishwater and tacky and loud middle America Bill Greening design did not appeal to me as much.
While the coat is imaginative and I'm sure Mr. Greening did a little google search for "vintage Halloween cards", It looses it's artistic value when you place it on a ten cent body.

As for crappy number 2 the playline

Well I guess I keep hoping one day they'll hire a designer that's picked up a Rubies Halloween Catalogue or walked into one of those pop up temporary Spirit Halloween stores.

BUT NO
They find the one person in America who has not!

Halloween costumes today for girls are edgy and imaginative. Younger girls also see  the sexy costumes for Teen and adult girls..Mattel needs to find a happy medium.

Little girls are putting Barbie down younger and younger because she is no longer an image of adulthood. She's not a real fashion doll because she rarely wears real fashions anymore! (unlike Bratz and Moxi Girlz)

So when they hit 3rd and 4th grade and want to dissociate themselves with their childhood they kick these childish baby doll looking Barbies to the curb!

Its Mattel's fault!

Today's girls want to be GaGa and Kardashian
Not some big pink blob with an dopey smile and clown clothes!

This doll would have been a must have for girls (even in higher grades) if they kept the construction keeping the color black and sequenced and cut out the orange/yellow underskirt!

*Edit: Target is offering a much better Halloween option Read about it here: http://saturdaymorningtoyz.blogspot.com/2011/09/much-better-halloween-option-from.html

Creepy Crappy Case!

Mattel is booming with new Monster High products!
It's like they keep vomiting out of Mattel's mouth like they were possessed by some awesome Universal Studios Classic Monster!
However, this  market saturation may be their only hope in the new battle of the Bratz!
ANYWAY
Because it's Mattel crappy products ensue!
For example the above Monster High Display Case.
This caused much excitement on Flickr because of the cool coffin design but on further inspection you'll see the huge flaw
IT ONLY FITS THREE DOLLS!
Pretty sucky since there are at least THREE main characters.
Oh. the idea is AWESOME for Mattel because their shrewd designers are fully aware of this in hopes consumers just buy TWO!
BRILLIANT
For Mattel
SUCKY
For us!
Notice the huge number SIX on the package
Placed there to dissuade you from the fact that the case fits only THREE.
Some impulse buyers may think it fits SIX
BRILLIANT
Don’t be fooled by these marketing Flim Flams!

Fashion Royalty Porcelain Beauty Kesenia 2011 (Video Below)

So in honor of Integrity's Jet Set Convention being less than 1 month away I uploaded a quick video on  Porcelain Beauty Kesenia!
The video is just for fun (as you can see I had plenty)
And I got a chance to shout out Superstar Blogger Shuga Shug and Steven P. From the WClub
so enjoy!

NEW 2011 Thundercats Action Figures Lion-O (Video Below)

Bandi has released NEW Thundercats action figures to coincide with the relaunch of the series on The Cartoon Network!
There are several figures in the line and also a 'Classic" line that is just a re release of the figures from the 80's.
The new line comes in two sizes and are fully examined in the video below.
The small figures sell for around $8 and the larger size sells for around $15.
These items are HOT and sell out just hours after shipment's arrive so call your local shop and find out when they receive deliveries!

                                                  For Larger and HD Click Here

Martha Stewart 2011 Halloween Collection at Michael's (Video Below)

The Martha Stewart Crafts 2011 Halloween collection is in Michael's stores now! There are some exciting new treats and also some old favorites that are certain to make your Halloween beautiful!
Unlike the current Martha Stewart Halloween Special Issue Magazine, this collection has some inspired ideas reminiscent of the legendary Martha By Mail catalogue (These are just cheaper in price and quality)
SO,
Make a trip to your local Michael's ASAP for these awesome items!
As in the past these are sure to be gobbled up quickly!

                                                            Click Here For Direct Link

Monster High Wii Game!!

The Gang at Monster High have a Wii game coming just in time for Halloween!
October 25, 2011
You can pre-order now at Gamestop www.gamestop.com or any other major store.
If you've ever played a "girls" video game (like Barbie and the Three Musketeers) you'll know that these games feature simple graphics and little to no violence but can still be challenging. They're usually a series of puzzles and or mazes.
This should be mindless fun for Halloween and weeks to come!

Help Make a GREAT Halloween for kids!

Costumes for Kids is program designed to to give disabled children the Halloween experience they deserve. They collect new or used costumes, make-up and costumes!
PLEASE!
Even 1$ will help
http://costumesforkids.net/