Never Too Old For Dolls

Some of us gals will never be too old for Dolls. I guess I am one of them. I was blessed to have Daughters and hope that I will also be blessed to have Grand-daughters one day. I still can play very nicely with dolls.

When I was four years old, I received my first "best friend". Her name was Susie. This doll went everywhere with me. My parents had a situation that caused me to have to be apart from them and my sister for several weeks. They would see me when they could, but it was not as often as a four year old wants. I stayed with a nice family, but I was so young and frightened. Very grateful that I had my Susie with me. I also experienced Chicken pox, still away from my family, clinching my Susie for comfort. There were several situations that made for a scary childhood. I love my family, and I loved my Susie too.

I hung onto her throughout the years, saving her for my own girls to one day play with. Unfortunately, she did not fair well in basement & attic storage through the years. She succumbed to mold.

My ebay buddy, Pat, & I were looking at dolls the other day as she had excitedly received her Mrs. Beasley from her husband for Valentines Day (isn't he a Sweetie?). I knew that my Susie Doll was made by Mattel, and around 1965. I did not know of her "real" name though, and have never seen her when looking up vintage dolls. Much to my surprise, she appeared on ebay as "Teachin Keen". Exclusively made for Sears. OH MY GOSH! I had to have her! Luckily no one else felt the way I did and I won her at a pretty fair market price. She is in wonderful condition, and even still talks!

She is missing one shoe, but I think my original did too. "Susie" arrived yesterday and is sitting in my office on a shelf anxiously waiting to be played with by children again one day. Until then, she will keep me company as I pound away on the keys, sharing TMI on my Blog!

ps.. great experience with this ebay seller! Luckily it wasn't the crazy one!

Don't Be a Labking!

I have recently joined the world of eBay. Oh what fun! It is like going through an antique store and marveling over lost treasures. I actually first checked them out many years ago, however, recently, a friend of mine and I have been joyfully looking for our childhood doll friends. Pat (remember our trip to Barbie World?) and I found our old Kiddles during a break at work one day. Then we started checking through others. Pat has been searching for her old Mrs Beasley while I searched for my old Suzie doll.

I started venturing out and discovered great finds especially with dishes and glassware. I ran across a Pink Depressed Canister Jar, that I was quite fond of. It was cheap too. A small flaw was keeping it from being a true collectors find, so I bid on it. Much to my surprise I "won" it.

I quickly went through the payment process and anxiously awaited my first purchase.

When it arrived, I was slightly disappointed. I feared it was broken as it was poorly packaged in a box it did not fit (sticking out on top). The silver electric tape also was an indication that I was not dealing with a professional. Once opened, I was thrilled that it was not broken but again disappointed that this item was rather dirty with grim in the depressions and a sticky tape across the bottom. At least, it will clean up. At least I got a great price on it.

Days later, after ignoring the emails from eBay requesting feedback, I decided I should go ahead or I would just keep getting the emails.
I mentioned how much I loved the piece, and what a great price I got on it. I mentioned the downside as being poorly packaged, and dirty. However, I gave a "Neutral" rating rather than a "Positive" or a "Negative". I also checked that I was not sure I would shop with this seller again.

Wow. Did I piss someone off.

I started getting messages from this seller:
labking**"How date you give me a neutral. That went through the dishwasher and was in mint condition. I will respond to your neutral and absolutely block you. You have buyer's remorse and are bitter. don't ever come near my auctions agains".
labking**I have just blocked you and you can never bid on my auctions. That is a VERY poor way to start your experience with ebay. Once that happens, additional sellers will block you also. Too bad you wouldn't contact me and you were so bitter. I am a wonderful seller to work with and have never had a problem except with you. That was absolutely a mint, cleaned item. Too bad you're old and bitter. Good Luck and you will need it.

janis** "Wow...good thing I didn't give you bad feedback! I felt it was priced very well, pretty & I love it. I kept getting reminders of feedback and I was only being honest. It was poorly shipped, too big for the box. It had dirt in all the depressions. I had to scrub the dirt out. It had a strange sticky substance on one side like a piece of tape (like the electric tape you used on the box perhaps) had been stuck to it. Don't fret, I have no intention on shopping with you again. FYI~ not mint condition and "dare" is not spelled "date"

labking**First of all it came directly out of my dishwasher so it would be perfect. The sticky tape might be on the cookie jar. The box was the just the right size. Hey if it was too small the cookie jar would have broken. I have sold hundreds of items and this is my first time someone has been such a b....h. If this is your first ebay transaction, I pity anyone that has to deal with you. It was NEVER stated in mint condition. Need I remind you I mentioned there was a tiny chip in the lid? Or did you think you were going to "steal" the jar? If that chip wasn't in the lid you would have paid more than 20 dollars for it. FYI-it just shows how bitter and miserable you are by correcting me on my spelling. Your sneaky and that is a real negative in the ebay community. I've notified ebay about blocking you. They have a box that is checked that asks sellers if they are willing to deal with "difficult" buyers. Even when I started I refused to deal with ugly people because life has way too much drama already in it. I hope you can be decent and respectful of the next poor seller you'll be deal with. Don't ever contact me again loser."

Okay Doky..I got me a winner. I quickly sent this to the "inappropriate mail" people and said, this is why we don't want to give honest feedback. I didn't even give negative feedback. Block this scary person from being able to message me.

So hopefully, this Kookoo will keep her distance. She has my real name, and address, from mailing me item. Great. At least she is from another state. How can someone like this do busy an a regular basis.

My friend, Pat and I now have a new saying when someone is being just a little overly sensitive and crazy... "Labking".
So, remember, Don't be a Labking!

It's A Barbie World!

Here is Pat, Barbie & Me!

This morning my friend Pat & I went to The Indianapolis Children's Museum. We anxiously awaited for this day, just like all the little & big girls, getting a chance to see the Barbie Exhibit.

Pat is a collector. She raised boys, therefore, unlike myself, didn't get to play with Barbie's for an extra ten years while my daughters went through the Barbie era. The only Barbie's I have left are pretty ratty, or should I say, "well loved".

We were thrilled to see some of the same we had growing up.

Ahh! Remember these?
Here are the last ones I remember owning. (I think that was during my Sis & I's period of leaving Barbie & Ken in the camper & spying on them to see if they were "doing anything", or maybe that was my girlfriends... Julie was smarter than me!)

They also had beautiful sketches from the designer, as well as some incredible full size dresses displayed.
(Here is a Betsey Johnson Dress!)


All in all it was a lovely exhibit. We were slightly disappointed, as we were hoping to see a Barbie represented for every year. They had many hands on fun for the little girls. Such a delight to watch little girls on the "Barbie Runway", the "Designing Dresses" and the "Barbie Office" play stations.

The Gift Shop was amazing with many collectibles. I talked Pat into a beautiful Black Label porcelain like collectible. I should have taken a photo of Pat and her new Barbie! She was very excited!

Barbie did alot of different things for different little girls. Yeah, yeah, several felt they are "bad body image" and all that crap. Whatever! Some little girls liked to pretend through the dolls. Play dress up, take care of them and explore the possibilities. Personally, I loved Barbie. Mine even had a GI Joe come hang out for a few years (he was so ruggedly handsome!)

My Therapist has a Barbie sitting in her office. She uses her in Conferences when she is a speaker. Her Barbie has a little Vise attached to her head. Screwed on tightly. It is a model of how many of us feel! It makes me laugh.

All in all, I love Barbie. I am glad she was my friend. I am glad she was my daughters friends. Who couldn't use a friend like Barbie?

An-Shish-Ka-O

Today I had a luncheon with five women I have know almost forever. These women are my Camp Fire Girls Sisters. From left to right: Tammy, Me, Mary D., Pam, Mary G., and Sheila. Unfortunately over the years we have not seen each other as often as I wish we had. We grew up and lost touch. Seeing each other on rare occasions. Two of these women, Pam & Mary G (who used to be known as Mary C growing up) shared their most precious part of them; Their Moms. Pat (Pam's Mom), along with Betty (Mary G's Mom) bravely lead our troop through grade school, middle school and kindof high school. They were a huge part of who I am and why I survived.

Growing up, we were all a little different. But magically that was what made us such a part of each other.

Today, we laughed we cried, we ate, we embraced. It is wonderful to be able to pick up where we left off so many years ago.
We have a few other sisters. A couple we haven't been able to find. Another that was unable to join us. Hopefully another time they will.

Having those Camp Fire Girls Meetings taught me so much. Socialization skills, crafting skills, business skills, and having FUN. Our leaders were wonderful women. They taught us to expand our horizons. To step outside the box. To be brave. And oh, did I mention? Have fun!We camped together (Ha Ha, seriously. I use to like that kind of stuff... especially with these girls!) We went to interesting and fun places. We gave back to the community (do you remember girls driven be leaders in a station wagon picking up the tied newspapers the night before trash day? That was us collecting for recycling back in the seventies before everyone recycled. We dressed in our "ceremonial gowns" (yes~ I am in that pamphlet!) and went to the malls and places to promote Camp Fire Girls and to show our skills off. Lord, I remembering some of us a little nervous in 8th grade hoping other school mates would not see us and make fun of our "Indian costumes".
I learned many of my leadership skills from being a Camp Fire Girl. Imagine that? A little girl growing up to want to make things better and felt prouder because a couple of women and a band of sisters made me feel so loved and special.

I want to thank them all. Particularly Pam & Mary G, for sharing their Mothers with us girls. I understand how hard that is as my daughters also shared me. I want to thank them, as well as Tammy, Mary D, Sheila for coming today and becoming a part of my life again. They as well as Lori, Toni, Karen, Stephaine, Lisa & Christine, (where ever they are) helped me to become who I am. I will love them and the memories we share, forever.

Until our next Camp Fire Girls meeting~ Wo He Lo!
Love~ Tacinca