Frankly Speaking: Anne Frank’s words inspire doll artists and give strength...
On April 15, 2013, terrorism reared its ugly head once more. Like all other Americans—and, really, TV viewers from around the globe—I watched in horror and amazement as reports of the Boston bombing...
View ArticlePerfectly Perky: Shirley Temple turns 85, and her dolls continue to delight...
One of the benefits of working in the doll world is the fact that I got to rub shoulders with some really sweet, really good-natured famous folk. Many of the women and men I had the chance to meet in...
View ArticleParty Girl: Madame Alexander’s legacy turns 90 years old, and still going...
After hearing mounds of bad news over the past few weeks, it’s gratifying when a piece of cheerful information flits over the transom or, in more modern terms, arrives in one’s e-mail in-box. Such was...
View ArticleDragon Heart: “Game of Thrones” sets sci-fi geeks’ (and their moms’)...
On Sunday nights, even on Mother’s Day, I leave behind the mundane matters of being a working mom and a busy blogger. For an hour on the weekend, I’m transported to a world where there is certainly a...
View ArticleBard Beauties: The play is indeed the thing for these Shakespearean-inspired...
One of the best things about living near New York City is the fact that theater is there for the watching. I can’t say “for the enjoying,” because (quite truthfully) some of the productions that end up...
View ArticleHeart, hearth, and home: A modern installation and a Jazz Age jewel have much...
Memorial Day weekend is the kickoff to the summer getaway season. For a lot of my neighbors and colleagues, this means a trip to either a rental home or a mortgaged seasonal cottage. I, unfortunately,...
View ArticleCinderella Charming: The toast of Broadway 2013 has long been a muse to...
Once upon a time—well, actually, it wasn’t so very long ago—just about a week past, I was treated to one of the nicest days out in many, many eons. For Mother’s Day and for my daughter’s First...
View ArticleGraduation Extravaganza: Valedictorians, future superstars, and bizarre...
Now that it’s mid June, my social calendar is certainly in full bloom. With the weather finally being warmer—and many activities being held outdoors—I finally get the meaning of the term “social...
View ArticlePretty as a Princess: If Kate’s baby is a girl, expect a kingdom’s worth of...
As I’ve said in the past, my daughter, Jane, is anything but a “girly girl.” She likes to play with the boys, enjoys a water fight with balloons and Nerf plungers, and laughs like a maniac when a...
View ArticleMod Men: With the show on the brink of 1970 America, Don Draper is no longer...
As I watched the season finale of “Mad Men” this past Sunday, I had to shake my head and recall that this journey along with the Draper family—his current one, past one, imaginary one, and subverted...
View ArticleSurf-n-Turf: Getting to the meat of the swimsuit preoccupation of our dolls!
When the temperatures start to peak above 85 degrees, I don’t want to even peek my head outside! Even though I love summer (in theory)—the kids home from school, chances to spend more time with family...
View ArticleOde to Heavenly Heroines: Odette and Gabrielle are OOAK twists on classic...
Frank Sinatra crooned it best: “Fairy tales can come true/they can happen to you/if you’re young at heart.” I certainly believe that lyric, and I know that doll artist Monica Reo is a big fan as well....
View Article“Frozen” Fever: The Internet is heating up with speculation about Disney’s...
While the United States is baking and boiling and broiling, it’s nice to take a voyage to cooler climes. I don’t have the cold, hard cash to book passage to Alaska, but I am already in a wintry...
View ArticleIcy and Intriguing: Virginie Ropars brings a mature and menacing vibe to the...
One of the best parts of blogging and being in the doll world is keeping up correspondence with doll artists around the world. When I was a young girl—probably fourth to maybe even ninth grade—I had a...
View ArticlePANdemonium: There is a riot of Peter Pan dolls that invite us to fly and...
My son’s middle name is Peter. Nothing special or unusual about that. However, my son was adopted from China, where the name his orphanage assigned him was Pan Zhi Hong. Now, as a literature-loving mom...
View ArticleThe “It Girl” Forever: Mona Lisa has captivated songwriters, historians, and...
I love a mystery. My bookshelves are lined with the likes of Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Barbara Vine, and Ruth Rendell. (Yeah, I know, Barbara and Ruth are the same person—Ruth is the real name,...
View ArticleConversing over Coffee: A blogger pours out her heart about dolls and caffeine.
There are two things I am very passionate and serious about: my coffee and my dolls. Like an outspoken NRA advocate, I firmly believe that you’ll have to pry my fourth cup of coffee out of my cold,...
View ArticleBoy Toy: Crush-worthy singers are the perfect playthings for gals of all ages.
Mighty empires might crumble; political parties can sweep in, cause change, and then recede with the tides; science will discover new planets and summarily discount others. Philosophies and religion...
View ArticleDishing About Dolls: Celebs let their hair down and their doll opinions fly!
I love to talk! Even beyond that, I love to read, browse the Internet, and discover really intriguing sound bites. With everything circulating on the Web these days, it seems as if quotes should be...
View ArticleShow and Tell: TV dolls say a lot about characters, collectors, and culture.
There was a time when TV was considered the “idiot box,” and I suppose for a lot of people that insult still remains true. I, however, am not a pseudointellectual who gleefully runs down the “boob...
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