Doll Therapy

As I prepare for a doll show tomorrow to honor Dr. James Dickey from Taylor, Texas, I am challenged to create an exhibit about health and wellness. I have less than 24 hrs. For the first time, I will exhibit dolls and dioramas. Here are a few scenes I recently created. More videos and photos coming soon. Learning a new hobby such as playing the djembe drum can be relaxing and is an excellent way to practice selfcare. Who is Dr. James Dickey? Learn more about Dr. James Dickey's contributions to Central Texas and African American health and wellness at his website. https://dickeymuseum.org/dr-james-lee-dickey/ Until next time... photo credits James Dickey Museum website

                                                      Happy Halloween    I really enjoy this time of year. I love horror and the suspense.This year because of the pandemic, the CDC recommended Trunk or Treat. Because of the risk of COVID 19, many people opted to go all the way out with their yard decor to provide a social distancing way to still enjoy the holiday. Check out the awesome videos from Facebook below.    We did not decorate or participate in any Halloween events but we did make a few purchases to prepare for next year and expand out horror doll collection. We also indulge in a sweet,scary movie called SPELL which starred one of my favorite actors Omari Hardwick.  Check out our new Sinister doll by SPIRIT of HALLOWEEN STORE . I purchased for 50% off! So the doll was only $20 bucks and she is mucho scary! I have...

Here we are still battling COVID 19 in July of 2020. Just as I suspected,our country is now feeling the spread of the virus and its aftermath. Numbers continue to rise and more children are now being diagnosed with the deadly virus.  The Pandemic has forced many of us to reconnect with our hobbies and simple things that bring us joy. I have many hobbies such as doll collecting, and  I also love old school hip hop. Since the pandemic, I have allowed myself to indulge in what I call petty doll collecting (inexpensive and fun) purchases.  It started in May when I saw Biggie and then someone showed me a preorder for Salt & Pepa . It was really a done deal simply because I love the culture so much. Here is a nice flashback of some of their greatest hits. FYI I also have Ice Cube but i gave him to my son as a gift.       1,2,3 Kick It!  Not only was their music enjoyed by the hip hop community but, they also easily appealed to the GOGO music fa...

Like most true doll collectors, I am very picky about what goes into my collection. I am a historian and storyteller at heart, I am always looking for new information about history and cultures to share with my readers. In this case the information is not new, just new to me.  My fascination with the Mardi Gras Indians began about five years ago when I discovered a lady who happens to be a doll artist, but more importantly she is part of the Mardi Gras Injun masking culture. In my quest to acquire one of her dolls, I discovered her beautiful culture. She was not only a doll artist but a Big Queen  of  Creole Wild West.  Creole Wild West is the name of her Mardi Gras Injun tribe and one of the oldest documented tribes in Mardi Gras culture.  There are at least two dozen tribes. I am yet to see a list of these tribes, but then again maybe I'm not meant to. We first dove into the culture on a trip to NO about five years ago when we visited the BackStreet Museum ....

                                                                                                                                                                        It's not every day that one gets to see a cannon fired. Not once, but three times. I can tell you it is extremely noisy. I had a chance to attend  The Voices of South Texas Historical Event in Corpus Christi, Texas. There were military reenactors from every war ever fought in the U.S., food, information booths and plenty of history buffs. This was the perfect opportunity to do a photo-shoot with my...

              This year I spent Juneteenth weekend at the African American Museum working. This did not stop me from celebrating and doing a photoshoot with my favorite doll, Addy. The month of June was very busy. I did countless tours at the museum specifically because it was Juneteenth. It is always nice to see so many young people learning about an important part of American History. The Carver Museum in Austin, Tx is the only museum in the country that has an exhibit dedicated to Juneteenth year-round.    Just in case some of you are not familiar with the holiday here is a culturally competent overview of  June 19th better known as Juneteenth. The History of Juneteenth What did you do for Juneteenth?

Using Dolls to Inspire  Healthy Living Now is the time to get those seeds in the ground! For many, Feb and March are the planting seasons.  Spring and Summer will be here soon and  if  you sow now you can reap the benefits later. There is nothing like fresh fruit and vegetables. For some great gardening tips check out Central Texas Gardener's website here . Your Zone determines your planting time. Also check out OG new doll of color that loves to garden. Our Generation Malia Our Generation Doll Set is Affordable and Educational The doll comes with two sets of shoes and knee pads an apron, seed packets garden stakes and  tools It also includes a bucket and vegetables The doll is a wonderful way to teach about healthy living, farming and clean eating.           The doll sells for about $40 dollars at Target and is possible. She is also able to wear American Girl doll clothes. Here hair is thick and curly...

According to Biography.com , Soul Train debuted August 17, 1970. It was the hippest dance trip in town for over 30 years and was on air till 2006. The Train was created by Don Cornelius. It started in Chicago as a local show,traveled to California and ended up on every TV set in Black Americas home.  Soul Train showcased up and coming and the hottest soul and funk acts in the nation,  Among the many guest were people like James Brown and Gladys Knight.   There were also superstars in the making in the audience dancing, people like Jody Watley from Shalamar or Damita Jo Freeman,  who eventually became a famous choreographer to the stars.  The dancers from Soul Train where considered celebrities and trend setters. They embodied the look of the 70's. Big Afros, bell bottoms and platforms where often the look, not only for females but, the guys as well.It was a a time of black pride and and the rise of the  Black beauty Industry. Soul Train was th...

 Hello,  I am happy to announce the arrival of my first official ReBORN. She arrived on an 18 in body. She was then given a body swap with a 22 in soft body. Her new body was purchased from Bountiful Babies and came with easy todo instructions. I am very happy with her now. I may later get her hair rerooted for more fullness. This will be an ongoing photo album.                   Please enjoy LaLa Nicole's photos and leave a comment for her below:

 Since this is the month of Horror( October), what better time to explore and discuss great horror movies that focus on haunted dolls. I'm feeling a spin off blog coming real soon as I discovered rather quickly, there are dozens of movies with haunted dolls. This is Part II of my Horror Doll post. One such that comes to mind is the Classic Annabelle that debuted a few years ago. This movie was such a hit and was the prelude to the movie The Conjuring. It was at this time, while in the movie,with my heart fluttering in the theater that I decided most horror movies today where just a tad bit to real for me... Yeah.. I don't think this is fun anymore.  Earlier this year, I had a chance to see some great horror collectibles at a local comic book store. They had some wonderful fan favorites such as The Bride of  Chucky.  I don't have Annabelle but, would love to add her to my list... This is actually a great price for this doll and I'm thinking I may pay them a visit to...

                                          Doll collectors have long been considered strange or creepy people. Many people believe dolls to be haunted and possessed by spirits.  I plan to do some research on this topic and explore it more in weeks to come. I couldn't help but to think of the classic Twilight Zone Episode of Talking Tina. This was my inspiration for Halloween decor this year. Do you remember this classic episode?  Last year I decided to create my own Horror dolls. I was inspired by some of the horror babies I saw on Pinterest and Ebay. This is a great way to recycle old dolls and to add some fun to your Halloween decor this year. This project was completed in one day and I did this as a workshop with a few friends.                                     ...

 Most of you know about the  Black Doll Test (click on the phrase to learn more). It was used to gage  how children felt about race. In this study you are able to see Black children and how they felt about themselves. If we have not learned anything from that study  we hopefully learned the importance of providing positive words and environments for children of color to play. Most importantly, I think we learned  the role that Black dolls can play in a child's life and how they grow to feel about themselves.  I recently helped to support a Kickstarter campaign to produce a doll that not only is beautiful but provides positive words to encourage children's self esteem development. The doll recites 20 positive phrases to help reinforce their self esteem. The first doll in the Brains and Beauty Collection is Malia, She is a beautiful 18in doll that gives American Girl a run for their money.  Check out the features and tell me  if you agree. With a ...

  I hope  you had a chance to experience Luciana first hand January 1st in American Girl Stores. The weather kept a lot of fans at home. Me being the curious one and always wanting to experience the AG madness I trekked my way out in 30 degree weather and picked up a few goodies for myself. Whenever AG does a doll release they give out the coolest items in the store... Luciana Vegas debut was no different. I was able to snag a very cool tee and a few Phases of the Moon Trackers. Luciana's Tee Phases of the Moon Poster Any of the items will become instant "to haves" for the collection because they where only given out that day. I decided to do a Give A Way since many of our American Girl Addy Fans were note able to get out and get one.....  I think the poster would be cool to laminated and display with your doll. I promised a video response this evening/night  announcing the winner... Check it out below.             ...

The hottest doll for Christmas 2017 hands down has been Luvabella. You've seen the YouTube videos and the craze around the world for the first of its kind animated doll. What is your take on the doll? Please share what you like and dislike about Luvebella. If you haven't purchased her yet...why not? On a scale of 1-10. I give her an 8 because I am blown away by what this doll can do. I am not so crazy about her hair or cheap looking clothing. I think this doll has much more potential for improvement or it be lots of fun to continue customizing her as some of my fellow doll collectors have decided to do. Take a look at me and my first encounter with baby Carter Luvabella!

 Using Recycled Christmas Ornaments You can Create a Floating Doll Centerpiece  Ok so this is a late post but, you still have time to create and enjoy a fun centerpiece using your doll collection.  Since Kwanzaa has already kicked off you have even more reason to create your own fun centerpiece for tables, tea parties or as gifts. Using a glue gun, hot glue, coat hangers, ornaments, embellishments and plate chargers, I created  bright and colorful floating doll centerpieces. Drop your thoughts below and subscribe for more great projects! Happy Kwanzaa!                                                            The History of Kwanzaa                                                   ...

 I guess the question is, why am I so mad. The GOTY 2018 girl was leaked months ago all over social media and still after seeing the reveal the other day on GMA I  felt some kind of way. I had to examine why I was angry when I saw Luciana come out of the sky in an astronaut uniform as little black girls cheered her on, bright eyed and bushy tailed.  I could literally feel steam coming from my nose. It was because American Girl took me back to a dark space, a space I had been before as a young black girl growing up in the 80s. This was a space where diversity was limited and the idea of a little black girl even being in a story book was  just a dream. In fact,  I do not recall any story book from childhood to our reading list in  high school that included a little black girl. I only remember Huck Fin and To  Kill a Mockingbird. No stories of black princess, and certainly of  little black girls.  In 1993, American Girl released Addy Walk...

 As we get ready to say goodbye to 2017, we should spend sometime reflecting on life and setting new goals for 2018. This year was a great year for me spiritually, personally, career wise and of course I acquired some wonderful dolls.  With the year winding down.. I spent some time purchasing some must haves for my collection and thought Id share my top 5 doll purchases of 2017!!! #5  Tales from the Hood OOAK Zombie Dolls  Please check out my September Blog on how I acquired these awesome handmade dolls! I purchased them for $100. Not bad! #4  Antique Reproduction Jumena Doll  I acquired this beauty for less than $50 via Ebay..  I found out about her historical significance by attending the online  Antique Doll Show Hosted by Ruby Lane Dolls in November of 2017 Isn't she gorgeous? She stands about 20 inches tall.  I learned a lot about these very sought after dolls from the Ruby Lane Doll Show. I was even given...

 When was the last time you went into an AG store? Did you notice anyone missing? Maybe not... yet . For the past two years, there have been very strong talk  about Addy retiring.. Some of the claims even coming from those who work for AG. Those of us who love Addy have been living on pins and needles for the past two years.. watching her slowly disappear from the catalog and wondering are they telling us the truth. A petition was even created and signed by many of us who feel Addy's story is a necessary part of American History. Well about a month ago. I was able to get some inside information about Addy and if and when she is retiring ..  and of course I feel I should share it with you all...   Well the key word is retire. Everytime I call  AG and ask them if Addy is going to be retired, they tell me NO. That appeases  me for a little bit then a few months later we hear another rumor.   This is what I learned.... American Girl does not ty...