Barbie Tea Pendant

I added jump rings to this pink-flecked Barbie teacup and teapot and slid them onto a long chain with a droplet bead to create a unique necklace. Suddenly kids' toys have fashionable potential! 

Vintage Barbie Clothes

I admit it. I have slunk back to my Barbies on several occasions over the years following the acknowledgement of "being too old for them". From time to time, I visit them in their Rubbermaids and waste a good chunk of an afternoon creating outfits. I've realized, though, that it's not really the dolls I love, it's their clothes. I never want to get rid of them. Even as a child I sensed the difference between my Barbies' authentically classy attire and the synthetic frocks wrapped in plastic and horribly twisted wire on the toy store shelves. My Barbies wear vintage! The majority of their clothes are actually hand-me-downs from the Barbies my mom played with in the '60s and '70s--mostly handmade from old dresses and rag bag scraps. In one of my recent Barbie sessions I took advantage of the styles and dressed up my drawing mannequin as a sophisticated model for some of the larger clothes.

I adore the gathering on this skirt, and, of course, the floral of the shirt and dress.

This fuzzy jacket has always amused me.

A very cheerful dotted Swiss and rickrack number.

Two different strawberry prints!

Some cute outfits for fall--a cape with a bow!

This dark orange fabric has excellent body and texture.

Audrey.

A look that seems very Parisian!

This display was an elegantly humorous addition to my desk. Now I only wish the clothes were human size!