The cutest doll of the day!

Just wanted to share this face (complete with freckles!)….from Corolle!  More details to follow.

Barbie Video Girl: Barbie is the Video Camera

Barbie Video Girl

When they first brought us around the corner at the Mattel showroom to look at Barbie Video Camera, I looked around thinking perhaps we were being punked.  No, it’s real.  Barbie is a Video Camera.

Barbie’s video camera is in her chest.  Maybe this was inspired by Ironman?

Barbie Video Camera: Camera in her Chest

Now you don’t have to be a teenage boy to see the humor of this placement. While we had just been taken through all of Barbie’s careers-it seemed to be balanced by the location of this camera. While we tell men to look at a woman’s eyes, not her chest…here you really do want to look at the chest to get the best video.

Barbie has a LCD screen in her back and will plug into both PCs and MACs. I do think watching the world from Barbie’s point of view could be fun and kids will probably enjoy the $50 video camera interacting with their other dolls. I just wish I could have been a fly on the wall when they came up with this one and the Glitterizer.  It does almost seem as if it’s an episode of Seinfeld…where one of them would suggest an outrageous idea – and some unsuspecting executive would say “yes!!”

Strong Multi-Cultural Choices at Barbie

Barbie Basic

Happily there are more multi-cultural choices in the world of Barbie. I have a sense that the Barbie Basic line is more for adult collectors (all shown in a little black dress) than for kids…but there are a whole range of dolls available in this line. The dolls were part of a fun ebay auction when real designers came up with their own version’s of LBD for Barbie.

Here’s another grouping…

One of favorite collections from last year, So In Style Barbie,  is also continuing. Created by Mattel designer, Stacey McBride, these dolls celebrate our diversity by featuring dolls of color. You can see Ms. McBride talk about the series on this video. I love that she also made mentoring part of the line. The first sets all included a big doll and a little doll (big sister/little sister).  Bravo to Ms. McBride!  Below, some of this year’s new collection. I’ve been trying to interview Ms. McBride about the collection–I hope we get a chance to talk soon.

New So in Style Dolls from Mattel

Barbie Glitterizer…really.

Barbie Glitterizer

Now before we get carried away with all of Barbie’s professional aspirations, you have to take a look at this toy, it’s called the Barbie Glitterizer.  You place decals on your Barbie…they have a sticky surface that attracts the glitter. Place your Barbie in the chamber and glitterize.  Don’t you wonder what the aha moment was for this product…did someone dream of Barbie in a phone booth, she had just come from the craft store, there was an opened bag of glitter…there was a gust of wind.

In any case, this is one of the funniest Barbie activity kits ever. Watch the video.

My favorite toy…so far/ sing-a-majigs

Fisher-Price's Sing-a-majigs!

We saw the Sing-a-majigs at toy fair preview last month and we weren’t allowed to talk about them. It’s like being told what your best friend is getting for their birthday — and not being able to tell for weeks.  So we were really excited today to see them again.

I thought maybe we had romanticized them…yes, at this point you can say–it’s a toy, get over it. But hey, this is what we do for a living. So when a really fun and innovative toy comes along–we get excited.

I’m happy to report that these cute little dolls (that will retail for a reasonable $12.99 each) are just about the best thing going. They babble to each other, they sing together and perhaps most remarkably they harmonize!  AND they’re easy to make work.

Watch the video.

Hasbro’s Baby Alive Bouncin’ Baby

Take a look a one of the new novelty dolls for 2010. Watch our video.

A transforming Barbie Mermaid

Barbie in Mermaid Tale brings back some oldie but goodie technology…water temperature induced changes. 

When you dip her, things change color and appear.  The aspects changed by water: her hair, her toe nails and, wait for it…her belly body art.

Here, Barbie begins just as your ordinary Barbie around the pool–in her little hoodie cover up. Ever so short and Barbie-esque.  But here, as if on a makeover segment on the Today Show, we see that the hoodie is so much more than a hoodie. It transforms Barbie into a mermaid. No joke.

Take a look:

Sushi-Inspired Play!

The boxes of spring toys and books have started to arrive in  full force.  At the end of a very long day, I opened the last big box and had a wonderful laugh. Inside was a HUGE piece of sushi. This stuffed piece of sushi is really an ottoman. It also came with a doll and a side of salmon roe.

I’ve been reviewing toys for a long time- I’m rarely surprised anymore–but I have to say a toy that includes a salmon roe accessory, got me.

You have to wonder what was the a-ha moment here for Atlanta-based stylist, Mimi Tin, founder of sushistyle.com.   A graphic designer clearly not afraid to push the envelope, Ms. Tin has created this collection that is  inspired by the Pop Art Movement.

While at first, I was just shocked really–I have to say that the ottomans are very well-made. The dolls will most likely appeal to the tween/teen market. And the addition of the roe is just so fun, it’s perfect.

Does anyone need a HUGE piece of sushi furniture…probably not, but they are extremely witty.  The dolls retail for $29.95, the ottomans (Cucumber Pouf with Salmon Roe) or the Cali Pouf retail for $79.95 each at sushistyle.com.

Sushistyle.com's Mimi Tin

Barbie: Back to Basics…the little black dress

Barbie Basics

Simple, chic & elegant…just right for the new year.

Baby Alive Bouncin’ and Babblin’…not so scary anymore

We’re happy to report that Baby Alive doesn’t scare us as much this season. (If you’ll recall last year’s Baby Alive Learn to Potty won our Ugliest Doll Award).  This year Baby Alive is happy to just be bouncing and babbling. Watch our video.