One of the most collectibles is the Barbie doll. Through the years, not much has changed except for may be the outfits and the accessories truly making it a classic.

Barbie was invented by Ruth Handler and was introduced in a toy fair in New York City. Naturally, it was an instant success.

Just to give you an idea of what Barbie has done, she has had over 80 jobs from being a fashion model to even a president. There was even a version to promote the Olympics that was released to the market in 1975 and 2000.

There are those who say that Barbie was sometimes controversial. One example is when the company decided to make the doll join the army. She served as a medic during Operating Desert Storm in 92 that had to go through the approval of the military to make sure the uniforms were authentic. To promote the quest for space, the company even made the astronaut version with the last in 1994.

So you could say that Barbie has been through a lot for almost 50 years. So how much do collectible Barbie dolls sell for? If you happen to have one that has never been opened, there is a chance you could sell this to someone for $2,500. If you have one of the first that came out especially in 1959, you could get a check worth $10,000.

The next question once you have it is how do you take care of it? Here are some tips that you should follow to keep you collectible Barbie dolls in good condition.

First, never store this in the attic or basement. This is because although they are safe in a box, the temperatures in these places change which could ruin the doll. Also, the Barbie doll should be placed face down because if this is left on their backs, the eyes could fall off after some time.

Since most people want to show this to the world, be sure to dust them regularly. This is because if you don’t do anything about it, you may be forced to wash it and lower its resale value.

Another thing you have to do is keep your collectible Barbie dolls away from other children or pets. If left out in the open, this can be bitten or mangled. In short, destroyed and you wouldn’t want that to happen when you want make a profit later on.

Also, do not keep your collectible Barbie container. If you want to, go ahead but be very careful because the slightest moisture that enters the air tight plastic container may cause mildew or molds to grow. This can be prevented of course by putting a few small holes so moisture will be able to evaporate.

The most important tip is never expose your collectible Barbie doll to direct sunlight or any bright light as this will make the color of her skin and the outfit made.

So how do you sell your Barbie collectible doll? You can attend a convention, offer this to a specialty store or offer this to the highest bidder online. Don’t forget that you can make some money by also selling the accessories since Barbie had a lot to offer like her cars and pets. Just check on the market value of what you have and then look for potential buyers.

It is one thing to own some beautiful collectible dolls and another to maintain it. If you fail to do so, no one will want to buy it and you might as well throw it in the garbage.

The first thing you have to do when you buy your beautiful collection doll is to keep the original packaging for the simple reason that it is worth a lot more money especially when everything is still intact.

If there is any tape on the hair or the clothes, you should remove it immediately because this can discolor the fabric. Also, double check if there are any metal wires because this can turn to rust.

It is impossible to display all the beautiful collectible dolls you have and so you will have to hide others to give way to the new ones you acquired. There should be a layer of acid free tissue placed in between the doll and the clothing because just like tape, the color of the fabric may bleed into the doll’s body.

The most important thing to do is to let the doll face down. This will prevent the eyes from pushing to the back of the head. This should be checked regularly so any problem can be detected and fixed immediately.

Should the body of the doll leak sawdust, you can fix this by putting a few drops of glue in the hole where it came out. But if the area is hard to contain, you should put a round patch made out of kid or muslin then placed this over the hole.

If your collection of beautiful collectible dolls happens to sleep or their eyes are able to close, you should clean the eyes thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol that is mixed in water. You should hold the eye you are cleaning open and then apply a few drops with a medicine dropper until it is completely covered. The same should be done to the other eye several times and then drained by letting the doll face down. Once it is dried, make it stand up and then wipe everything off with a clean dry cloth.

A few things you should never do.

First, never change the original clothes or change the hair. Believe it or not, interested buyers like it just the way it is. If some parts of the beautiful collectible doll are made of wood, never let it get into contact with water because this will cause a stain.

Given that there are so many beautiful collectible dolls in the market, it is really hard to choose which one to start your very own collection. If you want to stick to convention, two favorites are Barbie and porcelain dolls.

These two have been around for more than 40 years and even as new brands come in, they are still a classic.

Initially, you may not have bought the beautiful collectible doll to sell it but if ever you change your mind, the tips mentioned above will be very useful and get you the best possible price. So you will also know how much it costs in today, look it up in the Internet or ask someone from the specialty store because they are the authority figures on this matter.

Cute and adorable may be the best words to describe why the Cabbage Patch became collectible dolls.

The Cabbage Patch Kids are stars on their own rights with the admiration of fans and supporters, with their achievements and some gossips and intrigues they have been through, signs that only prove that this line of dolls have arrived from way back its humble beginnings.

The History
In 1978, Xavier Roberts created the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls for voodoo purposes. The dolls were originally marketed on witchcraft stores. Roberts first named the line “Little People” and produced them at an old clinic that he converted into showroom, in Cleveland, Georgia called the Babyland General Hospital.

It has become a hit, not only the dolls but even the idea of the place being the “birthing place” for the dolls, their nursery and adoption center. Babyland General Hospital became a tourist attraction during that time.

In 1982, the toy manufacturer Coleco began mass producing the dolls. They changed its name from Little People to the Cabbage Patch Kids. This was when it started to hit it really big. Every child wants to have one. It even became a must-have toy every holiday season. The line has become so big that they even got to travel with the NASA Space Shuttle in 1985.

Adding to its popularity, in 1992, the Cabbage Patch Kids became the official mascot in the US Olympic team. And in 1999, it has become part of the 15 designs of US postal stamps commemorating the 1980s.

When Coleco declared bankruptcy, the Cabbage Patch Kids were then mass produced by other known toy companies like Toys R Us, Mattel, Hasbro and Play Along.

Other Versions
Through time, the Cabbage Patch kids have evolved. Different versions have come up to the sheer enjoyment of the kids who want to play with such and the adults who collect the line.

Danbury Mint offers mail delivery right into your doorstep of the porcelain versions of the Cabbage Patch Kids. The prices for this type range from $54 to $125.

There is also the talking Cabbage Patch Kids. These dolls are equipped with sensors and microchips which enables the dolls to communicate with other dolls of the same type with the limited vocabulary that they were set up with.

Although this is also a collectible piece, it is not as successful as the silent versions due to its higher price that limited people can afford. And kids, even some adults get spooked with the idea that the dolls are actually talking with one another. This may be a high-tech feat but sadly, didn’t enjoy as much fame.

Controversies
The Cabbage Patch Kids’ stardom didn’t come easily. They have gone through many controversies and hoaxes. One famous urban legend about it is that there was a time when the owners would bring the dolls to the manufacturer for repair and the dolls would actually be sentenced death certificate. It was also said that these dolls were created so that people would get used to seeing mutated babies that may be caused by the Nuclear War’s aftermath.

But none of the said controversies were proven. And until now, Cabbage Patch Collectible Dolls is still around. And as long as there are children who want to play with such, this type will stay in the market for quite a while.

It used to be just a simple toy. Now dolls became collectible. It is because through time, innovations have happened with how they make the dolls that one cannot help but buy each design that they like and collect them for personal enjoyment or even as an investment.

A Doll as a Child’s Toy
A doll was created as a representation of people, animals and other creatures that the mind could imagine. It is said to be around since time immemorial. Our ancestors may have dolls carved out from woods and other materials that can easily be gotten from the environment.

But now, name whatever you like your doll to be made out of from and you could easily find one. There are dolls that are made out of simple things like paper or wood, bone, clay, rubber or plastic to the complex and hard to find stones, porcelain, china and cloth.

Other Uses of Dolls
In early times, dolls were used as representations of something important in ceremonies and even religious rituals. It is also evident until now, the voodoo dolls that are being used in witchcraft and sometimes, just as an accessory for people who owns such.

There are also dolls that are being used by people in the medical profession to train budding health professionals regarding the anatomy of the human body. While there are also dolls to train caregivers on how to look after babies, even new moms and daddies can be handed dolls to prepare on how to care for a child while awaiting the birth of the real one.

But most dolls serve as fashion figures. Like Barbies became really prominent because of the clothes that they wear and the accessories that they come up with.

History of Dolls
There are archaeological evidences that prove that dolls are among the oldest toys ever existed, the earliest ones was said to be found on 2000 BC in Egyptian tombs, mostly in children’s graves. While the type that has limbs and are movable and the outfits may be changed is said to date back in the 600 BCE. While in Asia, fashion dolls has become one of the fastest rising forms of collection among adults, especially in South Korea and Japan.

The Materials
Dolls nowadays can be made out of every material available, as long as it can actually be transformed. Not only have the materials varied but the features of the dolls. The materials now known to make dolls from are leather, paper, bisque, china, clay, celluloid, even corn husks, resin, rubber, or wax wood, bone, or ivory, vinyl, porcelain among many others.

Famous Kinds
Barbie may come in our minds first when talking about famous dolls. But other types that stand out in the collector’s market include action figures, especially if the characters are from famous movies or TV shows, Ball-jointed dolls, Chatty Cathy, other Celebrity Dolls or those that are patterned after your favorite famous personalities, Fashion dolls like Barbie and Bratz, Holly Hobbie Dolls, Cabbage Patch Kids, Paper Dolls, Strawberry Shortcake, to Japanese and voodoo dolls.

The abovementioned are only some of the collectible dolls available in the market now. There really are so many to choose from, it just depends on what you want to add up to your collection or just possess to enjoy as a toy.

Most girls have their favorite dolls. The collectible paper dolls may just be one of the few, but this type certainly has a following among young girls and young at heart.

What are the Paper Dolls?
Simple, these are figures that are made out of paper or a cardboard that have been around for over two hundred years.

If one cannot get hold of the commercially available ones, then make your own. Even young girls can create their own paper dolls. All they need to have are cardboard, scissors and a lot of imagination. This would truly allow them to enjoy their toys because they have made it and at the same time, show off some artistic struts while they are still young.

Paper Dolls may also be called fashion dolls, as it is its main purpose when you have one. Along with the cut-out dolls, come assortments of clothes that you can clip on to the doll or use the clothes’ folding tabs to stick them to the doll.

Other versions may come with plastic stands for more enjoyment, they even have accessories like bags, hats, shawls, whatever the girls would love to have for themselves, they can make it up for these dolls, a truly perfect fit for budding fashionistas or those who are just appreciative of what’s beautiful to the eyes.

Paper Dolls as an Art Form
This type has become collectibles through time because of the artists that have turned it into art form. Because it is made out of a material with a short lifespan, people have learned to collect especially those that have vintage designs that are becoming rare through time.

It may be made from a light material but can still be collected as long as you take the proper care and situate it on a safe place. Make sure it is out of insects and rodents’ touch because once it has become damaged or dirty, it will be hard to restore because of the material that it is made out of.

Reasons for Success
Inexpensive, easy to use and safe may be the first reasons why this type has become popular over time and is still being manufactured up to this day.

This type of doll has been seen on advertisements, different magazines and newspapers. And to the utter enjoyment of its fans, prominent figures like celebrities were used on it as pattern or design, even popular characters that kids most love. Just imagine how fun it would be dressing up your favorite celebrity and putting accessories to such, the owner be the boss.

Evolution through Time
As time goes by, the quality of paper dolls has improved and the designs have become varied so that its fans would have a lot to choose from.

With today’s technology, popular designs of paper dolls can also be seen on the Web. Young girls can have a look at it and have their own virtual paper dolls. We never know what still might be discovered but one thing is for sure, these dolls are here to stay.

As long as there are girls who love beauty and fashion, as long as there are moms who allow these girls cultivate their imagination, collectible paper dolls will continue to evolve and improve on the quality while providing enjoyment and sheer fun to its fans.

Collectible American Girl Dolls have been sold and traded very well among hobbyists for many years. Although produced in countries like China, the concept comes from those back in the States who were inspired by one thing or another which makes these toys worth a lot of money. Here are some of America’s favorites here and abroad.

The first is the Cabbage Patch Kids that entered the market in the late 80’s. What makes this doll so unique is the fact the people do not buy them but rather adopt them. Just to prove how popular it was, there was a time that almost every woman brought this around wherever they went while going shopping or just having lunch.

Precious Moments which opened a few years earlier is also different because these Collectible American Girl Dolls were made of ceramic material. You can’t play with it but they served as ideal gifts to friends and family because of the teardrop eye design in each figurine.

Madame Alexander dolls are another favorite. This is just one of many Collectible American Girl Dolls that your child can play with especially with the various interchangeable costumes available so you can dress it up like someone from the king’s court or a famous Hollywood celebrity.

Lee Middleton dolls are the most realistic Collectible American Girl Dolls because they appear so life like. From a distance, you could think that it is the real thing which is why some have gone to great extents to save it from a fiery building or catch it before this falls into the ground. The company releases new dolls every month in various eye colors, skin tones, hair colors and sizes that continues to this day.

American Girl dolls are a popular among children and adults alike because the collection is from different time periods and places in American history making it very ethnically diverse. You can choose the doll based on the story of the character or you make this up on your own.

One of the biggest toy companies in the US remains to be Hasbro. They make board games and action figures alike so if you want a blast from the past, you can choose from Charlie’s Angels Dolls, Jem Dolls and Little Miss No Name that were some of their best sellers back in the 60’s and 80’s.

The newest contender in the doll market that is the Bratz dolls. The company is quite new but given their record sales performance during the Christmas of 2003, this is something that collectors should look out for in the future.

Lastly, the best selling doll for almost 50 years and is considered to be the symbol of Collectible American Girl Dolls is Barbie. Although the later models do not sell as much as the earlier ones, there are still people who will do anything to buy one in 1959 when this was first released. This was again reproduced in 1994 to mark its 35th year anniversary and with its 50th birthday next year, who knows what this company will do to commemorate this special day.

You can look for Collectible American Girl Dolls almost everywhere these days but the best venue to find antique or unique items is the Internet. Keep in mind that you may have to participate in an auction in order to get it.

There are a lot of people interested in collectible antique dolls. Aside from the ones that are still being produced, the ones that really go for a lot of money are the limited edition collections and some of the first which are no longer being sold.

If you are business minded, you can make money by buying them from someone and then selling it to interested buyers. To help you along, here are a few things to help you out.

First, you have to ask yourself whether you are selling what you have meaning your own collection or starting from scratch which means you will outsource for these goods in order to make a profit. The first one is easy but if you run out, then you have to go to option 2 which is to acquire these from a distributor or wholesaler.

The nice thing about dealing with a distributor or wholesaler is that they will sell these to you at a low price and sometimes give a discount but only you have in large quantities.

Another option is for you to attend trade shows or estate auctions that although will cost a little more, has a sure chance of fetching a higher price from an interested buyer.

So how do you sell it? Well, since we are living in the digital age, why not use the Internet. You can create your own website to sell these products but if you don’t know how, this can still be sold by uploading it into an auction site.

A good example is eBay because it is one of the more popular ones around. But when you do sell your collectible antique doll, make sure you have some photos so people will be able to see. It is best to take a few shots from various angles since they are unable to hold like you could when you are in a store.

You should also provide a description of the collectible antique doll you are selling. A brief history of the item, what materials were used, when and where it was made. You should also mention the doll’s condition so they know if this is brand new or pre owned.

For those who will order, make sure you select the payment option. A lot of auction sites use Paypal aside from the credit card. You don’t have to worry about shipping policies because this is already controlled by the web provider but again if this is your own, you better be sure that the item they selected will be delivered in good condition and on time.

The biggest challenge of having your own website selling collectible antique dolls or any other product for that matter is after sales service. What if the customer is not happy with what was delivered? If you want these people to purchase from you again, you have to be true to your word. This can be achieved by responding to any queries they may have or offering a money back guarantee if they are not satisfied.

If you are able to make this work out, you can make a lot of money buying and selling collectible antique dolls. The question you have to ask yourself is whether you have what it takes to run a successful online business.

The hardest time to stick to a diet is around the holidays. Everyone wants to sample the desserts and filling foods on the dinner table. This Christmas, choose healthier menu items for your Christmas dinner.

It is not uncommon for people to gain a few pound during Christmas. After a week of eating every scrumptious thing in sight, it’s a wonder anyone can move. This Christmas, you can help yourself and your family by slimming down traditional recipes.

Adapting Christmas recipes to healthier versions doesn’t mean that they have to taste bland. On the contrary, these dinner recipes can be full of flavor. It is fat we are trying to avoid.

Simple changes are the easiest and best to make. Some simple substitutions involve the most fattening ingredients. For example, use liquid oil and applesauce in place of liquid oil alone. Use margarine in place of butter and sugar substitutes instead of pure sugar. Many recipes have suggestions for healthy substitutions.

We eat too much and our portion sizes are out of control. Making simple substitutions lowers the fat content of our Christmas dinner dishes even if we eat a bit too much. For home made recipes, substitutions will go on feel and experience.

When making gravy for the turkey, begin with a can or jar of fat free turkey gravy. Add the turkey drippings from the baking pan to the fat free gravy. Season the food to taste. For thicker gravy, add some chicken broth and a few instant potato flakes to the drippings before adding it to the fat free gravy.

Mashed potatoes are a favorite Christmas dinner side dish to complement turkey and gravy. When making the potatoes, substitute half of the potatoes with cauliflower. Mash both together well.

Serve a soup and salad before putting the main courses on the table. A low fat vegetable soup like tomato and a simple green salad fills part of the stomach and everyone will eat less later on. Make available an assortment of low fat salad dressings for the salad.

Even the Christmas dinner turkey can slim down. Instead of preparing an entire twenty pound turkey, opt for a turkey breast instead. To maintain tenderness and moistness, marinade the thawed turkey breast before cooking. Remove any skin before serving.

One place we often fill up on empty calories is beverages. Instead of soda, serve punch sweetened with sugar substitute like Splenda®. Ice tea can also be sweetened with sugar substitute and lemons. Flavored waters are another option.

Christmas dinner doesn’t have to be fattening to be delicious. With a few healthy tweaks, many won’t notice the difference. This year, expand your repertoire of healthy Christmas dinner choices instead of expanding the waistline.

Who knew that almost 50 years onwards that people will still look for collectible Barbie dolls? Chances are nobody but as history has shown, there are people who are willing to pay thousands of dollars just to have this in their collection.

In the Beginning, Barbie was just a fashion model. She had her own life and a body that many said is unrealistic to achieve which is in fact, true.

She worked a variety of jobs that people could relate and a few examples are a teacher, an artist, a nurse, a medic and a cheerleader. Accessories such as cars, houses and clothes were made and she was soon paired with her boyfriend then husband namely Ken with 6 kids. The Barbie series was such a big hit that no other toy ever came to close to it.

But in the 1970’s, Mattel changed its approach. If you were to compare the Barbie dolls made until the year 1967, you will notice a big difference and that dolls were not made of anymore of high quality.

Why? For the simple reason that they were made of plastic and the clothes she had were not that different anymore. Some say that Mattel focused more on making a profit instead of continuing what they started.

It wasn’t until the mid 80’s that they began to refocus and designed a new Barbie doll called Porcelain Rhapsody in Blue Barbie. This was soon followed afterwards with Happy Holiday Barbie two years later. To mark Mattel’s 35th year anniversary, they reproduced again the original Barbie doll that came out in 1959. Given that were only a handful made, it was very difficult to find one and its market value today is a little over $600.

Given that Barbie could fetch for hundreds of dollars, a lot of consumers bought off the shelves everything they could find and people were making a lot of money. In order to calm things down, the company increased the production and things began to normalize.

As a result, only a handful of Barbie collectible dolls and accessories are worth a lot of money. What was worth $10,000 like the 1959 Barbie doll isn’t worth that much but people are still willing to spend money in order to add this to their collection.

Now that you have your Barbie collectible doll, how do you take care of it? Collector’s are advised to leave it inside the original packaging and placed face down if this will not be displayed. If this is going to be place on a shelf, this should be dusted regularly.

If you are able to dust regularly, you can put your Barbie collectible doll in a plastic container. Just put some holes so moisture will not accumulate and instead evaporate. Also, do not expose this to direct sunlight as may affect the color of her clothing and skin.

For those hoping to find Barbie collectible dolls, the best place to find them is in a convention, specialty store, garage sales, pawnshops and online. You just have to search high and low but most importantly exercise patience because good things come to those who wait.

Barbie’s 50th birthday is coming next year. What does the company plan for her? We will just have to see. Who knows, this could be another Barbie collectible doll worth selling to the highest bidder 20 or 30 years from now.

Collectible cloth dolls are not that different from rag dolls because they are made of the same fabric. While one is created from a selected the fabric, the other is made from scraps. Because they are easy to make, almost anyone can make one so you don’t have to necessarily buy it from the store.

In order to create your collectible cloth doll in your own image and likeness, you need to check first if all the materials are available. These include the fabric, the pattern, the sewing machine, thread, filling, yarn and buttons.

With everything ready, you may begin by drawing the face on paper. It is best to practice a few times to be able to get the right position and proportion.

As for the doll pattern, there are so many to choose from so for starters, get something simple from the craft store and if you succeed, it is time to find something more challenging by looking for more samples online.

You can also get tips and advice about how to make cloth dolls from such resources so why not take some time to read or learn from them.

With a pair of scissors, you will now cut the fabric pieces so you have the head, body and limbs. Various fabrics can be used to make this happen and a few examples are flesh, peach colored broadcloth, tan, percale or any tight weave cotton material.

Now it is time to piece everything together. For that, you begin by sewing all the darts on the body by working your way the wrong side out. Do not forget to leave an opening for the head and limbs then set this aside for a while.

You have drawn earlier the head on paper so it should be easy for you to embroider the face. You may use the buttons for the eyes and noses by sewing it and then using a marker to draw the lips. For those who don’t want to use buttons, you can also use the market to draw the eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth. This gives you a freehand of creating unique facial features not common on cloth dolls.

Next, sew the limbs and the head as indicated by the pattern, stuff it and then close the openings. Get some yarn and then sew this on the head so your collectible cloth doll will have some hair.

As you can see, there is already the head, the body and the legs. The only thing you have to do now is put everything together. Once this is sewn into place, the finishing touch will be to dress up the doll. You can follow the instructions that usually come with most cloth doll patterns or make one up by using your imagination.

It is a great feeling to have completed your very first collectible cloth doll. She is just perfect because you were able to create something you wanted. From there, you can create more and then give this away as a gift or sell this to others.

Your collectible cloth doll will also get dirty after some time. You must never use water to clean it but instead rub cornstarch into the body and leave it for about 8 hours before you gently brush this off.