Are those Beanie Babies with the tag protectors just chilling in your parents’ basement? On your next trip home, you might want to pull them out and take a look. Nine different beloved Ty beanies have sold for at least $15,000 (!) today, according to a new study from TheToyZone.
Topping the list is Rainbow the Chameleon Beanie Baby from 1997, which sold for an eye-popping $50,000 on Ebay. Next up, two Valentine’s Day beanies: Valentina (with errors) from 1997 at $29,999 and Valentino from 1994 at $25,003. Pouch the Kangaroo from 1996 comes in at $19,000, the popular rare edition Princess Di Bear from 1997 at $18,950 and the Canadian Maple Bear from 1997 (with spelling errors) at $18,000. Three others come in at $15,000: Curly the Bear, Pattie the Platypus and Peanut the Royal Blue Elephant.
Beanies aren’t the only valuable toys from the ’90s. If you had a Nintendo 64, you probably had the classic, Goldeneye 007. A copy recently sold for $14,499 online! A mint Talkboy based off the film Home Alone 2 was worth $30 in the ’90s, but sells for up to $10,000 today. And if you lucked into an original American Girl doll, they’re worth some cash too. A 1991 Felicity was valued at $7,820.
TheToyZone used Mavin, an online price guide to determine how much money the toys sold for, collecting data in March 2021. Only toys sold individually, as opposed to in sets or multiples, were included and presumably they are all in mint condition. You can read the rest of the lengthy list on their website and start making a mental list of your childhood collection. You might luck into a small fortune!
Barbie continues to change the world! Mattel has just announced the first fashion doll made from recycled ocean-bound plastic, a big benchmark for the company achieving 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials for all products and packaging by 2030.
Barbie Loves the Ocean is currently made up of three dolls with 90% recycled ocean-bound plastic bodies (excluding the doll head). In addition to Barbie and her pals, the lineup also includes a Beach Shack playset, beach themed playset, volleyball set and accessories also made from recycled plastic.
“This Barbie launch is another addition to Mattel’s growing portfolio of purpose-driven brands that inspire environmental consciousness with our consumer as a key focus,” said Richard Dickson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Mattel.
In addition to the new dolls and accessories, young viewers can catch Barbie’s new vlog, Barbie Shares How We Can All Protect the Planet on YouTube. The new episode focuses on the importance of protecting our planet and simple things kids can do that make a big impact.
photo: 4ocean
Barbie and 4ocean are also pairing up this summer! The two are launching a limited-edition 4ocean x Barbie bracelet coming in signature pink made that is made with post-consumer recycled materials and hand-assembled by artisans in Bali. When you purchase the $20 bracelet, 4ocean will contribute educational materials to educate young conservationists plus pull one pound of trash from oceans, rivers and coastlines.
You can shop the entire Barbie Loves the Ocean line at retailers nationwide and Barbie.com. Pick up your limited edition bracelet at 4ocean.com.
We’re big fans of all things American Girl and now you have a new way to immerse yourself in the world of the characters: American Girl Vacations! Brought to you by Academic Travel Abroad, you can travel to Hawaii and enter the life of Nanea, or New York and step back in time with Rebecca. The trips span 6-7 days and are packed with activities and experiences sure to delight your doll lover.
Rebecca’s New York trip is scheduled for December in New York City. In your six days, you’ll join a sewing class to learn about the Jewish principle of mitzvah, see The Nutcracker live and explore the Museum of Moving image at a private after-hours party. You’ll also get to try some of the city’s iconic eats, like sandwiches at Katz’s Delicatessen and frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity III. All accommodations are included, in this case, a stay at a four-star hotel in Manhattan. And a professional on-site host will help you make the most of your time in the Big Apple.
Nanea’s Hawaii trip is also slated for December in Oahu. Scheduled for seven days, you’ll get to learn the art of hula dancing, care for pups at the humane society and enjoy a private tour of Pearl Harbor. You can try your hand at making shave ice, explore a rain forest and enjoy the island’s beautiful beaches. Don’t forget the luau celebration! You’ll stay at a four-star hotel on Waikiki Beach and also be treated to a professional on-site host.
Space for both trips is limited to 25, but if you miss the first two there are more to come! The trips have flexible cancelation policies and enlist a professional travel team to help with questions regarding flights, extra accommodations and COVID-19 protocols. It will definitely be a Christmas to remember!
There are ordinary dolls—then there are keepsake dolls. Piccolina, a brand dedicated to empowering today’s young children to become tomorrow’s leaders, has launched a new collection, Trailblazer Dolls. They celebrate heroic women in history, including Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie and Rosa Parks and they’re an heirloom quality edition to any playroom.
Each doll is 16″ tall and comes with removable clothing and accessories, as well as a matching drawstring bag. Jennifer Long, an artisan doll maker, designed and handmade each creation, and each designs is based off of the illustrations from various artists for the Trailblazer collection. And there won’t be any shortage of imaginative play, since each doll has an incredible, true backstory!
Piccolina is making the collection available in limited runs, so you may want to act fast to grab your child’s favorite historical character. The launch riffs off the company’s popular Trailblazer t-shirts, which feature colorful illustrations of real-life, inspirational women. There’s even matching mommy and me attire so you can get in on the fun!
At $98, the dolls are the perfect special gift for a birthday, Christmas or big milestone. The only issue might be choosing which one to buy!
I guess it’s the inevitable happening. But I was hoping it wouldn’t. My 9-year-old gender creative son has become acutely aware that most of society thinks a little boy owning stereotypical “girls’ stuff” is inappropriate. Though he boldly chose and wears to school a backpack matching his personality: a glittery rainbow explosion of kittens, hearts, and cupcakes, in fourth grade, he is excluded by peers. Almost overnight he has learned the ugly truth about gender stereotypes. In our house, we don’t have “boy toys” or “girl toys.” The understanding for our family of five is that we just have “toys,” and everyone can play.
My son doesn’t look or act like most other boys his age. At nine, he self-identifies as “gender creative.” This means that he does not want to change his anatomy, or be a girl; he simply prefers all things that are marketed to girls (such as clothing, pajamas, shoes, toys, games, movies, décor, dress-up, and accessories – to name a few), and he typically prefers hanging out with girls.
While we are fortunate that most of the people in my son’s school are pretty cool, and he has received several compliments on his “girly” backpack and sparkly accessories, he has also been ostracized. He has been the target of unkind words, nasty looks, assumptions, and cold shoulders. Not just because of the backpack, but what the backpack represents: my son’s whole persona. It’s in the subtleties – the way he flinches when bugs fly near him, how he squeals with delight in a high-pitched voice, cares for others with a tender, mother-like quality, wears knee-high rainbow striped toe socks with shorts, the way his voice sometimes goes all Valley Girl, circa 1985. It’s somehow ingrained in his DNA, and it makes him uniquely HIM.
Last month, the phrase happened for the first time. During lunch, another fourth-grade kid walked by my son in the lunchroom, leaned in to him, and scoffed, “You’re gay.”
My son did not respond. He was in shock and didn’t know what to say. When he recounted the story later to me, though, he was embarrassed beyond words, holding back tears. I did the only thing I knew how to do – held him, listened, and told him that 1) There’s nothing wrong with “gay,” 2) Other people’s words do not define you, and 3) Please continue talking to me. You’ll always have my support. We brainstormed ideas of what to do if someone says this to him again, but it’s always easier to plan than to execute in the moment.
I’ve been hastily preparing for this day, I’ll admit; the day that someone would cross that line and move from saying “you’re weird” to “you’re gay.” The day that someone would associate my son’s effeminate tendencies with being homosexual when sexuality is not yet even on his radar. The day when someone would take the word “gay” and wield it as the ultimate male slander – as a means of intimidation, an effort to emasculate, humiliate, and crush another human being who doesn’t conform to gender stereotypes; a way to communicate one’s absolute disgust, intolerance, and outright bigotry.
This upsets me on many levels, but mainly because my son knows that the word “gay” does not mean “stupid,” as so many kids tend to interchange the two. He knows what gay means because of the wonderful LGBTQ friends we have in our family’s life. He knows what it means to actually be gay. He has heard of one of our friend’s struggles throughout the tormenting years of middle school. He has heard of middle school boys’ gym class when the door of steel slammed shut, and the boys’ locker room morphed into Lord of the Flies – the hefty jocks pitted against the nerdy, scrawny, or especially, the effeminate boys.He has heard the story of another friend who came out gay in high school in the ’80s when the new threat of AIDS was fueling our nation’s ignorant paranoia, and gay teens were being kicked out of their homes. He knows how awful these friends were treated, how they were verbally and physically abused by either family members or peers at school, and sometimes both.
And now – now, he knows about the Orlando massacre in Pulse Nightclub. Pulse Nightclub: a sanctuary and safe place for the LGBTQ community, located in the heart of Florida. Orlando, Florida — the place of Disney World and dreams, i.e., “the happiest place on earth.” Now Orlando is known for being the location of the deadliest mass shooting, and worst LGBTQ hate crime of recent U.S. history.
My son knows that our family is liberal and that we don’t share the outdated, prejudiced views about the LGBTQ community the way some others do. He knows that when he comes into his own sexuality, our family has only this request: that he’s happy and treated well. He knows we’re allies to the LGBTQ community. He knows, but knowing is unfortunately not enough.
I naively thought if we loved him enough, and showed him how accepting we were, it would be enough. I’m learning it’s not. Because no matter what his father and I tell him, no matter how much his older sister and brother tell him, “it gets better,” he still has a world of politicians, radical religious zealots of all denominations, peers, adults, media, and more, all sending him the very clear message that as a gender non-conforming person, he’s not protected.
Now, because of a couple of carelessly spewed words that will certainly be repeated over again, my son will soon be forced to wonder if he’s gay because other kids are now saying it out loud. Though he doesn’t know what a self-fulfilling prophecy is, I have seen the confusion and anxiety on his face more in fourth grade than ever. Of course, adolescence and puberty are almost within hand’s reach. However, when going into the tumultuous years of adolescence (which is already hard enough for anyone) my son is now going in with the additional, excessive worry of, “am I gay?” He knows that our family doesn’t care, and we will continue to love and support him no matter what. But I’m learning that just because we’re okay with it, that doesn’t mean it will be easy for him to go through – whether he’s gay, bi, trans, asexual, or questioning – if he’s basically anything that varies from cisgender, straight male, he’s not protected; he is subject to legal discrimination. He is subject to hate crimes. He is even subject to subtle (but repetitive and tiresome) day-to-day discrimination. Most of us don’t understand the more subtle acts of discrimination. When you see it happen to your child, though, it’s extremely painful, because you realize that people don’t even know they’re doing it. It is born out of assumptions, and we all know what happens when we make assumptions.
Adding insult to injury, just when we thought society had made considerable progress toward the acceptance of the LGBTQ community, we stepped backward in history by about 40 years. My home state of North Carolina just several months ago made House Bill 2 into law, which is unarguably the worst, most sweeping anti-LGBT law in U.S. history. I’m doing everything I can to fight against it, but I’m only one person, and I feel powerless against the massive tide of conservative power right now – conservatives who won’t be swayed, and are blind to the outright (and even subtle) discrimination that our LGBTQ brothers and sisters endure every single day.
What does subtle discrimination look like? Last year, during our school’s annual PTA basket raffle, my son and I were having a sneak peek at all the lavish baskets available for auction. He stopped to admire one in particular: The American Girl Doll Basket. Included was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American Girl Doll, two outfits, and a white, lacy, frilly, doll-sized canopy bed. My son’s jaw dropped while he stood in admiration, having previously been unaware of the American Girl Doll Collection. (I have been, for years, cleverly hiding and recycling those dang catalogs we didn’t ask for but received because I know my son would want one, and I can’t justify the expensive price tag and upkeep for those dolls). But there she was, in all her American glory.
My son reached out his hand and caressed the doll’s hair gently, saying, “You’re so beautiful. I wish I could have you, and brush your hair.” Shortly thereafter, an adult woman walked by, saw what we were looking at, casually smiled and said, “Oh! That’s going to make some little girl really happy!!” As she continued breezing by, my son’s words disappeared into the thin air behind her as he muttered, “…or some little boy…” An innocent comment, from a well-intentioned person, but destructive nonetheless, because before that moment, my son was innocently naive to the fact that almost everyone thinks only girls could possibly enjoy dolls.
Similarly, from the first day he wore his sparkly “girls” backpack to school this year, several kids regularly gave him strange looks. Adults, too. In fact, one adult approached us on the way to school for small talk and commented, “I see you got your sister’s hand-me-down backpack,” chuckling at the cleverness of his own joke. My son stared at the ground, embarrassed, and not laughing while I gently told the man that “actually, my son had chosen it himself.” Awkwardness ensued, and we shrugged it off, but after the 18th or 20th of these such daily comments, my son could’ve easily decided to tuck his sparkly rainbow backpack in the corner of his bedroom closet where it would be hidden. He could’ve easily swapped it out for his old one – a neutral shade of pastel blue that he did not pick himself – and have a much easier time walking into the school building every day, blending in with the rest of the boys.
But, he has bravely and independently chosen not to do that. Instead, every day, I watch in awe as this fourth-grade boy of mine straps on a “girly girl’s backpack,” wears it like a warrior shield, and in the process, gives a collective middle finger to all those who dare to judge. His bravery, day after day, in this single act of noble defiance makes me feel like maybe I’ve done something right after all.
I wish it wasn’t so, but I have to realize that I can’t spare him of the “gay” slander, as much as I want to. I can’t stop kids from ignoring him, mocking him, or saying, “you can’t play with us.” I can’t stop the weird looks. I can’t stop the judgment. I can’t guarantee him dignity. As a parent, it’s heartbreaking to know that your child has to be brave just to be himself. I can’t stop the subtle discrimination that chips away at his foundation day after day. Hell, we can’t even offer him legal recourse or protection for such discrimination. Despite all of this, despite knowing the risks of letting him be himself, I wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s just exactly the type of human I want to raise.
When it comes to inspiring women, there is no shortage of leading ladies who have made the world a better place. This month, the Barbie Inspiring Women series is getting a new doll, and she’s the perfect addition as the school year draws to a close.
The first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, Helen Keller will serve as the newest collectible in the Barbie lineup. Keller’s achievements include being an educator, speaker, author and advocate during the early 1900’s.
photo: Courtesy of Mattel
The Inspiring Women series doll’s outfit is inspired by Keller herself, with a striped skirt and ruffled lace blouse. She comes with a braille book, complete with molded dots on the cover.
To ensure the new doll was authentic, Barbie paired up with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), a membership and advocacy organization for blind Americans. The duo worked to make sure the doll mirrored Keller and that the packaging, which contains braille on the front, was accessible for the blind and low vision community.
The Helen Keller Inspiring Women doll is available now at Barbie.com and retailers nationwide for $29.99.
New makeup alert! The queen of Malibu has just dropped a new makeup collection and it’s fit for any Barbie lover.
The Malibu Barbie x ColourPop collection has everything you need for a summer of sun and fun. From bright and silky eyeshadows to the biggest falsies we’ve seen, this collab is a must for hitting the beach in style.
photo: ColourPop
So what’s included? Barbie girls can get ready each day with:
Malibu Barbie Palette, a 15 pressed-pan palette
Three lipstick duos each with a LUX Lipstick and matching Lippie Pencils
Warm golden highlighter Beach Party Super Shock Highlighter
Exclusive Doll Lashes Falsies
Malibu Barbie Hand Mirror
Each product comes in signature Barbie pink packaging and is very affordably priced. You can purchase each one individually or the entire set for just $99! Shop the entire collection which starts at just $10 at colourpop.com.
If you grew up oogling over Cher Horowitz’ Clueless closet, this new collab from HipDot is for you. The makeup company has partnered with the Paramount Pictures hit to bring the ultimate collection that will take you straight back to the 90’s.
The Hipdot x Clueless Collection drops on May 11 and is packed with everything from eyeshadows and blush, to lip oil sets. The entire line is an homage to Cher and the gang, with plaid packaging and pre-2000 era cell phones.
The collab includes
The 411 Eyeshadow Palette ($32): 12 shades that include Highly Selective, Botticelli, Classic, Full-On Monet, The Valley, Homies, Phat, Totally Paused, Fashion Victim, Pretty Groovy, Doll Face, Whatever!
Total Bettys Lip Oil Set ($24): Includes three moisturizing tinted lip oils in red, nude and mauve
Totally Clueless Blush Palette ($26): Includes 4 shades
Clueless Collection Bundle ($82): Includes The 411 Eyeshadow Palette, the Total Bettys Lip Oil Set and the Totally Clueless Blush Palette.
Cher’s Locker Set Box ($108): Includes Total Bettys Lip Oil Set, the 411 Eyeshadow Palette, the Totally Clueless Blush Palette, and a collectible HipDot x Clueless pink fluffy pen packed in the Limited Edition Clueless Collector’s Box.
Like all HipDot products, the products in the HipDot x Clueless collection are vegan and cruelty-free, as well as free of parabens, talc, mineral oil, phthalates, and other harmful ingredients. For more information and to shop the Clueless collection, please visit Hipdot.com or Ulta.com and follow @hipdot on Instagram.
America’s fave doll continue to move up in the world and she’s got a new crib to prove it. Mattel has just announced an all new Barbie DreamHouse!
The 2021 DreamHouse is the most customizable to date and continue to be compatible with the wheelchair ramp. So what else is new in Barbie’s digs?
Barbie can now enjoy soft grass and plush blankets in addition to a movable pool and slide. Also, she has her first-ever party room with a light up DJ stand, customizable lighting and sound with eight different colors, three songs, and two soundscape, plus an outdoor BBQ that turns into a dessert buffet!
Want to see the DreamHouse stat? Barbie is sharing a 360-degree interactive tour on the Mattel YouTube channel, where you can use your computer or phone to view the entire house.
Moving house can be stressful, but luckily Barbie has her gal pals Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin from The Home Edit to help. The organization duo have swooped into help Barbie organize her bedroom and kitchen.
Using their signature techniques like rainbow organization and clear storage, Barbie’s space has been completely transformed! Want some tips and tricks from The Home Edit on keeping your Barbie space in order?
Clea and Joanna encourage everyone to label everything (like accessories), use clear, modular storage and to use a rolling cart to make a Barbie play station that can be easily moved. It’s also better to use broad categories, like dolls, accessories and clothes when sorting, so kids can easily maintain their collection.
The all-new Barbie DreamHouse is on sale now! You can find it at Walmart, Target and Amazon for $179.
A. Had an original American Girl doll or
B. Desperately wanted an original American Girl doll
Whether or not you actually counted Samantha, Kirsten, Molly, Felicity, Andy or Josefina among your prized possessions, the dolls were a smash hit—and just in time for the brand’s 35th birthday, they’re coming back! The six original characters have each been released in a retro-inspired American Girl doll box, complete with the signature 18-inch doll in the original outfit with authentic accessories.
All six are available on the American Girl website for $150 each and they even come with the original paperback books. Their stories span from 1774-1944 and teach courage, compassion, confidence and resilience. Whether you’re scooping one for yourself or your daughter, these dolls will certainly reclaim prized possession status in your home.
“For 35 years, American Girl has created powerful stories with smart, courageous heroines that have helped shape an entire generation of women,” said Jamie Cygielman, General Manager of American Girl. “As we celebrate this major milestone, we’re thrilled to recognize the very first generation of American girls who grew up with these beloved, original characters and made them the phenomenon they are today. Knowing many of these women are now moms themselves, we look forward to creating special, multi-generational experiences for families via their shared love of the brand.”
Last but not least, the company will partner with Save the Children’s U.S. Literacy program and donate more than $100,000 in American Girl books this summer. And there are more events and partnerships coming this summer and fall! Consider your day made.