RaniMaria : things I love

If you want to know what are the newest dolls available from a toy company, the best thing for you to do is check out the collectible doll catalog. You can see most of these online or even brochures which are sometimes given out to customers in the store.

But what prompts manufacturers to introduce these changes? Well, this is usually based from the input of dealers and the feedback of customers and collectors. This gives management the opportunity to listen to what the people want and not just what they think is saleable.

After all, how one product sells depends on customer satisfaction and if this not achieved, then this means that the company will not be able to make a profit.

Read the rest…

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.

Read the rest…

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.

Read the rest…

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.

Read the rest…

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.

Read the rest…

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.

Read the rest…

Dolls come in all shapes and sizes. When you go into a store, you can even select one based on age and a favorite among many are the baby doll collectibles. Why hobbyists would like to collect these dolls is probably because it makes them feel like they just gave birth to their own child. In fact, there are so many to choose from so here are a few of them.

One company that excelled in this field is the Madame Alexander Doll Company. The dolls they made were usually bought by their mothers so their daughters will have something to play with. Two of the most valuable are namely Kathleen Toddler that was introduced in 1959 and its market value today is from $125 to $300. The second namely Binnie that was introduced in 1964 is worth about $175 to $475.

Read the rest…

Edible flowers are often used as a garnish or as an ingredient in salads. While not all flowers are edible, there are many out there that are. Very few supermarkets carry edible flowers, but they are available at specialty markets that carry gourmet produce. These flowers can be stored up to a week in the refrigerator as long as they are wrapped well. This is fine if they are to be used in a salad, but when they are used in cake decorating they need to be fresh.

You should never eat flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides. Some of the most popular edible flowers are:

Nasturtiums have a Peppery flavor, Chive blossoms taste like a mild sweet onion, Roses, Violas and Pansies taste a bit like grapes. Other edible flowers are apple blossoms, almond, lavender, borage, chamomile, lovage, lemon, orange blossoms, plum blossoms, peach blossoms, and squash blossoms. We also have daisies, chrysanthemums, geraniums, marigolds, jasmine, lilacs, and violets.

Read the rest…

Most people don’t think of going into business when they start cake decorating. Usually it is a hobby or because they want to make wonderful cakes for family events. Most people start a home cake decorating business because when they made these great cakes for family occasions, and those who saw the cake wanted them to make cakes for their special occasions.

There is also the appeal of working at home, you have the freedom to work when you want, as long as you get the cake to the customer on time. Many of these artistic cake decorators have children at home and want to stay at home with them, and be able to make a living too.

Read the rest…

There is nothing like working from home. It is cheaper because you don’t need to commute or buy a special wardrobe to go out into the public. You can also use a home office as a tax write off. Here are some ideas to help you start and succeed in a home based cake decorating business.

- Find a Unique Way to Sell Your Cakes - Think about why people should come to you for their cakes instead of going to a bakery. Do your cakes taste better, are they more beautiful, do you offer a unique style, or do you provide better service (drop off cakes on the special day)? You may want to offer all of these things to get the customers coming to you. Once they see the beautiful work you do, they will tell everyone they know and you will be able to get more business.

Read the rest…