#lmad!

I just came across a post about the Princess and the Pauper dolls, and was happily reminded that there were black dolls made for Anneliese and Erika. Singing dolls, no less!

For the Hell of it, I checked to see if there was any video of one of the black dolls singing. I found a singing Erika on YT!

So I think, okay, cool! What does the white Erika sound like, just for comparison's sake?

...Aaaaaaand that's the same recording. idk what I was expecting, I know it was a pipe-dream to hope they had a separate recording outside the movie's official soundtrack.

That thought is why I'm putting this all on my doll idea blog. I know how tech-savvy y'all are -- do you think there's a way to hack a Barbie voicebox to add a different recording? There are a lot of black Barbies released for the iconic y2k fairytale movies, but in hindsight it feels a little cheap to just stick them all with Kelly Sheridan's voice.

Black Barbie is such an important doll -- that's why they made her an official character to interact with the white Barbie. She's not Christie, she's not Shani, she's not Nikki, she is a separate woman named Barbie who has her own story and upbringing, and that's a BIG step up from just being a palette-swap of a white girl.

I appreciate the pre-Fashionistas Black Barbie variants, but as a white person I feel like I ultimately can't fully weigh in on the conversation surrounding her -- she wasn't designed to appeal to me. That being said, if I was in the shoes of someone in an under-represented demographic... yeah, I could see it coming off as a little lip-servicey. You could make the dolls, but we've yet to see Black Barbie star in her own fairytale movie -- as in NOT co-starring with the white Barbie.

Maybe Brooklyn will get her own fairytale movie in the future? Never say never, right?

...Right?

I know you have scouts out here, Mattel. The people have feedback for you!

idk, lemme know if I'm making any sense or if I'm just talking out my ass. Also please feel free to give your opinion on the Black Barbie movie-release doll variants, especially if you're not white. I'd love to know if the dolls alone made enough of a difference for making you feel represented, or if they felt more like being thrown a bone.

Inspiration: LOL Surprise OMG × PowerPuff Girls

Doll Head: WhatsHerFace “Cool!”

Reroot: Orange

Body: LOL OMG Fierce

Hands: LOL OMG Fierce

Any Other Body Mods?: No

Non-Handmade Outfit Suggestion: Mary Kay Consultant Barbie

Accessories/Props: ???

Notes: The WhatsHerFace with the orange wig coincidentally has the darker of the two WHF skintones; they came with names, but I currently can't find them. I have no idea if the Barbie suit would fit a Fierce body, but that's the closest non-handmade outfit I can think of to Ms. Bellum's look.

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Inspiration: LOL Surprise OMG × PowerPuff Girls; NewJeans; Flyana Boss

Doll Head: LOL Surprise OMG

Reroot: Depends on the character

Body: LOL Surprise OMG

Hands: LOL Surprise OMG

Any Other Body Mods?: No

Non-Handmade Outfit Suggestion: Something from the OMG Girls’ closet

Accessories/Props: ne of the Barbie PPG fashion pack purses

Notes: I have to admit, MGA took a W with this collaboration. I had an idea to make custom BTW/Tween dolls before this collab was announced, and I do like how they used the teen designs for the girls from the original series for the OMG dolls. The sky really is the limit for custom Puffs; you can even make the RowdyRuff Boys out of the few OMG Boys they've made!

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Do you need ideas for a custom doll to make? I have HUNDREDS of ideas that I'm ready to share with the world. I may not have the time or the budget to breathe life into these ideas, but that's not stopping me from wanting to create -- and in this case, hopefully, collaborate!***

I will be posting doll ideas as regularly as I'm able; if you would like to block my idea tag, it will be "#lmad!". You don't even have to credit me for the ideas; all I ask is that someone tags me if you make a post about the doll, so that I can see and share your work.

So? Let's Make A Doll!

***Please understand that all of this is ultimately voluntary. I can't financially compensate anyone if they buy the parts and supplies to make these dolls. I want to give ideas to those who may be looking for inspiration; I do not wish to buy them afterwards, it'll be enough of a gift to know these dolls exist in the world. I am terrified of the idea of someone coming to the conclusion that I am looking for free labor, given how spontaneously hostile this website can be. I want nothing more than to share my ideas for custom dolls, despite not being able to physically make them for the time being.

Inspiration: Eartha Kitt as Catwoman

Doll Head: Integrity Toys Eartha Kitt

Reroot: Black

Body: WWE Superstars

Hands: Integrity Toys Eartha Kitt

Any Other Body Mods?: No

Non-Handmade Outfit Suggestion: Barbie as Catwoman (preferably the one designed after Julie Newmar)

Accessories/Props: Whip

Notes: I'm really surprised Eartha Kitt hasn't had a Barbie made of her yet. I think we might be due for one.

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Inspiration: LOL Surprise OMG × PowerPuff Girls

Doll Head: LOL Surprise BTW

Reroot: Blonde

Body: LOL Surprise BTW (or Rainbow Junior High, if you'd rather have jointed knees)

Hands: LOL Surprise BTW or Rainbow Junior High

Any Other Body Mods?: No

Non-Handmade Outfit Suggestion: Barbie Pink Passport Travel Set with the pink floral dress

Accessories/Props: ???

Notes: This was also an idea that was cooking before they made the OMG PPG's official, but I kinda like the proportions of the BTW's a little better. That being said, an OMG doll works just as well for this custom.

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Inspiration: Winx Club dolls by Playmates Toys

Doll Head: Winx Club dolls by Jakks-Pacific

Reroot: Depends on the character

Body: WWE Superstars

Hands: WWE Superstars (unless the Jakks-Pacific Hands fit the Superstars arms, which I doubt)

Any Other Body Mods?: No

Non-Handmade Outfit Suggestion: Winx Club dolls by Playmates Toys

Accessories/Props: ???

Notes: I'm pretty much picking my favorite pieces of all these dolls and popping them together here. I can see that Winx Club is getting a reboot via some quick research, hence the new Playmates dolls; I don't dislike the redesigns, I just feel nostalgic for the faces on the dolls made by Jakks-Pacific. That being said, the JP dolls are way too skinny for their clothes to fit most other dolls(besides Monster High or Ever After High, if I had to guess), but these new Playmates outfits might be a better fit on a WWE Superstar body – or, in the very least, a Barbie body.

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