Johanna ÖstJohanna Öst

The blog of Swedish artist Johanna Öst.

Dolls and toys

19 posts

Cruise Barbies

Oct 14, 2011 in Dolls and toys

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It’s been a long time now since I showed any Barbie photos!

I don’t just collect vintage Barbies. I have just as many, in fact probably more, from my own childhood in the 80s and early 90s (including my actual childhood Barbies of course). Getting toys from my own childhood is almost more special to me than ones from before my time. It’s so wonderful to be able to get those toys I dreamed about as a child but never had (not that I wasn’t already spoiled with tons of toys). It sounds very cheesy but it’s almost a magic feeling, like time travel.

I’ve saved every Barbie catalog since 1988 until the early 2000s and love to look through them from time to time. I even bought the 1987 catalog online some years ago since I only had some cut out pictures left from that one.

Sea Holiday Midge from 1993 is one of those Barbie dolls I really really wanted as a kid. And still really really wanted as a grown up, and I finally bought her I think last year. Midge is my favourite Barbie friend from this era, and Sea Holiday Midge is one of the prettiest of all the Midges, with an absolutely amazing outfit. She’s the one in the big yellow hat, and everything she wears in the photos came with her, except the sunglasses. One of the things I love the most about the late 80s early 90s Barbie era are all the convertible outfits with many elements that can be combined in lots of ways.

The other doll is my childhood Ski Fun Midge from 1991, “Mimmi”. My favourite childhood Barbie and one of my all time favourite toys. She wears the shorts, hat and anchor necklace from Sea Holiday Ken, who I actually did have as a kid. Her top and bag are from a wonderful Sindy fashion set, the cateye glasses are from one of the great Fashion Avenue Barbie sets, and the gold shoes are from a Barbie accessory pack. All things I’ve had since I was a kid. Her yellow bathing suit is from my sister’s Kelly Taylor Barbie doll and the shell necklace from my sister’s Tropical Splash Christie.

I hope you don’t find this too boring but I can talk about toys forever :) Now if I could only get my hands on Sea Holiday Barbie (who is great as well), I’d have the complete set!

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More silkstone photos

Nov 22, 2009 in Dolls and toys

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I made a cruise ship set for photographing Barbies. It’s so dark outside nowadays that the photos didn’t turn out as good as they should have, but I wanted to take some photos of Holly with her new hairdo.

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Barbie case on Tradera

Nov 3, 2009 in Dolls and toys

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I’m selling a vintage Barbie case on Swedish auction site Tradera since I have two of it, along with a few vintage and mod barbie clothes and a vintage Skipper head. International bidders are welcome but ask me for shipping costs first if you’re interested. Click the picture to go to the auction.

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New things on Etsy

Sep 29, 2009 in Dolls and toys

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I’ve just listed some vintage patterns and a Liddle Kiddle type doll on Etsy. Click the picture to go to my Etsy shop.

By the way, is anyone interested in a pair of vintage seamless nude stockings in not very good condition? They have snags all over and aren’t even really a pair since one is slightly longer and has a slightly different foot design, but I don’t like throwing away vintage stuff without making really sure no one wants it, so I thought I’d just ask first. You can have them if you pay the shipping.

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