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Barbie Research and Preservation: Unraveling the Mystery Behind the Iconic Doll

For decades, Barbie has been more than just a doll—she’s a cultural icon, a collectible treasure, and, for some, a fascinating subject of scientific research. In recent years, the scientific community turned its attention to examining Barbie dolls to better understand their composition and the challenges of preserving them over time.

TNT Barbie, Barbie research
Barbie Research and Preservation: Unraveling the Mystery Behind the Iconic Doll 2

A Scientific Deep Dive into Barbie

A groundbreaking study in Barbie research a few years ago involved the dissection and analysis of two Barbies: a modern version and the legendary TNT (Twist ‘n Turn) Barbie from 1967. Scientists meticulously deconstructed these dolls to reveal the materials that have made Barbie both durable and iconic. But what they found raised more questions than answers.

The analysis of Barbie research shed light on the specific materials used in Barbie’s construction, but it also unveiled a “black box” of sorts—a gap in our understanding of how these materials age and interact over time. For collectors and preservationists, this mystery is more than a curiosity; it’s a challenge that directly impacts their ability to restore and maintain these treasured pieces of history. If you’re able to read in German the article tries to scrape on the surface https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/nuernberg-so-soll-barbie-jung-bleiben-1.3394263

The Challenges of Aging Materials

As a Barbie collector and cultural steward, I have personally delved into the question of material aging. Understanding the properties of the plastics, paints, and adhesives used in Barbie’s construction is crucial for restoration efforts. Without this knowledge, it’s difficult to choose the right methods and materials to preserve these dolls while remaining true to their original form.

Interestingly, I’ve learned that I’m not alone in my quest for answers. Many fellow collectors have shared similar frustrations, encountering dead ends when seeking detailed information about Barbie’s materials. Why are these answers so elusive? Is it a simple oversight, or is there a deliberate effort to keep this information out of reach?

The Environmental Factor

We already know that Barbie should not be exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations and that the ideal storage environment would be something akin to a bunker without daylight. While regulating temperature is feasible, living in a daylight-free bunker is another matter entirely—it’s far too dark for my taste. Striking a balance between proper preservation techniques and practical living conditions is one of the many challenges Barbie collectors face. https://www.duda.news/welt/wissenschaftler-erforschen-barbies/

Preserving Barbie for Future Generations

Regardless of the reasons behind the information gap, collectors continue to forge ahead. As Barbie researchers with limited knowledge we experiment, share our findings, and work tirelessly to keep Barbie’s legacy alive. For me, every restoration project is a step closer to uncovering the secrets of this iconic doll. From identifying the best cleaning methods to finding compatible replacement parts, every detail matters in preserving these pieces of cultural history.

Barbie preservation is more than a hobby—it’s a way to honor the artistry and cultural significance of a doll that has inspired generations. As collectors, we stand united in our mission to protect and celebrate Barbie’s legacy, even if the road to understanding her materials remains shrouded in mystery.

The Future of Barbie Research

The study of Barbie’s materials and aging process is still in its infancy. With advancements in technology and growing interest from scientists and collectors alike, there’s hope that more answers will emerge. Until then, the collective efforts of the Barbie community will continue to shine a light on the challenges of preservation, ensuring that Barbie remains a symbol of creativity, empowerment, and nostalgia for generations to come.

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Non-Existant Customer Service at Moda Fabrics for 2 meteres of fabric

Moda Fabrics is a well-known brand in the quilting and sewing industry known for its high-quality fabrics and beautiful designs. However, when it comes to customer service, there is a severe lack of support for the customers looking to purchase fabrics from them.

One of the main reasons why it is difficult to buy a fabric from Moda Fabrics is their outdated database on their website. The database lists dealers in Europe, but many of them no longer exist or are no longer selling Moda Fabrics. This makes it difficult to find a reliable dealer who actually has the fabrics in stock.

Searching for a European dealer on the website can be frustrating, as there are many entries that are no longer valid. This can lead to a lot of wasted time and disappointment for customers who are eager to purchase their desired fabric.

Asking Moda directly as a last try to get the fabric

When faced with a dead-end in their search for European dealers, some customers have resorted to contacting Moda Fabrics directly as a last attempt. However, this has proven to be a challenge as well.

The database on the website may provide contact information for dealers, but it is often outdated or inaccurate. This leads to long phone queues and unanswered emails, as customers try to reach out to Moda Fabrics for assistance with finding a dealer.

The lack of reliable customer service from Moda Fabrics makes it even more frustrating for customers who are genuinely interested in purchasing their products. It leaves them with the impression that Moda Fabrics does not prioritize the needs of their customers and is not interested in helping them find fabrics. In case you are interested here are all fabrics from the line

Flower Power Maureen McCormick
Flower Power Collection by Maureen McCormick 2023 by Moda fabrics

Last chance to buy Moda fabrics overseas

If customers are unable to locate a dealer within their region, they may have to consider purchasing their desired fabric from overseas. However, this option is not always ideal and comes with its own set of challenges.

Firstly, there is the added cost of international shipping. Shipping fabrics from another country can be expensive, especially if there is limited availability or limited quantities available. This can add a significant expense to an already costly purchase.

Furthermore, customers may have to deal with twice the VAT if they purchase from an overseas dealer. This is because customs authorities may charge import duties and taxes when fabrics are brought into the country. This can significantly increase the overall cost of the purchase and make it less appealing for customers.

In conclusion, the non-existent customer service at Moda Fabrics poses a significant challenge for customers looking to purchase their fabrics. The outdated database on their website makes it difficult for customers to locate dealers, and the lack of support from Moda Fabrics themselves adds to the frustration. If customers are unable to locate their desired fabric within Europe, they are left with the option of buying it from overseas, which can be costly and inconvenient. Moda Fabrics needs to address their customer service issues in order to provide a seamless shopping experience for their customers.

My personal story why I wanted to buy some Moda fabrics

You know I love to sew for Barbie and all her family member. I always search for fabric that fits from the pattern for Barbie. It’s not always easy to find enticing fabric for me. The patterns are often too large or too childish for my sewing projects. That’s why I often search at Etsy or other global stores to get an idea what’s on the market. The last local store for fabric purchase is not equipped well and they don’t order if you search for a special fabric they don’t have in store.

In my case it was two fabrics I liked from the “Flower Power” fabric collection from 2023. I’ve hardly ever experienced such a bad customer service and believe me the customer service in Germany is already non-existent.

https://www.pinterest.de/pin/259027416062826875/

Solutions to the Moda fabrics problems

Several weeks have elapsed since I began addressing the issue with Moda fabrics. After thorough research, I’ve discovered a cost-effective alternative solution that won’t break the bank at a minimum of €100 for two meters of fabric. While awaiting feedback on this idea, I promise to keep you informed about the progress of my solution. Given these developments, it appears that Francie & Barbie will soon be adorned in delightful new attire, thanks to the promising prospects on the horizon.

My version of the Moda fabric
My version of the Moda fabric
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No blog posts for more than 2 months?

I know I neglected my blog in the last months a bit because of holiday, visitors and time consuming video projects. I’m really sorry for that but sometimes this is life.

You can’t predict what the next day will bring you and you don’t know what kind of surprises to expect the next day. I hope to have a bit more time to blog in the next weeks and I hope that I can at least write one blog post a week. Sometimes that’s a challenge but nothing about a good challenge.

Now it seems that Corona is getting back we probably have more time that we expect to have it now when we will have the next lockdown. I don’t want to predict here anything but in Austria they started another lockdown from today on.

This is not really funny anymore because the measurements don’t seem to work here vaccinated or not.

Anyway I don’t want to complain but I want to write here more than in the last weeks. I hope that’s at least a start here.

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How can framerates per second slow your work down and you don’t even know it

This week I find the time to blog again because I was a little frustrated last week and my work is a little behind my time-schedule. I wanted to publish an IG TV video on Tuesday, prepared the whole video, reconverted it and realized it did not fit for Instagram. This time I had to learn it the hard way but hey, a day without anything learned is a bad day. It seems that IG TV only accepts a frame rate up to 30fps and not 50fps. My videos are cut in 50fps and I thought resizing the video would be enough to publish the video. My latest camera had the preset in 50fps per sec. I changed it in the meantime but did not realize it at first.

I think I got the point in the meantime. It’s not just the resizing, it’s also the frame rate per second what caused the trouble in the last days. Two weeks ago it was no problem to upload my promo video on all platforms. This week there was only a little problem with Instagram. All the other platforms had no problem with the format. I wondered for about two days where the problem was. This morning I found the solution because I read a lot of articles about the fps and the demands of Instagram and checked the video from last week. There was a difference. I cut last week an extra video for the promotion in a complete new size but I did not realize it last week. This week a found a more convenient solution but I think it’s not the best one. I will have to check and probably start from zero again. The good thing is that it’s just one minute and the bad thing that I’ve already cut 3 more promo trailers for my next videos.

Instagram had obviously problems with the platform

I was finally able to solve the problem. I reported the problem to Instagram when all that was happening. There was no response but suddenly after using it not for two or three days of frustration suddenly there was a new button even when using the web for posting on Instagram. It seems that they fixed the problem finally. After reproducing the videos in the correct frame rate it was no problem anymore. I don’t even have to use an application for reformatting the videos.

When posting a video on Instagram keep in mind that the solution 1920 x 1080 is in mp4 format no problem as long as you stay under 30 frames per second. The video has to be longer than 60 seconds. Videos under 60 seconds are not accepted. Why ever …

My solution to the problem in my DaVinci Resolve is to keep in mind that I have to stay under my 30 frames per second, no matter with how much fps my cameras filmed the material. The other pre-sets were okay. When you keep 24 fps in mind it will save you lots of time and trouble.

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And another month passed by… what happened at Busy B.?

Now we almost have November and almost one month passed by since my last post. This time of the year is the busiest of the year for me. I’m preparing lots Christmas and Birthday presents and since I’m doing them by hand a lot of time is needed for this work. Maybe I show you some pics in the next weeks of what I’m doing at the moment ( like last year when I did a video about the German Lebkuchen I embroidered for my mother).

This October was somehow not really golden, rather rainy and cold and I got myself new Winter clothes for being able to ride my bike in Winter. It’s incredible how much things are offered. Unfortunately they don’t tell you what’s really good and what not. Don’t believe what’s written in the feedback for the product, especially not when you intending to buy from amazon. A lot of fake evaluations are written there. Be very careful when you try one of these platforms where they promise you free stuff but you have to buy it yourself and get the money back. When you should test something why should you pay for the product ?

Nevertheless I got one free product last month and wrote a review about it. It was no clothing and I have not paid anything for it. By the way it’s very useful for my videos. That’s what it should be like when doing a review. I applied for another test this month so let’s see if I can test another device. I don’t expect that I’m another time chosen but let’s see.

The progress on my video channel is okay. I hit the 500 subscriber mark in the last week. That’s a good sign I think. Maybe it’s going to be a bit easier from now on. The video cutting has become much easier thanks to the new program I use for two months now. I tried some of the features it offers but not all. There’s still a lot to learn. I will manage it. Just give me a little more time to do this more professionally. By the way I also improved my equipment last month but I think this is not so obvious for everybody.

I try to blog more often in the next time. I had/ have some video projects that need a lot of time and I don’t always find the time to blog every week.

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Funny video from Swiss television from the 1960s

You know when there’s a new product on the market you find lovers and haters. Some of the haters obviously made a video in the pre-Christmas time of 1965 and asked girls what they liked on Barbie doll. The comment in the background is hardly audible. There’s music playing … way too loud in the foreground but even if it’s not perfect it’s funny to watch… of course we all wanted to live out our sexual fantasies of the early puberty — no doubt.

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Who has really no Holiday Barbie dolls?

The Holiday season is not far. Since August you can buy the lastest Holiday Barbie 2018 if you want. I’m not such a fan of her. I have several Holiday Barbie but not the latest ones. I think the history of the Holiday Barbie series is very interesting. Within the last 30 years many things have changed like the jewelry, the Make-Up and the dresses themselves. 

I think they are not so festive anymore. The early Barbie dolls from this series you can see a greater “wow”-effect. I don’t know really how to describe it but I would express them as beautiful. Maybe this is so because I grew up in this era and they were familiar to me. Anyway, I also have later Barbie dolls from after the 2000. 

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Holiday Barbie 2015
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Holiday Barbie 2004

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The problem with green ears and modern Collector Barbie

I don’t know whether anyone of you knows the problem but I assume you do. I bought Collector Barbie dolls for many years and for some reason I don’t know some of them developed green ears.  I have to say I don’t like green ears at all. I know it has been a problem for decades. I the first owner of some of the Collector Barbie and I stored them all the same way. This is what I did when I saw green ears. At first I removed the earrings from the doll. Most of them had no hooks at the end in the head. So it was easy to remove them. Then I cleaned them with a cloth for costume jewelry. After that I put them in a tiny plastic bag to be sure that the earrings don’t stain the clothes.  I put one of these little silicone bags inside the box before I put the box with the doll in my shelf. Then I forgot about the issue. When I looked into the box again….surprise the green was gone. This is so strange. I really did nothing and now it’s gone. I realized the green in an early stage.

Maybe this makes a difference!? I hope my post can help anyone.