Bit of Ivory

So yesterday I mentioned my Penelope Clearwater Barbie doll to some co-workers, and for some odd reason we started to talk about ’80s toys. I think it was because we’re trying to scope out the perfect Ken doll to be Draco Malfoy. Anyway, I was suddenly reminded of a whole bunch of ’80s toys I had completely forgotten.

We started out with He-Man and She-Ra. I went on eBay, and you can get She-Ra’s Crystal Castle Playset and a bunch of other action figures. I had a She-Ra doll, and a few of her friends, although I was never special enough to have the Crystal Castle. Anyway, from She-Ra we went on to Wuzzles (I had a Bumblelion), Jem and the Holograms (I had a Jem doll– she was slighly bigger than Barbie, so unfortunately their clothes were not interchangable), Rainbow Brite (I had one of her too!). A few websearches remind me of toys I haven’t thought about in years like Moondreamers (I had a Sparky Dreamer doll), Sweet Secrets (I think I had one, but I remember them mostly because a girl on my street had a bunch, and by playing with them we became best friends) and even Rose Petal Place (I had a Rose Petal– she smelled like roses).

Some of our old perennial favorites are availiable again, like Care Bears and Pound Puppies Cabbage Patch Kids and Popples. I’ve found Care Bears everywhere, although there’s no sign of any Care Bear Cousins as of yet (which is sad, I love my Tenderheart Lamb). Toys R Us is now exclusively selling new Cabbage Patch dolls who lookjust like the originals, right down to the yarn hair and adoptablility– except that now, of course, you can adopt them online. Remeber when they came out with Cabbage Patches that had silky Barbie-like hair? They were Cornsilk Cabbage Patches. I never had one of those, but I still have my only Cabbage Patch. Her name is Jessica, but I’m afraid I’ve forgotten her middle name. Lisa and Laura had twins– Jacynth Francois (called J.C.) and Myra Thea. Hee.

Anyway, I know many of you were children of the ’80s as well. 80s Children.com is a great place to reminisce, as is Yesterdayland (Oh my heck! I had the Sesame Street lunchbox pictured on the left, except mine had a green handle and trimmings). Enjoy, my friends.

I think I’ll go home this weekend and play our Atari.