Thursday, August 25, 2016

The Rainbow Brite Connection

One of my favorite artists once asked for fan art ideas, so I suggested Rainbow Brite, and the artist had no idea who that was, and in conclusion, I felt really old that day.

But then last week someone told me a book called "Wit and Wisdom of Rainbow Brite" was just published, so John spent a morning driving all over town to find the ONLY Orlando Hallmark that had one, and now I feel like a big kid again.

::Squee!::





(This art and that sentiment need to be on everything everywhere. Pillows. Purses. Tea sets.) 
(YEAH I SAID "TEA SETS.")



I don't remember much/any of the Rainbow Brite cartoons, but I looooved my doll with the crinkly holographic skirt, and I still think that art style is the cutest. So even though the "wisdom" of this little book is a bit on the "friendship is sparkles!" side, it's still a fun trip down memory lane, and well worth the $10.

I should mention it's ONLY available at Hallmark shops, btw, so don't bother looking online. But as a reward for making us leave the house, Hallmark also has THIS:



And these:


And - here's where I got pretty sidetracked - all of THESE:

 


 John: "So are you going to photograph everything in the store, or... ?"
Me: [making shooing motions] "You're blocking Kermit's light."


 And getting back to Rainbow Brite:
 
 Like all reproductions, the Twinks aren't quite as cool as the originals - but they're pretty close.

And I'll leave you with the little ACEO my friend Christie drew for me for my birthday, because it's the greatest and I like bragging on my friends:

She has $5 prints in her Etsy shop, if you want one.

Now I'm off to browse the "old 80s toys" section of Ebay. Who's with me?? :D (I have a sudden hankering for a Poochi Poodle figurine. And those little plastic poseable Care Bears - remember those? Ack, nostalgia overload.)

51 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness. An actual reason to go to the mall!

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  2. two words: TEDDY. RUXPIN.

    Those mf'ers are crazy expensive on ebay but i still want one. or i guess i should say i want one again.

    Also, I totally had the Rainbow Brite with the crinkly skirt too, and her fuzzy little friend (twink you say?). I loved her!!

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  3. Did your hallmark not have the star wars Itty Bittys? Because those are a thing!

    Also, itty bittys plus tsum tsum needs to also be a thing.

    Thank you for sharing your finds!

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    Replies
    1. I saw little Tsum Tsum dolls at Target.

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    2. Walmart is carrying them now too. Our store just got them in.

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  4. I was beyond disappointed that the reproduction Rainbow Brite isn't the same as the original -- so disappointed that I passed on buying her. I have EXTREMELY clear memories of the one I had as a child, and loved with all of my heart until I stopped playing with dolls at age 12, and for the new one to not be the same was just distressing. That said, I did buy Twink, Starlite, Itty Bitty Rainbow Brite [she's small enough to ride Starlite on my shelf :-D], and the RB and Twink keychains [which hang in my car]. I do agree about the original RB art style being the cutest -- coloring in RB coloring books is another clear memory for me -- I remember LOVING all of the wispy curls [probably because my own hair is pin-straight]. In all, everything RB just makes me SO happy, justifies the expense IMO.

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  5. I noticed the other day that Target had section marked "retro toys" with toys from the '80s. They didn't have Rainbow Brite but they did have Strawberry Shortcake, the way she looked originally!

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  6. Also Raggedy Ann and Andy, as well as a number of other non-doll toys.

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  7. Yeah, I have a little plastic pose-able Lucky Care Bear on my window sill now. Yay for having happy memories come back today :)

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  8. Oh my word. I LOVE RB!! So much that I did a steampunk cosplay of her. I even bought a vintage Twink and steampunked him. Now I need to go find this book...

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  9. Doesn't know Rainbow Brite?
    ...
    ::blinks::

    ...
    ::blinks::

    ...

    Well, if I'm that old...
    ::pulls pants up to her arm pits and looks up Early Bird specials in her area::

    (Also, it looks like the Star Trek Itty Bittys are only available in the States. ::sad face::)

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  10. OK. I just had to go and look for those itty bittys online, but I can't find them available in the UK. They're so adorable. And there's a Hawkeye one on the US site. Why no UK itty bittys, Hallmark? WHY?

    Sometimes I think about moving to the US just so I have access to these things.

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  11. I just saw a whole big set of plastic Care Bears at Target. They looked pretty close to the original ones too.

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  12. I was into My Pretty Pony - I think those are still around, but I had about 20 or so of the originals when I was a kid along with the stable. I always wanted the Dream Castle, though. I guess life is full of disappointment :)

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  13. THE LITTLE MUPPET DOLLS!!!! OMG awesome. I'm also "old" because I know & remember Rainbow Brite. Don't remember the show either, except that I loved her just like I loved Punky Brewster.

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  14. That itty bitty Spock! Squee! Rainbow Brite is fun, but I'm a Lady Lovely Locks gal myself. Anyone still remember her?

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    Replies
    1. YESSSSS. With the colorful hair extensions on barrettes shaped like chipmunks! I actually spotted 3 ladies at Dragon Con a few years back cosplaying as the main Lady Lovely Locks three - there's a blurry pic on Epbot somewhere, because I SO chased them down.

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    2. Lady Lovelylocks, Maiden Fairhair, and Maiden Curlycrown, if I recall correctly. But that's off the top of my head from 30 years ago. Am I really that old?

      Please track that pic down. I think we 80's toy gals would really like to see it!

      Relive all of the fabulous 80's toys with this site: http://ghostofthedoll.co.uk/toys.php.

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  15. Always likes Shy Violet & Stormy myself.

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    Replies
    1. I never was lucky enough to have any of the cool toys, I didn't even get a cabbage patch doll until everyone else was getting cornsilk ones and the price dropped. I'd love to find them now as an adult but as collector items they are getting expensive again.

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    2. I had a friend who had ALL of the Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Her room smelled like a plastic fruit garden :) I was kinda jealous :)

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  16. I still have our original (likely bootleg because that's how we did it) copy on VHS of the Rainbow Brite movie. It's on the same tape with Wizard of Oz and the Popples! movie. We were efficient :D

    Also pretty sure my childhood toys at my parent's house includes the same crinkly skirt doll, at least one twink, her horse, and a rainbow shaped house/carrying tote. Hmm, maybe it's time to make some kid's day OR head over the eBay.

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  17. OK looks like I'm the weirdo here... I loved Transformers and Starblazers....

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    Replies
    1. LOL - not really. I watched 'Thundercats' and played with they neighbor boys Star Wars toys :)

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  18. Check out Rainbow Christ. http://cultthirtythree.bigcartel.com/product/rainbow-christ

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  19. Love this! I actually still have my Rainbow Brite! And her dog too. I just can't get rid of her. I also still have my popple, Teddy Ruxpin and Grubby....and yes, I'm a fully functioning adult. Promise!

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  20. Itty Bitties are a new obsession. They are the perfect size for my baby son, and so much geeky deliciousness! I think his BB-8 is his favorite, but now he might need some star trek ones ...

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  21. OMG I LOOOOVVVVEED RAINBOW BRITE!!!! Now I am really sad that I'm eternally broke because I would love to have that book AND those adorable plushes. I haz the sads.

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  22. As a former vinylmation collector, I've had to stay the hell out of hallmark stores to avoid collecting whatever those tiny things are. They're so cute!

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  23. Love this!!! Although it looks like they reused a lot of the pictures from the book series (I think there were like 5 or 6 of them?) I totally remember that picture of Starlite because it was one of my favorites.

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  24. White socks? Am I the only one that thought those were big smooshy futuristic rainbow moon boots and not big scrunchy socks?

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    Replies
    1. I think she's saying the white socks would be too boring, so she chose the boots instead.

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  25. I still have my rainbow brite doll and the horse :)
    When I was little I had rainbow brite wallpaper in my bedroom too.

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  26. I had Rainbow Brite and her horse. Unfortunately, I didn't take care of them and they're long gone. :(

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  27. I don't remember the Rainbow Brite cartoons, but I loved my Rainbow Brite doll so much. I think she might still be in my parents' basement. Now if I could only find my Popple and Pillow People! :)

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  28. I don't remember if there were toys, but anyone remember Herself the Elf?

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    Replies
    1. Oh I LOVED Herself the Elf. I think I had a book?

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  29. OMG, I love this! Thanks for sharing, I may have to go check out Hallmark now. I LOVED Rainbow Brite!

    Charissa - I remember Herself the Elf too and used to have a bunch of toys from that show. Smallish (maybe 5"?) plastic dolls. I thought I was the only one who remembered! :)

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  30. Ack, the Beast IttyBitty is to die for! Also a rainbow bright fan here. And not that long ago I bought ancient Fisher Price Little People toys for my toddler son because I always wanted a house, and the circus train... = )

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  31. Squee! I still have my orange twink (Saucy) from when I was 4!

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  32. Not an old 80's toy, but I want a REAL Spirograph, not the pale imitation they are selling today. I want the old style, comes with the pins and cardboard and all that.

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  33. POSEABLE CARE BEARS!! I had forgotten all about those! I had one but now I don't remember which... Friend Bear, I think? Definitely had a plush Friend Bear.

    What I want is a Popple. So many memories!!

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  34. I missed out on Rainbow Brite, but I definitely remember the poseable Care Bears. I had almost all of them, plus their cloud car and the Care-a-Lot playset. All handed down from my cousins. I got their Strawberry Shortcake and MLP stuff, too, but the Care Bears were always my favorite.

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    Replies
    1. I had the Rainbow Roller, which I just loved. I, unfortunately, did not get to keep any of my Care Bear stuff, despite my protests (gee, thanks, parents). I wish I wasn't bitter. I don't think the CB's would condone that.

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  35. What's up with the crop top on itty bitty Uhura? Itty bitty Spock doesn't have a goatee so this can't be the evil universe group, right? -- Betty G

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    1. For those particular Itty Bittys, the black is their boots, so the 'skin' showing is her legs beneath her dress. It can be confusing since the Itty Bittys are not consistent as to whether the color on the bottom represents clothing or footwear.

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  36. aaarggh so cute! I love Rainbow Brite! As for 80's toys, I want my old My Little Pony back, the ones that actually look like horses.

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  37. Oh no! There are Rainbow Brite AND Star Trek Itty Bittys?!?! I'm doomed!

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  38. Like I needed another reason to go to the Hallmark store. . .but I NEED that book!!

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  39. Aww, Itty Bitties...we have a Snoopy and a Yoda that one of my friends gave my toddler when he was a baby. They're pretty much the car toys of choice.

    I'll admit that I still sometimes get the version of "Deck the Halls" from the Rainbow Brite Christmas record stuck in my head. And my mom sewed me a costume when I was a kid that had the puffy bits and everything. What I really miss is the 1980s My Little Ponys, though, even though I adore MLP:Friendship is Magic. Why did I let my dad sell my ponies at a yard sale when I thought I'd outgrown them? I had 1980s Applejack!!

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  40. Rainbow's my jam. It makes me happy that people haven't forgotten her. :3 <3 When I was little, I even had my own rainbow belt, and I would wear it all the time. Man, I miss those days.

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