Bike To School

You know you love it! It was your first taste of freedom. And it nourished in you an immediate sense of your surroundings and the great outdoors! So what are you waiting for, Tudygirls? Grab those handlebars and pedal away! Bike to School~ you'll get your morning workout done and feel more alert the rest of the day :-)

Here are a few Tudy Tips to help you feel safe and cycle-sure:

1. Have Dad, Mom, or a grown-up map out the safest route to school.
2. Always wear a helmet. Always!
3. There's safety in numbers so bike with friends. (It's just more Tudylightful that way!)
4. Stay on bike routes. Steer clear of roads.
5. Follow the flow of traffic. Never bike against it. Remember, the rules of the road apply to bikers as well.
6. Always lock your bike. Always!7. Stay hydrated and connected. Two Tudy must-haves when biking: a bottle of water and a cell phone. (You never know when you'll need the lift!)

So cycle away! You'll breeze through traffic and that endless congestion. You'll help ease the morning commute and pollution. But most of all, you'll get to school on time, all the time. And your mind and body and heart will love you for it!

Breezy

Bottle up that summer breeze with this Tudylicious breezy, easy, summer find: Harajuku Lovers Sunshine Cuties!  Love, Li'l Angel, Music, Baby, and G are all here to brighten those lazy, hazy, bronze-filled days in the cutest, most adorable bottled swimsuits ever! And their scents are all deliciously island-inspired!!! From fruity florals to citrus creamy musks, Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Sunshine Cuties will leave you summering all winter long. But they're a limited edition and won't be around forever so no matter where you go, don't leave summer without them!

It's a Closet-FULL of FUN!

It's my best dress-up game EVER!

I'm launching an all-new TudyDoll Dress-up Game! I'm bringing back some of my fave Tudy outfits, adding lots of new ones, and spicing up the dress-up game a little! You've got to go thru 3 closets (that's right, TudyGirls - 3 closets!), find that perfect piece of clothing (some are hanging, some are folded, some are hidden in my closet!), or even go shopping in The Tudy Shop or The Tudy Boutique (that's 2 stores with more than 4 racks of clothes!), to make THE perfect Tudy Outfit. Perfection needs work, TudyGirls!

So what are you waiting for? Log on to TudyDoll.com! Dig in for a closet-full of fun!

It's Time for a Bubblebration!

Welcome Spring with National Bubble Week ! In the year 2000, Oddzon, makers of Koosh Bubbles, started the first "bubblebration" on the first day of spring, and there's been a special bubble-blowing week ever since!

I think bubbles are fascinating! Not only are they magical to look at, easy to make, and fun to play around with, but the science behind a bubble is absolutely intriguing! Did you know a sphere - the shape of the classic bubble - has the smallest possible surface tension for any volume? It's so small, it's used to solve mathematical problems relating to time and space (talk about a science project!)!

For over 400 years, children all over the world have been blowing these irridescent globes of air and water and I don't think we'll be stopping anytime soon. So pull out your bubble blowers, or go get some new ones! Better yet, raid your kitchen or bathroom and make your own bubble solution, ask a grownup to make a bubble wand for you, and start blowing some magic!

She's 50!

She’s 50 and still fabulous! She’s every fashionista’s dream. She’s a one-name wonder who’s been there and done it all! And it may be hard to imagine, much less count, but Barbie Millicent Roberts turns half a century today, March 9, 2009!
First introduced at the 1959 New York Toy Fair and invented by Mattel’s co-founder, Ruth Handler, Barbie has since captured the hearts Y and imaginations of girls everywhere. And why not? At 11.5 inches, Barbie has represented at least 45 nationalities and spanned 80 careers. Just last month, 50 designers from Vera Wang to Calvin Klein and Betsy Johnson paid tribute to toy land’s top doll by designing one-of-a kind, signature looks for Runway Barbie. Talk about power dressing!!!

So celebrate Barbie’s 50th birthday in vintage style! Take a catwalk down memory lane with a Tudy Treasure: Vintage Barbie Dolls and Fashions. It’s a fashion-filled picture book of 1960's and 70's Barbie dolls, creations, and prized accessories. It's a testimony to Barbie's enduring legacy and appeal. Barbie has always been and will always be all about creativity, imagination, self-expression, and play!

Here's to the portable, plastic icon m that started it all: Happy Birthdey, Doll!

Have You Met...

My little sister, Tudette? I just YYY her! She's impish, funny, and totally into plush! Can you guess what's in her closet?

She's here just in time for trick-or-treating, so help her get into costume! She has a closet full of fun!

08 08 08

It's Olympic Fever! From Athens, Greece to Beijing, China, on August 8, 2008, the whole world's tuning in to the greatest games!

And aren't those five mascots just tooooo cute? Meet Fuwa - Beibei the Fish, Jingjing the Panda, Huanhuan the Olympic Flame, Yingying the Tibetan Antelope, and Nini the Swallow! Did you know that the first syllable of their names form the greeting "Beijing Huanying Ni" or "Welcome to Beijing"? And the color of each mascot was chosen to match the colours of the Olympic Rings?

So bring the Olympics close to home - watch your favorite games and cheer for your team! Get into sports - learn a new one or join a team, even if it's just in your neighborhood! And design your own mascot for even more team spirit! Let the Games begin!

PD Trivia

I just love Paper Dolls (ok, ok, I AM a Paper Doll!) but did you know Paper Dolls have been around for more than 200 years (OMG! I'm sooo old! Uh, I mean "vintage"!)? And that Paper Dolls started in 18th century France (je t'aime, Paris!)? And that Paper Dolls have evolved with history and technology (go ahead, "google" me!)? Just goes to show how a simple toy can stand the test of time! So here are a few Paper Doll Links that make for fascinating reading about the history of my all-time, favorite toy! Vive le PDs!

Wildartdolls Collectdolls Opdag

I Love Pooh

In 1921(!!!), Alan Alexander Milne gave his one year old son, Christopher Robin, a stuffed bear. Soon a few more stuffed toys were added - a tiger, a pig, and a donkey. And before long, these toys came to life in the pages of four books - When We Were Very Young, Winnie-the-Pooh, Now We Are Six, and The House At Pooh Corner. To this day, kids of all ages (that includes me!), still read the Pooh books and fall in love with that "silly old bear!"

We all know Pooh because of the Disney movies and books, but the original stories of Milne and the drawings of Ernest H. Shepard are wonderful, whimsical, fanciful, and Tudy-lightful! They totally capture the tenderness, sweetness, and "funny-ness" of Pooh!

So here's a cute game featuring the original Winnie-the-Pooh drawings! Gotta "think, think, think" for this one!

And if you get the chance, visit the real Pooh and four of his best friends (not the cartoons or drawings, but the real stuffed toys!) - at The New York Public Library's History and Social Science Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, Manhattan, New York. It'll be like visiting the 100 Acre Wood.

But of course, all you really have to do to visit Pooh, is to open one of Milne's books...

So, do you love Pooh?

A Whole Lot of HOOp-la!

In 1958, Wham-o owners Richard P. Knerr and Arthur K. Melin manufactured a plastic hOOp in a variety of bright colors. At first, they gave away the hOOps to get kids to learn and play. But four months later, with 25,OOO,OOO sold (count those hOOps... I mean zerOs!), the Hula-Hoop® became one of the greatest toy fads ever! And 5O years later, it's still a simple toy that fascinates a lot of people, including grownups who now use it to exercise!

But kids and adults have been hOOping for much longer than 5O years! More than 3,OOO years ago (!!!) kids in Egypt were doing just about the same thing with hOOps made of dried grapevines! And a lot of dislocated backs (OOuch!) were reported in 14th century England because of a hOOping craze! And of course, the Hawaiians were doing the same hip action with or without the hOOps with their hula dancing! Just goes to show that a simple toy can last a really lOOOOOOng time!

So get those hips gyrating for some summer fun! It's a whole lot of hOOpla!

What's Soft and Cuddly...

And always heart-warming? Your favorite plush toy, of course! I still love all my stuffed toys, and I guess, I always will! But have you ever wondered why? Sure, they're cute, soft, and cuddly but, why do they just tug at your heart strings? Why is it always so hard to let them go? Even when you grow up?

Well, read Margery William's The Velveteen Rabbit and wonder no longer. This lovely, timeless, Easter treasure tells you why all stuffed toys are special, and why they will always have a real place in your heart of hearts!

So when you cuddle up tonight with your stuffed toy, whether it's a rabbit, or a lamb, or a bear, or an elephant, give it an extra, tight hug and a sweet, soft kiss! Remember its whisper. It's an endearing life lesson. Stay real!
Sweet dreamszzzzzz...