Talking Doll

Achmed the Terrorist Puppet - My Personal Review of This Hilarious Talking Doll

Why this Achmed puppet is the best gift I ever got!

Here I present to you the information you are looking for about the hilarious Achmed puppet. A veritable treat of a gift created for the legendary comedy master Mr Jeff Dunham who has shot to fame worldwide by shocking people with his outrageous ventriloquist dummies act / comedy routine.

Some would say some scenes are quite shocking as they embrace certain beliefs, fears and irrationality that many people hold close to them.

Achmed and Jeff have been doing their routine now for a few years and have certainly drawn a good share of positive and negative criticism, because the comedy act is all about a failed suicide bomber, called Achmed, yep, the character in question, and he hasn't quite realised that he is dead, insisting that his appearance is merely down to being a flesh wound...yeah right.

So that's what you call a puppet made out of bones!




The Achmed puppet is actually made to a very high specification, and contains a number of his "most famous catchphrases" that taking doll will instantly be able to recognise and enjoy a smile as a result.

What a better way to put a grin on your face, as well as your friends' faces too!

Here is a list of the phrases he utters, which can be repeated by pressing his left hand:

1. I need some ligaments,
2. It's a flesh wound
3. What happened to my feet?
4. He scares the oops out of me(edit to keep it clean!)
5. Fix my foot,
6. Silence...I keel you!
7. Good Evening...Infidel
8. It's Achmed. Ach-ch-ch-ch-ch
9. Are you scared?

I really do enjoy showing off the Achmed puppet to my friends and "saner" members of my own family - some elderly relatives just might not approve though - so be careful who he is shown to, although he is a comedy act, some people still hold different thoughts about such matters.

An Achmed puppet is a friend for life - you can choose on of his 9 programmed phrases to suit your mood at any particular time.

Just imagine your alarm clock starts to ring and you don't want to get out of bed. Get Achmed to say "Silence! I kill you!" - or as your friends arrive at your house, he can say "Good evening, infidel" or even "are you scared?". I'm sure you can think of some of your own.

As a huge fan of Achmed and Jeff I have to say that this Achmed puppet really is brilliant and would make a great choice for anyone who likes his comedy.

He is very well made from fabric with a solid face area.(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shaun_Baird)

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Make Your Own Doll

Tips to Make Your Own Doll
If you're interested in doll-making, or one of your main hobbies is arts and crafts, then you'd likely enjoy being able to make your own doll. Here's a secret- it's as simple and easy as you want to make it, or as complex and difficult as you want to make it. It's up to you, because it's your doll!

Doll-making is a fun craft, and when you create a doll, you're creating both a masterpiece and an heirloom. You can make a doll from something as simple as old rags and buttons, a "rag doll" or you can use store bought doll arms, legs, and heads to create your own stuffed doll. Any type of doll can be made with minimal amounts of cash or you can spend as much as you'd like.

Most arts and crafts stores carry dolls already made, whether it be a stuffed "baby doll" or a "fashion doll" in heights anywhere from 5" inches to 30" inches high. Stuffed baby dolls are wonderful to make children's gifts with, and you can make special outfits for them. Or you can make a "fashion doll" and make outfits made from crocheted or knitted yard, fabric outfits, etc. Again, when you make your own doll, the sky's the limit. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.

Hand-made dolls can be given as keep-sake or heirloom gifts, or they can be sold at craft shows or art shows for a pretty chunk of change. It's your choice what you do with the dolls you make. There's nothing like hand-crafting something with your own hands, using your own imagination and materials you have on hand. Soda bottles or dish-soap containers can be covered with fabric and "granny dolls" made, using an old dried apple for a head.

A "rag doll" can be made using a hand-sized towel and a wash-cloth. Simply roll the hand-sized towel and then roll the wash-cloth, fold the hand-sized towel over, tie off the top part for the "head" with a piece of yard or twine, and then put the rolled up wash-cloth in the next section down, then tie off again just below the wash-cloth, now you've made arms! "Rag dolls" can be given to older children as gifts, and if pretty fabrics are used, with pretty buttons for eyes, then you've made an heirloom.



When you make your own doll, there's a sense of satisfaction about it, and when you give hand-made dolls that you've made yourself as gifts, they are wonderfully appreciated and will become treasured for many years to come. Any hand-made gift is appreciated, but hand-made dolls are one of the best. They can be displayed prettily, they can be played with, and they can even be hugged and cuddled with.

Make your own doll, and enjoy the simple beauty of making something beautiful!
( http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_Bushman)

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Doll Repair

Doll Repair - Should I Have My Doll Restored?

If you've recently recovered your childhood dolls from storage, you might be dismayed by how ratty and played-with they look. You probably remember them as being beautiful and brand-new. However, as tempting as it is to have a doll hospital restore them to like-new condition, hold that thought - your doll may be worth more in original condition, even if it's played with.

Determining Your Doll's Condition

The first step to deciding whether to restore your vintage doll is determining her condition. The only time I would ever consider restoring a doll is when she is in poor condition. Most of the time, a doll in flawed original condition is worth more than a doll that has been newly restored -- especially from a collector's viewpoint.

If your doll has these flaws, you should consider having her restored:

* Cut or missing hair
* Severely scratched or missing paint
* Eyes that have fallen out of their sockets
* Missing or broken body parts
* Ripped or moth-eaten clothing
* Mold or mildew

Basically, only if the damage is severe and/or extensive should you consider having the doll restored. And even if you do have her restored, only do as much restoration as needed to fix the flaws. For instance, if all your doll needs is a new wig, don't have her repainted too!

Leaving Well Enough Alone

There are many cases where a doll isn't badly damaged enough to justify restoring her. Remember, leaving her in original condition is almost always preferable to having her "redone."

* Hair that has lost its curl somewhat
* Minor rubs scratches in the paint
* Faded face paint and cheek blush
* Sleep eyes that stick
* A walking mechanism that only works sporadically
* Clothing that just needs "freshening up"

Fixing these problems would require further compromising the doll's originality. Remember, only have something repaired if it is damaged so badly that the original condition is already beyond salvage!

The Difference Between Doll Repair and Restoration




Some doll repair is so minor that they will not affect the doll's value. These repairs can be made as they are needed, without significantly harming the doll's original condition.

* Restringing a doll when the original rubber band is loose or broken
* Cleaning surface dirt from the doll with a gentle doll cleaner (harsh cleaners will remove the paint)
* Combing and restyling the hair when it has completely lost the original set and/or has gotten badly tangled
* Gently soaking the original clothes in cold water and Biz when they are badly soiled
* Replacing missing accessories with appropriate vintage or original replacements

The most important thing when you are repairing or restoring a vintage doll is to use your common sense. If you have any hesitations or think that the doll may be better left the way it is, you're probably right. Remember, a doll in original condition is always preferable to one that has been restored!(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katharine_Swan)

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Elmo Doll

The Hottest New Elmo Doll Isn't a Doll at All - It's Elmo Tickle Hands!

Parents everywhere are asking themselves, "What's the hot new Elmo doll?" They want to make sure they get their hands on it for their son or daughter this Christmas 2009. But the new Elmo doll isn't a doll at all - it's the Elmo Tickle Hands, and it's selling like hot cakes.

For little ones, anything related to Sesame Street, is a winner, but there's one familiar character from the show that kids crave and that's Elmo. This bright red puppet captured the hearts of kids with his likeable antics and his stand out giggle. Every year, when the hottest toys to buy for Christmas are named, something with Elmo is always on the list.



This year, it's not surprising that the Elmo Tickle Hands are on the list as one of the seasons 'have to buy' toys for your little angels. What's so amazing about this Elmo doll? With Elmo Tickle Hands, kids love sharing the laughter of the delightful character as they engage with their friends and parents.

The hands are made in a mitten style that kids can slip on over their own hands and play and dance along to Elmo's 'Tickle Hand Groove.' The toy is boxed with a DVD that will show the kids how to do the dance and they can learn to sing as the lyrics play. Not only is the toy fun and educational, but your child won't be sitting around couch potato style playing a game. They'll be moving and grooving to the music Elmo introduces them to.

The mittens are made to be just like Elmo's hands and when the wearer reaches out and shares a tickle, the hand will move back and forth in a little shake. Wearing the gloves will enable the kids to hear Elmo say some of the phrases they've come to associate with their favorite character. With their hands in the mittens, kids will feel like they're a part of their much loved furry friend.

There's only one major flaw with the Elmo Tickle Hands toy. Because they're so popular, they do have a tendency to sell out fast and if you're too late with your Christmas shopping, then you'll have to wait until next year to get your hands on this toy. The link listed here allows you to save 20% and you can see a more in-depth review of the hottest toy for Christmas 2009.(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tiffany_Dow)

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Berenguer Doll

Are Reborn Berenguer Baby Dolls Creepy?

Ever since their introduction in the early 1990's the high quality, super life-like dolls known as reborns have become popular all around the world. These dolls get their names because they are regular dolls completely redone to create a totally new doll that resembles a real baby. Thus, the original doll is reborn as this new creation.

The most popular beginning dolls for these unique creations are the world famous Berenguer dolls. Reborn Berenguer dolls dominate the market and represent some of the most high quality examples in the industry. Berenguer dolls have long been a name of quality in the doll business so it's no doubt why reborn artists choose to begin their work on these canvases.

For decades the Berenguer family of Spain has been making high quality dolls known throughout the world. The family's patriarch and master doll designer, Salvador Berenguer, based the detailed expressions of the doll's faces on the faces of his own children and then grandchildren. While Berenguer doll production has been moved to China, they still offer high quality dolls for both collecting and children's daily play needs.



The high quality offerings from the company are the most popular beginning canvas in the reborn world. Reborn Berenguer doll dominate the market, as a quick search of eBay clearly shows. The auction site has become the biggest market place for these dolls, eclipsing even doll shows. Amongst the thousands of auctions on the site reborn Berenguer dolls, kits or plain dolls can all be found.

In order to create a proper reborn doll, the artist must first strip the plaything of it's factory coloring. Most dolls, even Berenguers, come with a waxy orange colored vinyl coating. Using acetone or other harsh chemicals the factory coating is stripped away. The artist then begins to apply their own paint, layer by layer, to give the reborn a more life like appearance. While doing so they can add realistic details like veins to the doll.

After baking in the new paint skin on the doll, the reborn artists add hand blown glass eyes, individually rooted hairs and many other elements which make the dolls insanely life like. Some of these dolls look so much like the real thing that you can't tell the difference between the doll or a real baby until you are right up close.

Reborn Berenguer dolls are pampered and treated like members of the family by many owners. This can cause issues as people have called the police because of "babies" being left in cars. Police have broken windows to rescue these children or pulled drivers over for not having the proper safety seating for their child.(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Hansen)

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Mattel Dolls

Mattel Little Mommy Sweet As Me Baby Knows Dolls Toy Review

It's great; little kids, especially little girls, they love babies. Although they are barley older then babies themselves they love everything about them but they especially love to play with them. I know my daughter does.

Think back to when you were a little girl, you probably loved to play house too, pretending to be a mommy to your dolls. When you were you of course had to play with dolls, back then baby dolls did not do much of anything. You had to use your imagination and pretend that your baby doll was crying or eating or sleeping. Times they sure have changed. Young children now no longer have to settle for a simple baby doll. Instead, with Mattel Little Mommy Sweet As Me Baby Knows Dolls, your children can play house with a doll that looks and acts just like a real baby!

Mattel Little Mommy Sweet As Me Baby Knows Dolls are the latest innovation in toy technology on the market today. This new state of the art doll is completely interactive that will both teach your child academic information while allowing them to play house at the same time.




The Mattel Dolls are interactive in every conceivable way you can think of, here is just some of things the doll can do:

o Name their body parts when their hands are placed over them.
o Teach children Spanish
o Recite their body part names in Spanish as well as in English
o Play games
o Sing songs

The Mattel Little Mommy Sweet As Me Baby Knows Dolls are available in different races as well as gender. This allows kids to have options as well as the ability to have a doll that looks just like them.

So why not give your child the gift of learning and playing this holiday season. Mattel Little Mommy Sweet As Me Baby Knows Dolls have it all. Your child will spend hours learning and playing with their new bundle of joy for years to come. So what are you waiting for get one today!(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Byrd)

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Doll Patterns

Free Crochet Doll Dress Patterns

It is always fun finding free crochet doll dress patterns. They are fun to make and can be made up as simple or complex as your skill allows. I have seen patterns from basic little A lined dresses to beautifully detailed ball gowns. All created with yarn and a hook.

Both little girls and grown up gals love the Barbie dolls. The collectors always have an assortment of dolls in need of clothing. While many an afternoon has been passed with a Barbie Doll and a wardrobe. Children are crazy for the doll, especially the Barbie doll and when there is a large wardrobe, their imagination runs at full force.

Being able to crochet helps to save some money in these tight times, as the doll clothes can become very expensive. But if you can find one pattern than you have the beginning of many items. To make different type dresses with the one pattern, use different color yarn. You can lengthen or shorten the pattern. Add sleeves or make the dress sleeveless. All of these changes do not require a lot of work but you can create many different dresses for the wardrobe.

Fashion Doll Crochet

The extensive wardrobe design and the classic touch is not far away from your hands. There are lots of free crochet doll dress patterns available online. For people to start crocheting their own doll dress begin with a basic pattern. This will be a good money-saving technique, and at the same time, it could give your child, a nice little wardrobe for her doll.




Crocheting is fun and relaxing so you will have fun making the dress and your child will have fun playing with them. The internet today has millions of directories holding a Barbie or any other doll patterns you would be interested in. One could get lost just looking through these beautiful patterns.

Start to Your Home Business

Apart from acting as a good way to save money, crocheting them yourself would also be a way to save you money. If you become an expert in making these then you may even be able to start your own business and earn some profits too.

For anyone who thinks of starting a home business, than you will be looking at free patterns and designs. Be careful you do not violate any copyright laws. Many designers do not allow you to sell the items made from their patterns. Doll clothes niche is a fun one but it is far better to design you own pattern than it is to use the free crochet doll patterns. Remember to use the crochet patterns at the discretion of the publisher, as these may very well be copyrighted.(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Spangenburg)

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Doll Heads

How to Repair an American Girl Doll Heads

You gave your daughter an American Girl doll and it was love at first sight. The two are now inseparable. Whether it's a tea party or a jump on the trampoline, the doll is always in your child's arms. Now your daughter is in tears because her favorite toy needs repair. The good news is that you can fix minor problems yourself. (Major issues like a detached limb are best left to the manufacturer's doll hospital.) Here are some easy ways to fix your American Girl doll at home.

American Girl doll heads are held in place by strings tied at the base of the neck. Over time, the doll's head can be loosened by regular play. The head can even fall off with rough play. However both problems are easily remedied.Locate the knotted strings at the back of the doll's head where the neck and cloth body meet. Untie the knot. Check the strings for signs of damage, especially if the doll's head has fallen off. If the strings are damaged, you will need to send the doll to the manufacturer's hospital for string replacement. If the strings are fine, proceed to the next step.

If you are tightening a loose head, remove the head. Put it aside.Gently widen the neck hole on the cloth body. Make certain not to stretch the hole too far, so that the strings retract. Than Reach into the hole and carefully push the stuffing down.

Place the head into the hole. Gently press the head down firmly until the neck fits the hole and rests at base of the neck.

Tie the strings in two knots at the back of the neck. The doll's head should feel secure but still be able to turn. (http://www.ehow.com/how_2325684_repair-american-girl-doll.html)

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Fisher Price Doll

Fisher Price Doll House

Fisher Price is one of the most popular toy brands in the United States, and the house for dolls is a classic childhood favorite, so a Fisher Price dolls house is a great combination. These play houses inspire hours of creative, imaginative play, and acting out the routines of home can be a comforting form of play for a child. He or she learns concepts like sharing and social interaction, and can create situations and play them out time and time again.

So many of today's toys come with defined purposes, and television presents someone else's imagination. Lessons and team sports are great, but kids also need time to just play with no particular goal in mind. The creativity exercised in imaginative role play is actually a skill that will be used all their lives in finding solutions to problems, and seeing situations in their mind from start to finish.




Fisher price doll in particular are well suited to this kind of open-ended play. Children have miniatures of the objects they see and use every day, but they have the freedom to do with them what they want. For example, if they want to put the doll house potty in the kitchen, that's fine. Kids are also great at coming up with stories to go along with their doll house scenarios.

Fisher Price offers several designs of doll houses, from the Loving Family Classic Doll House, which retails for around $50, to the Loving Family Twin Time Doll House, which sells for around $60, to the Loving Family Sweet Sounds Doll House, which is more of a town house design and costs $70 or so. Fisher Price toys are made to handle a lot of wear and tear, so children will get years of use out of them. Families with multiple children can use these doll houses for younger children when older children outgrow them. A Fisher Price doll house is an investment in childhood that pays off in many ways.(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Mitchell_Ashton)

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Plush Doll

How to Store and Display Plush Doll

If you have kids, you have a ton of stuffed animals-I can guarantee it! And sometimes, that mound of stuffed toys can become overwhelming, especially when you're trying to keep your house tidy and save some space. Before your child's plush toys take over the second floor of your home, here are a few tips on displaying and storing these toys that would otherwise stay piled in a corner of the playroom.

One way to wrangle up a small number of plush toys is by using a stuffed toy hammock. As long as it is within reach of the children, you won't have to fetch a new one every five minutes when they decide they want a different stuffed animal after all. If you're dealing with a small number of plush toys, you could also display them on bookshelves and cubbies around their room or playroom, and then that way they also act as decoration as well. Another option is using a toy chest to store them when not in use, but this generally means that a child will have to dig all the way to the bottom to get the one they want-which can mean a mess of toys on the floor around the storage chest.




Small plush doll, like beanie babies, can always be put in a laundry bag and hung on a hook or on the back of a closet door. You can also store these in decorative baskets, display them on shelves and cubbies, or you can even store them in a shoe organizer on the back of the child's door-these are the perfect size for each shoe space.

Another option to wrangle up stuffed animals from your child's room is by using a plush doll chain that hangs from the ceiling and clipping the plush toys on, or you can also get a stand-up pole called a toy tree to hook the stuffed toys on. This is a great way to not only keep the mess at bay, but to also display them in a way that takes up a lot less room than a toy chest or toy hammock.

If you're looking to store a lot of smaller toys into one spot, a great way to do this is to place these toys into under the bed plastic storage containers. You can put the plush dolls in the container, pop the lid on, and slide it under the children's beds. This way, they are out of site but still easily accessible, even for the youngest kid in the household. Simply slide the container out from underneath the bed and you have all their stuffed animals within reach.

So stop letting that pile of stuffed animals intimidate you. With a little creativity and storage solutions, they will stop invading your home and will gradually come to love their new home on the chain or toy tree-whether the kids want them there or not!(http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_E_Bishop)

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Doll Molds

Guide Review - Review of Press Doll Molds for Polymer Clay Dolls by Patricia Rose Studio

Press molds are a simple way to begin making polymer clay dolls. Unfortunately, molds for porcelain dolls cannot be used as porcelain and other clays shrink when they are kiln fired.




Patricia Rose Studio produce a range of press molds for full dolls and various doll parts made from polymer clay. The doll molds range in size, several are suitable for 1:12 scale miniatures. The dolls all have an light, elegant style, and the molds are designed to be used by beginners.

To accompany the press molds there are also a range of instructional CD's at various levels to help you learn the craft of doll making. Sample pages from the instructional CD's are available on the web site so that you can decide if this form of instruction is for you.

I purchased the Tinkerbelle fairy mold after deciding this would be a good basic mold to work with for a young teenage girl. Teenagers are often hard to find in 1:12 scale. The proportions on the figure are excellent, and despite being listed as a fairy figure, the mold has no features which would cause you to think fairy rather than person when you see it. The mold comes with a sample armature, to enable you to produce extra armature for the dolls you produce. Dolls made in press molds are usually made with softer versions of polymer clay. Patricia Rose recommends ProSculpt for these molds. Wire armatures make the dolls easier to handle as you finish them and also give some strength to smaller parts as you pose the dolls.

The fingers and feet are molded, but fingers are not separated or fully finished so you will need to do some work or these sections of the figure after you remove it from the mold. For anyone who is worried about achieving the correct proportions for hands, arms, legs, feet, torsos or heads, these molds are a way to work on your doll skills while you develop an eye for correct proportions.(http://miniatures.about.com/od/dollshousedolls/gr/patrosepressrev.htm)

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