Farewell 2016!

We hardly knew ya! Actually we knew too much. Click the link and learn what is new with the dorkette of your dreams. Or nightmares depending. I'm not judging.

All My Toys: Enter the V

Dear Diary,

Whoa. It's been awhile. 2016 is over with though right? No. Almost over. We have a few more weeks. We can do this Diary! We can survive! It's been a crazy year. The toy world was thrust into a post apocalyptic mad world. Kinda at my own hands. Sorry world. I'm still kinda in hiding because the entire toy world hates the ground I walk on and probably wishes I'd just sit on a big rock. Or whatever. Count Chocula is president in what some are calling a rigged election at the hands of Cobra. A mess. I did get to star in the new Jaws 5 film. Not just star, but I actually got to become the lead role! It all happened so sudden. I was only supposed to be an extra but then somehow Mark Hamill the director saw a bigger vision and said, "Miss M, you will be the star of Jaws 5!" It was so unexpected. However I can't say anymore about the movie. We wrapped filming a little while ago. That's kinda why I've been so quiet on here. At some point soon they will release the behind the scenes super special making of the movie thing all about Jaws 5. You'll go behind the lens and really see how this highly anticipated sequel to the iconic Jaws series made it to the big screen. This will also be my chance to fall into the good graces of the world again. I'm tired of always leaving my home in secrecy. 

Oh Diary, there's one more thing. Bruce Wayne and I are struggling. We are both still in pain from the loss of our daughter Yvie. It's put a strain on our relationship. He keeps begging me to meet him in public for a real life date among other things cough-sexual relations-cough but I'm just not ready for (writes in a whisper) sex. Well... I guess I'm finally ready for the actual date though. It does look like I've been stringing him on a long while now. So that's it. I'm about to get ready to meet my weird boyfriend for dinner at Tres Bliss. Let the toy soap opera commence!

-Miss M

For the Honor of Justine Part 3

My conversations with inventor, toy designer, and illustrator Justine Dantzer continues with a look at her work involving Happy Meal toys for McDonald's. Click the link below to read her accounts with Barbie, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Animaniacs. More toy history is covered so let's get started!

Election Season 2016: April O'Neil's Rallying Halloween Bash!

Dear Diary,

Filming for Jaws 5 is going so slow. The first robotic shark caught fire and destroyed a set. Filming has been put on pause. The film's director Mark Hamill was caught in a political nightmare with the current election. He had personal emails in his account regarding information on presidential nominee Boo Berry and apparently everyone is freaking out. Something about the real reasons why Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute have been missing on shelves. So he has been taken away from the set to sort it all out. It's just crazy. I don't even know who will win. The candidates all seem so tasty this year. Anyways, it's also Halloween. So let's get into it!

-Miss M

Here and there, monsters everywhere!

It's that time of year where the forces of all things spooky are magnified more than any other time of the year! So the Pop Culture League offers this simple challenge:

Here there be Monsters. 'Tis the Halloween season!

Click the link and find out what I like that goes bump in the night.

She was blinded by the light

It's another week, which means another topic from the wonderful Pop Culture League. I have taken some time away from crafting my own life size wax Jaws figure to share my thoughts on the latest challenge:

Buying Blind: Who doesn't love gambling on a blind box or mystery package?

I have lots to say on the subject so click below to learn more!

Wax on glitter! Wax on!

Ya know what's sad to me? I've never been to a wax museum, which made me think I'd have a difficult time discussing this week's Pop Culture League challenge over at Cool and Collected. I think I got it though. Like Alexis Colby from Dynasty always says, "I adore a challenge." So just what was the topic exactly? Read it and watch it melt off your tongue:

The local Wax Museum is having a fire sale and you have the opportunity to add a life-size, life-like action figure to your collection. Who do you choose?

Well dear readers, click the link and let's find out who I went with.

Miss M Presents: Behind the Bite! (A look inside Jaws 5!)

Dear Diary,

In an effort to rebuild my public image so that I may join a team of so-so super heroes, I have taken orders by Nick Fury to appear in next summer's Jaws 5! I am on my way to the first read through with the ensemble cast and I am just freaking out. Jaws is a big deal for me, so to be a part of the cast is just the biggest dream come true. I can't wait to find out what they have in store! It's Jaws 5! Where have you been all my life?

-Miss M

Hey, I could be in the Olympics!

Like Jean Grey in a green and gold suit rising from some water, Brian over at Cool and Collected has brought back the League of Extraordinary Bloggers, which is now just called the Pop Culture League. Every week there is a new topic for us all to discuss. This week we are all pondering:

If _______ was an Olympic sport, I'd have a gold medal around my neck.

Let's see what I'm good at...

For the Honor of Justine Part 2

Ever wonder how the Princess of Power toy line began? I know I have, which is why I am thrilled to finally present the second installment of my conversations with Justine Dantzer, the woman who created the Princess of Power toy line. Click the link and learn all the fabulous secrets and stories along with some rare and breathtaking images of your favorite Princess of Power characters.

Diary of a Dorkette: Five Years!

Dear Diary,

You turn five today! Let's go for some ice cream and Dr. Pepper! My treat.

-Miss M

Miss M Presents: The 2016 Conference of Evil!

Dear Diary,

It's that time of year again. The time where people trek from all over the world to share in their love for similar things, like reading manual books on ruling the world or trading rare maps of super hero's lairs or even a place for collectors to come together and see what's the latest in villainous weaponry. It's a big deal. And supposedly I am the guest of honor for this year's Conference of Evil. I'm not quite sure what to think about that. I'm not innocent that's for sure. I left the toy world to face the real world and in my absence there was an apocalyptic nightmare. Everyone hates me as a result. Even after I brought the world back to it's regular balance! They still hate me! And now the villains of the world want to hear me speak. I just don't know diary. I just don't know.

-Miss M

All My Toys: We're Back!

Dear Diary,

Do you smell that diary? It's fresh non-apocalyptic air! That's right! The world has returned to normal. We're back baby! Cities look the way they once were. I'm somehow living in my old apartment again. This makes sense of course considering Wayne Manor was destroyed this past winter. It's like the perfect do-over! I'm back and things are better than ever!

-Miss M

All My Toys: Road Trip!

Dear Diary,

I love Mad Max. Those movies are wonderful. And while there might be a bit of a tarnished image of the man behind three of Max's outings, I still love the idea of a mashup of vehicles just tearing up the ground as foes and heroes fight. It reminds me of what I would do as a kid. I loved nothing more than recreating my own Mad Max style chases. I am not usually one to embrace adrenaline and action being such a girly vision before you, but I secretly like it. I secretly enjoy the danger and drama on the open road. So as I ride around in this big old dump truck with She-Ra behind the wheel, I can't help but think of the times where I'd pretend to be in a chain metal dress in a desert with my toys all around. Anyways, I've got to go diary. My life depends on it.

For now,

Miss M

Sushi Doll Surprise!

Check up on what is new and what to be expecting soon!

All My Toys: Wrap Up Already!

Dear Diary,

My journey is reaching an end. I am so very close to where I need to be. I don't know who will be meeting me at this looming castle on the horizon or who I will be talking to. The keys to my destiny are right at my finger tips! On a side note I am coughing up a bit of blood from my fight with my former lover turned psycho. Poor Bruce Wayne. Hopefully he'll realize the error of his ways. I can't fight him anymore. I just don't have it in me. Not anymore. Not after everything. I just want to find my place in the world. That's all.

-Miss M

For the Honor of Justine Part 1

I had the great honor of getting to speak with Justine Dantzer, a remarkable woman who has worked with numerous toy companies and toy lines. She has a variety of talents that have helped make our toy collections that much more special. Read on to learn more!

All My Toys: Everything Changes

Dear Diary,

This new world is not what I was expecting. Mountains are no longer made of rock but instead consist of boxes housing old relics known as toys. There are no natural sights on the horizon, only a giant wall with toys I used to know frozen in time on cardboard. Where once was a blue sky is now just a spackle white with flecks of glitter that resemble stars. I'm scared I'll never see real stars again. Everything is so weird. I have to make it right. Even if the world hates me, I must make it right.

-Miss M

Quick Update!

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a quick update on some posts I have in the works for the Diary. As usual I am currently working on photos for the next piece for All My Toys. This story was supposed to have concluded and toy Miss M was already going to be on her way to living in her fabulous toy apartment in a fabulous toy world where her only way to regain respect from the toys around her would be to join the cast in the making of Jaws 5. A fifth Jaws film is the key to world peace. I'm just saying.

The other projects I'm writing involve a series of entries detailing very special conversations with Justine Dantzer. Justine has a long storied career in the toy industry. She is a toy designer, sculptor, inventor, and illustrator to name just a few of her many talents. The amount of toy lines she has worked on and even had a hand in creating is simply astonishing. I want to explain more but I have to contain myself and save it for these series of articles. Needless to say communicating with her has been a dream that I never even knew I could have come true.

So stick around folks! Diary of a Dorkette is certainly heating up for the summer! I hope you are all doing well!

Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!

This week things have been right on Target. Check the link and find out what happens when you cross paths with me in a store.

All My Toys: That's A Turbocone 5000!

Dear Diary,

Far away from the real world, I'm finally back to my old world. A world full of toys and fun! Except nothing is fun anymore. In my absence, Cobra somehow took control and everything turned into a post apocalyptic toy world. I can't keep stressing the whole post apocalyptic world thing. If there's one thing I love it's a lot of cars speeding around in a wasteland. I blame Tina Turner. Either way, keep following the story. I'm in disguise under my super hero alias WoW since the world hates Miss M. I'm also en-route with my ex-boyfriend Michelangelo to meet some guy named Brian Farrell who apparently has information on my friend April O'Neil. This should be interesting. What could be so special about this guy?

Hopefully I'll Survive,
Miss M

Ahhh! They Do Exist!

What happens when a toy collector begins the process of organizing and simplifying her collection? For real this time? Well dear reader, she finds what she's been looking for the past number of months: a Fluppy Dog! This one is for you Nick Moose.

All My Toys: Enter Toy World

Previously on All My Toys,

Torn between two worlds, Michael Lynn (Miss M) found herself unable to cope with the realities of the "real" world and instead decided to travel back to Toy World. Unknown to her, Toy World is now under control by Cobra Commander. His forces of evil are working tirelessly to find Miss M and anyone who happens to support her. What will everyone's favorite dorkette do? Will she be able to save her friend and mentor April O'Neil? Or will this new Toy World be too much of a change? There's only one way to find out, click the link below and catch up on all the juicy melodrama!

Progress Report: Paint By Numbers Gets a Twist!

I am really trying my best to post more on a regular basis. It's working right? Right? This is just a brief update on the minor custom projects I have started on some Marvel Legends styled figures. The toy story stuff is still in the process of being finished. Those toy pictures really take up a lot of time.

My plans to start on my own custom Polaris Marvel Legends figure have gone bust. At least in terms of what I originally wanted to do. There's a wealth of Polaris customs out there that are just spot on to her various looks. I began to notice that my talents were more on the lazy side so my plans for Polaris now include making my own interpretation of the figure on a Scarlet Witch ML figure. They are sisters and in the great tradition of total shared repainted parts like Toybiz was famous for back in the day, it just seems like the right thing to do with sharing those parts. The mistress of magnetism is going to take a bit longer to actually complete.

With Polaris a bit on the back-burner, I also decided to take on the task of painting another figure, one who has been a part of All My Toys before: Gwen Stacy! A couple months ago the local Walmart had the new Spider Gwen Marvel Legends figure and that extra Gwen Stacy head sculpt was just begging me to find a new body for it. I don't like having extra heads rolling around the Archival Room. This is not Death Becomes Her. This is real life. Heads belong on bodies! Unless it's a brutal toy death scene. That changes everything.

So after a decent hunt through my local comic store I was finally able to grab an extra Rachel Summer ML figure which has the perfect design elements for Gwen Stacy. Here's a picture of my progress.

I've been using acrylic paint via brushes and marker to paint over the Rachel Summers attire with a more Gwen Stacy inspired look. I still don't know what I will do about the gloves and I am trying to sand the neck peg down a little so the Gwen Stacy head will pop on easily enough. My version of Gwen Stacy will be lacking her jacket. What can I say? I'm not perfect and I sure as heck will not try to make one. I can only really paint. That's it.

Anyways, I wanted to share this because I really love being able to do this from time to time. I find it therapeutic and with work and life just being busy and messy all the time it is nice to zone out painting toys. While chewing bubblegum.

Hope you guys are all doing well! I hope these figures will turn out super fun. Talk to y'all later!

All My Toys: Showdown!

Dear Diary,

I'm not meant for this world. I don't understand it. Sure I look like I belong, but looks are deceiving. I have a smile as big as Texas. I'm also a fan of M.A.S.K. so read into that what you can. I just don't get it. None of it. I have to return the key to my house I shared with my husband. Well I guess he is now my ex-husband. How in the hell does that happen? I was always scared the marriage would end but I hoped that was just my anxiety, ya know, nothing based in reality. I sort of knew though that it was not going to work. One knows. You just know. It's how it is. I tend to love too much while hoping for someone to love me just as much in return. It's never really worked. I bare my soul, things like secrets and lies are catnip to my anxiety. I have to confront him. I really want to just leave the key in the mailbox. Why not? He won't care. But he has to know. He has to know what he did to me. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. Before that though, I will do some toy shopping. If only to clear my mind. Yeah. That's it. Totally.

-Miss M

A Custom Whirlwind

Hey everybody! Just wanting to say hi. As I write this brief little post I am also simultaneously writing a new All My Toys. It has proven to be a difficult one and a rather personal entry for sure. I hope to have it up this week.

I also wanted to say that I am going to try my hand at another toy custom. I have repainted some figures in the past, but usually in the sense of changing a pair of boots from red to silver like with the Masters of the Universe Classics Catra figure. This time is different though. I am going to try and spruce up a figure into someone totally new. I have long waited for a Polaris figure to be made in the Marvel Legends line and have begun to realize I have more of a chance seeing a Mermista solo film in theaters than ever seeing a Polaris figure released by Hasbro.

There have been numerous custom Polaris figures made by people and they all look fantastic. It's very difficult to find a bad one. So mine might actually be the first. I am only partially joking. I am planning on taking a new Scarlet Witch ML figure and converting her into Polaris. This has been done before, but I want to do it with the look of Polaris from the late 70's and early 80's, with all the green and purple. We'll see how this turns out but so far I know I need some fine sanding paper, acrylic paints, and a steady hand. I've admired the custom figures from Hunter Knight Customs for ages now so he is a great source of inspiration. (Although let me be very clear, he gets into sculpting and really advanced stuff, I'm just going for a paint job.) I want to ask my fellow friends tuning in if there were any other tips I needed to know before really doing an over haul.

So let me know your thoughts and experiences with toy custom work. I know it can be a challenge, but I really have some fun ideas on getting this Polaris figure made.

Oh and before I forget, for all the folks who like truly outrageous sleepwear, head over to Target! They have Jem and the Holograms sleep clothes! I just found this out and I am loving everything. I have links below:

Jem short sleeve/pant set
Jem long sleep shirt
Jem and the Holograms group short sleeve/pant set

There ya have it, pajamas that are like a dream! They need to have some Misfits sleepwear. So much fun. Anyways, I hope you are all doing well. See ya soon!

All My Toys: Pop! Pop! It's Brian!

Previously on All My Toys...

The fantastic Miss M aka Michael Lynn left the comforts of her toy world to brave her real world working in the cosmetics department at Lacy's department store. Her co-workers and friends have been helping her through a disastrous divorce.

Of course not all is well in the toy world that Miss M once lived in. Everything has turned into an apocalyptic wasteland. Your favorite toys are in danger, particularly April O'Neil who is up for trial due to her friendship with Miss M. Can Miss Elizabeth and Ed find help to bring M back? 

Who knows what will happen, just click below to find out what happens next!

All My Toys: Dream a Little Dream

Click the link below to find out what is new with All My Toys!

All My Toys: Making Life Up

Dear Diary,

It's February. I still have not been given a regular position at Lacy's. I'm still considered seasonal. My fellow co-workers who were hired as seasonal around the same time as me have all picked up shiny positions with all the perks. I don't know what to do. I keep asking when I'll be given a solid position. It's stressful. I feel like I'm being given the run around, which is fine, I just need to know what to do. On a side note, my cheeks have never been rosier since I have an assortment of blush testers at my disposal. My secret is that I keep the new testers hidden so that I am the only one able to use them. I feel like there is something inherently wrong with this, but I'm barely scraping by so I'll be damned if my cheeks are going to suffer in a colorless world. There's always more going on, but I can't get into it all right now.

-Michael Lynn

Be Still My Puffy Heart

This is my favorite time of year. (I say that at least seven times throughout a given year.) Just click below and embrace my girly ways.

Hasbro's New Disney Mini Kingdom

With a new year comes new toys. Click the link and see what Hasbro has in store for the Disney Princesses.

Dorkette Catch Up!

It's that time again. Time for a quick check in. Let's dish the dirt with toy talk and more!

All My Toys: Powder Puff Girls

Dear Diary,

My toes are black and blue on account of working a series of long shifts in heels. I should have known better. I'm no longer a spring chicken. I can't wear these contraptions on my feet like I'm some kind of Barbie doll. I'm a human being. Anyways, aside from work I haven't been up to much. I've been neglecting my toy collection. I feel bad that everything is packed in boxes from the move back to my parent's place. I just can't return to my magical toy world. Right now I am stuck in the real world. And right, right now I need to get back to my counter because my break is up.

-Michael Lynn