Retro Week: Happy Valentine's Day from Tenderheart Bear

Since I've done the traditional collage of action figure couples and doll couples in years past, I thought that this year I would mix it up by sharing a 1980's Care Bear (in both his plush and figure forms) who is covered in hearts!

Retro Week: Random Toys of the 80s

I just got back from a weekend in Toronto, so it's time for another retro week post!

Does anyone remember what these toys were called?
They have articulated arms that move up and down
when a button on their base is pressed.
Thanks to an anonymous commenter we have an answer: He's a Hub-Bub! 

Clearance Shopping at Hancock Fabrics

I'd actually never heard of Hancock Fabrics (a US fabric and craft chain) until someone on the American Girl Collector's forum mentioned that they were going out of business - a quick search told me there was one not too far from me, so I decided to check them out.

The place was in chaos, so I actually didn't realize how reduced some of the items were - as it turns out, all of their pattern packets were selling for $1.25.  Not realizing that was the final price I only picked up a couple of things, but now I'll definitely need to go back - and if you live near one, it might be worth checking out!

Two of my purchases: patterns for outfits for AG-size dolls,
and for plush mermaid and pirate rag dolls.

May the Fourth Be With You (opening up the Star Wars crochet kit)

My sad attempt at crochet from 2008: Yoda is not impressed

It's May the fourth, which means you can expect a day filled with Star Wars puns!  Rather than inflict more of them upon you, how about we take a closer look at the Star Wars crochet kit that I mentioned in last month's project post? Nothing wrong with two days in a row of project updates, right?

Back in 2008, I actually found a free crochet Yoda pattern online and gave it a try. Unfortunately (probably since I'd never crocheted anything before) I didn't manage to complete it (as I recall, the end result looked more like a tangled blob than anything else).  But since then I've taken a class (although to be honest, the blanket I made for the class assignment was no work of art either), and this time around I have a book that promises step-by-step instructions.

I haven't gotten very far with it yet, but let's take a closer look at the kit itself, shall we?