Lost my head again

[Melaine]

I bought the biggest doll house in history with absolutely no hesitation or forethought. Looked it up online and found out it is a 1978 Barbie dream house.

DD was amazed when she saw it at goodwill, probably because it was bigger than her:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1978-BARBIE-A-FRAME-DREAM-HOUSE-FURNITURE-/120592128935?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c13d9dba7

It's dirty and has no furniture but for $7 I thought we could play with it outside or something. DUDE. It is BIG. 4' x 3' x 15".

It is a really cool house and I love the orange and yellow. I'm thinking we might make furniture for it (like out of cardboard and stuff). DH was THRILLED as you can imagine.

So....any deals on furniture or ideas for DIY?:rotflmao:

[elephantmeg]

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[egoldber]

Awesome! I had this one from the same era and I LOVED it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-BARBIE-TOWNHOUSE-1973-W-BOX-FURNITURE-7825-/300441022235?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f3ae2f1b

Here's the furniture for the townhouse and I think it would go with the A frame house too. ;)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Barbie-Townhouse-Doll-Furniture-/380246285581?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588871dd0d

[WatchingThemGrow]

oMgosh...I, seriously, JUST saw this an hour ago at a boutique doll shop across the street from our house. DD and I went to the thrift shop and stopped in the little stores nearby. The place was full of all kinds of dolls, and that thing was in there, looking all big and fun. There was also a pool house or some other accessory building nearby. Wonder how much the one at the shop was...maybe I'll let you know next time I'm over there.

[clc053103]

Oh what happy memories you have brought back for me!! I had the dreamhouse- fully furnished including the flushable toilet!!! Yes that thing was HUGE!

I wonder if there's a current barbie house you could furnish with? There's lots of dream house furniture on ebay as well- some if it is authentic to that house,including the pink and green striped living room furniture. Soo cool. and the bathtub/toilet combo. But wow the prices!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Barbie-Dream-House-Furniture-Lot-Living-Room-77-/180529525742?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0865f3ee

http://cgi.ebay.com/1979-Barbie-Dream-House-Bath-Tub-and-Toilet-/370404758755?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item563dd814e3

[DebbieJ]

OMG I remember playing with that in my friend's basement. AWESOME SCORE!!!!!!

[egoldber]

Sigh. Wishing I had all my old Barbie things. My favs....

the Country Camper: http://cgi.ebay.com/1970-Mattel-Barbie-Country-Camper-w-Box-Extras-Clean-/190414449611?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5595ebcb

Surprise House: http://cgi.ebay.com/HTF-VINTAGE-1972-BARBIE-SUPRISE-DOLL-HOUSE-w-BOX-more-/360278371937?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e243ae61

(I always thought this was called the Country House, but this is definitely the one I had)

the Dream Boat: http://cgi.ebay.com/Collectible-1970s-Barbies-Dream-Boat-Chris-Craft-/150463827034?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230857cc5a

[nrp]

Sigh. Wishing I had all my old Barbie things. My favs....

the Country Camper: http://cgi.ebay.com/1970-Mattel-Barbie-Country-Camper-w-Box-Extras-Clean-/190414449611?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5595ebcb

Surprise House: http://cgi.ebay.com/HTF-VINTAGE-1972-BARBIE-SUPRISE-DOLL-HOUSE-w-BOX-more-/360278371937?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e243ae61

(I always thought this was called the Country House, but this is definitely the one I had)

the Dream Boat: http://cgi.ebay.com/Collectible-1970s-Barbies-Dream-Boat-Chris-Craft-/150463827034?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230857cc5a

I had the Camper and the Dream Boat, too - I would always play "Love Boat" with my Barbies!

[KrisM]

Awesome! I have a house that big, but it's made by my dad and carpeted in shag carpet with wallpaper of big flowers.

[MamaMolly]

Awesome! I had this one from the same era and I LOVED it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-BARBIE-TOWNHOUSE-1973-W-BOX-FURNITURE-7825-/300441022235?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f3ae2f1b


OMG! THis was ours. Loved, loved, loved it!!!!!!!!!! Played with it forever. I remember pulling really hard on the elevator string and getting that funny burning plywood smell. Good times!

[dylansnan]

Wow- awesome!!! My sister and I had the same one :D It has been gone a long time, but I do have all my barbies and accesories- somewhere.....

[DietCokeLover]

You find such cool things!

[Melaine]

Beth, that furniture is so cute! And I love the boat! I guess I will start hitting yard sales for furniture....or maybe get lucky and find some good stuff at a decent price on ebay.

After cleaning it up, it really doesn't look bad. Missing the plants and a door and a couple windows. But I think for it's age it looks pretty good! I'm starting to doubt my idea of keeping it outside now that I did the work of scrubbing it down really well. And realizing that it really is "vintage" makes taking it outside sound like a bad idea. I would totally leave it in the girls room if we HAD room. Ugh. I think we need to move to a bigger house just to accommodate this dollhouse.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I had the townhouse...loved it!!! My bf had the 80's Barbie Dream House and that was sweeeeett!! I had the best Barbie kicthen- smelled like vanilla. There are days I wish I had a girl.

Beth

[Melaine]

Ack! Look at this furniture!http://cgi.ebay.com/Vtg-70s-BARBIE-PUFF-N-PLAY-Blow-Up-Doll-FURNITURE-Lot-/160428664115?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255a4b2533

[Maggie'sMom]

I soooo had that furniture in the 80s. Can't decide if I want DD to like Barbies or not. Wish I still had all my old stuff though. Between my sister and I we had a huge collection.

[Melaine]

Can't decide if I want DD to like Barbies or not.

I'm right there with you. Actually, I know I don't want them to like Barbies. They don't have any Barbies, or know the name. After I set up the house yesterday they were playing with Schleich animals and hotwheels cars in it! I'm tempted to check Target and see if the Only Hearts Club stuff is on clearance....
They LOVE Calico Critters (at the store) but I guess they might look a little funny in the big house!

[Meatball Mommie]

I had the 1976 camper (a little different than the camper linked to in pp) and my BF had the dream house! These pics brought back some awesome memories :) I sooo wanted the dream house, but we had no room for a toy that big. My BF's mom was a huge garage sale shopper and got a great deal on hers. I don't think she had any furniture either and we just improvised with stuff from around the house and made our own.

eta: I found the 'Vette I had...so 80's ;)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1983-Barbie-Car-SilverVette-/140424129106?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b1ee2a52

and the canopy bed
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1982-Mattels-6-pc-Dolls-Pink-Canopy-Bed-/220610640329?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335d6b39c9

[Roleysmom]

That is a totally awesome (as DD1 says) score! Good for you! I love the idea of the calico critters in the giant house!

I'm ambivilant too about DD playing with Barbie (she still doesn't have one and is eight) but I really did enjoy it. This is the house I had:

http://www.ladollshouse.com/1960s-barbie-doll-house.html (No, I'm not that old. A neighbor with older kids gave it to me.) The furniture was sturdy cardboard. I spent so many hours playing with that house. I wish I still had it.

I also had the airplane, that I loved, loved, loved. It wasn't exactly this one, but kind of like it: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1972-Barbie-Friend-Ship-Airplane-/150463490812?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230852aafc

Does anyone remember the Dawn dolls? They were my stewardesses, LOL!

Congrats on a great find! Your DDs will have hours and hours of fun!

[boolady]

Awesome! I had this one from the same era and I LOVED it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-BARBIE-TOWNHOUSE-1973-W-BOX-FURNITURE-7825-/300441022235?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f3ae2f1b

This is the one I had, too. My younger sisters later had the dream "cottage," which was really just the dream house on a smaller scale, but man, I loved that townhouse with its elevator!

[sadie427]

Would the Ikea dollhouse furniture fit in there? It might look kind of cool and it mitigates the girliness a bit . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280497889419&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=M*F%3F&GUID=f141391e1250a0e202b1c1c1fafdd4db&itemid=280497889419&ff4=263602_263622

[Melaine]

Would the Ikea dollhouse furniture fit in there? It might look kind of cool and it mitigates the girliness a bit . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280497889419&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=M*F%3F&GUID=f141391e1250a0e202b1c1c1fafdd4db&itemid=280497889419&ff4=263602_263622

That looks really cute....does Ikea still sell it?

[elliput]

Ack! Look at this furniture!http://cgi.ebay.com/Vtg-70s-BARBIE-PUFF-N-PLAY-Blow-Up-Doll-FURNITURE-Lot-/160428664115?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255a4b2533

:ROTFLMAO: That's the set I had! There was a blow up swimming pool set too.

[egoldber]

I remember I had some blow up furniture, but not that set.

[fortato]

I'm a little sad that I remember when it debuted.... now it's "vintage".

[jenfromnj]

OMG I had that same dollhouse back in the day and LOVED it! It was a Christmas gift from my grandparents, and I can remember walking in and seeing it there near the tree (since it wouldn't fit under the tree, LOL), realizing that it was for me and freaking out with excitement. It was the best thing ever, and it took up an entire huge section of the big room I shared with my sister when we were really small.

[DrSally]

$7, well, it's worth it if the girls enjoy it for awhile. I'm sure you can get it clean with a hose and a toothbrush.