Gumball Machine Fun: Homies

I am doing a lazy post tonight, you will understand when you see my post tomorrow.   I was going through some boxes and came across a handful of Homies.  Back in like 2003-2004, OMG! I could not pass a Homies gumball machine without stopping and getting at least 3 or 4.  I absolutely love these figures.   Over the years though, some of my Homie collection has gotten away.  I guess my kids have them somewhere, who knows?















This is my current collection: (left to right: (2) Budha, Grumpy, Laughing Boy, Scarecrow,  Conejo, Gato , Topo  (middle) Ice Block.   Now the one in the pink jacket with the blue pants is not a real homie.   He must be a  knock off Homie or possibly a Palermo (Homies Italian cousins)

Anyway, these figures were somewhat controversial when they first came out.    Many believed that they glorified a gang life style.   I never really saw them that way.   To me, they were like a re-magined   Fat Albert and the gang,   The line was revamped and each character was given a more "PC" back story.

The Homies website has a catalog of all 12 sets that is great for identifying your favorite Homies.   I haven't seen Homies in gumball machines in a few years now.  There are several that I hate I missed over the years.

Do you have any Homies?  Which one is your favorite?

Collection Picture Post- My top 10 unusual Star Wars Items

I was talking with some friends and I posed the question, "What are the top 10 unusual Star Wars items  you have in your collection?"      This was kind of a tricky question.   For example, we all have action figures, but,  Do you count the Stromtrooper that you carried 24/7 for most of your formative years?    or  Do you count those really rare items that only 10 were ever made and you had to win a contest to get?    or  Do you count a bootleg item your great aunt Sally found while on vacation in Mexico and brought it back to you as a souvenir?  

In a galaxy so mass produced, What makes a Star Wars item unusual?   It was hard to come up with items!    I chose my items based on several things.  1.)  Is the character overly popular like Vader or Fett or is it more of a supporting character?    2.)  How often do you see the item in someone else collection, on Ebay, etc?   3.)   How easy or difficult was it to obtain?
4.)  If it is homemade, how much, blood, sweat or tears went into making it? and lastly, 5.) Does the item have a sentimental attachment?

So here is my list, in no particular order:

Me with Tim Rose

1.) Admiral Ackbar costume-  There isn't really anything unusual about a costume.  But, I count this one for 2 reasons.  There are not many people who do Admiral Ackbar costumes, and even fewer who are women.   I get asked a lot, "Why did  you choose to do that costume?"    The answer is simply that I wanted to do a masked costume.   I have a Tusken costume, but I hate it.   The last time I wear it was very early on during my pregnancy and I thought I was going to die.    Not that Ackbar is much better with all the latex.  It doesn't breathe well.    I did attempt to wear Ackbar  early in my pregnancy as well, but only for short periods of time.     I have worn it since having my baby but I had extra weight I hadn't lost yet and some big boobs (see photo).   At the time,  it was really hard to strap them down like I usually do.     It is funny to see an Ackbar with some lovely lady lumps.  But, I had to wear it to meet Tim Rose.  The opportunity was too great to pass up.

The mask was purchased off of Ebay.    It was made by a guy in Utah, who made the mask to be used in a fan film.  The same guy has had other items on Ebay that were amazing.   The hands were purchased from another source, which my husband and I painted.

2.) Vintage footwear:  I bought this pair of Princess Leia Clark's shoes in 2000 off of Ebay.  The shoes have never been worn..  This was back in the day when my husband and I had just met, thanks to a Star Wars chat room.    So he had a front row seat to a lot of my unusual Ebay purchases.    A few of which have made this list.    He never really has understood why I go after certain items, I say why not?      The box is great! I love the vintage graphics.  I remember having shoes like these as a kid, but not as cool because they weren't Star Wars.  These shoes keep the 70's alive! They are complete with the an un-punched hang tag.   I am just waiting for the day that they will fit my daughter, no I am not going to let her wear them.  I just would like to take a picture of her trying them on.

3.) Marketing booklets-    I have 2 of these marketing booklets for the Phantom Menace.  One is from Walmart.  It diagrams all of their toy displays and cross promotional items.  It is amazing to look at and see how much retail space Star Wars took up in 1999.    The second book (not pictured) that I have is from KFC.  It talks about the game promotions, collector cup sells, and kid's meal toys.   And, of course, how the employees are supposed to encourage extra purchasing.   When my husband and I first got married, he worked for 11 KFC stores and traveled between them.   It was also great because he had access to their storage building.   One day, he called me and said I am bringing home some Star Wars leftovers.  He got to bring home leftover cups, toys, and display pieces.

4.) Macrame  R2-D2 towel holder-   This is another one of those crazy finds off of Ebay.   This thing is all things great about the late 70s, early 80s. Macrame and Star Wars!!  All wee need is some shag carpet.   I picture somebody's Aunt Shirley making the macrame and painting the R2 for an awesome Christmas gift.    The R2 is one of those paint your own pottery pieces.   I remember my mom and her sisters doing stuff like that. before cool places like Hearts of Clay popped up.    The place they went was in the basement of somebody's house. It was kind of creepy.

I love kitchy stuff so this was perfect for me!

R2-AL and my favorite Vader (my husband)

R2-AL with the Team Fox Delorian
 2010

5.) R2-AL  We built our own R2 unit.   Not everyone has the means or interest to build their own R2 unit.  My husband decided he wanted to tackle the project.  It has taken 4 years of working on it on and off.  Yes, there were some blood, sweat, and tears involved.  But in the end it was a worth while project and we love it.   R2-AL is named for our family and we jokingly call it our 4th child.   He greets everyone at the front door of our home.

6.) Bootleg china thimbles  from England-  Yet again another Ebay purchase.   I won almost all of the thimbles that the seller had listed.  Only the C-3PO got away.    These are from the late 70s, early 80s.    What makes these interesting is that there is one with Tarkin and one with Dodonna.  None of the licensed memorabilia from that time period featured these characters.    Solo looks  cromagnon, it isn't very flattering.

7.)  Stormtropper Room Guard from the soap opera Port Charles.   From 1996-2008 Disney held an event at MGM Studios called Super Soap Weekends.   Think Star Wars weekends, just with soap opera actors from the shows on ABC.   You could meet the actors and get autographs.  One of the greatest things about Super Soap Weekend was a little store that was set up called, Soap Central.   You could purchase costumes and props from the different shows.   My sister and I were regular attendees of SSW and I would drop a large amount of money in Soap Central.

 I purchased the Stormtrooper in 2000.  When I saw it sitting in the shop, I knew I had to have it.   It was used as a prop on Port Charles.   The story line was that Neil, a young kid had leukemia.    He was also a Star Wars fan.   In his room, you would randomly spot Star Wars items.   The trooper is actually one of the electronic room guards that has been weathered.

8.  12 inch Princess Leia doll-   Ok, so I know you are probably saying there is nothing unusual about that.   Well, this doll is mine.  I have had her since I was 3 years old.   Santa brought her and the 12 inch Luke that year for Christmas.   Here is my sentimental favorite.  I had this nervous tick or oral fixation. I am not exactly sure what you would call it. I just know that I would chew on my dolls and well, I ate her foot off.  I am not proud of this, but I love this doll just the same.    

9.  Star Wars Attack on Reading  I got this book off of Ebay also.  The copyright for this book is 1979.  It is a book to help students with reading comprehension.   You know, you read a passage and then answer questions about what happened in the story.    Being that I am a preschool teacher, I love stuff like this.

Ackbar protesting the local Long John Silver's

10.) Admiral Ackbar bowling pin-     So kitchy Star Wars craft items have made the list more then once.  But, who doesn't want an Admiral Ackbar bowling pin?   I made him for a contest our local county fair sponsored last year.   I thought for sure the squidy awesomeness would at least place, but noooo!  Admiral Ackbar was beat out by a bowling pin sock monkey and a crappy farmer!  Whatever, I am over it!  So now he makes an awesome bookend and part time activist.


What are your favorite or unusual Star Wars items?   Feel free to leave a comment or if you feel like doing a post on this topic, please share your link.  I love to see what other people have in their collections.

Thrift Finds- Half price bags o'fun

Monday was another one of those days at the local Goodwill when everything in the store is 50% off.  I never really do well on these days.  I don't know if  I come at the wrong time, they aren't putting a lot out.  I don't know what it is,  I only find maybe 1 item, if I am lucky.   I stood in the check out line for almost 30 minutes because the lady in font of me had a cart full.   She bought 10-15 formal  dresses, kid's clothes, women's clothes, men's clothes, shoes.  I mean you name it she had it in the cart.    All I had was a couple bags of fun.   There were a couple of times I considered putting the back, but I hung on.

So were the bags worth it?   It depends.  After weeks of no ponies, one finally turned up.   It was Shell-Bell, a G3 shimmer pony.

Some of the other notable items I got out of the bag are pictured below.



Admittedly, I pick and choose and repack the bags o'fun.   But because of time and the crowds, I didn't do that much re-packing.   I got excited because I thought I had found an Arcee that was in good condition.
As a general rule, I usually stay away  from the newer  Transformers  because they are always missing a leg or arm or head.   I thought she looked ok.  But,  on closer inspection she was missing a leg.   So now I have this really cool looking one legged motorcycle.    I should have learned my lesson with the newer version of Ravage from a bag o'fun.

For the time being, I will keep her.  Hopefully, I can find a leg or make her a leg.



It has been a couple of weeks since I got my first kung-fu kangaroo from Warriors of Virture.    I finally blogged about Yun  this past weekend.     Then I found the kangaroo Yee this week .  At the rate I am going and if I am lucky, I should be able to find the last 3 by the end of the month.   The movie isn't that great, but the figures have grown on me.   They have some substance and are really well sculpted.    I figure he and Rock'em Sock'em can be sparring buddies.



There were some assorted small figures but I didn't bother taking pictures of them.   I might post about them at a later time.

The last item of worth for the week is this little Transformer .  I traded to get him.  The person I traded didn't know anything about Transformers and threw it in as a bonus item.  But, I am having trouble identifying it.  It is really small, so, I am not sure if it is a companion bot to a larger  Transformer or if it is a mini bot.   It is marked Hasbro and Takara but no year.    If anybody can identify it I would greatly appreciate it.

Memories from Kindergarten- Fisher Price A frame house

I remember when I was in preschool & kindergarten, it was a simpler time.   When my son started kindergarten he would come home talking about his Spanish class or what they did in computer lab.    I just remember  coloring, playing, and eating snack.     Snack time was great too.   Remember getting those little flower cookies that you could put on your fingers.   What I loved  best was after snack, we could choose a center to go play in.

One of my favorite toys from my preschool & kindergarten years was the Fisher Price A frame house.  I never had one of my own,  so at school I was all over that house.    I was fascinated by it. Its aqua  blue shingled roof and a balcony, who wouldn't want to live there?   It was a magical little house.  There is just something about it,  even now as an adult I can't put it into words.

 Fisher Price really captured  all things Swiss Miss and Heidi rolled into one house. The rustic interior and Bavarian balcony are charming.  I think it was supposed to be some sort of ski lodge or vacation home.    I can imagine this A frame built today on the side of a mountain with an amazing view of snow capped mountains.  

The braided rug reminds me of one that my aunt had in her living room.   I hated her's because it wasn't very soft.  It was never comfortable to sit on the floor on that rug.   It is funny how a little sticker can trigger a memory.  

I have had this little house for a few years.   I bought it at the Goodwill when my son was really young.   There it sat in all its 70's splendor.  Of course,  it is missing the patio and no furniture but for $1.50, I said SOLD!!   Yes, I was recapturing something from my childhood.  All of my children have since played with it.   My husband asked me if I was ready to re-donate it.    I said NO!  I love that house.   Plus, I need a place for my little Playmobile peeps to crash.  They look right at home.  

Found another BIg Bang Theory costume card- Raj

I picked up another Big Bang Theory costume card.   This time I got Raj's cream shirt card.   This will go nicely with the Sheldon costume card I got a few weeks ago.

League of Extraordinary Bloggers- Trading Post Assignment

This is my first time posting with the League of Extraordinary Bloggers.   I started my blog in January of this year when a new Goodwill store opened near my work and found some G1 Transformers.   I try to make weekly trips there just to see what I can find. And, well...   it seems like I always find something.     I end up with  leftovers once I decide what I want to add to my collection.   So, I love this week's assignment!  These are some of the items that I just don't have room for in my collection for various reasons. I would love to find them a new loving home.   I wish I had some better items for trade right now, but this is what I have currently.    If you see anything that you might be interested in, just comment below and we can  work out something.

   Pictured below:  Despero, The Shadow, the blue & white guy is. a Visionary figure, Heromine and Professor Snape, a Beastman, TMNT , Punisher and Jango, and a couple random Lanards.

A few years ago at a convention, we picked up this huge bag of GI Joe butts and guts.   You can see in the picture, my husband and one of his friends sorting and trying to identify whose parts they are.  Out of the bag, we put together about 30 whole joes, but I have parts for about 30-40 more joes, some even with accessories.

We have put as many of the parts in groups and wrote on the bag  the year, character and what parts are  missing.    I thought I would list a few of these up for trade.   There are some that for some reason we couldn't identify the character they went to.

The bags I pulled out are for the following:

* 1986  Beach Head- needs a back torso plate and waist.

*1991 Lt. Falcon- needs waist and leg

*1992 Wetsuit - needs waist

That is just a sample of what I have.  If there is a certain Joe you are looking for, just ask.
Chances are I have the  parts.   I really would love to clear some of these out.  

Make me an offer,  l am open to pretty much anything.     I love robots, Star Wars, Ghostbusters and girlie stuff too, like MLPs.

Thanks for stopping by my blog this week!   I am really looking forward to contributing to the League.

Check out the offerings of other League members this week:

Stunt Zombie has a Transformer I am interested in.

And don't forget to check out the main post for this week's assignment.    You can check out everyone's links.   There are some really great items up for trade this week.

Collection Post- The A-Team

The 80's had not only great toys but it also had great TV shows.   With the A-Team being one of the best.   I remember my dad loving that show.   If we had gone out to eat or the store, we had to be back home in time for him to watch the A-Team.    It is also one of my husband's favorite tv shows.  He has the show intro as  a ring tone on his phone.

The opening to show is one of the best.

I thought that I would share mine and my husband's A-Team collection (well, really my husband's but I try to contribute to it).  My husband doesn't have any of his toys from his childhood.  So finding something that recaptures childhood for him makes me happy.

 It isn't a huge collection by any means.  But, we do have a nice set of the larger scaled figures.  (Hannibal, Face, Murdock, B.A, and Amy Allen)    One of the Murdock figures was actually rescued from a bag o' fun.    My husband doesn't get excited over anything I find at the Goodwill, but he was that day.

We also have a few figures from the A-Team movie and the Hot Wheels A-Team van.   I am hoping that I can pick up another van soon.   I would like to display an open one with my other tv/movie Hot Wheels.    You might be wondering about the bowling pin Mr. T.  He was our entry in a bowling pin decorating contest.   Sadly, he didn't win.  Not even an honorable mention.

For my husband, the Holy Grail for this collection would be the van.    I keep looking for one because I would love to surprise him with it!