Friday, January 25, 2013

2013 Barbie Glam Furniture Sets

As seen at Walmart for a price of $17.97:


You cant see it in the photo, but the table top has a kind of teal mosaic design. I'm feeling rather ambivalent about this set.  I like elements of it, the chairs in particular, but some parts are so garish and over the top.  Maybe if I was a little girl I would think this was the business.


I would rather they bring back the chaise lounges than to see this bedroom set again.  It looks so uncomfortable and kinda Disney-ish (not that there's anything wrong with that).  And why does she have shoes in the bed?  Did elves leave them?


The vanity sink is excellent and I wouldn't even recolor it, but that tub and toilet do nothing for me.


The other Glam sets to be released.

I tell myself that I have to stop viewing these sets as an adult and regard them as a preteen might and then perhaps they would seem more palatable.  However, that doesn't hold true when I see Monster High sets.

Image via Mattel

Image via Mattel

Look how awesome!  How can Mattel produce such cool sets for Monsters but continue to give Barbie the same contrived mess?  The Scaris Cafe was $22.97 at Walmart and rather worth it I'd say.  Not that I'd pay that much, of course.

BigLots usually gets the Barbie furniture sets without a doll which bumps the price down to $12.99 and wait for a 20% off sale you'll get it for $10.39.  Way more reasonable.

And, on an unrelated note, my closest Walmart is no longer open 24 hours! I was shocked when I saw the sign that hours were now 6am to 12 Midnight.  Not all my area Walmarts were open 24/7 as some close at 11pm.  For the last 13 years though I have gone to this particular Walmart at 2am to do my shopping - no more.  That's a whole lot of work hours gone for staff who needed it. :(

32 comments:

  1. I am glad to see the glam sets marked down. I like the sink in the bathroom set and might purchase it if the sets go down lower. I like the all little accessories sets too like th microwave set. I haven't seen them much lately. They really are doing great things with MH! I think they are trying to tempt me!:)

    For me, the best time for toy buying was the first few days after Christmas at the super markets! They need to get rid of the toy stuff faster than anyone else. The Barbie dinner date set was 7.50(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/BARBIE-Dinner-Date-Night-Dining-Room-Set-and-DOLL-Table-and-Chairs-NEW-IN-BOX-/00/s/MzAwWDMwMA==/$T2eC16FHJF0E9nmFQWrIBQs!9VQEUw~~60_35.JPG) and I got two! The Hunger game doll was 7.50! I got two of them also. I kept the body of the hunger game dolls (articulated) for donors and one of the fashions and sold the head clothing and arrows and made money! I have sold and am selling the dolls and dish from the dinner date set. I am keeping 4 chairs and one table. I want to pant the chairs black. The sweet spot price wise for me is under $10.00! Yes, I am cheap!

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    1. Ms. Leo, even if someone isn't a Monster doll fan, I think they could get behind the Monster play sets. They are a bit much, but there's an innovation there that is appealing.

      I wish I would have seen that Hunger Games doll for $7.50! That's a freaking awesome price for her.

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  2. I really want the washer and dryer. I love mundane household stuff:D

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    1. LOL, Miss Lola! And this time the washer and dryer are stackable. Even our dolls are trying to save space!

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  3. Hello from Spain: I agree with you. For Barbie furniture furniture is artificial and the Monsters is awesome. I bought the coffee shop in December of Monsters. I love it. Anyway, the first picture of the Barbies, I love the table. In my country are not yet on sale in stores this news of Barbie. Keep in touch

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    1. Marta, I saw in your diorama that you had the Monster Coffin Bean shop! That's a great set. Congrats!

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  4. The sets are starting to show up here as well. Target has the playsetts w/o the doll on sale for $10.86 through next week I believe. I only want the vanity, laundry and refrigerator sets.

    I agree with you all the MH sets are killer! I love them! I am waiting on the coffin bean to get reduced. It looks like I will be doing just test waiting. Lol! I have never seen not one clearance MH item other than clothes. Maybe I will get it for my birthday.

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    1. Georgia Girl, I have never ever, EVER caught a Monster play set on clearance. I was surprised to get a few of the single fashionS on clearance at Target last year. I guess their stuff is just that popular.

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  5. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡¡ realmente esos conjuntos de barbie son demasiado coloristas... es cierto que el lavabo es lo mejor. son demasiado rosa chic para niñas....
    Mi hija tiene la cafeteria monster high y es genial, la silla roja es maravillosa... yo se la quiero quitar para mis muñecas jajajjajaja
    un beso

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    1. Hola, Sarai! Es muy bueno que tu hija tiene la cafetería. Eso es un enorme conjunto. Ella debe estar disfrutando mucho! Gracias por la visita.

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  6. Ugh, Barbie. I mean, I almost feel sorry for her, having to model all those hideous roomsets when the Monster High dolls get such mega detailed stuff.

    I'm totally with you on the dining room chairs, those are great. (Without the pink, natch) but the rest of the dining room, WOW. Can we revive the term Hot Mess to describe that lamp and table base? A bow? What? What kind of reality is Barbie living in these days?

    All the Glam stuff is so over the top. Of course, maybe if my vacuum cleaner & laundry room were Glam, I wouldn't mind chores so much.

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    1. LOL, Smidge Girl! My vacuum cleaner could be covered in rubies and poop diamonds and I still wouldn't want anything to do with it.

      I don't think Barbie was in touch with reality from the get go. She cant even hold one job for any length of time much less make design choices.

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  7. The glam sets are not so special. I like some elements though, especially in the bathroom set. I LOVE the Monster High sets, I totally need that Scaris Cafe but even if it does get released here it's going to be very expensive :c
    I'm sorry about the Walmart :/

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    1. Hi, Tali! The Monster High sets are much too expensive for me. Even though I think they have great content, I cant let myself pay so much for them.

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  8. Hello! I dont like Barbie's v much, the chairs are OK but the rest is just meh, MH's are deff better.
    However, there is only few things from monster's set that I would love to have: the armchair and that little bench-its adorable.
    You are right-it is suprising how one line of dolls is pretty dull and the other manages to catch our attention.
    Thou after watching latest dolls of Monsters I feel they are lacking something...I hope that Mattel will work on them harder cause right now I fell they are more "high" than "monster".

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    1. Hey there, MM! Clawdeen is the only Monster I collect. I kept waiting for them to release a Cleo that I liked but she does not seem to be in production any more. I have not wanted any of the newer Monster types they have released. I'm not knocking their creativity, they just didn't do it for me.

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    2. Rochelle. Propably the only monster that i really like to adopt-not that rest is bad ofc.
      Yea, i wish they would make more Cleo's doll-she is so evil and cute.

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  9. I agree with you, I don't understand why Mattel does such gorgeous Monster sets and leave Barbie with the worse ones, as if they didn't care...

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    1. Rossetti, I don't know if it's because Barbie has a much wider audience and therefore more products to sell and so they go the cheaper route to meet demand. Even the Monster dolls themselves are more expensive than Barbies.

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  10. All that glittered pink and purple hurt my eyes! @_@

    Maybe Mattel thinks Barbie has hidden talents from Indian fakir considering the most of her bed are made of hard plastic, btw I want soooo bad that super cool Post Mortem Cafe!!! Clawdeen is freakin' cute!!

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    1. Sergio, one thing I noticed is that unlike last years sets, these were not incrusted with glitter. So in that respect it's a good thing. On the other hand, the design work is not the greatest.

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  11. We've been saying it for a while now. Can someone please tell Mattel PRE-TEENS ARE NOT THEIR ONLY CUSTOMER of non-collectible items.

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    1. Hiya, Mustiwait! I guess that BarbieCollector.com is for adult consumption and playline is for the kids. However, Mattel acts like kids have no taste.

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  12. I haven't been keeping up with babs playsets so am super pleased to find your post so I can see them all at a glance. Some of the pieces have possibilities but would only buy them on sale because of how much I would have to disgard.

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    1. Hi, Roville! Yes, getting any of these sets on clearance is the only way to go.

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  13. Hi Mu :)
    I usually don't like furniture for Barbie. Too much pink. Very rarely, I can see something cool. When my daughter was little, I made her furniture...
    Greetings from Poland ;)

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    1. Marille, too bad that pink is my least favorite color. Maybe if it was I would have more Barbie stuff.

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  14. The only thing that is to die for cute and must have is the table, too bad I got two Barbie tables for Christmas. But I have the intentions of getting my hands on the Monster High Coffin Bean and Scaris Cafe playsets.

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    1. Tracey if you get the Monster High sets please post some photos!

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    2. Okay sure will.

      I showed my mother the picture of the dinning set the other day, I was nagging about those ridiculous bows, but then she said "just think mad chatter tea party." I then said "oh yeah." She then exclaimed "I don't know why you didn't think of that in the first place." And with that point of view in mind I know I have to get it. ;)

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    3. Mad Hatter Tea Party! I can totally see it used for that, Tracey. Your mom has a good eye!

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    4. I'll tell her you said that, and since most of that stuff is pretty loopy you could probably make a made hatter house.

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