Saturday, September 27, 2014

Barbie Townhouse: Lights, Sounds & Screwups




It was really bugging me that the TV in my Townhouse wouldn't go back down properly so I tried to "fix it." ^_^


No narration in this video because my throat is sore and I didn't type out the captions in the blog post because too many things only reference what can be seen in the video.

46 comments:

  1. Ok, first of all...I'm gonna need you to bottle up some of your patience and sell me some from Etsy cuz ain't no way I'd be fooling around to that degree and the house not wind up out my window, lol. I'm picturing the little girl who owned this house started some mess with her little brother like...broke his game boy and for revenge he stuck that pizza and peanut in so Barbie would never watch tv again. Sigh...what a waste of a good chocolate covered peanut, lol. You've actually made me look at the townhouse differently, I like it. With a few coats of paint, it's really nice. Now that they're building a Goodwill right behind me, I'm hoping to find some great toy deals.

    Loved the video Muff!

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    1. Tracy, I have always been that little freaky kid who enjoyed taking things apart - clocks, electronics, furniture, what have you. I never grew out of it. I don't really fix stuff though, lol. I just like to see what's inside. At first I thought that pea was a bug and then I thought that pizza was a sound panel. When I realized what they were, I started cursing, lol. I was like, "Who's the little mother effer that put this ish in this SOB!" I was so ticked off. I just KNOW it was a little boy who did it too.

      I think that no matter how little space I have, I will buy these houses if I find them because they can always be broken down for parts, panels and whatnots.

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  2. It's really nifty seeing your renovations on the townhouse. I'm impressed you were able to "break" the fireplace and yet still manage to keep it working. What will you do with the space freed up by removing the shower?

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    1. Presto, I wasn't actually trying to renovate the townhouse. Everyday when I would pass by it I would try and push that TV back down or tug on the fireplace to try and feel why the TV wouldn't go down. Today I tugged too hard and couldn't get the fireplace back in its slot. Having the TV be up all the time was annoying, but having the fireplace protrude from the wall just wasn't going to happen so me and that townhouse commenced to wrestling and I had to show it who's boss.

      Once I was victorious over the fireplace I started eyeballing that shower too. I don't have any plans for the townhouse or its spaces really. I am feeling cocky about besting those pieces so who knows what I might do next.

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  3. Hola, yo quiero una igual. Que bonito.
    Hasta pronto.

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    1. Hola Lindaivette, espero que usted encuentre uno en su área. Con el nuevo bebé sus muñecas tienen que podrían utilizar el espacio.

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  4. Hey Muff!
    You have more patience then I would ever have. That video would have been rated R for violence! I never liked houses that do stuff. I think who is going to be doing all of those things and why? I have at least a Dora one that does stuff, but I don't use it because no matter how much I threaten her Dora will not use those sights and sounds! But lights that stay on could evoke a lot of scenes in my head. I am going to keep my eyes open for more of these types. Thanks!

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    1. LOL, Grandmommy. I have two Dora sets (cafeteria and art studio) but they don't make any noise at all. I quite like all the lights and sounds this house has and I actually wish the lights would stay on until you turned them off, especially on the gazebo. I think that would be neat. However, considering this is SUPPOSED to be for kids, it's good they turn off after a short while.

      When it comes to things I like, I have all the patience in the world and I don't mind a challenge.

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  5. Muff, you never cease to amaze me. You could do an episode of "How Does This Work?" Looking forward to seeing your renovations!

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    1. Phyllis, I would probably be better at a series of videos called, "How NOT to do this," lol. I make A LOT of mistakes, so I'd probably have more to show of what I did wrong than figuring out how it's done right.

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  6. This video was good and funny! Lol! I loved your narration. I wish that I had your patience. I have thrown things out from being so impatient. Great post!

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    1. Thanks, Georgia Girl! I know that I have given up on projects when time wont let me finish or when I can see my idea just isn't working. But wrestle with a huge piece of plastic? Shoot I'd ride that beast straight into the sunset!

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  7. Great video, you're very good at making the videos! There are cool features in this house, and I'm glad you were able to fix the TV and fireplace. The gazebo lights are nice! All the sounds are great, especially the fireplace's sounds :-).

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    1. Hi, Night Owl and thank you! When I realized how easy it was to make videos with my phone, I started doing more of them. Editing them is still annoying though.

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  8. Very interesting presentation. I usually do not even try to play with electricity;) I really like this fireplace:)

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    1. Natalia, I have no electrical know how so I was very happy the fire place still worked after I ripped it off.

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  9. Great video! Now that you have figured out how to remove the built-ins, it would be easier to paint the house. I like the fireplace a lot but the pink would have to go if it were mine!

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    1. Limbe dolls, I hadn't even considered removing the other appliances. The fireplace needed fixing and I knew from the hinged flooring that the house could be folded about 2.5 inches flat, but only if the shower was removed. Those 2 were my only priorities. I wonder if I would be pressing my luck with the other sound components if I removed the other stuff. Hmm.

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  10. I am with Tracy India, amazed at your patience and determination. Had I seen all those screws, I would have thrown in the towel at that point or turned the project over to someone more capable. Despite the flubs, you managed to get to the root of the problem(s) and solve them to your satisfaction which is very impressive.

    dbg

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    1. Debbie, I didn't know so many people wouldn't mess with something with screws, lol. Maybe if it was all fresh and factory new I'd be timid, but I'm sure this house has been through a lot already.

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  11. Hello from Spain: awesome television repair. I have that same house and the TV broke. You have much skill to fix the house. My fridge light does not work ...Too many screws to me. Anyway it is an awesome house. Are you going to make any changes in the house? I'm looking forward to seeing more. Keep in touch

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    1. Greetings, Marta! Other than definitely wanting to get rid of the pink flooring, I have no real plans for the houses. I will be sure to document anything I do to it though.

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  12. Lol Muff, a pea and a pizza.....but I'm not suprised after I had to pull out my nephew's toy cars from my dvd player!!!

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    1. Billa, now that you say that, I do recall sticking things in my sister's VCR way back in the day. However, I was more curious about seeing how it was working than trying to be a brat - mostly, lol.

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  13. Yay, another video! This is very entertaining, and made me laugh at several points. I personally would've been excited to see the hidden pizza. My dolls need some food. :)

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    1. LOL, Roxanne! That old pizza didn't even have any pepperoni on it! Pfft!

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  14. Very cool to watch you tinkering around in that townhouse! It certainly has some neat bells and whistles. Glad you got to the root of the problem.

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    1. Hey there, Jewell! It certainly is a neat little (err... huge) place. I can imagine how much fun it would have been with all the accessories it originally came with.

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  15. Oh maaaaaan! I would have been swearing so bad. And I know I would have broken that shower prong, as I've depronged other things.

    The fireplace adventure came out well and was highly educational.

    As well as being witty and informative, you've contributed to the sanity of the universe by quashing my vague occasional urge to drastically repaint a Dreamhouse. TOO MANY places that could go wrong in my dubious hands. Katie and Hayden will remain happy in their bookcase.

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    1. Smaller, there was swearing, grunting and a couple of wrestling moves. We are both are limping along. Yeah, I'm not looking forward to painting it either.

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  16. I soooo want one of those houses. Thanks for the video.

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    1. You're welcome, Mustiwait! I bet you would bling one of those houses out.

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  17. Thanks for sharing this review, Muff! I enjoyed the music as well as the video. When I read your comment about the pizza and the other thing where they should not have been, I laughed. I'm pleasantly surprised by how nice the Barbie townhouse is.

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    1. D7ana, that Kevin MacLeod has some very nice music and it's free!
      Those were my PG comments about what I found, lol. The actual words were a bit more blue and croaky.

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  18. thanks for sharing the video- the music was so in tune with what you had to take apart! I am like Grandmommy- not crazy about sounds in a dollhouse. What is it with all the pink? Even in the 70's we had more colors than pink! I think after looking at all the screws in it i too would have thrown in the towel. Look forward to seeing how you customize this gem!

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    1. Lisa, I can see how an adult might not be interested in the sounds, but I do think they add to the fantasy element and a kid would get a kick out of them.

      So many are scared of the screws! I guess every one has their, "This is too much for me," stopping points.

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  19. That video was funny even without voice narration. That house is much more impressive after your review. I have a few houses with sounds, but I always forget about it. Doesn't come across well in photo stories. Now the lights are a different story. I like those a lot. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Vanessa, for blogging and photo purposes, yeah the sound is a waste, but I cant tell you how many times I have flushed the toilet and giggled. I also love watching and listening to the fire place crackle. I would like to have a little night light/clock combo that mimics that but will stay on 'till you turn it off.

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  20. What I want to know is - how did the kid get the pea and the pizza into the fireplace without breaking it in the first place? Fascinating video - I'm glad you were able to get the fireplace fixed. Hope your sore throat is already better (I'm just getting over a bad cold myself).

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    1. Carrickters, I'm still sounding rather scratchy, but I'm on the up and up. Hope you are doing well too.

      I can totally understand the pea, because stuff happens. But that kid had to stuff that pizza down there on purpose. There was just enough room for it to slide down and still work sometimes until I came along and started jerking on it. Oh well, now I have a fire place I can move anywhere. ^_^

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  21. Nice post! My curiosity about an item (toy or anything else) only happens over time. Stuff will just sit for a while and then I'll get an urge to mess with it. It might get a cleaning at the most. You get two thumbs and a toe up! LOL!

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    1. Thanks, Ms. Leo! I will take those two thumbs and toe, lol.

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  22. Help with question about this; My granddaughter has this here at my house. It used to work perfectly. But now the sounds do not work. Is there a battery for the sounds or what? She takes good care of stuff so I do not think anything is broken. All the sounds went at the same time.

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    1. Jacquie, on the second floor there is a battery panel underneath the window on the left side of the room. You will need a screw driver to open it.

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  23. Hi there. We bought this exact Barbie Dreamhouse from a garage sale. At first it worked fine. Then we moved it up & and downstairs a few times & now the sounds (especially the shower & the toilet) sound garbled & staticky. I've already tried replacing the batteries. I wouldn't mind attempting to take some things apart if I knew it was an easy fix. Any ideas? Is there a wire or speaker that would have come loose? I don't know my electronics. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks

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    1. The sound wires are underneath the fireplace and shower. I would remove the panel section under the shower and see if any wires are loose.

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