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Blue Poodle Studio

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Blue Poodle Studio

Experiences of a former Disney, Mead, Hallmark and Sprint marketing executive. Personal collection of vintage toys, memorabilia, and so much more.

08/07/2025

The Blue Poodle Studio booth is now live at the ! 💙

We worked long and hard on curating a prime selection of products for our launch and on creating signage to tell the backstories.

We will be rotating collections of products regularly, so always check our Instagram page to see what’s available next. We’re so excited for Kansas City to check us out!

07/08/2025

Exciting news... starting in late July, we will have a booth at the ! Here you can begin shopping our exclusive collection of vintage toys, pop culture memorabilia, one-of-a-kind artwork, and so much more! Our booth will be constantly rotating products, so if there's something you've seen on our socials that you want, let us know. We can't wait for Kansas City to get their hands on our collection!

05/16/2025

Hello followers! We apologize for the disappearance... but we're back again! Mark and Grace are working hard to bring Blue Poodle Studio products to you this summer. Be on the lookout for announcements about booths at various events!

04/22/2024

Happy Earth Day! Our Muppet friends ask us to….Save the Pond!

04/16/2024

Today, I’m sharing some toy weirdness from the two Batman films directed by Tim Burton. First up, The Joker Electronic Laughing Ball. This odd toy is kind of annoying because as the name describes it’s a small ball that when activated continues to laugh menacingly in the voice of Jack Nicholson. The packaging, however is what makes it fun, in my mind, with the big color image of Nicholson in full Joker make-up with a wild purple and yellow swirling vortex graphic.
Nicholson’s performance was flamboyant, unpredictable, and delightfully wicked. Much different than the previously interpretation of The Joker character by Cesar Romero in the campy Batman live-action television series (with Adam West as Bruce Wayne/Batman) which aired on ABC for three seasons 1966 to 1968. In comparison, Tim Burton’s first Batman film in 1989 delivered a dark and gothic aesthetic. With support from Danny Elfman's memorable score, the film set the stage for a franchise that has included multiple visions of Batman through different directors and actors.
The other toy I’m sharing is a small “Catwoman” PVC figurine from Tim Burton’s next film: Batman Returns (1992). While the toy itself is very straightforward, Michelle Pfeiffer portrayal of the meek Selina Kyle who transforms into the Catwoman, left a lasting impact and is often considered one of the greatest interpretations of this character. The dark S*M punk-motif of her leather & rubber hand-made cat-suit was quite provocative at that time. Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman remains an enduring symbol of strength, vulnerability, and vengeance. Other favorite interpretations of Batman villians?

04/14/2024

Mickey’s extreme mountain biking adventure!

04/13/2024

Micro Ventures was an educational animated series created by Hanna-Barbera. It originally aired as a four-minute segment on “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour”. Oddly only four episodes were produced and it aired from November 1968 to December 1968 on NBC.
The series followed the adventures of the Micro Ventures, a family team made up of Professor Carter, a brilliant scientist, and his teenaged children, Patsy and Tommy. For their unique scientific escapades, they used Prof. Carter’s own invention: the Micro-Reducer to shrink themselves, and their yellow dune buggy, to miniature size in order to explore the insect world. As they traveled about in various nature environments, the audience at home got to see the insect world from a different perspective, while at the same time getting an education. Needless to say, when you're smaller than an insect, danger looms all around, and the three were often forced to make narrow escapes, fleeing from hungry insects or small animals.
The titles of the four episodes, give us a pretty good idea of the territories they explored in their educational sci-fi escapades: "The Tiny Sea", "The Dangerous Desert", "The Backyard Jungle", and "Exploring an Ant Colony". Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find these shows on any streaming service or DVD. Hopefully Professor Carter and his kids have not been carried away by a praying mantis!

04/12/2024

The Slithering Ruler Koopa (aka King Koopa) action figure from “Super Mario Brothers: The Movie”, the 1993 live action film, based on the Nintendo video game property of the same name.
In my personal approach to collecting toys, one favorite activity used to be searching the clearance end-caps or rounder bins at now out-of-business toy retail chains such as Toys-R-Us and KayBee Toys. What kind of mark-down toy treasures would I find? It was interesting to see what was “left behind” by kids and parents. Maybe a secondary character in a movie or a once-popular TV personality whose moment of fame has passed. This particular action figure was one such “leftover.” I am also fascinated by action figures from live-action films, which are designed to portray a well-known actor. As you might imagine, I think most actors would be excited to have themselves immortalized as a four-inch, injection-molded, painted, and articulated action figure! Contractually the talent would typically reserve the right to review and approve the sculpt of the figure and especially their likeness of the face / head. Prior to today’s 3-D modeling and printers, these types of toys were hand-sculpted in clay by classically trained sculptors, typically coming from a fine-arts education. I used to hire and manage sculptors at the Disney Store for our work on similar vinyl or ceramic collectable figures. Once the sculpt receives final approval, after any changes requested, the figure is then cast to create both test prototype molds and finally metal production molds for high-volume output.
The King Koopa character was performed in this film by the actor Dennis Hopper. The sculpt of Koopa, in my assessment, is reasonably accurate to Dennis’s portrayal of the character and corresponding, hair, makeup, and wardrobe. There are limits in realism for mass-produced action figures versus the adult-targeted collectible toys of today which are more expensive than traditional toys for kids. Still, lots of fun!

04/11/2024

Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She is best known for her iconic portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars films (1977–1983). Princess Leia Organa is, of course, a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. She is the princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Imperial Senate, and a dedicated agent of the Rebel Alliance.
Carrie Fisher brought Leia to life on the big screen. Her performance blended rebellious confidence with regal stateliness. She was only 19 years old when cast as Princess Leia. Her chemistry with co-stars Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill was very strong and their collective comradery cemented their status as the franchise's legacy stars.
Before Fisher, however, several rising actresses of that time were considered for the part. Other candidates for this important role included Jodie Foster, Amy Irving, Cindy Williams, Sigourney Weaver, and Anjelica Huston. Fisher played Leia in the original three Star Wars movies: A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983). Plus, reprising the role with briefer appearances in subsequent Star Wars sequels.
Fisher was not only an actress but also a talented writer. She penned several semi-autobiographical novels, including Postcards from the Edge. Fisher also worked as a script doctor, contributing to various screenplays, including those for the Star Wars franchise.
Her performance in the first Star Wars film included some of the most iconic quotes in film history: "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope." This holographic plea to Obi-Wan Kenobi sets the overarching story arc for the entire saga. It introduces the central conflict and emphasizes the importance of the Jedi in the fight against the dark side. As I am fond of saying, it takes a strong person to ask for help. We all need a little extra hope and strength in challenging times to find our way forward, just as Princess Leia did!

04/10/2024

They are back! The New Kids on the Block have exciting plans for 2024. Here's what's in store: After more than a decade, they are set to release their new album titled "Still Kids" on May 17, 2024. The album features 14 tracks and promises to evoke nostalgia for fans who first fell in love with the group in the 1980s. Plus…the group is reimagining their iconic 1990 tour, the band—comprising Donnie, Joey, Jordan, Jonathan, and Danny —will embark on THE MAGIC SUMMER 2024 TOUR. Special guests Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff will join them on this magical journey. The tour kicks off on June 14 and will visit over 40 cities, including Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Expect a summer of fun, nostalgia, and unforgettable performances as they hit outdoor venues, including some from their original 1990 tour. Today I’m showing, the Donnie Wahlberg posable figure from Hasbro’s 1990 product line of all five band members. We’ll dig into other NKOTB vintage product over the coming weeks as all us “Blockheads” are gearing up for a magical summer!

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