My Top 5 Favorite Childhood Toys

Last week I talked about what inspired me to start a bobble head business. Now I'd like to show you my top favorite toys that I had as a child. So let's take a walk down memory lane together, shall we?



1. Hot Wheels Diecast Cars

Do you remember these? I was absolutely crazy about these cars! You name it, I had it. Camaros, Corvettes, Ferrari, and Ford trucks. These were a lot of fun to collect. Of course me and my brothers would beat them up pretty bad. We would crash them into each other and build ramps that had them launched in the air. I actually still have a few of these stored away somewhere. I believe they still produce them, but the build quality is nowhere near what the use to be. Now they make them out of plastic.

Quick Facts: 

• Manufactured by Mattel and introduced in 1967.
• They were manufactured to be 1:64 and 1:43 scale.
• Over 10,000 different models have been produced over the years
• Their licensed by several car makers including General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Motors to name a few.

 Did You Know?

*Mattel borrows the actual blueprint of the vehicle from the manufacturer.

*They license the blueprints over to Mattel and must be returned after their finished.

What was you favorite Hot Wheels Car?
 Mine was the 1972 Corvette Stringray.





2. Happy Meal Toys

Remember when a McDonald's Happy Meal Toy was a real toy? Nowadays their lightweight and cheap with a bunch of plastic parts. Back in the day they really put some thought into what you would find in that Happy Meal box. I truly enjoyed these toys back in the early 90's. I loved when my parents would ask me if I wanted a Happy Meal for lunch. I would anticipate going to the restaurant, picking up that colorful box and smelling the food. Man, I loved those hamburgers! What was cooler than sitting down to your favorite lunch and knowing there was a prize waiting for you inside the box? It wasn't as often as I would of liked it to have been so I'd savor the moment. I guess my parents were concerned about my health. Anyway, some of the toys I remember receiving when I was a child (some of which I still possess to this day) are The Smurfs, Fraggile Rock, Animaniacs and Snow White to name a few. A few years ago, I was checking out a local flea market and came across an entire set of sealed Simpsons plush from the early 90's. Needless to say I picked them up, for nostalgic reasons. Come to think of it, where they made by McDonald's or Burger King?

Quick Facts:

• The concept began in the mid-1970's by Yolanda Fernendez de Cofino running McDonald's stores in Guatemala with her husband. She created a menu called the "Menu Ronald."
• The concept was brought over to Chicago and given to Bob Bernstein, CEO of a marketing agency. Bernstein changed the name of the menu to a Happy Meal and introduced the concept of adding a toy to appeal more to children which was introduced in 1979.
• Most toys tie into a promotion for a movie or television show.

 Did You Know?

*In Canada, the promotion prior to the Happy Meal was called the "Treat of the Week," where a different toy was available free on request each week.

What was you favorite Happy Meal toy as a child? 
One of my favorites was the Animaniacs line. I had the entire set but the pigeons were my favorite.





3. Power Rangers

Wow, when I was a kid I use to dream about being a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger! I use to look forward to the show every day after school. The whole concept of being a teenager with the ability to perform martial arts and possessing morphing powers at the same time was something that captivated me. My brothers and sisters each had their favorite and we had basically every character from the show, good guy and bad. We really enjoyed battling it out with our Power Rangers back in the day. Of course, this was the original series and they have released so many different versions of the show over the years. How many are there now anyway?

Quick Facts:

• The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was a 1993 television series obtained from Japan.
• The Japanese version debuted in 1975 as Dinosaur Task Force Zyuranger.
• When popularity began to wane, Saban (producers) decided to start a franchise including action figures
• The action figures where born in 1996 along with additional story lines and they turned out to be the best selling action figures of the 90's.

Did You Know?

There are over 15 different Power Rangers series that have spawned from the original over the years!

Who was you favorite Power Ranger?
 I always wanted to be the leader of the group, the Red Ranger.







4. Hess Trucks 

Yes I use to collect the new Hess truck that's released every year. I know they still release them, but haven't checked them out in years. I wonder if the build quality is the same as it was? There was nothing like running down to the Christmas tree and finding a big brand new Hess truck. Not only did they have the working lights horn and backup alert sounds, but they usually came with a car.  These trucks were actually taken car of because I loved them so much. But, I lost interest and ended up selling them. Still, these trucks make for an excellent collection and I'm sure will increase in value if you hold on to them.

Quick Facts:

• In 1964, the first highly detailed toy tanker, the "B Model Mack Tanker" was sold at Hess gas stations.
• They were made to be exact replicas of vehicles in the Hess fleet until 1987 when the design was changed to include non-fleet vehicles.
• They were all produced in very limited quantities.

 Did You Know?

The demand for Hess trucks continue to rise by collectors young and old. If you have them, hold on to them!



5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

How can I make a list of my favorite childhood toys without including the Ninja Turtles? Unheard of! You name it Leonardo, Donatello, April O' Neil I had them. I even had the Ninja Turtle van. The Turtles were my number one favorite cartoon when I was young. I even went beyond the action figures with t-shirts, a bedroom set, backpacks and they even released trading cards based on the series which I had a ton of. I owned the first wave of action figures that were released but the one's that really grabbed my attention were the talking figures. I believe that the shells would protrude a bit further out than the regular because that's where the speaker was located. Lot's of fun. Oh yeah, one more thing, I also had the Rock Em' Sock Em' Ninja Turtles. We really beat that toy up!

Quick Facts:

• Ninja Turtles action figures have been produced by Playmates Toys since 1988.
• The first TMNT license came in the form of a role playing game by Palladium followed by miniatures from Dark Horse
• Created by Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird
• They used money from a tax refund along with a loan from Eastman's Uncle to self-publish a single issue comic intended to parody four of the most popular comics in the 1980's.

Did You Know?

Producer Michael Bay plans on releasing a brand new Turtles movie entitled, "Ninja Turtles?" Hope it lives up to fans expectations.


Who was your favorite Turtle growing up?
I always thought Leonardo was the coolest because he was always calm and collected. Plus, my favorite color is blue!



It's been great taking this trip down memory lane. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Of course there are many other awesome toys that I had a child, but these sto0od out from the rest. If you have a favorite childhood toys you'd like to mention, please share with us!


Just a quick suggestion: If your a collector trying to hunt down some of these rare childhood favorites then Ebay is a great place to find action figures,  rare lunchboxes and more! I guarantee you words will be "Hey, I remember that!"


 

Save on Our Latest Custom Bobblehead Additions

Take a look at the latest additions to our collection!






1. Man Riding Chopper Motorcycle Bobblehead

Creating bobbleheads featuring a vehicle are always lots of fun! Check out this guy riding his red chopper. This would make a great gift for someone who loves their weekend toy! You can customize the color and logos on bike to replicate your own. We also have other bobblehead vehicles such as cars, planes and more. If you have an idea for a new vehicle, please share it with us!

2. Football Player Holding Helmet Bobble head

We just added a new football player bobblehead to our sports lineup! This one features a simple pose of player holding his mighty helmet. A great piece for sports enthusiasts, team giveaways and more. Of course, if your not happy with the stock body, you can always change uniform colors and number to match your favorite team or player. A team such as the Colts (my favorite team) for example. We'll miss you Peyton Manning!

3. Bride & Groom Arm in Arm Castle Scene Bobblehead

It's about that time again. Wedding season. People seem to get married more around this time of year. If your looking for a one of a kind cake topper for that special day, then look no further! This piece features the bride and groom standing in front of an elaborate castle scene. Isn't it romantic? If this doesn't grab your attention, then check out our other couples and cake topper bobble heads.

4. Female Graduate with Oversized Diploma Bobblehead


What better way to say congratulations to the graduate then giving the gift of her very own custom bobblehead. And look, she's carrying an over sized diploma. Hilarious! It's a great way to remember that special day when your finally rewarded for going through all those hours of studying and hard work to get where you are today. Hold your head up high.

5. Dentist Toothbrush Holder Bobblehead

How would you like to see this guy on your bathroom sink staring back at you and reminding you to brush your teeth. Is there a dentist in the house? If so, then your going to love. You see it's not only a bobble, but a toothbrush holder too! How awesome is that? Put it on your office desk or use it to promote your practice. Either way, people are going to get a kick out of it.

6. Star Wars Theme Bobblehead 

"Luke. I am your father." Who doesn't love Star Wars? Now's your chance to be Darth Vader himself with our Star Wars theme custom bobble head. You can find it in our Superheroes lineup. If you have an idea for a cool super hero bobble, don't be shy drop us a line! "May the force be with you."

7. Female Baker Holding Cupcakes Bobblehead 

How sweet it is! Check out our baker bobble sporting her apron and bakers hat. And what's this? She's holding sweet delicious cupcakes! Great for the person that simply loves to bake or makes a great display in everyone's favorite local bakery! Mmmm...just like mom use to make em.'

We're constantly adding new bobble head dolls to our store so check back because we just might have what your looking for. Thanks for checking out our latest additions and remember to be the bobble!



Remember, if you have any questions or you have an idea of your own, please feel free to contact us. We're all ears!




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Still a Kid at Heart

  
 You know, every time someone asks me what it is I do for a living it's always the same response. "Custom bobble heads dolls? I didn't know those existed! That's an awesome idea!" People always ask me what made me decide to go into the bobble head business. Well that's an excellent question. I actually have two reasons. One, because I wanted to do something that makes people laugh and to operate a business that isn't all business. It is possible to run a business and enjoy it at the same time. And two, the main reason I chose this business is because I guess you could say I'm a bit of a child at heart.



When I was a kid, I absolutely loved watching and drawing cartoons. I tell you, nothing made me happier than to get up on Saturday mornings and watching those now classic cartoons. I don't know about you, but I think that the cartoons they have on nowadays don't compare to the ones of the 80's and early 90's. In fact, some of my favorites (don't laugh, but from time to time I still watch them just to reminisce and yes I have a few on DVD) was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Garfield, Spider-man and His Amazing Friends and Sonic The Hedgehog. I use to love drawing these cartoons and I was actually good at it. And what child would be complete without his massive collection of action figures and comic books. Everything from G.I. Joe, Transformers, Star Wars and X-men. You name it, I had it. In fact, I still have some of my childhood toys stashed away somewhere.



My love for cartoons and superheroes had been carried over the years except now of course, there's no running to my box of toys to play action figures after school. There's no digging in my crayon box anxious to draw Garfield on a sheet of fresh white construction paper. Instead of drawing cartoons, now I draw comic book super heroes. Instead of collecting action figures, there's my comic book statuettes which by the way I highly recommend for true comic book superhero fans (check out Sideshow Collectibles and Bowen Designs). I have so many of these things now that I'm on the verge of being kicked out of the house by my wife. As far as comic books are concerned, I now buy the graphic novels which collect an entire series.

I knew that one day I wanted to open my own comic book shop and I had created a business plan for it. It would be called "T&J Exclusives" (the T standing for Tony and the J my wife Jessica) We had everything planned out and ready to bring the business into fruition. That was until one day, an idea popped up. You see dolls, statues and action figures with celebrity faces on the internet and store shelves, but what if we could create actual dolls of our friends and loved ones? I wrote another business plan, got a hold of the best sculptors in the business and created Face It Figures. The reason why I enjoy these custom bobble heads is because their so unique. Their not only great for laughs, but are a one of a kind and collectible. There are people who collect these bobble heads and display them in curio cabinets. You would say "Who would collect a bobblehead of themselves?" but many people buy them to remember things that they did throughout the years such as a fishing trip graduation.




I still plan to open my comic book store in the future and I'll always enjoy cartoons and superheros, but now I'm all about my bobbleheads. Sure running a business has it's challenges and it's not always a walk through the park, but I'm providing something that makes people happy and it's something that allows me not only to be creative, but also to be a bit of a kid at the same time. Life can be very stressful and disappointing at times and I believe that we all should hold on to piece of our inner child. I truly hope that our customers enjoy these bobble heads as much as we do.