It’s been awhile since I’ve done a Hoardzilla post, but life (and OCD) get in the way of going through these boxes. I know that aside from papers and books related to history, the biggest difficulty in parting might be with my collection of Baby Beans dolls.
What you think the difference is between hoarding and collecting?
I can think of a few things that might delineate the two: organization; type of items kept; use of the items kept.
Does that cover it? No, but it’s a start.
Let’s talk about this Baby Beans collection of mine.
And please, please don’t confuse Baby Beans dolls with Beanie Babies.
Baby Beans and Beanie Babies are not at all, the same.
Neither, unfortunately is that gaggy 40th Anniversary Baby Beans doll. Put them side by side and I can tell you which one little girls would choose, and it’s the little cuddlers from 40 years ago. Why not just reintroduce the originals?
Baby Beans dolls were introduced by Mattel and produced in their best versions for only a few short years. My first and favorite, Bitty Beans, is from 1972. She’s the pink one, with the little white poms on her onesie, and white lace around her bonnet.The 1972 version still had those wonderful chewable fingers.
Behind the dolls is an outfit to put over Baby Beans’ onesie. It was sold by JC Penney.
Also behind them is a coloring and activity book.
They changed the hands to cloth in later versions.
I did not like this version but at least their faces were still adorable. :-6
As their popularity grew, so did the world of Bitty and her friends. Suddenly, there were Baby Beans pets, Mama Beans with babies, Canned Beans (don’t even get me started ) Daddy Beans with babies and Storybook Beans, etc. Bitty’s black counterpart was named, sadly, Black Bitty Beans.
My second favorite Baby Beans doll is Talking Baby Beans which I received the Christmas after I got Bitty. She’s blue, but has that same face and hair as Bitty. In the late 90s, I acquired a French Talking Baby Beans. I’ve only pulled the cord to hear her speak twice, afraid the 40-year-old string might break.
Please enjoy these few photos, which are only the tip of the vast number of Baby Beans dolls I have collected over the years. There are so many more boxes of Baby Beans dolls that are packed away, unphotographed. It’s hard to display them with all our travelling (I know, but I prefer the EU version). Please feel free to give me feedback on any of these things:
A) Your thoughts on the difference between hoarding and collecting.
B) Should I keep, sell or donate my Baby Beans collection? Or, use the babybeans.org and babybeans.info sites I registered years ago to spend my weekend or evening time entertaining others with my Baby Beans knowledge and collection?
C) What do you collect, and why?
Enjoy a few more photos, here…
Thanks, as always, for taking the time to read and respond and enjoy all the strangeness that I call my life.
Love, Marla Jane
Definitely KEEP! There’s a group on Facebook for Mattel Baby Beans people!
I love your collection! I have been trying to find a talking baby beans doll. I had one when I was a little girl but she was lost in one of the many moves I was forced to make growing up. If you could suggest where to go to find one I would be greatly appreciative. Not many days pass when I don’t think of her, especially now that I have my own little girl. Thank you for any guidence you could provide!
Dear Marla, I have been searching for years for the talking baby beans! My daughter got her baby in 1979 and it was destroyed a year later. She is 33 now with a little girl of her own that turns 2 years old soon. Her mom would be thrilled if I could locate a baby for her little girl. If you ever decide to adopt (sell) one of your babys, please email me. We would give her a loving home. thank you , Barbara
Oh im looking for a baby bean doll …….i’m missing my chilhood i guess nice collection!
Hoarding is keeping needless things, possibly harmful things, and more or less drowning in them. Collecting is about knowledge, display, organization, and not letting the things take over your entire space or life. A few shelves and extra boxes of collectibles are perfectly legit. That said, dolls have always creeped me out. These, not as much as some, but still 😛
I collect cute trinkety things (which are small, and cover a wide range of topics), postcards (less so now), books…ummm…I feel like there’s more, but I’m tired! I’m an avid collect….AH! My bestie back home would say I collect people. She’s not wrong, I think.
Sorry, it’s our garage, and it is outside, but that is just my feeble attempt at typing while a toddler is climbing my back.
The difference between hoarding and collecting depends on whether it’s my stuff or my hubbys, and which one of us you are talking to. I feel my purses and shoes and fabric and patterns and Steeler items are collections – he doesn’t agree. On the other hand, most of everything he has crammed into out garage and basement does not qualify as a collection, at least in my mind 🙂
I think they are cool. Since you do move around a lot it has to be crazy taking these guys with you. Why don’t you take pictures of the whole collect, individual dolls you love and select like six that you can’t live without. Sell the rest of them on a site where people will take care of and appreciate them. Then donate the money to a good cause or put it into a traveling fund for you adventures. That way you have a book of memories, way smaller than toting them all around and displaying them and a good feeling or spending money.
“OMG…I think I hear choppers”