Rainbow Brite Journal

 I write in a journal fairly regularly, but I don't think I would ever use this! I would probably just set it on the shelf and use it for decoration. Unfortunately, the boyfriend says that we currently have too much stuff that we never use and is just there for display LOL. This looks like it was one of the newer pieces with retro style. I remember buying some Strawberry Shortcake stuff (a chair, trashcan, etc.) from Fashion Bug and if I remember correctly, the store also got in some stuff like this.

Rainbow Brite Lunchbox

I think that they only made one of these plastic lunchboxes back in the day, though I vaguely remember seeing a red version. I thought it would be fun to post this today because I recently found the thermos at a rummage sale! It has a little scratching along the surface, but it was 25 cents and cute so I couldn't pass it up. It's currently sitting on a shelf next to the Alvin and the Chipmunks lunchbox that my boyfriend found for me.

Rainbow Brite Poncho

It isn't vintage, but this Rainbow Brite poncho is sure adorable! It makes me wish that my niece would wear this. I guess I could buy a smaller size and squeeze it over my cat's head, but I like my eyes too much to risk trying that. It comes in a few different sizes, and I saw it listed online, but I've also seen it at the mall.

Rainbow Brite Cake Decoration

I saw this listed as a "plaque," but it's made by Wilton. Wilton makes those great shaped cake pans that I actually collect. My best friend and boyfriend made me a Winnie the Pooh cake for my birthday, we made the best friend a Care Bears cake for his birthday, and we made my boyfriend a Garfield one for his. I also have a Barbie, ALF, and a few others hanging in my kitchen. That's how I know that this is actually a Rainbow Brite cake topper!

25th Anniversary Shimmer Blue

As part of the 25th Anniversary celebration, the company released a few of the horses. Shimmer Blue is the horse that goes with Moonglow, in case you missed the blue/purple connection! I missed seeing the horses in the store, which is sad because I kind of like them. They remind me of the "adult" horses on the new My Little Pony cartoon.

Canary Yellow Mint in Box

It's not often that you come across a Rainbow Brite doll Mint in Box. I saw this version of Canary Yellow on the Rainbowbrite.tv site (accessed through the Wayback Machine). I think it's fun to see how these dolls came when we were kids, probably because I haven't seen one since 1986 LOL.

New Red Butler and Romeo

I mentioned before that the newer Rainbow Brite dolls come with a plastic/PVC sprite instead of the fabric/cloth ones. I actually think that Romeo looks really cute in this version. I can see a row of these along the top of my desk, which I don't actually have. (What kind of writer doesn't have her own desk??) If you're interested in buying one, you can check Amazon.

The Original Twink!!

If you're anything like me, your sprites had a bad habit of disappearing. When I left my Rainbow Brite days behind for the more mature world of Barbie, Twink became the cuddle buddy of Skipper. I distinctly remember making her "carry" him around like a little teddy bear. I think that he was even used as a pillow underneath a piece of fabric in my dollhouse. Once I left Barbies behind, he probably got tossed into a bag for Goodwill. It makes me sad to see him again because I would love to get my hands on one.

Original Moonglow Doll

Moonglow is the rarest of the rare. This Rainbow Brite doll was only produced in small numbers, which explains the high price tags spotted on her. There were two eBay auctions in recent weeks. One had a a starting price of $140 and a BIN of $180, while the other had a BIN of $299 and a Best Offer option. The thought of spending that much for a doll makes me blanch a little. I guess it's the bargain hunter in me. Then again, I never had this doll when I was a kid, so that might be why I'm not rushing to buy her.

Photo from Rainbowbrite.tv (defunct)

Rainbow Brite Napkins

Napkins!!

If I had to guess, I would say that the napkins on the bottom are a little older than the ones on top. I'm pretty sure that I had the top napkins for my 5th or 6th birthday party (1985-86), but I could be completely wrong.

Rainbow Brite Treat Bags

I found two different pictures of Rainbow Brite treat bags/party favor bags online:

I think that these are the same bags and the second photo was taken without a flash. It's a little confusing though because the top photo comes from a seller who also sells some other Rainbow Brite party supplies. Some of his stuff looks like the newer imports, so now I wonder if he actually managed to just track down a good supply of the party favors...

2010 Rainbow Brite Doll

I might have some problems when it comes to identifying the years on the newer dolls, but I know without a doubt that this is a 2010 release. There was something a little different about her dress and her eyes. Even though I keep saying that I don't like the newer dolls, I do like this one. I'm not going to run out and spend $30+ on her, but if I see her at a flea market or thrift store, I don't think I will be able to leave her behind.

Attack of the Puppy Brite!!

Looking at this cute little face, I can't figure out why these sell so cheap! I've seen the dogs go for less than $10 online in really good shape, while Kitty Brite sells for much, much more. Those prices do not apply to the thrift stores in my area though. I recently saw a Rainbow Brite with marker all over her face and a missing dress with a $10 tag on it. The same store had a vintage Care Bear for $.99, which I gladly bought. Of course, they wanted $30 for the Care Bear stove from the 80s, even though it had massive fading from getting left outside. Oh, and the same store wanted $50 for a BROKEN My Little Pony playset that sells for $30 or less on eBay.

Another 1996 Rainbow Brite

Are there just the three dolls in the 1996 series? I have to say that if I saw these in the store, I would walk right by. The packaging looks like some weird imitation of Rainbow Brite and the dolls just look cheap. I'm not sure if they looked better in the stores or not because I've only seen them online.

Red Butler Plush Soft Doll With DVD

The more I see these newer dolls, the more I want to start collecting them. Red Butler comes with his own DVD, which has a 20-minute run time, which makes me thinks it's one of the older cartoons or maybe something newer. I just love how soft he looks because it makes me want to drag him out of the computer LOL.

What's That? Vintage "Sleepover" Doll

I really want this doll and I have no idea where or how to start looking for her. I call her the "Sleepover" doll because of her little nightgown. I read on a website that she's a smaller version that came with another doll. Was she a little toy for the doll, i.e. her own teddy bear? Or was she just an added bonus? The only thing I know is that she's a vintage doll from the 80s.

Talking Rainbow Brite Doll

This is the doll that makes me kick myself for not jumping on the bandwagon when these were in the stores. I'm sure it sold for $30-50, but I now see it listed near the $100 mark. You can take her clothes off, play with her hair, and she even says a few different phrases. It also comes with some stickers, a belt clip, bracelet, and a few other accessories. I don't think I could refrain from ripping her out of the box and playing with her for a few hours!

Original Starlite Mint in Box

No matter what Rainbow Brite website you visit, you will come across this picture. It's been traded back and forth so many times now that I have no clue who owns the original picture. I do know that it came from an eBay listing and if I remember correctly, the horse sold for a pretty penny. Then again, how often do you come across a toy like this in its original box?

New Canary Yellow

How cute is this? When I was a kid, I only had Rainbow Brite stuff and maybe one or two of her friends. My parents now say that the dolls were way too expensive, which is why I ended up with cheaper stuff like Strawberry Shortcake. I like the newer sprites with the plastic design, though I can see how some traditionalists want the originals. I still think it's adorable though.

2003 Patty O' Green

Just in case you weren't confused enough, it looks like they released a few stuffed versions for the 2003 release. I found this Patty O'Green doll listed on Amazon for $45, which is more than you would spend for one of the original dolls in the same condition. I do have to say that these are really cute. If I was collecting dolls back then, I probably would have snatched her from the store. The odd thing is that I did buy some Strawberry Shortcake stuff back then, so I'm not sure how I missed this line.

2003 Rainbow Brit

This doll confuses me! I see it listed as the 2003/20th Anniversary doll, and then another site lists it as the 2008-2010/25th Anniversary doll. It looks like the Moonglow doll I posted yesterday, which was listed as the newer doll. Can anyone tell me which line it goes to?

25th Anniversary Moonglow Doll

It seems like Moonglow was one of the most popular dolls when the line relaunched. This is the 25th Anniversary Rainbow Brite Moonglow doll. She comes with a few accessories like a pair of boots and I'm guessing a brush like the originals. I ran across this doll at Target and had no clue that it was a Rainbow Brite doll until I saw the logo.

Rainbow Brite Streamers

Complete your retro Rainbow Brite party with these fun Rainbow Brite streamers. I included the link to the guy selling these on Amazon because I cannot believe that someone held onto these. Then again, there's a party shop in a nearby town that never gets rid of old stock. They literally just throw the new supplies onto the store floor without moving anything else. I'm pretty sure they had some of these old party supplies a few years ago. Looks like I need to take a little road trip to check out the party store!

Madame Alexander 18" Tickled Pink Cloth Doll

When I first read that Madame Alexander was making Rainbow Brite dolls, I didn't realize that the company would branch out into her friends. In fact, I had no idea that the Madame Alexander 18" Tickled Pink ClothDoll even existed until I was browsing on Amazon a few days ago. The doll has the yarn hair and rag doll face like some of the older dolls and her costume is pretty similar. I think I like this one better than the actual Rainbow Brite doll that came out.

Rainbow Brite Bathroom Set

I have to admit that I didn't know they made these sets for so long. I remember getting a My Little Pony or Strawberry Shortcake set for Christmas one year, which is ironic considering that I recently bought my niece a Hello Kitty set...okay and I got the same set for myself. This came with a mirror, hairbrush, and I think a bottle of shampoo.

Rainbow Brite Paper Party Plates

How cute are these? On top of that, these are actually original Rainbow Brite vintage paper plates. Can you imagine the look on your friends' faces if you carried out a set of these at your next party? I did ask the boyfriend if we could use these if we ever got married and he just gave me the look. I take that as a no.

I also found the picture above, which I think is for another set of paper plates. Maybe they had different sizes of Rainbow Brite paper plates? These might be some of the basic play plates for kids, but they sure look like party plates to me.

Make Your Own Twink Doll Pattern

When I was a kid, I knew someone who had one of these handmade dolls and I was so jealous. McCalls made a few different patterns for dolls that you could make yourself, including Rainbow Brite. I've seen the dolls sell for between $10-20 and the uncut/unopened patterns selling for around the same price. My mom did let me get a handmade Cabbage Patch doll, which I took with me everywhere, but she wasn't a substitute for the RB.

Rainbow Brite 15 Inch Basic Doll 2010

I saw this one listed as a 2010 doll, but I think she actually came out in 2009? I remember hearing a rumor that these dolls were out and running to the store, only to be really disappointed. There's something about the newer Rainbow Brite doll that reminds me of Tinkerbell or possibly one of the other Disney Princess dolls. I'm not a big fan of the newer molds or clothing design. I also noticed the price going up on some websites, while it seems like the price on eBay keeps dropping.

Rainbow Brite 28" Cuddle Pillow

Does this not look like something you would have devoured 25 years ago? Surprisingly enough, this looks like it's a modern piece. She stands approximately 28" tall, which is much taller than any of the modern Rainbow Brite dolls. I bookmarked the doll on Amazon and hopefully I can talk my boyfriend into buying her for Christmas or our anniversary. If not, he might end up getting one for his own birthday LOL

Rainbow Brite Twink Birthday Cake

I really hate that I lost the link where I found this cake because I don't want to take credit away from anyone. If it's your cake, please leave me a comment and I will credit you, add a link if you want, or just take the photo down. I think this Twink birthday cake is amazing though! It makes me wish I was a more talented cake maker :)

Rainbow Brite Tablecloth

What kind of 1980's birthday party would it be without a Rainbow Brite theme? I found someone on Amazon selling the old tablecloths for your retro party. Somewhere, my mom has pictures of one of my birthday parties where we had the tablecloths, napkins, etc.

The second picture comes from Rainbowbrite.tv (defunct) and it looks like that one is the actual 1980's version. Maybe the one from Amazon is a newer model? I know that some companies in Japan still make stuff and import it to the United States because I saw someone with Rainbow Brite duct tape online. It's kind of interesting to find two different ones though.

Rainbow Brite Wallet

The Rainbow Brite wallet is actually something that I had when I was a kid. If I remember correctly, I also had a matching coin purse. I've looked for it online and I can't find is, so my coin purse was probably a knock off. I haven't found a date for the wallet, but I'm guessing that it came out around 85 or 1986.

Rainbow Brite Plush Stuffed Toy Backpack

The RainbowBrite Plush Stuffed Toy Backpack from Pacific Toys makes me wish that I could go back to school again! This is easily one of the cutest modern toys/products that I've seen, probably because it sticks to the original design of the character. I saw another picture online where you can see the zippered pocket in her back. I had teddy bears and other crappy stuffed animal backpacks when I was younger (i.e. a teenager), but this is one of the cutest.

Madame Alexander Rainbow Brite 18" Rag Doll

If you want something to cuddle with in bed, try the Madame Alexander 18” Rainbow Brite doll. I almost want to call this a tribute doll because there's something off about it. Yes, it has the yarn hair, and yes, it has the classic blue dress, but there's something weird about it. The Amazon reviews are really good, and I keep seeing people talking about how it's perfect for little girls because it's so sturdy. I don't know though, I think I would just stay on the lookout for an original instead of dropping almost $40 on it.

1996 20th Anniversary Rainbow Brite Doll

I have to admit that I missed the re-release of the 20^th Anniversary Rainbow Brite dolls. Then again, I was a 16-year-old girl who just got her driver's license, so I think you can forgive me. I'm not sure why they even bothered using the name though because these dolls look absolutely nothing like the originals. I haven't found much information about these little guys, but you can leave me a comment if you have any info.

Photo courtesy: rainbowbrite.tv (now defunct).

Crayola Color Wonder Rainbow Brite Coloring Pad & Markers

Do you miss the days of coloring without people staring at you? If so, try the Crayola Color Wonder Rainbow Brite Coloring Pad & Markers. This set is so cute! You get 5 markers and 18 pages of Rainbow Brite fun. Crayola made this with kids in mind, and the markers only work on the pages, so you don't have to worry about spills or anything. The only downside is that it only uses the newer Rainbow Brite images, but for less than 10 bucks, I think I can live with that LOL.

The History of Rainbow Brite

For my first post, why not offer up a short history of Rainbow Brite? I'm sure that at some point I will go into a deeper history of the different stages, but let's just start at the beginning.

Hallmark Cards brought Rainbow Brite into the world in 1983. The doll and toys were so popular that a TV show started the following year. A two-part nighttime special aired on my fourth birthday: June 27, 1984. Titled, “Perils in the Pits,” it was a hit with girls my age. That led to “The Mighty Monstromurk Menace” and “The Beginning of Rainbowland.” A lot of people my age think that it was instantly an animated series, but it actually didn't start airing as a show until 1986. Sadly, the show lasted just one year.

The story of Rainbow Brite starts when a magical force takes a small girl to the Colorless World. This tiny orphan is faced with the daunting task of tracking down the Sphere of Light. She meets an adorable little white sprite named Twink, who introduces her to her horse Starlite. The orphan manages to track down and save the Color Kids, a group of kids who represent the colors in the rainbow. She also gets the Color Belt (shameless plug!), which lets her give the Colorless World its color back.

The little girl wins in a fight against the King of Shadows and officially earns the name Rainbow Brite. As part of her reward, she gets to stay in this world, now named Rainbow Land/Rainbowland, and control the colors of the rainbow. Including the original two-part episodes, the show ran for just 13 episodes.

Rainbow Brite disappeared for nearly a decade before new dolls landed on the store shelves. The new dolls had little in common with the originals save for Rainbow Brite herself. Not surprisingly, the series failed miserably.

Hallmark held on though, releasing a new line of dolls in 2004 as part of the 20^th anniversary of the franchise. Toy Play, a division of Hallmark, was in charge of this line.

In 2009, Playmates Toys got the rights to produce Rainbow Brite dolls from Hallmark. The company released several dolls and other items as part of the 25^th anniversary. The line did not do as well as expected and Playmates passed the name back to Hallmark. Hallmark currently licenses the name and likeness to other companies.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Color Belt! As a child, I was completely obsessed with Rainbow Brite. If I could climb inside her world and switch places with her, I would have done it in a heart beat. Now that I'm an adult, I find myself replacing some of my lost toys with new finds from thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales. I started this site as a way to catalog some of the great Rainbow Brite stuff found in all corners of the web.