Being a Doll Collector is Definitely Not Easy

This morning I awoke to quite a display from nature.  We had 5 inches of snow.  We don't often see snow in the south, so it was awe-inspiring.  Work was closed today.  It was a glorious morning.  Here is a photo of our home in the snow.

I immediately went upstairs and chose one of my very favorite dolls from 2010 for a photo shoot.  Smoke Signals Dania.  I love this doll. 

I especially love her up-do which allows her to wear coats, turtlenecks, and other clothing with collars very easily.

Here she is ...you can see snow falling on her coat.  I loved this photo.  I took about 50 photos and only about 5 were usuable.  It's not as easy to take doll pictures outside in the snow as I thought it would be.

I had a great morning.  Then rushed upstairs for the computer.  Like so many Poppy Parker fans, I spent the whole afternoon trying to log in and get the "opportunity" to spend $150 of my hard earned money for an exclusive doll for which only 300 were made worldwide.  Am I insane?  It appears so.  Along with hundreds of others around the world.

Dolls Magazine was selling this doll and their website crashed immediately.  The doll was supposed to go on sale at 12:00 CST and did not come back up.  They posted a message that the website would be back up and running at 2:00, but due to traffic and all of the refreshing going on by rabid collectors, they couldn't get it fixed.  So they offered the doll through e-mail on a "first come basis".  It was a total feeding frenzy.  I believe they were doing the only fair thing they thought they could do.  It wasn't their fault.  I remember this happening with Holiday In the Hamptons and anything sold by FAO Schwartz. 

First, why does a toy manufacturer create such a stressful situation for its customers and retailers?  When I go to a retailer and get treatment similar to this ... I just don't go back to that retailer.  Why then should this be so different?  Yet, somehow it is.  Am I a masochist? 

I think I need to re-evaluate my collecting habits.  I entitled this blog "Desperately Seeking Dolls" because I think the "hunt" is just as important as the acquisition.  But when the hunt sucks the joy out of collecting, then maybe I should invest my energy into something more positive.

Something that was a positive experience for me this weekend was that I finally got articulated bodies onto all of the Barbie Basic Denim dolls.  This is a quick photo ....

I think Mattel really hit a home run with this collection.  I love their face-ups.  Their eyes are lovely and their lips are neutral.  Just nice, clean, beautiful faces.  

I've been asked numerous times which body #14 (Louboutin face) was put on.  It is a Dynamite Girl Electro Pop Rufus Blue.  It is the closest I could find to her skin tone which kept her height the same and body proportions similar.  I love this doll.

They look so wonderful in casual wear that I wondered if they could pull off evening wear or gowns.  Most of my girls do not wear gowns often.  I have many ... but the girls prefer their day wear.  Here is #8 in a Bill Blass gown.  I think she looks very nice.  I may have to pierce her ears for her to have jewelry to help pull off the look.

I think she is lovely.  I'm not sure that I'm head-over-heels in love with it, but I think it works alright.  I am going to try the other dolls in evening wear soon.  I will update my blog when I have photos. 

I had such a great time playing with my BB Denim girls.  Dolls that with articulation cost less than $40 each.   I enjoyed redressing Dania and taking her outside for her photo shoot.  Why did I allow this Poppy Parker issue to cloud my day?  

I guess I'm just always "desperately seeking dolls".



"Out With the Old"

This was a very difficult blogpost for me.  It's a time of reflection.  A review of my life and collecting during 2010. 

First, I believe that every ending leads to a new beginning.  Sometimes with promise and hope, sometimes with sadness and despair. 

I said "goodbye" to my single life in 2010, but I am now married to a wonderful man who shares my life and loves me for who I am.  So, that was a good ending.

I also said "goodbye" to my mother in 2010.  She was diagnosed with cancer in August and passed on October 26.  I am still struggling with this tremendous loss and the grief is sometimes overwhelming.

In my dolly universe, 2010 will be known as "The Year of Joyful Play".   It was the year I discovered the Fashionista Body and learned how to switch heads between dolls.   I also discovered Dynamite Girls and found that their bodies could easily be used for Barbie skin tones not found in Fashionistas.  My friend and I joke that I am going to have to have a "Bastille Day Sale" for all of the heads I have just lying around.

... And 2010 was the year that Chaundra came into my dolly world.  She is the main character in "Robyne Town".  My favorite three "frankendolly" girls right now are shown below.

Lara, my first transplant, is a Model of the Moment "Pretty Young Thing" Marissa on a Fashionista Body.

Chaundra is the Target Exclusive Barbie Basic on a Dynamite Girl Electro Pop Dayle body.

Carli is the Barbie Basic Denim #4 on a Fashionista Body. 

Taking these dolls and adding articulation has brought them to life.  Chaundra is my sassy girl.  Carli is my socialite.  Lara is just the peacemaker right now. 

Here they are showing their "playability":

"What's that odd thing you have there?"  Carli peers at the table looking as if the item had a rotten smell.

"It's a big ol' fat nun-o-ya!"  Chaundra replies.

"What exactly is a nun-o-ya?"

"It's nun-o-ya business!"  Chaundra laughs.

Lara tries to make peace, again.  "It's a record player we found in my grandmother's attic.  You put these vinyl disks on this platform and when you turn it on, the platform spins.  Then you put this arm on the disk and music comes out this box.  It's fascinating."

"Really?"  Carli can't believe what she's hearing.  "Wouldn't it just be easier to dock your i-Pod?"

Chaundra rolls her eyes.

When I got married this year, I had to move my dolls into our new home.  My husband was awestruck when he asked, "Are all of these boxes dolls?"  I was a little embarrassed.  He made a very good point when he said, "Why don't you take the ones you love most out of the boxes and display them.  Any those you don't want out of the box, try to sell them."

I was resistent, but I couldn't argue with this logic.  After many years of dolls arriving with none leaving, I had amassed quite a fortune of dolls.  So this year, I said goodbye to the following Silkstones:  Movie Mixer, Blonde Debut, Pretty Pleats, Preferably Pink, Palm Beach Breeze, Red Hot Reviews, and Hollywood Hostess.  And the following Fashion Royalty Girls found a new home as well:  In Bloom Vanessa, Overachiever Eugenia, Night Warrior Vanessa, Festive Decadence Agnes, Cruise Control Vanessa, Hot Property Natalia, Bewitching Hour Luchia, High Tide Vanessa, She's Arrived Poppy, and Lady Thriller Pierre.

Even though 17 dolls left, quite a few arrived on the scene as well: Bergdorf Goodman Poppy, Disclosure Monogram, Head for Glamour Agnes, Hourglass Kesenia, Spring Forward Eugenia, Lady in Waiting Dania, Private Goddess Natalia, Tricks of the Trade Eugenia, Flame Blue Vanessa, and The Queen Tatyana.

This leads me to my favorite dolls produced in 2010.  I discovered Dynamite Girls and opened a whole new can of worms.  Not only did I get Vinyl Vintage Sooki, I got Chill Factor Aria and Neve.  Then I had to get my favorite DG of all time Feelin' Fierce Jett.  (I'm sure there will be more DG's in my future.)

The line that impressed me the most this year from Integrity were the Nuface Girls.  I got all three:  Mais Oui Giselle, Great Pretender Lilith, and Perk Colette.  Integrity really did a fantastic job on this line.

This leads me to my all-time favorite girls for 2010.  Without a doubt my favorite dolls this year were Smoke Screen Dania and Regal Estate Agnes.   I believe them both to be perfect in every way.

Well ... unfortunately, it seems that the number of dolls that came in last year was 19.  I'm not doing the math for my husband.  I'm sure glad I didn't marry an accountant.