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".