Accountability

I have tried to be very upfront about all of my doll collecting this year.  Even though sometimes I am a little ashamed by what I've acquired.

My husband is not quite as forgiving as many of my dolly friends are.  I read him my last couple of posts and his questions were:

1.  What doll did you debox so that you could keep Kyori NRFB?

2.  Why aren't two of my dolls from the doll show listed in my dolls that are staying?

You see, I made the unfortunate mistake of letting my husband in on my doll rules.  When I told him about them, he insisted that I print them out and hang them in my dolly room as a reminder.   He has been incredibly good at helping me stick to them.

Question 1:  What doll did I debox?  I tried to explain that I had deboxed several dolls this year as evidenced by my blog:  Power Game, Femme du Monde, and Private Goddess Natalia; Fine Jewel and Spring Forward Eugenia; and The Royal Weiss and Glamour to Go Agnes.  Ialso deboxed Style Mantra Eden, Masterpiece Theatre Giselle, and Making A Scene Erin this year.  That's 10 dolls.

But that wasn't good enough.  Those were dolls that had already been deboxed before Kyori even got here.  So, I went to the closet and took out a "Holy Grail" doll that was still NRFB.

Here is a close up photo of her.  Her hair is perfect and her face-up is divine.

Flame Blue Vanessa has been released.  I knew I would never sell this doll because I only got her because my best dolly friend, Reese, helped me get her.  Isn't she gorgeous!

I love the attention to detail with doll.  The jewelry is incredible!  And look at how this veil is made!

So, I'm glad that my husband held me accountable and got Flame Blue out of her box.  She came with the nices garter set and hose!

On to Question 2.  Why aren't the other two dolls I acquired at the doll show on my acquired list?  I tried to argue that they weren't staying.  He knew that Cruella was leaving and gave me that one, but insisted I make a decision on Jakks Pacific Lola and Modern Circle Simone.  I explained that I was going to rebody them.  Still no leeway!

So, I had to add those two to my list.  At least for now.  Sigh! 

I learned an important lesson which may become Rule 7:  Don't read your blog to your husband.  I'm just glad he wasn't home for the mail carrier this week!  Style Counsel Giftset and Les Silhouettes Victoix came in the mail! 

Darling, if you are reading this ... don't forget my rule about having two weeks to make a decision on any doll!  I'm not budging on that one!

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I have decided to try a new feature this week.  "Who Could You Be?"  There are several dolls that I own that remind me of celebrities in some way.  So, this week is the first installment.  It took me forever to figure out who Monaco Royale reminded me of.  I put some glasses on her and it hit me!

Doesn't she look like Wonder Woman's alter ego, Diana Prince?  What do you think?

Oops!

I first want to warn anyone reading this from work that there are photos of a nude Jakks Pacific doll in this post.  She has her "privates" covered, but I don't want anyone being surprised.

I went to the Collector's United Doll Show this past Saturday with the best of intentions.  I had my list!  I even hooked up with Vanessa who inspired it. 

My battle plan for a doll show is to circle the room once through and buy only the "must haves" ... "probably won't be there next round" dolls.  I tend to move at a hurried pace, look at prices, make offers, move on...

In my first circle, I purchased a box of 12 Kaiser Stands ($12) ... the gentlemen selling the box of Kaiser stands told me he only brought two boxes and they tend to go fast, so I went ahead and got them.  In the third isle, I spotted a NRFB Cruella Deville.

I've been looking for the Cruella Deville outfit for a while.   The dealer sold her to me for $20.  Here's a picture of her out of the box.

I know she wasn't on "The List", but I was sure the outfit would look great on one of my FR girls.  Here is Go West wearing it.

Toward the end of my first run, I saw a Modern Circle Simone for $10.

Again, not on my list, but the price was right.

And Chaundra has been feeling rather neglected.  She was so happy to get this outfit.

I parked close by and dropped off my first "haul".  It was time for my next trip through.  There were some great deals today.  One dealer had several of the older FR Adele dolls for $60 each.  I passed ... another lucky collector bought all of them!  The same seller had the Todd Oldham doll from my list, but I wasn't willing to pay her $75 price for that outfit.  I did consider the Elizabeth Taylor doll for $35 but decided to pass also.

I went back to the dealer who was selling many NRFB Mattel outfits.  She had several of the Benneton dolls and outfits.  (Each outfit was $10 and I was very tempted.)  I did snag the Barbie Millicent Roberts Snow Chic So Chic for $12.  I have considered buying this outfit for a long time; the price was right.

The seller next to her was selling several older Jakks Pacific dolls.  I had heard raves about their bodies and thought it would be nice to experience one for myself.  She had the G.I.R.L. Force Body Art Lola doll.  I really wanted those tattoos!  And the price of $10 was excellent.  She made her way into my bag.

I was really curious about this doll's body.  It is extremely realistic with rib bones and everything.

It's a very strange body. It cannot sit, but the legs and arms move.  It is like an automaton in that there is rubber over a "body mechanism".  I love her from behind.

Unfortunately her legs have started to yellow.  Her body proportions are outstanding, but she suffers from the same problem as I do.  Her thighs are quite thick!  It was worth the $10 for the tattoos, the opportunity to actually see one of these bodies and experience it firsthand, and she has a lovely faceup (maybe I'll find an articulated body to match it someday).

I went back to a seller who had the original Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffany's dolls at reasonable prices.   Oops!  They were gone!  Missed those.

I found the TRU Charity Ball Barbie for $10.

This is a really cute doll.  Again, she wasn't on my list, but what a cutie!

Somehow I knew that one of my other girls would take this dress away.

AFL Vanessa knows she gets anything she wants around here.

Round Two netted two more dolls and one outfit.  It was time for my final round.  The "Big Money Round" as I so fondly refer to it.  I had been very good and spent only $74.  Now, it was time to consider one good purchase.

My #1 choice at this show was a NRFB Zac Posen giftset.  It was just taken out of the the shipper.  I was really in deep "covet" mode.   I had picked up the box and fondled it several times.  Asking price $250.  I know that is reasonable, but I just don't spend that kind of money anymore on Mattel products.  I have wanted that Zac Posen for years, but I just couldn't justify it.   While I was standing there, another collector purchased it.  Problem Solved.

I went to my last temptation of the day, and it was something on my list.  This show was a poor show for Vintage Barbie.  However, one dealer had my piece d'resistance.  As many of you know, when I was young, my sister had a day of hair redressing where she cut many of our dolls' hair. 

Luckily my mother caught her before she got to my Malibu Barbie.   Today was the day that I reunited Barbie with Malibu PJ.  A dealer had her in NRFB condition circa 1970.  I couldn't believe my luck.  She was $85 dollars and I just couldn't leave her there.

It brought back so many memories just seeing this doll.

As I was about the leave, I ran into Vanessa.  We did one more round together.  I showed her the Barbie Friend Ship (Airplane from 1974).  She was able to get it for $10.  Can't wait to see her stories with that prop.  What an awesome buy.

After I got home, I realized that most of my shopping was for clothing; however,  one doll decided she had to join my group.  All she needed was a new body ... a body that was already here, just waiting for the right head.  I give you "Charity".  She is wearing the outfit from "The Making Of ..." Erin. 

She's a real cutie!

I guess I may have been desperately seeking dolls, and found the best doll of all ... Vanessa.  She is just a sweetheart and a new doll friend.  It was a Fabulous Show, but maybe lists don't work well for me!