Attention Deficit Disorder and Doll Collecting

As an elementary school teacher, each week I work with children who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  As a doll collector, I find myself on the other end of it.

Recently, I came to a serious epiphany.  I am feeling out of control with my collecting habits because I AM actually out of control with my collecting habits.   When I look at my bookcases of dolls, I am as confused as the student who cannot read the words on a page.  Instead of the letters being all over the place, my types of dolls are over the place!

There are the Vintage Barbie dolls.  They remind me of my childhood.   I seem to be unable to resist the purchase of a pristine vintage doll at a good price.  A 1970 Go-Go Cocoa Standard Barbie all-original was added to my collection and cost less than what new Fashion Royalty dolls are selling for.

I also have Basics and Silkstones.  I got sucked into the Monster High craze.  My Walmart recently had the Skull Shores Frankie (black and white) for $4.13.  I purchased five of them because I thought I could use the torso for the kit dolls I have.  It took some patience, a dremel tool, and some mild cursing, but I got it to work.  I decided to paint the torso white to match the limbs.  Here is "Boney" for you.

As far as cute dolls I enjoy playing with, I guess my very favorite Integrity Line is Misaki.  I have several of them but haven't purchased one from the past three years.  Here is my punk miss!

When Poppy Parker came out, I thought she would be the ideal friend for my Misaki dolls.  They have the same body and can share the same clothing.  Unfortunately, Poppy has become too popular.  I don't have the energy to fight the masses for this doll. I still have six of them in my collection.

Another line that I enjoy playing with is the Dynamite Girls.  I love their "street clothes" and the modern feel to them.  Recently, I was able to snag Cruz for retail when Mary T's went out of business.

Integrity has a way of pulling you into their different lines.  I also collect the Monogram dolls.  They are so sophisticated!  I got Fascination from Mary T's sale for 50% off retail.  (Who would've resisted such a sale ... not me, anyway!)

And then Integrity had an IDEX unveiling of dolls, and I purchased a couple from that line.  They are now producing these dolls with eyelashes.  Just when you think you're finished collecting a group of dolls, Integrity goes and does one better.  Here is Allure.

I also have the NuFace dolls and two Mini-Genes who have similar bodies to the Monograms.  I have a couple FR2 girls and dolls from the Integrity Direct line.  Then there are the Fashion Royalty dolls.  (If anyone is counting, I am up to over one dozen different types of dolls 12 inches or under.)

 

The Fashion Royalty line makes up the majority of my collection.  I think having too many different lines and so many dolls released everyyear keeps me from appreciating my old favorites.

I recently purchased a fabulous hand-crocheted romper from Jessica of Cozy Couture.  I fell in love with this from the moment I saw it.  I wanted to try it on a tan girl.  I had completely forgotten that Going Public Eugenia lived here.  When she first arrived she was my very favorite doll.  She got more re-dressings and photo shoots than any other girl .  When I put the romper on her, I remembered how much I enjoyed this doll. It made me sad, that I am so overwhelmed with new dolls, that I've missed that joy I feel from some of my older dolls.

Tomorrow Integrity is unveiling its new line.  I am excited by the anticipation of what will be shown and fear that I will become even more overwhelmed than I currently am.  When I return to school, I will be quite a bit more compassionate with those children who suffer from the disabling effects of ADD.  I definitely understand how they feel.