On birthdays and doll collecting

Doll Chateau Queena - on her way from Denver Doll, who happened to have one in stock

My 40th birthday was on January 10, and I have a few resolutions to share with you all. I have read recently--and also seen from Shuga-Shug's Facebook posts over the last year--that when you share your resolutions with others, even in Social Media platforms, you will have a higher likelihood of success. (Congratulations, Shuga! You look just amazing!)

So... I have several resolutions planned.

First, your typical exercise-oriented one: I'm walking everyday. My aim is more for health and fitness (though wouldn't we all love to loose just an extra 10 pounds throughout the year). My [wonderful nerd] husband bought me a little naggy device called a FitBit. It is basically a pedometer, and it measures altitude as well. My goal is to walk at least 10,000 steps daily and 10 flights of stairs.

You can follow your progress with, say, your competitive older brother (and your über-competitive children, should they also require nerd devices) on a smart phone app, and track your weight, water intake, sleep, what you eat, and more, if you so desire. The regular FitBit runs about $100 or $69 for the FitBit Zip version, which is what our kids have.

The kids we have lean toward sedentary, and with these little naggy things attached to them, I can hardly turn around and have someone asking, "Hey Mom, let's go for a walk and get more steps than so-and-so!" I figure, if I had built in walking 10,000 steps everyday when I was a kid, I think it's probably worthwhile.

Second, refocusing my doll collection. I have been ruthlessly going through my collection and trying to decide what it is truly about, and I have come up with several themes:

• Peak's Woods BJDs - they are my favorite ball-jointed dolls of all. Plus, did you know Denver Doll Emporium is carrying them again?
• Strange BJDs - including the girl show in the photo above, Queena by Doll Chateau. I also own a DC Erica, and I'd love to also add Bella.
• Steffie-faced Barbie - I'm writing Volume II (and well into it) of Steffie: Out of the Box: An inside peek at a fan's eclectic collection (Volume 1), and have been collecting several dolls to feature in this book. I am trying to let go of the dolls in Volume I, unless I really love them. (Oh yes--and I plan to finish the writing part of the book by May.)
• New Tonner Dolls - I admit it, I love what's new and different. I am willing to pay a premium for those dolls, too. Probably, it's what's killing my budget--well, that and the BJDs, and the fact that I can't/won't narrow down my collection. I need to plan on rotating my collection, however--and planning on some loss when I do so
• 1970s era Barbie - From mod to superstar, I have a few I just adore.

My current collection likes, but I'm not sure where they stand.

• Vintage Barbie - These girls have kind of been on the back burner for a while. They are delicate, and that makes it difficult for me to play with them. They are "just sit there" dolls. If the current vintage market were a little better, I might part with a few, but for now, I think they will stay the way they are.
• Fashion Royalty - Again, suffering from my whatever-is-new fever, I feel like these girls are simply amazing. I will always have a few of these girls, but I wonder if it wouldn't do me some good to really rotate my collection.
• Poppy Parker - I just adore this girl. I would really, really love to own Reluctant Debutante, and I wonder if I couldn't get her with a trade from the above Fashion Royalty collection. But again... is it because they are new, or because I like them? Also, the clothing and accessories aren't as easy for me to manipulate as some of my larger girls.
• Resin fashion dolls - I own some gorgeous repainted resin fashion BJDs, and I love to style and photograph them, but bonding is an issue. One in particular has a gorgeous face-up, but I can't stand how she poses. She's heavy, and her stringing is loose. I could probably fix it, but I'm hesitant because of her original cost. Ugh!

Third, re-styling the house (and my photo background). We are having the painter start this morning, and this afternoon, the flooring specialist is coming with samples. Ideally, I'd love to have laminate throughout the house--we have lots of cats, and I think this would be easier to clean. 

Also, I'm hoping that I'll be able to host one of the doll meets again. I have one super-social kitty (Chanel, our ocicat), who simply panics if there are guests over and she can't come visit. She has pooped in one of the bedrooms the past three doll meets I've hosted (we have one attendee who is really allergic to cats, and Chanel would be deadly--she just rubs all over everyone). Not that I'm thinking she will stop panicking--but perhaps hard floor would discourage her from ruining the carpet. (I'm such a dreamer!)

What about you? Do you have aims for your collection and life this year?