What makes it so easy for doll collectors to be nasty online?

Whether it's because your favorite doll company has just released a collection you like, discontinued or neglected your favorite line, or updated your favorite sculpt, or another collector doesn't have a collection exactly like yours, posted an off-color message on a message board--what is it about these small pieces of plastic that makes normally well-mannered humans act like crazy people?

Perhaps because of the anonymity the internet supplies the instigator, the poster of a nasty message may be lulled into thinking that the virtual flaming paper bag filled with dog poop she has laid at the collective door of the doll community won't come flying back to her own front step. If she posts as "anonymous," there's no way we readers will find out she is, right?

I try to bear in mind that the doll community is very small. And while we may dress dolls till our fingers bleed, breathing resin dust is only bad for your lungs--as far as I'm aware--not your brain. We can still maintain the power of deduction. We might be able to figure out who that nasty poster is!

What if your message is particularly witty, even if it is harsh or biting? Suppose you aren't a fan of a particular doll company's latest release. You hope by posting clever and biting remarks that you're going to make somebody laugh, or make you popular. But have you put yourself in the designer's position? Have you ever wondered why so many of our artists--musicians, authors, artists, and designers--commit suicide? Might it be because they can't stand so much harsh criticism, including yours? You may think you are adding to the conversation. And I'll be the first to admit: you're certainly adding to something!

Please understand that I'm not talking about reviews--reviews that consider the pros and cons of dolls and outfits are always a good thing. These help collectors decide whether to make a purchase. They help us consider aspects we may not have noticed before. But I don't think there's room for slamming collectors of a particular brand, designer, or doll.

I've noticed an increase of posts on various social media lately that are just flat-out negative. I realize it is a lot easier to be negative than it is to be positive. However, there's the age old saying, If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all. To me, nothing is easier than not doing anything. You don't have to type or respond.

And opinions, well, they are aplenty. Isn't there another saying about opinions?

Angelic Dreamz update

Angelic Dreamz is offering 40-60% off all in-stock dolls to make room for new inventory. Pay them a visit, order more than $75, and get free US shipping!

Sadly, Mattel and Tonner have lost yet another fantastic retailer, as Angelic Dreamz will no longer be carrying new dolls from either of these lines. According to an email sent to customers, both relationships are being terminated because of significant undercutting of prices from manufacturers in their own on-line sales.

Hopefully, this means that we will be seeing more frequent collection releases from JAMIEshow.

I understand the need to carry as little inventory as possible--from a manufacturer's point of view. But some of the prices from doll companies have increased significantly over the past few years--both Mattel and Tonner have had price increases. I also understand that the number of dolls produced under license cost more to cover these licensing fees. However, price increases have been across the board. As a collector, when I pay more for an item, I also expect better quality.

I realize that prices increase when the production costs increase. I'm sure many manufacturing facilities overseas have had an increase of production costs. However, when the manufacturer is able to sell their own products at a 50% discount to the general public, when it doesn't offer that discount to its dealers, you have to wonder how much production costs really influence the original retail price. Also, I have to wonder how a manufacturer might benefit from undercutting a dealer's prices.

I love doll dealers. First, you have the chance to order splits and dolls with lay-away, which isn't offered by most manufacturers. Second, overseas customers have a better chance of obtaining the products they want from the first release, when going through a dealer who is either in their own country or is willing to ship internationally. Third, many doll dealers are small businesses that give the country jobs and more income--at least when they make enough money to stay in business.

Finally, there is a certain level of expertise and customer service that you can get from a dealer that you don't get from manufacturers. It's the nature of the business. A manufacturer is never going to offer to sell second-hand stock or items on consignment when they are still producing new dolls, for example.

I'm pained by Angelic Dreamz latest announcement, and I'm sorry to hear it. I personally prefer to shop with a dealer--though it irks me to no end to see my latest purchases discounted so much from the manufacturer directly, right after I purchase them. I don't own a doll business--so I'm sure there are levels of this that I just don't understand. As for me--I'd much rather support my favorite doll company through my dealer. Doesn't everybody win then?

Are doll conventions worth attending?

Most definitely! I'm sure you wouldn't expect any other answer from the Fashion Doll Review. Why should you attend a convention, and which one should you attend? First and foremost:

Attend the convention of the company whose dolls you love the most.

There's no question. If you aren't a big Barbie fan, don't attend that convention, even if you think you might be able to make a profit. Even if the Integrity Toys convention is on the opposite coast, if those are your favorite dolls, attend! Have you heard that Tonner's convention dolls don't sell for double the price, unlike some convention dolls? That's OK--if Tonner is your favorite company, go anyway!

You'll be sure to find collectors of like mind, and you'll enjoy yourself and the dolls. That's the most important part of a convention, anyway.

What if you collect many types of dolls? I'd suggest a convention like IFDC or MDCC, where several different doll manufacturers are represented.

• Barbie convention usually registers close to 800 attendees. This is a fairly large convention. In addition to room shopping, count on the sales room--public day--being a bit crazy. If you like lots of people, this convention is for you. The shopping alone is worth it! Surprisingly to me, these are usually hosted by and put on by the local doll group, and sponsored by dealers, vendors, and Mattel, but not actually hosted by Mattel, so they are different and unique each year. It makes them fun, entertaining, and exciting!
• Tonner Doll convention is a bit more intimate - usually less than 300 attendees, and closer to 250. It's fun, and the pace is a little more reasonable. There seemed to be a lot of cliques at this convention--though it might just be where I was sitting (or that my hair was purple at the time). The staff is amazing. I really enjoyed getting to know them!
• Integrity Toys convention is usually limited to around 500 attendees--I found it way more low key than I expected, especially for the number of attendees. So many more people were just happy to spend time talking dolls rather than cutting in line. I was shocked and delighted. If you'd like to get to talk to some doll designers, come to this convention! The food was to die for at this event.
• IFDC is limited to 250 people, and it's the most affordable convention of them all. It's atmosphere is really fun and laid back. I really enjoy this convention because of how friendly the people who attend are--though again, since so many people already know each other, it can be off-putting at first. The raffle room is really amazing at this event, and the workshops are terrific. Dress up and put yourself out there!
• European doll conventions, such as the Paris Fashion Doll Festival, the Italian Doll Convention in Milan, and the Madrid Fashion Doll Show are amazing opportunities for shopping and have fantastic convention dolls. I would love to attend one of these someday. I've had a friend attend the convention in Milan, and it was one of the best doll experiences she's had so far. For me, it would be a dream come true! They are usually quite small--limited to around 100 attendees--which makes them quite intimate and wonderful, and you'll be able to find some amazing treasures.
• MDCC is limited to 200 and I haven't (yet) attended this event. It's very affordable, and what's really cool is that it changes locations every year, so sometime it's going to be close to you. Also, you know what is included in your registration fee, and now, you can "Bring a Buddy," which allows you to bring a friend who doesn't really want the convention doll. The breakout events feature amazing OOAK artists and exclusive dolls, and those are available on an individual basis. I've heard that you can usually see the doll before you buy it, also, which is a plus.
• Local BJD Conventions--If there is a BJD Convention on your coast or in your state, and you're at all interested in these amazing dolls, do whatever you can to attend. These are really great ways to see lots of dolls in person, plus you can save a lot of money on shipping if you plan to buy a doll. Of course, don't forget to save money up front, since you'll want to save in advance. Sometimes these conventions will have vendors who accept trades for their products as well, which you usually won't find anywhere else--I attended one convention where I saw this, and had never seen this before. It's fantastic!
• UFDC also puts on a yearly convention. 2014 will be in San Antonio, TX. I've never attended the convention, but I have been to the sales room, which was huge.

What if you're not overly fond of large groups of people? Start out small--and try IFDC or a local BJD Convention first. 

Why are those convention dolls so darn expensive?

FR: Monogram Completist, from The Premiere convention

If you're like me, you might wonder why the heck those convention dolls go for sky-rocket prices, and why the [blank] collectors think they can charge so much for convention exclusive. Well, high demand aside, I thought I'd put together a simple cost analysis for those of you planning to attend convention yourselves next year, which, quite frankly, is the easiest (though not the cheapest!) way to obtain them yourselves.

Click to enlarge

As you can see, it cost me a little over $3000 to attend convention this year.  YIKES. I went with my daughter Kate, and roomed with her, but I'm not including her registration, or any of our outfits.

Convention registration is only 14% of the overall cost. It's $425 per person. I have only included the cost of my own registration, and not the cost of the W Club luncheon or workshops, which were optional. Historically, these can be good investments, if you can sign up before they sell out.

The hotel cost is steep. It's $169 per night, plus an additional 15% room tax. It was a beautiful hotel and a great location. This is typical of IT conventions, I have to say. The more you pay for a hotel, the more expensive on-site amenities. You can split your room up to four ways, if you dare--so keep this in mind, as this can cut expenses. I have to tell you that I have heard some horror stories about hotel room splits. If you are a sound sleeper, you should be fine. If you are picky about snoring, how cool or warm you like your hotel room, or if you are sensitive about gossip, this probably isn't a good option.

Travel was ideal for me this year, since the convention was in California. Parking, however--wow. But again, this is totally typical. Ride sharing helps. I sure did enjoy being able to drive this year! I really hope to see IT in California again.

Food--well, I eat on the cheap, and tend to bring some breakfast items with me. Except for coffee, which I can't seem to go without for too long. I probably over-estimated my food expenses on this chart, as I'm including any alcoholic beverages and incidentals as well.

Finally--the dolls. They were amazing. When you "win" the centerpiece, you actually win the right to purchase the centerpiece. (Unlike Barbie convention, where you are given the centerpiece.) You could also spend money on raffle tickets as well--I didn't include that in my estimate, either. And you could spend less on table gifts for your table mates, too. I didn't purchase every convention doll--about half of them. I came home with three of the bonus salesroom items (both ITBE specials and the bonus Poppy Parker doll).

All in all, it was an expensive convention. However--what did I actually get from the convention? Well--all in all--I came home with the 14 dolls I purchased, plus the 2 convention dolls, and then 3 additional dolls as well. (I'm not counting the W Club luncheon.) So if I received 19 dolls for $3000, that averages to about $158 per doll--that's not too shabby, right?

I'd say, overall, it's worth it to attend convention. I'd go again next year. You'll want to keep in mind a few other things before you go, too--the expense of costumes and outfits (yes, you'll want them), for example. Also, if you tend to be a little introverted, it can be taxing to go to an event like this for an extended period of time. But all in all, totally worth it--even if I were just keeping the dolls, which I really, really wish I could do!

Chloe in Tulabelle

Chloe, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Miss Chloe (Fairyland Chicline BJD) in Beauty White resin is dressed in the fashion from Violet Femme Tulabelle, a brand new line from Integrity Toys. It's a great new contemporary look, I have to say--down to the shoes.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get the shoes on over the adorable tube socks (which are just over the knee and super cute), but the outfit is still really fun without the socks, too. The shoes have a zip on the inside, so they are easy to put on and take off.

The shorts are a perfect fit--which is great. I think it's a great casual option of this size of doll--and you should check out all the terrific fashions available for Tulabelle. She has a fantastic wardrobe!

Evelyn of Treasure Dolls is one dealer who offers splits of these dolls--so if you'd rather not purchase the entire doll and just want the fashion, you can do that in advance. However, once you see Tulabelle, you might change you mind. She's adorable, too.

You can see a few more photos on Flickr.

When a grail isn't all you'd hoped...

Celebration in Paris Tyler Wentworth

Every once in a while, I think I just wait too long to obtain a grail doll. My anticipation builds too much, and then when she arrives, she just can't meet my expectations. This has happened to me recently with the arrival of Celebration in Paris, a Paris Fashion Doll Festival Tyler Wentworth from 2009.

I have to say, she is a lovely Tyler 2.0 sculpt. She's got beautiful platinum blonde hair, styled in short curls. She has amazing red lips and blue eyes. Her black dress is dramatic satin and tulle, with a ribbon belt and a rhinestone buckle. Her jewelry is fantastic, too: two bracelets, a necklace and earrings--all dripping rhinestones. Even her peep-toe shoes are cute and trimmed with sparkles.

I wish she had more dramatic facial screening. I may have waited too long to add her to my collection. She's just not for me. I find she's taking up too much space in my cabinet, and I have to let her go.

I have her listed in on the DollPage Show & Sell for what I paid. I'm hoping someone else will be able to give her a good home and appreciate her, and her limited edition (only 100 were made!), for what she is.

Spring Kissed Chloe

Chloe, a photo by alington on Flickr.

One of the cool things that can happen--but almost never does, in my case--in eclectic collections is cross-over: when outfits from one doll company happen to fit another doll.

I discovered that Fairyland's slim Chicline BJD Chloe can wear Cami & Jon and Antoinette clothing by Tonner--down to the shoes. Additionally, I discovered yesterday that FR:16 clothing by Integrity Toys also fits well.

Because Chloe's feet are magnetic, I don't even have to worry about the annoying ankle straps on these shoes. I can keep the buckles connected, remove her foot at the ankle, and slip the foot into the shoe. Then, I slip the connected straps around her ankle and reconnected her magnetic feet. Easy as pie, for some amazing shoes!

Plus, it's a fantastic outfit. It's from a limited edition W Club doll, the first FR:16 doll called Spring Kissed from last year.

You can see a few more photos on Flickr.

I may not be THAT bad of a collector.

Iplehouse nYID Rexy, a photo by alington on Flickr.

Patience is a virtue--especially when you're a doll collector! If you've recently joined the doll collecting community, or the ball-jointed doll community, you will have discovered the wonderful pre-order period that many companies have for their dolls.

The wonderful thing about pre-ordering dolls is that there is often a fun unveiling event that surrounds this release. Integrity Toys, for example, does a live presentation for W Club members online. It's fun to gather fellow W Club members (and fellow doll collectors) for these releases, and discuss your excitement for each new release.

On the other hand, there is the waiting period after you order your doll. While I can understand that this makes it a lot easier for dealers to know guess many of each doll they need to order, it doesn't usually determine edition size in the world of vinyl and plastic. Very few items these days (with perhaps the exception of Mattel's playline dolls) are produced as open editions.

The wait time can be as short as a week, or as long as a year (or more, depending on licensing issues), with the average about three to six months, I find. Many companies have tried to reduce the wait time for their dolls by scheduling several unveilings throughout the year, closer to production time, which helps reduce the waiting. I understand that it takes time to design, produce, and approve a quality product.

In the BJD world, most dolls aren't even cast before you order them and pay for them in full. Casting and pouring the doll can be affected by weather conditions, which can affect the delivery time of your doll. While most companies strive diligently for a 30 to 45 day delivery time, most take about three to six months to ship a doll.

Considering that each doll is hand poured and cast and sanded, and each doll is strung and painted by hand, and you may also be waiting for another manufacturer's wig or outfit--waiting can be lengthy.

If you are an impatient collector, and you don't mind putting a little work into a doll, you can risk the secondary market for both vinyl and resin. Above, one of my recent secondary market purchases was nothing short of miraculous. It's Iplehouse nYID Rexy, large bust, face-up option C, in special real skin, exactly what my heart desired.

I posted a WTB listing on Den of Angels, and within the hour (or possibly two), I got a response. The seller sent photos the same day, and after receiving my payment (also the same day), she mailed the doll unstrung (to save me shipping) the following day.

Rexy is perfect. Plus, I didn't have to wait for three months. And I feel like my money has stayed within the US economy, and I feel like I've given a new home to a doll--it's like recycling--kind of.

I adore the secondary market. When Steve and Rae decided to keep the DollPage open, I was thrilled beyond belief. So be sure to visit your favorite sites and click on those ads. Don't cause problems or gripe. Be a good customer! Collectors like me really need the secondary market!

If you like, you can see more photos of lovely Rexy on Flickr.

Clothing optional?

Iplehouse EID Yur, a photo by alington on Flickr.

The only bad thing about an eclectic collection is when clothing doesn't fit.

I'm not talking about tailoring problems. I'm talking about when you can't slide a pair of stretch pants up over a doll's thighs. That's when you know you have an issue.

Why, oh why, can't I just be happy with what I have?

Well, just look at her. It's Iplehouse EID Yur (she's as pretty as the promo). She's a mere 65 cm tall (that's a little more than 25.5 inches). I have plenty of room in my cabinet. And she's the "medium" bust size. There is also a "large" bust option. (I can only imagine!) She is in the special real skin resin, which is a wonderful, hard-to-pour tan color and has a company face-up.

I see spandex, double-stretch jersey, and corsets in my future!

But isn't she gorgeous? You can see additional photos on Flickr.

When do you debox a doll?

Shimmer, a photo by alington on Flickr.

I'm having a collecting dilemma right now. I don't know whether I should debox this particular doll, which has lead me to consider my "deboxing policy."

Normally, with vintage dolls, it's hard to debox them NRFB. Now, I consider whether you can actually tell if the doll has already been removed. If she has, I don't have a problem. I will remove her, possibly even redress her, and then put her back. If she is sold, I mention I've removed her from the box, and that she isn't NRFB--I'd call her MIB, if she is mint. (It's just a little pet peeve of mine, when sellers call a doll "NRFB, except removed for these photos."

But for less than vintage--take this 1982 Dazzle doll Shimmer, for example--I have to take several things into consideration.

1. Is the package pretty? If it's pretty--this one has nice graphics (see photos on Flickr for examples)--I have a harder time messing it up.
2. Is the package mint? If the package isn't in great condition--and this one, the plastic has yellowed and the card is bent just a bit--it's not quite such a big deal to rip into it.
3. Is the doll hard to find? This doll is from the 1982 release. There were many dolls released in 1981, and Shimmer was only released in a smaller edition size in 1982. She is a bit pricier, and, yes, harder to find.
4. Is the doll in peril? Sometimes, a doll may be wearing clothing or earrings that can cause staining or green ear, and removing the offending articles is a must. In this case, Dazzle dolls often have rubber bands that turn to liquid glue over time. I can see them in her hair, and they appear all right. But I really don't want them to ruin her hair.
5. Can I open the package without ruining it? In this case, the nature of a blister card makes it difficult to keep its beauty intact. I could keep the back of the card, of course, but it won't be nearly as nice as before it's opened.
6. Exactly how badly do I want to play with the doll? Oh, how to answer this question! I can't answer the last time I had so much fun with a photo shoot as I did shooting Crystal and Glossy. (It made me want to add the entire line of Dazzle dolls to my collection, which is just ridiculous... isn't it?)

Truthfully, in spite of my hesitation to simply rip into the package, what will probably happen is this: I'll keep the doll unopened in her package today. One rainy day, I'll put aside all logical reasoning. I'll just need a little pick-me-up and open the doll for a photo shoot and redressing session. It'll be fun.

Fortunately for me, it's going to be 78° and sunny today.

By the way, did you notice Shimmer's miniature Steffie face? Isn't she adorable?

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?

It's the dollroom shuffle!

Madame du Barbie, a photo by alington on Flickr.

With painting and new carpet happening, I'm emptying a doll cabinet. I'm also paring down a few of my beloved--well, we'll call them be-liked--dolls in exchange for more space and room for dolls that I really love.

Among those leaving is the gorgeous Madame du Barbie. She's a lovely deboxed Mackie girl with a fabulous Rococ sequined outfit. I still even have her original box.

See more photos on Flickr. Plus, check out some real bargains and fabulous find on the DollPage.

Thanks for looking!

Plans for the new year

Untitled, a photo by alington on Flickr.

As 2012 comes to a close, I have a chance to look at my overcrowded dolly cabinet with an urge to change. I hate to look at my past new year resolutions and see how I've failed to complete them, but it's a new year, isn't it?

This year, I'd like to clean up my collection a little by selling a few of the dolls I have that don't get much attention. This will unfortunately include my recent FR:2 collection, and also my last Fashion Teen Poppy.

I also have a few Franklin Mint dolls I've been hanging onto for a project that I realize is just not going to happen. They have to go.

A few of my Tonners have to be sold. And then--I am overwhelmed with Steffie-faced Barbies. I am working on Volume II of Steffie: Out of the Box, but I don't have room to add my new girls. Selling a few of the girls I have would provide some extra funds for this next project.

Then, there's my long list of BJDs. I have a huge want list, and they are wonderful. I have a few resin fashion BJDs, and I wonder if they are really getting the attention they deserve, or if I should cut down on a few of them as well.

Heartless? You all would never sell a doll, much less an entire collection of dolls? I suppose that is fine--but I consider it upgrading or streamlining--trying to sell the dolls I like for the ones I truly love. And each year, it gets a little harder.

Thankful to be Obsessively Collecting Dolls!

Well, this wraps up the Thankful For posts here on Fashion Doll Review, at least for me. There is one more post on my own blog, Random Doll Blathering, which I will attend to once I am done here.

It's a short saga from a bunch of folks who knew and admired each other online, to actually getting together face to face. I knew Sonya, A Queen of All Trades, from the Yahoo! group we belong to, Cheery About Agnes Dreary. I mentioned that I lived (at the time) in Auburn, WA, and it turns out I lived under 5 miles away from her. We met up at one of the doll shows in Puyallup, and we really clicked.

Sonya mentioned we should get together again, and also meet some of the other folks who lived here in the state, whom she had known from Prego, and also knew from shopping at the local JoAnn Fabrics.

In February of 2011, the day after my birthday, we all gathered together at the regional library in Federal Way, and have been meeting there ever since, the second Sunday of the month!


On the right, in the pink top, is Sonya's Mini Me

Doll clubs are both fun, and something of a nuisance - fun, because you get together with, and talk dolls for a good portion of an afternoon, and a nuisance because of all the enabling! Dolls I never gave a second thought to, I VERY suddenly started to "seriously covet."

I keep teasing George Gonzalez of Angelic Dreamz about the undercover JamieShow sales reps he has sprinkled among our membership. We started out with Wil showing off his lovely JamieShow dolls, and the next thing you know,  three more members bought the dolls, and some of us want to catch up!

We have had our ups and downs, as most organizations tend to do, but the one thing we ALL have is friends who truly understand what it is to forever Obsessively Collect Dolls, although one member has suggested that we change it a little to Obsessively Covet Dolls.

My own personal joke is that if I were to win a big lottery, I would buy a nice parcel of land, build houses on it for the other members and myself, and we could start our own cult. We have enough "graven idols" to make it plausible, I think!

To Fashion Doll Review's American friends and readers, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and the hope that the calories got lost on their way to your extremities. To our overseas friends and readers, well, I will wish you to have as great a day as we are having here!

Thankful for the mom

Another pair who help light up doll club meetings are mom and daughter, Kristi and Evelyn. Since I am more or less profiling each member one at a time, I will start with Kristi (mom) here, and pay tribute to daughter Evelyn on my own blog.

Kristi, like most of the OCD, is a multi talented lady. How she does so as the mom of two kids is a mystery - well, to me, anyway. I have problems managing being "meowmie" to three cats!



Kristi's kids, whom she does not have to run after

Perhaps I should back up and explain in a little more detail. Kristi manages to keep up with two lively children, her husband, her mother, who has recently moved closer to her AND manages to keep up with  full social schedules - her own, those of her children, her mom, and her husband - and does so all while looking great and keeping her spirits high and sense of humor intact. Plus, she collects, as you can see, all sorts of different dolls, which, as always, look fantastic.

How does she do it? I would be MOST thankful if she would share the secret!

Thankful for great taste

One thing I always envy of my friends in my doll club is that they ALL have such great taste in clothes, dolls, or displays. Angie, the subject of this "Thankful for" post is no different.

Angie is many things - she is a jewelry maker, with her own Etsy store, from which she sells human sized and doll sized jewelry. She is also a talented craftsperson, and has tried her hand at, successfully, wig making, furniture making, and even rerooting. Angie also makes me insanely jealous of her skill at taking such great pictures of dolls. I even ask her to take one or two of my dolls, and place them in her setting or against her background to take pictures.

Frankly, it ought to be illegal to be this talented, and a sweetheart to boot, but somehow, Angie carries it off quite well!

Thankful for seriously coveting

Ah, yes, the time of year when we load up on turkey and other goodies, then sit back and hopefully give thanks.

This year, I am giving thanks for my friends in my doll club, the OCD, which is short for Obsessively Collecting Dolls.

This first entry belongs to Margaret, a lovely lady who has coined one of our favorite phrases, "Seriously covet." Something she manages to provoke just about every single meeting with her drop dead gorgeous dolls and outfits, such as this one.

Tonner's Au Naturale Ashleigh wearing Black Hills Doll Design

I "chided" Margaret for making me drool like a baby over this dress, and Margaret "chided" me in return for provoking her on a number of occasions to "seriously covet" dolls from my own collection.

"Seriously coveting" easy on the eyes, murder on the budget!

Dreaming of dolls

In my book, Ball-Jointed Dolls for Beginners, I mention that dreaming about your first BJD is completely normal and to be expected. I have had many doll-related dreams in the past years, and I notice that with stress, my dreams about dolls seem to increase.

Last night, I had this very strange dream about Tonner Doll's Intriguing. I had a dream I took down her beautiful blue hair, which I threatened to do (much to Carolyn's dismay and horror) at our local doll meet. However, in my dream, when I took down her hair, only the front of Precarious' hair was blue--like it was painted somehow--and the rest was brunette. It was very strange.

Not only that, but I had totally ruined the style by taking it down. Since her hair was painted in front, there was no way to get it back in the original style--at least not by me.

It was a rather silly and unnerving dream.

About a doll.

I think I need more and better sleep.

Collection Analysis

I am not really a fan of statistics, yet sometimes, statistics do have their place. If you are a greedy, grasping sort of collector like I am - I would guess that not too many Fashion Doll Review readers are like me in that respect - it is interesting to look over one's collection once in a while, and try to figure out your buying patterns.

Has anyone really looked over their collection, and tried to analyze what they have? Yes, of course, they're dolls, but there's more to your collection than that. Once my own collection grew beyond a "reasonable number," and I would like someone to define "reasonable" for me in this respect, it became prudent to keep a file with information on my dolls, so that I could keep track of what I have, rather than having to bring them all up onto my desk, and do whatever analysis or count needed to be done, to make sure I was not buying more than one of the same doll.

I started the file mainly to keep track of which dolls I had. But since I spend so much time on eBay, it also helps me keep track of when I purchased the doll, and when it arrived in my hands. This has been helpful, so I do NOT open a "no item received" dispute on eBay with a seller. I would hate to cause problems for an innocent seller simply because I have had a "senior moment."

There is no question of WHICH kinds of dolls I collect, since most of my friends, both real life and online know that I am a raging Tonner-holic. In addition to, "Believe in the Power of Play," I think Robert Tonner could actually get away with using a paraphrase of another famous slogan to describe my collection, "Betcha can't collect just one!"

There are many ways to analyze your collection, and here are some of the breakdowns I have done with my collection so far:

Doll Statistics, Blue's Collection, current as of October 28, 2012

Condition: This is the state in which I bought the dolls.

New means just that - I bought the doll from a doll store, a fellow collector, or eBay.

Nude dolls come from a variety of sources including doll stores (like Dreamcastle Dolls, which does splits of dolls and outfits), fellow collectors on doll boards I belong to or eBay.

Head Only - Before Tonner Doll doll bodies available for purchase, many people would buy dolls for the outfits and the "latest and greatest" bodies, but then have an extra head. Most of the time, they would either "downgrade" the head to the older body style, or just sell the head outright.

Used simply means I purchased a doll, wearing its original outfit, but it had been played with or displayed by its previous owner.

The gruesome seeming "Half doll" was literally that, meaning I had bought the head attached to the breastplate with arms. Don't ask me what the seller did with the lower half of the doll. I have no clue!

New -   31
Nude -   74
Head only -  17
Used -   5
Half doll -  1

Then, of course, a famous demographic with me, hair color. I have been a collector for - well, more years than I really care to admit to - and blue eyed blondes are the biggest share of the fashion doll market. I know it is a popular hair and eye color combination, but it really, really got old. Telling my dolls apart got to be more and more of a chore, and I finally tapered off buying dolls like I used to, because all I could see available were more blondes.

Along came my Tonner doll obsession, and it is pretty interesting to see the results. The dolls listed as bald, by the way, are a wig doll, and a doll head in need of rerooting, as well as a new body. Another unique doll in this section is the one listed as having "thermal" hair, meaning that it changes colors with the temperature, something I found out accidentally while washing this hair. "Mixed" simply means that the hair colors are a blend, and I really can't fit the hair color into one or the other of the colors.

Hair Colors:

Auburn -   7
Bald -  2
Blonde -   16
Brunette -  38
Gray -   1
Mixed -   2
Platinum -  4
Raven -   38
Redhead - 20
Thermal -  1

Trying to figure out why I am broke all the time took a little bit of thought, so I checked my file, and decided to take a count of how many dolls I was buying in a year. The results REALLY surprised me!

2007 -  1
2008 -  26
2009 -  37
2010 -  25
2011 -   21
2012 -   19 - so far!

Finally, this might be a bit controversial. I have been guilty of loudly complaining about the doll companies mass producing dolls featuring only a limited number of face sculpts. This was before I found out anything about the manufacturing process, and how long it takes to have an artist sculpt a new head, make the master molds, and produce the dolls. The process has, since I was a kid collecting dolls, become a lot more streamlined, and more profitable for doll companies to make more than one sculpt. But I was still curious, for the lovelies of my collection, to see how many of a particular sculpt was repeated in my collection. As you can see, Tonner's Angelina sculpt is leading, since she is one of my favorites.

Angelina Ruiz - 11
Sydney Chase - 9
Kit -  8
Emilie -  7
Stella -  7
Daphne Dimples -  5
Marley Wentworth - 5
Tyler Wentworth - 5
Antoinette - 4
Jane -  4

Anyway, these are different ways I have tried to analyze my collection. There are so many different ways you can look at your collection, and try to figure out what you are spending your hard earned money on!

Dolls and me - then and now

I got to thinking about how long I have associated with and collected dolls while reading this article in Cafe Mom. While I am not a mother, I do like checking this site from time to time, because there are some genuinely funny and touching stories to be told. In this particular post, a woman was wondering about the effects of Barbie - whether or not the hysterical controversies that crop up around Barbie are warranted. Specifically, if the doll would have any sort of effect on her seven year old daughter. Read the article, the answers this young girl gave her mom are surprising and honest.

This is the reaction that many, many hysterical critics of Barbie have received from young girls who apparently have a better grip on reality than they - "It's just a doll."

But even well-meaning and otherwise intelligent parents, like my late father, were a little confused by the implications of a doll that could be seen as a role model of the "ultimate girl." I was the only child of a man who left his native country under fire, and was never able to return, after the government branded him a traitor. To say that I was sheltered and spoiled as a result is probably a huge understatement.

I was something of a mystery to my poor dad, despite his being the eldest of three, and the only son. Boys behaved in certain ways, and played with boy's toys, (cars, trucks, toy guns and so forth) while girls behaved in a different fashion, and played with girl's toys (dolls, tea sets, and make believe jewelry). Dad had never encountered what people here in the US call a tomboy - meaning a girl who behaves as many believe a boy should behave. I liked playing with cars, trucks and toy guns. Unlike the "girly girls" I went to school with, I was highly uncomfortable in the frilly dresses in pastel colors. I liked wearing dark colors or jewel tones, and I liked wearing pants.

Imagine dad's delight when I asked for a Barbie doll for Christmas when I was six!

Malibu Barbie - better known to me as Barb

Imagine dad's surprise when I would discard the pretty, frilly Barbie outfits and take scraps from my mom's sewing projects to make my own costumes for Barb!

Instead of playing house, Barb and I would go on adventures - as the good guys - hunting for treasure, or bad guys to take to jail. Barb, of course, couldn't be out in the forest in a frilly pink dress, because for one thing, it would snag and get dirty - horrors! - it would be hard to run in, if the bad guys came after us, and finally, if we had to hide from the bad guys, neon pink tends to spoil any attempts at sabotage. Barb and I paid CLOSE attention to the movies or TV shows, where someone was almost caught because they were too dumb to know  how to hide properly. I suppose I should also mention that Barb and I watched war movies with my dad, and dad explained the concept of camoflage, when we wanted to know why that guy had all the green stuff on his face, and was wearing that plant costume.

How NOT to be seen

Though it has been years, and I still have Barb - somewhere, in my piles and piles of boxes of stuff I really need to go through - my relations with dolls have changed somewhat. Most of Barb's like-scaled friends have moved on to make room in the cramped apartments I have lived in for the last several years. Barb herself, and several of her cousins, however, are still holding out hope that one day I will at least put them on display in something other than fraying fabric scraps held together with safety pins and duct tape.


Even, today, however, STILL a doll outfit's best friend!



This is back in the day of old school duct tape. None of those fancy dancy colors you kids have today.

Where was this when I was a kid?

I don't "play" with dolls as I did as a kid, because frankly, I am well past the kid stage. But I do still collect dolls, with an almost manic obsession, and at least in computer files, I still go on adventures with them. I was the only child, which means I was something of an outcast, so I spent more recesses in the library than I did on the playground, and I have Southern family on my mother's side, meaning that not only have I heard a lot of stories being told, I also enjoy being a storyteller myself.

Yes, there is a point, and I am getting to it. I still play with my dolls, but in the context  of the stories I am attempting to write. In some cases, I can get past some pretty serious blocks, by bringing out some dolls to fulfill the roles of the characters. What is really odd is that so many of my dolls actually look like the characters I use them for - of course, that is what usually sells the doll or dolls to me in the first place. Only now, instead of scraps of fabric held together with safety pins and duct tape, I hem up quilter's fat quarters, and put my dolls into Technicolor Togas.

All she needs are the scale booze bottles and the lampshade and you have a toga party animal!

Like the young girl interviewed by her mom in the article I refer to above, I like to think I have a pretty healthy relationship with my dolls. While they are quite enjoyable to have around, particularly in my case as  muses, I have never unfavorably compared myself to them. I never wondered why I was not as pretty as Barb. I felt kind of sorry for her that she couldn't do what I could - move freely, change her own clothes, talk, read, or even have a mom and daddy who loved her.