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My Kinda Doll Collecting

Hello fellow collectors,

I've been on the sidelines watching all of you for about a year now and it's time for me to get my voice (and pictures) out there too. And since most of you are really supportive and loving, I'm sure you'll forgive my amateur attempt at interior design/accessories customization.

From what it looks like a lot of you break down into different categories when it comes to your doll collecting (with many of you overlapping):

-Retailers
-Photographers
-Fashion Designers
-Interior Designers
-Furniture Makers
-Story Makers

I myself fall into the last category. Where as some of you have a collection of fashion models with beautiful clothing and backdrops, I am dealing with a lotta personalities. They totally dictate how a photo story might go. (You know what I'm talking about story makers).

Since watching all of you in various doll magazines or on various sites, I admit to being totally overcome with insane jealousy. What are you people, all rich? Why do you have EVERY single Fashion Royalty/NuFace/Monogram and I still have the 5 FR's I've had for 4 years? Why are all your furnishings and backdrops and clothing so beautiful and realistic?

Well, (aside from the being rich thing or maybe not being brand new mothers who have to channel all her fun money and time into diapers and onesies and itsy bitsy spider performances) it looks to me like you work your butts off!

So instead of making little doll rooms out of cardboard boxes:



I'm beginning to really take my time (that's a total lie, but I swear I'll try harder) to create more visually pleasing surroundings.

Since sewing has been the family trade for generations, it's time to take my mom up on her offer for lessons and start making some doll clothes.

My dad is a contractor and I've been his assistant since birth. Have I learned anything at all from him other than tiling? No, but I vow to change that too.

Oh this same contractor was also a photographer. Man, I could use some lessons there! Did you see where the cardboard room ends behind Natalia's head? Sheesh.

I will visit toy shows! I will join doll forums! I will not be shy and I will participate!

I will eventually learn to reroot and repaint! I will remove more heads and put them on better bodies!

Okay I won't be able to buy every FR ever made, but I love my Dynamite girls and I still love Barbie, though she always ends up being the maid or something in my stories.

And maybe one day, (when the kids are teens and don't want to be around me anyway), I will be able to make a living with the most satisfying (okay, THRILLING) hobby I've ever had!

At this point in my doll hobby I love when you guys do tutorials. It's like seeing an artist's thought process (which is also why I'm enjoying Bravo's "Work of Art".) So my blog will be set up as a before and after or step by step process of different projects. And if you guys have any tips on an easier, prettier way to do things, by all means, I welcome you.

I dedicate this blog to my sister in law Claribel who, at seeing her brother's then girlfriend's Ikea shelf with different rooms and dolls in various situations said without reservation, "This is ART! This is not playing dolls. This is really art! You could have a gallery show!" Thanks for understanding me Claire!

Comments

  1. Wow, Dani, you sound just like me! I'm always saying the same thing about all these doll folks who apparently have money to burn! What on earth kind of jobs do they have that let them buy up the whole freakin Integrity line before it's even released? Whatever it is, I need to be doing it, lol!

    Joining in the 1/6 community was a little scary for me at first too-- especially that first introduction on the forums and such-- I'm so horribly shy in real life! One forum you might like is Figurvore. (http://milkshakemelody.com/figurvore/index.php) It's focused all around the creative parts of 1/6-- building stuff and repainting, and photography, and there are lots of cool tutorials, and just creative people being crafty with doll stuff. Stop by sometime! Everyone there is super friendly, and we'll give you a nice welcome!

    You're lucky to have such talented parents who can teach you so many skills you can apply to dolls! And double lucky to have a sister in law who gets you. That's awesome. She's so right, this absolutely is art!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, this 1/6th world can be a little intimidating. Thanks for giving me a warm welcome already. I'll definitely be stopping by that forum.

    Dani

    ReplyDelete

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