Liebster Award--Thank you Brini!

Here we are, the first Liebsters of the year. Thank you, Brini for nominating me. I'll begin right away with my answers to Brini's questions:

 

1.   What is your most treasured doll and why?

My most treasured doll is the one my mom gave me when I was just 20 months old. Her name is Sandra and I still have her. She is on my bed at my parents' home. The body was originally rubber, which over time, disintegrated so I had her re-bodied. She is the matriarch of my doll family! As far as the most treasured doll in my collection...it's too difficult to choose. From my natural haired So In Style Barbies to my most recent Fashion Royalty dolls, all are precious to me. In an earthquake, I'd probably bypass my own clothes and grab as many dolls as I could!

 

2.   What motivates your to continue your blog?

My passion for fashion. In putting together my blog I use many of the same skills as  those employed during my career in fashion and fashion education.  The blog keeps me connected and engaged in this field. It also provides an outlet allowing me to channel my creative energy while giving me something that gives purpose to my daily life now that I am no longer in the work force. Ideas for each post are drawn from current edgy looks as well as fabulous fashions I've seen throughout my life. Since digital cameras didn't exist until fairly recently, I use Pinterest as my scrapbook. My dolls are like tiny avatars, allowing me to "wear" fashion both past and present. All of you who are gracious enough to leave comments and lend support, make all the hard work that goes into producing this blog, very rewarding. Thank you.
 

3.   What doll challenges have you faced, (limiting, selling etc)?

The dolls themselves pose no challenges other than sneaking lots of their friends and families into my home. (How else could 20 turn into 100!)  I'm terribly sentimental so I haven't given any of them away. The challenge really comes with the blog which takes up nearly all of my free time. You know by now, I won't put anything up unless 1) it has a distinct link with "fashion" or has  "fashion appeal" 2) it is photographed in a way so as to seduce my visitors 2) and most of all----it is  interesting! As you've noticed, I operate more like a "magazine" in that my blog runs all year long with no real breaks. I do get away from time to time, but either I prepare posts in advance or I simply take the dolls with me and incorporate them into my trip. It's sort of the way fashion designers live.

 

4.   What new skills have you challenged yourself to in your selected play scale?

 
At first I found very simple ways to dress the dolls (draping designer scarves, feather boas or jewelry) around them. But one day while rummaging through my closet, I found clothes I'd made for myself that were really well sewn. Instead of approaching my work with the attitude of "Well, it's better than those made by Mattel," I started challenging myself with more complicated styles for the dolls and paying more attention to finishing. As a result, I think my work has really grown. I think this is especially important in maintaining the attention and interest of those who follow me.

 

5.   What was the last item you created or purchased for yourself that you had second thoughts about because you'd rather have a doll?

I have so many clothes in my closets and my lifestyle has radically changed now that I am no longer in the work force. So I don't feel the need to buy new clothes for myself and I don't need to update my tech toys as much as I once did. But, when I travel and say, dine out at a restaurant, I tend to think about what kind of doll I could have bought for the price of the dinner. This is very bad! Signs of a doll addict!

 

6.   How do you decide what to add to your collection?

I'm looking for dolls who have the same look and swag as real models on the fashion catwalks of the world. When I do see a doll who speaks to me, and is not outrageously expensive, I set my sights on her.



7.   What was the one doll mistake you made and what did you learn from it?
Making a Frankendolly without really thinking through my objective. Since all I need my dolls have to do is to simply strike a pose,  I had this crazy idea the body didn't really matter. I put an FR doll head on a Barbie Model Muse body, thinking I'd have the look of the doll without the full expense. Aside from the FR doll not being happy with her unarticulated Barbie MM body, I ended up with a devalued FR Kyori Sato doll. Even though she looked hot with either body (Photos: FR body on the left, Barbie MM on the right), the doll screamed and nagged me until I finally gave in and bought a proper FR body for her. In the end, it all came to the same price as a nude doll on the after market. Lesson learned----just go on and buy the whole doll!

 

8.   Which doll was your holy grail and do feel the same about the doll now?

The holy grail wasn't one doll it was Fashion Royalty dolls. Like many of you, I began collecting Barbie. I discovered FR while looking at other collectors' dolls pictured online. It took me awhile before I felt like parting with more than $20 for a doll but eventually I was seduced by the beauty of the FR dolls and how fashion relevant they were. My first FR was a "Envy" Monogram. I love her, but discovered quickly how challenging it was to fit clothes on dolls with articulation. (She kept bending in all directions.) Today, I still love FR and have stopped collecting Barbies. I bought an FR mannequin to avoid draping directly on those dolls!!

9.   Has anyone ever giving you a doll gift that you did not know if you should accept it or not?

With the exception of my "Christmas" gift (picked out by me and given by my dad) I'd rather people not give me the gift of a doll because I'm at a point where I'm looking for something very specific.

10. Which doll or item on your wish list that you will no longer pursue?

I was looking for the FR Hommes Takeo. On Ebay has always been expensive. Now there are so few on the market, he has become completely out of reach!

 

11. Which doll will be the doll you have to have this year?

She has not yet been created but I already know I MUST have her!!!

 

On that note, I nominate the 5 following blogs to continue the madness:

 

 

Blog o Barbie Fashionistas (Olla)

My Collection of Dolls and Other Miscellaneous (Urszula)

Pikulina dolls (Pikulina)

My Barbie's Closet (Chris)

 

 

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who present you the award and link back to their blog.

2. Post the award image on your. 

3  Answer 11 questions posted be the presenter (see below)

4. Nominate 5 blogs with less then 200 followers (or in my case, those you love)

5. Create 11 questions for the nominees to answer.

6. List these rules in your post. Inform the people you chose to nominated by leaving a comment on their   blog and link them to your post!

 

1. What was it about the first doll you ever bought that prompted you to start a collection?

2. When you get a new doll, how does it make you feel and what do you do right after de-boxing?

3. Do you name all your dolls? If so, where do you get ideas for their names?

4. Do you do anything special to care for your dolls?

5. How do you organize your dolls' clothes, accessories, props?

6. What motivated you to start writing a blog?

7. How has your blog evolved since you first started?

8. What kind of camera do you use to take your photos?

9. What challenges does this hobby (or blog) present? (What have you learned?)

10. Where do you go to discover new dolls to buy?

11. Doll-wise, what are you hoping for in 2016?