A big thanks to Brini of Brini's Doll Domain for passing around the Liebster Tag. I did a variation on it earlier this month, so I'll be skipping the tagging round, but since Brini's questions are different than the ones Musume had, so I'm going to answer do the Q&A section.
1. What is your most treasured doll and why?
That's a tough one! Nostalgia complicates things, but if we're talking about dolls that I've collected as an adult, it would have to be a tie between these two:
 |
| "Karel" (Volks SD13 Heath) and "Tshepo" (Iplehouse YID Aaron) |
They're definitely my "who to grab in case of fire" pair.
2. What motivates your to continue your blog?
I always see reading other people's blogs as being part of a conversation, and I always think that if I stop posting then I'm not holding up my end of the chat.
3. What doll challenges have your faced, (limiting, selling etc)?
Not going overboard has been a challenge. The year I started working from home (2010) I did the math and I realized how much money I was saving by not taking the train in to work, not going out to coffee and lunch with coworkers, not having to buy office-worthy outfits, and so on. And having added it up, I decided to funnel that money into too many dolls (and mostly large BJDs at that). I eventually realized that that wasn't the best idea I've ever had, but not before I took my collection from a modest 3 BJDs to 20.
 |
| Evidence of 2011's year of too many BJDs. |
It was one of those things where I was thinking "Hey, I can afford this now!" and so didn't pay attention to whether the dolls were ones I loved versus liked. That was 2011 - in 2014 I started getting into fashion and playline dolls, and went a little overboard with them too. Now I'm trying to sort my way through and pare everything down.
 |
| Some of the evidence of 2014's year of too many playline dolls. |
4. What new skills have your challenged yourself to in your selected playscale?
Mostly photography - seeing if I could capture shots that would trick the eye into thinking the photos are people instead of dolls, working out the lighting, things like that.
5. What was the last item you created or purchased for yourself that you second guess because you rather have a doll time?
Heh, I'm trying not to do that too often, but probably when I ordered a decorative statue back in November.
6. How do you decide what to add to your collection?
I try to consider what a doll or figure brings to my collection that's unique or special. I'm not one to keep everyone in scale with each other, so new sizes and styles are always something that catches my eye.
7. What was the one doll mistake you made and what did you learn from it?
I thought that I would be more interested in fantasy-style dolls than I am, and ended up with more elf dolls than I know what to do with. I've given one away and just sold another this morning, but there are more than I need to rehome that I probably should never have bought in the first place, since I should have known that I usually prefer realistic dolls, and save the fantasy for the action figures.
 |
| This Makie elf now lives with a former co-worker of mine. |
8. Which doll was your holy grail and do feel the same about the doll now?
My grail doll was Volks SD13 Irvin - a limited doll that I had missed out on in 2008. I was able to pick him up on the Den of Angels marketplace in 2011 (as mentioned, my year of too many dolls). He's a great doll and I'm still fond of him, but if I'd waited another year I could have found him for half the price on Mandarake. Live and learn!
 |
| Volks SD13 Irvin in his default outfit. |
9. Has anyone ever giving you a doll gift that you did not know if you should accept it or not?
No! Weirdly, I haven't gotten a doll or figure gift in years. Now that I think about it, maybe decades - all the examples I can think of are back in the '90s!
10. Which doll or item on your wish list that you will no longer pursue?
For a while I was planning on buying an action figure set of Character Options' Doctor Who line (the "all the doctors" one), but I realized that I'm just not that into it anymore (I might pick up a single figure of my favourite Doctor though, just because I still have a fondness for the audio adventures, and one figure won't take up too much space).
 |
| I don't need these, do I? No, I don't. |
11. Which doll will be the doll you have to have this year?
ThreeZero's Dragon Age Alistair - I preordered him ages ago, but his shipment date keeps getting pushed back. If I'm lucky, next month will be the one though!
 |
| ThreeZero's Alistair |
And that's it! Thanks again, Brini!
I've already done tagging this month and I don't want to start annoying people with it, but if anyone hasn't had a chance to answer these questions, please consider this you being tagged and have a go at them! :)
I liked reading your answers to these questions JS, very interesting. I can understand the bit about getting carried away with dolly purchases though, been there done that. I'm OK at the moment though, I tend to buy what I like but am inclined to think it through more than I did in the past, mainly because I feel selling is more of a challenge these days and I don't want to be stuck with something I don't want anymore.
ReplyDeleteI used to be so careful about scale and mixing different dolly 'mediums' but I don't worry any more, I still like to keep my bjds with other bjds but I'm becoming more relaxed about it now!
I love your grail doll, very handsome!
Hugs Sharon x
Thanks! :)
DeleteThe changes in the secondary markets are one of the reasons I'm kicking myself over not having thought about thinning the herd a little earlier. Still, no one to blame but myself about that one.
Love your picks for favorite dolls. They are beautiful. I know what you mean about over-spending. When I first started collecting, I overbought So-in-Style Barbies, thinking..."they're only $8-10 each. Then I rationized like you...."I'm not buying shoes, so I can afford this doll." What I need to do is to remove the eBay app from my phone. (Ouch!) Right now I'm trying to figure out why dolls are soooo addictive!
ReplyDeleteeBay made it easy for me to remove the app from my phone when the "new and approved" app came out, which took away the ability to search the way I found best for me. Since I couldn't use it the way I wanted, I found no sense in keeping it. I've probably saved money, but I truly do have some out-of-production items that I would love to find.
DeleteAs I said below, I think dolls are addictive because each one is different! Even dolls with the same face mold come in different skin types, hair, eye color, etc.
Thanks, April! :)
DeleteHeh, I removed the eBay app from my phone more than a year ago, but all it meant was that I visited used a browser to shop! But you might have more willpower than I do. ;)
It's not willpower, for sure. :) eBay just had a really good search function on the app that would show me only what had been newly listed between the time I last looked and my current time. I think the search function on the browser shows you everything that fits your criteria, even if you've seen it before.
DeleteThe other advantage to the app was that it let me know when an auction was ending. I tend to just forget about auctions otherwise.
Buying too many dolls seems to be a common theme lately! I have to admit, I enjoy getting new dolls as well. I think part of it is because they are all so different from each other. I love adding a new face or new outfit to my doll lineup, but there does indeed come a point where more dolls are not needed. I hope you are able to pare down what you don't need, and enjoy what you have.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like a common theme!
DeleteI wonder if it's because of the market changes that Sharon mentioned - it's easier to find dolls at much lower prices now versus a few years ago. I know I've added a few things to my collection that I'd assumed I was never going to get because the prices were ridiculous originally and I felt like I couldn't pass them up when the prices dropped.
Oh I love these and reading people's answers to them!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to read we've had a similar journey in doll collecting. I have a penchant for going overboard myself. I am feeling this right now when I look at my MH collection and look at the list of MH dolls I purchased last year! Kind of went a bit crazy! And I did that too back in 2010 and 2011 when I first started collecting bjds. I got up to 19 I think before I started having to pare down. I am at 14 now and may still let go of one or two more at some point.
Volks Irvin is one of my favourites from them. There's also a female I think Nine Sisters or something. I'm not too familiar with Volks sculpts. You'd probably know more than me on that!
Okay, I did not know about that Doctor Who set. Must investigate. I guess it's fair seeing as I enabled you on the other set right? Who was your favourite Doctor?
I hope you get Alistair soon. It's a pain when dolls get delayed. My Kohina Pureneemo girl finally shipped after ordering her back in February 2015. She's been almost a year and has been delayed more times than I can count!
A delay of more than a year! That's something I'm always worried about. Alistair has been delayed three times, but so far it's only been for 45 days each time. Hopefully this time we'll hit the expected date. *fingers crossed*
DeleteHeh, I have that DW mini set sitting in my Amazon cart right now, and I fully blame you for that! ;) I actually have a single figure from that same Character Options line ordered and am expecting it this week - the 8th Doctor (the Paul McGann one). People always tell me he's an odd choice, but I'm actually more of a fan of the audio adventures than I am of the classic or the new TV series.
I'm curious about the Volks girl that you like - maybe she's one of the four sisters? Those are Sara, Nana, Kira and Megu (and the old FCS F-01, 02 and 03)?
You'll have to let me know your thoughts on that mini set when you get it / or if you take the plunge to get it :-)
DeleteHubby said apparently they had that Options Line set at the ABC shop here before they closed down. Problem is, I already have two of the figures from that set ...ack. Maybe I might just get the 9th doctor single figure and the 4th doctor figure. (The jelly babies guy).
I actually have the movie the 8th doctor was in. I wonder if he would have had his own series had it been continued back then ...
I've never really heard the audio adventures and pretty much got into DW via the new Who series. Hubby likes the 4th doctor the best.
Oooh now that you mention the names of those Volks girls, it's definitely Nana. Just something about her face appeals to me a lot.
Ah, Nana! She does have a charming face!
DeleteAnd yup, when/if I buy that mini set the first thing I'm going to do is take 100 photos and share them all! ;)
I loved reading your answers as well! I can relate to the money mentality you went through in 2011. I think there's a fine line between collector and hoarder and I'm trying to be conscious of it! I love Desperately Seeking's doll rules and I'm trying to sell some dolls this year that I am no longer in love with. It really is addicting! I agree with Barb in that there is just so much variety these days and they come out with new doll so quickly sometimes it's hard to keep up!
ReplyDeleteIt's so true. It's great that there's so much innovation and creativity, but it's sometimes a challenge to say "I can admire that one from afar"!
DeletePersonal rules are a good idea too - although I think I remember seeing a post on Desperately Seeking's called "Rules are meant to be broken" a while back! ;)
I hear you on the going overboard thing, sometimes it's just so tempting to buy dollies & dolly stuff when you have some spare cash! xO xO
ReplyDeleteAlistair looks amazing, hope you can get him soon!
Thanks, I hope so too!
DeleteIt's a common temptation, is't it? ;)
Lovely to read all your answers to these questions and your journey through doll collecting and play. It can be all too easy to get carried away! Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
DeleteSo enjoyed this one JS, and can relate to some of your answers, especially buying because I liked a doll and not loving it or thinking it through properly. I have probably a half dozen dolls that I no longer need in my doll family and hopefully can move them on. (3 of which are still in their boxes)
ReplyDeleteI do hope Alister turns up soon, it's bad enough waiting the normal pre-order time, but it's a real bummer when they get delayed . . . by the time they arrive I'm at screaming point or I just am over the doll altogether!!
Hugs,
X
That's so true about delays! It just disrupts that fun "They're on their way!" anticipation in a way that starts to kill off some of the excitement, doesn't it?
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your answers a lot, I love reading more about other collectors :-). Brini's questions are very interesting and original! Your two most treasured dolls are beautiful. The overspending thing is recognizable, I've done that too years ago, but now it's the opposite for me :-). Photographing dolls is indeed a challenge where you can learn a lot from!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteIt's true, Brini did a great job of coming up with new questions. :)
The BJD guys are an awesome photo.
ReplyDeleteOne is an interesting purchase.
Two means the first one won't be lonely.
Three makes for a nice conversation.
Four is when the brakes come off. After the fourth, you wake up around the tenth one of those, wondering what just happened.
Heh, that's so true! It's like they're breeding in the display case! LOL. ;)
DeleteSuch great responses, and I can see why Irvin is still a "grail". I missed out on Staying Power Darius Reid. I loved suit, accessories, look. I will seem him from time to time in the aftermarket but now I have a Dentist in my pocket so I have to watch myself, lol. I can see why your most treasured are worthy of saving, after all I saved my Free Moving Cara and Curtis.
ReplyDeleteHeh, a dentist in your pocket! ;)
DeleteThanks again for the tag - this was fun!