Dolls and collection

I thought today about why and how I collect my dolls. Here are some of my ideas.

My last several doll purchases have been nude or TLC vintage dolls. I want to feel a doll is arriving to me for me to interact with her in some way, whether making her clothing or fixing her hair or face. If a doll is "complete" I just don't feel that same need.

For me making doll clothing is about connecting with my doll. I love to see dolls wearing things their owners made on any level of skill. It makes a doll look loved by and connected to her owner.

For this reason I have only been pursuing nude dolls. I have been unable to find a nude Evangeline for a price I'm okay with paying, so I have held off. As far as price I have levels I feel comfortable about.

Even though I'd really love to have Dannie and Garth, my future (hopefully) Dollmore models, I put a lot of expense into Josette and want to hold back on any BJD purchases for a while.

My focuses are BJD's and vintage Barbies. I really enjoyed my Titanic Rose but felt limited by her lack of articulation and also that there were no other Titanic dolls. I hope the Twilight dolls will provide what I miss about her but offer me a little more play. They are artistic enough on their own that they don't need a couture outfit to be beautiful, and they are unimposing, in that I feel I can make them things or travel with them easily.

I think I'm finally ready to reduce some of my dolls now. It's always a process of figuring out what you ARE collecting, since I'm never quite sure. My Superstar Barbie segued into '89-'91 Skipper and friends, so I decided to pursue that and see where it went. Porcelain dolls don't offer the kind of articulation/play I want, and I'm not connecting to vintage dolls older than the late 70's. And I don't really connect with my American Girl dolls. So if I could get it together and sell all of these I could really have quite a bit of money. ;)

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