Angela - Story Time - My Collecting Story

Hey all. Angela here. I decided to follow a trend I've seen before...people seem to enjoy telling their own 'how I began collecting' stories and reading others' stories. So, here's the story of my doll collection and how it began.
I was twelve when it started. I'd had dolls before that, a handful of Barbies and a few baby dolls, but about that time, Bratz and My Scene started to turn up. For once, Barbie wasn't the only doll with a presence in the toy aisles.
It began with a My Scene Club Birthday Barbie...I was originally buying Nolee as a gift for my best friend and I wanted Barbie so bad, with her purple makeup and dress and those big blue eyes. I can remember asking Mom, and at first she said no, I couldn't have a birthday doll when it wasn't my birthday. She did eventually give in and therefore, I got my first My Scene Barbie doll to add to my collection.
I added a few more dolls, started paying closer attention to the toy aisles and when I could find the time, I would search the internet for information, photos, which dolls had been released, which would come next, store exclusives and collectors editions, every variation of every character, I knew them. I would search ebay for older ones although I was too young to have an account to buy them, it was just fun to look.
I would pack my whole collection of dolls and their accessories and clothes into my favorite pink backpack and take them to my friends' houses to play dolls. But at the end of every play date, every doll was put back in the outfit she came with and her hair brushed and styled neatly, if not in the original style she came with.
...I admit, I got protective of my dolls. To the point where I would rather buy and gift my friends dolls to play with than let most of them touch my dolls. Some of my friends were the type to lop off Barbie's long blonde locks, mangle her hands and feet and then blame a younger sibling for the damage done to their dolls. I was very particular about how my dolls were played with and handled, I still am...maybe more so now than I was.

My collection rapidly blossomed (Although I will note the My Scene an 89% of the Bratz and Monster High are *NOT* pictured here because they're currently in storage for space reasons) from ten or fifteen dolls to well over three hundred and then over time, to six hundred or so (haven't done a count in a while).
It had a lot to do with the fact that each version of a My Scene Chelsea or Barbie doll had different makeup, different hair streaks and styles, different clothes. Each could almost be a different character if I wanted them to or the same character with different makeup. Kaycie's the writer here, but I confess to creating stories for some of the characters my dolls represent.
There was a time around when My Scene and Bratz faded out of the picture where a lot of the regular Barbie type dolls looked like the same blue eyed, blonde, blown up Lara face mold and I just couldn't see having 67 of the same dolls in my collection when the differences in the dolls were so slight as to be unseen.
For a couple of years, 2011-2014, I didn't buy very many dolls at all. I got out of the habit of walking the toy aisles and I was in college at the time, my life was fairly busy with classwork. But then I decided to take a stroll one day down the Barbie aisle and I found a doll different than any I'd seen before. Her hair was dirty blonde, not platinum, and her eyes were gray. Her face was more angular and slightly dimpled too, not your standard Barbie.

Here's a photo of Lex, Alexa Jane. She was my first of the new fashionista dolls. Shortly after I bought her, Mattel launched their 'The Doll Evolves' campaign for Barbie and I got completely sucked back into the dolly world.
This time, I've vowed not to let go again. Catching up after being so far behind is just a pain to do and having to relearn most of the dolly facts I once knew about brands and characters and different doll lines.
So, now you know my collecting story. It began with a love of dolls, a desire for more dolls and an eye for the details and differences in each doll.
-Angela

Kari's Fashion Runway - Jewelry and Accessories #1

Left: Kari, Right: Becca

Hey guys! It's Kari! I have some fun stuff for you today! First of all, here's my partner in crime for the fashion corner, Miss Becca Oldstein. She's the one who keeps me from going too completely over the top crazy with my designs and helps make some of them a reality!
Today's fashion show is all about jewelry and accessories, we've dressed our models to match their accessories - But don't mind if some of them have a bit of visible irritation going on around the ear lobes, we had to do some last minute piercings (we'll give you a lesson in another post, I promise!) so everyone could wear their earrings. Here are some of our models!

 First up, we have Cynthia modeling her purple lace dress with purple and gold jewelry set includind headband, earrings, necklace and two (2) gold bangle bracelets. Following her, we have Dawna Hokulani, our Hawaiian beauty in Unicorn Chic with her yellow and mauve earrings and necklace (not pictured: yellow and mauve bangle bracelet).

 Our next pair of models, Carly in blue and leather to properly show off her chain pendant necklace and matching blue gem earrings, finished off with a single blue bangle, and Elsie, whose flaming red hair nicely contrasts with her blue and green color scheme, from her green soft knit top to the choice of blue and pale green for her necklace, the beads on her silver hoop earrings and the matching bangle on her left wrist.

Vicky shows a bit of skin with her cropped tank, the very casual nature of her clothes fittingly accessorized by a chunky jewelry set accented with Superman logo charms on both earrings and necklace (not pictured, chunky white bangle). Jayda, by contrast, shows us a very Princess Jasmine look in gold and turquoise, the beads on her earrings matching the faux bows on her necklace and headband. (not pictured: gold bangle bracelet).

Our final pair of models today are Monique, rocking a blush peach striped crop top and matching tulle circle skirt to help show off the pastel colors of her butterfly adorned earrings, necklace and matching bangle, and Aubrey, who is not only showing off star studded pale blue and black jewelry in the form of her headband, earrings and necklace (not pictured: Blue and black bangle with star charm at the center), but a hand made, one of a kind blouse and skirt ensemble made completely from the loose knit material of a pair of socks!

That'll be our show for today ~ Keep an eye on our Etsy store for some of these jewelry sets to pop up for sale! (Dolls not included, our models need to stay with us for future shows!)