Monday, May 14, 2012

I-Luv-Dolls' Mass Blogger Interview!

I-Luv-Dolls recently did an interview, and is opening it up to have all her readers answer the questions too!


Here are my answers!
If you're interested in taking part, head on over to I-Luv-Dolls blog and grab the questions for yourself!... and please feel free to link to your responses here, I'd love to read them!


Go HERE to join in the fun!


When did you start collecting dolls?

I started collecting dolls when I got into Ball Jointed Dolls about 10 years ago. If I'm going to be honest though, I started collecting as a child with my Barbies. I took excellent care of them, and kept all their pieces.


UNfortunately, my Barbies ALL met their demise at the hands of my little brother and his friend, when they decapitated them all in the basement before anyone knew what they were doing (they were very young, about 8). It really sucked to lose them all, but my parents made my brother pay me back what they were worth at current market value. He was paying me for a very long time.

What was your first purchase as a collector?

A Dream of Doll Yen. I bought him on the advice of a friend who said he was a good "starter" doll.

I HATED him.


I loved the dolls she had and was angry that she had me spend $150 on a starter doll, when her dolls cost $300 and were way more awesome. I'd rather start with something I like, rather than a less expensive "intro" doll, but I was too naive to know any better... and back then, $150 for a doll seemed like a lot of money.

Hah... hah... ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

How many dolls do you own?

46: 4 Misaki, 1 FR Kyori, 2 Volks Dollfie Dreams, 1 Unoa Sist, 1 Unoa Light, 22 Pure Neemos, 1 Mamachapp, 1 Custom made Obitsu, 2 Dynamite Girls, 9 Barbie, 2 Monster High

What is your favorite doll and why?

OMG, are you trying to start a riot over here? I can't say that out loud!!! LOL!

And honestly, the truth is I kind of love my Unoa Light, Pure Neemos and Dollfie Dreams the best, but of the ones I have, I couldn't pick a favorite, I really love them all equally.

I have had ones I don't love as much, and those have been sold. I'm not really big on keeping around dolls that I'm only luke-warm about.


What doll or dolls are not your favorites and why?


Honestly, I've gotten rid of most all the ones that are not my favorites. Although, out of my current collection, my two least favorites are my Wonder Woman and Poison Ivy Barbies, because they have hideous bendy bodies. I'm sorry, but those elbow joints are just weird.

I can tell you some ones that I've gotten rid of that I kind of hated, though.
Bobobie resin dolls, they were AWFUL at posing. I've heard they've gotten better since I last owned one though.

What is the biggest challenge about collecting dolls?

Money. There is always more that I want than what I have in dollars to spend... so I have to budget carefully and make sure I'm not buying without thinking. That's really easy to do with the smaller dolls.

How do you display or store your dolls?

I have a shelving unit in my living room that they all sit on, as well as another shelving unit in the computer room that is being made into a dollhouse for them.

What I *really* want to do is build them a doll house... but I have no idea how to do that.

Have you ever been to a doll show?

Yes, a very small one, but it was fun and I found a lot of really great stuff there. I'd love to go to another.

When you travel, do you look for dolls?

Of course! I'm always on the lookout. Although admittedly, my favorite dolls are the Dollfie Dreams and the Pure Neemos, and the chances of me stumbling on one of those here is pretty much zero.

Because of the kinds of dolls I collect, I'm more on the lookout for doll STUFF rather than the dolls themselves.

What is your latest purchase?

Volks Dollfie Dream Rise

What doll is on your wish list now?

LOL, there are too many! I'm just going to include the link to my Pinterest "wishlist" board:
http://pinterest.com/littlebearries/wishlist/


Also, the Volks Dollfie Dream Dynamite White Skin Alna... I still want her, lol!

What do you wish you didn’t purchase?

Nothing, at the moment. I love all of my current dolls that I've purchased. If I don't like them, I sell them.

What is your favorite doll related item?

Oh wow... it's got to be Dollfie Dream shoes... those girls have AWESOME shoes... I wish I had shoes half as cool as theirs!!!


Here's a small sampling:


How often do you photograph your dolls and what doll is the most photographed and/or photogenic?

I usually photograph my dolls daily. They're all photogenic, it's kind of a requirement with me, but the one that gets photographed the most is Anna, my Lycce Pure Neemo. She goes Geocaching with me, and has many great adventures!

Do you talk to other collectors in person or just on the web?

In person and on the web. We have monthly or bi-monthly meetups where everyone gets together and chats about dolls... and then there are my online friends who I talk to regularly... plus one of my best friends is an avid doll collector (and got me into doll collecting in the first place) and we talk dolls all the time.

If you had the chance to speak to Mattel or other toy makers, what would you say?

PAY ATTENTION TO QUALITY, ya dorks! My Pure Neemos and Dollfie Dreams, both coming from Japan, have AMAZING quality. AMAZING! And also, amazing customer service. I think American doll companies could learn a lesson or two. I've seen some *really* shoddy work on Barbies lately.

What doll do you wish would be reissued?

The Toki Doki Barbie. I really did want her. I knew I shouldn't have dawdled. *sigh*




What two dolls would you combine and how would you want them
combined? (Muff style question)


Actually, for me, this has already been done with my Unoa Light! It combined the Unoa resin style doll with a 1/6th size made of vinyl! The doll is truly fantastic, modeled after the Unoa Zero body, and is the best posing 1/6th girl I have! I need to buy more of them!


29 comments:

  1. Oooh! I love this idea! I'm not a doll collector, but I would love to adapt this to dollhouses and miniatures!

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    1. Ohh! Please do, and then link your answers... and share it with the miniature world! I would LOVE to read their answers to such a set of questions too!!

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  2. WOW! You really gave some great answers...with pictures! You've really make me think about my collection clearer! Thanks for this post!
    XXOO
    Ms. Leo

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    1. It was a lot of fun, thank you for sharing the questions!!

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  3. Sorry, I love your dolls, the photos and the clothing and shoes! I might have to branch out!

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    1. lol, I really love them too, and they are high quality product, with amazingly made clothing!!

      I love the FR girls too though, and along with my 4 misaki and kyori, I'm going to be adding the new High End Envy Erin to my group as well.

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  4. Great interview and answers Heather! Gives us a good insight to your own doll world! xx

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    1. LOL, yes, I think it might be a little different from the miniaturists and other doll blogs I follow for the most part. LOL.

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  5. I always enjoy seeing your dolls Heather. Especially since I will never own any of these beauties. It's nice to experience them on your blog.

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    1. Yeah, I kind of have the oddball group, don't I? At least there are some Barbie/Misaki/FR thrown in the mix, LOL... but mostly, nope, cute little squidgy dolls.

      Alas XD

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  6. I like your interview Heather <3 Mine is here http://plasticadventures.blogspot.it/2012/05/i-luv-dolls-mass-blogger-interview.html

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    1. Thank you for sharing your link! Off I go to read!!!

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  7. Heather, I love your answers. I'm glad you found my blog. I am your newest follower.

    Anika :O)

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    1. Thanks for the follow! I really enjoyed your blog, I hope you enjoy mine too! :)

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  8. In yet another creeptastic coincidence, Yen was also my first BJD doll XD. It was before DOD changed the hands, though, and I always hated the chubby little things. I was pretty miffed when they changed the sculpt a few -weeks- after mine arrived. He was pretty cute, though, but I just don't fall for the bigger dolls like I used to. I love this post :). Thanks for sharing all of that info!

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    1. That's just weird XD

      I ordered mine back when they had ugly little hands too... I ordered him about 10 years ago or so... the posing wasn't great either, and my friend had all Volks dolls and... hate to admit it... they were all just SO much better than poor little Yen.

      I agree, his face was *really* cute... that wasn't the problem at all. He just wasn't what I was looking for. Turns out, after 10 friggin years, I figure out that vinyl was what I was looking for. LOL. Oye.

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  9. This is my first visit to your blog. I enjoyed your answers to Miss Leo's interview questions and I also enjoyed learning a little more about ball jointed dolls. Many thanks!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by!

      Yeah, Ball jointed dolls, Barbies, Fashion Royalty, Misaki and mostly, Pure Neemos can be found around here XD

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  10. In real life I'm not a shoe person, and I'm not overly shoe conscious when it comes to my dolls. But my goodness, those Dollfie shoes are spectacular! I want them for me.

    I'm a quality nut and I do wish there were more uniformity in what is produced for American dolls.

    Great interview!

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    1. Agreed, on all points! I don't care much about my own shoes... and mostly my interest in doll shoes is that they fit, and at least kind of match... but the Dollfie Dream shoes are amazingly crafted, and often very imaginative in their design... I find myself buying more shoes for them than anything else, lol!

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  11. Nice interview Heather! I love your responses and pics! It was really nice getting to know you better.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and checking it out!! :)

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  12. Great interview! The photos were a nice touch and I love your sense of humor. :)
    Hugs!

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  13. Did it!

    http://www.amithi.de/wordpress/?p=3022

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    1. Fantastic!! I just went and checked it out!!! I loved your favorite dolls!!! You have so much variety!

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  14. Wow, what dolls you have, Heather!

    ;-D

    I have 2 Volks Who's That Girl and I want 3 of the Volks Century dolls - eyes roll and fall. They're one-sixth scale. But your dolls are lovely - big bright eyes and super pose-ability. I like the brunette wearing the brown tunic with a green mini skirt - she's adorable. Is she around Ideal Chrissy and Kerry size? 18"? And the Dollfie Dream Rise ... oh soooo pretty. And the young blonde doll in the snazzy red pepper shoes ... ohhhh. The vivid color and shine of those red shoes make that outfit pop.

    I enjoy reading your blog because there is this whimsical element about the dolls and their stories. I smile after seeing them - they are so gosh-darn cute ;-D.

    Thanks for sharing them and their stories and your strikingly lovely photography.

    Sigh ... I am trying not to think of those 1:6 Volks dolls I want - Fadette and Hariette and Edith.

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    1. Oooh, my girls START at the prices of Volks Century Dolls, so I feel your pain! LOL!!

      The brunette wearing the brown tunic and green mini skirt I *think* is Ella (I think the outfit you've mentioned is the one that's actually a one piece dress, lol, so it took me a second to go, OH, that one!, lol!)

      Ella is 1/6th scale, and about double the cost of a Volks Century girl. She is about 11 inches tall :)
      I believe her official company name is listed in her info on the "Meet Everyone Else" page :)

      DD Rise is really pretty, and I guess a lot of people went after her and didn't get her (I had no idea 0_0 ) So I feel pretty lucky to have won her.
      The blonde with the red heels is also a Dollfie Dream, which means she's 1/3 scale! XD

      I'm really glad you stopped by!! I've been reading your blog for a while now, and always enjoy your posts! I love the "mall" shopping background in your latest post!

      I checked the links on those girls you like and oh my are they full of attitude! I love them!! You cannot come here for discouragement XD I say buy em!!!!

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  15. I've enjoyed reading your answers and viewing your photos!

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