Saturday, May 26, 2012

Mass Blogger Interview Answers

Here are my answers to Ms. Leo's Mass Blogger Interview questions.

When did you start collecting dolls?
It depends on how many dolls make up a collection.  :)  I had dolls as a child and loved them, but unfortunately none of my childhood dolls made it into adulthood with me.  I had a rough brother, nephew, and niece who pretty much destroyed most of my dolls, and my mother would sometimes donate my old toys to the Children's Medical Center.  I bought my first doll as an adult in 1989 when I was 19 years old.  That doll remained on my shelf alone until around 1994.  After 1996, I really started to have a little bit of a collection.  In 1998, I started ordering dolls on the internet.  In 2005, I started ordering on eBay, and that's when things really took off.

What was your first purchase as a collector?
My first doll purchase as an adult was Fun-To-Dress Barbie 1988.  I bought her at a local TG&Y store while shopping for picture frames.  It was a few years before she even had clothes to wear, so I didn't even know if her name was accurate for a while (and it was).  A couple of years ago, she got a new(er) body.

My next purchase as an adult was Menelik from Olmec Toys.

After that, I purchased 1996 Holiday Season Barbie (Special Edition).

She has a different hairstyle these days and she is redressed for most of the year, but she still dons her original attire around the holidays.

And then of course I had to get a male friend for her, but I purchased another Barbie at that time also.  So I had to go back and get another Ken.  And then I saw an articulated Barbie that I had to have.  So I had to get her a male doll with some articulation, and I made my first action figure purchase on Amazon.com.  And I just kept going and going and going.

How many dolls do you own?
Today I counted just so that I could more accurately answer this question.  I have 277 dolls give or take (more like give, because I may have missed some of my smaller dolls).

What is your favorite doll and why?
My favorite doll is probably High and Mighty Darius Reid.


I don't even have any photos that truly do him justice.  He's just a good looking doll with great clothing and accessories, and he has articulation!

I watched him and bid for him unsuccessfully for over a year on eBay auctions before I finally won him.  By that time, I had become a little eBay savvy and I had decided to wait until the last few seconds of the auction to place my bid.  So I did, and I was thrilled to win!  I looked at the bidding history and saw that I had won by 2 cents!  Another bidder had entered a bid in the last few seconds also, and my max bid was only 2 cents higher than theirs.  I was thrilled to finally have this doll at a price that I was willing to pay, and I was even more thrilled when he arrived at my home in perfect condition (brand new in his shipper, never removed from box).  I kept him put away for a while and did not remove him from his box, but that didn't last long.

What doll or dolls are not your favorites and why?
I'm not crazy about reborn dolls because some of them make me shudder when I look at them.  They look so life-like, and yet they have no life >>shudder<<.  I'm not crazy about most big-headed dolls, but I do have a few in my collection.  I'm not really a fan of dolls that are easily breakable (I had enough broken dolls in my childhood to last me a lifetime).

What is the biggest challenge about collecting dolls?
I don't have enough space to display them all the way that I want to.

How do you display or store your dolls?
Several of my dolls are posed and displayed on shelves in my home.  I need to buy a curio or some sort of display case (maybe if I'd quit buying dolls, I could buy a curio).  I have a few dolls at work on my desk.  Most of my dolls are currently stored in an armoire in my bedroom.

Here are some photos from back in the day of some of my dolls on shelves.

Have you ever been to a doll show?
No, but I would love to go.

When you travel, do you look for dolls?
Always.  I have dolls from the majority of places that I've visited as an adult.

What is your latest purchase?
A Ken clothing pack.

What doll is on your wish list now?
Back to Brooklyn Remi.

And a bunch of expensive Hot Toys figures.

What do you wish you didn’t purchase?
Hmmmm, I pretty much like all of my dolls to some extent.  I did purchase an Afro Samurai figure (bloody version) for my husband that I'm not fond of.  But he likes it, so I don't even regret this purchase.


What is your favorite doll related item?
I have a white couch that pops up in my photos time and time again.


How often do you photo your dolls and what doll is the most photographed 
and/or photogenic?
I try to take photos of my dolls as soon as I receive them, and I take photos of my older dolls sporadically.  I've probably photographed my Calista doll more frequently than any other.


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

If you had the chance to speak to Mattel or other toy makers, what 
would you say?
Someone please make some articulated chubby dolls (all ages, male and female).

What doll do you wish would be reissued? 
The Boy Scout dolls (Bob Scout, Dave Cub Scout, and their friends).

What two dolls would you combine and how would you want them 
combined? (Muff style question)
I would combine my Booty Babe statue with a Triad Alpha.  I would love to have a doll with the body, looks, and hair of the Booty Babe with the articulation of the Triad Alpha.


 

If there is something I didn't ask that you would like to say, you can put 
that in too.
Do you have any dolls with a face that only a mother could love?  Yes, Dragon Jennifer.

Which doll looks the most like you?  I don't know.  My husband says it's the Booty Babe, but my mother-in-law recently said it's Dasia.  I guess I look more like Dasia with Booty Babe's hair.

Are there any upcoming doll releases that you are looking forward to?  Yes, Enterbay and Dragon are both releasing Men in Black 3 Will Smith figures.  Decisions, decisions!



15 comments:

  1. Thanks for answering Ms. Leo's interview questions. I enjoyed reading about how you got into doll collecting/creativity.

    Your High and Mighty Darius Reid looks so haughty - Integrity really nabbed that title. I like your Booty Babe figure, too. And the Scout boys. Jennifer looks as though she passed through a burning house - like she is wearing smudged smoke. Congratulations on having a Menelik, too.

    Happy collecting. Much joy in writing, too. I love reading/viewing your blog ;-D

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    1. Thank you, Dana! Yeah, I never could understand why they put that black stuff on Jennifer's face. I'm really going to have to do something about her. Maybe I should put her in a firefighter's uniform and call it a day. :)

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  2. I enjoyed reading your answers, Roxanne. The pictures in yours and others who have added them are a nice touch.

    I am glad someone is releasing a Will Smith that actually looks like the real Will and not one of the other darker characters he has played. I like the HeadPlay one but he looks like Will as Hancock. MIB3 Will will look more like the real Will, IMO. Great info.

    I also enjoyed the extra questions you posed and the answers. Great job!

    dbg

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    1. Thank you, Debbie! I enjoyed reading your answers the first time, and going back and looking at your answers again after you added the photos and links. I think I'm going to have to spring for one of the new Will Smith MIB3 figures. Judging from the photos, I like the Enterbay figure the most, but I'm guessing that it may be a little out of my price range. I'm hoping that the Dragon figure will be much more reasonably priced.

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  3. You have such an extensive and varied collection! I've pretty much regulated myself to Barbie types, moreso for the cost and availability. It's great to see what else is out there.

    Really enjoyed reading your interview!

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    1. Thank you, Muff! I mostly stick with Barbie types and inexpensive action figures, also. But I do splurge occasionally. I've been thinking that I need to do more things creatively with the dolls that I have, and for me that means altering some of them. So seeing your blog and how you have altered dolls has really inspired me! I'm moving a dremel up the list on the things that I need to buy, and I think I need a Moxie doll. :)

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  4. Thanks for sharing I enjoyed reading your answers and seeing your collection. I love the boy scout and cub scout dolls and would love to add them to my collection. I rebodied the ballerina twin on an MH body, too. I haven't don't much with her yet. I guess she's waiting for the school scenes. Thanks for the pics of the two Will Smith figures. They look really good. I like the one on the left better because I don't know what's under those glasses. Chances are I will continue to wait for a better Headplay sculpt, just because of the cost.

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    1. Thanks Vanessa! I see Bob Scout pop up on eBay every now and then. Dave Cub Scout will probably be more difficult to obtain. I'm toying with the idea of giving the dancing twins LIV Alexis bodies, and giving the Monster High body to Raven. I'll have to see how they look. As for the Will Smith figures, I like the one on the left also. He looks better with his glasses on. He is already way out of my price range ($225 for pre-orders). I don't know how much the Dragon figure will cost. I may just wait for another Headplay head also.

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    2. So I just looked and saw that the Dragon Will Smith is $140 for pre-orders. I think that's too much for this figure. Looks like I'm passing on both. :(

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  5. Hi Roxanne,

    I enjoyed your answers to the interview questions and the peak at your collection. I had the same holiday Barbie. My sister-in-law gave her to me. I kept the outfit but didn't like the white plastic legs that were supposed to be "tights."

    I have been envious of your Bob Scout for a long time and didn't even know there was a Dave Cub Scout. Maybe I will eventually be able to acquire them. I never thought I would be able to get Dasia but she recently joined my collection at a very good price.

    I didn't know anything about the Booty Babe figure either. Who made her?

    Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Thank you limbe dolls! Keep watching for Bob Scout on eBay. There have been a couple of sellers with Bob Scout for sale in the past few weeks. One had a damaged foot, but the other was in excellent condition (the opening bid was $25 and no one bid on him). Dave Cub Scout pops up rarely on eBay. I'm glad that you were able to get Dasia!

      The Booty Babe statue is made by Spencer Davis: http://www.bootybabeart.com/AffordableVinyl.htm.

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  6. Hi RoxanneRoxanne, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your answers. I love your doll displays. Cute pic of Snoop holding the baby. : ). I have always wanted Dasia, I have Dena (the Latino one). I received her as a commission trade when I rerooted my first silkstone...boy was that a job, but so worth the trade. I am now a follower and look forward to your post.

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    1. Hi Georgia Girl! Thanks for following. :) Snoop does have a sensitive side that he shows every now and then. Mostly he's a bad boy in my collection though. I'd like to have a Dena doll, also. That was a great trade!

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  7. Hi,
    Sorry I'm soo late getting to the party but I really enjoyed it once I arrived! I have followed Calista for some time. She is a cutie! The video you did of her at the prom blew me away! I had always wounder what the doll was that you used for an icon, know I know. Lovely! I like that your dolls are hanging out on the shelf. They look like they are having fun! I have a Bob scout but would love a Dave too! Thoses IT men are hot!!!! They need to release them! I have an older Will Smith but I might get the new one too... but not right now. The pockets are empty.

    Thanks for your post and for answering mine!
    XOXO
    Ms. Leo

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    1. Thank you, Ms. Leo! I really enjoyed answering the questions and reading yours and everyone else's answers. I've also been introduced to some great blogs that were new to me.

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