Doll Obsessions

I have an obsessive personality. This combined with a woman's inclination to shop is a lethal combination. I have collected dolls in the past, but then I get bored with it and put it to the side. That is until my interested is peaked and it starts all over again. My doll interest is bad enough. When it is combined with that of two young girls then it gets expensive.

My daughter's have crossed over to the American Girl side. I remember when they first came out. I had just started college when the catalog arrived. I learned about St. Lucia through the catalog. I was amazed that someone would walk around with candles on their head. I thought the dolls were clever and interesting but I never bought one. I was too old for dolls. Had I known how much they retain their value, I would have indulged.

For Christmas, the girls each got a used AG thanks to eBay. I can't bring myself to buy the new ones for xx amount of dolls no matter how cute they and their accessories are. I did indulge in getting several outfits for my older daughter, thanks to AG's black Friday sale. Some of the clothes were drastically reduced so it was a good value.

Through this new interest in AG, I've had to learn how to do some repair work. One of the dolls had some purple stains on it. Silly me. I thought that magic eraser would get it out. Not so. I learned about putting acne cream on the stain and putting the doll in the sunlight. It worked. How? I have no idea.
I have to learn how to restring the dolls. It is expensive if you need to get all four limbs done. May as well buy a new doll. But there are helpful people out there that offer advise on how to do many of the repairs yourself. My favorite is justmagicdolls.com. I appreciate the information that is provided. I have one AG I bought from eBay that I need help with. Jess arrived and smelled like smoke which the seller didn't disclose. I was able to clean the body using the techniques described on justmagicdolls. However, the doll's head still smells like smoke. This is after washing her hair and sticking the head in a box with a box of baking soda. I just can't get the smell out completely.

Here are some informative sites on American Girl dolls.

Complete Guide to American Girl Doll Collecting

Pre-Mattel Dolls

Just Magic Dolls

Too many dolls not enough time confessions of an Ebay addict

So I had a relapse. I was able to stay away from eBay for a year, but that is now over. I was searching for a replacement part for my steam cleaner. The tank broke and Hoover won't replace it. Not under warranty, even though I've read many customer's complaints about the same problem. I guess there will be a class action. That seems to be how that goes. I thought I could find it for less on eBay. Instead, I wound up buying other stuff. I found an Ann Estelle by Robert Tonner wearing a Betsy McCall outfit and well the price was right. Now, I'm back on the eBay habit. 

I've gone from Barbie, Ann Estelle, Betsy McCall, Terri Lee and now composition dolls. I haven't bought one yet. But looking at all the kinds on eBay has been a learning experience. I was a sculpture major of sorts at SAIC so I can't help myself when it comes to dolls. I find it interesting to see how others try to translate the human form. The restoration process is also fascinating. I've been contemplating buying one of the sad ones and trying my hand at a restoration. I'm trying to do more research by reading other doll doctor's blogs about the process. I have to find out if there is a good book on the subject or perhaps a class. Air brusing is involved and I've never done that.

On a different track, I've been looking at the vintage Masquerade outfits for Barbie and her friends. I would like to get them. I remember having a Barbie Masquerade coloring book as a child. Coincidently, a friend gave me one as a birthday gift over a decade ago. I'm not sure where it is. I packed up most of my Barbie things when we moved to the 'burbs and I never unpacked them. It's a waste not to enjoy them, but they are safely removed from little fingers. One of my vintage Ken's lost his head thanks to a naughty wee one. I still haven't found it.