Spring break is officially over for those of you keeping score at home - any time off from this point forward is time I would have during any normal school week. I still judge Spring Break by college standards even though I haven't been in college for 5 years, hence my spring breaks always seem lame. I enjoyed it though. Mostly I spent time outside with my dog sibling (that is what my parents call her, sorry) and spent time on youtube and facebook when it was rainy. I also partook (fun word) in a hobby I have not had any time for this year. I have a hobby that most people think is weird. I have a doll (and that's where you lose 99.99% of your audience). This typically gives people a mental image of the stereotypical doll collector - you know, the overweight, vaguely Southern, 40s-ish, childless and never married woman who fills deep emotional voids with meaningless pieces of china and plastic that she treats like real people. This woman also wears a lot of floor-length floral dresses and owns a lot of doilies. She also would have definitely had a beehive if we were in 1961, which we are sadly not.
This is not the Marie Osmond style of doll collecting. I was unaware that there was an entire faction of people online who collect what you might classify as "punk", "alternative" perhaps even "hipster" (no, please, nooooo) dolls. I don't know much about other types besides Blythe, but there are a LOT. There has also been a resurgent interest in vintage dolls, which Blythe is. Blythe was a doll first released in 1972 and, as this still from the commercial shows, terrified the hell out of little girls.
This is not the Marie Osmond style of doll collecting. I was unaware that there was an entire faction of people online who collect what you might classify as "punk", "alternative" perhaps even "hipster" (no, please, nooooo) dolls. I don't know much about other types besides Blythe, but there are a LOT. There has also been a resurgent interest in vintage dolls, which Blythe is. Blythe was a doll first released in 1972 and, as this still from the commercial shows, terrified the hell out of little girls.
The element of Blythe that little girls (and their parents) found creepy was the giant eyes which change direction and color with the click of a pull string. The dolls sold poorly and were only produced for a year, wallowing in obscurity until they were rediscovered by a photographer, Gina Garan. A company in Japan bought the rights, Blythe dolls of a variety of styles were reproduced, the original dolls began selling for thousands on ebay, etc. Blythe has become extremely popular and collectible and the photography is a big part of the hobby. I've always liked photography but was never good at photographing anything or one and was easily frustrated. Objects have always been much easier for me (or anyone, I'd be willing to bet) and dolls are expressive enough to not look as boring as an apple or a vase. Plus they are pose-able and add humor and whimsy to a photo, yup I just said whimsy. It's just fun.So, to recap:
By the way, that poster in the back says "Nuge" (like Ted Nugent???) and that particular Marie Osmond doll is "Baby Donny." So eyes that move are creepy, huh...? Anyway, enough about dolls. I think I make my point. Here is a short photo story about the dangers of gum trees:
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