Sunday 24 January 2016

Thinking, Dolls & Photography

I think too much sometimes - it can be hard to switch the brain off - it wakes me in the early hours of the morning and all the various things that worry/bother me come into full swing.

I think dolls can become a serious addiction problem - especially when you are part of various groups and people are showing off (in a nice way) their new purchases etc... or you spot another doll you didn't know about, or hanker after.  Before you know it your resolutions and convictions have come crashing to the ground and you have added more dolls to your collection!  

This certainly happens to me.

Does it happen to you?

Am I the only one who finds it difficult to resist?   Especially in times of 'hurts, need, stress or worry'.  (I also wonder if it can be a form of depression that causes this.  Not full blown depression where you lose interest in everything, but the more insidious slightly below the surface form...that makes you search for something, but not sure what.)   This of course then goes on to form a vicious circle and if you are like me, you then worry about the fact you have spent money that could be better spent else where, or worse still, spent money that you don't really have to spend!

What happened to my 'no buying dolls in 2016, unless:

1.  on my wish list and 

2. have the funds to do so?!

I failed pretty much immediately!

In the course of 24 days I careered completely out of control and EIGHT dolls have arrived!  Not counting my little AI doll who was ordered at the very end of last year.  

This really is quite ridiculous!

How does one break this cycle I wonder?  

Quit all doll groups in order to resist the temptation?

No good saying I am strong enough to resist - it is quite obvious I am not!

But clearly something needs to be done!

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Anyway, trying to force my focus elsewhere in the form of photography and dolls, I am going to do a serious of photographs 'Lost, Forgotten & Abandoned'


This was my first.  This one I took in colour and then changed in the photo editor.


This photo I shot in black and white.




This was the second I took a few days later, again using the black and white setting on my camera - interesting to note that unconsciously I placed both dolls down in pretty much a similar position - I hadn't intended on doing so, but only noticed just now as I was posting the photos.    

I might try a less fragile doll next so that I can literally 'drop' the doll into position.

Next something I have been wanting to do for a long time but never 'got round to it'


'Memories'

A box brownie camera, my eldest son's very first violin, my husband's well loved teddy bear. a couple of antique/vintage grodnertal dolls and my grandmother's teddy.

8 comments:

  1. I can relate. I always have a hard time resisting as well, especially when I've just learned about some new (or old but new-to-me) style or type of doll. I'm trying to spend some time this year dividing up my dolls into ones that I bought because they were truly something I wanted versus ones I acquired out of enthusiasm, and hopefully that will teach me a lesson about overly enthusiastic shopping. We shall see!

    btw, I really like the composition of that last shot - lovely work! :)

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    1. Sounds like a good scheme to me - I am sort of doing something similar - I started a 'Doll Census' at the beginning of January, to also 'revisit' and to think about what each doll means to me. Good luck with yours!

      Thank you :-)

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  2. No, you are certainly not the only one who keeps 'collecting' even though you know you have enough dolls (or whatever one's collecting). Is it a form of compensation? An escape from the big, bad world? Probably... I don't have a huge doll budget and certainly a lack of space. So, no, I don't need all those dolls although I would love to get to 'know' lots of dolls I've never seen or held before. But these dolls end up in a box or cabinet and then that's it. I don't play with them or photograph them like you. So, basically they take up valuable space and cost money. Hmm, that's no good is it? So, now I plan to enjoy the dolls I do have and not continue to buy new ones and it's going rather well. It's just such a waste of time and effort and money and I do want to have more space. Especially the space issue is a big motivation...

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    1. Linda it really is a bit like a drug I think! Space is a big motivation here as well and the possibility of a move (although the fact that has been on the card for years but 'never happens' is also a source of my 'over compensating' with dolls I think) will be driving my trying to curb the foolishness and focus on what I have.

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  3. You are not the only one by any means! Last year I felt as though I was blindly buying dolls left and right and was caught up in some sort of adrenaline producing craziness. For me, I've set a much stricter budget this year and have narrowed my collection a little (not buy much!) I resisted quite a few times so far this year and have even sold a few, which I've never done before. Hopefully we can all just be more aware and think things over more thoroughly when making purchases this year! I have specifically been avoiding certain website to lessen temptation. :)

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    1. It is a kind of relief to know that I am not alone. Why is it I do wonder? I am sure psychologists would have a field day! I HAD set myself a stricter budget this year and failed within days - but perhaps that was the wake up call I needed....lets hope. I am certainly going to start avoiding lots of groups and websites in the hope that I can resist temptation and focus on what I need to focus on!

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  4. I'm sorry that you are struggling with this. Some people manage by keeping up a doll rotation; one comes in, one goes out. I've sold off plenty of dolls that I've "moved on" from, although I've acquired more than I've sold. I hope you can acquire a balance that works for you.

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  5. I am going through a moving out dolls phase, although the odd new one creeps back in. I have a much smaller budget to spend on dolls these days, and that helps with not getting too many more. What was interesting is that I did not feel worried at all about selling most of these dolls recently. There is my "core" collection that I would never get rid of as they are so lovely. The rest come and go depending on the situation.

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