Ask Clem: Falling Out of Love with Blythe

This week Clem offers her advice to the question:

What do you do when you're not feeling the Blythe love?

This hobby can get pretty overwhelming at times with all our beautiful plastic faces to choose from, the shoes and clothes we demand, finding the time to take pictures of us for flickr, joining in with forums/twitter and blogs, not to mention the stresses of customising or building a dolls house! It's OK to feel like you need a break from joining in all this madness. Perhaps you just need to see them standing on the shelf when you get home from work and nothing more for a little while. You should never feel pressured to spend more time and money on this hobby than you can afford! 

There are times when all this and more can lead to burnout and perhaps falling out of love with Blythe a little. If you don't want to take a break here are a few suggestions for things you could do with your Blythes to help you find the fun in Blythe again.

Have a Fashion Show

All it might take is redressing your dolls! If they have been sat on a shelf for a while in the same outfit you might be surprised to see what a change of clothes can do for your dolls! I always enjoy getting dressed up!

Do you have certain items of clothing that you always dress particular dolls in? For a while all I would wear were the same outfits on rotation because it was "my style". Try dressing your Blythes up in clothes you thought weren't "them". You might be surprised how good they look. At the very least you'll have a laugh!

If you enjoy sewing/knitting/crochet you could have a go at making some new clothes. It can be a lot of fun even if your outfit doesn't turn out as expected! I always appreciate the effort! If their dolly wardrobe is getting you down and you're not in the mood to start another hobby you could have a clear out. You can then use your new funds to buy a new set of outfits. Repeat when you become bored of these clothes! 

Take Pictures

Organising a Photo shoot for your Blythe is another great way to get over the Blythe Blues. Just one pretty shot can lift your mood and change your perception of that particular Blythe. If your lack of Blythe love is down to being stuck in a photography rut take your Blythe somewhere new for pics. Next time you go somewhere take your doll with you. You might be surprised at the photo opportunities you notice even on a regular route. 

Practice Hairstyling

Plaiting my hair or sweeping into a bun really changes my look without much effort. It can be as simple as adding a couple of pretty clips to keep my hair out of my face. 

If you are feeling confident how about trying something more complex like boil perming or RIT dye. Remember to read up on this carefully first!

Lots of Love,

Clem

Ask Clem: Original, Substitute or Save?

Today Clem offers her advice to the question:

My dream doll is kinda out of my league price-wise. Should I settle for a similar but not quite the same girl or save up? I've also seen that some people customise a cheaper doll as close as possible to the original. Clem, what do you recommend? 

There are a few roads you can go down when obsessively hankering after a doll. First of all, I'd try to be as objective as possible about how much you like this girl. I've seen the amount of time you guys spend staring at pictures of me and my friends on the internet (and I find it a little creepy tbh) but how many of you have seen the girl your crazy about in person?

First Things First

If you have the possibility of attending meets they are a great way to get a good look at new dolls. You might find you much prefer a different girl after seeing her in person and being caught off guard. 

Saving Up

If seeing the doll isn't possible as it would rely on several strokes of luck you should consider how much you prefer the idea of this new pretender over the Blythes you already own. If there are any you feel lukewarm about perhaps now is the time to consider moving them on. Pack them away for a couple of weeks and see if you miss them to test the waters.

Another way to raise some funds may be to have a closet clear out. It may seem like a lot of hassle to sell a handful of clothes for a few [insert favoured currency here] each but it adds up a lot quicker then you might think! However, do not think about selling any of your dolls favourite items or you may have a mutiny on your hands! 

Settling

This seems to me the least satisfactory of all options but maybe I'm an idealist. Sure you might love this girl but a part of you is always going to be thinking about the real deal. Your Blythe doesn't deserve this fate! We are all special!

Customisation

First of all you're going to want to work out whether customisation really is the cheaper option. Especially if you want to pay a customiser! Customising yourself is a really fun option in my opinion. It may be a long and frustrating process but no doubt you will learn something new in the process and perhaps even make a few new friends. Your doll will also be unique (kind of)! You may even bond with the doll over the customisation process but be prepared for the fact you may still hanker after her original.

Hope this has been helpful!

Lots of love,

Clem

Ask Clem!

Ask Clem is a new feature with none other than, you guessed it, Clem! Every fortnight she will offer her advice regarding various different problems that may come up in the world of doll collecting. Take it away, Clem!

Dear Clem,

I am writing to ask for your advice on bonding. I was adopted by my very own Big Ol' Bossypants a couple of years ago and was relieved to get out of my box at last. I was the apple of her eye but now I spend more and more time stuck on the shelf, semi-naked. What can I do to change this situation? I can't take it anymore!

Thanks in advance,

Pan

Prima Dolly Amaryllis

Dear Pan,

I know how you are feeling as this has happened to me too. Well, not really but I'm trying to sympathise here. If I were in your  position I think I would find a way of (safely, I might add) flinging myself off the shelf to catch the attention of Bossypants. Is there a settee nearby or a cushion you might land on? At this point Bossypants will come running over in fright and check you over carefully for cracks or scratches. The goal here is to make her feel sorry for you and remember the fun you had together so look as pitiful as you can. I know it's hard with our plastic faces that so many Real Housewives aspire to but try your best. Sometimes it sucks to be beautiful.  

If this effort fails to get you dressed and/or some playtime or it's simply not safe to go about chucking yourself off ledges then I suggest dressing yourself in the prettiest outfit you can find and striking a pose. Your *cough* modesty *cough* will be covered at the very least and should catch the eye of your Bossypants and entice her into taking some photos. Don't worry about your Bossypants wondering how you got dressed. This will only make you more interesting to her. 

In summary, if your owner is having trouble bonding encourage them to have a dress-up and photo session with you. It does wonders and doesn't cost a penny. If your Bossypants like sewing/knitting/crochet/paper craft this is an extra bonus as you can have a lot of fun making an outfit together. It will give you a new lease of life too! If this fails to work I'm afraid it might be time to face facts and find a new home where you are given more attention. Here's hoping it doesn't come to that!

Lots of Love,

Clem

Next Wednesday my Bossypants will be sharing some photography tips.