Ramblings about chaos and doll choices

[MaryCarly]

My dolls took over the sofa on my birthday and they don't appear anxious to give it back. Then I hauled up all of these plastic containers to sort the doll clothes. Now my living room looks like a doll factory exploded. lol

I am once again thinking that I may have too many dolls, but is there such a thing??? <grin>

I wish I could think of some great method for keeping all of this stuff organized. Maybe I should have stopped at one doll. That sure would have made life easier, but now that I have them, I wouldn't want to part with them (at least most of them.)

I wonder what makes some dolls so appealing to one person while another person doesn't care much for that same doll? They really aren't that much different - same size, and many even share the same face. Hmmm . . . do you think that childhood experiences may play a part?

I just looked at some pics we took long ago. I had 3 AG dolls at the time . . Mary, Carly(Kit), and Lindsey. I also had two Gotz dolls. I would never part with my first two dolls Mary or Kit, but I had no trouble giving up the Gotz dolls. I am also kind of ambivalent about Lindsey.

It isn't just time that makes some dolls more special, since two other dolls I could never part with are the newest ones (AGTs 18 and 26) that I just got for my birthday.

So what if we had to move to a tiny place (my husband keeps talking about quitting his job ever since they put him back to ten hour days and working weekends)? What if I had to seriously downsize my doll collection? How would I choose? By Senority? Beauty? Ethnicity? Clothing? Huggability? . . . ? ? ?

[Joyfulone]

Those are some really good questions. As for how we choose our dolls, I know I choose mine by their physical appeal to me, the appeal of their collection (if I dislike most of it, I don't want the doll, unless of course the doll herself REALLY speaks to me on her own), and also by how each girl is portrayed in her stories. Right now, for these reasons I am IN LOVE with Samantha and Kit. I also want Addy again because I had her when I was little and have always loved her. I'm very excited for my Josefina to come as well, and now Felicity is growing on me too!

I'd be interested to hear others' replies. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Bean Bunny]

Good question, and I want to hear everyone else's answers because I may get to take a trip to AGPC in January and I'm deciding now who I want (yeah, I know ... but I still want to be prepared!)

But as for now, I'm pretty sure I want to get Nellie because:

1. In her book, she's described as so skinny that her clothes don't fit. I relate.

2. She also wants to learn to be useful. I relate. She decided that she'd be the most use as a teacher. I relate hardcore.

3. She's just so gosh-darn cute.

Soo ... maybe it's cuteness and who I relate to the best.

[Dancing_Queen]

I loved and still do love Molly the best.
I always related to her in her stories.

She wasn't a girly girl but wasn't a tomboy either inbetween. She was tough though. Like Me

She was always making up stories and acting them out, Like with her nurse doll.

She was always getting herself into predicaments, like the perm, and putting pin curls in her head every night so she would get sick.

She tap danced like I did and still do.

I thought she was cute to me overall. So I have to agree with you.

[kitandkat]

There is never a thing as too many dolls!

I choose my Today girls based on how much of a story I can come up with for them. My friend and I have spent countless English periods comign up with Harper's story (um... YES WE DO THE HOMEWORK FIRST...)

With the historicals, I mainly go by looks, though I would love Addy and never got around to getting her. My sister has since picked her for "someday". I have to get Elizabeth first thoughb because I just love her hair.

My favorite dolls change all the time. It's based on their personality.

[BohemianMare]

With American Girl historicals it's all about her collection, outfits, and how attractive I find her. If I don't like her stories and think she's a brat, it's going to take a very beautiful doll (of any kind) to get me past that. But as for AGOTs and most other types of dolls, it comes down to beauty or the story I can see for her.

If I had to narrow down my collection, I don't know how I'd do it. But Kit (chosen for me my Mom), Samantha (another Mom gift) and Molly (childhood doll) have the first few slots. Then Felicity because I wanted her so much as a child and Addy because I just adore her, then everyone else would have to fight for any remaining slots, lol.

[AngieBelle]

I mainly fall for the stories and the time eras, hence why I only have one modern girl. Sometimes, I do wish I had only one or two special AGs. I never bonded really well with my Josefina. I only asked for her that year because there hadn't been a new AG in 4 years, and I was excited because she was new. I don't think she is as pretty as other Josefinas I've seen. I only own 3 outfits and 1 accessory set for her, and I've had her since 97!

I don't think I could part with her though. I've had her too long. It wouldn't feel right.

I don't think I'll ever desire nearly as many AGs as some of you have. I have 8 right now, but I got them over a period of 15 years.

[Kenshinchan]

There's definitely something about AG dolls (for me anyway) that makes them hard to get rid of; otherwise poor Kirsten would've been gone about the time I moved to college. I'm afraid a bit of that reluctance to get rid of her was just because she cost so much money. And if I would've known how much I might've been able to get for her on eBay, well, she might not be here today. But luckily I didn't and luckily I decided to play with her instead of sell, and here I am!

I only have one full-size doll, but I know when buying, I'd pick by how much I relate to and like both their era and their stories/personalities. Favorites from there would be likely to go by memories attached, and/or what personality the doll developed. I have toys and plushes that I wanted really badly and then once I get them, they just don't click; I don't know quite what's up with that. Some eras I don't have any interest in, and I don't like the personalities of some of the girls judging from their stories.

Oh, and if you had to downsize, I'd suggest you don't panic; you could put dolls in storage first. Granted, if you find after a year or so that you don't miss the dolls, you could consider downsizing then. But to decide who goes to storage, I'd choose by the ones you like the best, which you seem to have already decided. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]