Bollywood Legend: Priyanka Chopra Arrives!

Today, I picked up the third and last - for this order - Bollywood Legend doll, Priyanka Chopra. I had missed yesterday's delivery so I had to pick her up at the post office.

These dolls are so well packaged, I am almost tempted to leave them in their boxes. Spin Master uses the same clear plastic box construction that Mattel uses on the Jazz Diva Barbie and the Red Queen Barbie only instead of constructing a setting, Spin Master has a reel-strip layout of photos of the actor or the actress alongside the doll. My eyes run from the actor's photo to the doll; the likeness is amazing.

In the package, the dolls and the outfits look like better Barbie quality figures. At this time, I am enamoured of the boxed look; once I get beyond that stage, I will remove the figures and examine the figures and the clothes.

Behold, three of the Bollywood Legends!

Two Bollywood Dolls Here! Kajol and Hrithik Roshan

Two of the three Bollywood dolls, distributed by Spin Master Toys in the UK, have arrived: Kajol and Hrithik Roshan.

I won't post photos of them today, but I will this weekend. Here are links to the toys AND to an article about the launch of these figures:


http://desibbrg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=300904

http://www.ethnicnow.com/channels/film/press-release/3/516/bollywood-comes-to-harrods.html


I LOVE the faces. I'll have to get the last one from the series, Shah Rukh Khan. The figures resemble the actors. The packaging is a clear plastic box with each doll set against photos of the actor. I believe that the third doll - Priyanka Chopra - will reach me tomorrow. When I have the three together, I will photograph them.

Thus far I have NO complaints.

Why I Will Miss KB Toys

I bought these Ken fashions for $1.99 each from KB Toys. Sigh. Those were good days. Good bargains.

The 44th President in 1:6 Scale

DiD produced the above Obama collectible figure. Jason Wu created the white chiffon gown worn by Michelle Obama. Are my fingers the only ones crossed for a 12" Michelle Obama fashion doll?

Organizing the Doll and Action Figure Collection, Part 3B

Okay, I really want to break down those boxes. Open them up and separate the clothes by size into boxes. So let's get the preliminary analysis work out and done. Then I can dig in with no anxieties that I am jinxing myself.


What works?

The enthusiasm that I still have for this hobby. That I have a room and some additional space to place stuff.


What doesn't work?

While I have a doll and action figure collection, much of it is either boxed up or spread throughout the apartment now.


Essential needs?

Access to collection and maintaining the collection so that I enjoy it now and others can enjoy it when I no longer can.


Why get organized?

To better enjoy my collection.


What's stopping me from having an accessible/organized collection?

* I have items I no longer want to keep

* I have lots of boxed items that I cannot enjoy fully because they are boxed.

* I am not using the space that I have as well as I should/could

* * * * NOTE: NOT SAYING THAT I HAVE TOO MANY ITEMS * * * *

* I may need additional storage units

* I definitely need more shelves and possibly glass cabinets

* I don't have funds for new shelves, storage units, etc. now


What is my goal now?

My goal used to be to amass a huge and varied doll and action figure collection. Now I want to have a varied collection only I want it to be accessible and to be well maintained. Boxes are not as important as they used to be. In fact, I want to "play" more with the figures.

Step One: Analysis done.

Organizing the Doll and Action Figure Collection Pt. 3

After I completed my last post about organizing the doll and action figure room, I noticed that unopened clothes take up a lot of space. Here are four photos of unopened clothes:









Yes, I am jumping steps ahead of my organizing project. Deboxing comes further along, after I have written the action plan. Then I schedule actions. On the other hand, I would have more space AFTER I have opened some of those outfits up and deboxed them.

Maybe I'll start with the Ken and action figure clothes. Sort by size. I've got two tall guys (Lukas and Scottie), three husky guys (Sulu, Pavel, and Noah), about ten male teenagers (Mattel HSM and other teens; Takara Jenny's beaus), and a bunch of "regular" sized guys. Lukas, Scott, and the husky guys can have their clothes in one box, Tall and Big. The teenagers can have their clothes in another box, Youth. The other men will have a third box, Regular. When I have a chance, I would like to sort the Regular size clothes into Fall-Winter and Spring-Summer boxes so that I can go to one or the other box by season. I'll separate the shoes as well: Small, Ken, X-Large.

I also have loose clothes (male, female, children) and boxed clothes from the Mattel Mary Kate and Ashley size, Lollipop outfits, and Kelly/Shelly clothes. There is a broader range in female sizes so I would separate those outfits later. Women's sizes go from 8" Grandma Walton (Petite) to 11 1/2" Tracy and 12" Esther (Plus).

New Year Project - Organizing the Doll and Action Figure Room Pt. 2

In Part 1 of Organizing the Doll and Action Figure Room, I gave the room size and that the room would be shared with pets, one cat and three turtles (contained). In Part 2, I will start with my resources because they will help me form my action plan and describe the results. There are two books and one web source.

The books are Don Aslett's Clutter's Last Stand and Julie Morgenstern's Organizing from the Inside Out.

The web source is some pages titled "Strategies for Organizing Your Doll Collection" by Denise Van Patten of CollectDolls.About.com. That web page is found here:

http://collectdolls.about.com/library/weekly/aa010401a.htm

Don Aslett's statement that a collection should be used or lost reminds me that collections deserve to displayed and appreciated. As my collection has grown, I have seen less and less of the individual pieces that thrilled me when I first discovered them. I miss knowing where items are and setting them up.

Julie Morgenstern's system calls for these acts: analyze, strategize, and attack. What's the current situation and why do I want to organize my collection? What do I need to do next and when do I do those things? And finally, I execute the plan and share the results.

Denise Van Patten's articles provide hobby specific organizing tasks including display tips and storage tips for overflow dolls and action figures.

The storage units I have now, the collection size, and additional steps will be posted under the Organizing the Doll and Action Figure Collection header.