Confessions of a Big Kid

About dolls:

I don't really consciously collect dolls. I do have three Native American dolls and two Irish dolls. Four of the five were gifts from my husband over the last few years. One was a Christmas gift from my daughter. They represent both sides of my heritage. Our toy shop is close to a doll shop, so they kind of chose us. Jess is doing her room in a Native American theme, so I've loaned her my Native American dolls to display.

Jess decided that I needed some variety, so she bought me the two dolls for Mother's Day that are nothing like my others. So that makes seven dolls. In a way, that may be a collection. I do think the dolls she chose were extremely pretty. I cherish them because they were a gift from her.

I tend to find that collections end up collecting the person that owns them...so I have resisted (unsuccessfully) collecting things. When my husband finds out I like something, he goes out of his way to buy me that particular item. Years ago I collected teddy bears. I finally donated all of them. Next it was porcelain clown figurines. Having toddlers at the time meant that collection was quickly rethought.

From there I went to scented candles, which I still enjoy. Rob once joked that I have burned so many candles that our neighbors probably had us pegged as Satanists. Yet he is the first to buy me something if he so much as suspects I like it. It's a sweet quality he has. It's also a quality likely to get us on an episode of Mission Organization.

So it goes with my Strawberry Shortcake "collection."

I love Strawberry Shortcake. I owned a few dolls back in the 80's. The fruity smell invokes happy childhood memories to this day. I like Care Bears, also. However, Strawberry Shortcake is still on top of my list.

Thanks to my husband's discovery of these facts, I have dolls, stickers, calendars, dvds, doll vehicles, folders, clocks, coloring books, etc., etc., etc. I have no room for them, but I have them. One day I plan to devote an entire room of my house to Strawberry Shortcake for a potential granddaughter to enjoy. We'll see if that pans out. In the interim, my daughter, my nieces and my friends' daughters have been treated to hours of coloring, crafts, puzzle assembling, dvd watching and pillow hugging courtesy of my love of Strawberry Shortcake. So that's been fun.

I feel like I collect scrapbooking stuff. I am a Creative Memories' consultant; just do very little consulting. I am really only what they call a hobbyist. I don't have any customers, but I stay "active" for the discount and the lovely perks that consultants have. It seems like I have enough supplies to set up a warehouse. I love to work on my albums, so I don't consider it a collection: it's a work in progress.

So, that's the long and the short of it. In a way I collect dolls. In a way I don't. In a way I think collecting anything is a bad idea, but I do it, anyway. :)

My life is just one big contradiction! :)