Hello! My name is Jun.
@chuckylady2021
Jun. Yokohama, Japan
Barbie, Monster high dolls, Rainbow high dolls, Bratz, Living Dead Dolls, Chucky dolls,American girl dolls, Blythe
My collecting philosophy: Life is short! I collect what I want.
I was born and raised in Japan and am a 70s kid (Geez, I feel so old!) I live in Yokohama with my partner with no kids. I love various kinds of dolls in general.
I don’t remember exactly when but I started collecting dolls back in 1997 or so.
I’m from a middle class family and I get presents only once or twice a year (Birthday and Christmas) from my family.
There was a spoiled girl in my class who could get new items all the time and all my classmates and I were so jealous all the time. (I used to have some Licca dolls, Monchhichi, and Strawberry short cake dolls, so it was not so bad.)
I thought that I would buy whatever I wanted when I got a job!
Once I stopped buying dolls in 2002 when I moved in an apartment with my man and after that I haven’t bought anything for over 20 years! I tried to be a minimalist but it was hard!
In May, 2020, my father passed away because of terminal stomach cancer.
It was during Covid, so I was not allowed to visit his hospital and I couldn’t see him in person before he left this planet.
It was the saddest event in my life….
I know it sounds crazy and weird but I started collecting Chucky dolls to ease my sorrow.
You would probably understand why I thought so if you watch “Child’s play”!
I wanted to talk with him once again and I was hoping that his soul lives within a Chucky doll. HAHA!
And in 2023, “Barbie the movie” came out and it made me start buying Barbie dolls again.
Barbie, Monster high dolls, Rainbow high dolls, Bratz, Living Dead Dolls, Chucky dolls, American girl dolls, Blythe
My collecting philosophy: Life is short! I collect what I want.
I don’t DIY items for my dolls. I’m all thumbs! I’d rather buying nice stuff from some artists.
I’d prefer dioramas to dollhouses if I had a big room for my collection. I don’t have either of
them currently. I enjoy going outside and taking pictures with my dolls.
My favourite aspect of the doll community is the information sharing. For example, I can get new release items information, tutorial videos and advice on YouTube.
Locally, we have a shop called “Café Bar-B”, and it’s Mattel licensed shop. The owner is a huge Barbie collector herself and their customers and she organize workshops /events sometimes.
I connect with the doll community on Instagram at @chuckylady2021
Thanks to the doll community. I hope you enjoy my adventure with my dolls on my Instagram.
I usually go out to take dolls pictures alone and somehow everyone is nice to me and helps me without asking which is very nice.
Please let me know if you ever come visit Japan and I’d love to meet you in person and vice versa!
It all started when my daughter left home to start her own family. After that, when I started to change her room decoration, I found old dolls in boxes in the closet. Some dolls were mine and others were my daughter’s. On that instant, I really missed those times when I used to dress them and comb their hair.
So I decided to take them out of the boxes and make them beautiful. One day, during my walk, I thought it would be a very good idea to take pictures of my dolls with a beautiful painting on the wall behind. I really loved the result and on that day Barbie started to go with my everywhere and I would take pictures of them. In the beginning, the scenarios were landscapes of my town, a town by the sea, with an incredible subset, a blue sky, and a fantastic sea. The ideal theme for those whom like photography, even for amateurs.
I collect many doll lines such as Barbie Fashionista, Signature, Dreamhouse Adventures, Barbie playline, careers, etc.
My first post on Instagram was in October of 2019. Soon came the winter and not long after that, the covid-19 pandemic started and we all had to stay at home.
I was not an exception, but my enthusiasm was so big in taking pictures of dolls that I couldn’t
@c_roquete
Carla, I’m 54 years old, I’m married, mother of 2 and have 2 grandchildren. I live in Portugal’s West region, specifically the town of Peniche and I’m an business owner
stop, day after day I was making new scenarios. I started to create scenarios at home with some decorative objects I had. Instagram was and has been a real inspiration. I never wanted to sell anything. I just used my passion for dolls’ fashion to share with everyone our local commerce to help them go beyond that hard pandemic time. I took pictures of Barbie and Ken close to my local shops or with my home delivery services. It was a fun and creative way to show to other people whom may buy the same products.
A few months later I realized that Mattel had released new Barbies and little by little I acquired and added the new dolls to my collection. Everything was a chance on this path, with the only purpose of having fun with creativity.
I have 120 dolls (Barbie and Ken) more or less. I have my favorites, but I have a very special one, which was offered to me on November 2020, as a birthday gift. A personalized Barbie that looks exactly like me. I only tell you that I really loved it, as if I had returned to being a child again. I stopped dedicating time to this hobby I love so much for more than a year due to a family member health problem.
I don’t make items for my dolls, but I sometimes reuse and adapt some objects I have at home and
recycle them, painting or changing something about them thus creating something new I like both dollhouses and dioramas. I use either one according to what I feellike like or what I need for the challenges of the community I make part of.
What I like most about the doll community is to participate on the community’s challenges to use my creativity and I do it throw on Instagram. My doll goals for the season ahead are to merely to have fun and improve my decor styles and photography skills which I love so much.
You can find me at Facebook (c_roquete) and Instagram (Doll photography, c_roquete).
Still about my story with dolls, I want to tell you that it has been a wonderful challenge. I don’t intend to receive anything in return. I’m happy when the comments on my photos are positive of course.
I really enjoy it, but above all, the best thing is that I end up having fun as I never imagined in my 50’s. I also think that in an “ideal world” I would really like to do this as a profession.
It sounds like an utopia but it’s the truth. There’s nothing better than to do what we love, because our dreams are only impossible if we don’t try and make them come true. CON’T on page 16
As strange as it might sound, my love for sewing is what got me into doll collecting. Back in 2019 I was very into sewing my own clothes. Soon, my closet was full, my fabric stash was piling up and I really didn’t need any new clothes. However, I wasn’t ready to quit sewing. Then, a fellow seamstress here on Instagram, made a few clothes for a Barbie doll just for fun. That was it!!! I instantly fell in love with the idea and bought my first Barbie doll, the curvy one from the second wave of Yoga dolls, which later became my mini-me. Soon after that, I realized that there is a whole community of doll enthusiasts, doll collectors, doll photographers, miniaturists and crafters, and I was hooked forever!
I wouldn’t call myself a collector and I don’t really own any rare or expensive dolls (although I do own a Poppy Parker).
I just buy the dolls (mainly Barbie) that I love and can get my hands on, because living in Greece, is not always easy to have access to some dolls, plus they can get really expensive.
For me, crafting for my dolls is my favorite part of this hobby! I sew all of their clothes (I especially love sewing for curvy dolls), I make their accessories, their furniture, all sorts of miniatures,
@atelier_sewnaya
My name is Naya and I live in Athens, Greece, with my husband and our son. I am a science teacher by day and an avid crafter by night! I enjoy sewing, crocheting, knitting and making miniatures!
from books to kitchen utensils, to plants and I built dioramas to put them in! I DIY anything a doll might need, really. I think I found the perfect hobby to combine my love for all kinds of crafts and interior design!! Actually, a few years back, after quitting my job as a researcher and having a lot of free time, I decided to launch my atelier, @atelier_sewnaya and start selling my handmade clothes. I designed three collections and organized a three days fashion show on Dollstagram. The event was a huge success and so many people showed up and ordered clothes that I was blown away by the doll community’s love and support!
I think I prefer dioramas to dollhouses for their versatility, although I’d love to have a space dedicated to them, to be able to have them set up all the time, like a dollhouse! Unfortunately, I’m very limited in space, so all of my dioramas are designed to be collapsible and able to be put away. The doll community is amazing!!! Everybody is so kind and supportive and ready to share their knowledge with others! My mane platform for connecting with them is Instagram. I’m also a member of @barbieclubinternational, a group of doll lovers from all around the world with monthly online meetings. I’m one of the co –
founders of “The Barbie fun club of Greece”, a group of Greek dollstagrammers whose members have become dear friends of mine and with whom I chat daily. I’m also one of the organizers of the first @athensdollmeet, a meeting of doll lovers here in Athens, Greece, in June 2024.
My dream is that someday, I will be able to participate in the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention.
This year has been a very busy one workwise, so I didn’t have much time for crafting and being active on Dollstagram. My intention is to change that, dedicate more time to my dolls and reconnect with the wonderful doll community. There are also a couple of new dioramas that I would like to build.
I’m on Instagram: my main account is @sewnaya and my atelier account is @atelier_sewnaya.
I’m so grateful for my dolls and the doll community. They’ve helped me get through some difficult times in my life and I can always count on them to make me feel better!
I would also like to thank you for featuring me in “A Little Creative Together”, you do such a great job and I’m so honored to be part of it!
@mitchell_settoon
I am an artist and former interior decorator, though I now work in local government. I grew up on a farm, but now live in New Orleans. I’ve always loved dolls (especially Barbie), miniatures and dollhouses, and making things.
I had quite a few Barbie’s as a child (I was very lucky that I had parents who didn’t mind a boy playing with dolls), but none survive.
Over the years, I occasionally bought a doll, but like a lot of people, it was during Covid that I really dove into collecting.
I collect strictly Barbie dolls, but when it comes to clothes, accessories and items, I don’t care the provenance as long as the scale is right.
I don’t really have an approach, other than preferring unboxed dolls because I want my dolls to redress and photograph. I have ended up unintentionally acquiring several of my childhood dolls, and I prefer closed mouth dolls, particularly the Mackie and Steffie sculpts.
I make a lot of clothes and some accessories. I also make houses and other structures and furnishings.
I also do a lot of tweaking to mass market items.
For example, I recently painted an Elf on the Shelf stand mixer to look more realistic.
I prefer making houses to dioramas, but find myself using dioramas more in photography because they are more versatile and easy to move.
I love both the creativity and generosity of the doll community.
For example, I mentioned on an Instagram post that I wanted a Golden Dream Barbie; a reader had found one recently she didn’t need and promptly sent it to me.
My main goal this coming season is to downsize my collection to dolls and other things.
I also would like to develop a cohesive storyline/point of view to loosely tie my dolls, costumes, and structures/dioramas together.
Something based on the glamorous primetime soaps of the 1980s and the epic romantic technicolor dramas of the 1950s.
I feel so lucky to have found both Barbie and doll community of Instagram.
Both have brought me so much joy. I participate in the doll community primarily through Instagram. I am on Instagram as mitchell_settoon.
Together we created the Instagram account @BarbMeFashion . Astrid is the one that creates all outfits, not only clothes, but also handbags and hats. Keep in mind that she taught herself how to sew, and is still learning. Most of the fashion is designed by herself, starting from scratch. Astrid used to sew for others, but a couple of years ago she got tired of that, and decided to do something she likes: clothes for fashion dolls. Astrid is a busy mom of three, and spends every free minute behind the sewing machine.
I (Ineke) collected Barbie’s in the 90’s, with lots of boxes unpacked. I sold almost all of them at a point. So when Astrid decided to start sewing for Barbie, I said: “I will start an Instagram account for you!” Now I buy dolls that I like, and will look good on photo’s. I do the styling and make photos for social media. I’m the one answering your messages. I am not a photographer, I just like to take photo’s. I started taking photos with my phone, but when my husband realized how happy this hobby makes me, he gave me a good camera for Christmas. Now I am photographing with a Canon EOS R6, with a 24-240 lens. I am a mother of two, and also a grandmother of a boy and a girl.
@BarbMeFashion
Ineke
– Spain (left) & Astrid Netherlands (right)
We are sisters and friends. We are in this for fun. We are both very creative, but in different ways. This hobby gives us the opportunity to share our creativity with each other and create things we feel good about.
We found each other in this adventure. Because this is how we see it. We started in 2020. At that point we did not know how big the dollstagram world is!
The first thing we said to each other was: we will not show our faces on social media. Haha, little did we know. In 2022 we went to Brugge, and met other great people from Instagram, like @bella_belladoll, @paperinadoll, @french_doll_melody , @pepper_dollcrafts and @m._creations_
It was a revelation to meet likeminded people. We find it very special to be able to meet people that we normally never would have met. Different ages, different nationalities…
2023 was a busy year for us. We went to Gdansk, Poland twice. The first time was for a dollmeet with Izabela @bella_belladoll and Joanna @paperinadoll. It was very special to us, because we had never been in Poland and never would have considered going there. We had some fantastic days together. In the summer we were part of the @travelingdollpants project. Something that was on our list for a while. We were very proud to be part of that project and show people the place we were both born, Vlaardingen, Netherlands.
In September we went to Gdansk again to attend the opening of the “Dollbride Exhibition”. Izabela Kwella created this beautiful exhibition with photo’s of wedding dresses for dolls. One of the dresses was Astrid’s creation, so we were very proud and honored to be there and again meet some new friends from dollstagram.
We have our own 1:6 scale magazine. They are collectors items and our latest issue is the Summer edition. They are made for us by @paperinadoll and look great in a diorama. The magazines are available in our Etsy shop. In that same shop we have some items to sell, but not often, there should be 48 hours in a day…
Our way of working is quite special. Astrid lives in the Netherlands, and I live in Spain. That can be challenging! Usually Astrid makes a box full of clothes and sends them over to me, with small notes attached, like “this is for curvy” or “this is our new giveaway”.
Every time I receive a box it feels like it’s my birthday. And then I get to be creative, sorting out everything, do the planning (are there events we like to join?) and finally style the dolls and make them picture perfect. Con’t on page 16
After a bout with cancer I started a YouTube channel to take on new opportunities in life.
@lets_talk_about_it_with_jaime
Jaime Johnson, 46 Massachusetts
LOVE: everything and anything child-like. Being a mom, animal lover and of course a doll lover, music, food, rainy days
UNPOPULAR
OPINIONS: I hate the smell of root beer and I like my chocolate chip cookies cold.
It’s funny how I got into collecting dolls really. In 2017 I was sourcing items at a yard sale to resell on my eBay shop and I came into a bunch of dolls. I cleaned and photographed each one and put them up to sell.
There was this one doll that particularly stood out to me, a 1964 Lonely Lisa by Royal Doll Company. She was just too adorable for words with her big eyes and little lips. I cleaned her up, took her pictures and before I knew it I had fallen in love. In a flash she sold and I was now the Lonely one. I promised myself I would never sell a doll that I liked again. Now, because I’m adult I didn’t think doll collecting was a thing but the uncontrollable feeling of how I missed that lonely Lisa doll took over. I’d spend every year since looking for that lonely Lisa doll while collecting every doll I loved along the way.
In 2019 I was scrolling on Instagram and that’s when I first seen my new muse!. .The Blythe Doll. I was immersed, passionate and hooked within those couple seconds of first seeing This unusual, whimsical, captivating dolly. I wanted one and I wanted one now! That passion has now turned into a lifestyle and that lifestyle has
brought me friendships that will last a lifetime. (I’d like to note I finally found a lonely Lisa doll in 2023.) Besides loving all antique dolls especially baby boomer dolls, big eyed dolls, Grace Putnam Bylo babies and rag dolls…The doll lines that I have the most of are Blythe, Pullip, Cabbage Patch Kids, Rainbow High, LOL OMG ,Barbie, Integrity, Monster High, Paola Reina, bjd dolls and some quirky ones such as dolls that look like eggs, elves and a knitted frog named Nando.
My approach on collecting antique/vintage dolls is to read about them first. I love history and the evolution of dolls can tell us a lot about the past and most times that’s what points me in the direction of what doll I want next in my collection. I enjoy the stories behind the dolls and the companies that made them. I’m interested in what the company’s had to go through to keep the doll in production. The introduction of plastics and how it took the place of porcelain, bisque and composition dolls was a very interesting time for doll manufacturers as well. Just to know some little girl from the past cherished a doll that I now own is a beautiful thing to me. When it comes to collecting Custom Blythe dolls well, that’s all about chemistry. These Blythe dolls are
like little amazing friends that coexist with you and so there needs to be some sort of charm to their faceplate for me. Blythe’s that have different expressions are extremely exciting to collect! Staging dolls is my absolute favorite way to play with my dolls and The Blythe Doll has become my muse for that. I like to paint and design sets with my boyfriend. I have an imagination that runs wild with fun scenarios for us to create for my photo/video shoots.
Most projects are of Blythe celebrating holidays or camping but one of my favorite sets that I designed was my circus! I filmed outside all day into the night to give the effect that you’ve spent a full day at a circus watching the Blythes entertain you! Painting and making shadow boxes for my dolls to live in is also a DIYthat is very soothing to me. Someday I hope to learn to sew.
If I had to choose what I like most I’d say dioramas because i own 4 and i want a dozen more ha! I do own a few doll houses and they are also fun. I’ve recently been into making shadow box shelves for my Blythes to commune at .
The dioramas add that realism you’re trying to capture when photographing your dolls.
Continued on page 16
Continued from page 8
@c_roquete
But then it comes the reality and the rationality and of course I have to work on my business. My dolls are a big passion, yes, and I can use them to be happier. Thank you so much to all the doll community that I found and I really didn’t know about their existence. It was a coincidence. I didn’t look for it. It just happened.
Continued from page 16 @lets_talk_about_it_with_jaime
My favorite aspect of collecting Dolls is the community.The friends I have made just from being a doll collector is priceless.A good friend is hard to find so a whole community with the same interests is like hitting the friend jackpot!
My main way to connect with the community is through my YouTube channel “let’s talk about it with Jaime”.I also have a travel Blythe doll group called “The sisterhood of the traveling Blythe doll”(on instagram)where 15 of us share a Blythe doll named Jett Sharen.We chat daily in a group chat and share ideas and new dolly passions.I do lots of doll conventions and shows around the NewEngland area.I also meetup with “The Blythe Boston Group”which has been so much fun!Probably one of the things I look forward to the most is my annual dolly meetup,where i get together with my dolly friends and we spend a vacation together every year doing everything dolly related.
My doll goals for this upcoming season is hitting all the doll shows hosted by Collins gifts.She hosts about 5 shows a year and There I film for my channel to keep the
hobby alive.Currently I have been working on redecorating my doll room which is almost ready for a second updated room tour.I’m turning it into a dolly photo op heaven!
I can be reached on my YouTube channel-let’s talk about it with Jaime,instagram @lets_talk_about_it_with_jaime and jaime lyn on Facebook
Something to leave you with ~When you find JOY in your life,collect it.
Contined from page 14
@BarbMeFashion
Our clothes are for fully articulated Barbie (MTM) because they look better on photo’s, more realistic. I have six diorama’s and a closet full of furniture. I have no permanent diorama set up. Although I love to create new rooms or scenes, I prefer to photograph outside, mainly because of the light. My dream is to have a designated doll’s room one day.
Every month we are giving away an item or outfit. Our challenge is called #takeyourdollbythehand and has a different theme every month. People take their doll by the hand and stick to the theme. We pick one winner that receives a #madebyastridk item. It’s always fun to see that item later on Instagram, styled by someone else.
Although we are 2000 km apart, and we only see each other once or twice a year, this works for us. We are in contact almost every day (phone or message) and when we meet, we cannot stop talking! Mostly about one topic, haha. Dolls, dolls, dolls… Last March we went to @Barbieinholland together. Those days are a
highlight for both of us. We met our friends Mirjam from @dollhous3design and Jeanine from @studiolittlesissy and were able to see their wonderful creations in real. We ran into Kian from @poppydottle, who is a friend from the beginning, and others. These events are very inspiring and give us new energy and inspiration.
This hobby changes the way you see things. In every magnet, key holder or telephone stand I see a possible 1:6 miniature, I think that is recognizable for all dollstagram people. In the past we used to go shopping for clothes together every now and then. But nowadays we like to go to a nice fabric store. You can say that dollstagram has become a huge part of our lives.
Our goals for 2024 and further are to keep having fun, and a visit to an international doll convention would be nice in the future. This summer we will be part of the Dollbride project 2024 once more.
We are very excited for the @dollsmeet in Gdansk in September this year. It is the first International Meeting for doll photographers, hosted by @bella_belladoll and @paperinadoll. Astrid and I will get to spend some quality time together and hope to see new and old friends from dollstagram, make some nice memories. Because that’s what it’s all about!
@BarbMeFashion (Instagram, Tiktok and Pinterest)
Barbmefashion.etsy.com
Décor in 1:6 scale
PHOTO by @atelier_sewnaya
