Summer fun for Doll Lovers and Other Collectors

I enjoy the About.com blogs and newsletters on hobbies and collectibles. Denise van Patten does more than a decent job of writing about dolls, and sends out the newsletter faithfully. Below are her ideas repeated here for your pleasure for collecting. I also recommend her price guide; the introduction is "meaty" and interesting, and the guide/photos realistic. I would add to her ideas travel to look for doll additions on trips, surf the net for research files, paper dolls, and free publications like The Smithsonian's Booklet on Caring for Native American Dolls and their history, visit web museums, cruis the rummage sales, thrift shops and yard sales, dress and repair your dolls, and make a wish list. Rearrange your doll houses. Organize dolls for charity as an event, and let Doll Castle News know what you are doing. Mr. Mueller, editor, also has ideas for where you can send items. Finally, work out a doll/collectible budget for the year. See More About:doll conventionsdoll shows displaying dollsorganizing dolls It's summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime....and you've got some time off! Or, lots of time off. Or, no time off and you need to make the most of your weekends. In any event, it's the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer and you are looking for some doll-related activites to enrich your summer and your collecting. Well, you've come to the right place; I've got some great suggestions for places to go, events to attend and things to do for doll collectors to make the most of those great, fleeting, wonderful months of Summer. 1. Attend the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention! Every year, a large national Barbie Doll Collector's convention is held! The very first national Barbie Doll Collector's Convention was held in 1980 (over 30 years ago!) with roughly 100 participants. Today, the conventions generally have about 1000 participants and are held in cities all across the United States. This year, the theme is “Grand Tour”, [where participants will be] traveling the world, learning about themselves as well as new cultures and people. They experienced the sights, sounds and tastes of foreign lands, and they brought back exotic souvenirs from their travels as well as memories that lasted a lifetime." The convention will be held July 11th through the 14th in Garden Grove, California. and registrations are still available. 2. Attend the United Federation of Doll Clubs National Convention! There is even a doll convention that is much older than the Barbie doll convention--the United Federation of Doll Clubs ("UFDC") National Convention! This summer marks the 63rd year for the UFDC Convention. This convention celebrates dolls of all types, from antiques to modern. with an emphasis on antique and vintage dolls, but with many meal events and activities planned for modern dolls as well. This year, the theme is "A Jambalaya Jubilee," and the convention will be held from July 24th through July 27th, in New Orleans, Louisiana. As with nearly all conventions mentioned here, there will be doll salesrooms, doll competitions, doll workshops, doll seminars, doll-themed meals, doll souvenirs and much more. 3. Go To Doll Shows! Even if you can't travel far and and wide to get to a doll convention, or if a doll convention is not in your budget, you can easily find a doll show within driving distance. Thanks to the internet, doll shows are not as plentiful as they were back in the 1990s, but there are still many of them around. And, there is nothing like a doll show, where you can see and touch dolls, and meet doll collectors and dealers. Some doll shows even have doll workshops and seminars. There are many lists of upcoming doll shows on the Internet, including a good, up-to-date list from Jones Publishing, publishers of Dolls magazine and Teddy Bear Review. 4. Visit Doll Museums and Doll Shops Unfortunately, many great doll shops and museums have closed during the current economic downturn. However, there are still many great ones left to see. If there are doll museums or doll shops in your area, support them by paying a visit, and/or taking summer house guests to see them! If you are traveling, research on the internet to find doll museums and shops that you can visit during your trips. Be sure to call ahead for summer hours and to ensure that the source you are using to find the doll museums and shops is up-to-date. 5. Attend a Ball-Jointed Doll Covention! There are so many doll conventions; the ones listed here are just a sampling of the ones available. One of the most current and growing areas of doll collecting is ball-jointed dolls. If you are new to ball-jointed dolls, or already a fan, there is no better way to learn about different types or customizing the dolls than to attend a convention. One of the ball-jointed doll conventions being held this summer is the Ball Jointed Doll Collector's Convention 2012 in Austin, Texas. The convention will be held from August 2nd through August 4th, with a theme of The Enchanted Sea (includes all sea related topics from Merpeople (Mermaids) to Pirates). Registrations are still available. 6. Organize Your Doll Collection If you don't feel like traveling this summer, there are many doll-related projects that can be done at home. If you are facing the dog days of summer, and the outside temperature is broiling, why not stay indoors with you air-conditioned doll collection and an iced tea? While there, you can spend the time organizing your doll collection--culling out dolls to sell or give away, getting your records together for insurance, perhaps sewing (or purchasing) outfits for dolls that need them, etc. There are many things you can do that can spruce up your collection, and those summer days off are perfect for time off to do them! 7. Re-Display Your Doll Collection If your doll collection is already organized, then it is always fun to re-display your doll collection! Summer is a time for houseguests, and especially if you are having friends old or new visit you or stay at your house, attention to your doll displays prior to their visit can re-invigorate any collection. If you have a guest room, perhaps adding a few dolls on a shelf or in a corner can be a delightful touch as well. 8. Start a Doll Club! It's summertime and you and your doll friends are bored. So, start a doll club! All a club really needs is a monthly hour or two meeting each month to get started, and a few doll friends willing to share their love of dolls and help educate each other. You are probably already hanging out with your doll collecting friends anyway, so why not take your colleting and doll friendships to the next step? 9. Attend the Modern Doll Collector's Convention Yes, I know....one more doll convention to tell you about. This one actually wraps up the summer, as it is held at the tail-end of summer; this year, from September 19 through September 22, in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the title suggests, this convention celebrates modern dolls of all types. The convention doll this year will be from Kish and Company. Another long-standing convention, this convention has been held for over 30 years! 10. Read a Good Doll Book So much great information exists about dolls, and everyone complains about so little time to absorb it all. Or, everyone sits around plastered to their computers and ipads. It's summer! Go outside, soak up some sun, and bring a good book about dolls with you! You'll get a great tan, and some Vitamin D, and everything you learn while reading about dolls will help make you a better collector when the cold days of Fall arrive. Suggested Reading