Just a little 2019 recap

Hi guys! Happy New Year! Hope you all had a great and safe Holiday time.

Just a few days ago I did my final exams from college, which means I will be free from school duties for a few weeks. But, as you may know at this point, I'll be moving home very soon, which means I have to spend most of my time packing and organizing stuff. There's not such a thing as too many dolls... until it's time to move home. And, on top of that, I have comic books, Funkos, Legos... plus the "real life" stuff such as clothing, kitchen stuff... I've moved home a couple times now, but this is the first "real move" with furniture and lots of stuff. The other times I moved house, I just had to pack clothes and a few other things, as I always moved to furnished homes. Anyway, we'll get through it.

Monster Crafts recap 2019


Despite the stress, I wanted to sit down for a little while to do a little recap on 2019, plus talk a bit about my plans for 2020. One of the biggest highlights of 2019 are the new (to me) bloggers that I've "met": Xanadu, DollsDolour, Sharon and YéYé. So many great bloggers that I've met this past years aren't active anymore, but I'm glad to find new people that still have an interest in blogging.


Howleen Wolf Frankie Stein Monster High

I'm also quite proud of the content I created on 2019. As usual, I didn't have enough time to write all the posts I had planned, but I'm overal happy with what I managed to do. I've focused mostly on backgrounds for doll photography, which I think it's something interesting to explore, specially now that Instagram seems to be taking over the doll world. I definitely want to do a couple more related projects, specially because I've had them in my head since September, but I also want to do other things. Not so long ago, My Froggy Stuff did something called the Infinty Room, and that's definitely something I would like to do. And, for 352th year in a row, I've pledged to learn to sew, but we all know how that's gone the previous years...


LA Girl Fashionista monster crafts blog


Health wise, I'm overall doing OK, but remember this post? I mentioned that I had an eccema that was finally going away. Well, it didn't go away, it started going worse. I ended up having to go to the derm, who gave me a pomade that has helped me with my flaky hands, but hasn't completely gone away yet. I may also have psoriasis, which isn't something alarming, but it's uncomfortable. She also sent me to the allergy unit, to see if I have an allergy that's triggering my hands' eccema.  I've had some allergies tested, but I'm still waiting for my "contact allergies" test. This may put my crafting projects in hold for a while, and I will probably have to get used to work with gloves.

There aren't many news in the doll front, as I haven't purchased anything in ages. To be honest, I'm not very excited about the new releases, as I find most of them kind of underwhelming. I do like the Chriselle Lim dolls, but apparently Mattel has decided not to sell those in Europe, so I have to think if it's worth for me to pay over 20$ on shipping. The BMR1959 dolls... not really my cup of tea, but I do appreciate that they're finally giving us a Made to Move Ken body. I just don't feel like buying any more dolls, just those that really speak to me. I think I much rather focus on the ones that I have instead of going crazy buying new ones, specially considering that I need to save money in order to furnish my new house. Plus, I still have a bunch of older dolls to unbox. 


Just a little example
This year it will be 7 years since I started blogging. I had just bought my two first Monster High dolls and I was very inspired by  other Monster High collectors who also had a blog. I feel like blogs are slowly dying and that people aren't that interested in reading them as they used to, but I don't want to quit blogging because I love it. I like writting, it keeps my mind off the bad thing and helps me put my ideas in order. When I started my english was very rusty and I couldn't express myself very well, but it has forced me to learn more vocabulary and figure out how to express myself better. Furthermore, I've "met" lots of amazing new people from differents parts of the world and I've learned so much not just about dolls. 

Anyway, that's enough rambling  for me today. Hope you're all doing well and you're having an amazing 2020 so far. I'll try to come back as soon as possible. 

M.C.

PS. Please, excuse the old photos, I don't have much time to take new ones. 


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Comments

  1. Hi, that was quick! I didn't realise we met before, unless you used to blog under the name "Darkroom Dolls". To be fair, I started on different social media to promote the blog, but I haven't found any new readers on Facebook or Instagram. I sometimes post different content on Instagram, like photos that I didn't use for a post. I do still prefer blogs, as I can also explain myself better (and I also hate typing on my phone).
    Thank you so much for your kind words and your good wishes for my move.

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  2. It's nice that you write. I like to unpack dolls, that's great. I wish you much health and prosperity. Hugs

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    1. Thanks Zacisze. Hope you remain healthy and prosper too.

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  3. Yay! I'm glad you're happy with your blog now :D

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  4. I agree that blogs have fallen off. I don't see much updating, but lots of activity on Instagram. I love the blogs with stories and find them so hard to follow on Instagram, which is what I see a lot of people using. I will still leave continue to blog stories as I find them easier to write and post that way.

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    1. Hi Jaye. I do like blogs with stories too. My dolls have a little bit of backstory, even though I have never posted them. Like you, I'm not very fond on Instagram accounts with stories, I get lost. I sometimes post as if my dolls were real people, but there's no "plot" or whatsoever. I'll try to keep my blog alive as much as I can.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. I wasn't checking your blog in 2019, but it sounds that you had a great time!! I hope I can start reading you more often in 2020~ :D

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    1. Hi Musume! Welcome to my blog! 2019 was stressful, but I also had some fun. I'm glad you will stick with us.

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  6. I agree with you on blogland being a lot more quiet than when we started. I think I began mine in the summer of 2014 and it's very different now. I got swept up in Youtube, but just didn't really enjoy it so I am back and I hope to keep blogging too, as I find it very rewarding (even it not a lot of people read my posts, lol). I think your English is amazing! I barely know any Spanish, but I am working on it with my Duolingo app. :)
    Best wishes on the eccema (I believe it's the same as eczema, which is how we say it here.)
    Good luck with your move!

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    1. Hi Farrah. I'm glad to see it's not just me. I never had as much time as I would want to for this blog, and it never really took off. For a long time I wanted to start a craft Youtube channel, but I don't have much space, plus my computer broke. Now that I'm finally moving home, with the new Youtube rules it won't be worth it for me to put the extra effort.

      Thank you, I'm glad you think my english is good enough. Spanish grammar can be very complicated, but I'm sure you'll learn enough to be understood.

      Yes, it's an eczema, I probably misspelled that. For a while, I used Grammarly to spell check my posts, but it didn't work as well as the commercial promised, plus when I pasted the text back on blogger I had some trouble with the format.

      Thank you so much for stopping by.

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  7. Hola, I hope your exams went well and that the results will be what you were hoping for. Having emptied my house to sell last year, I can really relate to the moving thing, it's so stressful and such hard work. I remember when we moved to Spain in 2004, I told my husband that I would never move again.....well of course 'never say never' as the saying goes.
    I agree that blogging is fun, I much prefer it to Instagram because I don't like typing on my phone or the photos that I take on it, and it's such a palaver taking photos with my proper camera, putting them on Flickr (which I really prefer to Instagram) and then transferring them from there to Instagram. I find that the photos have the tops or bottoms cut off them too, which I find really annoying. I sometimes have big gaps of time between blog posts but in the main, blogging is more fun for me...and I enjoy finding new blogs to follow too.
    I'm sorry to hear about your eczema, I hope you'll get some relief from it soon. And by the way, your English is excellent :)
    Big hugs Sharon xx

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    1. Hi Sharon. I don't want to move ever again, it's just so much work, but who knows? Luckily, we're moving very close to where we currently live, and we have time to go back to the old house in case we left something there.

      It does cut the photos. I mostly take photos with my phone, I feel that it takes better pics than my cheap camera, but I have to download them on my computer in order to edit them. I hate typing or editing photos on my phone. I do prefer the interaction here too, and it's not so based on the number of followers you have.

      Thanks, I'm glad you think my english is good enough. I had a job for 5 years in which 50% of my customers were british. However, if you go to my oldest posts, I sound like an 11 year old.

      Big hugs to you too

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  8. I hope your move goes well. God willing, Mr. BTEG and I are not planning on moving again, until we have to move someplace on one level, when we are too old to do steps.

    I still enjoy blogging as well. I like talking (writing) about dolls, not just taking photographs of them. And as many other people as possible having blogs just enlarges the conversation. Your English is fine. I couldn't blog in Spanish anymore. My biggest problem when I was studying Spanish was verb conjugation. I also never learned enough idioms.

    Mr. BTEG has psoriasis. It might not be so bad, except he has a bunch of other autoimmune disorders too. I hope you get some answers with your skin issues, and I look forward to seeing what you post in 2020!

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    1. Hi Barb! I'm also moving to a place with just one level, I'm also tired of walking the stairs up and down.

      I do like to take photos of my dolls, but at the same time I like talking about how I take photos, even though I don't really know much about photography. But yeah, I like talking about anything doll related in general. My english could be better if I proof read my posts before hitting "Publish", LOL.

      I was told that going to the beach was good for psoriasis, both because of the sea water and the sun. Luckily, I live a few minutes drive from the sea, so once it stops being so cold, I'll go to the beach until the psoriasis goes away.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  9. Never liked moving, but it is a very good feeling to finally be settling down afterwards. Hope the move goes well.
    Yay, it was great to ”meet” you too! Glad to find others that still are into blogging and dollies. I need to try to be more active on the social medias I have, mostly the blog and Instagram during 2020. There is always something new to share! Even the little things! I feel it too, that blogging is slowly dying and people mostly post on Instagram. It can be overwhelming with social media from time to time, but at the same time it is a easy way to be connected.
    My Froggy Stuff have a lot of great DIY’s. Have been watching and being amazed, but never come to making something myself. I have a Barbie, my Csilla, that I want to make a room or something to. I have some materials at home, that I have bought and collected during a looooong time, but never got to it. So an infinity room would be a great project! Maybe 2020 is the year!! Hope you get to make one! And it is never late to learn to sew. :)
    Allergies are a bummer. Hope that you get some results for your contact allergies test. Some metals and some glues give me dry skin, itch and redness. It is not always easy to use gloves either.
    Hope that the exams went well! So nervous about waiting for results!
    Enjoy the weekend ahead!

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    1. Moving isn't easy, and I'm already very overwhelmed by the things I have to do.

      I want to be more active this year too, even though last year I managed to create more content than previous years. I can't wait to be in my new house and start working on new projects.

      Back when I started blogging, I did one of her crafts, a patio chair, and I also created a patio table myself using popsicle sticks. If you go to my "Doll crafts" tab and scroll down you will find it. The infinity room sounds like a great project for those of us that don't have room for lots of dioramas.

      I hate working with gloves, it's harder for me to know what I'm doing with my fingers, but probably better than having flaky hands. I only have the results for 3 out of 4 classes, and so far grades are good.

      Thank you so much for your lovely comment.

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  10. Hi M.C.,
    It is sad to me how blogging seems to have become a dying art. It feels like most of the bloggers who inspired me to get involved with blogging in the first place are no longer active. But then, I haven't been very good at keeping my own blog updated this past year. I brought some of my dolls with me on a trip that I took back in December, and I still haven't posted about it. As for Instagram, my cell phone and other 'devices' aren't 'smart' enough to utilize the site and I'm not tech savvy enough to upgrade. I have issues with touch screens.
    I also agree with you about being underwhelmed by many recent doll releases. It's one of the reasons why I buy most of my 'new' dolls at secondhand stores these days. I think it's a very good idea that you're limiting yourself to dolls that speak to you. I currently have so many dolls that I have trouble taking care of them properly.
    I look forward to reading your posts in the new year. Take care.
    Signed, Treesa

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    1. Hi Treesa! Sorry, I haven't seen your comment earlier, I've been offline.

      Same here, most of the bloggers that I was inspired by or that I befriended have left the blog world. I want to keep this blog alive as much as I can, but sometimes it's kind of frustrating to put time and effort in something that nobody reads. The problem with new social media, specially phone centered, is that it leaves many people out who can't access that platform, for whatever reason (money, skills...). It's also quite ironic how bad brands have treated bloggers in the past and how much they praise instagrammers... well, that's a topic for another time.

      I also think it will be great for me to focus on getting only the dolls that really speak to me and enjoy the ones that I already have. Less stress and more money in the bank. I guess I can risk the FOMO now.

      Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a lovely comment. Take care.

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  11. Hello,

    Actually, I read your blog! lol

    I have just discovered it. I was looking for pictures of EAH dolls on line. I have seen a nude Raven in a charity shop and I am tempted to buy her. I could not identify the doll so I looked on line and I found your picture and your EAH article. So I had a look a the rest of your blog (not all of it yet!).
    I also left a comment on the EAH article.
    I can't stand Instagram. I would never put my pictures there.
    I think I have a sort of "dolls Blues". I miss the times when MH were the stars of the show!
    All the best.

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    1. Hello new reader! I'm glad you found my blog! I've just seen your comment on my EAH post. Feel free to read as much of my blog as you want.

      Instagram makes me feel a certain way, but I can't really put my finger on what it is. I don't hate it though. I wonder why do you hate it.

      I also miss Monster High a lot. It was the line that made me start collecting dolls. I've always loved dolls, I just stopped buying them.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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