By Heidi Heideman

I bought my first collector doll last fall, Berdine Creedy’s “Vivie,” which I swear was modeled after my 6-year-old self, as the resemblance is uncanny. For me, my recent discovery of the doll world has become a rediscovery of a part of my childhood. As a little girl I loved my dollies, I tended to my baby dolls as if they were indeed real babies and through my “Barbie” dolls, I dreamed of a life of glitz and glamour. When was in my tweens, I had a small porcelain doll collection during the days when porcelain dolls were overproduced. I even remember being interested in learning how to make my own porcelain dolls when I was about 12, but I never pursued it. With school and friends and part-time jobs, that idea fell by the wayside. I don’t know why I stopped growing my doll collection; I never really lost interest and I always appreciated the beauty of an intricate doll. It’s funny the roads we take in life and how they often bring us back to forgotten passions. Last summer I took a job at Jones Publishing, editing Fired Arts & Crafts. As you know, Jones Publishing also publishes DOLLS and I soon found myself marveling at the collection of dolls in Carie’s office and voraciously reading DOLLS. I’m now saving my pennies for Goodreau’s Upside-Down Oz series and dreaming of the day when I will have my very own Günzel doll. Gene Marshall is becoming my grown-up “Barbie” doll. And, yes, this past week I connected with a local dollmaking shop to sign up for a class in making porcelain dolls. I look forward to covering all facets of the doll world in this blog as I bring you the breaking news of the industry, but don’t be surprised if here and there I sprinkle in the giddiness that can be expected from a newish doll collector.