5 Things That Happened Since I Started Playing Again....

So, ever since that first excited blog post, I haven't really done much with this blog. That's largely because, despite it being a blog about being a kid at heart and playing with toys, I am, in all actuality, an adult- an adult with a real job and real responsibilities that often get in the way.

That doesn't mean, however, that I haven't been having some fun! In fact, in the short time since I've started playing, a lot has happened for me.

#1) I've realized I'm not a weirdo...(or at least that I'm not the ONLY weirdo)

So, to start things off, when I went to the AG store for the first time, my boyfriend and I were definitely the only adults in there without kids. I thought, "that's it. I'm a weirdo." Of course, I didn't let that stop me from buying some AG clothes and accessories.

However, when I got home, I found an AG board full of none other than adult collectors. This led to finding an AG Instagram community and basically coming to find that there are plenty of other people out there who are "weird" like me, and you know, it's nice to connect with other people over some fun, slightly out-there interest we share.


#2) I've gone outside

Anybody who knows me knows that, deep down, I'm a real introvert and an "inside" kind of person. After work, I head for my house, and, unless forced, I probably won't leave it until the next day.

However, having my doll and being a big kid again has caused me to venture out into the sunshine for the photo ops alone. This is most certainly a good thing.

#3) I've rediscovered "forgotten" toys

So, I've always been an adult who will occasionally impulse buy toys at the thrift shop.I have a lot of plushes, some dolls I've found cute, and sitting up in my closet, I also had a Baby-Sitter's Club Mary-Anne doll. I am a HUGE BSC fan, by the way.

For several years, that poor doll has sat in my closet, atop my well-read BSC collection,untouched and unplayed with. She was just a random Ebay buy that I never bothered with.

But, playing with Samantha made me want to play some more, so I got old Mary-Anne down and incorporated her into my photoshoots. It's nice to finally get some use out of this stuff, and I think actually using some of it will help me to purge the things I really have no use for.

4) It's been fun for me and my guy...

This is kind of a surprising one, but playing with toys has actually helped bring me and my guy closer together.

He bought me Samantha in the first place, so it's been giving him a lot of joy seeing how happy the gift made me.

And, surprisingly, he's even finding it fun helping me find doll-size items (we went on a Hobby Lobby run together), helping arrange her for photos, and has even had some ideas on dolly things he can make.

Plus, we've been talking a lot about the nature of "play," how we each played as kids, the different ways that people play, and what it all says about us.

Pretty fun, right?

5) I'm creative again!

Finally, and most importantly, I feel like playing with this doll has opened the floodgates of creativity for me.

I used to be someone who wrote and even published stories. I used to be someone with lots of ideas.

With my demanding job and life, however, those things have fallen by the wayside in recent years. If I write, it's always for work, not fun.

Since I've started playing, though, it's opened something up inside of me. I have ideas for photos, for blogs, for Youtube videos, and for stories.

In fact, I found a thrift store doll last night, and I'm excited to use her as inspiration for a story and to design a character around her.

I feel like I'm getting back to me.

Long ago, as a child, dolls gave me ideas for stories, helped me write, helped me think, helped me explore, and it's pretty awesome that they're doing it again now.

As you can see, playing has been a great thing for me...and it probably will be for you too, so I encourage you to find and release your inner child.

Much Love,
S.