One more post for good measure.

If I had to pick one thing about bjds that was my favorite, one thing above all else, I would have to say it's their ability to change.  In very few other art mediums can you create something so fully; make a solid character down to the last eyelash, and then change it completely.  All without altering the fundamental base.  I love that these dolls can (and have) change and grow with me.

Of my dolls I probably have two that are my favorite.  Obviously Uri is one.  He's easy, I love everything about him.  He is one of my favorite sculpts, he's easy to paint and style, I am very inspired by him, and I'm very connected to him.  The other is less easily mapped out.

I've never really had what one would call a "grail" doll.  Sure there are sculpts I like, but just liking them doesn't mean I'm desperate to own them.  I tend to shoot more within a realistic range.  If it so happens that I can get something I've liked in the past great, but I don't have an overreaching goal where dolls are concerned. 

That being said, I have always loved the Volks SDC Arashi sculpt. I first saw it on DoA with JennyNemesis' Rowan.  At the time I owned no Volks dolls, and to be honest they seemed way out of my price range/ability.  I thought he was probably the coolest doll I'd ever seen, and followed her threads pretty avidly.  It never occurred to me that I could actually own that doll.  I haunted the AngelDen website and poked through the Volks databases, always returning to see that same smiley face.

Then earlier this year on a whim I checked the marketplace.  I honestly don't remember what I was looking for, but I can tell you it certainly wasn't Arashi.  I owned a couple of Volks at this point, but I still had no concept of the idea that I could have my own cute boy.  Then I saw him for sale, a good deal and all, and I jumped.  It still doesn't seem real now, and I've had him for almost a year. 

I've fought him a lot along the way.  I may love Volks dolls, but I can't really paint them to save my life.  So he's been through more face ups than any other doll I've owned (even Uri!), and tried all different wigs, eyes, and tons of outfits.  I even bought him leather pants and "new rock" boots.  Granted that was probably partially in an attempt to recreate some of the things I loved about the first Arashi I saw.  Not so say it's not my style as well because it is, but now I feel like I need to start over.

So after a couple months in hiatus I've stripped his face up and changed him out of his leathers, and we're going to start over.  I'm not sure what his name will be or what his style will be, but I look forward to finding it.  That's the beauty in these dolls.  I found something that I love, and against the odds managed to make it mine.  I couldn't quite bring him to the place I wanted design-wise, but there's always the opportunity to start over.  So here I go.