'The Uncanny Valley'

Picture from IMDb

"Hah, it's a dolly episode!"

That was what my husband said one evening when we started to watch an episode of Criminal Minds, from 2010. And after the episode he joked and said "Now I know how you are!"

The short version: I am a bit nuts.

Well, this episode is about a lady, who works as a nurse at a center and she has an unusual personal obsession as the show itself describes it. She lost her dolls, when she was young, and tries to re-create these dolls by using petite humans - tiny young women. She uses medications to get the women to sit still as dolls and she has tea parties.

When it comes to the hobby, I'm always interested to see how shows, other people and movies portrait collectors and those who like dolls. So far it has only been scary with dolls, collectors have been crazy and even murderous. Or the dolls have similar characteristics. Nothing so far have showed the opposite, and of course I wonder why.

Do people outside the hobby see us like odd people? What experience have you had? From my point of view, I have not had anyone saying crazy things or been pointing at me as the crazy lady with dolls. I have gotten some gazing, with an associated expression of curiosity. Kids are easygoing and do not mind. They can ask, stand beside or sometimes even just comment something like "I have a doll too" or "I like cars". Or as a little boy said last summer: "Do you like berries, I have some?"

Esther, last summer.

I had Esther along at a sightseeing nearby our cottage and stood there among berries, heather flowers, grass and the Johannishusåsen, with runestones. Took some photos and I think that Esther was a toy and an opener in his eyes. He did not see me as a danger, I felt that he trusted me because I was playing - maybe as his sister, with dolls. The boy was nice and stayed a while, while his family looked at the sights.

Well, I enjoy this hobby and if someone sees me as odd, then I will let them do that. 

Annabelle

In our living room, Annabelle is making her moves
to try to be creepy. She is a very beautiful doll.

Before "The Conjuring" there was "Annabelle", says Warner Bros. True, I saw the movie "The Conjuring" and it was a creepy one and I am still feeling it down to my bones. It will not be a movie that I watch again, soon.

I have always been interested in ghost stories that have even a little bit of truth in them. So, I was intrigued by the movie "Annabelle". And then I just love dolls, so that combo was the best. I even like horror stories, so that was a plus. I have seen many of these horror stories and I am into those without the strange opening of doors, sounds, shadows and creepy faces that suddenly appear. I like those movies that slowly creeps you out and crawls under your skin, without you really knowing it. "Gone Girl", "El Orphanato" and in some way even "Silent Hill" are such movies.

Annabelle is not a typical really scary movie, it is a movie - well done though - but not so much of horror or creepy. I liked it but I felt that it lacked of the real drama. The doll alone was more creepier at some scenes than the scary scenes in the movie.

But, if you want to watch and learn about Annabelle this is the movie. Watch it and then you can watch the movie "The Conjuring". then you will feel and see the difference.