Even though we might as well consider Flickr as a dead virtual platform at this point, I couldn't help to revive this little ceremony I made up last year just to keep my dolly account alive.
As in 2022, these five categories will find their winning pictures:
Doll of The Year
Favourite Picture
Favourite Photoshoot
Favourite Casual Shot
Favourite Photo Edited Shot
Lets start 🏆
Doll Of The Year: Jewel the Swiftie
It's her, hi.
2023 has been pretty much Taylor Swift's year, and this clearly had to find a correspondence in my dollyverse with my Swiftie Poppy, AKA Jewel.
I have been enjoying this lovely girl since 2011 (!) and I am sure her sweet blue eyes, her honey coloured hair and her calming aura will never get old, but most importantly, I will never grow tired of how effortessly she photographs and gives tangibility to every Taylor Swift related idea I have in mind 😁
Early Poppys tend to be easily romanticized, but being an old collector, I think they deserve it most of the times, and this particular Poppy is one of the most precious ones in my opinion, up there with the more coveted ones.
I lost count on how many pictures I have taken of Jewel in the last 12 months, probably the most ever, but I am pretty sure I will gladly keep on taking many in 2024 too :P
Favourite Picture: Fleur in Sorrento
That of 2023 has been on of my most fun summers to date, also dolly-wise.
I have taken many dolls outdoors, took exciting trips and pictures with them, and this very one of Fleur (Great Pretender Lilith Blair) in Sorrento is easily my picture of the year.
Living near these beautiful areas (well, at least if you are willing of travelling a little- my city, Salerno, is not so close to Sorrento, after all!) is a real blessing and I am happy to have made the last-minute decision to bring Fleur with me that day.
This picture was taken on an extremely hot day in August, with my phone, and I remember I couldn't see the screen so it basically was all casual, which has made this small photoshoot even more special.
Favourite Photoshoot: Welcome home, Patrick
I tended to get new dolls quite rarely in the last few years, but every purchase has been a utter joy and delight, and Patrick (Sound Individual Romain Perrin) was sure one of my most anticipated arrivals in my dolly-carreer, lol!
Isn't he just the perfect man....erm...doll?
Tall, dark, blue eyed and passionate for music?
Sounds like a perfect match, for both my dolls and I 😬
I always get my dolls nude because I am not really into exclusive fashion pieces, which seems to be the norm with the most successful and sought-after Integrity boys and girls, so whenever a doll has a more casual and accessible style my attention gets immediately drawn.
When this guy was announced, I remember I thought he didn't have one single thing I didn't absolutely adore, and I think it was a first for me.
The vinyls, the headphones, his clothes...and him, of course.
This picture was one of the first ones I took of him and I felt like he had been with me for years.
The magic of collecting ✨️
Favourite Casual Shot: Verity before my drawer
Verity (Day Tripper Poppy Parker OOAK) was my doll of the year in 2022, so I can only be happy to find her in this little top 5 in 2023 too.
She is just one of the most special Poppys to me, extremely beloved and spoiled with unique wardrobe choices selected just for her.
This particular hoodie was one of my many AliExpress finds of the year.
I don't know for what kind of dolls it was originally made for, but I think it perfectly fits with her tomboysh oversize style, and this was just a random picture to show how cute she looked to my friends.
Favourite Photo Edited Shot: Jewel has been enchanted to meet you all
And here I am ending this ceremony just like I started it: it's her again, hi.
In the many pictures I took of Jewel this year, this has probably been the most fun one.
It's a rendition of Taylor Swift's Speak Now album cover, although she is 'wearing' a tiny organza bag and not the wonderful purple gown you might be suggested to image (am I good at manipulating? maybe I am better at photo-manipulating, which I also prefer 😬)
It's a rather simple edit (I just swapped the wallpaper with a darker one) but I enjoyed the process so much because I really love that particular cover, it's just so magical and dreamy, just like this Poppy.
Aaaaand...we're done!
I hope your 2023 was good, both personally and dolly-related, and I wish you a fantastic 2024!
May all the beautiful dolls you desire come knocking at your door ♀️
