Flaws, scratches, marks! Oh, no! But have they changed how you feel?

I don't, but I also anticipate that my dolls are going to get dirty/stained through everyday use, since I keep them out where people can touch/play with them and dress them, etc. I figure I'll clean 'em when they're dirty, scrub when stained, love 'em when they eventually yellow/green.

 

i dont think they sell Mr. Clean magic eraser in singapore.. is there another way? D:

 

If it's not visible (under clothes, etc.) I'm not too concerned. I'll still try to remove it with a Mr. Clean Eraser, but it doesn't bother me too much.

 

Stains might happen, and I might clean them, but they don't bother me anymore than the birthmark my son had.
As others have mentioned, no human is perfect, why should a doll be?

 

Otavi has a lot of tiny casting marks... On his face. -.- They bother me when I think about them, but really you can't see them unless you look for them, so they're not a big deal. He does have some other small flaws, most of which I panic over when I first notice them, only to promptly forget/feel better about. I guess overall they don't bug me much. I love my boy to bits.

 

As far as scratches or smudges go, I do all my own face-ups and repair work so those usually get touched up or sanded out. One of my Obitsu boys, though, has a small black scrape on his right forearm. He got it in a minor fall at Disneyland, but the hot asphalt was enough to leave a mark. I cleaned the black off, but he still has a small "scar." I actually like it, and see it a a sign of his adventures.

 

Stains... bug me. If I see a stain on my doll, I'll restring them immediately and clean absolutely EVERYTHING off them. But scratches... well, they happen. ;A;
My first doll is very worn, it can clearly be seen that he's been loved and played with. However none of the marks he has are anything really serious, I think of the worst of them as a sort of... calling card? xD As in, if I were to ever lose him and people needed a specific identification, I could mention the little scratch he has on his neck (that's actually pretty unseen unless you know it's there, but still the perfect calling card so I always know that's MY boy).

At first it did change how I felt, like he suddenly became "less mint" but then I started changing my perspective on them. I'm an insanely greedy person and am constantly worried about money, and would find myself thinking "Oh no! A scratch! His resale value is now RUINED!" But then I stopped myself- resale value?! Where exactly are my dolls going? These boys are mine and hopefully will always be such.

However as far as *real* damage goes... I'm not sure. I don't think it'd change how I feel about the doll itself, I'd just be rather sad that I was so "careless" as to let some damage like that happen to something I cared for so much.

 

Well, my boy took a spill a week or so ago, and I didn't notice any damage until my friend got him home and removed his wig and wig cap, and there was a big chip. She told me about it and I about panicked. But she reassured me it was a clean break and she fixed him up with superglue and plopped his wig cap and wig back on. I can say I don't love him any less. I saved for a long time for him and would have liked to keep him perfect, but that didn't happen, but I still couldn't imagine selling him or getting rid of him. He's mine and I still love him.
-Sheleeta

And those who manage to keep them pristine... YAY! Loved and pristine A lot of my toys are like that.

 

I've personally always been a bit of a perfectionist and I do get upset when something of mine is marred from perfection. Oddly enough I've had this habit ever since I was little, at most 4. I still remember going to the beach and getting tar on these pink sandals I owned and being so upset over it that I started crying. My dad had to pick me up and comfort me but I was still so upset! To this very day I get those same feelings of anxiety when I think something is wrong with things, especially my doll because he was so expensive.

I have also learned that these things do happen. Wear and tear is just a natural occurrence in life. Quite literally everything decays (even Twinkies though it will be far far FAR in the future) and there's nothing we can do to stop it. Just recently I was restringing my doll with a different brand string puller, I know this doesn't seem like it should make a difference but I swear it does, and he ended up with a small dent/scratch on his shoulder. I was initially upset but then I thought about it and decided it actually fits his character. In my mind he's a bit of a rough and tumble boy so he'd naturally have a few small scars here and there. Not only that if I really wanted I'm sure I could sand it out and it'd be fine again. Granted if it was something huge like a finger breaking off or something I'd panic and feel really bad, but for something small it's just better to roll with the punches as it were.

 

Being that I've been in the hobby for 4 years, though only got my first doll in September, if Emma got something on her face (like a scratch, or something happened to her face-up) it'd bum me out.

Seriously!

Because I do know what you shouldn't use on a face-up for the most part (like tinted acetone, but acetone is kind of iffy, overall - and Sharpies, of course) as well as what is most commonly used for face-ups... I don't know how to do them. And, truth be told, I'm kind of apprehensive about learning. So, if something happened to her face, I'd panic for a while, then maybe see if Dollmore, or someone on DoA could redo it for me.

 

So funny that I found this thread because I was just thinking of starting one like it! Damane has a small purple stain on her right foot from a scarf that I was using as a blanket for her for a while. At first it kind of bugged me but now I always rub it with my thumb when I'm holding her so its like a lucky birthmark or something XD

She also smells strongly of candles because her bed where she stays when I can't keep an eye on her, we have two cats and a dog so things could quickly go horribly wrong, but I love it and always bury my nose in her wig

 

Well, with my little girl I'm quite fussy... She's a young lady, my small and cute little princess, scars don't suit her.
I have her since one year and two months now and except for a small flaw in her face up she's still completely fine, even though she's played with daily and I take her out on walks with me from time to time. But I'm a very calm and solemn person, at least most of the time, so I don't do many things with my doll that could hurt her in any way.

 

Stains and flaws did bug me but if they can be remove or re-do the make up then they're fine to me. But flaws?? if the doll have some flaw since the begining (from the manufacturer) then I'll be fuzz because I expect my doll to be flawless from the manufacturer, if the dolls are flaws by me (ex. accidentally drop them) then I'll be even more fuzz (to myself this time).

 

My first two dolls were second hand, so Porridge (a pukipuki flora) had some mods done by a previous owner, so she has a flatter nose than normal and her mouth is very deep, but it doesn't bother me all that much. Andi was from a friend of mine, who had sanded her ribs down as they stuck out really badly. My other three dolls are straight from the manufacturer (2 CH and another FL) - the only issue I have with any of my dolls? My CH girls don't pose amazingly, and both have a couple of marks that they came with, but I have learnt to live with. The other issue I have is I am really OCD about symetry, and Andi (RS Dai) doesn't have symetrical eyewells. And it drives me crazy! Because I want to fix it, but I don't want to tell her that she isn't perfect! So I generally faceup her so that they look identical, so I won't have to mod her!

 

-laughing- I'll be honest. My boy's got a scratch on his hand but I'll be damned before I let that change how I feel about him.
I still love him just as much so. XDDD

And besides, in terms of "flaws" I don't really see scratches as flaws, honestly... Haha, I mean, I fall down all the time and I get gashes here and there, but I don't see those as flaws.

 

I tend to forget scratches. but on a faceup... it would annoy me as hell. so i'd just re-do (advantage of doing faceup yourself)
chipped nose= end of the world xDD
yellowing... urff if it's even I wouldnt mind. but i've seen doll that were only PARTIALLY yellow. that could be a problem for me.

so far all of my dolls are in good conditions. a few scratches on their body and that's all. so I couldn't really tell if i'd like them any less if they had, exemple, uneven yellowing (but hopefully it wouldn't change how I feel about them ^^ ).
if my breakaway's nose broke, I'd fix it the best I can but wouldn't keep him. that's for sure. I love this doll almost only for it's nose!

sooo depends on the kind of flaws they have. if the doll is one of my favourite ever, etc.

 

I don't mind flaws on my doll. His headcap is pretty banged up...but I've gotten used to it. It actually fits his character really well!

 

little dings and scratches don't bother me too badly. mischief's nose is discolored on the tip, either a fracture or something, but he's still lovely. broken fingers or something chuncked off is the end of the world, and faceups that are smudged or messed up are irritating.

 

I don't care about stains or scratches, as long as they're not like, massive and distracting. I agree with the OP, it makes it a part of the doll. I love small imperfections for some reason. It makes the doll seem less perfect, which I adore. I don't like perfection, honestly. Having things a bit askew gives things a bit more character.

Clothes on the other hand...I want my doll's clothing to be immaculate. If there is a tear or discoloring on the doll's outfit, it will greatly upset me. I don't really have any idea as to why that is. ^^; It's kind of a contradiction to what I previously said, isn't it? But I suppose that's just my view, huh?

 

I got my first boy second-hand, with some very minor face-up damage, but to be honest, I forget about it most times. Part of it was actually fixable with magic eraser, and the other, I'll look at that spot and think "ah yes, that's where the eyelash is missing" but I'll still look at him and see a gorgeous doll with a lovely face-up ^_^

This same doll also has a few nasty scratches and marks on his neck from being tightly strung for too long. I try not to look at those, but I plan on sanding them away. Scratches and such... that's scary for me. I also fear yellowing. I didn't expect myself to be so paranoid about it until it started happening I still love him just as much. I don't find the scratches or light yellowing to be a part of his character- I don't like it. I wish I'd been more careful, but I was a newby (still feels like I am). It's nothing dreadful, and I still adore that doll, but the scratches can and will go.