Some of my Toys

I thought today, it would be nice to show you some of my collectible toys that I have collected over the last few years. It is a bit of an open secret that I LOVE Final Fantasy 7 and the toys I have collected over the years are so amazing, I have my own little shrine to it. So I thought it would be nice to show some of my favorites off.

This is my shelf of Sephiroth toys. This is an old picture, as it doesn't have the new plushie which was brought for me by the lovely JP. 

But it does show my selection of Play Arts (FF7, FF7:AC and KH), my trading arts (given to me by Cat) and my Mini Trading arts who came all the way from Hong Kong, my Static Arts which is my most expensive (I paid £130 for it inc. customs and excise, would have paid nearly £200 at Forbidden Planet so that was a bargin). My Cold Cast Resin statue who was sold to me by a collector in the south of England, and my FF7:AC Sculpture Arts figurine. This one is lovely, but is part of a set so I need to get the Cloud part. When I brought it, part of the mounting was damaged, but some clever and inconspicuous repair work and you really can't tell. But still £30 for a figurine that would have cost £150 is not something to be sniffed at by all means.

 This is a closer pic of the Cold Cast and the Trading Arts figures. The cold Cast stands on the left, next to my Static Arts. He really is a fine figurine and I was impressed by how he looked.

Behind him stands my FF7:AC figure. He was my first ever Sephiroth toy and FF7 toy. He was a gift from Mike. Then is my Trading Arts and Mini Trading arts. The Trading arts is only about 7cm tall, where the Mini Trading Arts is only 3cm tall and VERY cute.

And this is my Static Arts figuine and the normal FF7 Play Arts figurine. The Static Arts is nearly a foot and a half tall but it really is a striking piece, especially when I have the fairy lights and lava lamps on. The see through swirls really come to life and its absolutely an amazing spectacle. He came from Japan, via a trader in LA. He took a while to arrive here, but I used the tracking ID and followed him all the way. I had to pay a little extra on Customs, but in honesty, I really didn't mind too much as it was worth it.

My FF7 Play arts is again, a lovely figurine and he came from Japan. I was away in Manchester at the time when he arrived, but when I got home I had a huge pile of parcels to open, including my swords and other things I had ordered.

My Collection began back in the winter of 2007. My great Nan had died suddenly and my then boyfriend had brought me a special present for my 20th birthday. He had got me a FF7: AC Sephiroth figurine. From the moment I saw him and got him out of his box, I was in love. My collection then was added to with a Cloud Strife, of the same series and the Mechanical Arts Kadaj Bike which I brought when I was out with Cat one day. I got one for her too.

In June 2008, I moved out of my parents place and from there, my collection just snowballed, and when I went back to college, I brought the rest of the FF7:AC range (apart from Tifa and Yuffie, who I can't get hold of at the moment) as well as the complete collection of FF7 Play Arts and the rest of the Mechanical Arts which consisted of Sister Ray (A large Canon) and the Fenrir Bike (as ridden by Cloud in FF7:AC). As well as the range of pieces from Art FX, which included Bahamut Sin and The Shera Airship from the film. Me and Steve both have a shadow creeper. Mine came from my friend Stacey and she (yes mine is a girl) is called Kali.

Along with the games (including 3 special editions), DVDs (both Special US edition and UK editions respectively), UMDs and soundtracks to all of them. I also have strategy guides for FF7, Crisis Core (I have the normal one and the Japanese one), Dissidia and FF XIII (the one I have for that was a find, a numbered special edition book, very cool) and toys from the Dissidia range. I recently got a plush cactuar from Steve's Dad from Christmas from FF XI

As before mentioned, I have 2 Sephiroth plush dolls. One I take everywhere with me and cuddle at night. Here is a picture of my Sephy, sat with James, a friend of mine's teddy bear. Both dolls look like this, except my cuddle one is a little grubby and raggy at the edges, but after 3 years of me mauling him in my sleep, I guess that is to be expected.

He came from China, and when I got him, I nearly went flying over the parcel!!
 
Anyway, I thought it would be rather nice to share some of my collection with you all and I hope you liked looking at them all and hearing some of the stories as to how I got them, as well as the story of how my collection and obsession began. I could work out the value of my collection, but to be honest, there wouldn't be enough money in the world for me to part with it as it is worth so much to me and the fact that FF7 has been there for me ever since I was that lonely child, to the adult woman I am today.

Loves
Wendy xx

Ooops!!

I realise I forgot to post yesterday, I do apologize, I have was preoccupied with The Sims 2, and other things that were keeping my attention, something that just lately has been something of a rarity so keeping me amused by making Final Fantasy characters in the Sims 2 and engineering complex and sometimes very funny love triangles between them (it is a bit like a Soap Opera, but without the corny acting) and seeing how that works out. OK, throwing Lightning (FF XIII) and Sephiroth (FF VII) together was quite funny and also very sweet.

Nathaniel came to visit me yesterday which was very nice, bringing me a few things and sticking on a film for us all to watch together. I forgot how much I liked Final Fantasy : The Spirits Within, although the graphics really did get me thinking of the ones used in Advent Children. The fact that at first I almost thought that it was live-action rather than CGI really does say something about the quality of the Havoc Engine that they used. I am a sucker for technology really, always have been and probably always will be, it keeps me occupied and makes me smile in an odd sort of way.

I recently took apart a DS Lite that had had tea spilled all inside of it to see if we could get it working again, unfortunately we found out that the tea had dissolved some of the components and it was never going to work again. I was gutted, yes, but soon, I will get myself a new DS to keep me amused for a while. I guess I am always after the next distraction and amusement. But, that is just me being me really. OK I was really proud of myself yesterday, I taught myself how to mount .iso and .uif files using Magic ISO and Magic Disc (Virtual CD Drives, a LIFE SAVER as I downloaded all of the expansion and stuff packs for the Sims 2, only having Bon Voyage and Free Time at the moment, this just seemed like a good idea as it will keep me quiet for hours, plus downloading mods and hacks... VERY happy ^_^).

Loves
Wendy x

I need more DVD storage...

I have WAY too many DVD's these days. The weird thing is, I actually spend most of my time watching them and relaxing. It's a way of occupying myself and helping to distract me from the things that concern me. Or escaping when I'm in pain. I spend a lot of time in pain these days, but I think it's keeping it all in perspective that helps me stay grounded. Makes me think though, about what my favourite films are and why.

I guess the earliest film I loved was "Little Shop of Horrors". I used to watch that way back when I was a little tot. Singing along to all the songs and loving the character of Audrye. A funny memory of this was when I was about 4 or 5, I cant remember exactly, but I had this curiosity involving the flap of our video player. I used to like ejecting videos and trying to stick my finger in and pull it out again. Don't ask me why, I was a strange little kid really. I will admit this right now, but I digress, one day this backfired and I got my finger trapped in the player. That really hurt and I did what a little kid does and screamed my head off. I can't remember what happened next but I know my nail did come off after a few days.

As I got older, I used to like watching films with my older brothers. I was the only girl and I often felt left out because of this, but I used to like watching "Transformers The Movie" with my oldest brother, Richard. Yes it  was cheaply animated and cheesy as hell, but it holds some very fond memories and the fact that Stan Bush's "You've Got The Touch" still makes me grin like a mad woman has to stand for something.

In the late 1990's, I would say either '95 or '96, I fell in love with a Disney film, "The Lion King" and I remember my favourite character was Scar, around this time, I started talking to an imaginary friend, who was a lion called Scar and my usual companions in the car would have been "Biker Mice From Mars" another cartoon that I have rediscovered from my youth. I got a Vinnie and his bike for my birthday when I was 7. I remember this because my mum and nan had both brought me these. Instead, my nan gave me a Gymnast Barbie. I got the rest of the "Biker Mice" and their respective bikes that Christmas. I found a toy of Scar in the Disney Store in the Florida Mall and I had to have him!

My final favourite film that I feel is worth a mention would be "Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children". As I have said before, FFVII has been a part of my life for many years, but in 2005 when the feature length film came out, I was hooked and in love. Seeing the new 2009 cut recently, this is going to be a favourite for many years to come.

Having got all the films I love recently on DVD, I had some of them, now I have them ALL, it really got me thinking about how watching things that we used to enjoy as a child really brings back those warm, happy memories. I think this is important, especially when you have few happy childhood memories or when you have a very uncomfortable present and you just need to distract yourself. Plus taking part in a protest on Facebook for the NSPCC (changing profile pics to cartoon characters) really made me think about this and about the way certain things and films make us feel and it is a reflective thing really. Instead of my general ranting just lately, I guess this week has been very frustrating and my home environment wasn't a healing one, but C'est La Vie.

Loves
Wendy x

The smell of magic...

Like most people living with a chronic condition, I have days where I feel so beaten and miserable about life. Then I remind myself that if I stopped trying then I may as well be nailed in my coffin now. I find it strange when people tell me I am brave and strong, when in actual fact, all I am doing is facing my situation and trying to make the best of things. OK so I never had the best start in life and I may have been through a few things, but when did any of that ever stop me? So I thought I would share the things that keep me going.

It is a bit of an open secret that I LOVE aromatherapy and natural bathing products, but with skin like mine, anything else leaves you cracked, sore and scaly so whats a little expense really when it comes to looking, feeling and of course smelling good. Plus, the effect certain smells can have on the mind is something that is just as important really. I discovered something yesterday as I walked in to my local Lush shop (its a new venture in our town, but it certainly distracted me from my yen for Broccoli and Stilton soup, an acquired taste but I do love it.) and was enchanted by this smell of vanilla and lavender. Well I thought it was Vanilla. Turns out what I could smell and was enjoying was a bath bomb called Twilight (not named after the books and films, but the time between dusk and nightfall). I had to get one.

Since buying one, I have been sniffing it almost every few minutes. I have left it in the main room for now to perfume the air, and lungs aren't acting up as a result. This is a rarity in itself really. OK so I still feel cruddy and tired and my temp is still up, BUT... I truly feel that a boost to morale is JUST what the doctor ordered. Its not that I'm feeling sorry for myself, I just go through phases of just feeling a bit fed up and like my body is taking a marathon beating. Colds, Flu, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, other LRTI's, it can sometimes be like a treadmill, that is unstoppable and you can't just jump off. So you keep on running and go through the motions.

Sometimes you just feel like you want to give up and succumb to everything, but then you remember what it was that kept you fighting in the first place. For me, it has been the determination not to become yet another statistic in  a long line. According to Asthma UK there is a death because of Asthma in the UK every 7 hours. I really don't want to be the next one to go, but I know that eventually my time will come. Until then, I want to do everything I want to. My friend asked me what my dreams are or my "Bucket List." A "Bucket List" is a list of things that I want to do before I go. I thought I would share my dreams with all of you, right now.

My Bucket List - By Wendy Bostock.

1. Complete my HND Media and graduate.

2. Be well enough to get and hold down a steady job.

3. To hold my own child despite my PCOS.

4. Learn to Drive.

5. Become a nurse.

6. Have my "Another Day In Midgar" stories either published or recognized by Square Enix.

7. Meet Tetsuya Nomura , the guy who created Sephiroth.

8. Get married.

9. Go to Tokyo.

10. Meet Linkin Park.

I know these are small and some are silly or unrealistic dreams, but they are my dreams and they are the things that keep me going. If I were to be realistic, I know I would probably never be well enough to be a nurse, but if I never tried, I think I would regret that more wouldn't I?


"Embrace your Dreams" - Angeal Hewley, SOLDIER 1st Class.

Loves
Wendy x

Furry Con Artists!

Yes, you did read that right. Right now, Patch is being a furry little con-artist. He does this daily, if someone moves near the cage, he begins to wheek loudly for more food. Regardless of whether we have fed him or not. So it comes down to either more food or fuss. It's all rather cute.

As for me, well, I've launched both a blog and website for my FF7 Fan-Fic, its only taken me 2 years to get to the point where I could do this and do it well. And I am currently working on some new odds and ends to jazz up this blog, so as they say, Watch This Space.

Loves

Wendy x