Today’s challenge is somewhat an extension of RA Challenge ♡ #4 – one of the main expressions of fandom being the frequent shopping of merchandise. I deliberately excluded my RA-related shopping habits from the previous challenge, because I knew this question would come up. But now’s the time to talk about the fruits of my disposable income.
I am not overly mad about commercial fan items – because they are mass-produced, not one-of-a-kind I am a stingy scrooge. Most of my commercially sold fan items were gifts from fellow fans – like my beloved travel companion Pop!Thorin, the stuffed red dragon, Thorin Lego figurines, my Hallmark Thorin-on-a-thread, as well as several fridge magnets and bookmarks. I have even been the lucky recipient of some DVDs of Armitage’s work, as well as posters and magazines. Sorry, this has actually turned into a Something I have *NOT* bought because of RA post…
But well, there *are* things I have bought because of RA; and you might find some slightly weird. Cinema and theatre tickets as well as programmes are a given. As are transport and accommodation when travelling to a premiere or other event. But there are other things that seem unrelated at first sight, but were really triggered by RA in some shape or form. For instance, I bought a download of Justin Timberlake’s Sexy Back just because I had gotten into HeathRA’s fan video of the same name. For several weeks during my final year in college, I listened to that song on continuous loop while walking the 2 kilometres to and from college. I can vouch for its pace-making qualities. Weirder still, I bought a pair of slightly shiny, black trousers, because I loved RA’s outfit in Canada in December 2012.
Richard Armitage. Photo Session at the Roots Flagship store, December 2012 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)
To tell you the truth, I think those trousers looked better on his long, lean legs than on my tree trunk stumps.
My latest obsession has been with finding the black cabin-size bag that RA has been sporting on a number of occasions when spotted at the airport. (I am not a huge fan of pap photos, in fact I boycott them, so I am only going to illustrate this with a cropped version of a picture taken at JFK airport in NYC in July 2015. See right.) Apart from being my favourite non-colour, black, the bag looks just the perfect size for a weekend/overnighter, fits the overhead lockers in an airplane and looks roomy and handy with the extra pockets and the zipped compartments. Plus, it has a long cross-body strap.
Alas, this is where this post transforms again – into a Something I would *like to* buy because of RA post, because I have been unable to find such a bag, yet. In the unlikely event that anyone should know which make and design this much coveted bag is, please let me know. I *must* have it. Not for fangirling purposes, really, but because a girl simply cannot have too many bags. And because I am a light traveller who never likes to carry much stuff with her on her infrequent work and leisure trips. But I do applaud Mr A on his choice of accessories of the baggish kind – I his leather satchel from 2010 (leaving Radio One studios) is an absolute classic, and the black rucksack first seen at the arrival in Wellington for the AUJ premiere in 2012 has proven to be a sturdy, reliable favourite – judging by how often it has turned up subsequently.
So, have you got any unusual purchases triggered by RA? And do let me know if you know of any bag design similar to RA’s hold-all!
Guylty Pleasure 
When I saw your twitter post I thought you had bought RA and wondered how you’d done it. And were you going to let us into the secret?
Fully agree a girl can never have too many bags. OH once threatened to leave home if daughter and I bought any more. The offer was tempting, but we solved the problem by one coming in and distracting OH whilst the other took newly purchased bags upstairs.
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😂 😂 😂 😂 Not sure whether I laughing more about you misunderstanding that I had bought RA (I wish…, although I’d rather like it if he became mine without any financial transaction involved *hmph*), or your quip that your OH’s threat was more like a temptation.
Ad res – yes, the whole bag situation is fragile in this household, too. Although I have a daughter, I am the only bag enthusiast, though. And I circumvent bag-buying restrictions imposed by Mr Guylty by simply sewing bags myself *ha*! Unfortunately not always successfully, though – one reason for my urgent need for *that* holdall is that my home-made version did not even make it onto the plane on the maiden-outing of the bag. The strap broke even before I entered the security area. So I *definitely* have to buy a proper bag, durable, chic and quality-approved by Mr A 😂
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No blue shoes, dogs or cats shoes? No colored socks? No armor? No fur? No Hannibal mask or any body paint?
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Hehe, no, none of those? I take it, you bought all those 😜?
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Pour l’instant je reste fidèle à mon look de Radagast.
J’ai essayé de changer la garde-robe de mon fils et celle de mon mari, pour celle de Richard Armitage avec plus ou moins de succès. J’espérais avoir deux RA-bis à la maison (ils ont les yeux bleus).
– une paire de chaussures de type boots fourrées montantes pour l’hiver du marié.
– plusieurs paires de bradstreet Timberland à semelle en caoutchouc pour l’étudiant, qui déteste changer de chausses (moyenne de vie 5 à 7ans).
– une veste bleue, à capuche, doublée pour l’hiver, achetée à l’occasion de LLL, pratique pour l’ado qui confond les saisons (sa valise était celle d’un été sur la Côte d’Azur, pas d’Halloween à NY).
– des pulls, hors mode, en pur laine vierge, aux couleurs improbables (orange, violet, brique, bleu électrique) type classique so British, pour le marié et le fameux incontournable pull Irlandais à torsade, vive l’odeur de mouton!
I am always “gathering wools” with my husband and my son!
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Oh, I love that idea, Squirrel. Surreptitiously sneaking reminders of RA into the male household members’ wardrobe. Great idea. (My own hubs is fiercely independent in his wardrobe choices, so it wouldn’t work with him, but I should really give it a try with my son *haha*).
You’ll be able to buy plenty of sheepswool sweaters in Ireland when you come on holiday!
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Ohh I bought an amazing “Team Everyone” (Seb’s cartoon versions of the chaRActers) hoodie designed by my supremely talented Swedish friend Seb from his redbubble shop. Very good quality, I wear it often,absolutely love it. Check out Seb’s Redbubble shop if you can!
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I just went back to redbubble to have a look at his designs. To-die-for cute!
If anyone else wants to see it – look for Sebababy’s shop on redbubble.
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Aren’t they just? I love Seba’s cartoons.
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Really cute!
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Ooooh and how could I forget beautiful “The RA Crucible Talk” totebag that Helen made for us???
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Although that was a gift, so I should have commented under the “favourite fandom items” post..
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Never mind – I read it, anyway 🙂
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Arrrrgh – such a good point. I totally forgot that on my list, too – and it is in use every friggin’ day *headdesk*
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My son has black pants like that. I never linked that to RA, but now I can. 🙂
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Hehe, you are welcome!
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You don’t want to know how many bags and totes and such. It’s… excessive.
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Hehe, I have already gathered that from your posts when you are dithering over a purchase because there is a 4-piece-tote-set included in the offer… I would totally fall for that marketing trick every time. Alas, in Europe there is much less of that.
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I got the 4 piece tote set. It’s quite bright and I LOVE it!
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If you are using it, then all is well and the purchase was justified!
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The big one is like a beach tote and it’s heavy enough for me to cart my laptop in.
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Sweet – it serves a purpose then.
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And I purchased A DRESS – a maxi sundress with a short sleeved sweater. When I got it, I tried it on and Spawn was like – WHOA MOM!!!! THAT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU!!!!
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Best son EVER! That’s the reactions we want to get!
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I was quite shocked at his reaction.
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I have a ridiculous handbag fetish, mostly purses but sometimes larger bags. The weirdest part is that I never habitually carry a purse in my day-to-day life. Going into the grocery store it’s always just me with the wallet. I do carry a purse when I travel, but that’s once or twice a year and in no way explains why I have so many purses and bags stashed in my wardrobe. LOL! As far as RA-related purchases, I have a couple of really lovely yellow roses mounted on barrettes. I don’t wear barrettes, and if I did, it wouldn’t be big blowsy roses!
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I love the idea of those roses (hello, Mr Thornton!), although, like you, I would never wear them… (I am already feeling silly today, as I have made a small plait in my hair, fastened with a sparkly clip like Geraldine wears in VoD… far too twee for me…)
I recently noticed that the whole handbag-wearing thing totally crept up on me. I never wanted to be a handbag wearer – but first there was the ubiquitous nappy bag, and then the camera bag. Somehow I have come to the point where I feel naked without a bag across my body. However, I insist on big bags – no tiny little purses for me…
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I’ve bought a lot of stuff off and on, but I think the two things that most weirded me out, i.e., buying them made me think “what are you doing?” were the region-free DVD player in spring of 2010 (and I didn’t own ANY DVD player at the time), mostly because the thought that I’d spend any money at all on this was a bit surprising, and the Heinz Kruger / Captain America costume card, because that was so out of character in terms of anything I’d ever buy. That, at least, seems to have appreciated drastically in value …
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I think a region-free DVD player is totally alright, Serv 😁. And sure, you can watch non-RA stuff on it, too 😉
As for the costume card – yes, that sounds “special” *coughs* 😉 But then again, you are a collector of sorts, and if it makes you happy, why not!? Even better that it has risen in value. It proves you right, and potential critics wrong.
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Well, if I actually used it for any other purpose than to watch Armitage that might have been true. One thing that this fandom has really taught me is that while I’m aware of what everyone else is watching, I’m not watching much of it myself.
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LOL – it only ever saw Armitage’s oeuvre? But hey, why not? And btw, I am not really watching much of the other stuff, either – most of it is not available on Irish telly, and I am just not willing to pay for it – neither by subscribing to Sky, nor by buying DVDs.
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I could get a lot of this stuff from the library or via dad’s cable subscription but it’s been a developing awareness since fandom; I used to think I was average to above average in terms of how much TV I consumed, but I’ve learned that I’m not. I would rather read most of the time. My friend “Dear Friend” would have told you this and given you a list of all of the TV I haven’t seen, but somehow I’d missed this thing that everyone else knows about me, lol.
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Maybe it’s an age thing? I used to be totally addicted to TV when I was growing up and into my twenties. So much so that I eventually pulled the plug and got rid of my TV in my mid-twenties. When I had young kids, I reinstated the TV – but I am just not interested anymore. I hardly ever watch linear TV. I get my thrills on YT or Netflix, if anything…
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I could never really justify having cable as an adult — too expensive — , so I just had the terrestrial channels and it was mostly for the news for me, and then I had to study so much anyway, until I was 29, and then I had a job that took a lot of time … I dunno, I’d rather read. And then in 2006 they changed the broadcast spectrum so you had to have a digital adaptor, which I never bought. Until moving back in with dad, I probably watched more German TV than anything else, primarily out of curiosity (although I did develop a genuine love of Tatort).
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I think I just can’t cope with the infinite choice there is on cable/satellite. It scares me to think that I could find something interesting to watch at any given time. I’d rather use my little free time creatively.
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no risk of that believe you me, i have cable and most of it is same same… it’s funny i think i currently have it mostly to spy on the enemy/competition LOL and to get the odd kick of new series coming through. But i don’t watch anything in real time anymore i record and watch when i can and i find that 85% of the time it is the beeb i watch because i can geek out to my heart’s content in history, food, science, nature documentaries 🙂 You’d quickly get bored of the same old same old crime and doctors dramas. That’s why i end up back with the beeb most of the time as the drama tends to be a bit different.
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I wish we could watch BBC over here, too.
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Certainly helps knowing the all the work stress ends in something positive lol
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It does. Give my regards to the BBC, please 🙂
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Besides some of the commercially made fan items I have purchased I have begun to focus on one of a kind RA keepsakes. The most unique items I bought were the screen worn athletic pants RA wore in the Hannibal episode The Great Red Dragon and the lock and key props from Francis Dolarhydes’ front door. I also purchased the hand painted Chuck Taylor shoes autographed by the cast of Love Love Love. These were all purchased from charity auctions so I feel better knowing that in addition to giving me great pleasure my RA addiction has helped others in some small way.
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Those are truly unique – and uniquely true – fan items, Donna. Plus, I love that they are all charitable purchases. Nothing could ever be said against that. Best reason to buy. I hope lots more such things come up. (PS: If ever I am in the US again I must make a detour via your “Armitage Costume Museum” 😉.)
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You have an open invitation ..any time😊
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xxxx Thank you!!!
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I didn’t think I had collected anything RA related except DVDs of his movies and TV showss I could get copies of. Then Squirrel mentioned shoes. I’ve very lucky to have a daughter who works at Sketchers. I love usual shoes and she tries to find what ever I run across in the catalog. Well, I have several pairs of blue shoes purchased especially because a certain person likes blue shoes. I’ve played with my socks for years, but had gotten into the white sports sock rut. Since RA, I’ve had more fun finding unusual socks. BTW I find more in the men’s section than women’s. Ladies what’s up with that?
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Oooh, Sketchers. Currently my favourite shoes. I am *living* in my Sketchers slip-ons 😄. And hehe, why not blue shoes, inspiration can come from anywhere. Same with my silly shiny trousers.
I used to be a “funky socks gal” until I got that gothic-black mood, so I do understand the attraction of funky, colourful socks. (BTW, am wondering whether Armitage could open a museum for colour socks – he must be inundated with sock gifts… 🎁 😂) Anyway, so before I switched to boring-black-only, my favourite sock outlet was UK sock chain The Sock Shop. They have GREAT, funny socks, and the prices are manageable. Check this: https://www.sockshop.co.uk/by_type/shop-socks/fashion-socks/ BTW, their women’s range is better than their men’s…
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🙂
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I have a small shelf’s worth of RA related treasures, but they have been gifts from fellow fans or indulgent family members. Two things I bought, Hobbit phone cover featuring Thorin’s lovely profile and Hobbit movie posters featuring a certain king.
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That’s one of the best things about fan item collection – they are gifts from family and friends, from people who know you. Especially treasured.
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True, they are.
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My husband went to a militaria fair and bought me a replica sword and a ‘ring’ with the Lord of the rings inscription unfortunately the sword was Bilbo’s sting, however the thought was good.
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*giggles* Or in Balin’s words: “More of a letter opener, really” 😜. But I agree, the thought counts. I think it’s pretty cool when husbands embrace the ‘hobby’…
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Violence des séries / violence du monde ?
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🙂 🙂 Today I am working English language. I’m trying to do my homework. The learning book comes from the BBC. They learned NS with subject “lie” and Little Dorrit, I am so sorry not to join them sooner… Meanwhile, I am trying to translate a great interview about fear on the TV series( “Les cours de cinéma du Forum des Images” with Dominique Moïsi, geopolitic professor in Paris, Harward, London king’s college,…”Violence des séries / violence du monde ? “), it’s reminding me the topic of BS and Pilgrimage. I don’t know , if it would suit you or Servetus? But I have to work hard…
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That sounds really interesting, Squirrel. And I definitely think the professor is on to something. It’s pretty clear that the state of the world influences the arts. It reminds me a bit of Marxist theory – “base determines superstructure”.
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Und was der Professor Moîsi sagte, erinnert mich an meine Gymnasialkurse in Terminal, über die Philosophie, mit Hegel’s Buch; “Die Vernunft in der Geschichte”. Wie hoch ist der Gesamtwert des Individuums ( er spricht über der Schachfigur) angesichts der Gemeinnützigkeit?
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Jetzt wird es richtig philosophisch! Interessanter Gedankengang – der v.a. in der Auseinandersetzung mit der Brutalität des Mittelalters seine Berechtigung hat. Da sind wir heutzutage natürlich nicht mehr dran gewöhnt. Das Individuum hat einen ganz anderen (höheren) Stellenwert. Zu Recht, natürlich. – Danke für diese Anregung – unter dem Gesichtspunkt dürfte Pilgrimage ein interessanter Film sein!
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🙂
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“dem allgemeine Interesse der Menschen” nicht “der Gemeinnützigkeit”
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“des allgemeinen Interesses” ?
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And vice versa Moisi said, that series influence political individuals or men in the street too.
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.At the question, what is your favorite TV serie some presidential candidates have mentioned: 24 Hour Time, House of Cards, Downtow Abbey, Desperate Housewives, Colombo, The Young Pope, (A guy a girl, A French village, Captain Marleau and Baron Noir).
More weird, a young minister, currently in office, said that she was inspired by an American political serie to be able to behave in political life beginnings.
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Wow, if we are taking our codes of behaviour from US (UK) TV series these days, I think we are all doomed…
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Something I bought because of RA? I’m now doubled over with laughter, and not counting the trip to NYC, I’m thinking of all the DVDs, all of his audiobooks including the now elusive Lords of the North (fabulous voices), several magazines including DAMAN and Esquire UK, stuffed red dragons, full-sized cardboard Armitage and Thorin, signed Thorin baseball card, Hallmark Thorin ornament, Thorin action figures, all Hobbit PEZ dispensers (and LOTR), LEGO figures, The Hobbit Monopoly game, and of course my beloved POP Funko Thorin (I have 2 in case something happens to one), which I purchased along with Funko Smaug. (I told my sister to just give all this to some fellow diehard fan who puts RA above all others after I’m gone. She said she’s burying Thorin with me.) Never in my entire life have I collected stuff like this before. It’s made for some interesting conversations with home repair guys, especially the full-sized cardboards….and 38 Funkos.
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That is a veritable collection, indeed! And LOL – yes, the little pieces of memoRAbilia make for interesting conversations. Since you read my NZ diaries, you know that Pop!Thorin sparked a couple of nice conversation with locals, too. At home, some visitors have also noticed that there may be a theme to various Thorin mementos that are littered all over the house…
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One thing I am more careful about is when I put Thorin down to take a picture of him. I was taking a picture of him in New Orleans when some ratty looking dude tried to grab him. Fortunately my two friends, who were watching the crowd, leapt at the dude while I was looking through the camera lens and he couldn’t get close enough to grab Thorin. So be careful when you take a picture of him.
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Wow! Mind you – I am not surprised he a) attracts attention, and b) is much coveted.
Taking pictures of him always is a tricky business. I attempted to photograph him in the amphitheatre of Epidauros last year. No sooner had I placed him centre stage on the famous stone that you can literally hear a pin drop on, that a shrill whistle sounded and I was scolded by the eagle-eyed guard. Apparently I was desecrating the sacred stone by placing a figurine on it. Ooops. I only caught a blurry pic of him… See here: https://guylty.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/ot-appreciating-beauty-in-the-classical-tradition/#jp-carousel-5699 Definitely have to be careful when taking pictures of him…
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So…you could walk all over this amphitheatre. You could stand on the stone, but you couldn’t put a little vinyl statue on the stone??? That’s just weird.
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Exactly what you describe. There were people doing all kinds of antics on that stone – singing, acting, jumping, taking selfies – but apparently placing a figurine on it desecrates the holy relic… Ah well…
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Gekauft habe ich nur ein Filmposter auf dem alle Zwerge mit drauf sind und einen kleinen Lego-Thorin als Glücksbringer weil ich das Foto soooo liebe auf dem er den Legothorin in der Hand hält ❤
Aber ich habe ganz viele tolle Geschenke 🙂
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Manchmal kann es besser sein, wenn man sich bei den Käufen zurückhält und nur ein paar gaaaaaanz besondere Fanartikel besitzt. Die haben umso höheren Wert.
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Ja so ein gaaaaaanz kleines, ganz besonderes zum aufklappen mit einem äußerst attraktivem Piraten und Schatztruhe drin ❤
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Genau. Klein, unauffällig, einzigartig. Perfekt zum diskreten Fangirlen. Reicht doch.
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Apart from all sorts of collectibles, fan-made stuff, tickets, dvds, Pop Thorin, etc I bought, like you, a pair of trousers, only mine are similar with the one from the Old Vic photo shoot. I also buy things that remind me of RA’s character, the last one being a very Porter-ish T Shirt. I also bought a necklace similar with one that Guy gives Marian in one episode, a chain with Thorin’s key and another one with Thorin’s belt buckle pendant, the crazy thing is that I wear them 🙂 especially in holiday.
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You know, those bits and pieces are particularly sweet fan items – just because they are so discreet…
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i’m so lucky to have been gifted with lovely RA related stuff by RA fandom friends 🙂 My fridge and ledge are decorated with them, not many but well loved ones! I have to confess to not buying easily. I may crave stuff but ultimately it has to be something i’ll use or look at every day or want to touch every day and it can’t be expensive. I did however enjoy myself tremendously to scour the few cons i’ve been to for little Lego Thorins until between gifts and finds i had the complete set and i looove them. And i love my only other con purchase which is the Erebor key as a keyring locket and it make me smile every day when it weighs down my pocket as i leave work and when i take it out to unlock the front door at home. The sharp edges always ruining the inside of my pockets remind me that it is unlike any other key i will own 🙂
And yeah, i’ve felt encouraged to go back to my old love of colourful shoes. My figure has never allowed me to be a fashion victim, but every girl can have funky shoes so i have some really nice comfy blue shoes 🙂 Alongside bright green trainers and a worn out pair of red ones.
Loove those waxy jeans by the way, hadn’t seen them/noticed them before He should buy some new ones again!
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There is something to be said for having only a limited amount of fan items – but enjoy those even more. Now, my collection is pretty big – mainly thanks to all the lovely fandom friends who have so generously showered me in presents. I love all of the bits and pieces, but there are too many of them to display them all. A few favourites are always on show – When I am not travelling with Pop!Thorin, he sits right beside my laptop and keeps me company at work. Hallmark Thorin plays hide and seek in the sitting room. Currently I also have Nancy’s plushie collection and the Thornton frame by Riepu on show in the sitting room. My kitchen sports the RA related fridge magnets (Thorin, Hobbit, LLL) and my Guy of Gisborne wall clock. The shrine is on view in my study, as are all the other frames with pics I have been gifted. There is a collection of antique tins on display (given by my fan friends – do not contain a shrine, though), and I have decoratively stacked all my Hobbit editions + the NZ Hobbit location guide for display. Every once in a while I change things around. Should do so, again, soon.
Colourful shoes is a nice idea.
My waxy jeans are long gone. I suspect they are not in fashion anymore, so I doubt Mr A is going to sport them again. Thank goodness we have the pictures to look at 😉
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