Looking at my toys I see that they are old and the plastic is full of cuts, bruises and cracks. One of my favorites toys is literally having a hard time working for me. He is so worn out that for over a year I have said: it’s time to retire him, but I have a hard time committing to that thought. When I go out on a photo walk I bring him with me, and make him a part of the idea that I want to try. With all my patience, not giving up on the idea, we get it to work, despite the fact that he has seen his better days. I have asked myself why don’t I just replace him with a copy, a better, newer version? It’s just a toy, in plastic…

Filled with cut and bruises

But the truth is that I have a really hard time using another toy. I usually work with a small group of toys, and I have made a commitment to them. I use them in my pictures time after time, even though my Sandtrooper is all sloppy, my lego-teddy has no printing on his nose and my lego Wing-Stormtroopers helmet is filled with cuts and bruises, and the plastic arms are cracked. All of my favorite toys are a bit worn out and it’s because of me and my “playing” with them.

I handle my toys rough

I wish I could say it wasn’t me, just time… but my toys are all worn out because of my rugged care. I have handled them rather hard. I carry them around in my pocket, and in my bag where they rub against each other and that isn’t good for the printing. When I work outside my toys get dirty, and scarred because they get blown over, fall to the ground, into the dirt or in puddles. My handling is so hard that looking at my toys and comparing them with others I have come to the conclusion that I ought to replace one or two of them, but I can’t. I’ll use them as long as I possibly can, because of all the memories that the cracks and the lost printing carries.

I love telling stories

When I compare my toys with newer or other toys, I have a tendency to mainly see what makes the newer toys different from mine: in printing, in details, in lack of scars, cuts and cracks. So even though I have “newer” versions I tend to stick to my old ones because of our work together; I have gotten to know them. In the worn plastic of my toys are the memories of the stories that we have told together. I love to tell stories with toys, and the day I replace my toys with others I think it will feel like replacing a dear friend, and I don’t do that easily.

DSC_7290

How do you handle your worn out toys? Do you exchange them? Or do you have a hard time replacing them like me?

~Kristina