In a quiet corner of Brussels, 86-year-old Catherine Bloemen cradles her most treasured companion — a plush British dog. The smile lines at the corners of her eyes hold 65 years of tenderness and memory.

She began collecting at 21, with a single doll. Over the decades, her home gradually transformed into a fairy-tale kingdom. Today, more than 20,000 plush companions — spanning over 6,000 different types — fill her world. From the living room carpet to the bedroom windowsill, every corner tells a story of romance and devotion stretching across generations.

When a reporter asked her what had kept her collecting for more than half a century, she gently stroked the slightly faded ear of one of her toys and said:

“They’re not collectibles. They’re a three-dimensional diary I’ve been writing my entire life.”