doll owners in the uk?

Hello!

Teddy

 

Nottinghamshire here! UK

 

Looks like the Midlanders are gaining numbers for a potential meet

Teddy

 

So

Sounds good to me!!

 

Bedfordshire here!

 

London UK!

 

Just wondering if there were any new forums or places that were UK specific and not on facebook now? We just lost our only dealer and we're about to not be able to import much at all, so it feels like the UK collectors should probably have a UK specific meeting place?

 

There aren’t any as I know of sadly. I would like a group off facebook as its difficult knowing about whats on when you dont have facebook. Its sad having lost both UK dealers in 2019

 

Same, it's getting to be quite a pressing need I think too. Sadly it seems the UK community is very split into regions and no one seems to be willing to leave facebook.

 

Completely agree! I prefer email to facebook and I wish someone could make events pages on here because I prefer using DOA to bjd facebook groups

 

I honestly think we could do with a UK forum again, but I know that's proved unsustainable in the past so I have no idea how on earth it could be kickstarted as an option again without the rest of the UK collectors all agreeing on the concept.

 

Yes. When I first started in the hobby earlier this year I found it difficult to find a lot of stuff out and most of the UK groups on other websites like dA are long abandoned. It’s a shame everything is so reliant on facebook as it definitely excludes those of us who don’t use it.
I know it they had their problems but the old LJ groups were actually pretty good.

 

I miss DA, it was a pit, but it was our pit and there were rules that meant people weren't getting ripped off and reputations were key in buying and selling. It was a nice thing to have as a back up. I often wonder about going back there tbh but unless there are other people there too, it seems a bit pointless.

 

I often think back to the days of dA. It really wasn’t as bad as people make it out to be. I really really prefer using places where I KNOW who I am buying from because its so risky nowadays. I was thinking about making a new dA last night I do miss it sometimes. I feel like there was an exodus from dA to tumblr in about 2012 and then tumblr was replaced with instagram

 

Yep, I hung on for a bit on DA after the mass exodus, but eventually gave up. Instagram isn't really a place you can have a conversation on a picture the way you could on DA and it's resulted in really amazing stuff being lost in the sea of content there I think. It's a real shame, I know there are hundreds of collectors out there with dolls I adore and would love to see again, but they've mostly given up sharing publicly now as a result of the old communities dying off and the way instagram algorithm filters content. Everyone I know in person with dolls keeps them offline now.

 

I think a LOT of people don’t realize how much of a resource dA was at the time. Most of the good tutorials were on there and it was really easy to communicate on there. Instagram just doesn’t appeal to me I tried to use it but I always end up deactivating it. There are a lot of people I remember from my dA days that I would love to know what happened to. And I prefer sharing on a forum or dA than I do on facebook and instagram.

 

Maybe it's worth just going back to DA and hoping the tide'll turn again one day? I dunno, I miss my doll friends, but without a common meeting place it's really hard to keep up with them all. I'd love to find the other UK people again on a platform that actually allows conversation.

 

The only non-facebook UK forum I know of isn't new, and it's very low traffic, and that's Dolly-Rocket. It's also not just BJD but includes other dolls too.

Teddy

 

I can't find a way to join it sadly, I think they might have closed registration.

 

Dolly Rocket

There's a register button for you to apply, then it's just waiting for one of the owners to see and approve it.

EDITED TO ADD: Hmmmm - I don't see the register button there - I'll ask again.
EDITED AGAIN : I couldn't see the register link because I'm already registered and was logged in. I logged out and checked - it is there.

Teddy

 

I tried it, it says I'm not eligible. Oh well, thanks anyway!

 

Don't give up, it's probably a glitch. I'll ask about it.

Teddy

 

I'm from London, UK too! I will have to check for meetups, I would love to attend one

 

Another from the UK here but i seem to be all on my own up here in the North East so no meet ups for me but happy to chat on here

 

I’m from U.K. always up to making new friends and also new on here so feel free to follow me and I will follow back

What part? I’m from derby

 

Hiya

Im in the UK too. Down south.

I can so relate to the quote at the end of your posts. 'stop looking, you'll only want more' SO true

 

I'm also UK, North east!

 

Ooh not so alone then like i said previously im always up for a chat with anyone im currently waiting on my first doll to arrive so dont have a great deal to share just yet but i am super excited for him to arrive

 

Hi I'm also in the uk from Derbyshire I've been in the hobby since 2007 but not really done anything with my lot for a good few years now although I am starting to get back into things again.

 

Looks like you have the chance of a Derbyshire Dolly Enclave forming...

Teddy

 

I used to go to meetups in the North East, regular meetups many years ago... not sure what happened or if those folks are still there but wouldn't surprise me if there's more than you think!

I used to travel a lot for many meetups all over. It would be so nice to have a big BJD event in the UK. Like something to look forward to each year. A big tea party event hosted in some nice venue that's good for taking pictures. I can dream, haha...

 

Dream away - It's a lovely idea.

Teddy

 

Yes me and Jimin already know each other and live quite close.

 

Perhaps I should have brought some dolls along and tried to arrange a brief meet-up with you when I was up there visiting friends in Ednaston/Ashbourne a few weekends ago.

Teddy

 

We there is always next time?

 

I'll bear it in mind for when I come up there in June.

No idea what my friends have planned for the weekend. It's a reunion of a group who entered a big costume competition together twenty-five years ago so might be a full weekend with no opportunity to get away for a doll meet, but it's always nice to get togehter will dolly folk if I get the opportunity.

Trddy

 

That would be great I've just taken a look at your profile and seen you are in London I do have appointments sometimes down there and used to go quite often so London could also work?

 

It's worth a shot.

If it' during the week, I work in North London and live in South London so have to cross the city on my daily commute, so could meet up in town after work, if it's at the weekend, my house is FULL of dolls.

Teddy

 

The appointments are always weekdays in Hammersmith and I'll be in London until the evening, I used to go down alot on weekends many years ago.

 

Looks like we have a plan.

Teddy

 

I’m a Londoner too & generally around if anyone’s interested in meeting or just going someplace with a doll friend.

 

Awesome although I dont know when I'll next be down?

 

We can message you in if/when CandyKane get's down to London

Well, we'll just have to try and rememebr to set something up next time you get the opportunity to come down here.

Teddy

 

Sure!

 

Sounds good

 

I'm living in black country:> just saying xD

 

I'm in the UK also, North East, Hertfordshire Never been to any doll meets or met other doll collectors irl but I hope to one day if my anxiety allows it ^^

 

Is there any doll cons or meetups set in the UK? I would love to go to one!

 

No con's (for on topic dolls at least) but lots of meetups, depending what area you're in.

Teddy

 

Thanks Teddy!

Where I can check about the meet ups? I used to be in Angel Unlimited but now is closed so I don't know where to find them

 

/forums/bjd-meetups.17/

Is the thread for meets - look for the "UK" at the start of the thread title, and they usually have the town/location of the meet in the title.

As I said, a lot depends on where you're based, whether there are meets in that area (and/or whether you're willing to travel to get to a meet)

Other groups and forums have meets too (I'm on a little UK-based group called Dolly-Rocket, and have dolly-days and get togethers with friends from there, but the new version of that forum is very low membership numbers, and low-traffic in terms of posts these days and there has't been an actual Dolly-Rocket meet in some time).

There's a "London-based" group who meet approximately once-a month (but they're all arranged on Facebook - I'm not on Facebook so rely on friends who are to tell me about those meets) and attracts attendees from quite far afield (Southampton, Brighton, Kent). I was at one of their meets last weekend.

Teddy

 

Thank you again for all the info! As I'm not strong on social media seems that I'm missing stuff! I will have a look

 

I am in Cambridge so not far from London. I like to visit London so would be up for meeting once Corona lets us have some kind of normality

 

Camebridge - London is easy. My brother-in law (and a bunch of our friends) lives there and we gave up driving for visits in favour of day-tripping on the train for visits because it's an easy option.

Teddy

 

Yeah, I kinda want to make sure the covid danger is properly over before travelling. Even though the rules are relaxed, I'm still being cautious. But really looking forward to things becoming normal, and maybe trying to go to a meet. :3 (and maybe see if I can drag a friend along)

Kind of a shame things are not quite normal enough for a meet, because we could totally do a cambridge meet and take dolls somewhere like the colleges or the botanical gardens or even The Orchard if people could get there... (I looked up Kettles Yard, but they don't allow bags inside, which would be awkward for dolls. Shame, because the mix of art and dolls would have been pretty)

I might have gotten carried away...

 

Your doll doens't have to be in a bag.

I've taken SD sized dolls to outdoor/public-space meets in build-a-bear carriers (basically a baby-backpack for a bear) which have long enough straps even for my enormous size and can be worn on the front for ease of access, rather than on the back https://www.buildabear.co.uk/dw/ima...d1ab/24933Alt1x.jpg?sw=600&sh=600&sm=fit&q=70

Teddy

 

We're having a blast on the new DOA in the UK Discord server, if you haven't already noticed it in the meetup section - there's 21 of us at the moment. Come and say hi!

 

Never noticed this thread before. UK here too, N.E. Scotland to be exact.