Doll plans for 2025

Bah, I got the 'VID (first time), and I have zero energy. Like, none. Nada. Zip. I haven't touched my dolls in close to a month. I am sad.
C'mon, body, hurry up and heal!

 

STOP buying dolls. I mean it!!! And finish the dolls I have - I want everyone nicely dressed and with hair.

 

My new year's resolution was to get more involved with the hobby.

Last week I went to my first ever real life doll meet. I had a great time and will definitely go to more events.

 

I didn't have a specific plan before, but now it's definitely going to be "work on my current dolls" since "buying more dolls" is probably not going to happen unless there are major changes in the political/economic situation.

But it's not a bad thing that I'm going to take a break from acquiring new dolls! I really want to learn to make wigs, do my own faceups, and now I might finally have the motivation to start learning to sew, too.

 

I'm hoping to get more involved with the community! My local group tends to meet up more in the summer, and I can't wait to start going to in-person meetups again. I used to absolutely love them and go every chance I got. Now I'm just waiting for one to pop up close enough for me to feel comfortable making the drive there and back in one day.

I'd love to buy more dolls, but the America situation is definitely putting a damper on getting anything new. I'm keeping a close eye on secondhand markets. The urge to just buy-buy-buy is SO strong, but this hobby demands so much patience. It's honestly theraputic for me to have to unlearn the instant gratification I've gotten used to in many of my other hobbies.
I'm also focusing on sprucing up the two dolls I have, so they both have new wigs, new eyes, new faceups, and new clothes. I'm leaning hard into learning new sewing techniques, as I'm a competent seamster for human-sized things, but dolls are a completely different ballpark. I have four giant tote boxes of fabric to play with, so I'm set in that arena for a while!

 

After spending years collecting fashion dolls, I had intended this year to be the one where I finally branched out into resin. Found and ordered two dolls I am very excited about -- and now daunted by the prospect of those orders being fulfilled and paying tariffs on them. But I am hopeful the year will not be a terribly expensive bust!

Machine sewing for 1/6 scale is intimidating, but I am having my old Singer serviced and intend to finally get over my nerves and try it out!

 

Once I get my two dolls I think I’m going to just stick with them for the next 4 years unless some drastic things change to semi-normalcy.

I’m going to start looking at sewing tutorials and how to make my own patterns for clothes for my dolls. I’ve already started watching tutorials for yarn wigs and that doesn’t seem too difficult, and making eyes with resin might be fun too, and I can get all the supplies at a craft store.

I might move money around to pay off my in-stock layaway sooner so I can practice on her and distract me from the paranoia with my pre-ordered girl.

 

I've gotten most of the head sculpts I wanted, so I am focusing more on buying clothes, hair, accessories, and bodies for some selected few, floating heads. I'm really hoping to add a few more completed dolls to my display shelf.

I get FOMO at the most random times, so I can be impulsive when it comes to purchasing new items. So far though I am doing well. I'm just happy I got most, if not all, of the head sculpts I've been waiting/searching for, so this definitely helps with my spending.

I'm also selling a few floating heads that no longer fits my collection, hopefully they can get rehomed.

 

1/3rd through the year already... let's see.

(1) I currently have no resin on order and have been for 2 months already! (Prior to this I'd been waiting for one doll or another, for something like 2 years non-stop.) I still have a floating head to complete, there's a BJD body in prototype that I'm really keen on, so I'm waiting for news. Hopefully I'll buy that body in the middle of the year. In the meantime, it feels so good to not be waiting for resin.

(2-3) I did receive a doll earlier this year, I got her up and going right away and have been assembling things for her. I think she has all her basic appearance at this point, so now I'm just refining and adding to her wardrobe. I still have to sew kimono for her and my other new-ish doll, but I've been putting this off because I'm not feeling the urge to dress everyone in kimono yet. I'll get there eventually.

(4-6) Ah, sewing projects... I've been pretty half-hearted about sewing this year. Still making doll clothes here and there, but not as energetically as last year. But there's still plenty of time time to tackle cosplay project (5). Project (6) is very low priority for the year, but I expected it and I'm fine with that.

And I have a 7th goal now... doll dioramas. I've finally gotten tired of seeing the same places in my home in doll pics, and I want more backdrops! Currently brainstorming where else in my home I can use for doll pics, what materials I need to make backdrops and craft a "corner box" diorama.

 

Doing a check-in partway through the year because I'm feeling great about my progress. Nearly done everything 4 months in

• Buy new dolls/ heads / bodies -> Mostly looking for an El, but may allow myself 1 other 'temptation' doll (like Peakswood haha) Still looking for an El head. He used to be everywhere, and now it's so hard to find him! With the tariffs and all in the USA, I think I will target just finding his head and then work on acquiring his body in the future.
• Sell some dolls -> I have 1 full doll and a couple heads / body that I'd love to sell Sold a full doll!
• Do at least 2-3 faceups on existing dolls Completed the 2 priority faceups
• Buy or ensure that all of my existing dolls have at least one character specific outfit Definitely could do with some refreshed clothes, but at least everyone is wearing character-appropriate clothing
• Attend a BJD con and acquire some goodies there! Really looking to replace my group's eyes with resin eyes - Probably the highlight of the year for me, hobby wise. I had such a good time at the NYC Doll Con

 

Given the tariffs and general economic uncertainty, now seems like an excellent time to take a break from doing stuff with my dolls and work through my massive collection of needlepoint kits. I don't need to buy any extra notions for them.

 

Huh, let's see where I've gotten with 4 months!

I've acquired no new dolls despite the numerous temptations! I did rehybrid Asa, though, but I'm more interested in full doll listings these days.

I haven't really been remaking wigs but I've been making both sewn and hardcap wigs without mixing the two methods. They're getting better!

Nope, still haven't gotten around to it, it just keeps being bumped back in the idea list. I did make an Evangelion cosplay, though!

I was super eager to compile a website and had fun doing it, but absolutely hate updating it so I'll probably not take on any further labour-intensive work on it for now.

I'm yet to take a proper break but I've gotten better at walking away from my dolls for a moment when I get too zany about it, and spending time with my other interests. I definitely feel that I can respect a balance better these days.

 

Who is Hina going to marry?

 

@topazrain Me, of course!!!
As for progress, none yet

 

Time for an update. Some good, some bad.

• I've gotten a couple more bodies for floating heads. Waiting on two currently, and have plans set for one more. Last head is still so up in the air for what body to even CHOOSE, let alone get.
• Did one faceup and I goofed it and haven't done any since, but feeling mildly motivated to do one today. We'll see.
• I have actually kept up with monthly doll anniversary group photos!! Also been keeping up with restringing dolls from each group as they need it. Basically doing monthly tlc on dolls and it's so nice.
• I...have failed in my goal of no new dolls and have 2 incoming. No excuses, just weak willpower and 'shopping therapy' when my mood is garbage. Really want to work on this.
• Have not done any writing or photostories. But still plan to try and get something done this year!

It's early yet, but I feel I've done pretty badly so far...but I will take the small wins I guess. This is likely my last year I'll be able to hard focus doll stuff so I need to make the most of it.

 

This is so cute!

 

well, i was pretty excited that my finances were looking a little less dire this year and i could body the last of my floating heads...which was the only buying i'd planned to do this year.

i did get two of the last bodies i still needed, and they are already with me thanks to the relative immediacy of buying secondhand!-- and then i ordered one more, new from Impldoll thru Alices, right before all the trade war crap blew up

so now i have no idea if or when i'll get it, and i definitely won't even be trying to order any of the replacement hands i'd also wanted to get this year.

kind of unpleasant to have that stress injected into things, since 2024 had been horrid and my main goal for my bjd hobby in 2025 was to have fun with it again

attempting to refocus away from the possible fate of that doll body: i do still have three bald, eyeless, naked hybrid dolls to work on right here and now, so hopefully i can end the year with everyone i already have dressed, painted, eyed and wigged!

 

My doll plans for 2025!

Definite Plans

• Photograph and craft/sew more for Midori, she's my avatar and I love her!
• Possibly look at some optional hands for her and blush her current hands.
• Attend more doll meets! I got to visit a dolly friend this year already.
• Make a dedicated doll space!
• Get a new doll bag because the one I have is from 2008 lol

Maybe Plans

• I have a future plan of having four different four sister dolls in different skin tones. And each doll will be modeled after a different season. Midori is my Spring girl. I would love to start moving towards purchasing the next doll in the series!
• I got an excellent deal on a WS body earlier this year and would like to start working on my Winter doll, Miyuki. I'll need to get a WS four sister's head, a pair of hazel eyes, and starter white blonde wig and outfit.

 

I hope things get better for you and you're able to realize your dolly goals! I hate for dolls to be incomplete too. But maybe this year will be kinder and you'll finally get there!

 

My doll plans in motion are:
Make some simple photo backdrops - waiting on supplies
Make a lil website to document my dolls and their stuffs - got a few pages up already

What else I want to do:
Make and share patterns for crafts that I've made my dolls
Annnnd I found a dolly head that's been in storage for over 10 years so I guess time to learn face ups? Maybe find her a body on secondhand market?

 

This year I need to downsize my collection. Next year I want to focus on finishing the ones I'm keeping.

 

Finally learning how to do my own faceups and getting some bodies for all my floating heads.

 

I want to work on finishing the base wig and eyes for my current crew- only one out of the four has her perma eyes, and startings of her final wig. I'm trying to avoid spending on new things, so I'm really hoping to appreciate my crew more.

 

We are about halfway into the year, so it's time for an update!

• I did manage to order some of the dolls on my list. I had gotten all but two of them ordered before the problem with U.S. tariffs kicked in. I will not be ordering those final two dolls, because they were both from Chinese companies, and that make me a little sad. However, I will now be buying more dolls from the second hand market to fill those character roles that I originally had planned.

• I redid a lot of faceups earlier this year. I can see an improvement in my skills and it is nice to see how much better my dolls look after I redo their faces. I am getting better at eyebrows, which for me seems to be the hardest thing in the world to do, no matter how much I practice I struggle with this. But a lot of my dolls have better eyebrows this year.

• I have definitely been sewing more for my dolls. I made my two girls and the future one complete basic wardrobes. Thanks to the monthly doll sewing project here located in 'Project Journals' I am going to keep doing the monthly projects because it helps me to improve my sewing and gives my dolls more clothes.

• I have been doing more modifications on my dolls. I did lengthen a couple centimeters in height on my boy Damian (Resinsoul Gang) His character was supposed to be tall and athletic and being one of the shorter boys didn't suit him. This has also made me less afraid to buy broken damaged dolls and fix them up. I have a project doll I am currently working on, and I am now looking forward to getting more of them.

• I did manage to get all of season one of my BJD webcomic up on Blogger, and I did the the photo shoot for season two. I haven't done the summer photo shoot I was planning yet, because a doll I was expecting as a character for that has not arrived even though I ordered the doll five months ago. I am going to probebly do a rewrite for that part of the story and get a second hand doll off the marketplace to take the place of that character, because I am wanting to take more picture and work on the summer story that I have planned. I still haven't felt up to the YouTube videos. Maybe I'll get back at that later this year, or not. I do still want to do more of the BJD Addicts Prompts

• Sad to say, the JoAnne's near me has now closed. It was marked to stay open, but has since closed down.

 

I'm... probably not buying more dolls beyond the one I ordered at the start of this year-- I'm not committing to that as a hard and fast rule, but my priority is getting more dolls feeling 'finished' (or refreshed!). Everybody is going to need new faceups, and my new boy is going to need EVERYTHING when he arrives-- the only thing I have waiting for him is one prop that's perfectly scaled to him.

The number one thing I want to do, aside from getting everyone blushed, painted, and kitted out with at least one pair of shoes and enough clothes to be decent (and at least one wig and the right eyes), is to take more photos! I never take enough photos of my dolls, and some of them have big wardrobes while others are sitting around shoeless...

But, part of getting everyone kitted out is going to be expanding my own sewing skills, since I'm about to get a boy in an odd scale-- if I want him to have the right clothes, I'm going to have to make most of them!

 

Some updates!

• I did manage to work on some of my doll plans since the last post. The doll space has been made! I re-used a four tier glass cabinet from my old job to house my dollies and they fit perfectly! And I hope to own four dolls so each doll will have her own tier for me to decorate. So I accomplished one of my definite plans for the year!
• I also managed to acquire my Fall girl, Moriko! A kind person was selling a SwD Nana for an excellent price! I couldn't pass her up so I had to add her to my collection. There weren't doll purchasing plans in the near future but here we are. Lol! So a 'maybe plan' came true.
• I decided to try my old skin F-05 head on my new WS body and the match isn't good but it could be worse! I may use it if I could get her color matched during the faceup process as an alternative sleeping head. My goal is to eventually acquire an actual WS F-01 head! But for now my old skin head is occupying the body just so they're not sitting around looking sad. But technically my Winter girl, Miyuki, is temporarily shelled! While not a permanent solution, another 'maybe plan' is accomplished.
• I have done a few photoshoots of my current girls. Don't quite have the setup I want but I'm getting there!

Definite Plans

• Photograph and craft/sew more for Midori, she's my avatar and I love her!
• Possibly look at some optional hands for her and blush her current hands.
• Attend more doll meets! I got to visit a dolly friend this year already.
• Make a dedicated doll space!
• Get a new doll bag because the one I have is from 2008 lol

Maybe Plans

• I have a future plan of having four different four sister dolls in different skin tones. And each doll will be modeled after a different season. Midori is my Spring girl. I would love to start moving towards purchasing the next doll in the series!
• I got an excellent deal on a WS body earlier this year and would like to start working on my Winter doll, Miyuki. I'll need to get a WS four sister's head, a pair of hazel eyes, and starter white blonde wig and outfit.
• Faceups for the girls! It'll take a good bit of saving to get there.

 

One of my goals is to practice sewing again. I’ve never made clothes for dolls yet, but I’m interested in trying. I’m definitely going to need a lot of practice…

 

Update time!

• Sent Aiyu out for a faceup at the very end of last year and bought her new eyes this week, so she's officially in the "complete" bracket -- Phoebe and Khadija will be next once I've got a bit more by way of extra funds, so likely fall/winter. Marcie will probably be pushed back to next year at some point, but I've got lots of projects with her between now and then!
• Added both of the aforementioned tentative vinyl girls to my collection -- I pre-ordered Sakura Miku and managed to get my grubby mitts on a secondhand Sasara head. Need to complete Sasara, but I'm not in a rush!
• Developed characters for 2/3 of my floating heads! Nysus and Mina have started to take shape! They're on the back burner until I get Phoebe/Khadija/Marcie complete, though. Unsure if the third head will stick around due to scaling.

I'm still further behind than I would like to be, but time to work on my dolls just isn't shaking loose at the moment. I'm hoping I'll have more time once I graduate this summer and, with any luck, move in the fall. If not, I'll still consider it an excellent year if I end it with few/no more projects on my resin crew!

 

Some halfway into the year goals, as my hobby love only recently came back with a vengeance after a stressful 2024:

• Paint the two incoming floating heads. One is a I.o.S. Tauros, who will probably start off as a nice natural skull and slowly degrade into a demon as I keep adding layers, and Amadiz Orlando Elf, who will be…an evil naturalist? Who knows yet, all I know is that I still haven’t found a good pan pastel combo to mimic the muted nude-rose lip color I keep seeing on makeup looks I’m using as inspo.
  
• Everyone gets a body.
  
• Everyone gets a manicure. Mixing a tiiiny bit of acrylic into Vallejo satin or gloss varnish has been a great way to mimic the look of gel nail polish!
  
• More clothes! I have tons of MSD clothes, but having been way more into SD, they all need clothes. I can’t sew to save my life so these will likely be purchases.
  
• The great debate on making a wig, or just buying the ones I know will look good.
• Clear out all the YoSDs I can’t stand, haha.
  

Hopefully I can achieve at least half of this by the end of the year! Finding hybrid bodies will probably be the most challenging part of this.

 

For shelling my OCs in my avatar, my doll plan includes...

• Face ups and manicures
• Body parts blushing
• Making wigs
• Sewing clothes
• Making earrings

All of which I need to start learning from scratch and so far I've...

• Blushed two pairs of hands
• Made one wig cap
• Started altering some sleeves

I'm struggling with work stress and finding my energy levels are not where they need to be to get my focus on, but I'm hoping to find time off soon that can be approved.

 

I need to get back into the hobby in general! I sort of fell out of it for a bit and have been really missing my dolls. So my plans are really simple: I want to join a local meetup group and start posting pictures on Instagram again.

 

I want to paint and decorate a summer house for MSD and YoSD, redo some face ups, and get my new minifee head to fit her Myou body

 

My 2025 Goals

Slowly getting through the list, since it involves a lot of money, lol. Eighteen dolls with two more on the way.

• Upgrade eyes and wigs.
• Check who needs a new face-up.
• Bath and Restring those who need it (mostly everyone).
• Acquire more clothes for certain dolls.
• Finish organizing all their clothes.
• Build a Doll set

 

Another goal accomplished! I blushed and manicured (lightly!) all my girl's hands! Just two more goals to finish for the year and I can start making headway for my maybe plans.

Definite Plans

• Photograph and craft/sew more for Midori, she's my avatar and I love her!
• Possibly look at some optional hands for her and blush her current hands.
• Attend more doll meets! I got to visit a dolly friend this year already.
• Make a dedicated doll space!
• Get a new doll bag because the one I have is from 2008 lol

Maybe Plans

• I have a future plan of having four different four sister dolls in different skin tones. And each doll will be modeled after a different season. Midori is my Spring girl. I would love to start moving towards purchasing the next doll in the series!
• I got an excellent deal on a WS body earlier this year and would like to start working on my Winter doll, Miyuki. I'll need to get a WS four sister's head, a pair of hazel eyes, and starter white blonde wig and outfit.
• Faceups for the girls! It'll take a good bit of saving to get there.

 

Right now, I am waiting for my Crobidoll Lance (Cookie Cream Cat Limited ver). From there, I plan to purchase more clothes and wigs for Caius Levi too!

 

Oh I love the Lance sculpt from Crobidoll! What a cutie!

 

My goal for 2025 is to get back in, cause it has been years and almost forgot about it.

 

Alright mid-year check in (I don't think I've done one yet).
1) Still need to do this...
2) This is reliant on one.
3) Which doll? Maybe I bought it? Have not bought more bodies or rotated the heads.
4) Started but need to finish.
5) Still need to do,
6) Well, Leetah and Cutter have gotten all the love honestly because they're getting their outfits custom made.

So all in all - I've done nothing. OTL But it is summer break so here's hoping I will get something done!

 

Right?? I am so sad that I wasn't able to get their Nameless versions but better late then never

 

Time for a mid-year check-in! Let's tackle my original plans in order:

1. I have been able to sell some of the heads I want to sell, but that's about it. I haven't gotten around to putting everything on the marketplace, but I will be doing that soon.
2. I bought the body for my SD girl, but I also bought a head during the Luts event, so it didn't turn out to be the only purchase this year.
3. The discord is too large for me to feel comfortable in. I was able to talk enough to start selling on there, but it moves pretty fast, so I sorta have been avoiding it.
4. The dolls I need to finish have increased! I revamped a few dolls because I'd stopped bonding with them, and now they need new outfits and such. But I was able to buy the eyes and body I needed. I've also been getting around to restringing dolls that needed restringing, which wasn't mentioned in my original post but is part of my 2025 Doll Project Fest. (Which has everything that needs to be done in it.)
5. As for faceups, nails, and piercings, I have all the supplies for it but the weather has been unpredictable and I haven't made the sealing box. I'm probably going to resort to spraying some heads and then finishing them in stages over time. (No idea why I haven't been doing this sooner.) The supplies for the wig are here, too, so it's just a matter of putting it together.

I had a rough start, but all in all I'm on track to get a lot done this year.

 

Time for a Q2/mid-year check-in! At the end of March, my free time was slashed dramatically. I am still trying to adjust to this, unfortunately. It's definitely had an effect on getting my goals accomplished.

Spoiler

Move along:
No progress. If anything, I've been adding to the pile lol.

Continue being mindful of doll purchases:
I did okay this quarter, I think. In April and early June, I received dolls that had been previously ordered in November and February, respectively. Also in June, I ordered my birthday doll, which also lined up with the company's Summer Sale. I also just edited my 'To Buy' list and shelved a couple of projects I had planned. I had one doll for one of those projects already, and now I need to decide if I want to revamp it into something else or if it needs to move along.

Continue crafting for my dolls:
I definitely didn't complete as much this quarter as I did last quarter. But I did manage to finish a pattern for my SartoriaJ girl, and I started drafting the following patterns: basic shorts for HaruCasting 36cm, body suit for Iple nYID, and a basic bodice for Luts BDF. I also started tinkering with a crochet top for the incoming birthday doll in hopes that she might have an outfit that's specifically hers by the time she arrives home.

Reorganize doll cabinet:
No progress. But I'm reaching capacity in the current setup and something will need to be done.

Reorganize fabric closet:
No progress. But having limited free time has helped keep the closet tidy?

Catalog collection:
No progress.

Maintenance:
No progress.

Upgrades:
A doll I sent out for a faceup earlier in the year arrived back home in May and two more are on their way. I also got faceups booked for my newest arrivals. I'm pleased that I've kept up with the faceup queue. Additionally, I ordered some new eyes for some of my dolls.

 

A quick review :

• Yes I got a Miss in Woodland Echo ! But also a yosd Tsubaki because she's tooooooo cute
• Not before April, but no selling plan right now (except my hard-to-part-with glass eyes
• Yes she has been rehomed !
• 0 wig made, it's ok (but love to buy hannasu wigs, they are easy to deal with
• Not only finished, but also sell it to one of my friends
• Yeah ! Though the lighting to the new room sucks too, but some new lights help a lot

Some wishes in the second half of the year :

• Pls ! Please buy fewer eyes and fewer Volks clothes ! They are good buy definitely I don't need that much and my wallet says no
• Just an exception, if there'll be a chance to buy Luna's outfit
• Get makeup for Lullaby Aurelia and new makeup for Magaret
• Continue to take photos !

 

Time for a mid-year check in!

• ...Oops. New DearSD, I just can't resist the lil cuties!
• Not done yet, still need to figure out a plan there.
• I did at least move on a couple spare clothes at one of the local doll meets!
• There are more socks now! Pants, not so much.
• She has undies now!
• Been doing a bit more, but work's been busy and I've been too tired for much doll stuff. I want to find some photography prompts to do with them.
• Yep, got some of those replaced.
• Getting there, I've finished up some pieces, used the majority of the pink silk scraps I've been sitting on for years, but there's always more to go.

 

2025 Doll Goals:

• Wait on pre-orders to arrive sometime this year.
• Save up enough money to afford new pre-orders/dollies/accessories.
• Save up money to be able to pay bills so my dollies and I can live comfortably. Hahahaha

 

Mid-year update: well, the doll changed, it's Dollstown Kana now
I've had some setbacks - one of which is getting face damage on a new doll, and in the panic of the moment sending it to an overconfident person who made things worse so I'll have to send the head off again to someone actually competent to have it fixed. I'm confident things will turn out all right in the end.
A whole new doll happened in the meanwhile, too, so I'm behind on schedule. But I should manage to get my crew serviced, though I'll have to compromise. No super fancy outfits. And I should be able to avoid layaway for the doll at the end of the year. I have to remind myself I'm still getting started in this hobby and I shouldn't bite more than I can chew.

 

Checking in after half a year!

Not buying new dolls is going great - I bought an unplanned doll in may and it's a big one so storage space is also problematic but I also sold a mini, which doesn't quite make up for it but at least makes some mental space. Wig making is also not going as planned but I know I have the materials and there is no rush - nobody is bald anyway!

I looked at some AL art books and did some planning but the cosplay is not getting on so well. I'm not pressuring myself into it if some other ideas feel more interesting for the moment but I'd still like to do it at some point - just maybe not that soon!

Keeping up with a website felt like work so I ended up taking it down - this is a hobby I'm in for fun after all! I enjoy spending off-screen time with the dolls the most right now, and appreciate having something that allows a screen break for me, so I'm leaning into that more these days.

Let's see how well the no-buy goes for the next half a year!

 

Time for a half year checkin!

1- I did end up getting 2 (oops) DoDollsDream this year and Peakswoods body. I actually had a change of plans and will be getting another body later this year... I had plans to dye a doll body to match a head, and, well, it didn't turn out like I hoped.

2- I got one rehomed already, still working on the others.

3- One girl came back from her faceup recently, and as of now everyone has wigs, eyes, and clothes. As I said my dye project didn't go to well

4- Still working on this, but I have been working on some off topic dolls.

5- Sadly I started a new job in January and wasn't able to take time off to go to Dallas this year, but fingers crossed for next year! Still a chance to arrange meetups this year, though!

 

- My Flickr and Instagram are filling up nicely. Though I've been taking photos of everything, not just dolls!
- ...Okay except for the stuff I need to sell
- Just finished that today. I cheated a bit and customized a TTYA shirt instead of finishing the one I made from my own pattern. Maybe I'll get to it eventually.
- Bought a second dress for my Angie, this one actually made to fit her.
- Probably will not be getting another doll, seeing how I bought season tickets for women's hockey!

 

It's time for a mid year check-in here too!

I'd like to:

• I know it will be a fail if I say "buy no doll in 2025", but at least I plan no dolly purchase. ==> That one will be a fail (it already is, because I both bought and trade heads/dolls since january, ahah). I plan to buy Otherside dolls' new doll before the end of 2025. Their elderly faun lady.
• sell some dolls, at least 5, maybe more. In my wildest dreams, I become reasonable and go back to 50 BJD. (I'm at 62 now, with two more ordered) ==> I'm at 65 full dolls, and I'm so lazy when it comes to sell dolls.. fail here also, currently.
• find the time to paint one doll tattoo (the one I didn't in 2024) ==> Another fail? I paint none yet and I will have little spare time until the end of the year ^^'
• continue sewing outfits, and maybe buy no already made outfit. ==> This one is a victory so far!
• continue crafting wigs, and buy no wigs at all. ==> this one too.
• finish my dragon skull helmet prototype. It's in progress since 2019 ^^' ==> still in progress, shame on me.

It's not exactly a mid year check-in to be proud of

 

Hmmm, at the beginning of 2025 I was still very much inactive in the hobby.

As I have gotten back in, my plan wasn’t to get anymore dolls (wasn’t opposed, but wasn’t planned), but that’s been a massive fail, with now four new additions. Instead I just wanted to do stuff like:

- clean up and restring my existing dolls (done)
- give some new face-ups (not done due to humidity issues)
- sewing new clothes for them (not done, in the process of getting a sewing space set up, delayed due to illness)

With some of the newer dolls, some additional plans:
- getting some eyes. The one brand new dolly will need them. The fourth (second hand) might need them too, have to see if anything I already have works first.
- my first restoration project! This fourth doll was quite a deal, though he has some damage. I’ve been really frustrated with being unable to do face-ups because of the weather, so this will be a nice doll project to have for the summer months while the humidity is at its worst.

 

I've taken a multi-year hiatus from the ball-jointed doll hobby, so I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. My little resin family is still waiting for me, a little dustier than they were but still ready to be redressed and loved. I'm looking forward to playing with them again.

 

I just want to finish a poor older doll I bought last year. I have taken an hiatus from the hobby because I've been too busy working.

 

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Well, we did well on faceups!
-Tassian still needs the redo
-Anastasia still needs the redo
-Oriel, once we dye him
-Lady mercy needs a redo
-Helia needs a redo
-Sariel needs to be painted
-Mammon needs a painting
-Discord (?) needs a redo
-Abdiel once he comes

-Fierna still needs dye
-Oriel needs a body and some dye
-Red needs to be dyed
-blue needs to be dyed

-Acyra is no where near done
-Pardalis is nowhere near done
-Dia’s elbows need to be done
-Fierna’s boobs
-Syn’s boobs
-Val’s boobs
-Finishing Neferet’s boobs too
-eye opening mod
-red’s second head
-making Helia spookier

none of this is even started, but add to it that Mephistopheles and Fierna don’t currently have ANY clothing that fits them, and Tatyana and Valeska need their wedding outfits

-we sure did get wings. We have 8 sets of feathered wings. It’s still not enough, but it’s decent?
-we still need 2? Pairs of demon wings
-Acanthus still needs a body via RS
-Oriel still needs a body, either from RS, DFH, or FL if they do ebony f65’s
-Death’s body, either from RS, or an old doll chateau body
-Wrath is actually getting a new body, so Tass gets theirs back
-Luka needs to be bought

Other Goals
-finish moving all the dolls few by few into my house
-get a sewing machine so I can even sew at my house
-Sell a few of the dolls we want a little less

 

well figured i might as well do an update post since i've been having a burst of creative energy this summer and probably done more doll stuff in the last couple months than i did all of last year!

my big goals for this year were:

+ to buy two bodies to finish off my floating heads. which i have managed to do! i got one secondhand back in February and then ordered one in April that arrived in June.

+ i had a half-finished doll that i was hoping to complete-- been making progress on her finally, she should have her wig and eyes finished by the end of this week and then i need to complete her half-painted faceup and make her a couple clothing items.

+ i also had a hybrid girl that was in pieces and needed some modding and colormatching in order to be fully assembled. i've finished the neck mod i needed to do for her head to fit the body and the color matching and faceup painting are in progress...

+ i also ended up needing to dye one of the bodies i bought in order to make it match the head it was intended for-- completed that project and have that doll all assembled!

+ i've completed several of the doll sewing projects i wanted to do this year-- though i have many, many more still on my "things i'd like to make" wishlist. i also completed my fourth crocheted doll sweater-- a sewing-adjacent skill i wanted to keep working on learning.

- i wanted to get out an old super beat up project body that i started trying to restore ages ago and work on that again, and so far i haven't touched that one this year.

- my original plan was to sculpt my own head for both that project body and a Resinsoul body i bought in 2023, and i actually have worked on the head sculpting for the RS doll this year-- but the biggest reason i was planning on making my own heads is because both dolls are intended to be specific characters and i had never been able to find heads that looked right for either. i've been dabbling and practicing with sculpting doll faces for several years now, and i am kind of coming to the conclusion that i find it a frustrating endeavor. and i've actually found heads since that i think would work-- at least one of which didn't exist yet when i first came up with the idea of the doll. so i am leaning towards scrapping the sculpting part of the plan and purchasing the heads instead...

- and i was going to buy a replacement set of hands for my doll who has broken fingers, but i haven't gotten to that yet either!

overall i've made more progress on my dolls this year than i honestly expected to so far! for the rest of the year, i'm mostly hoping to finish up the in-progress hybrids, do a couple more sewing projects, and i would love to get my doll profiles updated and add profiles for the dolls who don't have them. guess i'll find out if that's overly ambitious, but i've been on a roll, so....

 

Well might as well do a bit of a check-in. I didn't get my girl and her friend done in time for the con. Their bodies didn't arrive with enough time for that, but that worked out in my favor in some ways! Her friend should be coming home from getting his faceup soon :3 It's also let me take more time working on everything for them than I would've then, so I'm happier than what I've making than I likely would've been had I tried to rush it. I still want to make a carrying bag just for them, too, but I need to pattern it out and figure out materials. I have a lot of fabric already, but gremlin brain says I should get special fabric for it xD And I bought shoes...but have also been trying to sort out making some other ones for them anyway The pair for my girl was really poor quality, so I'm trying to recreate them from other materials, and I had the realization that her friend should probably have somewhat closed toed shoes, since he is a physician in their hometown.

The other two boys I haven't really touched. I'm waffling on selling them actually. I think i jumped a little too hard into the idea and getting all the supplies for them at the outset instead of working on them, and now I'm not as interested. But I've already put a lot of time and money into them, so I'd feel guilty doing that, and one has already had some significant modifications done that would affect him selling. Idk, I'll have to see.

I did get the body for the off topic head, so that's in my customization queue as well, and I also ordered an off topic 1/4 girl that I didn't plan on. She's cute though, and I think it'll be fun to have a doll that I can just customize and dress however. She's still an elf/ fairy kind of character, but I can't really go wrong with that lol.

(House buying also didn't work out for this year, so that's on the books for next year maybe)

 

Mid-year check-in!

Sell: ahahahahahahaha NOPE
Buy: Got one on layaway, thinking about a second, and saving towards the third for capping. We'll see what happens.
Get some bodies: Not yet. That involves unpacking the box of heads and that ain't happening right now.
Get some faceups/clothes: Faceups are also Not Happening. I did buy some clothes and eyes and wigs though!
Crafting station: ...It's a WIP.

 

Mid-Year Check-In

• Organization went from being 75% done to 25% done due to an overwhelming amount of new things coming and going. I did fine some stools and a bunk bed for my 60cm dolls! And one Volks couch I got for a steal.
• I was able to get a brand new Dollfie Boy Body for my custom head. However, since then, I have collected maybe 4 more floating heads. I plan to sell 2 of them, keep 1 and 1 just got its body today!
• Custom outfit for my Dollfie was commissioned by a talented artist I met on IG.
• I might sell my Luts Senior Delf. My collection grew too big and he is just very neglected compared to the others. I think it’s time he gets a new home.
• I sold one of my RingDolls and I am currently keeping another in its box because I’m up in the air about him.
• I was a coward and never did the tattoo for my doll.
• Nope on earring. Also too cowardly lol.
• OMG I HAVE 5 SMART DOLL BOYS NOW HOLY SMOKES. I might end up selling one because he looks too similar to another. And I’m on the fence about another. But I’m so happy I got my smartie boys.
• Got an NT Miku via FB and Sakura Miku on pre order. I might sell my Sakura Miku because I feel like my NT Miku is just enough Miku
  
• I have attended two doll meet ups and one BJD convention! Huzzah

I definitely had some set backs, but overall I think did alright goal wise. Currently my #1 goal is to sell off some dolls that are just hanging out in my closet and drawers. Get rid of and organize some clothes + wigs and finally build that long awaited doll shelf. No floating heads 2026!

 

I like this kind of threads.
This year's really doll intensive for me. I ordered Impldoll boy, Littleberry boy, Huajing body and Doll Family-A jointed hands.
Xaga Doll boy came recently and he needs a faceup and tattoos. Myou Doll twins need faceups too.
No more dolls this year.
I definitely want to learn new skills. I already tried to make a wig but I still need a lot of practice.
And my dolls always need new clothes, shoes, props - it's a never ending saga.

 

Another quarterly update!

• So my doll case won't accommodate 1 doll per tier (my Midori is just slightly too tall being my only SD13 doll) but I can do 2 dolls per tier and that is still perfect to me! They are currently residing in there. I would like to decorate the space a little more and experiment with some lighting options to illuminate them a little better when put away.
  
• Another update, I decided to rename Moriko to Momiji after my good doll friend recommended it. Her new name suits her better with my seasons theme for my four dolls. Her new name describes the color of the Japanese maple leaf and is associated with Autumn.
• Also found a faceup artist to try out and sent her Momiji at the beginning of August. I'm excited to see the results! My goal is to find one faceup artist to eventually paint all my girls and the spare heads with differing expressions. Sending Momiji off is a step in that direction to feel out how much I like this artist. Here's to hoping it goes well! It's my first send off since 2012.
• So that hybrid was a bust. I found out that Volks let's you do an exchange of old parts to have them refreshed! So I'm getting my old skin BW(?) F-05 exchanged as well as an old NS Nana head from 2006 I found in my storage. Pretty stoked about getting them both refreshed especially after finding out the sleeping four sister's mold has been discontinued and can't be ordered through FCS anymore. So this might be one of my few avenues at getting a matching sleeping head for Miyuki! And the NS Nana head can be for Momiji. Those have already been sent to a proxy back in July and should ship in September.
  
• For my birthday this year my mom purchased an Una (Miyuki) head for me! The head is from 2025 and a touch too light for the body but I plan on upgrading bodies later on anyway. Pretty excited to have an open eye head for Miyuki especially while her sleeping head is off getting redone. She currently has her default faceup (it is surprisingly cute!) but I hope to get it redone once I decide fully on a faceup artist for my set. And it would depend on much I enjoy Momiji's faceup when she arrives.
  
• While not photoshoots exactly, I have been dressing and photographing my dolls more often. I'm also enjoying just changing their outfits and wigs and styling them for a bit before putting them back up for display. I recently acquired saddle stands and they are so much easier to display now!
• And for the finale! To celebrate our engagement, my partner offered to purchase my grail doll, a tan F-01, as my engagement gift! My first ever FCS order! The order was placed at the end of July and should ship at the end of September with the refreshed heads. The timing coincides with our engagement trip too.
  
  I couldn't be happier. This addition will complete my set of 4 dolls! It's really special to me that my mom gifted me Midori when I graduated in 2011 and Miyuki for my 36th birthday this year. And now my partner is celebrating our engagement by gifting Momoki!
  
  
  Still got a ways to go on some of the other plans but I think this is a lot of headway for my quarterly update!

Definite Plans

• Photograph and craft/sew more for all my dolls now that the crew has expanded! (Still got work to do)
• Possibly blush her current hands. (All the girls got a spa day and manicures!)
• Still need to look for more optional hands though. (It aint easy)
• Attend more doll meets! I got to visit a dolly friend this year already. (Still hoping to do this!)
• Make a dedicated doll space!
• Get a new doll bag because the one I have is from 2008 lol (I haven't forgotten lol)

Maybe Plans

• I have a future plan of having four different F-01 SD girls in different skin tones. And each doll will be modeled after a different season. Midori is my Spring girl. I would love to start moving towards purchasing the next doll in the series! (And I did! Got all 4 girls in the series now)
• I got an excellent deal on a WS body earlier this year and would like to start working on my Winter doll, Miyuki. I'll need to get a WS four sister's head, a pair of hazel eyes, and starter white blonde wig and outfit. (Done!)
• Faceups for the girls! It'll take a good bit of saving to get there. (One down, many more to go!)