During this quarantine what have you realized about your dolls?

Wish I could sew more for my dolls but my sister keeps using the living room instead of her bedroom for work from home and then invites her boyfriend over on weekends

Finally freshened up a face-up.

Put one of my dolls on the chopping block... but since it's a cheap resinsoul body snd a no longer available head, I think I will just box them up until the inspiration strikes.

 

How grateful I am to have the dolls that I have and that they exist. ❤️

 

That I'm so happy to be in this hobby and to have a hobby in general. So many people I know are utterly miserable right now. There is only so much TV you can watch or so many games you can play. I'm so happy to be able to take time to sew my dolls new clothing or to practice faceups and restorations. It gives me something satisfactory to do, to create something new for something that I love. Because I've just been so engaged with them, however, I'm having a hard time stopping myself from buying more and more stuff! My love for them has just really blossomed so I want to pour my all into it. It's honestly getting just a tad obsessive as I have nothing else to currently focus on, save for work.

 

As we were forced, due to Corona, to interrupt the cleaning-out of my parent's house, we could do some sorting in our own home. I started to sort a lot of boxes and stuff in a room formerly known as our "guest room". Sadly, as both of my parents passed away, it is basically useless. So I talked to my husband whether I could move into said room. During sorting and cleaning, I was a bit shocked of the many projects I had started and not finished.

I decided to put all of those projects into one side of a cabinet that will be put into my room. This way, there might be a much better chance to actually finish the stuff. After all, it a lot of dead money lying around. I do not use it, and that is sad.

So, when the room is fully set up, I will have tons to do. I tend to buy everything I need for a project already at the start. So...no excuses.

 

I don't know if it's necessarily due to quarantine, but I feel like I have a good handle on bjd as a fun (and not stressful!) hobby now. For the past 7 or so months I had a one doll collection (not including dolls for sale). Recently I broke that rule and was gifted a tiny baby dragon for my birthday and I purchased the other matching dragon myself. These dolls didn't have the usual issues that would contribute to igniting my depressive episodes, and thus end up selling them on and regretting my purchase.

I have a handle now on what I like in a doll and what to avoid. Any doll I get from now on is more likely to be a permanent fixture, and that's great! Instead of the revolving door it used to be, as that sure didn't bring me any happiness.

 

I realized most of them aren’t perfect right now, but I can make them what I want and list the rest for sale. Also that I am really, really in love with Twigling sculpts, and sometimes it’s more worthwhile to me to hunt those down and spend more than to have more dolls that were “within my price range”

 

I realized that one of my grails (a DZ Luke) who has been puzzling me regarding both his styling and his character works best with blue eyes--and not just any blue eyes, acrylic blue eyes. The rest of my crew (save for one) are fitted with urethanes, but he didn't look right with every spare pair I tried in him--including the ones I had in him all this time. Glass REALLY didn't work in his eyewells, so he has a high-quality pair of very natural-looking acrylics in and they just look... right. Perfect, even.

Realizing this, I feel like I'm finally on the right track when it comes to his look... and might even be able to settle on a permanent name instead of changing it constantly.

In general I've done a bunch of eye switching and refreshing. I had forgotten how relaxing it can be...

 

I feel like I’m finally putting together the collection I wanted. I’ve made a lot of purchase mistakes over the years, I’ve started all over twice. I’m sad I don’t have a doll I bonded with over the years.

I restarted my hobby last year, my husband gave me my first doll to the new collection as a wedding present. I will never sell her, not in a million years. So now I feel like my collection has more direction. I choose dolls that fit in with her, no more wandering eye for dolls that would never work out.

I’ve purchased three more dolls since then, every purchase I’ve made I’ve given a lot more thought. During quarantine I’ve been planning out my collection a lot better. Researching outfits, props, ect. So one day it will be one cohesive family.

 

For me it's made me want a few more dolls for my collection - and also brought out my desire to work on the ones I have more. I felt kind of stagnant for a few months, not really wanting to work on their face-ups or anything just due to being tired/not having as much time. But right now I am feeling my creativity and I hope it will help me bring out the best in my crew!

I also previously considered myself a selective person, and that's definitely heightened now, because of how many things I own... but the stuff I want to sell isn't my dolls, it's stuff I want to sell so I have more room for dolls.

 

I had been neglecting my dolls before quarantine... but now I'm glad they are around, and I know I need to pay more attention to them and get them sorted out--not to sell any, but just to get them in better order so I can do more with them, like take photos and such...

 

I realized which dolls in my collection needed to move on. And there are particular areas of the hobby I am digging more research into and I feel like staying at home to plan out instead of impulse buy is going to improve my experience in the hobby from now on!

 

For me, it was how much I enjoyed them. I had a pretty bad bout of depression in 2016 and, up until the end of last year, I was very, very scarce in the hobby and in our local BJD community. But! I rejoined, aaaand we were all made to stay inside. :'D In that time, I've found other ways to connect with people in the hobby and potentially setting up spots where I can photograph my dolls, since that's one of my fav things.

 

I realized they are all probably going to stay blank and naked and some even bodyless until I find my grail of grails or get a job...

How do I keep liking discontinued sculpts? Hello? Is this the Discontinued Doll Despair Hotline?

Other than that, I've taken time to rethink my doll plans and focus on what I really want by thinking about how disappointed I'd be if I missed the chance to get one.

 

I learned that sometimes you spend an entire day taking sales pics and getting quotes and it ends up being worth it, because it’s so liberating getting dolls you have no plans for out of the house, and dolls you had a plan for in. Also that selling 6 to buy 2 isn’t weird if those 2 are dolls you love and thought you’d never have. Nothing in this house is finished at all, but modding isn’t so terrifying, I have a local friend now who’s willing to help teach me to do faceups and has an awesome style, and my girlfriend thinks my hobby is really cool. I’m reinvested in it again. Hopefully I sell 1 more before the 22/23, so I can buy that Lillycat... I want to be in this hobby. I want to enjoy my dolls. Even if I also learned that everyone’s eyes are one size too small, which is driving me bonkers.

 

I’ve realised that I currently hate their backstory and what to change all of my characters haha

 

I've realized how much I really enjoy my girls. They're all a similar size so they can share clothes, and I've been redressing them pretty frequently. I love the male dolls that I own, but I don't interact with them nearly as much. I was feeling guilty that I had so many more options for the girls when it came to outfits, but I've kind of moved passed that and resolved to spoil them, haha.

 

I realized I gave way too much importance to "being a good owner" (in terms of doing things with my dolls in social media or so) and now I'm just happy with the way I deal with my dolls even if I don't sew for them nor photograph them much.

 

I was off work for most of the month of March. I had started a Tudor dollhouse for my Reakpukis last September, but not really accomplished much with it. Just the two ground floor rooms. After I got to feeling better( I am still not certain if I had a mild case of coronavirus or a really truly hellish flu) my best friend started teasing me about my unfinished dollhouse, and I finally decided I had enough energy to do something other than lay in bed. I really got to work on it. I finished the second floor and at last got the roof on. I have all the exterior trim on it and all the stucco done, it is completely painted, the fake stonework is done on the fireplace and chimney. All I have left to do is the windows and doors. It was so great to have such a rewarding project to work on! Now that I am back to work, and have an income again. I am having WAY too much fun ordering cool stuff for it! The stained glass is on it's way from England and the chest is coming from the Netherlands!

 

For me it meant taking the plunge and spending money on my first dolls. I hadn't bought myself anything out of the necessary things in years. I realized that I needed a creature comfort on my own and a focus for my creativity. Homeschooling all of the children that live with us and alternating working from home and away means I really don't have any hobby time. Though I take them out early in the morning and manage to take a few quick pictures every couple of days.

@rosalynmouse Please post pictures of your house! Ready or not!

 

That I really like my larger dolls better, they are so much more fun for me to style and photograph. I made clothes for the 1/4 size and smaller ones, dressed them nicely and put them on a shelf, and while I like looking at them, I don't have much desire to do anything with them. I have a ton of props for them as well, but I just really like the bigger dolls.

They are kind of like little mini roommates. That don't have a designated spot, just places for them to sit, and I move them around freely posing them to do odd things around my room. I want to make some great backdrops for them and take a lot of pictures.

 

I realised how much I missed my dolls. ;o; They have been stored away in boxes for the last couple of years. Some of them don't even have face ups yet, because I was so nervous that I procrastinated. But now I wish they were still out so I could work on them. (Also I'm worried whether they're okay in storage. I wanna check on them so badly!)

Also I realised I'm not alone in liking dolls. That probably sounds strange considering how large this forum is... But having people close by in the hobby has rekindled my interest a lot, and helped me realise that I can make things and enjoy dolls. I'm not alone anymore, after being alone for so long. ^^;

 

I realised just how much I've procrastinated on finishing them :/ I've had some for years and they still need face ups and clothes. At the same time though I've realised how much I really like my collection as it is. There's not a doll among them I'd sell and looking at them so frequently had made me realize I've achieved owning pretty much every doll I dreamed of getting when I first joined the hobby. When I deep cleaned my house I dusted each one off and fell in love anew

 

To be completely honest? My dolls really haven't been a factor. They're one hobby among several, and haven't gotten any more or less attention than usual.

 

I realised how much I miss my doll.
For family reasons, I'm not able to keep mine in my house.
I really would like to but, its very difficult.
When you are a health care worker, its also difficult. The family of my boyfriend, doent like me to go to their house because I'm too much ''exposed''

 

Between receiving a COVID check, finding about more about a doll company I never really paid attention to, and finally being able to get a grail doll, I have two yoSD dolls I really had no plans of getting this year! Not that I'm complaining about having to shop for clothes, shoes, a wig....

Ryu

 

1) my collection isn't as big as I thought it was
2) I really need to give my 6+ floating heads bodies
3) all the magnets in their heads are missing :I

 

Realising that I still need them, even if I don't 'interact' as often a good doll-owner ought to.

This evening, I received some painful news about a co-worker who hadn't been well for months. I just wanted to come home and hold a doll that isn't even here yet. He's one payment [and a potentially long-*** excursion home due to corona restrictions] away. I have other dolls, but when there's that one that has to be the companion... it's a little hard to accept any substitutes.

He'll be home soon. He'll be home soon. He'll be home soon...

 

How much fun it can really be to work on and customize them. I never really took the time to do so before I was literally inside with nothing to do. I’ve done more crafting projects for them now than I ever have in all my years in the hobby, and I’ve never been happier!

 

I've re-discovered how much I like making them clothes. It's part of how I build their characters and their world.

 

I can relate to these comments. Before this quarantine, I was in a doll hiatus for different reasons and I was considering selling most of my collection due to stress for "being a good owner". My dolls were in their boxes for more than a year and as soon as I got one out, the joy re-emerged; I dressed some of them and left them on my work desk just for the pleasure of having them around.

Also, my husband questioned me about selling my collection and he said that none of my reasons were strong enough. He reminded me that I can have as many dolls as I want and no one is requesting (or forcing me) to stop buying or reduce my collection. So, I reviewed my collection and re-made my wishlist keeping in mind that I don't have to finish right away.

Long story short: I realized that I love my dolls even if I have a slow pace for completing them, and I don't have to be super active in social media, forums, groups, etc. I can (and should) enjoy them my own way and no one shall take that away from me.

 

I'm getting back to mine after largely ignoring them. I'm realizing that I have a lot of clothes, eyes, and wings that don't fit any of my group. I'm currently washing a lot of items to sell or trade.

 

I realised that when I get bored I get the itch for new dolls haha!! I have a bunch of seeing to do for mine still though.

 

I sympathise. I have a lot of hobbies, and I worry about not being a good doll owner. I've got dolls I've had for years that I haven't had the guts to do faceups on. (I also had some bad depression the last few years which has put all my hobbies on the back burner to be honest). I don't take nearly enough photos, and I haven't sewn enough outfits. But they are so precious to me. Even if I can't keep up with everyone else, I still enjoy them. Although they are in storage right now, I can't wait to get them back out again and just enjoy their company XD even if they are just on a shelf, that still means I see them every day. And I think that's enough.

 

That I really do prefer being in the same place as them! I lived in a different town for work, but came home before lockdown hit the UK to save on rent etc. I'm not sure if I'm going to have to move home permanently now due to covid ruining a few things, but either way I really do like having them with me. I had them with me pretty much the whole time since I started collecting and these last 2 years I didn't have any of them with me at all. One day I hope to have them in a permanent spot with a proper display cabinet!

 

I realize that I got almost all I needed.
I did couple of impulsive purchases during this time, but I’m happy that I found new owners quite quickly for them.
And definitely no more long preorders. Time changes everything very quickly.

 

I've been in lockdown a lot longer than most people I know, because everyone in my household is vulnerable... but I've definitely felt like even though I don't do nearly enough with my dolls most of the time, I'm really glad to have them. I'm a little too slow on some of these projects but I've been getting a lot out of spending time with these characters even if none of them are 'finished'-- I've realized that maybe none of my dolls will ever be 'finished' and that's part of the fun! They can keep evolving piece by piece as I find new things I want to try my hand at making, or see new things I can buy that fit them in ways I didn't expect.

 

I work 2 full time jobs thanks to the quarantine so no time for dolls AT ALL...the only thing I realized about them is that I want to sell them and when life is hard they don't matter. Maybe if I wasn't working they would matter since they would keep me busy and happy but that's not my situation right now.

 

I realized that my only bjd was very lonely and needed a sibling. Due to shipping restriction to my country I couldn’t get her a sister, so I bought a little dog for her. We both have great fun with him now. And since the shipping restriction is over I ordered a little sister too, but that’s a secret, my girl doesn’t know it yet.
I also realized that my doll brought me a much needed smile and joy in this dreadful time.

 

I realized how much I missed the hobby, and how much I love and missed my dolls that are stored at another house. I miss them and can’t see them because quarantine, and I don’t wish to risk the other side of my family potentially getting sick. So away I stay until the virus passes!
I’m glad I took the time during quarantine though to come back to this forum and revisit my love of dolls...I feel like I’ve regained such an integral part of myself again. I’m much happier than I was without, and look forward to doing more face-ups and photography than I did when I was younger.

 

It may not quite fit the topic, but I would like to answer your sad and desperate post: It is true that if you fight for survival, many things in life become unimportant. But I think it's still important to try to hold onto something that brings you joy and relaxation. Otherwise you are burned out and empty very quickly. It doesn't have to be an expensive doll, it can be a beloved soft toy, a photo, a song, a book, a cozy blanket, anything that can give you a little moment of comfort and strength. I lost a family member and a friend because of Corona and my doll gave me a few moments when I could forget everything and I am grateful for that. I sincerely wish you to find something that will help you persevere.

 

i was gonna leave the hobby for good, but now that i am at home a lot more and graduated college, i can be around them more and i realized that i dont have to leave after all! ive been making or rewriting the characters that they represent, and am starting to cycle out all my old stuff from the old characters by selling them and making money to get new stuff for them. its been a mess for a while but i am glad i found a way to stay in touch with the hobby that i used to love so much back in the day ;__;

 

I need to do a massive character overhaul. But... I'm at least working on it! xD

 

I realized I really need to downsize. I say, as I still have plenty of dolls in waiting lol. But I really think I've grown out of love with some dolls... so it's time to purge them from the group. Some dolls I don't think I love as much as I used to, especially my first doll, but I just cannot get rid of them. They hold a special place in my heart.

 

I realized that I really like them! The Covid lockdown coincided with me doing a major clean-out of my BJD closet, and my dog tearing her ACL clear through and needing 12 weeks of down-time away from my other dogs. I left my home, husband, son and 2 other dogs to go into lockdown at my studio with my hurt and laid out dog. I own a small business so for 12 weeks, I was paying my staff to be off while living inside a bubble with my dog. I hadn't really done anything with my BJDs for a couple of years, but while cleaning things out, listing things for sale and actually having time to play, I realized that I really like them and I miss playing! Now I'm revamping my collection, have added a few and am selling a few. Have bought and sold some clothes and am freshening everything up overall. I've noticed some posts recently from several people who dropped out of the hobby for a couple of years and are back. Having time to play makes a difference!

 

I apparently really like making yarn wigs. It started with me just wanting to experiment a little with making an extra long/fancy braided one for my very first 1/3 size boy, branched into self-indulgent multicolored/patterned messes, and now I've begun making them for my roomie's dolls because all of mine are set. Probably a good thing I don't know anyone else much IRL or else they'd be dragged into this too, haha.

 

Similar to Homucci, I realised how much I love my beautiful collection. I've sold a few pieces I knew I wasn't going to keep, but I keep finding characters in them I didn't even know were there! I'd been so busy in the last few years and moved cross-country even, leaving my dolls at home. It'd been almost 4 years since I'd even looked at any of them... and then slowly my interest came back, and I started to make things for a girl I'd never made anything for since I got her - she's one of my oldest dolls, and seeing her come back to life, and accepting that I love this hobby and these dolls really made an enourmous difference. Quarentine has really helped me realise how much I love my BJDs.

 

Quarantine has made me realize how thankful I am for my dolls! They keep my mind occupied with making eyes, wigs, and clothes.

 

I guess I realized I needed to spoil them more? I've been working and getting bonuses through it all, so I ended up not only ordering a few, but also getting one of them a professional face-up, ordering a bunch of clothes, joining a group order for some wigs... I mean, hey, I'm not spending the money at restaurants or buying much else for myself right now. Once bills are paid and savings has been fed the rest is fair game.

 

The American Civil War storyline and cosplay's has played itself out and I have to go down a different angle... I mean I still gotta stick to history because I'm a history nerd.

 

I only have 1 complete BJD and I realized that I’m not really bonding with his outfit and want to switch it up, which is hard when you only own one outfit...

 

Quarantine has made me realize that a lot of people want to shell their dolls, but nobody wants to buy them. Before the quarantine, I someone purchased it within a few hours after posting on the BJD sales groups. After COVID, nobody has responded to my listings on the FB BJD sales groups, which is understandable in a pandemic (but unfortunate for me lol)

 

Try listing on insta. I’ve sold a heck of a lot of dolls since quarantine on there!

 

Thank you! I just started up my BJD instagram, I uploaded a listing last week but the one person who messaged me eventually stopped Hopefully I can get accepted into the DoA Marketplace soon!!! I'll also try uploading more photos to the insta so I look a bit more credible lol ,nobody wants to buy from a new account with hardly any posts. Also understandable

 

I’ve realized that with unlimited free time I seem to think I also have unlimited money for doll stuff. Fun fact.. unlimited time does not actually equal unlimited money. Haha

 

There clothes and stuff are a mess like nothing is organized I’m thinking of getting a new cabinet where I can store everything neatly

 

That I’m very happy with my collection and have been able to specifically decide on future dolls I want!

 

I realized that I hadn’t touched my dolls in two years. Also realized that I could display them on my shelf