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I'm so excited to be here!

Feb 27, 2026

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    1. Hello, I'm Jack!

      After years of admiring photos of Lillycat dolls, I was recently able to welcome my lovely Lillycat Ninon into my life.

      [​IMG]

      I expected if I ever acquired a bjd, I would be immediately off to the races experimenting with faceups and wigs and eyes, but at the moment I'm trying to save money. In the meantime, I've found myself diving into an area of the hobby I never expected to spend much time in: sewing clothes. Even more surprising to me is that fact that I'm actually having fun doing it! I'm not much of a numbers person, and I dread the day I prick myself with a needle, but so far I've been able to make a pair of socks out of an old turtleneck, and a pair of bloomers from the elastic from a bedskirt.

      [​IMG]

      The bjd hobby is a bit of a russian nesting doll situation, with so many hobbies within it to lose myself in. I've been a freelance illustrator for years, so I'm not a stranger to the arts, but this has been such a joyful experience already to finally allow myself to engage in art that I don't need to worry about monetizing.

      I'm looking forward to sharing my progress, and hopefully making some friends in this hobby. <3
       
      #1 whyguy, Feb 27, 2026
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    2. Hooray! Excited to have you!

      Head on over to the Workship/Patterns section to find an amazing collection of patterns and knowledgeable sewers.
      There's also Styling and Crafting for sewing plus more!
      Over in Project Journals, there's usually a monthly themed sewing project to join.

      And when you're ready to start painting, please head over to Customization and Maintenance (the respiratory protection thread is a must-read, IMHO).

      Also chat with fellow Lilly Cat Cerisedolls Mini owners here!
       
      #2 MaleficentMrsofEvil, Feb 27, 2026
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    3. Thank you so much for your warm welcome and all the helpful tips!
       
      #3 whyguy, Feb 27, 2026
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    4. New Welcome! Your Ninon is gorgeous, and the socks and bloomers you've made are adorable! I hope you have lots of monetization-free fun with her :)

      I relate to wanting to enjoy art for art's sake instead of a job. It's a totally different experience!
       
      #4 P0laris, Mar 18, 2026
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      Thank you so much! It's been such a joy to have an honest to god hobby that isn't playing a videogame.
       
      #5 whyguy, Mar 18, 2026
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      Ooo I can relate! Having a physical hobby that can be touched and manipulated is so satisfying to me in a way screen-based hobbies aren't. I feel like I've actually used the time I spend on it instead of hours just disappearing. I used to do a lot of digital art and getting into BJDs has really helped me refocus on physical art!
       
      #6 P0laris, Mar 19, 2026
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      It's great isn't it? We live in a digital world where the value of tangibility is easy to forget. Even after seeing the dolls in photos, taking one home is something else.

      As you said, BJDs are both a hobby themselves and a medium for other arts. I can't tell a hobby that has so much depth.

      Don't worry too much about the saving up situation (I can relate), this is a pretty slow world and things take time to accomplish. Dolls are patient!
       
      #7 lutke, Mar 20, 2026
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      I'm looking forward to trying more sub hobbies for sure. I think I might try embroidery next.

      My family and friends have also seemed pretty excited to get me doll related gifts this summer for my birthday. [x I can have a hard time giving them clues about what I'd like, but this makes it pretty simple.
       
      #8 whyguy, Mar 20, 2026
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