Looking for doll no-buy buddies

@saraquill, this could depend on whether you already have lots of doll patterns, and haven't used any of them. (Speaking from experience, lol!)

 

I made it a month and 17 days into the new year! But it's not a full doll or a head. I lucked out big time and found one of my ideal bodies I wanted on the marketplace. I've been wanting to upgrade my Ryu since getting my first SD13B body and this one has long legs AND tabi feet. Shout out to @aihre who has been helping me out with resin matching for him. I am so thankful!

Now what will I do with his old body? Maybe shove it in the closet and keep making the "Gee, Liam, your mom lets you have TWO bodies?" joke until it gets old?

It doesn't feel like I slipped or failed though because I'm improving a beloved doll I already own rather than increasing my small army. I love this boy so much. He deserves a nicer body than the one he's on. Also I get to make boy geta now

@Chehime I'm so happy you were able to find a replacement for your lost doll! It worked out after all!

 

I am currently so tempted by the new standard dolls from SartoriaJ. Specifically Juliet, though the faceup that I wanted doesn't seem to be available.

It's only made more tempting by the fact that I was given some credit by Jay because of the delay in my Jude last year. So there's the urge to use that. It doesn't have an expiry date that I know of but the fact I can knock a chunk off the cost is both helpful and unhelpful.

 

I fell off the wagon too.

I was offered a chance to buy a doll by an artist I really love, because they really needed money, and I’m a repeat customer, and mentioned something on one of their posts about how excited I was for orders opening up potentially soon.

she’s in a fantasy colour, and on a body I don’t have, and I’m helping feeding the artist’s pets. But dear god, every cent I have in PayPal is being confiscated by my savings. This has been an expensive year between textbooks and losing my headphones, on top of the losing my car situation, but I also took a ton of extra hours this week at work to try to compensate. And even more extra hours next week, and if I get the fulltime I applied for, in April, my wage will go up by 33% and my hours will double, so…

this is to say: It’s not the worst life choice I could have made, but it’s not a good one either. As a plus though, last night I finally got faceups started for some more dolls.

 

I definitely fell off the wagon too. I blame getting a new job and all the stress that came with it.

 

You're welcome, I hope all our photos and research paid off and the body is a good match! I look forward to seeing Liam refreshed. ^^

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I also bought new resin recently - ordered a new DFH body for my Kanadoll Mars head - and like nyaaain, it was to complete my current crew. I also sold the Migidoll body that was my original hybrid attempt for Mars (which ended up failing). I could've avoided this hybriding fail and losing some money if I hadn't impulse bought the Migidoll body during its discontinuation sale... so indeed, impulse buying came back to bite me!

There's a small silver lining to it, in that I received funds in USD from this sale. AUD->USD exchange rate is abysmal right now, so any USD I receive is like gold. I have a doll on layaway that I have to pay for in USD, so I'm going to use these funds to help cover the balance. Though I'd still be spending less money if I hadn't bought the Migidoll body in the first place. Ah well - lesson learned!

Apart from this, I'm still holding the course with resin no-buy. As I posted back on 28 Jan, I'm still at mental saturation and don't want any more incoming dolls. Counting the DFH body, I have 2.5 dolls on the way, and one more I'd already planned to buy when preorders open. I hope this feeling of "I'm done with buying resin", and having box openings to look forward to, will help me stay the course for the rest of the year.

I agree with this. Replace and focus definitely helps me a lot with staying on the wagon. If my eyeballs are looking at doll sewing, doll photography, art, and the dolls I have, they aren't window shopping for dolls I don't have. I also maintain a spending plan/list of things I have to get for my current crew, looking at it helps remind me of my long-term BJD spending goals. So when I'm in the heat of "SHINY NEW DOLL, I WANT YOU" ;-; *finger hovers the buy button* and can't think straight, I can focus on this plan and think, "OK, I'm not impulse buying Shiny New Doll because I actually want to buy X".

The spending plan has helped me a LOT to resist impulse buying, and to also plan my spending so I do it more purposefully and strategically - because I still am buying non-resin BJD stuff. So I try to spread these out and have something to look forward to in the mail every so often. This also helps curb my itch to buy resin!

That said, spending plan works for me because I'm a planner by nature, it helps me a lot with remembering what is important, so I can resist the impulse buys better. I'm curious to know: If you're a more spontaneous, less planning type... what helps you resist impulse buys and stay the course with resin no-buy?

 

If you're a more spontaneous, less planning type... what helps you resist impulse buys and stay the course with resin no-buy?

Although I’ve slipped twice this year already, in my defense it was for a couple of pre-existing characters I’ve had for years when the perfect shells just happened to recently become available close together. So while I’m less than thrilled with their timing, I’m certainly relieved that those characters are finally fully realized after so many years of searching. Now that all my characters are finally shelled, I’m really thinking this is going to make resisting buying more resin in the future all that much easier. I’ve always had the mindset of “no character, no doll” throughout my many years in this hobby, which has really cut down on impulse buys over the years. The thing that made it difficult was my darned overactive imagination for coming up with new characters! But I’ve noticed over the past couple of years that has finally stopped (thankfully) and because I’ve trained myself over the years to not buy anything without a preconceived character, I’m counting on this to keep my feet safely on the “no buy” path.

 

The tricky thing about this for me, I think, is that dolls are immediately real, and what I’m saving for isn’t.

my car fund came out of a savings account that was for a down payment on a home that is, at best estimate, 3-5 years off. Depending on what I manage to get beyond my current part time work after grad. So something that only feels real when I’m on the Michaels Halloween section and realizing I’m low on wall space but there’s so many Halloween things.

Even dolls from Dollshe are real faster than that (usually). So I’m trying to make my savings goals more salient, so that my brain can read this as “you need to move out” rather than just “don’t buy dolls.” It’s really funny—I have some basic cognitive behavioural training, and for some reason it didn’t click yet that “don’t buy dolls” breaks the corpse rule. Which, is a lot like the replacement behaviour stuff MaleficentMrsofEvil described up there—humans are bad at doing things that corpses are good at, and dead people aren’t known for buying dolls.

which brings us to the present, in which I am trying to create a salient reinforcer for saving money, and also reinforce behaviours that get in the way of Doll spending. The first part of that is a spreadsheet that turns green on its own when I manage to save enough money off each paycheque. Conditional highlighting so that it gives that spicy feeling of success.

Faceups aren’t a behaviour that I can replace doll-shopping with, since I can’t do faceups in bed before I get up, or while waiting for class, or on break at work. But that is where being more active on my doll discords, messaging friends, and reading fic on my phone is coming in. So I’m now beta-editing my friend’s fic, and trying to get back into my own writing. We’ll see if this helps, this time.

 

Put a photo of what you're saving for in the part of your wallet where you carry your money or payment card so every time you go to pay for something you have to look at your goal. Also have a couple of things you allow yourself to spend on no questions asked. This helped me figure out what I really wanted to spend on when I was saving for a doll and it carried on after.

Now to see if I can keep myself from buying a birthday doll, lol.

 

that’s another good point! My brain does funny things when told it can’t spend money—like trying to eat candy from the candy table at work instead of buying lunch, and then sad-buying a doll off manda from my desk that could have been prevented by $7 worth of chicken strips.

Since then, coffee and lunch are what I call “sacrificial spending” so that the adhd can be appeased, because spending several hundred dollars after saving $7 is not sustainable

 

H-hey!!!

 

Well I got lucky. The only doll on there right now that I immediately went 'ooooh' over was already sold out.

 

My name is Dolly Kim and for my birthday I bought an on sale but off topic doll to get free shipping. I have a different model of the same doll that I bought years ago when they were in stores and this was the second one I wanted but they were gone.

I was doing fine without it but when I saw the second doll again I thought it would make a good Ladybug Adrien to the one I already have which would make Marinette instead of buying two new dolls. All they need are costumes.

 

I ended up on mandarake—I was again, thinking about not using Mandarake, which lead me to mandarake. No money was spent (there) this time, but I did the whole load cart up for next time thing.

won’t say what I found, in case it tempts someone, but they had a doll that would solve my current body shortage for small gals, and another that would hopefully help me with another current body shortage for a specific character.

Today I’m working a 9 hour shift, and I’m buying work snacks (a ton of candy) as a sacrifice—I think it’s working, because I’ve been thinking about cheetos all morning

 

One thing that's been helping me to avoid the marketplace or other doll-related sites is...redirection, I guess it would be? If I feel the itch to browse, I look for something I actually need. Which is clothes for my 72cm boyo that aren't dressy or lingerie. You know, those that would actually fit his grungy style. Hard to find. I'm also trying to do secondhand stuff mostly, so marketplace here is a-okay as long as it's *just* the large doll clothes section.

I get the seratonins of searching for finds, but generally don't find anything worth pulling the trigger over so wallet is safe xD

 

I swear I’m throwing in the towel! I was trying to be so careful too. But Dream Valley just released limited 1/4 bunny girls, and I instantly succumbed to another layaway (she was just so my fairytale jam!) And this time even my #1 rule of “no character, no doll” failed me as well. Shapeshifters are a major part of my collection, and I even already have a special display space called Bunnyland…so I was helpless to resist! Sigh. That’s 3 dolls this year already, and it’s only February! I’m not doing very well with my “no buy” plans, folks.

 

I put a "XX days since a doll purchase accident" counter on my website. Hopefully it'll be a good reminder and I'll hold myself more accountable. (I still don't consider the last purchase an accident)

@PoeticSoul You filled your 3 a year in 2 months! I'll pray nothing else comes up for the rest of the year for you.

 

I returned the pattern book and spent the money on a design book. It's already giving me sewing ideas. Still not buying dolls, but I am considering adding to my doll food collection. Finding sweets is easy. Savory foods are much rarer.

 

I pre ordered an ot (Dividingline) rabbit girl myself, so I can’t say anything! It being year of the rabbit and I collect rabbits…

 

For all of y'all who are character and costume designing crazy should I remind you that paper dolls are still a thing? I even made my self a set where I took photos of my dolls, cut them out, and intended to draw clothes for them.

It would be a good way to try out a doll you see on the internet without having to buy it.

 

You’re exactly right! Since 2006 I’ve added 3 dolls per year to my collection…but before, I always managed to spread them out throughout the year. This year (in spite of being determined to not buy ANY) I somehow managed to get 3 pretty much on top of one another…yikes! Now I truly have to be good, especially for the rest of this year.

I’d forgotten all about it being the year of the rabbit! Okay, so I’ll just count this slip as destiny then, not be so hard on myself, and jump back on the “no buy” bandwagon. Thanks, I feel better now.

 

Where in the world would you keep that many on topics unless they're tiny? I can't even find space for my 3 SDs with everything else I have going on.

 

Well, some are tiny, the vast majority are MSD and about half a dozen are SD. And they are all on-topic (I don’t collect any other kind of doll, which probably helps.) And I readily admit that I have pretty much reached my limit, which is why I’m so determined to stop collecting new resin. But those last couple of characters lurking in the back of my brain just bit me in the a** (and that irresistible bunny girl too.) Fortunately I have room in my displays to fit these 3 new ones in once they arrive, but that’s it I swear! All my dolls are nicely displayed in artistic vignettes throughout my home, but I’ve really and truly reached my limit now.

It’s the same here. I used doll displays to decorate my small home, basically anywhere I found a bit of space that needed a little artistic flair. So instead of hanging up a painting or a poster, I’d put up a shelf instead and create a vignette for dolls that helps to explain their characters in a visual way. If you think about something like a Tim Burton’s “Alice” type fantasy world, that’s what it’s like…nothing is lined up on shelves, the dolls are just living comfortable lives within group settings anywhere I want to display them artistically.

And congrats on finding that body! I know how hard it is when you have something like that nagging at the back of your mind…so when the opportunity strikes, you have to take advantage of it. With that necessary item completed, it should be easier to restrict your purchases moving forward.

 

I do. They are a good chunk of why I wanted cabinets for storing my dolls. My cats can do a lot, but doors are still tricky for them.

 

It was two teenaged cats spending their last days on my bed, and an excuse to buy cute cat themed beed covers, or two fully furnished and Rement cat toys stocked 1/6 scale houses for awhile. I did right by the 20 pound tuxie and 7 pound creamsicle polydactyl, both of whom were on the Cheezburger front page several times in their lives. Now we're currently in +/- 600 feet, no critters, and most of my dolls are somewhere in storage tubs. I have the Volbitu's house out but coming on two years of Repressitall (from the makes of Ignoritall) hasn't left much energy for dolls.

I can say keep the shipper boxes and inside pillows and padding, my clan survived halfway across the country sliding around loose in the back of a moving van that way.

 

Our home is small (only about 720 square feet) but my husband and I make the most of every square inch, and we both love our eclectic bohemian decor. And yes, we have cats. They’re pretty good in general, and graceful for the most part. If they accidentally knock something over, we just pick it up. The doll displays are all in rooms that are completely carpeted, so there is no damage. We’ve learned to be pretty chill about such things.

No videos, but here are a few photos of what some of the displays look like. I just like putting together pieces that tell a story.

 

THIS little girl finally wore me down and I ordered her Lin Time Limited【Whispering Garden】1/6 YO-SD size baby 26cm girl doll bjd_1/6 size doll_Other BJD brands_Clover singing doll base That face!! I couldn't stand it! She'll be best friends with my Dust of Dolls girl too. I think they'll look great together.

I'm just waiting for the invoice and I can pay. I didn't the face-up but I really wanted to. Anyway, this is the first doll I've bought in a long time! I don't count my replacement DZ Mirai!

 

It seems we’ve all been sorely tested so early in this new year, and a lot of us have been “bit” by the resin bug with all the new releases that have been popping up. Heaven knows I’ve succumbed big time! But I’m determined to try harder not to buy anything for the rest of the year. I’m really hoping I’m finally done with my collection because I’m out of room.

 

I made a (very bad) faux fur wig and a pair of monpe and successfully got my mind off dolls I do not own. I designed an outfit for one of my boys that was completely within my patterning skills so hopefully that will keep me distracted for a while.

@MaleficentMrsofEvil You should really not do that.

 

I want to institute a hardline one doll in, two dolls out policy, but I haven't quite managed it yet. I am thinking of selling a few just to thin the herd... I just find myself remembering things about the dolls so they all have some sentimental attachment, but there are dolls that I haven't gotten out in ages.

 

Tiny BJDs really are my bane. Recently, I was very sorely tempted by the littlest, most exquisite 8.5cm (3.35 inch) tall BJD. A little human girl, which is better than a tiny pet. But I managed to step back from the brink. "Yes, tiny lil BJD girl may be only 100 bucks, but would you rather spend the money on a new doll and have more resin to worry about, or spoil your crew and incoming dolls, and get stuff that'll make them look awesome?" That logic works very well on me... So, no tiny tiny for me (sigh ), but I will put that 100 bucks toward a Taobao order that I'd planned to make anyway in March. (Yeah, I've been planning and budgeting my doll spending - it helps keep me out of trouble. >_>) Will spend money, but not on resin! My personal embargo on tiny BJDs is unbroken... so far!

I also paid the remainder of my layaway on Bimong's Narin 68cm, so I'm in the clear and owe no more money on dolls.

I've also been occupying myself with photography, sewing for my crew and incoming dolls, and just blogging about BJDs in general (there's lots for me to ramble about!). I'm going to make some outfit sets for my dolls as my next sewing projects, so that should keep me too busy to look at new resin.

 

Aside from finally getting a craft oven, last one broke, I also discovered I still had some push molds I thought had bit the dust. Nothing like trying to make new dolls than buying some. Or at least heads, I can make 1/6 scale off topic heads okay but still haven't made a doll yet despite having the Yoshida book since it came out :/

 

I'm using a dedicated craft oven, small but won't get too hot and there's no chance someone will accidentally put food in it. I do 1/6 scale dolls, think playline not Yo-SD, and other small odds and ends. Because of weight all my ball joint attempts are air dry clay of some sort.

I have the original Japanese Yoshida book. Having had many DIY ball jointed doll books pass thru my hands I can say any of them with photographs (aside from the skeleton cover one which is condensed) no matter the language will do. It's pretty obvious what most of the supplies are or you can get a local equivalent. The average person should be able to look at the step by step photos and figure out what's going on.

The main ingredients are some form of "styrofoam" to make the core and the string channels, a decent air dry clay (only use Prang Das to slum it otherwise Paperclay, LaDoll, or something quality like that) and patience to wait for things to dry properly. Experience in making pancakes will also help because @#$! will happen.

 

So after saying no more new dolls until I finish the ones I have, I ended up being able to buy one of my last grails second hand xD
I also have a boy who needs finishing up here so I am planning to see if a body I have in storage will work for him, this weekend hopefully :’)

I am trying to muster up the energy to do a bit more sewing I just keep feeling so sleepy atm… >_<

 

I quit, the mini Daft Punk helmets I ordered are too big for the jewelry purpose I wanted them for so now I have to buy 1/12 scale off topic bodies for them.

*Edit- I should have pointed out I want something like those 1/12 scale jointed action figures, derp

 

So far I’ve been good, well…except for the recent Pokémon figures that I collect. So many new releases that are must haves this year! I’m hoping the rest of the year calms down, seriously!

 

Just spent... more than a doll's worth on shoes and wigs for my almost all my dolls. I am cursing myself for buying so many dolls. Why didn't I just stick with a couple dolls in a single size?! It's so painful but pretty much all of them could all go on a non-bald walk together now.

 

Yeah…but it’s Pokemon! (My favorite game in the universe.) And it’s not a doll after all, that’s a plus.

Hey, curating your collection is important in this hobby. So you invested in your current collection instead of impulse buying a new doll which sounds like a win to me.

 

@PoeticSoul it's definitely a win! I did not buy another doll at all. In fact, this order makes me want to take my wishlist, crumple it up, and throw it in my neighbor's yard. I'm frustrated with myself for getting into the situation where my dolls are forced to wear a non fitting scrap of faux fur as a wig and peeling shoes that are falling apart. All the shoes I bought were leather so replacing them shouldn't be an issue in 10 years.

I am proud of myself for investing in my current dolls than NEW DOLL. I haven't been able to pull that off before.

 

I'd consider swapping my Volks MDD for a Unoa or some other mini size. I lucked out getting the MDD at a junk store but we've never quite clicked.

I never fully got the not bonding thing because I carefully chose all my customs, except for the contest prize twins, but I wasn't going to pass up an on topic.

 

I was browsing the Marketplace for dolls, as it's fun even if I don't want to buy. Then I saw a doll that gave me a sharp tug. Argh, it's crowded in my home as it is.

 

Ah yes… that pesky marketplace. It is fun but oh so dangerous too. I got snagged there last month when I suddenly spotted the perfect shell for a character I’d long given up on ever being able to find (with another of my poor dolls having to do double character duties for years instead.) But I just sucked it up and brought her home in spite of my “no buy” plans, figuring she was a special case. But I’ve been good ever since, and I’m focused on making her a warrior goddess outfit right now which keeps me in my happy dolly place.

 

Not stupid, just experiencing. Our monkey brains often learn by experiencing something for ourselves, by literally getting our hands on it and trying it out.

Thinking you're stupid is a learned behavior and you start to unlearn it by turning it back on your teacher(s). Each day you find something no matter how small that you can uplift yourself about and you begin to feel better. Trust me, I've managed to undue a lot of external influence telling me awful things.

Look at that list from the POV of the people you made happy by connecting them to a doll they enjoy.

 

@MaleficentMrsofEvil I think you are actually brave trying out those hybrids! You were on a search and willing to experiment. Fail or succeed? You have to be brave to find out! I admire your determination and am impressed with your openness. This thread is so awesome! Thank you very much for starting it!

 

@MaleficentMrsofEvil I agree with kurogane and applaud your bravery and determination in experimenting to find the ideal hybrid. Isn’t this kind of thing exactly what makes our hobby so great in the first place? It’s just another form of creativity. I’m always hugely impressed with people who are into that, and you do see a lot of it here on DoA. I’m a big chicken when it comes to this sort of thing, so I deeply admire those who can pull it off. I’ve been around here since dirt, with 50+ dolls, and I’ve only been brave enough to try it twice myself (and that was only by necessity when faced with the perfect irresistible heads for my characters coming up on the secondary market.) But it brought me no end of angst until I found them their perfect bodies, let me tell you! I hate it so much, that when I surprisingly found 2 SD event heads in the box with my big Luts order, I said “Oh no you don’t!” And I simply made wooden stands for them and turned them into hat models!

 

Me, after every doll purchase: ok but NOW I'm not buying any more.

But I mean it this time. I have more than enough dolls to play with. So unless I sell some (unlikely, I like unpopular dolls apparently+I do love all my dolls actually except for one head that's getting replaced through my newest order) I cannot get more.

At least we're getting to nicer weather, so I should be less depressed and less tempted to buy things for easy serotonin... Hopefully