The ^ < v Game! - Part 6

^ Mostly real life world with minor changes / alternate reality based on this world. Some are fantasy based - the Hobbits are from Tolkien's Middle-Earth, the Elves have their own world / story.

< @Eleinia I know, right? A friend of mine lives in a tiny house and I can't help but marvel at how she does it ...

v If we were to get transferred into your dolls' world, what are the top three things we'd need to know?

 

^ hmm.. Probably that elves, fairies, and vampires exist. The world is very safe and very homey. And lastly, that cars don't really exist.

< too many stories to write!

v passing it on! If we were to get transferred into your dolls' world, what are the top three things we'd need to know?

 

^ Going off my OCs: There is a semi-elemental magic system that operates in their world. Everyone has elf ears---but there are no elves, they're just a natural physical feature. Their world also has a steampunk/fantasy setting, so no modern amenities (sorry, no computers and TV).

<Speaking of stories, I've got a fanfic I've been dying to get back to, and, now that I've graduated and got my degree, I can spend some time developing my own original story as well for my OCs....

V Do you have an original story/setting created for your bjds? Do they come from an existing one (TV/animation/video game/movie/etc.)? Or do you just create something for them as you develop them?

 

^ One of mine is a main character in a novel I have in my mind so hers is quite fleshed out. The others have much less developed stories. But all are from my own mind.

< sigh - elections

v Do you create dioramas for your dolls and if yes, how extensive are they?

 

^ Yes, I create dioramas. They are very prop laden. I have a bedroom, livingroom, dining room, the Pointless Pub, the Pub office, a relaxing den. I also have a vampire den, a steampunk steamroom (engine room for a flying ship) I small wooded area for my very small tinys. An apothecary for my tiny girl and living area for my 1/6th guys.
< Hot rainy day, ugh already?
v If you wanted a diorama for your characters what would it be?

 

^ If I could have anything at all? A theatre stage complete with orchestra pit. But as that's not likely to be feasible ... a bunch of rooms would be a good start, a living room and a kitchen and a couple bedrooms, and a Hobbit hole, for starters. (In fact, if I'm very very lucky, that might indeed happen.)

< keep calm and paint furniture. Honestly, one more load of sh*t to hit the fan and I can't be held responsible for my actions.

v Your favourite doll's character loses their temper. What's the worst that could happen?

 

^ A stuffed toy giraffe could get thrown across the room :P Possibly some foot stamping.

< Can laundry just do itself please?

v How often do you interact with your dolls? (eg they're with you constantly, special doll day once a month...)

 

^ I try to keep my doll Instagram pretty active, so every week or two I take out a doll for photos.

< Got a looong overdue haircut today. I feel so light!

v If you could only keep one of your doll props, which one would you hold onto?

 

^ probably my pink mini laptop for feather, it's so her and I love the scale.

< feeling sick and exhausted

v what do your dolly characters do when they're overworked?

 

^ Blue would just cry and give up, she cries at anything xD Peter would shut himself off from the world and take a long, long nap. Perrin and Molly would just keep on working even when they're exhausted. Molly might complain about it but Perrin would always stay positive.

< Made a new sweater for Perrin but I don't want to take pictures of her wearing it yet because it's not her turn xD

v Do you try to spread your attention equally between your dolls and rotate who you take pictures of?

 

^ Actually, I don't take photos of my dolls for past few years. I am just enjoying their company. But when I was taking photos, I mostly had some group ones, since my complete dolls at that time were from the same universe - couple with a cat.

< I should create some games for bjd meetup on a convention... And I have no ideas... Can you hit me some things for me to use there?

v Are you attending some meetups? And how much dolls are you taking with you there?

 

^ I always bring all of them. Not the best idea, but I don't get out much, so eh. I recently went to a convention, but I am not near any groups I know of right now.

> Can't wait to get out of this car, for multiple reasons.

v Your doll has some unexpected time off. What do they do with it?

 

^ Many of them like doing things outdoors when they can.

^ Missed a page answer: My dolls' world is based on the modern world, but with magic, fairies, and elves. Their story is set somewhere in upstate New York, but with a health care system like England has. One of my dolls is a doctor in a hospital and an elf.

< I should keep writing my stories about them...

V Do you write stories about your dolls' characters?

 

^ I have tried writing about my dolls but as a professional author I find it difficult to mix those two world's. I may write more for them someday, but as it stands, not at the moment.

< feeling kinda sick today

v do any of your dolls have a special talent or hobby?

 

^ Dowen (IH Edan) likes to garden! And Leila (Oasisdoll Natalie) loves reading and baking.

< I've been stalking this eye-maker who keeps saying they're going to open up orders. Pleeeease I want to buy your eyes!

v Does one of your dolls get all the attention, or do you try to spread it around?

 

^ I only have two with me at the moment so the attention is pretty shared. Although perhaps the yosd gets more just simply because she can fit on my desk.

< Wish I could just stay home today and work on clothes for my dolls.

v Have you ever bought a doll in order to save them from whatever situation they were in?

 

^ Yes I bought an in stock doll who had been for sale for years. When I got him home his white skin was very yellow from being stuck in his box over 2 years.

<I need to sew but I have to clean up the area first, sigh.

v Do you have a nice neat crafting area or a messy one?

 

^ Ahahahaaaaa... My entire living space is a horrendous mess right now. Don't look at me.

< Stop. Raining. Please. I miss the sun. Where is the sun? Is it even still up there?

v Which parts of doll customizing do you like to do yourself? Which do you outsource?

 

^ Lol, I guess styling? I do a limited amount of sewing and I practice face-ups, but for my main dolls, everything tends to be outsourced because I'm pretty picky and my skills aren't up to par. I'm going to try my hand at a yarn wig for one of my boys, though. I am very hands on with maintenance, though, and actually enjoy restringing/sueding a lot!

< I want my clothes from Taobao to be heeeere.

v Are you afraid of restringing? Why or why not?

 

^ I'm ok with standard MSD & SD restringing, but I have a few guys I'm nervous about trying: my Cuarto Hecate (a quadruped wolf), my Rosenlied Pudding (a...1/8th, I think? tiny), & my off topic Walloya Morring skeleton (partially strung).

< Friday of a three day weekend! The best kind of Friday!!

v What do each of your doll's characters look forward to the most?

 

^ probably holidays, Feather looooves to go all out on every single holiday and her friends always get involved. And she loves buying new clothes, but who doesn't? Lol

< thunderstorming here_ its loud and pretty but I'm nervous for my power.

v do your dolls get scared of thunderstorms? Or do they like them?

 

^ Hmm....depends on the character from my bjd crew. Tahmos isn't fond of storms, whereas Zelle kind of relishes them. With Mako...since he can lightning bend, I would expect he'd be fascinated with the lightning aspect, but maybe turned off a bit by a watery downpour storm byproduct. Korra would probably have some ability to control the storms, and Tahno would probably not want to get shocked (although he'd probably enjoy a good downpour---as long as it isn't too cold).

< I have a lot of elementals in my crew, heh, and this is just the tip of the iceberg....

V Have you ever had a character that you went through countless shells before you found the right one, and/or one that fit the first time round? What made the experience the most frustrating/exciting?

 

^ Carlisle was a Minifee Karsh before he was a Resinsoul Ming, and Parry was a Pullip once upon a time!! She's also changed hair style and colour, eye colour, skin tone... she's a little bit of that riddle, 'if you replace one piece of a boat at a time, is it the same boat you started with?' Donny, however; from the moment I saw him on the marketplace, I knew he was perfect. If I ever try to change anything about him I want someone on here to track me down and slap me.

< I've been trying out crochet again, but I'm not delicate enough for tiny-scale projects. So much respect to people who can do it!

v What's something about your doll(s) that you've not had a chance to tell anyone about yet? Something in their backstory, how you got them, something you're excited for?

 

^ Ooh good question! I haven't been able to gush about my doll on layaway yet. She's going to be the personification of the Hawaiian goddess of the sea. I'm so hype to have her.
> Moving is stressful. I've been coping by trying to get to 40 posts for Marketplace access.
v What is your favorite size doll, whether or not you own one yet?

 

^ I'm really liking SD dolls at the moment. The larger size, in my opinion, provides more space for the anatomical detail that I love seeing in larger bodies. The curves and muscles are easier to appreciate on a larger scale, you know? Its also far easier crafting for them as you don't have to worry as much about tiny seam allowances and stitches.

< I think this is my first ^<v game post in more than a year and a half. It's good to be back, but I know I'm going to spend far too much time here instead of on schoolwork.

v If you could turn any person, real or fictional, into a doll, who would it be and why?

 

^ Lucille Sharpe, from crimson peak, complete with her entire wardrobe (if any of you look up her red dress, it's spectacular!) I've wanted to shell her for a long time, but then I'd have to commission all of her outfits, and she only has three costumes in the movie, but they're so detailed and I'd want them pretty close, and they'd be so expensive. (So worth it though, for the degree of skill/work that would have to be put into them!)

< I just really want a Lucille now...

V If you could have any doll, in any resin colour (even ones it isn't offered in), which doll would you want?

 

^ MDR Fang, the redesign, in caramel. Impossible, since caramel is discontinued and the redesign isn't even out yet. And she's so expensive. But so gorgeous...

> Sweet internet! Today gave me a headache, but at least it's ending well.

v Have any hobby regrets?

 

^I never got it together for a Dollflower order, and now the wait time is up to 3+ years. D:

<I got a raise!!

v Same question! Do you have any hobby regrets?

 

^ not so far!

< My dolls need some proper clothing. And shoes...

v what kind of clothing do you like most for your dolls? modern? historical? fantasy?

 

^ Most of my dolls have modern clothing, although with particular styles eg mori girl or pastel kei. Their styles tie into their personalities and background stories. One not home yet will have a subtle steampunk/mock victorian era style.

< I wish I could learn things faster.

v Are all of your dolls whole and complete? What are you waiting on/planning on, if not?

 

^ Feather is complete, and I'm very happy with her. Fluke has been a WIP for years, do to life and money, but I hope to get him completed in the next few years! He needs literally everything!

< feeling so sad about my grandpa, losing family is so hard.

v do your dolls help you when you're feeling down or sad?

 

^ I'm sorry about your grandpa, that is a hard time to go through. My dolls do help when I'm feeling down. Sometimes even just sitting in the company of them or holding them is helpful.

< It's such a beautiful day. We should go out.

v If you could attend any doll related event anywhere in the world, where would you go?

 

^ Dollism Plus in Hong Kong!

< Ugh, I need to quit being so lazy and start taking more photos...

v If your dolls could talk, what would they say about their treatment - would they praise you or grumble in disgust - and why?

 

^I keep them enclosed in a dark cabinet which is, like, poor claustrophobic Ilari's main fear so I'm pretty sure both of him would be traumatized and everybody else, being iterations of his friends/family, would be mad at me.

< Monday...

v Monday! Tell me about one of your doll's character's jobs?

 

^ well, one of my boys is a thief who lives from the hand in the mouth. He would love to find some honest work, but so far he's focused on surviving

< I'm glad today is a holiday

v passing the question on!

 

^ Vidania was a healer, then spent seven years of her life just out on a quest for revenge, and basically lived off the money/resources she stole form her victims. Currently, she's an adventurer and the healer of a party, who do odd-jobs and fight crime for cash, sometimes, but mostly are being supported by a hotel whose original owner was killed by a harbinger of the apocalypse they're fighting. Her (future) wife is a mercenary, and eventually, she'll join her in that. Her guild is surprisingly moral for killers for hire. Vidania is surprisingly amoral for a cleric.

<she's my D&D character in a campaign that's still going on. She's like Neutral Evil...

V What would your doll do in an emergency situation?

 

^ probably panic and call everybody she knows until the emergency was fixed. Feather's very childish and wouldn't do well under pressure.

< missing my dolls, can't wait to move house.

v what's your characters harry potter houses?

 

^ alright: lets take the hot mess d&d people
-Acyra is griffindor. She’s brave, albeit impulsive, and lowkey the jock of the group. Thrives off of adrenaline, sword fights, angering her (cult leader) brother, and her stealthy stealthy girlfriend. As a paladin, she’s on the frontlines. Neutral good-true neutral.
-Vidania is slytherin, But has a hidden hufflepuff side. She’s crafty. She’s morally a little compromised. She’ll do whatever it takes. But she’s also a healer. She wanted to save lives, and then this happened. She’s damn loyal when she does find it in herself to care. She’s a cleric, and blows half her spell slots on offensive spells (read: inflict wounds/sectumsepra) and half on healing. Neutral evil-true neutral.
-Zilvriia is hufflepuff. Upbeat, ray of sunshine personality. Would die for her friends. Learned to heal people so she didn’t have to lose them anymore. 10/10 good girl. She is a bard, and definitely talks to her flute. Chaotic good.
-Tiavin is possibly ravenclaw. She craves knowledge. She wants to understand, and know things, but doesn’t believe the truth is bound in paper, and adventures to learn, and get stronger and save her island. She’s also a cleric, but she’s a tempest cleric, so she can lash out with the best of them, when she wants to. True to chaotic neutral.
-Veris is the sketchier slytherin. Vidania learns to heal. Veris is a necromancer trying to become a lich (which is analogous to making a horcrux) Veris doesn’t think death applies to her anymore and will strive to get away from it. She’s almost singleminded about it. Class wise, she’s mostly a death cleric, with 3 levels in antipaladin, so she can hit. Lawful Evil.
-Erjon is either griffindor or hufflepuff. He’s equal parts John Mulaney talking about how much he loves his wife, and learning to use his bow to protect tomatoes from ghouls, and the guy who will put himself on the line to save you. His loyalty and bravery are inextricable from each other. He’s a fighter. He puts himself in the line of fire so you don’t have to. Chaotic Good.
-Moriah was hufflepuff, when she would have been hogwarts age. She used to be the kind of girl who sacrificed herself to the vampire despot Strahd to save someone she didn’t know, and her brother, Nox. That was her. Now she’s still trying to portect Nox and his wife, and their kid. She’s just doing it by trying to destroy the demiplane she’s on and everyone who inhabits it. 300 years of being personal property of Strahd makes you a little... different afterwards. She was a cleric of the life god. Now she’s a vampire with a penchant for fire. Started off pretty Lawful good. Ended up like neutral evil, maybe true neutral.
-Nox is griffindor. Nox was the Paladin to Moriah’s cleric, and used to be the one to pick fights, when fights were had. He has a strong sense of justice and won’t back down when he knows something is wrong. Neutral to chaotic good.
-Rue, his wife, is a ravenclaw. Rue wants to relearn the world she was held apart from. She wants to live. She wants to understand herself and her world, and not be surprised anymore. She’s a druid, and her ties to nature help to calm her when inside her head isn’t a safe place to be. Lawful good.

<I’m realizing how many female characters I’m always making. There are more guys in CoS but a lot of them are what I call the Strahd Squad, and there might be a lot of repeats in that for alignment.

V what spell (from Harry Potter, d&d, or wherever) does your doll use the most?

 

^ None of my dolls can do real magic (a system is in place in the original story they're from!) but I guess the most used ability is Ilari's passive cloaking which keeps people from noticing he's a dead guy walking around (vampire). I like to think of it as an SEP field, like in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker series.

“The Somebody Else's Problem field is much simpler and more effective, and what's more can be run for over a hundred years on a single torch battery. This is because it relies on people's natural disposition not to see anything they don't want to, weren't expecting, or can't explain.”

<It's Friday! Woo!!

v What magical abilities do some of your dolls' characters have?

 

^ The Elves have their own brand of almost-telepathy. I am planning some Potterverse characters too so they'll have actual magic, but so far we're pretty muggle-ish round here.

< "definitely talks to her flute" - that may or may not describe me ...

v Which instrument would / does your doll's character play?

 

^ Zilvriia has been playing her flute for like a century, because elves can just do that. She tries, at one point to teach Acyra. It goes... not that disastrously? She sure can play b flat. And c. And d is questionable but she did it?

< @Jany same though! I made Zilvriia play the flute because I used to in band and I still play for fun, so when I play her I actually bring my flute to d&d.

V passing this down. Which instrument would/ does your doll’s character play?

 

^ Mara's a flutist (has been one for longer than I have though, the character predates any career plans of mine). Katie is a violin student at the conservatory. Lee plays the viola. Eric is a pianist, Timmy plays the piano for fun. Sven plays the guitar. Then we have the resident band, containing Jamie (lead singer), Jaz (keyboard), Matteo (guitar) and Scott (drums). The elves will get a harp some day, but I'm not 100% sure which of them will get to play it - knowing them, they'll just take turns anyway. And there's a fair bunch of singers, too.

< lol @Chameleon ! Not that disastrously is a pretty darn good start ...and bringing instruments to D&D sessions sounds way fun.

v If your dolls could live anywhere they wanted (in their world or another), what kind of place would they pick?

 

^ John is pretty happy in NY, but I'm sure he'd love to live in an actual apartment instead of the abandoned building he does live in...

> I can't believe I ordered a Dollshe doll again D:

V Did you have a certain number of dolls in mind when you started collecting? Has the number changed at all, or are you still working your way towards the original goal?

 

^ My very first dream was having all the dolls, but after awhile I settled on 4-5 at most. I don't think I want a huge collection, I like having a few special lil ones and that's good enough for me.

< Feeling anxious *weeps*

v do your dolls like the rain? Or are they more sunshine fans?

 

^ Moriah can only go out when the sun is obscured, or during the night. She would die in... I think it’s 120 seconds of sunlight exposure. Being a vampire is like that. So she likes rain. It means she can go out during the day.

<no new dolls, I said. It’ll be easy, I said. Also @Jany if you want to picture this mayhem better, Zilvriia is like 5’1 and a tiny little elf, and Acyra, who she was teaching, is 7’ tall, dark burgundy red with crystal horns, and is the daughter of a lord of Hell.

V if you could have any doll you want, right now, which doll would you choose?

 

^ Hm. Probably DC's gray skinned Pluto fullset, because I'm still a little bummed at missing out on her, and she was so limited that I doubt she'll show up on the secondhand market.

< Needed a bjd axolotl SO badly for years, so yay at finally being able to order her! But now thinking about throwing a second one in a different color into the order, so boo at the utter lack of self-control. Snap out of it! *Smacks self*

v Have you ever successfully made yourself truly love a doll that you weren't happy with when it arrived by changing the faceup or wig and eyes or whatnot?

 

^ Yes, Violet my Dollzone Nemo. I bought her second hand through an experience which wasn't fantastic and when she arrived my reaction to her was coloured by that. But as soon as I took the dirty clothes and wig she came in off her I started to feel better about her. When I put new clothes on her I felt even better and when I found a prop stuffie for her something clicked into place and I loved her. She's currently getting a new faceup and I'm sure I'll just keep enjoying her from here on out.

< I want a holiday, but I also need money. Life is hard :/

v What would you rather have: more clothes or more props for your dolls?

 

^ Props! Props all the way.

< And soon there'll be a place to put all of them, too!

v On the subject of holidays ... where would your dolls want to go spend theirs?

 

^ Definitely Hawaii, we all love Hawaii in this house!

< feeling like I need to rewrite this section of my book, but how to go about it? Sighs

v your ultimate dolly outfit, what is it and do you own it?

 

^ oh gosh the Soom Grit outfit, i have part of it but not the whole.

< What is it about family members that think doing reckless expensive stuff is a perfectly viable hobby but customization of dolls isn't? Getting tired of planning a weekend with my dolls and my famile deciding that I should spend my time doing something else... I'm 30 fer crying out loud.
V how long have you been in the hobby and how long do you plan to stay in it?

 

^ Going on seven years now I think ... planning to stay indefinitely. I go through phases of inactivity, but I don't think I'll ever fully lose interest, there are too many aspects of this hobby.

< How can I be getting a cold? It's summer, for crying out loud ...

v Similar question ... when you got into the hobby, what were your expectations? And what did it really turn out to be like for you?

 

^ I expected to be in a fun community with like minded people and a love for art and dolls and photography. It was just like I hoped, and I plan to never leave the hobby, even tho I've had inactivity.

< Almost finished writing my book! The end is near!

v do you have anything about the hobby that has been a good surprise?

 

^ the friends ive made that have endured through the years. It surprised me how social i actually am in the right conditions.

< Nnnngh work.... i just need a nap...

V how goes the hunt for your grail doll?

 

^ I actually got one of my grail dolls recently, an Elfdoll Rainy Soah. A friend's mum found her second hand and bought her for me. I just recently finished paying her back. I love her.


< I want to buy a wig from Luts but do I want to spend $25 for shipping just for a wig...

v Have you ever wanted/needed something for a doll and had to decide whether it was worth shipping costs?

 

^ Oh my yes. I sell bjd items at conventions sometimes and ive found items where they're sold for like $2 but with $5 shipping per item, regardless of how many you're getting, and it can easily take a $25 order near $100 just for the shipping... i try to be very careful with those.

< i just realized ive been at this job almost as long as ive been in this hobby. And yet it feels like i just started my collection!

V is there any doll you just really want to see in person? Like you don't want to necessarily own it, you just want to be able to see and hold and pose it (before lovingly giving them back). (Mine is the spidertaur girl from Doll Chateau)

 

^ Yes, the doll I would love to see is an Iplehouse Benny Special Edition

< Being a lone soldier in my own department at work ain't easy, but all I can do is put one foot in front of the other and keep walking even if I don't know where I'm going.

V What would be the ideal location for you to take pictures of your resin/ vinyl child(ren)? I've traveled from the Hawaiian Islands to the US Capitol. Where would you LIKE to go with your dolls?

 

^ I would like to take them to a little bookstore and take pictures of them there! That would be cool.

< I'm starting to feel the strain of having kids come visit for days on end and refuse to sleep at night and keep everyone else up... there's a reason i don't have actual kids... the resin ones are troublesome enough.

V (posted too soon) do you normally do storylines when you take pictures or do you just do whatever looks good at the time?

 

^ I go for a theme usually, something so I don't only do portrait shots. I tend to do similar pictures if I'm not careful.

< finished my book! So happy to have written book 3!

v who is your most fussy doll when it comes to dressing? Who causes you anguish trying to style them?

 

^ My most fussy doll is Eozahl, Ringdoll Illya, he has a definite style, preferably sexy, which is making his crazy that I put him in a full Victorian suit.
My hardest to style is Kise, he has his purple haori and textured pants he wears all the time because I haven't' found anything else that fits an off duty fortuneteller aesthetic.

< My bookstore friend is sick but I want her to get well soon so I can go for a visit.

v Do you have a doll that refuses to wear shoes, even after you managed to by some that actually fit?

 

^ Yeah Emie doesn't do shoes. She's not a fan of clothes in general, but those really bother her since she spent most of her life as a feral werewolf living in the woods and just wearing her own fur.

< Gotta decide on whether to go grocery shopping or to the laundromat after work. Yay adulting...

v Do you have more mundane human characters or fantasy style creatures?