The ^ < v Game! - Part 7

^ This frustration is something that I am fairly immune to with the way I collect. A large portion of my collection is second-hand, I am rarely (if ever) tempted by limited edition/release dolls, and most of the companies that I really like don't put out new dolls very often. I am often more frustrated with discontinuation schedules - I am still a little bitter about the discontinued Ring Doll Wagashi style C...

< I think I may have to call the postal service on Monday as it is too late today. I worry that my new body might have gone missing; it was supposed to arrive today (it hasn't) and the tracking hasn't moved an inch.

v What is the next really big doll-related project you want to undertake? Learning a new skill? Creating a comprehensive log of your collection? Making sure every doll has shoes that fit?

 

^ Depends on the time of year when we finally get around to moving into a house again, but it's either getting everyone's faceup done (weather permitting) or making yukata en masse for my vinyl dolls (weather not permitting). Winter waits for no one around here!

< I wish the tracking for Aiyu's eyes would move already. I'm antsy to get my current collection completed so I can move on to new projects, and having Aiyu's new eyes in would bring the "totally complete" tally up to 2!

v What is the strangest source of dolly inspiration for you? Was it a book? A video game from your childhood? An ultra-niche fanfiction?

 

^ i think the oddest inspiration for a doll character (more like entire story) came from my nieces random thought. we were watching a cartoon together and all of a sudden she turns to me and says "i wish i could be a fairy princess so i could see the world again" (after asking for her to explain better what she ment was so she could experience things for the first time again so she could feel the excitement of things like it was the first time again)

< literally wild that from that one comment i came up with a whole entire world and story about a rebellious Clutzy fairy discovering the wonders of the human world.

V how elaborate or detailed do you get with your character worlds, stories?

 

^ I have developed a habit of changing my mind about how I want my dolls to look and feel at random So I will come up with a little backstory that inspires me and then end up switching it to something else entirely, I don't spend a lot of time fleshing them out or getting attached to the details.

< I want to be a fairy princess too omg Also I finally decided all the details of my next doll buy so let's not get distracted with play money please dolly godmother

V Do you have a favorite or least favorite set of doll's hands? Why do you like or dislike them?

 

^ ohhh boy I'm currently obsessing over a hand problem, what a great time to ask this Most favourite - unoa pointing and default hand sets, souldoll soulkid open hands; least favourite - the left curled soulkid hand that is somehow super undersculpted compared to it's counterpart? It's so weird imo! Why did they do this!?

< Looking for a pair of hands to match the rate of yellowing in the resin is a....... task

v does any of your dolls have a nice perk that has made you reassess all other dolls you have?

 

^not sure it counts as a "perk", but size! I was adamant I'll only have one 1/4 size doll and for others to be 1/6 or smaller, but I got my first bigger (1/5, 37cm) doll and I'm very reluctant to go backIt's so much easier to take nice photos and make clothes for him! I'm already rethinking my "only one big doll" rule...

< his detachable hands aren't for me though- yes he's easy to dress, but they don't have the movement range I'd like!

v what is your favourite doll accessory to make yourself? Either for dolls or about dolls!

 

^ lately I have been crocheting dolly sweaters probably the item I've made most is clip on bows!

< Cobalt's wig is almost here I waited so long for it, I really hope it looks alright

v what's your latest doll disaster, and how did you fix it, or are you still figuring it out?

 

^ Asa's faceplate I've painted 273832 times, because it's never right, fell onto the floor right after I'd sealed the last layer. It obviously picked up ALL of the dust and unfortunately it's the faceup I was actually happy with

< but it's okay, the dust barely shows up on photos I guess?

v Would you keep a doll that looks great on photos every time but doesn't shine like that in real life at all? Has this happened to you before?

 

I keep all my dolls, so, I would. I think I've had just the opposite problem though. I have a doll that looks very adorable in real life. My doll Harlan, he is a Ringdoll Diyue. He's very cute, I swear, but that boy cannot take a good picture to save his life! I have changed, fixed, restyled his wig, I have taken his picture at a lot of different angles, and nope not a single picture of him is great. He looks very good in real life though!

< My doll sized tarot cards arrived today. Let the fortune telling begin!

v Do you currently collect the size of doll that you started with, or did you switch as to what you collect, and now prefer a different size?

 

^ My first doll was 1/3 scale. I now have everything from 12 cm to 75 cm. The big dolls still hold a special place in my heart though and I am definitely done with teeny tinies; they are much too small for me.

< The doll body has arrived safely! The tracking suddenly started moving and she was on my doorstep this morning.

v Do you have a particular prop or accessory that you just can't be without? Do you have/collect multiples of this prop or is there only one?

 

^ Oh man... hands down, it's feathered wings. I like them made of craft foam or resin; not too keen on fluffy ones made from actual feathers (real or fake). It's been my dream since I was a BJD newbie to put wings on my dolls -- on their heads, on their backs. Craft foam and resin wings were pretty hard to find when I was a newbie (and at 1/3 scale), but now, they're a lot more prevalent thanks to Chinese hobbyists making props for their 1/3 and 75cm dolls.

Let's just say I went kinda crazy in the last 2 years and was snapping up wings whenever I found them secondhand or available for order on Taobao. Pretty sure I now have enough to cover my angel crew, one day I will deck everyone out in their head- and back-wings and take a group pic. I think feathered wing props are the only BJD item that I'll never have enough of and will happily impulse-buy without a second thought.


< Approaching the winter solstice (how is it the middle of the year already!?!??)... I like taking doll pics in natural light, but there's not a lot of time nowadays to do it after work, alas. Gonna have to wait until the weekend and bang out a stack of photoshoots all at once.


v Which of your dolls has been "incomplete" the longest? What do you still need to do for them to be "complete"? Define incomplete and complete however you want.

 

^ I would say seil has been incomplete the longest mostly because of his clothing style, i with my limited sewing skills can't really make elaborate pieces. I also always end up using the money i could use to commission his wardrobe on something else.

<i swear i have been sick on and off again with the same cough for the last month man, it's getting ridiculous.

v have you ever regreted a doll purchase?

 

^ There are a couple of bodies I've bought and regretted and sold after, but if I hadn't handled them, I would have perhaps not known so well what my actual preferences are so I'm fine with the overall outcome. Some disappointment or regret is sadly what we sign up for by buying things that take a long time and that we can't see in person first.

< It's getting a bit sad looking at my shoeless doll - I hope the holiday backlog in post will not hold them back much longer. Always so annoying that things don't arrive immediately

v Is there a doll related craft or mod you know would be *so* easy but you also know you'll never bring yourself to do it?

 

^ A crochet blanket and/or sweater for my dolls. I'm decently proficient at crochet now, so it wouldn't be too troublesome to crank out my own BJD crochet goodies in my down time. However, I like working fairly exclusively with worsted weight yarn, which is entirely too big even with a small hook, and I have zero need to start another yarn stash just for my dolls.

< Bought Ingrid new eyes this evening so, outside of some general quality-of-life projects with her body, she's basically complete! Now if only I could find a pair of proper cowboy boots, preferably in real leather, for Marcie...

v What has been the most challenging accessory/prop to find/make for your dolls? Why?

 

^ Destiny's ears XC she is a fox but her ears are a bit weird first they are on the side of her head going outward and they don't necessary look like fox ears. Hard to discribe but a little like long chobits ears with out the bottom part and fury.

< I need a job because i need money for a new doll

V what foreign song describes your dolls personality the best?

 

^ I just watched this show about auditions for the J-Pop boys band Timelesz. There was one part in the show where the candidates were all singing the song 'Run' It meant a lot to the original band members and the candidates all started to cry because of the emotions in the song. I have a boys band 'Faded Flowers' in my story, and seeing the young men in tears because of the song and wanted the band to succeed and be able to be a part of it, reminds me of my own BJD band boys and where I they want to be in their future.

< Still asking myself why I impulse bought a doll today.

v What is your dolls favorite way to relax and let go of their stress?

 

^ In the story the crew are stuck inside a safe house - think 'pandemic lockdown' levels of stuck indoors. So getting outdoors is the #1 stress relief for pretty much everyone, except maybe Syr and Gael. But they all need a way to stay relaxed when indoors.

Spoiler: more character rambling

Syr makes tea and drinks it. She'll go stand outside and look at nature.

Justinian, Vallant and Finch are either lying around the house doing nothing, or running around outdoors. Justinian and Vallant are always together play-fighting or climbing trees and rocks; in modern AU they'd be the two guys who are constantly on the sports oval kicking a soccer ball around. Finch explores by himself, but will occasionally crash J & V's party.

Oshidori does crafts (like origami, flower arrangement, collage) with her hands, and she often goes outdoors to walk. She needs a chaperone so she usually goes with Vallant, or tags along with him and Justinian.

Gael does calligraphy, and later, learns how to play an instrument.

Finch plays an instrument too. He and Gael jam together a lot. I think their music-making is the main stress relief for everyone when they're stuck indoors.

Hayk would be outdoors more, but he's chronically ill so mostly house-bound. Usually he hangs out with Syr and they play go and chess (it's de-stress for him; not sure about her). But when he's feeling well, he'll go outdoors for a walk. He needs a chaperone so either Justinian or Gael will join him, depending on where he wants to go.

Haven't figured out what Zhara does to relax. I'm not sure if she's able to relax. I think she goes exploring around the house to find hidden nooks and places. Jumping out and startling the others makes her laugh though, and maybe laughter is how she de-stresses? Actually, I think her main de-stress is to beat up something or someone. She needs a punching bag!

The anpiel is always relaxed. It will laze with whoever is lazing around at home.

< I met all my work deadlines so I have my evenings and weekends back to myself. Can't wait to take doll photos this weekend!


v Do you celebrate your dolls' birthdays? If so, what do you do? (However you define a birthday - whether it's self-given or the day they arrived home/were bought, etc.)

 

^ I try to celebrate milestone 'birthdays' (their arrival dates) for my dolls. It would be a bit tiresome to host so many birthdays every single year. I am a bit sad that I missed the last three big ones due to illness. My very first BJD, Mahalo, celebrated 10 years with me back on September 28th. Lark had his 10-year anniversary on October 4th, and Eilis had her's on February 3rd. I am hopeful that I will be able to celebrate Rhiannon's 10 years on September 1st. After that, I won't have to worry about another decennial day until next year ... and then I'll have eight of them to plan.

As for what I do for the birthdays, not much. It's a quiet celebration. If that particular doll needs something, they may get a gift. Otherwise I just tell the other dolls to be extra nice, or I bring the special doll out to study with me.

< The body arrived. The body doesn't fit any of my heads. I have a floating body and a floating head. I am now shopping for heads and I do not know how to hybrid correctly. Cue monotone screaming.

v If your dolls had hobbies, what would they be?

 

^ Some of my dolls do have hobbies.

• Daniel loves to paint, he even has an art exhibit every now and then
• Liam enjoys sketching, but it's for himself and his piece of mind.
• Mavis enjoys playing guitar and writing songs. He like to write songs for his boyfriends band.

< Yay! Impulse doll getting delivered today. It only had to travel two cities over. So, that was quick.

v Have you ever bought a full set doll? Do you keep them in their outfits or change them out of it immediately?

 

^ I've never bought a fullset doll but I've had a few dolls that arrived made up in a full outfit/wig/specific faceup from their previous owners. I always changed the outfits immediately, and aside a few garments, didn't keep much from what they came with. I like seeing photos of fullsets but I'm not so interested in having them myself, it's mostly a crafty hobby for me.

< If only I had the motivation to craft all the ideas I have, that is

v What's you favourite doll box or packaging your dolls have come in?

 

^ early Dollstown. They came in a brown box with 2 pillows. You felt the money you paid was for the resin you bought and less guilt if you wanted to throw the packaging. I have seen so many box openings where I would be thinking I could have paid 100 usd less if I didn't have the ultra fancy box, keychain, stickers, etc etc.

> trying to prioritise projects at the moment. So to gear up on preparation steps like practicing fine brush strokes so can finish some heads which have been waiting for too long. And making a custom wig for a head with awkwardly positioned horns

v are there some aspects of the hobby which you put off but would have great satisfaction doing but need to force yourself to start?

 

^ I have been putting off getting back to my YouTube channel. I was doing the BJD Addicts prompts but I haven't finished those. The main problem for me is my house is too busy during the day, and if I wait until night time when people are asleep or streaming their own stuff, I'm often too tired to bother. I want to get back at it, but I'd have to force myself into it, and other parts of the hobby keep me busy.

< PayPal D-Date for O.T. Legit company doll. and seller ghosted for reals. They stopped responding to me at exactly 6 months, which is not a full 180 days. Although, I think they thought it was. I had no choice to file a claim. I hate doing that. But either give me the doll or give me my money back.

v Curious because it's on my mind. Have you ever had to file a PayPal claim, or get into a dispute over a doll on the marketplace because the seller never sent it? (Don't mention seller, I'm not sure if that goes against rules.)

 

^ Yes, I had to file a claim against IOS last year because a body and head I ordered were nearing the six month mark with no updates, and the expected shipping date had been 3 months prior. They sent things out once I opened the claim, but it did sour the experience for me (I sold the head on a few months later), and from what I've heard, their wait times haven't improved much since.

< Australia Post, where are my paints, I want to do faceups arrrrggghhh. The opportune days to paint and seal are few and far between in winter...

v What's the most elaborate/out there concept you've had for a doll, be it faceup, outfit, mods, etc, and were you able to make it happen?

 

^ mmm maybe the time I made an Evangelion cosplay for 2 dolls? It's the only time I've had to make wigs AND outfits AND order fitting eyes for just one shoot.

< And I still have so many cosplays planned

v The Resin Witch is back! You have to finish all your pending projects or the dolls will all become impossible loose. What are the 3 first ones you'll finish?

 

^ I'll finish the three projects, Resin Witch! Please do not make me restring my entire collection!

1) I'm about 65% of the way finished with a crochet sweater for Orla. I haven't touched it in months, but I think I could finish it in a day or two.
2) I'll finish Elycia's clothes that I have been putting off for the last ... nine years. I have the fabric, I just have to draft the pattern for the top and sew it all together. She will be the lovely goth lady she was destined to be!
3) I'll complete Edith. I have drafted the pattern for her 1950's dress and sourced the materials. I have found a suitable wig. I will order what I need to, sew the rest, and find shoes that will fit her feet!

< Now I really want to sew!

v If you could start one project for your dolls and have it turn out perfectly (exactly as you've always envisioned it, thanks to the Resin Witch), what would it be?

 

^ my Shrike assassin armour project. It features: long jackets, pants, scale Maille tunics, shoulder, arm and leg armour, weapons for everyone, and featureless silver masks for everyone (identical!). Oh, and did I mention, I need 13 copies of this that fit different bodies in around the same size category. Thanks resin witch!

< I neeeeed to do less impulse buying this month than I have done. Dear god.

V the resin which offers to conjure you up one outfit, prop, or accessory for your doll. What is she making you?

 

^ An animal companion for Amadis. I hope the fairy's magic helps settle on one most suitable option, because I have a number of vague ideas that include fantasy feline, canine and dragon.
< I'm so glad my mother sews professionally and has a collection of fabrics so it's easy to turn up an assortment of black silks for a sewing project just by checking what's available at home.
V If you do a photoshoot outdoors, which of your dolls will you choose for it, what will be the location and theme?

 

^ I do outdoor photoshoots routinely, so for the next major planned one... I want to take Gael to the beach. Some time ago I discovered that the sea and surf are very important to this character, so I want to take pics of the scenes I imagined: him standing on the sand, sitting on the rocks/land, looking at the ocean. Even him standing in the water if I can manage it. I've never put a doll into water for a photoshoot, so this will be an interesting challenge.

I already went to a beach with Gael (also on my blog), it was a crowded city beach and the conditions weren't suitable for this photoshoot, but I have some ideas of where to find quieter beaches. I'm currently on holiday so I want to do this soon. Never mind that it's winter now and will be freezing at the seaside -- the moment there's a day without forecasted rain, I want to head out.


< 3 of my dolls had/have recent birthdays and I want to take their pics to celebrate. It's just been so cold and dark in the house...


v Which of your dolls has the most option parts, and what do they have?
If none of your crew have any - which doll is your first choice to buy option parts for, and what would you get for them?

 

^ Asa has 3 faceplates, ~4 pairs of hands and heel feet she shares with Nuoyi. At some point I wasn't so into option parts but now I kind of appreciate them because hands are fun to play with.

< still hoping for fist hands for my SDC girl though... dang you Volks for softly killing that line T_T

v you can keep all your dolls but have to hybrid them together differently between the parts you already have - what will that look like?

 

^ Haha, I tried to think seriously about this, but I keep picturing them strung all together, centipede style! I would have the biggest ones in font and the tiny ones in the back. I'm not sure what I would with all the heads? Maybe remove the head caps and string those together on top of the first doll? It's a very silly image in my head. I'll have to add back in the weird Doll Chateau parts I removed from my dolls as well to make it extra silly. Maybe dye them blue? Not sute what I would do with all yht extra hands and feet.

< waiting on Volks to send my doll, trying to kick myself into starting my next sewing projects.

v Are you working on any doll projects now? What are you working on.

 

^ there are lots of projects I really need to be doing but the recent heat just knocked the stuffing out of me. Cooling down a little now thankfully. My focus is to make some shoes for this amazing outfit which is on an old Souldoll Zenith which has a larger foot size and have been unable to locate (reasonably) priced shoes. So going to attempt to make some. Have a deadline as will be taken to the next bjd meetup. Having a deadline will mean I will at least attempt doing this (which I have put off for a couple of years )

> I really should be taking advantage of summer, long days, warm weather, perfect for the bjd hobby. But I haven't

v how do you prioritise bjd hobbies, do you have a system ? Or go with the gut, etc?

 

^ Entirely gut based. I work on whatever currently inspires me. If I force myself to work on something, like an outfit or faceup, it often turns out sloppy. I've had difficulty trying to force characters into doll shells before too, so taking my time and letting the feelings I get as I handle the doll guides how I style them and how I paint/craft for them

> That said, the weather plays a part in what I can do. It's too wet here right now to do faceups or take photos (my house has very little natural light). I wish I could do faceups right now...

v Does anyone else find what they do in the hobby changes seasonally?

 

^ the moment summer starts peeking out, I get an urge for project dolls. For the 3rd summer in a row I've picked up a fixer upper. And my main photo taking time seems to be wintertime when there's the least light

< But right now it's too hot to even move myself tbqh I wonder how the dolls feel about the heatwave?

v how do you feel about yellowing? Is it something you embrace or try to avoid at any cost?

 

^ Yellowing does not bother me. I even buy old yellow dolls. I do try to clean them up and get some of it off of them, especially if they are very splotchy because of sunlight exposure over the years. If I can't even them out, I might use a violet wash to light it. But it's not a huge deal to me. Yellowing adds age and character. Some of my own earlier dolls that darkened a little, I am glad for. It makes their colour look more realistic to me, instead of a blanch white, or pale pink.

< I think I'll cut out my sewing project today.

v Do you have any horror themed dolls? Zombies? Werewolves? Monster type dolls? What kind do you have? If not, would you even own that kind of doll?

 

^ Not really? I have a couple elves and vampires and vampire elves, and a couple goths, but that is the closest I've come. I may consider a horror doll, but it would have to be a very special doll. I'm not much for horror; wounds and blood can make me queazy, I don't have too many monster characters in my writing, and I'm not much for the look of monsters.

< I have found a head for my floating body! I hope she comes soon~ I have to start thinking up names.

v Hybrids. Yea, nay, or maybe? Do you have any currently?

 

^ I have more hybrids than not - I have 4 currently and have also sold 2 hybrided dolls. It is exhausting to mix and match sometimes, though, and I think I might be more inclined to get full dolls in the future just to avoid gambling with bodies.

< Most of my hybrids have happened very accidentally, though - be cautious when playing head roulette at home!

v What is the size difference between your smallest and your biggest doll?

 

^ My smallest is a Dream Valley Baby Grug, I call her Gracie, and she is 10cm. My Largest is a Soom Idealian Gluino that I named Tristan and he is 75cm. The difference between Gracie and Tristan is 65cm!

< Another month to wait on my Telesthesia & Dragon Piao Chiyue. It will probably go over the PayPal time limit. It's a good thing I trust Alice's Collections.

v What is the longest that you have had to wait on a doll to get to you?

 

^ Bimong took 1 year and 10 months to ship out my Narin68 boy.

< Speaking of huge wait times... I've been waiting a year for a styled wig that I bought on preorder. Thank goodness it's an alt wig for an existing doll so I'm not dying for it, but man, this wigmaker's production time (which was always long) has blown out even more. I hope they send it out soon...

v Are your dolls currently dressed for summer, if you're in the northern hemisphere? or winter, if you're in the southern hemisphere.

 

^ I think vaguely! I don't really dress them seasonally on purpose but it does feel weird to put them in thick sweaters when it's 35C outside.

< My preferences have shifting a bit on the recent year or so so now I'm thinking how to proceed with my collection.

v Have you ever "fallen out of love" with a type of doll you previously loved? How has it changed your collection?

 

^ I used to love cute dolls that had big eyes, but now I'm mostly into realistic proportions and faces. I'm selling off the last of my more "doll" looking dolls now.
< I've been trying a faceup on a blank head all day and it's going horribly. Why is it so hard to put eyebrows in the same spot on both sides of the face?!
v pretending that money isn't an issue, who is an artist who you would buy literally every last one of their dolls?

 

^ this isn’t a theoretical for me—I own all the possible 1/3 heads that Twigling has made (except new SA ingenue, who I have plans to order!) I own all of their height combos (long torso/long thigh, long torso/short thigh, short torso/long thigh, and short torso/short thigh). I don’t own every bust (but I have plans to, and I’m only missing 2). I’m missing the TL2 body ylissande was sold on, but I have a ylissande head. I also think I have all their casters—I have the old Ylissande caster, ingenues and Eloy’s from dollshe, an ingenieuse from Weiju, a gamine from Haru, a handful of heads and dolls from DCS, and soon to be a full doll from Bat Ass Co. I did this by accident! I just really like Twigling sculpts.

<I’m so tired somehow today and it’s a weekend???

V passing this along—if money was no object what artist would you collect every doll from?

 

^ All of Gentaro Araki/Unoa dolls! a) the sculpting is so special and beautiful, from the top of the head to the toes, and I love all of the faces b) there aren't a million sculpts so it'd still be a reasonable collection c) they all fit together, more or less!

< but I'm also happy to have dolls from a variety of makers

v Do you believe in any dolly curses/superstitions?

 

^ I have religious faith (Christian) - I pray a blessing over each new doll that comes home, and continue to pray goodness over my crew every so often. I don't hold doll superstitions outside of what is influenced by my faith. I do think doll curses can exist, but I don't let that get onto my crew.

< I'm at the end of my doll photo backlog... time to take more pics. Or do some sewing - I haven't sewed for most of this year and should pick it up again!

v Is there a doll in your collection that you didn't like at first or wasn't what you expected during the box opening... but then they grew on you and now you like them? Tell us about this doll and what changed for you.

 

I think it would have to be Damian. My Resinsoul Gang. Originally I got him just to use his body for another doll, Rune. I also practiced with a dremel on the poor guy. I decided I didn't like the body after all for Rune. I ended up ordering Rune a body from his own company. When it got here I cleaned off the colour I had used to match Rune. Gave Damian a faceup, his body back, and a name. I've done other mods on him as well, making him taller by modding his upper and lower legs. I really like his size and how he looks now. (picture just because)
Damian by Rabbid Bunnies, on Flickr

< Oh no! A doll arrived and has nothing to wear that i want to put him in. He is going to be bearing it all until I get his new outfit sewn. I am going to make it a good one. He deserves it for having to wait on clothes!

v I love hearing about other people's projects! Tell me what projects you are working on for your dolls!

 

^ Face-ups! I finally worked up the determination to stop procrastinating and got my first one painted- she's not perfect but I'm happy with it. I'm going to keep working on painting them (I have a lot of blank dolls) on my days off until the weather gets cold.

<Withdoll has a limited doll I really like available again, but I am running out of space to display my dolls. There's barely room for my current MSDs as it is.

V Are you running out of space for your collection?

 

^ I never had space to have a collection to start with hahaha but somehow I always manage to squeeze them in. Could I use those shelves for more reasonable things? Yes. Do I? No. I do try to keep the total nr of my dolls low and tend to sell one when I want to bring a new one in these days, though.

< I like having a small collection and get I constantly yearn for more dolls

v You can only have One Doll all of a sudden (life events, Resin Witch curse, new hobby on the side, whatever other reason) - do you keep one from what you already have or do you trade all your dolls in for a Supreme Mega Grail?

 

^ I can't pick one from my crew - they're an ensemble cast now, and many of them are couples that I don't want to separate. I'll trade the entire crew for a grail that has absolutely no resemblance to them. Currently, I'd like that doll to be a 75cm boy with a cyborg body - I'd always fancied the mech/cyborg BJD concept, but so far I haven't found a reason to pursue it.

< The body I got for my floating head is not 65cm tall, but actually about 3cm shorter. This won't do. Gonna have some words with the dollmaker about providing inaccurate measurements on their product page...

v I like this question, passing it on! -
You can only have One Doll all of a sudden (life events, Resin Witch curse, new hobby on the side, whatever other reason) - do you keep one from what you already have or do you trade all your dolls in for a Supreme Mega Grail?

 

^ I'm very grateful to actually have recently acquired my supreme mega grail (SOOM R. Hyperon) for a character I've wanted to shell for over a decade. Needless to say that, despite my love for the rest of my collection, I would choose him if I could have only one. I would be sad about losing the others though...

< I've restrung my dolls before, but my ID75 intimidates me It will be a strenuous task... Yet I must do it (plus sueding) since he doesn't like standing properly lol.

v Have you ever promised yourself that you wouldn't spend more than a certain amount on one doll but ended up breaking that budget?

 

^ So much! When I first started, I used to buy lower priced dolls. I honestly like the aesthetic a lot of several less expensive companies. I used to have this under $400 limit for my SD dolls, but then it became easy to go up to a $500 limit. That $500 limit became a $600... Yeah, then I dropped over $1000 on my Soom grail when he became re-released. So far my limit has held at about $1000 for a doll, although I'd prefer to keep it at $700 or less. But $700-$1000 is a long way from under $400.

< I really want to take more pictures today. I am on a photography roll. But, I've already taken over 100 pictures today, and with all the lifting and moving of my dolls I making myself break until tomorrow, even though I don't want to.

v Tell me about one of your favorite dolls! What story do you have for them. What is their life like? What makes you so fond of this doll?

 

^ My favourite doll at the moment is Dott, my Everpurple Iris. Obviously she's the newest and the biggest so maybe that's that but somehow I've never been as "in love" with any of my other dolls, at least not to this extent I don't care for creating stories or characters for my doll, she just has a special presence.

< The downside of being the only one of the size is that I have to buy her all her own shoes nothing can be shared, aside from the contents of my wallet.

v If you could go back in time and avoid a bjd-related mistake, what would it be?

 

^ Either buying cheap bjds that didn't really match my personal taste because I wanted to join the hobby and was impatient, or not knowing that you need to spray heads with MSC a few times before trying a faceup °▪︎°

< Faceups are so hard to do T^T but so fun

v What do you enjoy doing most while waiting on a doll: planning faceups? Planning styling? Ordering stuff for the new doll? Making character picrews? All of the above? Something else?

 

^ Planning styling - including types of clothes I want to make for them and thinking about what style of face-up they should have. I've got more experience making clothes than doing face-ups ups. I've done 3 I'm really happy with so far, and none of them are perfect.

< I just ordered a doll that costs more than I previously thought I'd be willing to spend on a doll- especially a Yo-SD scale doll. But I just couldn't stop thinking about her, and I think she'll fit in with my group of fantasy elves.

V My collection feels nearly complete in terms of adding new dolls! Do you think that will ever happen for you?

 

^ I ... think I'm getting there? I'm no longer stirred by new releases, I'm getting weary of the whole project of receiving and completing a new doll, I want to be done with all that and focus on doing more things with my crew. They're a cast of characters for a single story - I've now figured out the big plot points of the story so the cast is set in stone. I'm pretty contented with my dolls and don't feel like adding to their tribe.
At the same time, I feel like I said all that 1-2 dolls ago, and I still have new dolls on order. So, uh, maybe don't believe what I say? Based on my track record, I'm not sure that I'll be completely done with buying BJDs, but I'd like to be done for now and my crew to stop growing!


< I'm getting ready for an overseas holiday, and bringing a doll along. I'm excited!


v The Resin Witch makes an appearance! She waves a wand and vanishes your whole doll collection -- while putting all the money you spent on them back into your bank account! You have a chance to start afresh, however you want, with all the knowledge and experience you currently have, and a pile of money.
Would you take this chance to start a completely different doll collection from your vanished dolls? (ie. your current collection) What would it be like?
Or would you be mad at the Resin Witch's meddling, and go on a quest to recover all your vanished dolls?

 

^ To be quite honest, I would not be mad! I do sometimes think about how a complete do-over would be and I am not totally opposed. If the Resin Witch so wishes, may the money buy me a Super Dollfie and maybe give the a same-sized friend if the funds so allow?

< not that I dislike my current dolls! But I also appreciate change if it just falls into my lap!

v you do a massive BJD accessory haul (eyes, wigs, clothes, shoes, props etc, all of the stuff is something you're really excited for too) and none of the stuff end up fitting your dolls! Do you get rid of the items or do you buy a new doll that can use them?

 

^ I think I'd try to sell the items first and if there were no takers then I'd probably start saving up for a new doll (if I found one I liked that fit the vibe)

< Sometimes I go through these periods where I get obsessed with one single doll in my collection and then I feel bad for neglecting the others ^.^`

v What is your bjd "ick?" Like something, no matter how benign, that will turn you away from a certain artist or collector

 

^ Using generative AI in photos or videos. Plagiarism and environmental effects (my main gripes) aside, AI videos and photos invoke this uncanny valley feeling of disgust in me that BJDs don't normally do. For me, the uncanny feeling is like an extension of airbrushing out joints – doll bodies are made of hard resin not malleable flesh, and therefore don't bend and move the same way humans do, making any jointless movement or the overly fluid machine-generated movement just look...wrong

>My current sewing project is not working out how I planned, but that's the point of a good old bedsheet mockup before making something with nice fabric

v How do you feel about taking expensive BJD outfits or accessories outside? Is it worth it for that perfect photoshoot, or are you concerned about that one priceless item getting dirty or damaged?

 

^ Worth it for the photoshoot! Especially with precautions like putting down white fabric underneath. I'm not going to stick my Oscar's Odalisque dress in the mud or something, but I'm not afraid of taking her to a rose garden.

< Still fighting with USPS and customs over this one package from May, sigh

v Have you ever gone to a meet-up with a theme, and do you try to dress your dolls accordingly?

 

^ yes, a friend and I meet monthly and each meetup we have a prearranged theme. Makes it fun and interesting

> these meetups have helped me stay in the hobby and keep it fresh as the last couple of years (and this one) have been very difficult

v what has kept you in the bjd hobby when you might have gone on hiatus?

 

^ I've sometimes considered taking a hiatus whenever I get overwhelmed with the hobby - usually I just end up selling some dolls in those times and always end up feeling better about my collection, realising I just had too many. I prefer being minimalist with my possessions so collecting something like this is often the polar opposite of what track my brain wants to be somehow - but I really love dolls so!

< I wish I had some good doll friends, though - it's hard to make good connections in the hobby.

v Would you rather have option hands for all your dolls or get them all a pair of jointed hands?

 

^ Good question. I always used to think jointed hands, until I got very tired of them. Posing every finger or balling the unused hand into a little fist before every photo shoot. Recently, I took of the jointed hands from my dolls and put the original hands back on. I think one of my dolls was upset about it, but oh well. (joking) I think that I would rather switch out hands with premade poses then go back to the jointed hands. I wouldn't do it all the time, just for special pictures. I think the non jointed hands look cleaner, and photograph a lot better, they are also easier to control.

< Enjoying being creative with my Scary Dolltober photo shoots.

v Have you reached that "I have enough dolls." point in your collection? Do you think you will ever reach that point? Or do you think that you will keep adding dolls to your collection no matter how many you have? Are you going to make a doll limit?