The ^ < v Game!

"Any fantasy beast or creature you would love as a doll?"

^ mothman! :-D for a long time I did want to style a doll based on a moth (but with actual moth colours and details on the wings. Mothman is all black with red eyes.). I just really like moths :3

< Man I wish fifth motif was still arround! I want one so badly!

V passing on the qestion : Any fantasy beast or creature you would love as a doll?

 

^ I'd like a really good old-school Final Fantasy Efreet--all horns and hooves and fangs and claws, like a mash-up of Soom bits and Iplehouse bits. Beyond that, I'd really like a really good qilin and a really nice loong. The BJD interpretations done thus far of either haven't done much for me or were so limited or expensive as to be impossible to acquire. *sigh*

< I got 99 problems, and a teenage son is all of them.

v Your doll character is stuck on long car trip. What are they going to insist upon playing on the radio?

 

^ Kpop! My main character Ayano loves kpop (and music in general, like me) and would definitely request that to be played on the radio. I don't think my other characters would be bothered, as they're all either Japanese or Korean, they're pretty used to it. They would all just have a major turn up session in the car! XD

< hhhcihchmmmmdijieheuidwnjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

v What kind of style does your main character have? Fresh? Urban? Chic? Boho? Classy? Hipster? If they could shop in a popular clothes shop, which one would they choose?

 

^ Alex is Goth-grunge (not sure if that's a thing, but it's totally what he is), and given a choice he wouldn't shop at all. He hates shopping, trying on clothes and people. Shops tend to require all those things.

> My boss just told me I could goof around for an hour, until it's time to go home. WTFOMG YAY WHO NEEDS WORK?!

V What is your opinion on extra heads, whether they be of a slightly different sculpt (closed eyes or whatevs) or just a different faceup on the same head? Do you have any? Would you?

 

^ I love the idea, my girl is a professional ballerina so changing heads would be so much simpler than putting on full show makeup for a photo shoot.

>I have a ton of homework to do this weekend so I'm on doa instead

v Did you do anything with your dolls on Halloween?

 

^ Nah, I'm boring. I had a human kid to get ready for a sleepover and trick-or-treat, so once he was out the door, I completely morphed into a couch potato for the evening.

< Nope, still feel not-well. Maybe I should go play with yarn...

v Now that Halloween is past and late fall and winter holidays approach, what's on your dolly agenda for the remainder of the year?

 

^ My first doll is getting a new faceup she's been in dire need of. I'm both excited and nervous, but she's going to a very sweet artist so that helps. I need to commission Oleifr a wig...his hair is giving my nightmares and I think Alpaca is the way to go, but I'm also unsure and they're expensive. I'm going to try and start saving for a new doll too, but things may change. Should finish the crew I have already before getting anyone new, lol. Kouri says he is going to sleep through the holidays and wants everyone to know he expects lots of socks when he awakes. I doubt that will happen.

< @vicemage Thank you! I'll take it happily XD @Osaka feel better.

v Any of your dolls a scrooge that hates this time of year (like Kouri, lol)?

 

^A few of my boys differ on holidays, some are Jewish and some tend to not celebrate at all. the vampire (Gareth)celebrates christmas while his twin Gavin doesn't like it all that much, considers it commercial. Cashmire doesn't like thanksgiving as he blames it for black friday. Micah doesnt like valentines day, but he does like the idea of doing somehtng nice for your special someone just doesnt like a designated day, so he tends to do a random day like round that time. like a week later or week before. something random.
<speaking of black friday its going to suuuck this year. i already feel it at work.

v do you do anything special for your dolls holiday related like make them decorations or little presents?

 

^ This year I want to get tiny stockings for the dolls in the apartment, and hang them along a cord on the wall. Six little stockings ♥ Other than that, though, I usually just make them outfits.

< Speaking of which, I should get back to sewing >.>"

v Building on the last question, what are your BJD holiday traditions?

 

^ My mom and brother like to get me a doll or doll-part for Christmas--for Mom, it's a tradition that goes back to my earliest childhood and never went away. As far as the dolls go, since Wotan invariably comes for a visit at the holidays, and invariably brings some of his dolls, it's holiday visiting for the dolls too. (His girl June is sister to my boys Christian and Oliver, and we have lots of friends in amongst our two groups.) I make him a big box of clothes, there are props and accessories in the stockings, and the dolls hang out near the tree.

< Speaking of, I need to get cracking with some sewing and knitting. *plays more on internet*

v Either in real life or story-wise, what sort of doll-related holiday activities do you do, or would like to do?

 

^ We all celebrate Christmas together (though i'm sure they don't get the meaning, its just free stuff for them). We all decorate a tree together, and on Christmas we all open gifts together. I'm a sap.

< I ordered Yu's stuff! I really hope that Impldoll and Alice's collections can sense the fact i am not a patient person, haha!

v Do your dolls have specific tastes in music? Would they argue about what music is played in a long car ride?

 

^ Dave is all about synth-pop and electronica but his tastes in music run the gamut; people are ok with him playing DJ on long car rides because he'll play anything from Daft Punk to Led Zeppelin and anything in between with a heavy spicing of those songs you can't help but sing along to (you know, like Bohemian Rhapsody -- I dare anyone to NOT sing along with that song when it comes on the radio).

< It is too goddamned early but whatevs, that's why the good lord invented coffee.

v Is your doll a night owl or an early bird?

 

^ my hybrid is an early bird. Though his 'early' is probably not our 'early' as he works at the space station. He is gifted with the ability to sleep with his eyes open (yay for alien genes!) and there is the unbroken rule of not talking to others till you get to your 'desk' whether or not you are sharing the same communal space car as your ' colleagues'. So 'early' does not mean 'awake' for most of the workers.
< Not feeling like sewing.
V If your doll had to choose a fitness course which one would he/she choose? (Boxing? Running? Skating? etc.)

 

^ Ed and Al train in martial arts, and within their RP background, Ed started teaching Jace some for self-defense and fitness, as well (though he's still more on the side of "squishy mage" than "fighter.")

< So much homework, so little time.

v How many different companies do you have in your collection, and do you have (one or more) favorite companies?

 

^ I have 22 listed (unless I miscounted), but that's not counting various hybrids and floating heads. So I think it's safe to say at least 30. Dollmore is my favorite, along with Migidoll, Dollzone and Alchemic Labo. I also have always had really great customer service with Iplehouse over the years though I hated my EID. I finally have an IH doll I love, so they might sneak up there as a fav. EDIT: I forgot to add Doll Chateau and Dollstown as favs too. XD

> ffffffffff it's too early for me to comment

V are there any small company/artist sculpts you would love to own?

 

^ forgot the name, but I've seen a small anthro sphynx cat that I would really really like to get! Specifically, she had a limited preorder in black resin last year

< breakfast is my least favourite meal of the day xP

v what's your favourite company and how many of their sculpts do you own?

 

^ Volks, Dollmore, and Souldoll, but don't make me narrow it down from there. I have 7 Volks, 4 Souldoll, and 4 Dollmore with a fifth eventually incoming. I would like more Souldoll and Dollmore dolls in general.

< I really ought to find some food for eating.

v We all have one, I believe--who's the doll/sculpt that got away?

 

^ I have to answer this: l'Armoire de DanDan Harlan Head (Gore Version)
I am so upset I missed this doll. At the time I was only doing DC in Mini form and he's SD....the second I remade one of them in SD form I went to buy the head but the order period is over and I have no idea if it might come back or not. I want Two-Face SO BAD!!!! Other than that I'm pretty good at tracking down what I really want second-hand.

> I'm ready to go home and it's not even lunch. Work sucks.

V Repeating the Q since I jumped in again kinda soon: We all have one, I believe--who's the doll/sculpt that got away?

 

^ Grrr. Got awaybtwice, but Soom Cass...she was never very popular at her first release so she's hard to capture second hand, and I missed her during her normal skin special order period! She's so beautiful, like a Greek goddess...some day I'll have her. : )

< Waiting, waiting, waiting. I know it'll be another two, three months but I want my doll now!! It isn't often I give in and order someone xD;

v What do you do to ease the doll wait? Craft, write, thumb twiddle, anything a little more off key?

 

^ I calculate the processing time, mark the end of the wait time on my Google calendar, and then try to just remind myself there's no sense getting excited until that day approaches, and if I get antsy (which right now, school's handling just fine), I've got plenty of other dolls to work and play with.

< Though of course all the early shipping for Mari and even a tan LTF from FL's last event has me antsy already for that order, even though I realistically know I shouldn't expect it until January.

v What's your favorite thing to see from a company in an event?

 

^ Probably either a free head (which isn't normally in the shop) or free small doll if you pay a certain amount of money. As then when you receive the actual doll you bought, you've already got another 1/4 completed doll as well .

< OMFG I'm entering the peakswoods event and if I win it will literally be a dream come true . Calm... Calm.... Also all my fave bands are suddenly having comebacks and doing shiz and where the hell are you BTS!? I need u! See what I did there

V Have you ever entered any bjd events? Did you win?

 

^ I'm not much for competitions, so... no. I haven't entered any, so I haven't won any either.

< Making a shenyi pattern for a Banji? Yeah. Got that.... The real trick will be finding out if I can actually sew one together at 1/12-scale, though.

V What was the most challenging thing you've tried to make for your crew? How did it come out... "Trill of Victory" or "Agony of Defeat"?

 

^ I think the most challenging thing is this button down shirt I'm trying to make Felix. I drafted the pattern myself and I've had no end of trouble with the sleeves, PLUS I've somehow lost the original draft. Uuugh!

< Roskva is finally being delivered!!!

v When you've finally received that shipping notice, what do you do?

 

^ Um, track? It depends. I don't generally get crazy-excited unless it's a doll I REALLY WANT as opposed to just want. After the doll is here and I've completed it (or as close to as I get) I get more excited about it.

> I don't think there is skin left on my body not covered by cat scratches. Petey is a hangry kitten in the morning.

V Do you have dolls who have no character? What kinds of things do you do with them?

 

^ My Soulkid Shaun doesn't have a character, and I really haven't done much with him. I pick him up and fluff his wig a bit on occasion, but mostly I've ignored him. ._.; I need for them to have a character to get some kind of inspiration to even make things for them.

< I just realized that @Wotan is responsible for all the Souldolls in residence. Wow, awesome brother is awesome. ~u~

v Do you do complicated backstories for your dolls, or do they have just the very barest outline of a character? Or do you have a bit of both?

 

^ A bit of both... Some of my crew are resin avatars for tabletop RPG or roleplayed MMO characters that I've had for years, and those tend to have pretty extensive backstories. Others, like Lotus and Jade, don't have more than a name. Most of the gang come in somewhere between those two extremes.

< I want to sew today, but the house is getting to be a mess. Must. Clean. ALL. THE. THINGS!

V Your favorite is roped into doing the chores... Do they submit gracefully or gripe and stall like there's no tomorrow? XD

 

^ There is nothing graceful about Kouri, especially when it comes to submitting...so he gripes and stalls and tries to do as much as possible from the couch via his telekinesis. Eventually he'll get up and actually clean...probably.

< There are so many decapitated dolls here my boyfriend thinks I'm evil (mostly because he can't stand seeing his favourite girl in pieces).

v On the subject of favourites, do you have someone who is a little more spoiled than everyone else or do they mostly get the same attention?

 

^I only have two, but I'd say my Celine gets more attention right now than Koda, but only because Koda already had a face up. Celine still needs a face up, and I'm still trying to find her the perfect outfit, but I feel like once she's complete, they'll be about the same.

> >.> Right now they're both naked anyway since I'm making them wigs. They look so cold...

v Since winter is arriving here, I want to get them each a nice warm looking jacket for the season, just because it would look so cozy and cute on them. Do you like to dress your dolls for the season, or do they have a couple set outfits that you like to keep them in?

 

^ I sort of try to dress for the season? There's 34 now, so that gets to be a lot of clothing changes, and some of them don't have more than one or two items of clothes yet (because of their odd sizes). Once I get past grad school, one of my plans for next week is to start making more clothes for everyone, and thus getting them each more options and some good seasonal wear. At a minimum, I'll get some of the girls back in their Christmas/Holiday dresses, though, and I've got some ugly sweaters for the guys.

< I already have character dolls with needs, why am I now considering also making them cosplays?

v Do you tend to have a "community clothing box" that all dolls of similar size can share, or does each of your dolls have his or her specific wardrobe that only they wear, with no sharing?

 

^ A bit of column A, a bit of column B? While certain clothing items are "These are Doll X's and no one else wears them!" there are some community items between the guys and gals of similar sizes. Some have exclusive wardrobes because they're the only one of those size. XD

< I am fidgety and anxious tonight.

v If you sew, crochet, or knit, what is your favorite thing to make for your dolls? If you don't, what do you *wish* you could make?

 

^ I've been making an awful lot of kigurumis, I'm even thinking of selling them ^^

< Five and a half months in, and the wait for my twins is already driving me crazy @.@

v Any tips on withstanding a looong wait for dolls? What was your longest wait, and how'd you get through it?

 

^ Layaway. it makes long waits seem less long. And try not to think about it. And really I don't care about waits anymore....my longest ever was Dollshe at 14 months, after that, pretty much anything is a breeze. I got through it by bitching a lot (mostly because they kept promising shipping then not, then because they told me I low priority due to only buying one doll) and buying other dolls...which I don't recommend.

> I'm off tomorrow!!!!!! Three day weekend! WOO

V What has been your biggest disappointment in this hobby?

 

^ Finding out the hard way just how much I stink at sewing western-style outfits for my crew. I can almost make hanfu and kimono with my eyes closed at this point, but ask me to do a button-down shirt or an evening gown and I turn into a bundle of thumbs and uneven stiching. It drives me bananas.

< Speaking of hanfu... Banji-scale shenyi is a go! I need to alter the pattern a bit to extend the wrapped side, but other than that? It worked like a charm. Which is good, since poor Iss really needs new clothes. 'Dude may have the most extensive set of props and toys of anyone in this house (He has his own shadowbox-style doll house. <_<), but on the outfit front? He's always been a little neglected. No one makes things in a Banji's size.

V Who's the hardest member of your crew to find clothes and shoes for?

 

^ Jes. Hands down. Dollshe girls are SUCH a weird size, they're so tall and so thin that nothing quite fits right and I can't sew for beans so making her the dresses I want her to wear is a total uphill battle. I need to learn to sew JUST so I can make her clothes. Everyone else is pretty easy to find stuff for, although 'Delf' isn't as common a size bracket as it used to be.

< Ok, weather, knock it off. Seriously.

v What's your biggest hobby pet peeve?

 

^ When people have really messy face ups.. I mean I'm not gonna hate because some people can't always afford quality ones but yeah.

> my nose hurts!!

V Getting any new dolls? :3

 

^ Not any time soon, but if I do get this job and some new income rolling in, I may slowly start getting parts for heads and bodies. Jeremy gets priority, since he's just a body at this point.

< Speaking of the job, please do kindly call me back, jobby people, so that I may be gainfully employed again. kthnxbai.

v Since my mind's on my money and my money's on my mind--Who among your doll crew is the most likely to be completely broke at any given moment? What did they spend it all on?

 

^ Probably Razzy. She was formerly homeless, so she'd probably spend her money on helping out other homeless kids, without any regard to what's left for herself. Most of my crew tend to have well-paying jobs or societal positions where they don't really need to worry about money (or are fairies and spirits who don't need it), but I can see her leaving herself broke and getting help from her brother on a regular basis.

< I can't make someone write this paper for me, but it's not plagiarism if someone just finds me the research material, right? Oh how I wish I could make someone do that...

v In a similar vein, do your characters have jobs? Or is that not something that's factored into their characters?

 

^ not factored into my characters.. Two are children and one is an elf who really doesn't abide by our society's rules and what not lol.
> jobs jobs.. I want a job.. Too bad school hours and commuting take up all of my time and I can't have a job 3:
v Doll's dream jobs? (All the job related questions)

 

^ Ezekiel wants to be a god. But, ah, earthly jobs wise, he wouldn't mind being a prolific songwriter.

< The girls' wigs came in today! All that's missing is the girls themselves, haha ^^"

v If your dolls had a Youtube channel, what sorts of videos would they produce?

 

^ Dave's Youtube channel would consist of ironic videos of stupid shit for the sake of lol irony. And he'd have like a million followers because of it.

< I know we need the rain but holy god that was no fun to drive through.

v Your doll is in a Broadway play! What play and what role?

 

^ Christian would be Henry Higgins in a revival of "My Fair Lady" because oh my gracious, musicals, and they don't let men play Eliza. He'd probably play the exact same role in "Pygmalion."

< Theatre questions! @Tez, I love you so much right now. TuT

v Passing it down because we need more theatrical doll productions! Your doll is in a Broadway play! What play and what role?

 

^ Sweeny Todd! And he would be Sweeny Todd heh heh

> I'm off work, at home in my pajamas with coffee...making a list of all the work I have to do today :\
The dog is insane and the kitten is eating the cat food and the cat is eating the kitten food. This is what goes on when I'm at work?

V Share your wishlist with us! Even if it's just theoretical!

 

^ My "real" wish list is:
* 5Stardoll Kevin in NS
* Dollmore FMD16 Mika
* Dollmore Kid Chloe girl

"hypothetical wish list"
* 5Stardoll Eric on Star20 Female body in custom blue resin
* Granado Uranus or Neptune
* Dollmore FMD12 Cosette
* SpiritDoll Celtis
* Resinsoul Yi in custom black/clear grey resin

< rain, rain go away.... =P But, after a year of waiting, my Dollshe Grant is on his way home =D

V How long was your longest wait for a doll?

 

^ 598 days.... still waiting. XD;

< Yay Friday the 13th.

v The holiday season is upon us! Do you dress up your dolls, or use them for decoration or anything?

 

^ *Snrk* No. I don't have anywhere to display them so what's the point?

< @Osaka -- I aim to please. XD Also this is made of miracles and I don't even LIKE country music.

v It is Black Friday. Is your doll out there with the seething masses, at home avoiding it entirely, or unlucky enough to be working retail that day?

 

^ Christian will be sleeping in, victim of a massive food hangover. It's okay, he finished his Christmas shopping months ago.

< @Tez--That was amazing, and now I'm all homesick for Nashville, even though I am not a country fan in a very strict sense. TuT

v To carry on the theme of the holidays--your doll has successfully gotten most of the gifts on their holiday list. It's time to wrap them! Do they do a nice job, take them to someone else to wrap, chuck them into gift bags, or forget about it until Christmas Eve?

 

^ Keirian and Cardinal volunteer for wrapping duty. Being perfectionists, it takes them an hour to wrap every gift, but the results are flawless. Alas, they don't have time to get to everything that needs wrapping thanks to being such slow-pokes, and the remainder fall to Keirian's brother Ansolm (Who tries cutting the wrapping paper with his sword, since that's his answer to just about everything vexing. Go after it with a sword.) and Cardinal's partner Kestrel (Who discovers that scotch tape and wing feathers are a bad, bad combination).

< I suck at wrapping myself, so I fall on the Kes and Ansolm side of that situation.

V It's Christmas Eve and your favorite is in charge of setting out the cookies for Santa. What kind do they pick?

 

^ likely a mix of chocolate chip and raisin... well I mean he is a half-demon so he's gotta be at least a little hellish sometimes

< gdi where is she ;A;

v do any of your dolls hate any holidays? (ie: my Sally hates Halloween because she doesn't like scary because she deals with it every day since she see's ghosts.)

 

^ I think almost all of my dolls hate Valentines day. Some of their significant others live with my penpal, so its difficult for them to be together, and the others are single pringles.

<....I'm seriously contemplating leaving the hobby but idk...

v Do you like to take photos of your dolls? Do you prefer indoor photography or outdoor photography?

 

^ I do like to take photos, though I am not nearly as good as folks who are a) photographers or b) been doing this for 10 years. I'm kind of a neurotic collector-type so I only take my photos indoors.

< Thinking about whether or not to admit I wish were braver with my photos shoots and wondering if there are others out there, like me, who are a little obsessive about keeping their dolls pristine....

v What was you first bjd? How careful were you with h/er/im when h/er/im arrived?

 

^ My first BJD is my Bluefairy Tiny Fairy Emilie ~ I'm pretty much a hands-on person and I like to spend a lot of time playing with, photographing, customizing, traveling with, or just hanging out with my dolls... you get the idea, hehe. I am very attentive to how I handle my dolls and other things that are important to me, though. I take good care of them, but for me it wouldn't be fun to leave them on a shelf or in a box all the time.

< I should really be asleep 'cuz I have school tomorrow.

v Do you tend to buy a lot of new dolls, spend a lot of time working on the ones you have, or both?

 

^ I don't buy a lot of dolls, I rather buy an old doll and work on it I guess.

< I really want m two heads back from face up right now :3

v Do you have a doll that you really want to own, but that is not for sale anymore and nowhere to be found in the second hand market?

 

^ Naruya IGO Echo head and l'Armoire de DanDan Harlan Head (Gore Version).

> I hate Mondays. I thought for sure my Hound would show up today....but maybe not.

V Do ever get new, wild ideas for dolls - either your own or one/some you don't have yet - and just have to do it?

 

^ Not really? Most of my dolls are pretty average in the looks department, but sometimes I get the *NEED* to have a character as a doll, and it becomes a single-minded, unrelenting hunt to make it happen.

< Coffee nomnomnom coffee....

v Have you ever had a look that you *had* to achieve for your doll, and wouldn't rest until you got it? Piccies?

 

^ Yes, all the yes. Most of my dolls fall into one of two characters, "dolls based on characters I created long before I entered the hobby, who have established designs based on my own drawings," and "dolls based on fandom characters, who have established designs based on other people's artwork." I'm still working on achieving "the look" for most of them (correct eyes, wigs, clothes, mods, etc), but progressively inching closer and closer on them all. Ed's probably the closest (I'll have to get some photos of him with what he's in right now, which is almost his "official" outfit), and Esa's nearly the same as her character design--her outfit's not exact, but it suits her look, so her wig just needs a tiny bit of extra tuning up to "finish" her.

Here's Esa right now:
Circle by vicemage, on Flickr
And an old old drawing of her:


< so many papers, so little time...

v I like the question, so repeating: Was there a look you just had to have for one of your dolls? (And pictures if possible, please!)

 

^Uhhhh none specifically. Usually I choose a style that fits them best and I stick to making things in that style. I do want to make small versions of lolita dresses for Princess Saturday, so we'll see how that goes.

< Omgggg this dollheart sale is killing me lol! I grabbed so many bags, I'm so excited! Course I need to sell the extras out of my last bags if I want to buy anything else at all. And I can't wait to put together Tuesday! Just 6 more lbs to lose and I can buy her head!

vHave you ever used dolls/doll purchases as a motivator? I.e: Lose x amount of weight before buying a doll, or save x amount of money etc.

 

^ No I don't think so... dolls are not rewards for me

< I hate the waiting T_T

v what is your fav company?

 

^ Elfdoll, forever. I love my Elfdoll boys like burning. They're pretty much everything I ever wanted to see in a male doll.

< I hurt. I hurt a great deal and it isn't pleasant.

v What doll feature gets your attention first?

 

^ Usually it's the eyes or nose. I'm a sucker for narrow eyes and long, prominent noses.

< Setting up an Etsy store is complicated @.@ It's gonna be worth it, though!

v Are you planning on getting anything for your dolls for Christmas? If so, what?

 

^Probably more Dollheart fuku bags....eheheh...

<Oh geez SQ labs! Unable to order heads from?! And another place is having thier last preorder from you!? Oh geez! looks like I'm going to have to make some decisions quickly...

vWhat is the first thing you ever bought for your first doll, outside of wigs and eyes?