UKBJDCon October 2023

Anyone around Hampshire area going ? I am going!

 

Not us, our little group is Essex, West London Suburbs, and Cornwall.

Teddy

 

I'm a county over in Sussex and will be going

 

Thats good to know!

 

Shropshire.

 

Actually I'm curious. For those of us who are a bit further away, how many of you are travelling up the day of the convention vs before it?

Personally I'm going up the day before and staying overnight. Mostly because I want to actually enjoy the convention and three hours on trains beforehand is not conducive to me enjoying anything without some recovery time.

 

We're day tripping, from West London/Essex/Cornwall (though the Cornwall and Essex contingents are staying over in London the night before so we can set out at sparrows-fart for the drive to the convention).

We've all day tripped from London to Leicester-area doll meets in the past, and it's not too bad an experience, though we're driving this time so our driver doesn't get to relax on the train going there and back like most of the previous trips.

Teddy

 

I'm entering ! Hopefully with my slow pace if I start now I should succeed in getting it done...

 

One space left for the Doll Halloween Costume Contest!

 

sounds like you giuys will have a lovely time!
Jealous ! Do you take na doll with you?

 

I think in my case ill book a hotel and back next day, otherwise is too much traveling going and back!

 

We've had some discussion about which dolls (and how many) to take with. It's not like going to a meet or dolly-day where we're in one place all the time so can take a lot of dolls, unpack them when we get there, set them up with the other dolls that have been brought, and repack them at the end of the day to go home, so we'll have to be selective about which dolls we're able and willing to carry around with us all day once at the event.

I'm leaning toward one SD sized doll in an over-the shoulder carrier so I don't have my arms full all day... but am also considering an open-topped craft bag with a tiny riding in each section, like I've done for Filk music conventions and other science fiction conventions in the past.

Siounds like a good plan.

Teddy

 

Speaking about practicalities: will it be possible to go out of the hall let's say for lunch or something and then return back to continue? Or should I get ready for a whole day on my feet. That would influence the choice of shoes etc. Sorry, I've never been to a doll convention, don't know how it works.

 

Yes, you will be able to leave to get lunch etc and return, we will have a hand stamp for you to gain entry again : )

Sophie of UK BJDCon

 

Thanks, that's good!

 

Who is entering the photography contest?

UKBJDCon on Instagram: " Photography Contest Announcement! UK BJDCON 2023 PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST. There will be 50 entries and only the 15 finalists pay the £5 entry fee. Prizes as follows 1st place - Magic Mirror Erin 2nd place - Luts Tiny Delf Elf 3rd place - Hallowchii - Ooak Polymer clay BJD TO ENTER Please send us an email at [email protected] Subject "Photography Contest" With the information Doll Name: Doll Sculpt: Owner name: And your PayPal email for the entry fee, this is only payable IF you're one of the 15 selected! Entries via Facebook or Instagram messages will not count. Please email!! Theme is HALLOWEEN! Nothing too gorey or 18+ Photos are to be sent via email when you have taken them, please make sure these are recent photos that are specifically for the contest. Cost of the fee is towards them being printed and displayed at the convention for people to view and vote. Creativity is encouraged!! - UKBJDCON #ukbjdcon #ukbjdcon2023 #bjd #bjdcon #bjdconvention #dollconvention #bjdcommunity #bjdhobby #ukbjd #bjdcontest"

 

Not me, my pictures are strictly point-and-snap. It's not an aspect of the hobby that appeals to me.

I'd have considered entering the costume competition but you had to enter WAY to far in advance, and they limited the numbers of entries. I'm used to making stuff for that sort of thing in the run-up to an event and entering on the day, so that wasn't for me either.

Teddy

 

We limited the numbers due to space/security at the venue when displaying the dolls for voting. It was hard to judge how many would enter on the day being as its our first ever convention. Early entry also gives people plenty of time to make their outfit ready to display their doll on the day.

 

I imagine that it'd be in similar proportions to other events (including non-doll costume competitions I've entered in the past) that the hyper organised people (like my husband... {sigh!}) make their entries well in advance, the less organised work on them in the run up to the event, and the not-at-all-organised pull all-nighters to get them done at the last minute (that last category would include me, by the way).

I do understand that limiting the numbers and getting people to enter in advance is a help to the organisers (I've experienced that side of things too), but, for those like me, having the option to to enter on the day, if the costume is finished, is a nice, unthreatening "soft" deadline (allowing me to be struck by inspiration at some random point in the run-up to the convention and go into creative overdrive to make it) whereas the need to register an entry in advance presents more of an ominous "hard" deadline and, in a lot of ways is more offputting because it becomes a sword-of-damoclese ready to drop if the entry isn't ready on the day. I'd overthink the entry, make copious detailed, plans, lists, and sketches, and, in all likelyhood, never actually get around to actually making it.

It's in no way a criticism of the convention or its organisers.

Of course, I would in no way expect the way it is run to revolve around my potentially ADHD approch to the matter. I just put it out there as the reason why I won't be entering, the same as I gave my reason for not entering the photograph competition.

Teddy

 

Help, please! I can’t find any records of my ticket purchase! Can anybody help me out with what email the confirmation came from or anything like that? Have already searched my inbox(es) for everything sensible like “UKBJD” and “ticketlight”.
All I’ve managed to find is the credit card charge from “ticketline” but nothing else.

 

Look for ' ticketlight e-ticket '

 

Thank you for that. Definitely not finding anything searching for Ticketlight. Bit worried now that it ended up in spam and is long long gone. No evidence of signing up for a ticketlight account either, almost certainly would have gone through the whole checkout process as guest.

 

Nps, just checked and that is my only email too, as I also must have used ticketlight as a guest.
I have multiple emails so I made a note of the email used and the email date in my calendar so I could easily locate it (as I bought the ticket over a year in advance).

Hope you manage to locate it

Forgot to add... when I buy tickets like this I tend to do a screenshot of the transaction, do you have anything like that? Would help to pin point the date when you bought the ticket.

 

I know the date, I posted in this very thread right after I bought them on the day of release. Looked through all my various inboxes and checked for screenshots. I do think it must have ended up in spam which would have been automatically deleted after a month. I’ll have to email the convention organizer to see if they can help.

 

Ah bad luck at least you are realising now, rather than a week before the event

 

Good news, All sorted now thanks to the organisers.

 

I misread this so badly as "at least you are realising now, a week before the event", and the panic that hit me was immense.

Glad you got your ticket sorted @Kurosakura !

 

Will we need to bring physical cash or are most/all of the vendors going to have the ability to take card payments?

 

I don't want to speak for the con, but I honestly imagine they probably can't actually answer that and it'd work like every other con where it's down to the individual vendor what payment types they'll accept, as well as bringing their own cash float to give change. It's probably a good idea to find out where the nearest cash machines are just in case.

That said, it's so easy and cheap to get a card reader these days. I'm sure plenty of the vendors would take card.

 

Pretty much what I was thinking.

Teddy

 

It all depends on the vendors, I'll be vending and I have a Square reader for card payments. I've recently been to Resinrose in the US and most vendors were accepting PayPal too

 

Do you have a clickable list somewhere? Or at least one that allows to copy the names and then I could google them. Some names don't ring the bell at all.

 

Yes, I know, I just wanted the easy way without having to type myself. Typing names is a hassle, never get them right with the first try.

 

Thanks, I'll look for that.

 

ONE WEEK TO GO!!

Super proud and excited to be one of the organisers of this event. Looking forward to meeting you all

 

Hey everyone !

Just putting details here on how the standard raffle will work as all attendees & vendors get x5 free tickets on entry!

️Standard raffle ️
White & Blue tickets

•All attendees & vendors get x5 free tickets for the standard raffle. However additional tickets can be purchased (£5 for x5 tickets)

•You will be given both numbered tickets.

•To enter, one of the numbered tickets needs to be placed in the big jar on the raffle table.

•The duplicate numbered ticket is for you to keep, ready for the draw. You will need this to claim the prize if your ticket number is called.

•The standard raffle will be drawn throughout the day. Prizes are randomly selected.

•All money from the raffles will be donated to charity

 

I'm so excited for this Saturday! When I first joined the BJD community in 2014 I dreamed of a UK BJD convention and now it's really happening!

 

Im going by train, on my own. will be getting the train that goes through Oxford and Birmingham new street and then Leicester!

 

I have a technical question. Do the stalls have card payment availability or should I have cash on me?

 

All depends on the vendor's decision. I believe most will either accept cash, Paypal and/or card. I have a Square card reader to accept card payments

 

It would be great to place faces behind names, so, if you are attending please do come over to say hi. I am doing Doll Photography talk at the event, would be lovely to meet people in person.

 

Saturday I'm coming from Banbury and will be changing to get the 08.22 am from Birmingham New Street arriving 09.10 am at Leicester. Not sure which train you will be getting. Hoping all the train lines are ok after all the rain and flooding.

 

I am still very much recovering from the convention but it was great fun being able to meet so many doll folk, see so many amazing dolls and buy stuff for my dolls.

It was really well organised and seemed like it ran smoothly - which I know means that everyone behind the scenes was working their behinds off - and I hope it was as successful as it seemed.

 

The first time I've ever attended a BJD Convention and I had a great time. Very impressed with how soothly it was run. Stalls were full of fabulous things and the stallholders very pleasant to chat with. The dolls on display were amazing plus the ones brought in by proud owners dressed beautifully and all happy to allow photographs. Everyone was extremely friendly and eager to share their stories and conversation about the BJD world. I do hope the UK manages to hold more events in the future.

 

Sadly I couldn't go because of the storms and floods, all trains my way were completely cancelled. Gutted I couldn't go, really hoping I can go to the 2025 one. Congratulations to organisers of the con! Looks like it went really well online!

 

The Con was a delight to attend, well run, relaxed atmosphere, plenty of stalls and entertainment Staff also plenty and helpful; the venue a good size with gorgeous interior. So pleased that a train made it there (was hit and miss!) .

The tannoy was really quiet though (and also due everyone having a good time), lost track of time and missed the prompt for your eye talk there was a mention of a slideshow which could be perhaps sent? Would this be possible? tysm

 

Tbh I thought it was the hotel's it felt like I was attending an established bjd con, not the first; and so happy to know there is the intention to run another in a couple of years (with mini ones in between). Perhaps with the mini ones we could have a swop / bring n buy too?

 

Fab, thank you! Messaging you now

 

I also want to say a big thank you to the organisers! It was a very enjoyable event!
Hadn't heard of Magic Mirror before and now their beautiful Cub Keira stole my heart.