1. It has come to the attention of forum staff that Dollshe Craft has ceased communications with dealers and customers, has failed to provide promised refunds for the excessive waits, and now has wait times surpassing 5 years in some cases. Forum staff are also concerned as there are claims being put forth that Dollshe plans to close down their doll making company. Due to the instability of the company, the lack of communication, the lack of promised refunds, and the wait times now surpassing 5 years, we strongly urge members to research the current state of this company very carefully and thoroughly before deciding to place an order. For more information please see the Dollshe waiting room. Do not assume this cannot happen to you or that your order will be different.
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  2. Dollshe Craft and all dolls created by Dollshe, including any dolls created under his new or future companies, including Club Coco BJD are now banned from Den of Angels. Dollshe and the sculptor may not advertise his products on this forum. Sales may not be discussed, no news threads may be posted regarding new releases. This ban does not impact any dolls by Dollshe ordered by November 8, 2023. Any dolls ordered after November 8, 2023, regardless of the date the sculpt was released, are banned from this forum as are any dolls released under his new or future companies including but not limited to Club Coco BJD. This ban does not apply to other company dolls cast by Dollshe as part of a casting agreement between him and the actual sculpt or company and those dolls may still be discussed on the forum. Please come to Ask the Moderators if you have any questions.
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• Doing the BJD Hobby Your Way •

May 31, 2017

    1. For me it’s all about the creativity. I’ve always been artistic and positively driven to create and try new things, so this hobby is absolutely perfect for me. I love exploring all sorts of fashion, so designing and sewing for my dolls is a huge part of it. Creating new characters is also something I adore, bringing them to life in resin form and then making unique displays for them to inhabit. I’ve been collecting for many years, and they’re now spread artistically throughout my home. I love it because it’s like living in a fantasy world of my own imagination, which I find very relaxing and therapeutic.
       
      #61 PoeticSoul, Apr 27, 2020
      Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
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    2. For me, this hobby mixes painting, fashion design, styling, photography, crafting and writing all into one. It's a very unique way of bringing my characters to life and always challenges me to improve myself. Those are all the reasons why I love it so much :D
       
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    3. I've found that I spend most of my hobby time modding or painting dolls. I don't really enjoy dressing them or fussing with wigs all that much as I'm just not interested in peripheral items and tend to focus solely on the doll. That's not to say that my dolls go without, I just seem to have very specific ideas which are not all that easy to either recreate or buy, so just enjoying the doll alone is good enough for me.
       
    4. I love to sew, though of late I've had more grand plans for dressing my dolls than energy/motivation to create actual garments. So that's my preferred way of doing BJDs, but the reality seems to be more "admire the pretty dolls, take pictures of them, periodically lament that they're still in their underwear." Perhaps someday my drive for doll sewing will return...
       
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    5. Same here!
      I think I'll start a notebook of sketches since imagining outfits is fun. I've found that collecting bjd clothing patterns is fun. Cutting out patterns is fun. It doesn't have to culminate in a garment to give you happiness!
      I do hope your energy does return, though!
       
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    6. That's a really good way to think of it; I'd never considered that angle! And thank you- I hope it does too.
       
    7. It started as so pretty I want one! Then a hopeful side hustle(but it was to stressful).
      Now they're outlets for a lot of my creative energies. Sewing, wig making, face ups, and now shoes! So many different formats. And so many artist to get amazing inspiration from.
      They're also slowly working their way into my D&D campaign as npcs
       
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    8. I kept my hobby a secret for the first few months. It feels sort of weird collecting dolls and being a mother with kids. I have more dolls than my daughter now! But then I decided to open up about it more and embrace that I’m different from the average woman (working or not) with kids. I’ve always been fascinated with toys, dolls and miniatures but it didn’t feel very adult-like to be collecting them. Turns out, I’m not alone in this passion and I’m very excited to be a part of DOA now!

      So I told more friends and family, but otherwise I still keep it to myself. It’s my escape from being a mom who stays home with little people all day(kids!) Except these other little people (my dolls) are always dressed nicely, clean and well-behaved. And ultra adorable too! (Okay, so are my kids ha!)
       
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    9. YAY!
      Adults have been into collectible miniatures since at least the 1600s! So it ain't just kid stuff!
      Glad you're on board!
       
    10. Thank you! I truly appreciate the support!
       
    11. I entered this hobby from being a writer and wanting some of my characters in doll form and found in BJDs the perfect way to be able to see them more clearly and play with them. When I discovered the many many things other amazing hobbyists do, like taking pictures and make stuff and share everything, and sincerely I felt bad about being a "bad mommy" for my dolls because I only looked at them and took few pictures now and then, but that's all over now.
      Everyone should live this hobby their own way, it doesn't matter if you only look at them or if you enjoy doing all kinds of BJD-related things. That's the great part about a hobby, there is no rules about what you can do, only what you want to do is what matters.
       
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    12. Dolls are my happy place. I deal with a number of mental illnesses, but if I’m really struggling on any particular day, and I do something doll-focused, even something as small as going on my bjd Instagram and looking at pics, it makes me feel better. They also keep me productive, because that’s a huge struggle for me, as well. They have gained me so many like-minded friends over the years, and my bond with them through our shared interest makes me feel not so alone in this world, and simple conversation about dolls with other people has gotten me through some really tough times, without those people even realizing it.
       
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    13. The blend between art, stories, and dolls is a perfect way to describe it. My own enjoyment puts a much higher emphasis on the story aspect; since I got my first doll at 14 years old, it's been as much my outlet as also my gauge for how much I invest in my own creativity. I used to want to be a writer and share my stories, but after evolving outside of that dream, it's nice seeing that I still have a marked interest in what makes my imagination unique.

      Especially when depression determines how much I care about what I like at any given moment.

      The companionship that an inanimate humanoid brings is my secondary joy. My dolls are a part of my life and it's been that way for half my life now (wow). They're a form of therapy! Even if I'm not productive, I'm never alone.
       
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    14. It’s really a creative outlet for me after many years of being relatively stagnant with my imagination. I spent a number of years away from the hobby where I really didn’t do too many creative activities and it really felt like it was backed up. I started writing one day and ended up looking for my old long lost dolls which sparked me to come back. Now I’m a story writer who delves heavily into diorama and prop crafting because it’s so much fun! I really enjoy the little things that add to the aesthetics of a doll in order to bring their world into reality, so every single detail is something I try my best to work on whenever I have the time. I am in college again so it’s a bit harder to find the time, but I always take a moment to spend some time with my dolls whenever I can. It’s really therapeutic to know that I can keep my creative mind in a physical form and continue to work on it and build upon it in those moments where I’m in a rut in life.
       
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    15. I love dolls. I love cute dolls, pretty dolls, unique dolls, expensive dolls, cheap dolls, and even "creepy" dolls. I have tried to analyze why a million times, and I can come up with a million answers, but I feel like I collect differently than most people, as I don't have back stories (and I have tried, but they never stick, even their personalities change on a whim, so I don't give them set in stone personalities) I guess I mainly like dressing them up and looking at them. I have discovered that an outfit can make or break a doll for me, so when I find a doll that can work any style they become favorites. I like very good posers that are easy to manipulate into poses I want. So bottom line is, if I can make them look how I want and pose them how I want, I feel like I struck gold.

      There are so many new dolls that come out though, and money being what it is, I switch things up quite a bit. When I think back on all the dolls I have had over the years, I have many regrets and wish I had discovered or realized x, y, and z sooner. I don't want to get hung up on every new doll that comes out. It is one thing if I lose interest in the ones I have, but if I am not at that point, I need to be content with what I have rather than going for the next thing.

      Another part, and I hate to admit it, I think stems from depression and emptiness. Dolls fill something in me that nothing else seems to. I actually quit all collecting (not just dolls but EVERYTHING) for about a year, and that is because I was focused on bettering myself physically and mentally. When I am in a certain frame of mind, everything takes a back seat.
      At the end of the day, dolls bring me joy on many levels, providing I am not stressing over money, because then I start looking at them and thinking of how much money I have sitting there when there are bills to pay.

      Real life responsibilities MUST come first over my happiness, because being homeless wouldn't be any better with dolls. I feel it is a constant struggle when it comes to money, and right now with all that is going on anything can happen, but I am trying to stay positive.
       
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