2024 Doll Goals/Resolutions

September Update:

I managed to get the one doll I will need for next year, and pre order two of the next dolls needed for my story 'Blossom boys'
I have been putting up my web comic with my dolls five days a week for the full year so far, and I am looking forward to the photoshoot for next year.

I am really enjoying working on the story, maybe because I am doing it for myself.

My main goal now is to stick to the dolls on my wish list before I purchase any filler characters I feel that I might need. Main storyline characters need to be bought first.

 

If some one have ask me this question in January. would it probably have been like. no doll, or just the few im looking for, and no extra things.. ( its not about the money, I just didn't have the space)
well.... what did happen was new job , then I moved to a bigger apartment in august ( did not se that one coming, but im very happy with my new home), got space to have all of my dolls on display ( didn't have the space before) and yes, some new doll have com home ( so much for "no" buy), and some is on the way.

When im all settle in (i still have a lot of boxes to unpack, the dolls is not even on display yet....), I hope to start learning to do face up my self.. so that's a goal for the rest of the year. hopefully start looking for a sewing maskine and maybe start making doll clothes.
I hope to be better to take photos of my dolls, to make som doll profiles on DOA and to post on other places... maybe that's for next year....

but its quiet interesting to read what others have plan to do for the year, and what you actually manage to get done.

 

After being in a bit of a slump for several years, I want to finish off this year with fixing up the dress form and finally learning how to sew.

 

Spoiler: my earlier post for reference

Ha! It feels good to check on yourself and see that you've kept on track with your desires. I did actually buy three new doll heads in the first eh month and a half of the year (one was an old character back to life, one was a new version of an old character, and one was for a new character) but even so, I feel like mostly leaving this behind as a big hobby has happened. The new dolls were comforting and enriching when I needed them and I am still excited about those three because I have been so busy with other parts of my life that they still feel very pleasantly new even 9 months later. Maybe if the market was better I would have more obviously left the hobby this year, but for now, and I do love many of my old dolls and their characters, everything is boxed and away and I'm usually thinking about other things. I moved a fair distance and left my sewing machine behind so I don't even have that to get up to.

What happened for me this year was that after a decade + of crushing loneliness I finally found a living person to enjoy having real life experiences with and we got into film photography together and in both film and digital I just took a bunch of pictures of them that were pretty exactly like whatever I used to take of my dolls. With reference photos of an actual person and the motivation to address it I finally got back to fixing my relationship with painting and I'm able to really make my artwork again when time permits. We'll see what next year brings. I still think about some of my doll characters, especially because part of shifting gears was that I started to write a novel featuring some of them back in the fall, so I still spend creative time with them there.

 

I'm targeting that before the year ends, all my dorrie bodies will be all getting the bath they deserve and a fresh set of strings (after 5+ years in storage). So far, I have completed four out of six (one yo-sd, two msd's, one sd) and all that is left are my two bigger dorries (65cm and 70 cm).

 

I have upheld my promise of paying off the 2 bodies and refraining from any other resin this year. It's been hard! I've seen old wishlisters, cheap rescue projects, and new body sales that call to me. My ability to resist new releases is better than before, I think... (being broke is a good deterrent, lol. I've also prioritized some savings toward other life things, as one must do.)

I did rehome resin this year! I only hoped to sell accessories, so I'm very proud of myself! I am teasing the idea of trimming my collection further in the future, *especially* if I decide to invest in shelling some OCs in the long term.

The heat prevented me from finishing faceups 2x as long as normal, I've had no energy to do dye projects. I've just been melting away through june-aug mostly drawing or playing games. I made a feeble attempt to start some wigs, but it's slow. The dollhouse hasn't seen much progress since spring. I also fell out of sewing for a bit, but I did modify some of my own clothes & make some hand-sewing progress on various UFO pieces to help shake off dust! I've been missing it a lot.

But... my beloved Autumn is approaching!!! Blessed livable temperatures!! I'm hoping this post acts as a check-in for myself to encourage me to try tackling a few more things before the year is over! I really want to see more dolls' basics completed! Let's goooo!

 

I had made zero plans/resolutions for this year as dolls are about in tenth place behind rl pressing matters always taking all my time and energy first.
But I have been thinking of late how life is short and becoming shorter literally by the day, and how I may really look back one day regretting I had not made more of an effort to do at least a few things with them, instead of just grinding through life's chores and demands. So, this summer I spend a few afternoons working on restringing and a face up long overdue, and dusting and rearranging the display case. It's felt so satisfying!

It also reassured me that the 2 doll purchases I made. in June and in August, the first in four years! were not a mistake and wasteful!

 

Found my post!
1) DONE!
2) Sorta done - I bought a bunch of stands on auction and I think they're all the wrong size.
3) Still working on that...I can tell I have too many but I am not sure who to rehome or if finding them a new home will be possible.
4) Not done.
5) Not done but I have taken the box to a local meetup!
6) DONE! And I am going again!
7) Not done...poor head.
8) Not done.
9) Not done.

So I know what to work on for the rest of the year...and into 2025.

 

I want to save money for a soom idealism 75 man, especially the tan skin Hyperson!!Hope I could get this handsome guy one day

 

Oh, that's interesting...

3. Mina has a beautiful alpaca wig now, so that's done!
4. That's... errr... going steady... except she'll be the third doll. I'm finished with my 2nd doll's layaway impulse buy...
5. That was set up, but it's very barebones.
6. Also done! I restrung Mina a few days ago!
7. I am waiting for the heat to be gone, but that will happen soon!
So only 2 out of 7 left!

EDIT October 30, looks like I'm done! A bit shoddy on the sewing, but I did get something done. And the doll I was saving for is finally happening.

 

2024 goals:

• Clean up craft/doll room. (Constant work in progress)
• Update dolly list. (Checked - 09/09/2024)
• Attend Volks Dolls Party LA. (Checked - 09/07-09/08/2024)
• Come back to DoA after long hiatus. (Checked - 09/09/2024)
• Stop buying dolls and dolly related things until savings is decent. (Constant work in progress)
• Check in on fellow BJD friends also on long hiatus. (Checked - constant work in progress)

 

September update. Living in New West, my job is exhausting, and working on my crew has been my self care. I’ve completed 5 characters (history, character, outfit and accessories) and created profiles for: Aloysius Keaton, Camille Starfall, Maude Kilane, Dylan Greysnayl and Lily Samara. I have 15 characters in progress, 12 not started, 2 to reshell and 8 Doll Profiles to update.

I’ll focus on the 8 profiles to update - most are in progress. I’d like to get 4 completed by the end of 2024. Seems doable.

 

Here are some goals I have for this year.

• Create a room box for my girls. I had this project idea in my mind for years but I never attempted. Maybe I should now.
• Finishing my third doll's character. I am currently waiting for her to arrive.
• Start doing face-up work. I know how to paint, both digitally/traditionally, but I never felt confident to paint dolls. I have a blank resin head that deserves some love... and a name.
• If I end up not being terrible at painting dolls, get some courage to order a fully blank doll to paint by myself.

 

Ok I got most of my bjd and ot dolls in order, and separated everything of bjd that is certain to go, I have those goals now get rid of most of my craft materials fabric and yarn that I am not going to use, sell all the ot that are not decorative or fit on the shelves, sell the all excess bjd parts and bjd I don't want to keep.Get a nice tablet with a good camera.

 

Spoiler

Late year update, mostly for myself as a check in to see how the year has gone.

It's...been awful. Outside of the hobby, life has been brutal to me this year. Inside the hobby I've been very naughty and not stuck to my resolutions/goals at all. HOWEVER I have been thinking that although I have strayed (far...so far) from my goals, this has become the year of getting all my FOMO dolls. I stg I have managed to get every doll I've pined after and given up on and dreamt about owning this year. From a Volks Williams and Reisner, to a MNF Juri 2020, and even found the perfect head to shell a beloved character I NEVER thought I'd be able to shell because I'm so insanely picky about what they need to look like..as well as a few others. But I've done it all. I got the things. Babies acquired! There have certainly been a few oopsie dolls that I just couldn't pass up for other various reasons that have now added to the list of bodies I need...but it's ok. I feel back in the grove of things and am about to order another body, and maybe a second off the MB just to start hacking at the body list again.

One goal I did make progress on is faceups! I managed to get a nice handful done this year so far, and hope to knock out a handful more before the year ends. Two more for a friend and then back to a bunch for myself.

I will stay strong and continue to do my best.

 

Update for 2024 and new resolutions for 2025:

Updates:
-got scammed by the company I had layaway with for Baphomet
-got my Xuan Fu head from Birdcube
-bought perfect Souldoll/Zhuhong hybrid to shell character instead of buying a custom body for Jing ❤️
-failed miserably at saving money for my other resolution plans
-but bought gorgeous babies that made it more than worth it


New Resolutions for 2025:

-hopefully buy Baphomet, he’s now a grail/the one that got away
-buy bodies for my other three floating heads
-payoff layaway for Cerberus
-FOCUS. ON. FACEUPS!
-buy eyes/wigs/shoes for everyone
-learn to sew doll clothes
-attempt to not add to floating head collection
-start working on dioramas/props
-attend a doll meet/convention

 

Let's see how we did here!!

1) Well, we did sell SOME heads. And some full dolls. We still have some stubborn heads sticking around, but they're listed. Just to get more floating heads in custom colours that will be harder to sell, because they're in custom colours. I should list those next year.

2) Okay, did I ever think I was gonna win this one? I did buy a house--I don't live in it yet, as much as I might like to. I've bought two dolls last month, let alone this year, but my buying has slowed down, now that I'm paying the mortgage. A more realistic goal is to buy within my means, and not overfill my room.

3) We did stay relatively caught up on faceups. Jinx and the doll that may or may not be Gertruda need faceups still, as does a head that I'm waiting to see if I can use for Sin, when her body comes in. And I have to redo Azerin's faceup.

4) Okay, we're not finished this. We haven't even started on her wings, and her tail still needs the fabric shell. But she is dyed. And she got a new head when I split a Soom Garrion.

5) Dania is a doll now. She's on a temporary body, that may end up being permanent, because her tattoos are perfect, and they took me hours. The body that I'm modding is now all around the same size parts, I just have to figure out what I'm doing with it.

6) Yeah, so there's a lot more Shrike now. And a lot more masks. All of which need to be painted still, but they're mostly sanded now. We've bought fabric, and our first order of scale maille scales, but nothing has been started yet. Kieran continues to cit in her daytime attire.

 

2024 EOY CHECK-IN:
a Faceup queue:
Done! ...Although I have a new addition that has been booked for a faceup and will be on the way to the artist within the next few days. I intend to keep up with the queue from now on!

s Avoid purchasing new dolls (except limited or 'unobtainable grail'):
...I think I can call this successful, based on my exceptions? I had told myself to at least wait until I'm caught up on getting faceups for everyone before I even think about purchasing another doll. I was doing well until June. I'd been eyeing a particular sculpt since the artist started posting pictures. They do limited order periods, and I caved when the doll was released for its first preorder. My faceup queue got caught up right after I ordered, and the doll arrived near the end of October. And I'm pretty sure I'm going to cave on a limited doll from SartoriaJ before the end of this month. It will probably be February at the earliest before he's shipped.

r Fix Iplehouse Akando:
This will likely happen before the end of the year or at the very beginning of the new year, since I have some scheduled vacation time coming up with no plans other than doing what I want. I've been doing some reorganizing and rearranging, and my garage is becoming an additional workspace for messy projects. Painting and all its prep work in particular. This space will also serve well for the bit of work that this guy needs. Going forward, I will put things like this under the line item 'maintenance'.

aSewing:
I've been doing pretty well with this! I'm still trying to fully drill it into my head that there are no deadlines that I need to meet with the things that I want to make. There's no reason to think that everything needs to be done right now, and therefore no reason for me to get overwhelmed or stressed by any of it. I've got a list that has items that I'd like to make for a few of my dolls, and I've got inspo boards on Pinterest to gather ideas. I'm just approaching these projects by just choosing something I'm inspired to make at the moment and working on it. Also, I did make a dent in the UFO Box and finished up a few items! However, there are still a ton of items in the box. I'm starting to think that perhaps batch cutting items may not be for me...

Going forward for next year's goals, I will refer to this line item as 'crafting' as I also crochet and do a few other crafts.

r Fabric closet:
This is in the planning stages, and was simply a wishlist item to complete this year. My fabric is all organized for the most part, the issue is that it's all in large totes that are stacked in a closet. The system itself works to keep the fabric organized, but if I want something or need to put something away, I basically need to unload at least half (if not all) of the closet to find the appropriate tote. I've got some ideas now, so this has moved to a relatively high position on my 2025 goal list.

aSpare room to craft room extension/doll room:
Done! The room was an absolute nightmare, and I tackled it by completing at 1-2 tasks in the room each day. It didn't matter what the task was, the goal was to do something in that room. Even if it was just gathering up trash or breaking down boxes. Embarrassing fact: I ended up with two mid-size truckloads of flattened cardboard boxes that I took to the recycling center. I now have a place in the room to hold flattened boxes, and have put myself on a monthly schedule for taking them to recycle. All of my BJD stuff is now organized and accessible, and the craft tools that didn't fit in my main craft space now have accessible homes.

r Catalog collection:
This is in the beginning stages, as in so far I've only gathered up all the COAs and placed them in a box with any manuals and customs forms I have. I've also set up a rough spreadsheet to try to determine what information I'd like to log. Reorganizing my doll stuff resulted in some purging, so I've focused more on sorting out the purged items for now as they're taking up floor space in one corner of the room.

~*~

(Technically) 4 out of 7 goals accomplished. Technically better than 50%, which is definitely better than nothing! I really enjoyed my collection this past year while working on these goals. Looking forward to joining in on a thread for 2025 goals if someone makes one!

 

Goal recap:
1. Did not get bodies for all my floating heads. The current count is 5 floating heads and 3 floating bodies--and the heads and bodies don't match :') I did order heads for all the floating bodies, though, so that's a win.

2. I think I did 2 and a half BJD faceups this year. It's been hectic lol. And I think I only did a couple wigs. Still have a lot of baldies and faceless boys.

3. I did not sew at all!

4. I did shell this OC in a totally different form, when I put a head and body together that I hadn't planned, but it looked so like the character that now that's his final form.

5. While I really brought new BJD purchases down, especially impulse buys, I still did some. At the end of 2023, I bought a Doll Family H, Vings, and Huajing body for floating heads I had ordered from My Dollection (which obviously now I know I will not be receiving, hence why I bought replacement heads for these bodies). The dolls I added to my collection in 2024: Unoa L-Bi, Narae 414 (this was an impulse buy), Minifee Motion boy body and Alan head (on wishlist, very good price for both individual pieces), Miushima's 1/4 boy body, Quadriga Dolls Eryn, and I joined YummySweetsDolls' pre-order for Orchid. I purchased 2 heads from Space Studio BJD: M-Doll School Alpha, Samadhi Doll Qing; and one from Devotion Doll, MSD Mini Bite. This is less than I purchased in 2023, but I would like to buy even fewer in 2025.

6. I didn't take many pictures this year either. Between a new job and a move to a smaller place with very little display space, it's been hard to pose and interact with the dolls as much.

 

Ooooooh boy.... Every year it's the same thing-STOP BUYING DOLLS! LOL! It b=never quite takes though I'm pretty happy with what I have.

-Sell more dolls. This one is tough because so many have some sentimental connection. sigh...
- Purchase Asleep Eidelon Ding Dang to be my Mildred Hubble doll
- Get clothes/shoes/wigs/socks
- Pay off my Volks FCS Diamond
- Make sure Diamond has clothes

Things I might do:
- get a new body for my Leeke Florence head?
- Sell more dolls?
- Find clothes for all my odd sized dolls