2026 Goals For The Year

I've been meaning to post on this but the last couple months have been wonky for me.

My goals for this year aren't that different from my goals for last year, annoyingly.
Main goal: finish customizing the dolls for me dnd character and her friends by nyc dollcon. This is....going. I tested the airbrush and sealed her body parts for blushing, but i need to wipe it off some of them because I got heavy handed. I haven't colcor matched her friend's body yet because i feel like it probably needs to be primed first, but the primer i have is a spray can and it's wayyyy to cold for that. For that matter, it's also been too cold for the airbrush (since we need to open a window to vent the spray booth through, and I'm not doing that when it's -20 out). I've been trying to modify a couple heads to see which I like better. I just started ear mods on one today. I don't really like doing sculpting mods, so hopefully this will continue to go okay-ish so i can get them done by the end of this month, to spend most of March working on the faceup. And the wig...whihc i'm sort of dreading because i don't like making wigs either. But I got the wig I had for her taken apart and overdyed to be a more suitable color, so at least I started something for it. I also started drafting a bag to carry them in.

I still haven't decided if I'm going to keep the two boys who've been waiting for me to customize them for the past few years. I don't have a lot of motivation to work on them, but I also am feeling some of the sunk-cost fallacy about the idea of selling them. *shrug*

I haven't started anything for the customization of the doll I got to be a different one of my dnd characters (a tiefling bard), but he can wait until I have my main girl and her bestie done. And I haven't received the off topic girl i impulsively ordered last spring yet, so working on her will probably be a much later in the year or next year project.

I don't think I'll get any more dolls. I haven't seen any new ones I really want or am willing to spend so much on, and the idea of moving is still in the air for us, so I don't want to add more to my group if I'm just going to need to move them right away anyway.

I do want to do more sewing for my girl and her friend. They'll still need their formal outfits, and I had an idea for another one for her too that I'm excited about (hopefully the fabric will behave so it will look the way it does in my head). But those will be projects for after the con. I also still want to make way more accessories for them. She needs her sword and a fishing net. He needs his healer's kit and some whittling tools, and maybe a book. IDK where i'd get 1/3 scale whittling tools or a fishing net, but that can be a problem for future me.

I want to take some nice pictures of them, so I'll need to work on photography skills. And maybe figure out some photo props for them too...

 

Goals for 2026!

I had a great time crushing goals in 2025 and hope 2026 is as successful!

Definite Plans

• Photograph, craft, and sew more for all my dolls especially now that the crew has expanded!
• New manicures for new sets of current hands! Acquire more hands (hand holding ones!) and feet too!
• Get faceups for at least the two blank heads! Maybe a new faceup for Miyuki so she's no longer default.
• Attend more doll meets including Dolpa in September!
• Upgrade to better wigs.
• Upgrade to all glass eyes for the crew.
• Sell off or give away doll items I no longer need or want.
• Do changing themes for the doll cabinet!
• At least monthly outfit changes for the girls! And look into some themed outfits.
• Get shoes and accessories!

Maybe Plans

• TBD

Good luck everyone in fulfilling your goals! I fulfilled my last 2025 goal by getting doll bags back in January! So that chapter is officially closed. Can't wait to see where 2026 will take us!

 

I want to save for a new 1/3 boy and save a lot incase a grail comes along! I'm planning to not buy another doll though for at least the majority of this year unless its a grail.
What I do plan to spend money on this year is lots of stuff to build my clothes collection for my volks boy! I also plan to rename him, flesh out his character, and maybe even mod his faceup!

 

Are you getting new dolls?
Well... yes, but not on purpose alskdjakl I have to save up for my next serious custom boy and I won't be doing him until I've finished MY end of customizing my current boy, which will take time and money. But, is a small doll coming home from convention with me later this year? Yes, at least one-- but since I might be shopping for my sister if she's unable to travel again this year, some of them may not be mine. My goal is to not buy a new doll this year BUT, if I finish getting my current project doll made up, as I hope to, it's possible I'll be getting a head this year.

Want to sew up some clothing?
I am definitely continuing to crochet away-- when I got a new girl last year, she stole the one dress she could fit, and in a collection of mostly boys, girls with curvy hips are out of luck when it comes to pulling from the shared closet. My goal is to make a sweater dress for Robin so that Ariel can keep the dress that wound up looking really good on her, and I have some very nice yarn that suits her.

Try your hand at modding?
NOT my wheelhouse.

Give new face-ups?
BIG yes-- most of the dolls in the house need them and I'm the resident miniature painter, have enough face-up experience that I'll be doing a lot of them for my sister as well once I'm able to get to work. She's drawn out some really gorgeous ideas of what she wants for her dolls and of course I know what I'm planning for mine. I also have to blush a head and body to match each other!

Make that perfect prop?
I'm not ruling it out-- as I get my dolls' looks put together and make sure everyone has at least one staple outfit, etc, and go over the props they have, I'm sure I'll discover there are also props they still NEED. Not every type of prop is withing my ability to make, but some are, and I'd love to be able to set up a room box for them-- whether that happens this year depends on a couple of things.

Take a lot of pictures?
I always want to take more pictures and I so rarely manage it... I really hope this year I get a lot of good ones! I know once I start doing all the face-ups I'll be taking progress pics, I just have to remember to also photograph the finished result with everyone's wigs and eyes back in place! I hope I can find my favorite prop (currently stored in the garage somewhere I fear).

Organize better?
Yeah that's probably up there with 'get a face on everyone' in terms of importance...

Something else?
I've got some stringing to do, and I've got to get a wig cap, glue some magnets into headcaps and accessories... Sister has a garage kit coming so we'll probably do some stringing/re-stringing together when that arrives, and do other little like tasks.

 

Last year, I didn't have any specific plans for my BJDs, but ended up doing a lot of writing for their characters and stories, and hardly any photography. This year, I still want to continue writing, but I also really like to do more photography stuff!

 

My goals are painting a faceup that I'm happy with, and continuing to learn how to sew, both on and off a sewing machine. c:

 

Are you getting new dolls?
I'm brand new to the world of collecting BJD's so I'm definitely getting new dolls. I ordered Henry & Ivy from Raccoon Doll about a month ago. I'm also thinking of ordering Damien & Annie from them too. If SartoriaJ has a MSD release that I like this year (hoping for the Andre or Elliott sculpt) I may order from them too. I keep looking at Iplehouse FID Rex as well. I'm trying to pace myself but there's so many gorgeous dolls!

Want to sew up some clothing?
Oh yes! My dolls are going to live in historical eras (mostly late 18th to early 19th centuries) so I will be sewing for them. I have the patterns, fabrics, and such I'm just waiting for Henry & Ivy so I can do some mock-ups on scrap fabric.

Try your hand at modding?
I'm not sure what that is so I don't think so.

Give new face-ups?
As much as I'd love to I don't have the skill for that.

Make that perfect prop?
I will probably try. I have a few things in mind that I'd like to make. Like maybe a walking cane for a Regency gentleman.

Take a lot of pictures?
Definitely! I'm excited to take photos of my dolls.

Organize better?
I've been working on that since last year. I still have much to do but it's gotten a lot better.

Something else?
I sold off the non-bjds that I've lost interested in. Doing this has been a positive for many reasons; I'm only keeping the dolls I absolutely love which gives me a lot more space, helps with organization, and it also gave me a nice budget to put toward bjds instead.

 

What plans do you have for your BJD's this coming year?
I usually love making these goals every year. New Years is my favorite holiday and looking forward is always so fun. This year is different though. Because I suffered a tragedy mid 2025, I feel like I can't make goals. So, I think that that means what I should do this year is simply enjoy my dolls. Calmly in any way it comes to me.

Are you getting new dolls?
I don't think I'm ever not getting new dolls, but I want to control it this year or cut it in half (or less).

Want to sew up some clothing?
Ideally yes! I don't have room for a sewing machine but have been thinking about it more and more. So I think I want to start with small projects? Whatever that means xD Maybe a bag, or some leg warmers. Something I can hand sew.

Try your hand at modding?
Omg NO Other people who have those skills impress me, but I do not trust myself lol

Give new face-ups?
I've wanted to try faceups for a while but I am NOT good at it. I don't even mean in the way I need practice - I am just not good at them. I'd like to try to blush some parts though! Or do manicures.

Make that perfect prop?
I have an allergy to props for some reason so probably not lol

Take a lot of pictures?
I want to take so many! And I don't want to care if it's "pretty" or not. I'm SO exhausted with worrying about aesthetic doll photos or even seeing overly photoshopped dolls pictures. It's just not appealing to me in any way and often takes away the "magic" of the doll as a medium. I just want to take normal lighting phone pictures this year. And if a doll pose or face strikes my heart, I just want to lift my phone and snap. Not worry about setting something up before I just take a picture.

Organize better?
Always always always looking to make this smoother. I have a few things I want to try this year! I have way, wayy too many dolls and it's overwhelming to even dress them up because of how many clothes they all have. I want to cut down on some dolls, but I also want to organize their clothing better so it's much easier to access.

Something else?
Honestly I just want to enjoy my dolls as they are. Old school way when I first joined the hobby. Staring at them in awe and dressing them up and sitting them next to me. I think this year I need that.

 

This turned into "clear the whole wishlist and get done with it". I've had more or less the same molds and a few "types" on my wishlist since the very start, and I decided to get them out of the way now rather than later. Because it's mostly small makers, I'm not sure how long I could've waited to get everyone at a more leisurely pace, and it's also getting more and more difficult, expensive and annoying to import dolls in my country lately.
I still ordered clothes and wigs to get everyone already at home a complete outfit, not ideal but OK.

So the actual 2026 plan is:
- Buy 2 of the 3 bodies I need
- Now that I finally have a sewing machine, sew some stuff from patterns (already working on something)
- Get fancy 16mm eyes for Yanagi if 14mm won't work.
- Change Leona's wig
- Outfits for the dolls yet to get bodies
- Buncha shoes???
- Set the budget aside for a camera, in view of black friday or 2nd hand deals

Anything extra is welcome but I want to achieve this at least.

Technically I still have one unfulfilled doll-related wish, which is that of a doll with a big toothy smile - specifically a mischievous, asymmetrical grin or smirk, but those two I've found which checked the right boxes were not available in any shape or form, and I am not into them enough to start a grail hunt. So maybe in the future, but I can say I'm done.

 

I had left out the hobby for a while, so I really want to get back into it and give my collection a refresh !
I'd want to get a new doll if I can !

Mostly I want new wigs & eyes sets for my girls, possibly selling one of my dolls too since I haven't really connected with her...
And I really want to try and commission someone for the first time !

 

I just ordered a new doll even though my last 4 additions are all still unpainted and in hodgepodge clothes... so this is the year! I'm going to get my collection up to scratch while I wait for the newbie so she doesn't have to come home to join the Cabinet of Shame!

Top priorities...

1. The 4 blank faces. We're coming up on prime faceup weather (after the rain but before the heat) so I need to get it in gear.
2. Two faceups I actively dislike and want to re-do.
3. Wig and outfit for Cecelia
4. Wig and outfit for Ume
   • Shoes are already on order
5. Wig and outfit for Trill
6. Outfit for Sumire
7. Outfit for Dove

At this point, everyone has at least made some progress on the road to their final form. Future work...

• At least 3 dolls have faceups that are okay but could use a refresh
• New wig for Morgan
• New wig for Dove
• New wig for Snow
• Outfit for Puki
• Diorama/seats for the tiny mermaids
• New wigs and outfits for the micro dolls
• Create/update doll profiles for everyone

I also have a couple miscellaneous tiny dolls that I want to sell, so that might help fund some of the other projects

 

March is almost over already (HOW???) Maybe a good time to check in with the quarter-year progress!

I wrote this on the 1st of December and even before the year was over I bought a new doll This technically stayed into 2025, does it count?

Yeah, I've been sewing! More importantly, I've also been sewing for myself - dolls will never use up the larger fabric pieces I have but human size does it more easily, and I'll still have some leftovers to turn into 1/3 and 1/4 clothes afterwards. I also used up lots of *tiny* scraps for a 1/3 patchwork dress which felt good to put to use. I definitely feel that I've gotten better and more patient at sewing, too.

I've made 2 wigs in 2026! Learned a new technique! I think I'll make a couple more. Did not stop me from also buying wigs, though

maybe? we'll see soon

Bought a roll of film, put it in the camera, still filling it up! I don't want to fill the roll right away so it'll still be a bit until I manage to have it developed, but it's been nice forgetting what kind of photos I've taken of my dolls and I'm excited to see what came out! I'm also thinking of maybe getting my hands on an instant camera or one of those thermal print ones but it is low-low-low on any priority list.

I've bought a few doll items unfortunately, even if I wasn't really planning to. Not really proud of that lack of progress here, but maybe I'll be better in the next 3/4 of the year. Only one pair of shoes bought this year, though!!! This at least must be a record of some sort.


All in all - crafting is going well! No-buy still needs work. Let's see how things have progressed in like... June I guess.