BJD starter pack? What do you wish you'd had when you first started collecting?

Maybe throw in a magic eraser as well?

 

I made a BJD Maintenance kit for someone a few years back, it was a lot of fun! Definitely seconding the magic eraser!

Also:

- a cheap low temp hot glue gun and glue for sueding
- super glue (for loose magnets, they happen so easily!)
- Floral wire, ribbon or a restringing tool
- eyelashes (unless the doll comes with them)
- Aleene's Tacky Glue (for eyelashes or no-drill piercings)

 

A soft toothbrush as an hairbrush, it's one of the tools I use the most.^^

 

A pair of plain shoes that can be used with any outfit. I still wish for shoes more than anything.
A nice wig is also good to have to start off with.

 

That's so sweet of you!

Maybe a stand? That's something I forgot about until after my first doll had arrived.

 

that's so lovely of you! you'll be making someone's year and seconded with the doll stand, it's something we might tend to neglect until we realise there's no way to display/prop the doll. or depending on how big the doll is, maybe a little stool?

I also bought myself some sandpaper and extra head magnets when I first started

good luck putting the items together!

 

This isn’t something you can package but maybe a personally created playlist on youtube of ur fav bjd videos you have found helpful. Like re-stringing, overall basic doll info, your fav unboxing stuff like that.

 

If you can swing it, I’d give at least two wigs—one darker and one lighter, and make one shorter and the other longer, so they can try out different looks. I’d also give two styles of outfit— one “ensemble” where everything goes together (the socks, the suit/dress, the accessory), and then a more casual mix-and-match (sounds like you’ve already got some components! Pants, maybe two different tops, etc.)

 

A restringing hook/tool could save them a lot of pain (literally lol)

 

This might be kind of expensive unless you have one lying around from a doll purchase (like I know ResinSoul gives them out) but: something to carry the doll in. If they want to go to meet-ups or just to transfer the doll from place to place, it'd be nice to have a safe way to do so.

 

I did this recently for a friend I sold a doll to. I included a couple of wigs, eyes, eye putty, a magic eraser, some simple clothes, plus some scraps of fabric and some simple patterns for if she wanted to have a go at making a skirt/top. I also wrote out an 'introduction' to the hobby onto a piece of paper so she would have it to hand, such as the terms/sizes etc, and how to take care of a doll. I also wrote down the measurements of her doll and what clothes/shoes/wigs would fit it, so she could use those terms to find items for her doll. I also drew a diagram of the inside of her doll, just in case a hand pinged off and unraveled the stringing, so she could put it together herself. The information was super helpful and reassuring to her, and as it was on paper she could keep it with her doll things and refer to it. It was the first BJD she had handled and she was quite nervous about damaging it or doing something wrong. The information was fun to write out, as it was a challenge trying to make it as simple as I could and not make it too overwhelming for a total newbie, and I wrote it in the casual way that me and my friend talk to each other.