Buying more dolls when you still have unfinished ones

I've decided to be stern, get serious and set myself on a no-buy for new dolls unless there is a very special exception. I want to get some carry dolls finished and my own ensembles ready for going to both BJDCTexas and Dollism Plus USA in 2014. I am pokey-slow!

Of course if that comes together faster and easier than expected, I may need a reward . I don't think it's anything to get stressed over, lots of dolls I wanted came available in a fairly short period either at an attractive price, when the purchase was easy or through other fortunate circumstances, so going through heavier buying cycles then buying none for a while is acceptable even if it leaves several dolls unfinished for a while. I've only bought one fullset, the rest begin naked, blank, bald.

I don't mind blank dolls staying blank, as I've said. I kind of like to have a couple blank in fact, I think it has kept me from buying more on impulse. But getting my favorite dolls closer to a finished ideal will help me refine my idea for my collection. I have a lot of dolls now, and need to re-evaluate how I want to manage space and budget for future dolls on my eventual wishlist, most of which are both larger and more expensive.

 

Generally, I don't think it a problem if someone buys a new doll before another doll is "finished". Expecially with limited dolls, it is a sensible way to get the sculpt you want (be it from the company or a great find on the MP, ebay etc.). Also, I would agree with the following:

But for me, personally, there is one big exception: face-up. My dolls, at least all full dolls, usually get the face-up the first evening after their arrival! And just like CloakedSchemer,...

...I don't really know why it is like that. I just feel I "owe" my dolls a face.

 

I recently got a new doll while having a couple still unfinished. I did feel a little guilty, but I had been wanting her(RS Yao) for a while. The funny thing is after I decided I was going to get her (and since she's arrived) she actually sparked my creativity for my unfinished dolls. So, along with her I'm working on the ones I had been neglecting. And it's absolutely none of my business what other people do in this hobby.

 

I am not getting anymore dolls until my two are finished. I want to get more...but I need to finish the two I have.

 

The title of this thread is my life story, haha.

A lot of dolls on my "must have" list are older/discontinued and thus harder to find...so when one does pop up for sale, and I can afford it, I will usually go for it despite my lengthy list of projects. I am a patient person and it doesn't bother me to have incomplete dolls; sometimes it takes a while for me to create a concept for a specific doll or I'm waiting on a commission slot to open up or I just plain don't have the money at the time. Everything will get done eventually and the journey there is half the fun, anyway.

 

I don't mind if there's a stack of doll boxes around. I'd rather get something when I see it for a good price than kick myself later for passing it up and not finding it when I'm ready to work on that doll.

It also takes a while to find the right eyes and wig, and I can't paint until I have those two things done.

So I have a stack of blank dolls here. I'm working on them, and they'll get done eventually.

 

Do you buy dolls finish later?
Yes. I try not to, but I do.

Do you not order your next doll 'til the last is done?
I often fall for limiteds (since there are so many in the bjd world, not a surprise), so often I order one doll right after another. Since they are usually on layaway, I usually have time to work on the earlier dolls before the next arrives, though.

How do you feel when you have several blank dolls staring at you?
Doesn't bother me. Well, not a LOT, anyway. I DO try to give my dolls faceups when I can. Some have just taken a LONG time!

How do you feel when people keep ordering dolls but have several unfinished in their collection?
Like it's none of my business what other people do!

 

I've since come to the realization it doesn't work for me although I've done this a whole lot in the past. I prefer to finish the dolls I have at home so I can have a more strict focus than have a million to work on at the same time despite getting swayed by dolls and ideas all the time. I learned I'd rather keep to my plans and I feel more fulfilled by doing things for the ones already here. I don't particularly mind the blank dolls because they never stay that way for long as I can do my own faceups. And last I think everyone should enjoy the hobby as they like. It's none of my business if they're ordering dolls while having unfinished ones if it makes them happy. c:

 

I'm buying a face off the marketplace despite my Resinsoul ya desperately needing a new body!! Do I feel kinda bad? Sure! Am I going to not buy the face because of it? Noooo way

 

I always said I would not buy another untill I had aleast finished clothing and having him blushed. But I failed due to soom having such cute foxys which my and my girlfriend got to do are firsonas I lasted 5 months before doing a layaway with soom. And now just found a shiwoo head I ve always wanted so going from none to 3 in a year lol. I don't think it's a bad thing to have 3 tho I will clothe then all and have them faced up and blushed. I think tho you Carnt just focus on one but buy and make bits for each gives your more options whilst waiting for other things to arrive.

 

I'm in the group that buys more bjd even if my previous ones aren't finished yet -_-'....sad but true. That is not to say that my bjd won't be finished eventually, but it does take a while to get them faceups, eyes, wigs. What I consider finished doesn't include clothing for the bjd as clothing is the most changeable for my bjd and I enjoy sewing new things for them. I've never ordered more than one bjd at a time so haven't had to deal with the scheduling of multiple incoming parcels...yet.
As for what other people do with their bjd, that is none of my business. If someone is buying bjd then 'Congratulations' or if some one is saving for grail bjd then its always 'Good luck' from me .

 

I must admit, that I never seem to get one doll complete before ordering a new one... I have dolls that have been waiting for years to get their wigs, eyes, or most importantly, their clothes...

 

Do you buy dolls finish later?
Oh yes. Oh how i do this. To me it's more important to HAVE the doll than to have it finished. I do like to have initial face up, eyes, and wig pretty fast. My dolls never seem to get outfits though.


Do you not order your next doll 'til the last is done?
Nope, when I see something I want, and am able to get it, I snag it up. I know ill get around to customizing it later, its more important to have it on hand.

How do you feel when you have several blank dolls staring at you?
For me it's more - several naked dolls staring at me. The only time I dont get around to a face up is if the weather is bad!

 

Bleugh, I have a problem with buying new (totally basic and blank themselves) dolls when I still have unfinished dolls, anything from "needs shoes" to "needs everything"... when I got back into the hobby I told myself "i'm not gonna buy any new dolls I'm just gonna complete and flesh out the ones I have" and sure enough a couple weeks later i was buying one of my old grail dolls because i found out she was being discontinued...

And now I guess I am gonna focus on finishing everyone because... 1. I don't have any excess savings with which to buy new dolls after my last purchase and 2. I don't think I'm the type of collector who could handle getting multiple dolls in a short period of time, i feel like it would be overwhelming... though there are certainly dolls I'm pining after right now, getting another one in such close proximity to the last feels like too much for me.

I guess it's really just a matter of putting my foot down and focusing my doll budget on only stuff for the ones i already have... because for me if I hang on to an unfinished doll for too long I can end up kinda un-bonding with them, which I'm experiencing with my boy who was left unfinished over my hiatus and I feel so unmotivated to finish him now... I'd really like to finish my others quickly so my love for them doesn't go stagnant

 

I only have two dolls so far but I've already been doing this. I got my first doll about a year ago and he is still in his box, with no face up, and in pieces because I need to restring him. Also he doesn't have anything good to wear and he needs a new wig. But he turned out to be so much harder to finish than I thought he would be.

And so I ordered another doll, because there was a special event and I couldn't turn it down. I'm hoping to be able to get both of them finished soon. But I'm already planning my next doll and it's all I can do not to put her on layaway right now.

 

I find myself that way. I have one doll on the way and am working out whose coming next--but I still have a few dolls that need those final touches. And it drives me nuts they're not "perfect". I am currently in the process of trying to get my dolly space and gear together, so I know what I have, what I need, and what I can move along to a new home. I also need to make a list of who needs what. I have a couple dolls that need the right eyes or wigs. One has the most beautiful hazel eyes, I just wish I could get a green spot in one of them. (I have since tried to stop making characters that I can't ever really shell because of features that are /too/ unique.) One I can never just seem to get the right wig for. :/ It's nuts. But a very enjoyable sort of nuts.

 

Yes I would because I am a multi-tasker so I always have another project going.

 

Yes. I order new dolls when my doll isn't finished. It is dressed, but it need blushing,sanding and new eyes. Eyes will come with the second doll. The third doll will come with fullset

 

While all of my dolls have faceups and wigs and clothes and things of that nature I still don't ever think that I can label them as finished mainly because I always want to make and buy more for them because to me finished is like 'done. thats it. no more work needs to go into this doll'. Likewise, limited sculpts or chances at things on the marketplace can also make it hard to stay on track with one doll project at a time (which I am never able to do). I feel a little guilty but I also don't worry about it because that just means that I'm giving myself more time to shower them with new clothes and edited stories and bits like that.
Unless I bought a doll simply because I thought It's fullset was beautiful and I just wanted to keep it as a collectors piece (like a soom monthly or something) then that doll would be finished the moment it arrived at my door.