Demanding dolls!??

I feel ya. I've been getting in to the habit of eating better, and not eating out of boredom, and I find I've been doing more doll stuff to keep myself distracted from food. Perhaps not quite the same, but I spend hours window shopping online, and you'd think this doll was like a child. XD

I do think it's possible you could be using your dolls as an escape, though! No shame in that. It's what hobbies are for.

 

I think it's good to take a break from the things we are passionate about. I know how you feel because I think of myself in the same way you do but sometimes I get too much into things. Right now I ordered my first doll and I won't see him before April yet I'm already going "crazy" by thinking about the clothings, the eyes, etc...it feels a bit pressuring to me.

So right now I'm trying to get into other hobbies. Setting some of the things we love aside at times can be a good, especially when it feels like a burden more than a passion.

 

Maybe you're missing the days when your teens were small and needy...and you're using your dolls to fill the gap! I've always found it kind of strange that a lot of people refer to their dolls as 'my kids', but the truth is that there are some notable similarities...beginning with how much money we pour into them, lol. In any case, whatever the reason, it's almost certainly a good thing that you've found a distraction you truly enjoy!

 

I know the feeling! I don't have kids, nor do I think of my dolls as kids, but this is my main hobby, and I love photographing my dolls, and dressing or posing them calms me. I might randomly say my dolls "wants" something, but I really mean the role play character they portray would like whatever it is, or that I think the thing would be fitting for that doll. Except for my incoming girl and two tiny pet dolls, all of my dolls are technically "complete", as in they have eyes, wigs, a complete outfit, faceup and are display-ready, but I like to redo faceups as I improve, and I get bored looking at the same old doll in the same old outfit forever, so I like to get new clothes and props for them often. It's how I enjoy the hobby, so yes, sometimes my dolls do "need" new stuff.

 

Demanding may be the word to describe my dolls too. Somehow they keep getting a hold of the PayPal info and ordering themselves resin friends :/ Oh well...Watchya gonna do?

 

If you feel as though you are using your dolls in an unhealthy way you could always step away for a few days and see how you feel. Is it actually making you feel better or more stressed out? I did once collect nail polish very obsessively, took me a while to pin point it was a way for me to escape something sad in my family, and wasn't making me feel better. I had to step back, and not buy more polish. I still paint my nails, like I always have, but I don't buy polish and get worked up about it like I was before.

 

Now that you mentioned it...it made me realize I was kinda going through the same thing. Only difference is that I want to do it, and it makes me happy doing it so I don't feel demanded. I can say I've been using dolls as an outlet to escape from the unpleasant situation in my current life to keep me sane and stay happy. You need to sit down and think about your life situation for a bit, why are you feeling this way? It could be that you are under a certain pressure and you just need an outlet to sort it out. But if you feel that's not the problem, then I guess you could try stepping back from dolls for a while to see how it works out for you.

 

I hate pink. One of my dolls, however, demands pink clothing... (two more of them try, but they can be persuaded into lilac instead)

Teddy

 

hmmm... I find my doll demand more from me whenever I'm having a hard time dealing with real life. I think it's my mind telling me I need to escape reality for awhile... xD It's only when I don't allow myself to take a brake from real life that I start to feel stressed that they seem to be demanding more. I guess I take it as a sign that I need to find some way to have some alone time.

I defiantly use dolls as an escape. I obsess most about my dolls or other hobbies when I need to escape, and as long as your taking care of yourself and the important aspects to life I don't really see it as a bad thing.

If the dolls are what is stressing you out though... I would say you need to take a step back and not worry so much. If one dosen't get a face up for years that's ok. If they have less clothing or shoes or wigs for a while that's ok. You don't need to do everything at once, it's ok if it takes time! I have a doll that I had for 9 years... I only just sent her out to get a faceup! xD Life was crazy and getting in to that was too much for me, so I left it. I'm glad I can do it now, but it didn't hurt me to leave it that long.

 

You don't sound crazy! haha. It's always in the back of my mind. But it's important to put family, work, friends, and yourself first. Don't ever let your hobby stress you out.

 

LOL! I have an OT doll like that - except she demands EVERYTHING pink. And it's not my favorite color, either,

I have a Pukifee who prefers everything purple to go with her hair, and another who wants everything with a star or space theme. Plus a Time Lady who wants a tuxedo cat.....

In all seriousness, though, my only real source of stress with my dolls is that my imagination far exceeds my ability to create things like roomboxes and photo setups. As well as my budget. I think I'd need the BBC's budget to create the control room of Maddy's TARDIS.

 

I can hear them in their room. Arguing, discussing, yelling all this and that. Sometimes I take notes. Sometimes I shut the door and watch whatever mystery show is on.

 

I see that “demand” as more that I really want to enjoy a particular doll and I see something that would be convenient for that. Vidania, for instance, is ‘demanding’ I finish the dremel’s winter home so I can get her mods done, finally. I miss playing her in DnD, so lately, I’ve also been sorting out her wig and stuff. Her canon hair might be a bit tricky to make, but I’m figuring something out. I can’t go play her (that campaign is on hiatus) but I miss her.

 

Oh yes...my crew is quite demanding! Every year I carefully fill out my plans in the yearly “to do” threads here on DoA, and woe be it if I don’t complete each and every elaborate project on that list, including multiple wardrobes, face-ups, displays, etc. It seems there’s always so much to do in this hobby...but I know it’s because I’m very passionate about it. It’s my escape when there’s entirely too much reality in my world, so I know it’s very healthy for me.