Do you appreciate your dolls less when you have more of them?

Okay, let me start by saying I don't have a bunch of these types of dolls but I do collect others and I think you appreciate them no matter how many and those you find you don't appreciate as much you give them up. Sometimes, you actually have to have the doll in your hands before you know if there is "chemistry" between you and the doll.

 

I always said I would only have ONE doll. Then, I got Dylan...I thought, he looked lonely...so I got him a girlfriend. Then, I met a friend...and fell in love with her Unoa and Bermann...and well...not I have ~mumble~mumble~ amount. I feel VERY guilty having so many, but then again, I work my butt off and I think it is my money, and I can afford it. So, what the heq, right?

None of my dolls are any less special, but Dylan is STILL my favorite. I will NEVER sell him. NEVER.

I think everyone has their own limits, but we should just enjoy them, you know? Don't fall to peer pressure if you can. Life is too short.

 

I never really cared for dolls as a child (or an adult), but I have always loved collecting things. I can even remember collecting rocks at one point! O_o

When I first came across BJDs and was instantly attracted I had to stop myself, thinking "I'm not a doll person, I'm sure in a few months I won't want it anymore," but that wasn't the case. Several years passed before I got my first doll, and I was totally hooked on the concept of customizing and defining a personality for this little resin being.

For me, once a doll has her style and character defined, I feel compelled to start on another one. After a while I'll have an idea about changing a doll's look, and I'll go back to spending time with a doll I haven't played with in a while.

It's almost like I have a little world to populate with resin people, and every time I see a face that calls to me I want to make it my own. I love being able to have something unique that I've put my heart into, that I've made my own in some way. These dolls connect so many parts of my creative mind, from the artistic aspects to the fantasy/sci-fi/pop culture and beyond. I really enjoy what these dolls have inspired me to do, and I don't know that I'll ever stop building my collection. ^^

 

I think the maximum number of dolls for any person is always at least one more than they currently possess.

Hey, it's worked for me!

I didn't actually set out with the intention of having as many dolls as I do now. At first I was content with Just Ayame, my first Obitsu girl. But then I spotted Neph and Talula on eBay.... And then there was the debacle of Ayame's second face-up that went horribly wrong, so I ordered a couple of spare blank Obitsu heads. And then managed to rescue Ayame's old head, which became Seraphina. And Seraphina needed her own body. And then I started playing around with the other spare head, which became Aunrae - who also needed her own body. (You can see where this is all going, right? ops

I thought I'd reached my limit after I bought Marius though; by that point there were Aunrae, Seraphina and Taliesin (all Obitsus), Amalthea (who was an impulse-buy RML K-02 head who ended up on the new ball-jointed Obitsu body), Ayame (an Obitsu/DD1 hybrid), and Neph (DoC Hoo) and Talula (Serendipity Shall). With my Hound on the way, I figured, that's it! Family complete! Oh, sure, I had a couple of dolls on a wishlist but they were kind of wistful, maybe-one-day sort of plans.

Except then an unexpected and unanticipated Juri head landed in my lap (not literally! ), followed shortly afterwards by an impulse-buy Shiwoo head, and suddenly there's Galhaia, who's claimed Ayame's body, and I've got two bodiless heads floating around just when I thought I had everyone sorted! The numbers dropped by one when I gave aunrae to my youngest daughter for her 11th birthday last month, but that still means that from one doll in March '05 I've gone unintentionally to seven dolls plus two heads as of Jan '06! obviously eventually I'll have 9, and then no doubt another wishlist doll or some other waif or stray will push up the numbers yet further.

Basically, I don't think it's possible to actually plan for the ideal number of dolls. They'll always have their own ideas on the subject anyway! Best to leave them to get on with it, and just keep an eye on the headcount from time to time! *sweat*

 

I think I will use it as my "excuse"... it works for me

But I find I have plenty of time, energy and enthusiasm to care for all my dolls... more money to buy stuff would be good - but in a way "easy money" woudl take away the planing and anticipation and the plain old saving for something. Its great to window shop and plan purchases - almost as exciting as the ordering when you have finally got the money and the items are still in stock. So in many ways I am very glad I am not in the financial position to just go out and buy what ever it is I think my dolls need (eyes,shoes, wigs etc) when the whim takes me. I much prefer the build up involved in saving and waiting... If I got everything I "want" NOW... what do I and the team have to look forward to?

 

Ok, I was saying in my last post how there were x number of dolls I wanted to add. You know... originally I was convinced 6 dolls would be my absolute limit ever. I blinked and now I have 5 LARGE dolls and 3 smaller ones. How did that happen? It's just overwhelming in a way because a few years ago I thought I'd only ever have one doll. Now I have this gigantic family I'm running out of room for and there are at least 2 other large dolls and two minis I'm looking forward to. It's weird who these things happen. Though I'll slack off for a long time on buying them anything. The only thing I really do need to get now are eyes (in a variety of sizes and color) and shoes for a YoSD. Poor baby is going to get home and have nothing to keep his lil feet warm!

It just really hit me that I've gone from being one of the "I'll only have one" mindset to "just one more... one more..." Dear lord I have a lot of the little buggers now. O_O I'm just overwhelmed - exceedingly happy - but overwhelmed. They are going to annex the cats next!

 

I was thinking of getting another doll this year (birthday, heheh...) but now Im getting the twins, im having doubts.

I dont want them to be neglected because of my love for a larger doll-I love the look of the bigger dolls, like the Delf's and SD's, and Im torn between Shiwoo and El as a basic model. But I worry the twins will be too small, or we won't bond...newbie worries!

I was wondering-all of you who have dolls with such strong characters (Ilu, Rinlocke...to name a few) talk of getting another doll...are you still as devoted to your current doll? Im not talking about trade-ins, Im talking about your beloved only doll becoming one of however many....

I know people can love loads of dolls, but did your love for the first doll fade a bit after the second? Or did it make things more fun?

 

I think I still spend more time with Rinlocke than I do with Fortun. Honestly, both are so unique with their personalities (Rinlocke is easier to carry around and is very aggressive, while Fortun is a bit heavy and very passive) that I just cant compare them that way. One day Rinlocke will seem to want attention, and the next I seem drawn to Fortun. Luckily, I'm not at the point where I'm completely denying either boy attention.

I will probably stick with these two for a while, as I do grow a little worried my interest will wane in one if I get too many.

 

I thought three at maximum would keep my interest-Id love a larger doll as my boyfriend wants to customise him to be like Cloud, and I wouldnt have a problem with people wanting to pick him up or sit him on things...however I feel the twins are more delicate and to be looked after better.

I havnt amassed a collection-sure, I have a wishlist, but as Im an art student I collect lovely things to look at, and I dont want these dolls to be just decorative, so I look for more in them.

 

Hmm, I haven't gotten my second boy yet, but when I do he's as much for Ilú as he is for me. In my case, Aulen is another of my characters I've had for a number of years so we're quite well bonded, but he's a good second doll because he puts up with the brat's Almighty Ego pretty well - there's no chance that Ilú would be pushed to one side (with his personality, it wouldn't happen anyway) I think he'll always be my main boy... perhaps the trick is to have a more placid character for your second? Aulen doesn't mind Ilú hogging the spotlight, and I don't think that would change however many I eventually get. I'm completely devoted to my brat... and my future dolls are, too.

(And looking at Aelice's response, it seems as though her boys are rather similar - Rinlocke being 'agressive'; Fortun, 'passive'. Perhaps it really is the way to go ^___^)

 

I will have four MSD-sized dolls by the time March is over (#4 is on the way), but the one that I love most is still Ryuen who was my first doll, without Ryuen I really wouldn't have the others and all the others absolutely adore him as well as a big brother (in the case of the twins) or a lover (in the case of my coming doll). Thankfully for me, Ryuen isn't really that much of an attention hog, he likes to be taken out as much as the rest, but if I decide I want to take one or both of the twins instead, he gets to stay home and read which is one of his other favorite things (at least the character's favorite things, the resin shell probably doesn't care).

*laughs* I guess my secret behind the multiple dolls is that they're all bound to my first doll in one way or another and will always view him as the "alpha" so to speak.

 

Hikaru was my first doll (AR LF Jade) and he was the only doll I had for 3 months, and then I got his boyfriend Fumiki. I bonded a lot with Hikaru and love Fumiki very much. Neither were predetermined characters.

When I decided to get bodies for some of my story characters, I worried about some of the same things. With them being very different from Hik and Fumi, I worried about my first two accidentally being pushed to the side. This hasn't happened, and I'm still bonded to them and love them, but the relationship with them is different than with Frank (and most likely Lorry who will be arriving immenently).

In some ways I have more in common with the story guys and I've known Frank for 8 years, and Liam and Lorry even longer than that. They're like old friends. They're also louder than my two little ones. However, I will always love my first two and if I feel like I'm giving Frank more attention, I make the effort to do something just with Hikaru and Fumiki to balance it out.

Having more dolls hasn't diminished my appreciation or love for the ones that were here before, but it does change the dynamic in the household and I have to make more of a concious effort to make sure no one accidentally gets left out. So far all is well, however. Only you can decide how many dolls is too many for you though.

 

I don't know if my dolls have strong character but, man, Chocolate deffinly did stop being developed 'cause of Mikael or Vanilla's arrival. Actually, Chocolate just developed more and more, 'cause she started to make new and strong relationships and relationships make people grow and, as a character, she did grow up a lot. ^^

 

well, i suppose i'm in a similar spot, Little_miss..[i think, sort of..?]

I really like the Miyu mold but the personality i have for that character, Mikaela, is very similar to Junction-- a very quiet personality, an observer, really. which is why i've decided to go after a second boy, instead-- Amorak, who is a much "louder" personality. i admit i'm sort of afraid getting him will pull my attention away from jay, and yet I also believe having Amo around will bring out Jay's personality more, as Amo is just the type to tug at his nerves and earn a reaction out of his usual silence. xD; so i'm unsure about it, and yet hoping for a shell for Amo like CRAZY at the same time..

..and now that i think of it i guess i can tie in "hooray for opposites!" with what Xi-feng said in response to Aelice's comment. xD

 

Im thinking about the very same thing.
I like a couple of dolls, and have thought about getting another doll sometime, and the more I think about it the more I want to wait a little longer to decide. =/

 

More dolls = more complex = more fun.

At least, I've found that to be the truth, and my sixth just arrived last week.

 

Hmm... I dunno. I only have Harumatsu... but it is something I wonder about.

What if the dreaming head I ordered as an extra for him doesn't suit him, and I end up making it into someone else entirely? What if I like one of Dollshe's two as-yet-unseen new boys well enough to want one of them? What if I get a Soah some day?

Harumatsu isn't a pushy or agressive personality. He's already the "quiet one"... If the second doll ended up with a more forceful character, would he get pushed aside?

I don't know... I wouldn't want that to happen to him.
It's one of the big reasons why I really don't think I'll ever get another doll. :-|

 

Megumi is probably going to be my only girl. She isn't pushy or loud like the others, yet she commands through silence. I don't handle her as much as I do the boys, because she has a "don't touch me" feel to her [seriously, ask anyone who's met her in person, she really dislikes being touched, or talked to, or handled, or looked at O_O;]

My boys are strong in personality as well, some are more "boastful" than others [like say Jenova is loud, Jun isn't]

I give all of them the same attention, just in diffrent ways. I had only planned on having Megumi in the beginning and now, 3 years later I have 5 and counting [5 of mine, Kazuya and Persephone are Selene's ^^] ... their personalities form themselves really, I always have different ideas but when I get them in person, they dictate to me, not the other way around ^^

The ones I couldn't bond with found better homes so the ones I have now are loved all the same ^_^

 

I've got 11 boys, working on number 12 now, and my love for my first doll, my darling Ryou, hasn't faded in the slightest.

I definitely agree that more dolls = more fun.