Do you ever take "breaks" or "vacations" from the hobby?

Oh gosh, yeah. In seven years of BJD ownership, there have been plenty of times when I blipped out of the doll community for months or even years; it wasn't a feeling of "boredom" with the hobby so much as it suddenly seeming overwhelming or chaotic, it's hard to explain, but basically I lost track of what I enjoyed about it and would sort of shut down with respect to BJDs. I still liked the dolls I owned during those times, in an absentminded way, but they were almost always in their boxes and even when I took them out to have them sit on my desk or whatever I felt little urge to discuss them online.

Ever since I got back into the hobby full force in mid-2014, I have yet to scoot away again or go through a "break", though :P I kind of have a feeling I won't anytime soon since I put so much effort my dolls this past year that I became more attached to them than ever before and actually enjoy discussing/sharing them online (before, being involved in the communithy was very take it or leave it -- which is a shame, because I think the doll aesthetic of older times resonates with me a bit more than the currently popular ones. It's like...I'm finally here and ready to discuss/enjoy, and half the dolls I liked are retired or never posted anymore :'D)

 

Not yet. I should, but I do not. I love it too much.

 

I wouldn't say my interest necessarily wanes, but sometimes I get very overwhelmed with life and I find myself focusing on the bare minimum, hobbywise - things like my aquariums, which I obviously cannot just take a break from, lest I want to kill all my fish, which I definitely do not. In order to find some sort of peace (and not completely exhaust myself) I sort of check out for a little while. It's usually just two or three months until I'm no longer feeling so tired and then I come back to all the things I love, like dolls.

Not having any money is a big deterrent in a hobby like this as well, so I have noticed my interest somewhat lapses in the times I've been between jobs. I'm not very good at pining over things, so it's easier for me to just not look at all.

 

I joined the hobby in about 2006, and in about... 2010, I think, I stopped looking at anything to do with BJDs, purely because I wasn't as interested as I was before. I haven't touched my dolls in about 4 years! I still love them though.

But recently (this week) I've started looking at DoA again, and have actually picked up some of my dolls! XD I've also caught up on what new companies there are. I think I'll be ordering a new doll sometime soon, and I'm really happy to be back!

 

How long do your "breaks" typically last?
They last however long it is until I have money to collect again. If I can't keep acquiring new things, I'm not interested in torturing myself by participating in the hobby. I collected heavily from 05 to 07 and had to slow way down. Then I was completely gone from the hobby from 09 until now because of financial problems.

What's the longest "BJD Break" you've ever taken?
About 5 years.

What are the various reasons you take breaks from the hobby? (Is it just because your interests wane, or because of finances, living situations, etc?)
Finances/living situations. I'm planning to get a new doll within the next few months but I'm in a very small space so I can't ship my other big dolls from my parents' house yet. My interest has never waned, it was just that other things had to take priority.

When you get back in to BJDs after coming out of a "break," do you have any guilt for neglecting your dolls or the community?
I don't feel guilty, I just regret not having been able to build up my collection more. I still love the old dolls best and everything's even more difficult to obtain now.

When you've taken a long break from BJDs, do you have to deal with any skepticism from your family or friends about how much you love BJDs? Do you find yourself having the same issues you had with them when first starting in the hobby?
My husband has been a pain. He still doesn't really understand them but he's not going to stand in the way.

 

• How long do your "breaks" typically last?

A few days to a few weeks. I get v bored of my dolls because they don't look the way I want them too and I don't have the space to play with them the way I want to

• What's the longest "BJD Break" you've ever taken?

About 3 months. I kept my dolls on the shelf and didn't even look at them. It was bad.

• What are the various reasons you take breaks from the hobby? (Is it just because your interests wane, or because of finances, living situations, etc?)

I find that because all my dolls were impulse buys, I don't bond with them as much and as such, I don't find that I have the "bond" that I feel like other owners have with their dolls. It makes me feel worse to think that I don't have that, which makes me dislike my dolls more.

• When you get back in to BJDs after coming out of a "break," do you have any guilt for neglecting your dolls or the community?

Not really, when I'm on a break I'm usually still looking at Instagram and Tumblr to see other peoples dolls, or I'm looking at doll clothes and new sculpts online. Its just that I don't play with my own dolls very much during that time.

• When you've taken a long break from BJDs, do you have to deal with any skepticism from your family or friends about how much you love BJDs? Do you find yourself having the same issues you had with them when first starting in the hobby?

My family has been pretty supportive of me and my hobby, even if they do think its kinda weird. They don't pay much attention to my dolls, so they don't seem to notice when I don't either.

As it may become obvious, I'm currently in a funk with my dolls. Its a combination of not bonding with my current dolls, having trouble selling them, and not having enough money to buy the sculpts I really want because the Canadian Dollar is so bad compared to the American If only our economy was stronger lmao

 

I've just 'recovered' from my first break since starting the hobby in 2012 - I think I was off it for a couple of months?
I took a break for a couple of reasons - my son leaving home meant I had a huge amount of DIY and decorating etc to do (still tons to do now!) And I had no money, because he'd left home. So I decided to be all sensible and grown up, and sell most of my dolls - just keep the 2 oldest ones, as I'm more attached to them.
BUT when I tried to list the other dolls to sell on ebay, suddenly I was unable to part with them! I did feel guilty for neglecting the poor dears, and for discussing selling them in front of them - I'm sure they were quite worried! ^_^
Thankfully my family aren't around to criticise me, but they think I'm crazy anyway. Just to prove it, I've bought 2 more dolls since picking up the hobby again, in spite of having no money - and I now live on porridge! ^_^

 

• Do you ever find yourself taking "breaks" from the hobby? If so: How long do your "breaks" typically last?

Yes, I had breaks, but not that many.

• What's the longest "BJD Break" you've ever taken?

The last kinda break I had was about three years.

• What are the various reasons you take breaks from the hobby? (Is it just because your interests wane, or because of finances, living situations, etc?)

Well, my two largest hobbies are both expensive and have a lot of drama in it. So I have no energy to be active in both at the same time. When I was very involved in my other hobby the doll was put aside for three years.

• When you get back in to BJDs after coming out of a "break," do you have any guilt for neglecting your dolls or the community?

A little bit yes. Since I haven't done anything doll related for thee years! I now have to do a lot of maintenance. But I have followed my fellow bjd ppl on social media, so I have had an eye on the hobby, just been active in it.

• When you've taken a long break from BJDs, do you have to deal with any skepticism from your family or friends about how much you love BJDs? Do you find yourself having the same issues you had with them when first starting in the hobby?

No, never. They don't care and I don't give a butt about their thoughts on the matter.

 

• Do you ever find yourself taking "breaks" from the hobby? If so:
  • How long do your "breaks" typically last?

months, or years

• What's the longest "BJD Break" you've ever taken?

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3 years I think

• What are the various reasons you take breaks from the hobby? (Is it just because your interests wane, or because of finances, living situations, etc?)

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living situation along with finances... my interests wane on luxury items when I am a poor student, of which I was for 2 years and then I was living in my mom's basement while looking for work

• When you get back in to BJDs after coming out of a "break," do you have any guilt for neglecting your dolls or the community?

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nope, I'm excited to see the new stuff, sad that I've missed out on some things, but also feeling a bit like "an old fogie" because "3 years ago ______" sorta thing and there are people who don't even know what I'm talking about

• When you've taken a long break from BJDs, do you have to deal with any skepticism from your family or friends about how much you love BJDs? Do you find yourself having the same issues you had with them when first starting in the hobby?

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I didn't have much skepticism from friends or family in the first place, I know people that find dolls creepy but I find that the older I get, the more open everyone seems to be... I was talking to a coworker the other day and she said she bought new skis and it ended up about $700 plus boots (like $200) I told her I couldn't imagine spending that much on skis but then I also just spent $700 on a doll and bought $200 in shoes, eyes, wig and some clothes. We both agreed that everyone has a thing they're willing to spend money on and judging people for that is silly.

• If you've never taken a break from BJDs, do you think you ever will? Why or why not?

my interests in things come and go, I'll probably end up taking more breaks eventually and it may be because I'm more interested in some other form of art at the time... like how I modelled a lot more last year and barely did any this year because I was much more interested in sewing. Things I do wax and wane but they are all a part of me

 

I am experiencing highs and lows in all things creative. Same with my urge to work on my doll projects. But I have to make sure to check them once in a while even when I'm in a break. Such time-outs can last a couple of months even. It doesn't matter much to me. I think it is important to remember that you are the one who has the hobby, and it's not the hobby that has you. About the other questions, I'm not sure yet.

 

Do you ever find yourself taking "breaks" from the hobby? If so:

• How long do your "breaks" typically last? I recently came back from a break I got my last doll 2/13 and came back in 10/15 so a little over two years before that I had about a six month break
• What's the longest "BJD Break" you've ever taken? a little over two years
• What are the various reasons you take breaks from the hobby? (Is it just because your interests wane, or because of finances, living situations, etc?) For me it was a mix of all three, I bought my last doll to try and get myself back into the hobby. I was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and was going through treatments and was wiped out but my grail doll a dollshe Saint arrived between surgeries and I was so excited but also so tired. I had no money, and no energy but I recently get a surge of hobby/dollie love again and I feel like I should and would have felt if my Saint had arrived when I was healthy!
• When you get back in to BJDs after coming out of a "break," do you have any guilt for neglecting your dolls or the community? Nope no guilt for neglecting my dolls or the community. I feel lost a little I was gone so long and now that I am back there are SO MANY NEW DOLLS I feel a little like a newbie again which I think is adding to the magic
• When you've taken a long break from BJDs, do you have to deal with any skepticism from your family or friends about how much you love BJDs? Do you find yourself having the same issues you had with them when first starting in the hobby? No and No I am an adult so I think they is part of it, also my family has always been SUPER Supportive I got my first doll not long after a family trauma, and this year one of my brothers died very unexpectedly in January so I think my family sees dolls as a ways for me to process and work through and comfort myself