Do you keep a Doll Diary?

Hmmm... not sure if it counts, but i do have a noebook i write down everything i want to make for each doll. I just started it so it doesnt have much in it yet. So more of a crafting journal i guess? I do plan on putting a few things on here, but nit till i get a little closer to actually doing them. I also have a few documents on my computer that just keep track of what dolls i want and what their character is. And a few links to accesories i want to get. Thats about all i do.

 

I keep a doll diary. It's a pink notebook and I write down the sculpts,names,and measurements and all my doll plans. It's good way for me to keep track of all my ideas. I have posted some things from it here,in the doll plans thread somewhere.

 

I wouldn't call my records a diary, but I keep private character sheets for all of my dolls, with things like their character's birth date, height/weight, family members, likes and dislikes, important backstory info and more, I've even got a spreadsheet of school schedules for the teens. I've also got a list of every doll I've ever owned, a list of each current doll's measurements, a list of everything I've bought for the dolls that hasn't yet arrived (plus a check mark and tracking number if it's been shipped), and a list of my current dolls and what I paid for them, skin tone, company, sculpt, body type and year made. I guess you could say I like lists better than diary entries.

 

I don't keep an actual physical diary, but I do have a few blogs donated to my doll collecting. It's nice to have a record for stuff and a place I can easily find pictures, ya know. It also helps me stay organized for any dolls plans I have lol

 

I have a notepad/sketchbook I use for my university work and since my dolls form part of that work I end up writing quite a bit about them in there though a lot of that stuff is more I guess abstract. Other times I use the notes on my iPhone since I always have that on me.

 

I use a sketch pad. Mostly because I sew all my dolls clothes and I need to sketch out my ideas before I tackle making patterns and chooseing fabrics. Plus a small cheap sketch pad is easy enough to carry around.

 

Not quite a “doll diary” specifically but my sketchbook I use as basically also a general scrapbook/ record keeper (as well as for actual art lol). So it’s often got a lot of doll stuff in there too. Always ordering / arrival dates and usually the date if I choose to sell a doll and lots of doll plans and ideas c:

 

I don't have a Journal, but I have a folder on my computer that is filled with ideas, with sub-folders with more concentrated plans. I also have a bookmark folder that's stuffed with Websites, Tutorials, Brands Sites, all things doll related and it's HUGE. I also have a physical binder that I keep all my patterns in that I have draped and fitted to my doll with notes of some of the changes I made so I can adjust them to future dolls. Having the physical measurements is an excellent idea, will have to add those.

 

I have a sketchbook where I started writing down planned doll sculpts/characters and their traits/clothing styles/hair color, etc. I may start writing short stories in my sketchbook as well. I also have a word document where I keep my current dolls' character bios and backstory (if they have one). In my bios, I have my dolls' name, birthday, zodiac, favorites foods, etc.

 

I’ve got a Mac program called Voodoopad (the free version) where I can put company photos, measurements, plans, etc. It’s an offline, self-contained wiki, so I can make categories and link things how I like.

I also keep purchase info (like price, order dates, shipping notice dates, arrival dates, the DOA listing for secondhand dolls from the marketplace, etc.), aesthetic collages (pulled from Pinterest, but offline), character sheets and stories.

 

This is vary interesting. I never thought about it but that's a good idea to keep everything in one place. I have a folder on evernote for reference pictures and I saved the entire marketplace ad for my dolls so I know where they came from. They're all secondhand though DOA. Maybe I'll start adding other thing to it. Like when I have ideas for their personalities.

 

I have a couple of dolly diaries/journals. One that is based on my oc designs where I plan out background stories and list out which sculpt(s) I have in mind for that character. I also plan out other details like eyes, wigs, clothing styles and faceups. There's also character relationships (romance, relations, etc.).

The other is more of a random daily diary. That's where I put my sewing ideas and progress, wig progress, shopping plans, to do lists for maintenance and profiles, photoshoot ideas, faceup plans and progress... pretty much just everything. I write about my feelings for my dolls and the hobby. My frustrations with wait times, shipping/post office, eyes/wigs/shoes/faceups that just aren't working for certain dolls. My excitement at revamping old dolls and customizing new dolls. You get the picture. I do update my daily when I'm working on projects, though I haven't made an entry in a few weeks. Not because I'm tired of it, but because I've been busy with adjusting the kids and myself to the new school term.

I share bits and pieces from my diary with my bestie and my husband and some threads on doa. The sewing challenges thread, dolly planning thread, crafting ect.

 

I've kept a small notebook with the dolls names, manufacturers etc... It's just a simple list including the basic information when I made order, date of arrival and such. I'm planning to make a scrapbook thing of them too, I already printed some info sheets to be glued on the scrapbook pages. I'm really bad with keeping any journal but I feel like the scrapbook would be good for me, I first tried to draw their pictures but since my fiance found me some small photo printer I thought why not to put on some photos instead of drawings. At least they'll look like the dolls since my drawings usually don't.

 

I do, I have kept one since I started in the hobby in 2008!
I just write all my doll plans and ideas in there, it is nice to look back and to see how things change.
I also keep track of all doll related things coming to me.

 

I'd never thought of this before! I just keep my doll things in my regular notebook.

It would be cool though to have a sort of "dolly scrapbook," wouldn't it? A place where I could stick pictures of their faceups and write down plans for outfits and props (and keep record of what got made and what didn't.) I bet it would be really interesting to look back at ten years from now.

 

I keep a notebook of pertinent info, both for my own reference and for possible sale listings. It contains:

Heading with given name and doll type, i.e., mini, anthro, tiny, etc.
Sculpt and company names
Resin type/color
Eye size
Wig size
Body measurements
Origin of face-up/body blushing
Source of doll
Dates of order and arrival
Costs, broken down into doll, face-up, shipping...
Country of origin
Thumbnail photo
Any other little bits of info I might find useful or amusing

I have found this to be invaluable. And fun.

 

I bought a notebook for work that accidentally turned into a doll diary... and then I filled that one up. And I got another one. And I filled THAT one up. I'm about halfway through doll diary #3 right now.

I mostly dedicate pages to designing/planning what I want incoming dolls to look like with sketches and writing. So, like, I sometimes make checklists of potential bodies for floating heads, and I sometimes sketch quick concepts for what kind of faceup or clothing style I'm going to do. I also use it to sketch out the engineering and design plans for my own doll sculpting project! I color code the pages so that I know which are for dolls I'm collecting and which are for dolls I'm sculpting.

I never really post its contents anywhere, but that's more due to how much of a pain it would be to scan/photograph the pages... plus, it's the sort of chicken-scratchy bad doodles that nobody else would really get much out of.

 

I have a journal that's only for bjd stuff! I write down a list of things to buy clothes/ accessories / props / ect for each of my dolls. I also write down ideas for photoshoots! I have character descriptions and stories for each doll as well!

 

This is a really cool idea. I never thought about doing something like this. I usually just write information, outfit ideas, and other plans in sketch books but because I have so many sketch books I forget where I wrote things down in. I may have to buy a sketch book just for dolls.