Does becoming a "crazy doll lady/person" concern you?

Nope.

My collection has grown rapidly over the last year, and next year looks on course to bring in more resin [finances permitting, of course]. I just think about how there are worse things to be spending money on, and how they are subtly allowing me to express my creativity [most of my dolls shell characters I created]. They are a way for me to bring my characters to life, in a sense.

Although, I do have my self-imposed limits. I'm only really focusing on one story, because the main characters within are so eclectic and are some of my favourites. That way, I don't overwhelm myself with dolls. I'll end up with 7 in total, so not the largest collection by a long shot - but it will be extensive in my mum's opinion. Especially when taking into consideration that 6 of the 7 will be SD+. So, not small dolls, either.

But, they make me happy, they allow me to express myself in another form, and they are preventing me from spending my money on worse things or just throwing it down the drain.

 

Honestly? The idea doesn't bother me at all. Life is too short to let other people make you feel ashamed of the things you like, and there's so much thought and creativity that goes into this hobby! Try not to take other people's unasked for thoughts to heart and just enjoy yourself.

 

I don't worry about this. I am a doll collector in general but new to BJDs. I belong to several doll clubs and have friends who have huge collections with rooms housing cases of dolls. There is no way I could compete with them so I am "safe" (chuckle).

 

Nah I am crazy odd and old anyways so crazy odd old lady is not far better than crazy odd old doll lady in fact the latter is more funny !!

 

When I was in my early-mid twenties (I'm 30 now) I felt very similarly. To the point that I had sort of 'hidden' away my doll collection (at the time American Girl and Monster High) and felt super embarrassed any time anyone found out about my hobby. At this point, I'm married (no kids and noooo plans for them ever), in a much better financial situation and work in a creative field with a bunch of other weirdo's who have all sorts of hobbies and collections, and can't really be bothered to hide away the parts of myself that bring me the most joy anymore. But it did take time to get to that point. I think for me as long as my husband and cat are taken care of, the bills are paid, and I'm still prioritizing having a healthy lifestyle I'm not really worried about becoming a 'crazy doll lady' at all, lol. We all have our own limits and I think you just have to gauge for yourself what that line is for you.

If you're worried about people giving you a hard time, just remember that others' judgements are typically more of a reflection of their own insecurities rather than having anything to do with you at all!

 

No, not at all. I’ve been artistic and creative all my life, and a collector at heart on top of it all. I’ve dabbled in so many unusual things in my life, and trust me when I say that for every person who ever thought I was perhaps a bit odd, there were far more people who were fascinated by what I was up to and wanted to know more. Now in my senior years, still creatively engaged and enjoying my artistic pursuits, I can honestly say my life has been a fascinating experience that any nay-sayers would have been lucky to live. That’s life for you…some people are going to complain about you if you don’t fit into their own narrow view of things. And some are going to wish they could be like you. Just follow your own bliss because all the rest is just noise and doesn’t matter.

 

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My mom buys me weird dolls, and she is the only opinion that might matter.

 

I've always been into niche hobbies, so at this point my friends and close family are pretty much used to everything lmao I can understand not wanting to appear weird, but I think when you reach a certain age you start caring less.

 

I'm definitely self-conscious about the hobby. I have a hard time taking my dolls out in public these days, or talking about them at work. As I've been on DOA the last few months, I feel that I'm regaining some of my old confidence in the hobby, and I would really like to take my bjds outside more for photos. But as for being a crazy doll lady -- if that's what I am, I'm happy to be one.

 

I am definitely a crazy doll girl. Did you want to see my dolls?? I have a bunch of photos of them on my phone!! You want to look right?

 

This is hardly my first hobby that would be considered weird so nope.

 

Definitely not! I probably already am according to some of my family, my in-laws, and friends that see the doll room but I don’t care honestly. I have actually helped a couple of them realize that dolls are a legit hobby/art.

 

At the beginning of my doll journey, I did think so. I had so many plans and ideas for standalone characters and other for huge groups of characters and didn't really know where I was heading, so when I pictured my future I was worried I would end up having 50 or more dolls and having them displayed everywhere in my house. Turned out 6 was my limit and I keep them to myself mostly (my bedroom), so I don't think I could be considered a crazy doll person in any case.

 

Honestly, now I am 50+ I am less preoccupied with how others perceive me - not 100% - but I am getting there! I have come to realise that I am never going to ‘fit’, I have felt like an outsider pretty much all my life. Fortunately, I was able to marry someone whose ideal job would probably be a lighthouse keeper, and I have two adult kids who have both been diagnosed with autism, so we’re supportive of each other. I have accepted that my dolls are sort of substitute friends, I still get lonely, but they make me happy, and it’s kind of comforting to know that there are other people out there who feel the same about their dolls. I don’t think there’s really a right or wrong way to ‘adult’, it’s harder when you’re young to be at ease with yourself, I think it gets easier as you get older. Enjoy your dolls, it’s fun to have a hobby, you don’t need to share it with the wider world if you’re not comfortable doing so. That’s one of the good things about the online world, it connects us with people with the same interests and hobbies.

 

Nah, lol. I'm already known as a crazy cat lady. I only have one, but she is my precious. The dolls are here too.

 

Hm. Maybe a little, but I think that's tied more into my general anxiety than anything else.

I am - fondly - the doll person among my friend group though, and that's quite nice.

 

I'm an Old Chick. Collecting dolls is on the short list of "socially-approved hobbies" that older women are allowed to have by the standards of Traditional Society. Granted, that usually assumes a room full of frufru lace-bomb Madame Alexanders or antiques of some sort rather than BJDs, but still... Even the most conservative mavens of propriety usually won't raise an eyebrow when a grey-haired lady says they collect dolls. I guess that's an advantage that comes with age?

That said, even when I was younger, I didn't really worry about it. I don't tend to go on about my hobbies unless asked, so it rarely comes up, and I pretty much never felt any anxiety about the crew when it did. I often describe them as my photography models and dressing dummies, since they're less expensive to sew for than I am myself (and they can get away with wearing things I never could-) while also being a heck of a lot more cooperative about long photo-sessions than my nieces and nephews.

People seem to "get" the doll thing a little more when I describe them like that.

 

I’ve always been a ‘crazy something lady’………’crazy arty lady’, ’crazy reptile lady’, ‘crazy bug lady’, ‘crazy fish lady’, currently ‘crazy bird lady’ so it’s just another title to add to the pile. The only thing I do find a bit awkward about it, as I mentioned in another thread, is the use of the word ‘doll’ with strangers as I feel a tinge of embarrassment about that.

 

It depends! I don't carry my dolls around because I feel like I'd be careless and I don't like the idea of being focused on dolls when I'm with other people. If I know someone isn't interested in dolls, I don't bring the subject up other than say its my hobby. If someone thinks I'm crazy for that... well, I have a feeling they're just looking for faults in people and not people I want to impress. They can say what they want. I'm going to spend my time somewhere else.