During this quarantine what have you realized about your dolls?

I’ve decided that life is too short, and no more long pre orders. Two to three months is ok, any longer just isn’t what I’m willing to do anymore. Also I think I have enough dolls to complete, and I just don’t feel like working on them at this time. Taking a break and doing other stuff (playing New Horizons), while stuck at home. I go through periods of no creativity, then get back up and running again. But truthfully this virus has made me rethink my life and dolls (material things) just aren’t that important to me as much.

 

I’ve decided my love and interest has faded considerably for several of them. They just no longer bring me joy, and since I’m now on work furlough, I could really use the money more than the dolls.

On the other hand, I love my favorites even more now and an spending this time sewing for them and window shopping. I also realized there are a few more that I want and may trade to get or start saving up for them as I can.

 

Seconding no more long preorders. I’m generally a very patient person, and as 9 months’ wait for my next doll crept up I didn’t care much. But that is because I never had a doubt he would eventually arrive. All this talk of delayed mail has me feeling uneasy about the possibility of him being damaged in a massive processing bin somewhere, or, God forbid being lost altogether. But nine months ago, who could have known the world would look so strange today? Fortunately, the dealer is in the states and I can have him sent to my parents’ address there without risking Canadian customs if a closure there becomes a potential issue. But the current situation will definitely come to mind when it comes to any future orders of 4+ months. If my luxury purchases give me anxiety, I might be doing it wrong!

 

I personally have had bouts of interest and lack of interest in my dolls. But a friend shared a cool idea and I am going to give it a try to get more photos of at least the dolls that are finished here. I have at least five in stages of being completed, But the key is the bodies shipping and that may take a while. So I am still playing, but after so many years in hobby I need help still being creative in new ways.

 

Speaking of customs, I recently saw a post where someone bought a PashaPasha doll and after waiting the 9+ months, customs damaged her faceup with some sort of alcohol solvent and broke part of her neck joint.

 

I have been home for a full month now and I still haven't taken a single picture, or sewn a single outfit. I guess this is teaching me to stop lying to myself. The reason I haven't sewn anything isn't lack of time; it's the bother of putting together patterns from scratch, and the trial and error to get them right. (But I'll keep making excuses and claim that it's because I can't spend an entire day or two playing with patterns when I need to play with my bored child ahaha)

 

@xxadrii How awful! That poor collector!

 

@Dynamint From one sewing wannabe to another, if patterns are what you need, this tutorial is very helpful: https://denofangels.com/threads/drafting-freesewing-org-patterns-for-dolls-guide-tutorial.817992/

 

What I have noticed is that I feel there are 60 souls here in my rooms that are hoping for the future along with me from their doll bodies.

mare smith on Instagram: “These are all the dolls I have on order at present, ordered from last July up until this January. they have become something of a symbol…” if that link works it is a picture of the 9 dolls that I am waiting on at the moment, ordered last year and in January... they have become a symbol of hope for the future for me. Yesterday I ordered the top left pictured baby body from the latest DollChateau discontinuation event as a gesture of belief for me.

 

I realized I was uninspired with a couple dolls. I did manage to regain it with one doll by changing his character, but had no such luck with the other one so he's up for sale.

 

I'm realizing that I'm extremely extroverted and have a deep need to connect to humans (or human shaped things). I'm alone in my daily life, work from home due to the COVID situation and most of my friends are introverted and so don't see reaching out and connecting the same way I do. Dolls have become a strange middle-ground for companionship. They're not like my pets (I spend a lot of time cuddling my furbabies and talking to them) but for strictly human-oriented things like window shopping for clothes, I can now only do that with dolls. So they're definitely taking up more of my time. I'm also taking time to photograph and style them with care. Since I have the time to dedicate to them, it's meditative to contemplate a new outfit or faceup, to figure out joints etc.

 

I realized that I missed them more than I thought. Due to the virus I have time, so I'm changing out my display cabinet for a bigger one and every doll I pick up is like a new box opening.

 

That sounds exciting . I'm trying to paint my doll accessories different colors so I don't spend money buying new things for my dolls.

 

I realized that they are my major source of happiness since other hobbies are restricted in this difficult time, and they keep me very busy and focused

 

I just realise that I'm always busy and don't have enough time to take care all of my children.
Because of the quarantine, I can't go out, but as the company allowed me to work from home, my tasks are just an endless list.
But because I have more free-time as I don't need to transport now, at least I could bring a child out of the box and take some photos each 2-3 days (previously it's 2-3 weeks for each photo shooting session :p )

 

So far I've still not had any time to dedicate to my dolls as I'm lucky enough to be able to work from home due to the current situation.

The sales I did have are no longer up because I do not want to risk shipping anything out at present. That's not just because I'd be worried about delays though. I live with someone in the at risk group so we have to be extra careful. Trips to the post office are not what I'd consider to be essential.

When I do get some time though I think my dolls will be a welcome distraction as I've got a few projects to get on with.

 

I am realizing just what a good investment they were, and that I need to keep one in arms reach at all times right now, not necessarily doing anything with them but just having them there. It is giving me a chance to get to know some of the more neglected ones better.

 

I've realized my dolls are helping keep me sane! I've been playing with them more, photographing them & will start some much needed restringing of favorite oldies. I've been downsizing over the years so that's nothing new, still more dolls & things to move out. All this has kept my brain busy so I don't climb the walls. I'm even thinking that I might sew again if this isolation keeps going on.

 

Now officially being out of work during this whole thing, it's made me realize that I need to do some serious evaluating of my collection. I've actually got four I'm working on selling and one I'm not so sure of.

I'm trying to make them all work within the same story and have the same aesthetic which is also why I've decided to stick to, mainly, one company and size so that they all look like they match well together.