Getting back into the hobby after a long hiatus?

... Or maybe more.

So, I have 5 dolls (two are off-topic, technically, but I count them), and I've wanted the motivation to get back into the hobby and stick in it for a while, but I just haven't had the motivation. Moving sapped my energy, I accidentally messed up one of my dolls (now two, my Doll Chateau Mephisto fell off the shelf and chipped an ear!) and I haven't been able to make a faceup on my Mephisto I've been satisfied with, so I guess that combination kinda messed me up.

So what do you recommend after coming back to the hobby after a hiatus? Check out what dolls you missed? Reevaluate your list of what you want? Spend time with the dolls you have? What?

 

Well, one thing that helped me when I tried to give my Volks Heath a face-up, was finally giving up and getting a real face-up. I was so happy with him after that!

I also enjoy taking pictures and redressing my dolls to fond a look I like.

 

I got my first BJD maybe 12-15 years ago when I was into other off topic dolls and he was pretty much kept in a box for years until the last year or two when for some reason I decided I wanted another BJD or two. At this point I can't even remember what enticed me. I also have many other dolls of different kinds which were stored away for a long time. I now have them on display and I'm glad I kept them. I think anyone picking up the hobby again will work out what they like and don't like by trial and error.

 

I went through a phase in my senior year of high school where I lost all interest in my hobbies, and pretty much sold everything doll related except for some random accessories and eyes. I then moved out of my parents house and for some reason took those remaining things with me (glad I did!) when I started college. I was unhappy for the longest time and stressed with school, and didn't understand what was wrong. After dating my current partner for awhile, he encouraged me to open up about my previous hobbies even though I felt ashamed of them, especially the doll hobby. To my surprise, he was quite supportive and openly listened to me talk about it without judgement. Although money is a high concern of mine, I've allowed myself to slowly get back into my old hobbies that I enjoyed, and I feel like I'm getting better with bjds back in my life.

 

I've started all over twice.

I took a several year hiatus because life was just really bad and I couldn't focus on anything that made me happy. My dad got really sick so then it felt like dolls were a waste of my time, but I always missed playing with them. When my dad got better, it felt like I could breathe again. I went to pick up my hobby but I didn't feel the same about my dolls anymore, so I found them all loving homes on good old DoA and bought "new" ones from DoA as well.

My second try I was still figuring out what kind of collection I wanted. I like uniformity so I felt a lot of stress about the hobby in simply making a cohesive doll collection. I made a few mistakes, got too adventurous and had to start over *again*.

Third try I've got a well paying job, got the house, the life, the adult-y things I felt I needed to get first before I go after the dolls I truly wanted. Could I have those things before? Absolutely, but I'd feel guilty spending thousands on dolls if I didn't take care of my family first. Now I can buy my dream dolls, guilt free, and take my time! No more starting over, I don't have the space for a mismash of doll bodies this time around!

 

I started with msds and didn't bond with them. I realized I'm more of an SD person.

 

Just back after an 11 year hiatus. Was moving things from the guest room and found my dolls a few weeks ago. I got out of the hobby when I got unemployed, my meetup group fell apart, and the friend who got me into BJDs moved away. Combination of all left me shutting the drawer and largely forgetting the dolls.

Overall, my favorite doll is still my favorite doll--a Souldoll MSD Yewon (the doll in my profile). She is still the same gorgeous girl I got new 14 years ago (I went to gmail and found the receipt, LOL). Also an Elfdoll Sooah doll as well. I found another Dollmore vampire MSD head with a stunning faceup--such a delightful surprise.

I also had a Minimee SD face that was painted to look like Vivian Leigh. The likeness is incredible. On the other hand, the SD body I used with that face...one I bought probably third or fourth hand from a friend--is now a hot mess. The old base layer didn't age well, the body blush degraded, and finish is coming off in patches on the body. I started to clean it a few days ago and it's looking like it will be a big job. But once it's done, it should be in good shape.

Then there were the surprises that came out of the drawer...An unpainted Soom Namu head (odd, since I don't recall wanting to collect boy dolls in that time, though it's androgynous enough that I may have intended to use it as a girl doll) and most shocking of all, a full unpainted mystery tiny (1/8) doll that I really can't imagine how I got.

Probably everything has slightly yellowed, but I don't see it. Fortunately, they've been kept in a drawer. Overall, I notice that the old paint ups tended to have brighter lips (ie, mock lipstick) than is common now. Eye putty did not take the test of time well (it's totally crumbly) but it's easy enough to clean. It also seems that the hobby has many more DIY solutions, which I really like (I made a pair of 18th century shoes for my SD, which was really unusual at the time). OTOH, the cost of clothing...at least that I like...is crazy expensive now. Well, that's incentive to sew. Also, it appears that Haute Doll Magazine is gone to the pages of time, which is a shame. Well, now we have Instagram, but it's not as well curated and doesn't have pull-out patterns or special orders. DOA is bigger than ever, but a bit more difficult to find threads.

The proliferation of recasts is sad. I really don't recall that being an issue, but I guess it's to be expected, given that nearly everything is pirated these days.

I am really loving discovering the new doll makers. The dolls look better made than ever. There are more options for realistic dolls--I remember having a much more difficult time finding them before. I've already ordered a Nakana head--must clean that SD body to get ready for her!

 

Same. I tried to make a whole cast of mature mini’s but there wasn’t enough variety of mature boys and then one day I just hated how small they looked! I’ve got mostly SD and one YoSD now, intrigued by the 70cm ones now too.

 

I love my big +70cm boys

 

Ever since lockdown due to covid happened, I experienced 7 months of "no work, no pay". Since I wasn't earning any money, I had to stop my BJD hobby up until I am already earning money again.

Now, I am working again in my old job, I am estimated 10 months working again after that 7 months of no work mo pay, and I am now back in my hobby again.

 

For people who've experienced a long dolly hiatus; how long was it and how did you get back into the hobby?
About 3 years, maybe just under for all the dolls. We took an even longer break from resin dolls, likely 4-5 years. For a while, at most my husband and I set out 2 of our vinyl dolls that didn't have a box, on a shelf in the bedroom. We only touched them to dust them off or open the cabinet their legs sat on. We were moving a lot, and our budget was spread thin. Just had no time or money for the hobby. We've got some more time, but not much more money these days. Got really bored after attending Otakon 2021 and decided to get them all back out. At first, we just got the vinyl dolls out but the resin ones came shortly after. Then we changed all of their outfits and tidied them up a bit. Shortly after, I got back online for clothing ideas and to see what people were up to. Messaged a dollfie friend and got two invites to two Discord servers.

How did you react to your dolls after such a long break?
A bit overwhelmed, because I remember just how much work they were!

How did you get yourself back on track with new releases, companies, faceup artists, goals, wishlists, etc.?
I lurked around on forums, and checked out what dolls were popping up the most on Etsy for clothing searches. I see minifees aren't as unavoidable these days, but exclusive clothing for them is still abundant on Etsy lol.

Were you still attached to your dolls after your hiatus, or did you reset your collection?
Yep! I got really nostalgic opening them back up. Especially the resin dolls, which we spent more time away from.

Any tips for people trying to get back into the hobby?
Just dive right into it. As soon as any itch pops up, open one or two back up and fuss with them. Take some pictures. Get back into the habit and fake it til you make it.

Best of luck. I'm not sure if I could ever clean-wipe my current collection. I've rehomed two I wasn't clicking with in the past, but I rather like all of my current dolls. My husband has more than he cares for but I don't think he's going to part with any of them. I definitely see the appeal in the idea. People change every day, and a doll you loved a year ago might not be up your alley anymore a year later. People and time keep going, regardless of you looking at them or not.

 

For people who've experienced a long dolly hiatus; how long was it and how did you get back into the hobby?
Mine was about three years, maybe four. I'd tried to, I think, throw myself too deep into the hobby and just burned out. I spent a lot of time with my first doll, not physically doing much with him besides photographing him, but it was bordering on daily obsession. So, I put him aside one day. One day turned into a week, into a month, into a year. I adopted three young rats from a girl in a local city, and they became my priority for the three years they lived in my care. After the last one, a little fella I called Pipsqueak, passed after struggling for a couple days, I reached for my doll to fill the void. Then, I looked at expanding my collection.

How did you react to your dolls after such a long break?
I pretty much picked up where I left off; planning and buying more dolls to expand my collection. It was a good distraction from a lot of hardship, as our old dog had to be put down and several favourite celebrities passed in that time as well as my ratty boys. It was a relief, companionship. I loved having them.

How did you get yourself back on track with new releases, companies, faceup artists, goals, wish-lists, etc.?
I came back to Den of Angels, Facebook groups, the YouTube community (or what was left of it at that time), joined Instagram. I started browsing dealer sites, mostly Alice's Collections as it was pretty much the only one left after my time away.

Were you still attached to your dolls after your hiatus, or did you reset your collection?
While retaining my original doll, I could see immediate changes in my collection goals. I took a recent shorter hiatus and, again, my goals have changed with what I want from my collection. I started out with just a doll I liked the look of. Then, after my initial hiatus, I wanted OCs from one story. The next hiatus brought the notion of scaling down to FID-size dolls. Another short break reset me to SD-sized dolls for OCs from another story, and a couple passion projects based on pop culture characters.

Any tips for people trying to get back into the hobby?
Ease yourself back in, and remember to enjoy yourself. You don't have to buy up all the dolls you want at once, take your time. Appreciate those you have, or try to. If you took a break because you didn't connect with them, move them on to other owners if possible. Find dolls you will enjoy. Also, it's not always about constant interaction with your dolls or photographing them every day. My one [and only currently complete] boy sits atop a bookcase, as a distant but constant companion. If he wasn't there, I'd be lost. Currently, he's my most bonded doll. "Currently" because I've got a treasured OC in the works [whose head sits in a small box on my bed...].

 

I got my first doll over a decade ago and where into the doll-thing for a long time. Then my mental health took a severe beating, economically it couldn't keep up and then family stuff happened on top of it so i took a loooooooooong break (6-ish years i think?)
I never sold the very first doll i bought, and i don't think i ever will, honestly. I think i'd be able to part with most of the others, but he just does something for me. I feel happier holding him. So my only tip is mostly going to be repeating other people here. Just look around. See if something interests you. Find out how you feel about your dolls before selling them off and maybe find new things i nthe hobby you love or revisit old things.

 

I take breaks from the hobby every so often....i think my last break was in 2016 and was due to just a lot of life and mental health stuff. I sold a lot of my old dolls because I used to move pretty frequently and never knew where I'd end up so I didn't really have a lot of time for my dolls. Heck I think I lost a head or two in a move as well which was devestating. I only recently came back to DOA (glad to see its still around!) like this year i think. I'm in a more stable place than I was before and I still love bjds and I feel happier with the dolls I own now, I actually own way more dolls than I ever have lol

 

I left the hobby right or mine years ago. Sold everything except two heads, some eyes, wigs, and bits and pieces of clothing. Everything got packed away while I pursued different kinds of dolls. One day I was looking through boxes, and came across the heads, now a decade old. The bjd bug got woken up again. It’s been slow-going getting back into things. Many companies I knew have shut down, and lots of new artists are selling on different online platforms. I now have two dolls, a Black Cherry Bukkumi and a DZ sd girl body with an artist head. I work two jobs, one of which is 12-hour days, or nights, and the other is part time on my days off from my first job. My life is making it slow to get back, due to my time constraints. However, I am getting there. I’ve got a doll and some clothing on layaway. I love bjds, so I’m hoping in my limited amount of feee time, I can enjoy the hobby once again.

 

I was pretty active back in 2010-2013 but took a long hiatus due to study, work, life and moving a bunch! My resin fam has always been in the back of my mind but i just didnt have the motivation to unpack everyone and get back into everything with how much free time i was lacking it was only recently my partner was asking about them so i got a few out to show them and realized just how much I missed them and as my partner put it id forgotten "how much joy they bring me"

A lot has changed in 8 years.... but its fun to get a chance to rediscover the hobby again with almost fresh eyes, at least where it comes to new dolls and companies that have sprung up over the years! I hope you've been enjoying your return to the hobby too!

 

I had almost 15 years of break. It is when I came back to dolls when I actually "started" the hobby.

My first doll was Volks SD Tae. I used all money I had and queued in a line for Tae's release event on New Year's Day. I was 18. I adored her and enjoyed dressing her but so little did I know how much it costs to upkeep! All I had was her default outfit. I was kind of ashamed that I liked dolls at that age. So I rehomed her within few months after the purchase.

Many moons later, I started thinking about buying a doll. I didn't't know anything about "BJD" so I went to Volks FCS. Then I started searching. I know...wrong order!! Then I found there are much more than just Volks that are BJDs and that they are called BJD I also figured out unrealistic sculpt was just not for me...! So I got my current dolls and I can't be happier

To enjoy this hobby it was very important (but did not know back then) that I am confident in myself, I know what my style in everything is. Many people are not that surprised that I have dolls and they look the way they do. Though they are often surprised at the quality of my dolls. lol I also have better understanding about BJDs now than before thank to the internet. So this time around, I am enjoying so much and I doubt I ever leave this again!

 

I took quite a long break too. I bought my first doll in 2009. I went to local and even international meet-ups, I took at least one doll with me anywhere I travelled, I had a LiveJournal BJD blog together with a friend and the dolls had their own Tumblr account too. I was even travelled to Austria to join an international LUTS event. I had been very active until 2014, but after a series of personal loss and struggles I quit. They brought back memories.
I didn't stop caring - I still bought doll clothes, took photos, kept their wigs tidy, do the necessary maintenance to keep them nice and clean.

At the moment, I don't think of buying new dolls. But I would like to join the community again, have discussion, discovering new talents, update my knowledge on the current molds and trends.

Now, I am happy to be back, and I plan to stay.

Did you ever feel guilty of leaving a hobby for a while? Like you 'betrayed' something that gave you so much joy and fun? Not that you should... that's not what I mean. But first I could not help feeling guilty... for my dolls. Is it just meg or can your relate to this?

I am happy to see that DoA is still such an active BJD-hub - while forums of other hobbies got lost in the social media boom.

 

I still do feel bad for Tae that I let go of so soon, and the MSD I got from FCS last year that I had to rehome. But I’m also in peace to know they went to someone who genuinely adores them.

Sorry to hear the reason for your leave and I’m so happy to hear you came back! I don’t think you really left the hobby if you cared for them! Taking care of / playing dolls is what this hobby is about and social media or group is just one of many ways to embrace the hobby.

I also admire your care for your dolls to adore original dolls. That’s a true love right there

 

I am actually just starting to take steps back into this hobby after 8/9 years! The reason I stopped is because I had just graduated high school and was starting college, so I really needed the money for books, supplies, tuition, etc. Now that I graduated in December 2021 and am working a full time job, I'm finally ready to start getting back into bjds, albeit a little tentatively. I know I won't be able to buy dolls at the same rate I used to before my hiatus, but treating myself every now and then to a doll is exactly what I want to be able to do.
I never truly lost interest in the hobby during my hiatus, but I waned a bit. Two out of my five dolls are still on my shelf while I boxed up the others to store away; this was because two of them didn't fit the characters anymore and one of them was getting sun damaged. For the two that no longer fit the characters, I do feel a little unattached and might even sell them to reboot the character, but I don't feel that way about the other three I have. So overall how I've reacted to my dolls after my hiatus, I look upon them the same way as the day I got them, they are still very precious to me and newer dolls I have been looking to buy are just as alluring!
I'm honestly still trying to catch up on what I've missed. I've come to find that some of the dolls on my wishlist were discontinued despite not being limited edition; some face-up artists are no longer active while others are being brought to my attention, and my prefernces for face-ups and sculpts in general have changed a bit. It's a little overwhelming as I try to explore the community outside of this forum too, which is why I'm taking small steps back into the hobby. At the moment, I've just been browsing around to reevaluate what new sculpts and artists are out there to see what I want to do. Some have already caught my attention and I'm starting to save up for my first doll since my return! I don't want to do anything impulsively, so I'm planning out everything I can such as clothing, wig, eyes, the right face up artist, etc. I'm really excited! Other than that I've been taking it slow