Getting back into the hobby after a long hiatus?

I actually just recently came back as well. Haven't had a BJD since 2018 or so, but I've purchased some and they should be here in a few months. I had gotten rid of the BJD I had from back then a few years ago, because I just didn't "vibe" with her anymore. I finally realized that I prefer anime-style dolls and that I do, indeed, like dolls. I like looking at their outfits, and admiring the work that went into them.

Basically starting from square one, but with more knowledge this time. I'm so glad this forum is still around, found out so much back in the day because of you guys. Thanks to this forum and Googling, I was able to find some adorable YOSD BJDs that were anime style. There's still so much that I don't know, but I'm not above looking it up.

 

I didn't own a BJD when I joined DoA nearly 15 years ago. Had many friends who did and I could only envy. Then about 10 years ago, changes in life and direction got me distant from DoA and I stopped logging into the forum.
But I have BJDs in my home now because I got married to a BJD collector

 

I fell out of dolls when the pandemic began. I wasn't doing very much with my girls during that time. I took them out a couple times, but I didn't feel very motivated to do much with them. I didn't even unpack some of them after the last doll meet that I went to. All of a sudden with the pandemic starting, there was nobody to do doll stuff with, and that was the first time that happened for me in a long time. And of course all of the worries that came along with that time period. I finally started feeling better about my dolls earlier this year, and after a setback in February (broken thumb), I've come back to dolls fairly strong. I've been doing a lot more with my BJDs that I already had, and I even got myself a few off-topic dolls this summer. I even finally unpacked most of those dolls that had been packed up. I still have one packed up, but I'm eager to bring her back out once I've done some more things with the ones that are out right now. And with doll meets coming back, it's even more fun now

 

It’s interesting how even though a lot of us were stuck at home so ‘technically’ had less social life so more home time, it definitely didn’t result in more doll time.

Sounds like for lots of us our mood and energy took big hits and we simply didn’t have capacity for engaging with dolls too.

So it feels positive to read about people slowly coming back to themselves and things they enjoy. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you, @Buzzibee Yeah, I didn't feel the doll itch very much at all during that time. I did find some other new hobbies to occupy my time, though.

 

My story is pretty similar: got my first doll and was pretty active in the community in 2007/2008, then left for a couple of years due to life circumstances, got another doll in 2011 and was active a bit, then got back out until 2019/2020. There are so many more options now and it’s so much easier to get clothes and accessories. For example, I remember making my own wig grip cap from elastic and shelf liner (still have it!) since there were not many options to keep a wig on but now silicone head caps can be bought pretty cheaply.

 

Oh, many stories here are so relatable. It's great to read these stories, as sometimes I feel like an oddball, because I had a looong hiatus. I have been around since 2009, but I was inactive for many many years due moving abroad to study, so I sold almost all my old dolls. I was slightly active around 2015 and even got few dolls in 2016, but not really doing anything with them due my life circumtances and ending up selling them later. I started to get more interested in BJDs again in 2019, but I would say got full on back in the hobby around 2020.

As somebody already said doll trends seem to have changed a lot, it's really cool to compare the clothing trends and even sculpt trend styles. I love that there are so many new BJD artists, wig makers, clothing and face artists and companies now, so much more variety and choice. It is also easier to find BJD related stuff in Etsy etc. platforms now. Also social media has taken over forums as a place to share photographs and sell stuff. I remember when I first started I was mostly sharing photographs on this local forum in my country. I do appreciate social media as it is easy to share photographs and get quick answers to questions there, but I love forums as a platform to discuss and find information. Sometimes I feel like it's kinda hard to navigate between the different social media platforms and information can be hard to find due fast content sharing, but maybe I am just so used to using forums.

 

I’m surprised as well at how many of us have been in the hiatus boat. I fell out of the hobby and had to sell off a majority of my collection several years ago. I’ve only been back for a couple months now. I had a heck of a time trying to reactivate this account and get my password reset (thank you to the admins for the quick responses and help). My remaining girls have been stowed away in boxes for several years now. Honestly, I was a little afraid to pull them out because I knew I would get sucked right back in. I’ve really missed having my girls out, though. So they eventually broke out of their boxes and are not so slowly taking over my home office. And I’m trying to justify to my wife buying a couple new girls to join the family.

 

I took a three year break to better my mental and physical health and am just now getting back into the hobby! One thing I noticed is that some companies I liked and sculpts are now out of business or discontinued, so that's pretty sad. But there are a lot of new companies and dolls so it's been quite interesting to look at them all

 

I can’t really say I took a real hiatus like the rest of y’all because I never stopped messing with my dolls but I took a very long break from the community aspect after my dad died. I started the hobby in 2006 and my dad passed away in 2014 so it’s been a very long break. I removed myself from all the groups I was in and only kept in contact with a couple of close friends from the hobby. I did at one point put most of my collection away in their boxes while I was figuring some stuff out but that only lasted about a year if that and my favorites all stayed out.

I recently went to resin rose bjd expo which was my first time going back to the community and I had an absolute blast. Everyone was so nice and excited about the hobby. I met so many talented and creative people. I came home so inspired to work on all my dolls and I really felt like my passion for the hobby was reignited. The people were so amazing it made me really crave the community aspect again.

Unfortunately, I just went to my first local meetup the other day and it left me extremely disappointed. Everyone was SO negative. They spent nearly the entire time complaining and one girl interrupted a conversation I was having with my friend to tell me that I had overpaid for a doll (I double checked and I hadn’t). They were so unpleasant to be around I felt like I had whiplash. My friend and I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

I won’t be attending anymore local meetups but I will definitely keep in touch with the friends I made at resin rose and try to find more positive collectors in online spaces or at future cons.

 

I was really into the hobby in 2018 and I just dropped out as life became more and more busy. I'd kept tabs on new dolls and news, but wasn't as into it all as I was before. When I got the news that Little Monica was shutting down that really brought me back, as I always kept my eyes on a couple of their dolls. I realised that I was missing out on something I really enjoyed. I'm also now with a very supportive partner and I feel like I can share my hobby with him.

 

My country is just a tiny dot on the map, but despite that there were dolls on display at a couple of shops at a mall that housed shops specialized in toys and figurines, and other quaint items.

Back in 2007 I would tag along with my father to this mall, where he would browse through 1/6, my attention would always be caught on the MSD and SD sized dolls displayed at the more Japanese-centric doll store where they sold dolls from AoD, DoD, and Domuya (a local doll brand).

I didn't end up purchasing any after taking a look at the price tags because they were so much more expensive compared to my dad's 1/6 action figurines.

Although I didn't have the means to purchase a BJD, I would still do some research and would follow doll accounts on sites like Deviantart and Flickr. I eventually found a secondhand AoD doll on a sales website and bought it with my savings, but sold it off shortly after because I couldn't bond with it and got busy with school.

Fast forward to 2021— I finally came back to my longtime love for the hobby! I took up other hobbies like art, fashion and photography along the way, from which the skills I picked up really helped me express my creativity through my dolls. So glad to have found this world!

 

Aw man, I'm really sorry to hear about your negative experience at that doll meet. Where I live there has never really been a scene for BJDs, let alone one big enough to constitute a meet, but I do worry about things being more negative now that the community has gotten bigger. I guess I'll find out one I start bringing my dolls to conventions again.

 

Yes! I am in a similar situation. I am coming back from a 10 year hiatus myself. When I left the hobby it was the right time for me to take a step back. I wasn't enjoying the hobby and I had lost a connection with the remaining few dolls I had.

To answer your questions:

I can say that the hobby has definitely changed. There are so many new companies this time around and the overall tastes of the community has changed as well. I have noticed that companies have improved with time and I am also sad and surprised to see that some of my former favorite companies have left. On a negative side the increased rates of recasts has saddened me. On a personal side I have noticed that my tastes have changed as well. I look at what were my grail dolls and only one remains a grail for me. Interests change with time and age even if the interest in the hobby stays the same. (For reference I started in the hobby when I was 14/15 or so. I left when I was 20 and came back at 29/30).

I feel happy overall with my return. I think taking that break was good for me and it was much needed. I was at a place and time in my life where I was very unhappy and had gone through major loss and trauma. I walked away not only from this hobby but other hobbies as well along with what I was hoping to make into a career. Coming back now I feel content. This is the right thing for me and if the idea of getting back into the hobby has stayed with me since I left in 2012 it must be meant to be. I realize now that this is a big part of who I am and I think this time around I will appreciate my dolls more. I dealt with a lot of criticism from friends and family prior to leaving as well and it made me ashamed of my collection. This time around I am not ashamed.

No, my dolls did not remain with me until my return. This is something I regret. I had one of my grail dolls at the time I left (Volks SD10 SWD Nana who is the only original grail I still connect with) and I wish I would have kept the dolls I had. I try not to live in the past. So I am starting fresh and have the goal of repurchasing as much of my original collection (not the same exact dolls I had but the same model) now.

Lastly, yes, I have so much to relearn. I am surprised at home much I had forgotten. I mean, I did retain some things such as how to restring, no direct sunlight etc but others I have forgotten. This forum has been so helpful to me to relearn what I lost. Its getting easier by day and I hope when I get a doll again that it will all come back like second nature.

 

Aaaaayyyy! Totally still have one of your modded dolls! You've been missed; welcome back!

 

Oh wow, I'm so happy to have found this thread. Really enjoyed everyone's stories. I'm also returning to this after over a decade and was feeling kinda weird about it - in fact I'm actually shocked I managed to log into this old account after throwing dozens of old emails at the login hoping something stuck lol

Looking back at my few old posts from 2007 actually make me sad. I threw myself into this hobby as a teenager with an old old friend who no longer is (who I miss every day) and the date I made this account was only a couple months after my parents abruptly passed. BJD's were definitely something that sort of helped me escape my life in small ways, and something that my childhood friend shared together. We're both ASD and it was definitely a hyperfixation, but one that I needed at the time

That being said I was like 17 and definitely limited in funds, but at some point I managed to cop a couple of gorgeous Bimong 43cm Narae and Narin dolls (named Presley and Sid). Back when they were French resin! And came with little undies and beautiful little faceups if you wanted. I was a mess back then though, and ended up losing them both some years later through multiple chaotic housing situations, and then just sort of lost interest completely. Ugh I do miss them though!!!

Sometime last winter I very randomly remembered my dolls after having not thought of them in years, wondered how Bimong's brand/studio had evolved, found him on Instagram and fell in love all over again. Now I have a new Bimong 53cm Dandelion and she pleases my inner child in a way I forgot was possible lol. Now as a 30ish year old at a completely different life stage with a little more disposable income, it's been fun rediscovering the (VASTLY GROWN??) hobby, and kind of healing in a way too.

Now I have a Dollmore Ramie on the way lol

 

Ahh this is a really cool thread! I am also very recently back after a 10+ year long hiatus and it's been quite a time!

I was active in the hobby only from about 2007-2009, primarily due to a friend, and I quickly ended up with quite a few dolls. I know part of it was my lil adhd turbo-brain getting obsessed with something, as I definitely didn't connect with most of those dolls.
Shortly after that life got increasingly rough and I dropped the hobby, and also proceeded to sell 2/3 of my collection over time. Eventually, my dolls ended up in their boxes permanently, and then into storage.

I had mostly forgotten about my dolls entirely until about a month ago when some online friends were talking about their own dolls, and I mentioned I also had some still in storage - I was very quickly 'shamed' into getting them out of storage XD
Going through my doll stuff was quite the nostalgia trip! I couldn't even remember exactly which dolls I still had, and it was really neat to pull them out and see them again. And the clothes! It was like a tiny Hot Topic had thrown up all over lol.
A lot of the clothes had damage, and quite a few shoes were basically falling apart after so long, but I've since sorted everything out and saved what I could.

Looking through all the links and info here after so long was a bit overwhelming! (I'm also amazed I was able to log back into this account lol) But it's been fascinating to see all the different companies and how much more variety there is in all aspects! I actually found a handful of dolls to put on my wishlist too, which was quite nice.
Right now I don't really have the funds to do any of the things I've got planned for my current dolls (a lot of maintenance needs to be done, and I'd like to get some new face-ups and wigs and such) but it's still been nice to look around the site and make plans!

 

I've come back just this month after a 14 year hiatus.

Life has settled out finally and, in my mid 30's now, I have reached a point in my life where am pretty much retired and able to return to all of the hobbies that I put on the back-back-back burner along the way. It's exciting to have not only hit a lot of major milestones in my life up to this point, but to be in a situation where I can spoil and enjoy my dolls.

A little Volks YoSD arrived to her new home with me in the last week and I am over the moon. She joins my FCS F-05 that I am trying to reattach myself to, though I am admittedly smitten with the little one right now.

 

I haven't gotten a second doll yet myself, but I got my first one two years ago back in 2020. I was really into getting her stuff for a while there, but then kind of just started falling out of it. I didn't know anyone else who was into the hobby and everyone around me who found out about the hobby kind of made me feel a certain way about it that wasn't exactly normal. It kind of died down a bit for a while because of this. I've matured a great deal mentally since then and I guess I've been really interested in exploring the hobby again. I will probably delve a bit deeper into it this time around.

 

I left this hobby for nine years and started again. So many things have changed, as you say, that I had to study this hobby for months to get started. So many companies have changed, and my taste has changed, so everything I've found before was meaningless. But I enjoyed the process because I thought it was also part of my hobby