How did you discover the BJD hobby?

There's this member on a gaming fora I frequently visit who used one of Dream of Dolls DOTs as an avatar. Someone asked an off-topic question where that member got her avatar and she posted DoD's site. I clicked the link and a whole new world opened up for me.

 

I first found out about these dolls when I became interested in Lolita fashion in the summer of 2009. I kept seeing pictures of Lolitas carrying BJDs. I thought they were cute but didn't give them much more thought.
Then a few months later I got really into drawing again (used to draw all the time) and thought one of those BJDs might make a nice mannequin, but then I found out their prices and immediately discarded that notion!
Just a few months ago I decided for some odd reason to take a look at the "pink aisle" in Walmart, and saw the Barbie Basics dolls. Several years ago I collected dolls (mainly Asian dolls on e-Bay) but stopped because of the expense, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to buy a Barbie or two. So I looked at Barbies online, then started looking at other fashion doll websites, and found one blog: http://fashiondollreview.blogspot.com/ that kept showing BJDs, and they were so pretty and intriguing! So I started researching BJDs in earnest, thinking "maybe several years from now when I've saved up a lot of money I can get one". Then I joined DoA (my searches kept directing me here) and soon after found out about Iplehouse. Saw Erzulie and it was love at first sight! To my chagrin, I found she was limited! I asked my husband and much to my surprise he said to go ahead and get her! (We'll have to put off getting a new washing machine, but that's okay- our old one still kinda works!) I am certain she'll be totally worth it!

Cydril- Antique German BJD? Wow! I'm guessing it may be OT here, but do you have any pictures on Flickr or something?

 

Dannychoo and figure.fm have a lot to answer for in my case....

 

A member at a Sims 2 forum had posted a picture of her dolls and I fell in absolute love. I remember being so baffled that their eyes came out. ​

 

When I was in Japan, my friend asked me to buy a certain model for him. However, I didn't know what BJDS were. Thus I went to do my research and got on the next year.

 

In my case, a friend of mind had started collecting them. She brought one with her once while we were hanging out, and I got a chance to hold the doll, and check out all her joints and so on. Back then I was a little afraid to handle it too much. XD I almost felt like I was holding somebody's infant, lol!
But I really liked the weight of the doll, and all the possibilities that came with it. I love to sew and crochet, and I knew right off that bat that I would love to have a doll so I could make clothing for it.

Umm... so that was a long story. Hah... The short version would be that a friend got me into the hobby.

 

2007 was when I discovered BJD's - though I don't really remember how I found DoA, and realized there was a lot of info I could get about this hobby. My friend was the one who introduced me to the dolls, in general, when she showed me the Volks site. I don't really know how she found out about them.

 

I was exchanging e-mails with someone who makes clothes for Sasha dolls and she mentioned a new Angel Region doll she'd recently been distracted by, so I asked for more details and investigated further online - then realized that BJD's were the "dream doll" I had drawn designs of when I was a kid..... but all the terminology was confusing so I found an online shop selling Vinyl dolls and some BJD stuff and emailed some questions. Their friendly and informative reply was pretty much a basic intro to BJD's, and I signed up to their online doll forum and set about adding my first BJD to my already doll-crowded household.

Teddy

 

Well it was only a year ago and I had gone to my first anime convention. At the artist ally there was a girl who had clothing for BJD's for sale. She even had the 10th doctor in dolly form. I was in love. I asked my boyfriend who told me what they were (point for him). That whole convention I just couldn't get my mind off them. I over heard that there was to be a workshop with them. I assumed I missed it till I looked and noticed it was later in the day! I went and got my basics in. I will always be grateful for that workshop. I knew the basics and didn't muck about with my first dolly. Now later in that convention I told myself that I would think it over. I went to the reading room to look at some manga and I picked up a shojo beat and found an artical on BJD's and that sealed my fate, Now I have two beautiful girls ^.^ (man that's a long one)

 

For me, I saw pics online of BJDs and wanted one immediately, however, it took a few years to muster up the courage to spend the money on one. I now have 2 =)

 

Ooooh, I remember exactly, because it wasn't too long ago! One day, I was soo bored, so I decided to finish the Rozen Maiden anime finally. Then, suddenly, I thought how great it would be if there were actually dolls as merchandising, because it would be as natural as all those pokemon plushies or yugioh cards. One thing led to another and I found the Volks Dolls that looked just like the Rozen Maiden characters! At first I liked the BJDs, but I never even thought of buying one of my own..... but then I realized what great creative things can be done with them and the rest is history, because now I bought two at once (still not as much as other people have xD) and I plan on some more... but not too many.... ^^

 

I just stumbled on doll images on DA several years ago and it kinda flureshed from there.
My friend got me further into it by getting a doll of her own then I wanted to get one!
= w= I'm still a total n00b in this hobby...but I love it~

 

I think I found out about the BJD hobby when I first saw an artist on Deviantart show pictures of their doll(s). Intrigued, I found myself searching more and more for artists who had photos of these unique dolls. Then I discovered this place . So far so good, as I now own two custom Dollfie Dreams and I'm hoping to win two lottery event Dollfie Dreams later on this year .

 

It all started with Volks Dollfies (that's what Volks calls their little 30cm dolls that are off topic here cos they're no BJDs). I saw some of those in a German Anime/Manga magazine and went like "Whoa, DIY action figures! I'll get myself a Celaran action figure - how cool's that!" (a character from a story). So I went to their website and there, also found their SDs and MSDs. I thought they were kinda cool but way too expensive. None of them really "got" me since I seem to be into more mature-looking sculpts. I was like "well, I'll save money, maybe one day".

In 2007, I visited Prince Edward Island and in Avonlea Village, met a group of doll-owners who were there for a meet and taking pictures. First time I saw those BJDs "in person" - even got to hold one! I thought they were awesome and also had found out by then that there are more doll companies than Volks and there's a wiiiiiiiiiide range of BJDs out there. In 2008, to my shock/joy, I discovered I finally had saved enough money to get my own BJD. So I started an "investigation" of which one to get, settled on Unidoll's Ark, called him Luken and ordered him. He arrived in April 2008 (or was it March? - well, around Easter that year).

I've added an IH Akando, a Cherishdoll Cyincal Baby, a Zachary Quinto Minimee and another Minimee-head to the collection since - and it's really about time I stop buying since my flat's too small to accomodate more than four of the "big guys" as I call them. *gg*

 

I was looking up ways to change Barbie's hair, rerooting and such, came across some pics of volks dolls and went on to find Kun and it kept rolling from there. It's been my obsession for years now.

 

I bet I know exactly what forum it was- MTS2. That's where I discovered them. I don't remember what exactly the FIRST thread I saw was about. I think someone looking for clothes or something that looked like DOD's Shall. They had linked to the DOD website and I remember just..falling in love, and having such a hard time understanding that they were DOLLS. At that point I also saw the prices and went "...who would ever pay that much for a DOLL?!". But then some months later, there was a thread asking if anyone collected BJDs, and I followed it, soaking up the pictures and links and information. Eventually someone mentioned DOA, and I joined up here. Funny, after that, my Sims habit went down the drain- I found dolls just so much more fun.

 

... ebay... lol, I was hunting through ebay for cosplay stuff for an upcoming con and I kept seeing these adorable pieces and everytime I clicked on one it ended up being for a BJD. So finally I got fed up and Wiki'd BJDs and found a lot of info on Volks. It didn't really impress me at all, so I sort of shrugged it off and went off to the con. When we were there, we just happened to walk past an artists alley table where a girl had her bjd sitting. (I do actually believe it was a volks doll) so I asked about it and she showed me how the wig and eyes came out. It was instant love after that XD I was on DoA like, the following week...