How do you play with your dolls??

I design seasonal and holiday dioramas for my dolls and bring them out into my living room and call them 'holiday decor'! Usually they are hidden in back rooms, so this is a good excuse to show them off and bring them out of the shadows. I even made a Santa Claus bjd doll for my Christmas scenes!

 

I don't have a full set up doll house or doll roombox, but I like to pose them with their props and furniture, and sometimes with each other. Not even necessarily for photos, just because. I don't really "play" with them the way a child might play with barbies, like making them walk around and stuff, but I guess it's similar. I also dress my dolls frequently, change their accessories or hair, and sometimes even eyes. Maintenance can be a good activity, since dolls will eventually need restringing and such.

I'm mostly guilty of the like, "hanging out" sort of interaction, like I'll keep them with me in my work room while I make things for them, or have them nearby while I'm doing other things. I absolutely talk to them, but then I talk to just about anything. If you craft for your dolls, then having them be part of the project can be fun, using them as a model or to fit things.

 

I just tend to talk to them or pose them for photos. I like to redress them, try new looks with wigs and eyes. I used to RP some of the characters but not recently. I also use them as protection at night? I figure if anyone was to come into my room, they would get freaked out by an army of elf dolls staring out towards them. They do face my bed but I view them as protectors of my dreams.

I also really like taking them out into nature for photos too.

 

My main method of playing with my dolls is role play. My sister, our friend and I have an entire world built for our doll characters, and play them almost nighty, so they have some pretty extensive character development and storylines. I also like to change their clothes, take pictures, take them to doll meets and conventions, sew for them and do their faceups. Sometimes I just have one of them chill with me while I watch tv or play online.

 

I used to RP with a friend online be it through Discord or on Tumblr or on Dreamwidth. But then we just kind of stopped - ran out of energy/ideas/time. My dolls - 2 at least - are representations of those characters. So I act out whatever scenario I want with them and take photos. I admit, most of the time I make up their stories while looking at them then actually posing them these days.

I have taken them to a localish dealer when they still had doll events to meet up with other doll collectors. I also took them to that dealer when I was shopping for something specific. But that store isn't allowing people inside at the moment. It was fun for two of my dolls to win costume contests just for being themselves!

I guess I use my dolls to live out my fantasy story dreams!

 

I'm currently obsessed with hanging out with Jupiter (Rap1993 Danni) while watching movies and/or making her new eyes and clothes. I can't wait to get her faceup done so I can take her out for full glamor photos

 

I 'play' with my dolls in various ways. I do craft them stuff, bring them outdoors to take pictures, take them to do any activity, I draw them or just play with their wigs.

 

I pick them up and just generally play with them a lot of the time. The reason my doll shelves are usually so maessy (other than overcrowding) is that it's seldom worth arranging/posing them in a specific way becuase it will only last until I pick them up again (or pick up another doll from nearby, thus disturbing the posing of any in their proximity), so they end up just plonked back in place most of the time. They sometimes sit with me and the cats while wthcing TV.

If I'm sewing for them, they're often kept in the sewing room so they're handy for fittings.

I take at least one in to work with me each day (although, at the moment as I only go into the office one day a week, so my dolls are here all the time when I'm working from home) for "company" on my desk, and when I unload my bag when I get home from work, they tend to sit whereever in the house I happened to be when I pulled them oout of the bag, for days, or possibly weeks, before being put back on their shelf.... but that's usually the sewing room so they're in company with whichever dolls are still in there from my most recent sewing session(s).

They come to visit friends with me, or to doll meets, and dolly days (usually hosted at home by myself or a friend at their place), When I was an acvtive historical reenactor, dolls went along to events with me, I take one or two along if I'm visiting an historic building or site, or museums etc., to parties, and barbecues, to conventioons (music, costume, Sience Fiction, and/or doll conventions - generic or for for specific dolls).

I think faires/amusement parks, and treetop adventure places are some of the few things I don't take dolls along to. I took two on my honeymoon.

Teddy

 

I do the same thing…only mine are always on display as part of my household decor, grouped in little vignettes throughout my home. My decorating style is “Bohemian” which suits such display perfectly (embracing a collected look with lots of colors and textures.) So I feel like I’m constantly interacting with my crew as I go about my everyday life. I can always pick one up, change them, rearrange their position or location, and make up stories in my head through their interactions with one another at any given moment. It’s a bit like wandering through a fantasy world, and visiting with the fascinating characters you find along the way.

 

I don't have any furniture or a diorama for my dolls. Right now, they are in their boxes, but I plan to "display" them soon. I've been on a very long hiatus and they've been in storage for their protection.

My idea of "playing" is changing their clothes or taking photographs. I love Christmas, so this year I might get them a mini tree or find/make them Christmas outfits or something. If I had a very small doll (and I mean very small) I'd consider carrying them around in my purse for spontaneous photos or just for comfort. My big concern would be potential damage (pen marks, scratches, etc.) from doing this, though.​

 

I get all kinds of good ideas for a diaorama, but I don't have the space for one. I do collect little things that possibly could go into a diorama, but they live in a box and probably won't get used. It's fun to find and collect them anyway.

I do write stories about my dolls, and have detailed histories of them. But as for what I actually DO with my dolls, they mostly live on a shelf in my bedroom where I can see them all the time. They give me comfort and a sense of being grounded and peaceful.
I also will keep a doll or two on my desk next to me, so they keep me company. Currently I have my Bobobie Apollo and my Resinsoul Mi sitting on my desk. Mi is here because she is waiting for part of her new outfit to come in the mail. Apollo is here because I just think he looks cute sitting next to Mi. I'm trying to decide if they could be a "couple" or not.

 

I basically display them, take pics and dress them up

 

I understand your point, well mainly my way of playing with them is to change their clothes and take picture.

I'm sorry you can't have them around to go with you to watch TV or hang out, really that's what makes me happiest, it gives me a lot of peace to have them around, I rotate and choose who is next to spend time with me LOL

maybe you can meet people close to you and make meetings and meet people and other dolls, if you are good at knitting or sewing with machine you could try making clothes for them.

 

Once the whole Covid situation calms you will probably find there are meets organised near you (for relative values of "near") tht you might be able to get to.

Teddy

 

I love photography! sometimes my friends and I will meet up for photoshoots. I also like to use her as a model for drawing sometimes

 

I change their clothes or wigs every couple of years. Mostly they are just for display. I have some on my desk (where they are off screen for video calls in case they make anybody nervous) so I can look at them occasionally. I have them more as art pieces. Right now I'm on a maintenance and re-painting spree, though. Lots of painting and sueding going on.