How does your family react to the hobby ?

I normally don't care about the opinions of other people.

However, my partner, who knows my stories and characters, sometimes doesn't agree with me about a doll. As much as he is helpful -- he provides me a good second opinion on dolls I've chosen to shell for characters, and has some favourites from back before he fell out of and grew disinterested with the hobby, and in any case, he's helpful in a good comparative sense. He loved my Estella boy, and thought he was a good fit for Kahlo, though the match surprised him - when there are times he dislikes a doll I like or have, I often lose interest in the doll, though not always. He told me that my Anson looked like 'a gross labia plant' and, though I still liked her, it tainted my perception of her. I sold her on eventually. My Astor, though, who's head (MNF Breakaway) my partner likes, but who's plant arms (he's on a DZ Renata armed boy body) he thinks look like 'kid cartoon squiggles', I like regardless. So it's hit or miss in that factor.

But it definitely hurts to receive negative doll criticism from him, even though if it were anyone else I wouldn't care in the least. So I feel for you!

 

Disgusted? Why would anyone be disgusted by a doll? I'd think they were clearly nuts.

Someone that doesn't respect my hobby, doesn't respect me. I wouldn't keep them around once that came to light.

 

My sister got me into bjds through cheaper, off-topic dolls, and I wasn't planning on getting any resin dolls but then I met my Aunt's RS Long and it was true love. My parents don't mind as long as I plan my purchases carefully, spend only what I can truly afford, and am absolutely certain on what I want to get. Mom is just glad I found a source of clothes for my Long that isn't expensive, great little shop on Etsy with a very nice owner who takes custom orders for simple stuff. Dad tries not to get involved since it's not his thing, but he's glad to see me excited about something and took pictures at Tandrelim's box opening last spring.

I'm used to people finding my interests distasteful to some degree or another, my love of scary movies for example. I put that into perspective for my Mom by pointing out that I found her shows, Real Housewives and Toddlers&Tiaras, to be much scarier than anything I watched. When somebody doesn't like something I do, I just don't bring it up around them and keep at it on my own time. Don't tell my sister I said this, but I don't think her preferred dolls are very pretty, but I know she loves them so I keep my mouth shut, which is exactly what they should be doing for you. Unless they're outright terrified of that doll and can't live in the same house with it because they're too afraid, they should be considerate enough to at least not say anything. Keep your doll, and keep loving your doll. Just because someone else is being rude doesn't mean you have to bend to them.

By the way, I looked up your doll. She's adorable.

 

Get a new one (significant other, not new doll).
Just joking, of course. But in the grand scheme of things, this is a pretty innocent thing to do- after all, would he rather you relieved stress by dressing up like a hooker and doing belly shots at a bar somewhere???? Because plenty of people do that- or take drugs, get involved in risky, self-destructive behavior, and so forth.
It's actually a very creative hobby- hence the high percentage of artists who are drawn to it. People get stuck on the "kid's toy" aspect of it. However, as I have pointed out many, many times, there are a lot of men who collect vintage train sets, or those battle figures, etc., and no one seems to think that is childish behavior.
Plus- even though my husband thinks it's kind of dumb, he understands that it does make me happy. He is an underwater photographer and do I even need to say how much THAT hobby costs? All the cameras, lenses, lights, housings, not to mention the cost of flying all over the world? So....yeah. Few hundred bucks for a doll?? Really?

And actually, all of his subject matter is underwater and depends on the tides, weather conditions, getting into a wetsuit, etc. On the occasions where we go out shooting together when he can't dive, he does have to grudgingly admit that I'm lucky in that I can just carry my subject matter with me.

So anyway- maybe work on the creative aspect of it with him/her; explain about the process of creating and producing these dolls (which is amazing, brilliant, etc). This ain't Mattel- every BJD is a hand-finished individual work of art. I honestly think of the dolls as moveable sculpture, because really that's what they are.

Good luck with it. I hope he comes around. If not- hopefully you can at least agree to disagree.

Zicoxite- LOVED your Housewives and Toddlers and Tiaras comment! And nothing is scarier than Honey Boo Boo....

 

My significant other is a doll. She gets so happy when I buy her a friend-- such a cutie!

 

I'm sure he is just teasing you but that won't affect how you feel about her. If you love her that's all that matters!
My SO has said some of my dolls are creepy...that is his opinion...I love them!

 

That's exactly whats she scared of. She likes horror movies, and I think that is what actually caused her to lose interest in dolls, my family is a really traditional superstitious family, and when my dad was still living in Hong kong as a boy, they had family members haunting the apartment they lived in after they moved out of their first house, the basic, moving around chairs and lying on them as they slept, and basically my mom heard those stories from them. She scoffs at those ideas, but you show her any second owned objects to her and suggest buying it and keeping it in the house, and she gets all skittish and nervous. Also, yes I was trying to ask if others had family members who were scared of second hand dolls xD.

 

E=MC^2, bunky.

 

BotanicalImtrigue: my mom is the same with your mom. She like horror movie too and when I was a child we lived in a hunted house. If she (the ghost) is not happy, she will bang the window and one times she even push my brother from the stair. I was only hear the story lately and I couldn't remember it maybe I was too little when that happen.

I think it's only superstitious, the more you scare the more it will make you belive it's true.

 

My family and friends are extremely supportive and always are encouraging my creativity. I am really lucky to have such a great family who support me in this hobby.

 

Most of my friends and family don't really 'get' the hobby, but they aren't judgemental or mean about it either. My mother does complain sometimes that the EMS person arrives too early whenever I get doll parcels (since I sometimes have them delivered to my parents' house), but I think that's a pretty reasonable complaint

 

(Sorry mods, the reason I created another topic was because in my opinion, my family disliking this hobby is not the same as if my spouse hates a doll. But that's just me.)

 

My parents think Ai's a waste of money. Not that they know I have her exactly... All they know is that i spent $700 on something they are assuming is stupid. My dad was telling me the other day that I should spend my money on "Clothing for yourself and hanging out with your friends." I just don't get why they have to be in my face with what I spend my money on. It's MY money, and I can spend it how I like. I just wish they would see how awesome Ai is.

 

mostly my family don't really understand the hobby. Especially not since I have two daughters. my partner has learnt to see them as my models for clothing and as my characters for writing, but my mum always thinks they are too expensive. Until I said: mom, in six months you SMOKE the same amount of money up into thin air, as I pay for a doll I can love and appreciate for many years. At least my money is spent on something valuable, and not something that constantly disappears.
That made her think, and since then she's had no comment on the price they have.

 

My family don't mind my hobby. They find it expensive but they believe I can do what I want with my money. I don't smoke, drink going out much, so they see it as a hobby like any others. Every time they see my dolls withdifferent clothes they think I brought a new one lol.

 

It's mixed for me. My immediate family has gotten used to it, but unfortunately, they've limited me to one right now. Then I have other family members that absolutely love it. My grandma and my mom are excited to see when I get my first girl, but my dad fails to see the point. But I guess they've gotten over the fact that I like them and want them and are happy to help my run myself into debt with these things ^^;

 

I don't have a BJD quite yet since I'm in the process of saving up, but I'm sure my family will warm up more to the idea once I actually own one. My mom seems to be very interested, and enjoys it when I show her pictures of dolls. My dad is overall, rather indifferent toward the hobby. He really doesn't think I should be spending so much money on a doll, but since I'm earning up for it myself, he doesn't entirely oppose the idea. On the other hand, my older sister loves them, and is planning on getting a ResinSoul Mei for herself soon.

 

My BJDs creep my mum and my best friend/sister-girl out, though both of them try really hard to hide the fact haha. My dad could care less, and my boyfriend is really supportive of my hobbies. It probably helps that he's been painting army models since he was young :p It's really nice to have someone who doesn't care what I collect. He's actually told me before that he thinks it's a really great thing to have a hobby to distract you from the problems of the real world every once in a while, as long as it doesn't take over your life and prohibit you from living. I don't think any of my girls have done that just yet! One of my friends thinks the fact that you can change everything about them is awesome, but she says they scare her too. I also have a very close friend who thinks they're neat - I joke and tell her she's living vicariously through me lol. She says since she'd 'never be able to afford one' (mind you she makes more money then I do!), so instead she'll enjoy mine xD I think it's the interchangeability she enjoys. She's an artist like me, and has said that she thinks its a good way to improve my other hobby, which is photography. But I'm rambling, heh heh - I get both sides of the fence about them. Either way, I love the hobby!

 

My family is pretty uninvolved in my life (even though I still live with them XD) so they don't have much to say about the hobby.

My mom did, however, comment on how amazing my doll was in passing the other day

 

My husband thinks I'm a little crazy. (But I guess he always has! Lol) He also is very understanding as to we I like them, from and artistic point of view. (They are very inspirational and great models!) Of course when I try and talk to him about them or show them to him, he could care less! Lol
My brother sees them and gives me tons of sh*t about them. But that's nothing new...
the sad thing is I don't really have anyone to share the hobby with. I don't share pictures on Facebook or anything because most people will react that they are "creepy." My friends could care less, or think its weird.
So it's just my little thing that I enjoy by myself.