how has covid affected your doll collecting

I actually got back into the hobby. Not necessarily because of COVID, but the time just lined up that my now husband and I got engaged and I started moving in with him. I had to tell him about my dolls then, even though I fell out of the hobby about 8 years ago. I tried to sell my two dolls a couple of times, but never could bring myself to do it, and he encouraged me to get back into the hobby. I haven't been able to afford much in terms of new accessories, not have the time to get much to play with them, but we did do a lighting test photo shoot the other weekend and I finished editing them this past weekend. So I might post them soon. My first photo shoot in a long time.

 

I’ve really been busy at work since the pandemic, and making a lot more income, so I’ve been able to buy more dolls. It seems like in the last year, the companies I follow have released so many dolls of the type I collect. All limiteds, get them now, or regret it! And a few have come up secondhand that have been on my wishlist. No time to work on projects though!

 

Made no difference really

All the extra time I gained from working at home (instead of spending 15 hours a week commuting) kind of evaporated into the aether, so nothing extra got done. The only real effect on the Dolly Side of the Force was there being no in-person meets and the realization that online meets just do it for me.

Teddy

 

During covid I started collecting dolls, and ended up with 3 in less than a year. However, I've been learning a lot with wig making and sewing for my dolls since I've had a lot more time at home. The shipping delays are killing me, though; I ordered doll clothes months ago so that's what's been pushing me to learn to sew.

 

My company sent us home to work for 13 months. I was putting in the same and more hours than before. (I am a technical writer for company that manufactures nuclear fuel rods for reactors.) People still need electricity so I was just as busy. But without the hours of getting dressed in acceptable wardrobe, fixing lunches, and commuting I had more time for myself. I have a large collection with hundreds of wigs, outfits, shoes and props so I took the extra time to bag and tag and label everything from the dolls down to the last pair of underwear. Now that I am physically back on site, when I want to dress and pose a doll everything is easier to locate.

 

I got laid off and immediately listed every doll I didn’t love for sale, bought too many dolls, sold some of those and revitalized my collection. I have more dolls than I’ve ever had before, and I’ve made literally upwards of 50 sales—probably north of 70, tbh. I learned to sell dolls I didn’t love, and I learned to stop being afraid of modding. I completely changed how I looked at some dolls as “impossible to afford” or as “impossible to find” and let myself sell 7 to get 2 when that was my best option. I feel like I have a healthier relationship to the hobby, and to my own dolls—even if I’ve had to intervene in my spending a tad.

 

The pandemic has definitely affected my collecting...but I'm not sure just how negatively/positively it has done so. I had a large order that was scheduled to come in right as the pandemic began to set things into lockdown and the stress of over 3000 dollars worth of dolls being in limbo definitely made it harder to enjoy the hobby. I also used to look forward to the in-person meets and themed gatherings, designing and sewing outfits for them but right now I just don't have the drive to even try. On top of that, the weather has not been favorable when I can actually dedicate time to this hobby so my 5 new dolls are all still blank and I haven't had time to schedule going to the local dealer to search for things that might fit them in the meantime. On top of that, I have a few dolls I decided I wanted to part with, to declutter and focus my creativity, but the idea of shipping during this trying time has been offputting as well.

I've tried to convince myself to connect more digitally, but to be honest there are times interactions digitally become terrifying. I've had more rude/unnecessarily cruel comments online and it deters me from connecting with collectors this way. I have a hard enough time socially when I am in person (Anxiety disorder on top of other issues) that I just can't seem to put myself out there digitally knowing 9 out of 10 times I'm going to be misunderstood but being completely unable to rewire my brain to think like everyone else.

I will say, optimistically I caved and bought a full set that I wanted, even after telling myself I'd never spend that much on just a single doll. Spending over 1000 dollars just seemed silly for one doll, especially when I have all of the tools (and my husband has the skills if I do not) to make something similar to 95% of what I see online that would probably fit its purpose/my tastes a little better. However, I did see one that was almost exactly what I wanted so I caved and bought it. I still feel guilty at times, but I tell myself I'm not going to monthly meet-ups and splurging on clothing/items there so this major splurge isn't as irresponsible as my penny-pinching brain would like to believe.

 

The pandemic started my collecting actually...that's the result of being cooped up at home with the computer. XD

 

I wouldn't say it changed too much for me. It just happened to line up with me getting my first job after college so I've had a small income since it started. I suppose the stimulus checks from the US government that I personally didn't need changed things. It made it a hell of a lot easier to justify a new doll, even if I am going to be paying for this doll for the rest of my life in taxes.

Oh, I also would have bought a few dolls and items off Mandarake if not for the wild EMS/DHL fees. I guess it stopped me there. It doesn't sound like EMS is ever going back to normal, but I'm not desperate enough to accept the $120+ surprise shipping fees yet.

 

It affected my collecting in a more positive way. With all the scary stuff that was going on, I steadfastly continued to pay slowly on my ongoing pre-pandemic layaways with a doll dealer in my own country. Since overseas shipping was going to be extra slow anyway, there was no need to worry about paying them off more quickly (and thankfully shipping was the dealer’s problem and not mine at that point, so I could be quite patient about it.) Once I relaxed about that, with so much extra time at home, I took the opportunity to truly reflect upon my collection as a whole and think about what it would take to finally complete it. After so many years of collecting this was rather daunting. But after seeing so much uncertainty and turmoil in the world, I decided life is short…go for it! I focused on my final remaining characters and went searching exactly where I felt safest buying…right here in the DoA marketplace (and only within my own country because of all the worldwide postal issues.) This enabled me to feel very safe buying. I brought home 7 previously loved dolls with no difficulties, in addition to multiple eyes and wigs, which has rounded out my collection very nicely.

 

I work in healthcare so nothing really changed for me, really. Work schedule stayed as busy as ever. Still no time to finish my dolls. My life didn't change that much during covid, to be honest. Except for the loss of a family member and some 'friends' I will probably not have much contact with anymore because our vieuw on covid was way to different and I don't know if I need that kind of people in my life.

I have bought a new doll from a friend of mine though. We hated to see this doll leave our local community so eventually I was the person who ended up buying her. She is finished, has a face-up, wig and outfit. And she does not fit in with any of my other dolls since my crew was complete and I did not plan on adding any doll to my collection anymore. But here we are...

So I guess covid made me end up with a new doll? Because my friend did a clean out through her doll stuff during covid.

Because this doll is finished, I hope to take her outdoors soon for some photoshoots.

 

I got into ball-jointed dolls early last year. The last few years before that been all over the place with major lows (health challenges including re-learning how to walk) and some really good stuff too (milestone wedding anniversary, started looking into getting our own place) and I wanted a creative outlet again as I started to recover. Enter the pandemic. I don't really know what this hobby is like outside of the current context.

Within the current setting the wait times are really not fun, but the vast majority of the hobby has been positive. It's been mostly lovely to be able to share things about dolls and projects online. The inspiration and encouragement have been amazing. That's not to say that it's all rose-colored glasses, but on the whole my doll journey so far has been a definite good. I hope things that people have been missing from the hobby can come back safely. Doll meets sound really fun.

 

Having unexpected time available made it tricky keeping my chaotic creativity focused...doll dressing & taking photos have always been my favorite doll play. But while home I didn't feel inspired this past year. Instead I dove into several unexpected doll sewing projects & after a year of sewing, realized I'll need another century's worth of time to sew what I've already imagined let alone adding new ideas!

This year, going back to work seems to have taken up more time than I remember it taking in the before times. And then my other hobbies have taken up my creative time. It's been an interesting roller coaster of emotions & moods.

I'm learning I really miss the people time of in person meetups & days out with friends. Thank goodness I've had friends & discussion groups here on doa to check in with & to help fire up creative challenges for me. ❣️

 

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When the pandemic first started, I was off work for about three months and had a lot more time to do doll stuff. Unemployment and stimulus checks paid better than my job does, so I had a little extra to spend. After going back to work, I had less time and money so the hobby kind of took a back burner. I’ve sold a lot of dolls, bought a few, had a couple of trades.

One thing that really changed for awhile was that shipping times and reliability got so bad, it made me not want to buy from outside the US. Three months or longer even on EMS is just too stressful and not worth it to me. This meant there were a lot of things I wanted but couldn’t get or I had to look for them secondhand within my country. I did buy two dolls from China this year and the shipping took longer than the production time on one of them. I probably won’t be doing it again any time soon. Which is really sad because I want to support artists, but it’s not worth the anxiety I experience while waiting.

 

I wanted to start sending out blank heads last year, but covid made the mail overseas so sketchy that I ended up putting it all off.

I sent one head out this year though, and hopefully I can get back on track by next year.
That leaves four dolls I have that are still not done... I feel bad leaving them unfinished for so long. I've told myself no more blank dolls allowed until I'm caught up.

 

Covid allowed me time to get interested in the hobby and start learning how to do faceups! I also grew my doll collection during the Covid period as well.

 

COVID made me get my dolls back out after leaving them in their boxes for a while and start making stuff for them. I've been debating about getting another but longer lead times and uncertainty in the economy has made me hesitant about spending that much.

 

In 2020, around September I was laid off due to budget cuts in the funding the independent living center where I've been receptionist part-time for several years. Two weeks after I was laid off I got a call asking if I wanted to come back, for an additional day a week, as another employee had resigned. I hadn't found a different job, and was happy to go back.

With a little more income I ordered my first MSD (after 8 years of just tinies) from Racoon Doll, though I got the second first since she was in-stock at Denver Doll. She's a Dream Valley Rosa with foot long wings and an expression that makes me think of an unimpressed queen. Upon receiving her, she made me so happy, that I started to think some of those I just like and don't really love need to be sold on to new owners. So far I've listed two for sale, but there will likely be more.