how has covid affected your doll collecting

Before the pandemic I probably would have thought I would get more into BJDs during such a time. However, I did almost nothing with my BJDs during most of the last two years.
It may have been different if I wasn’t already not participating much when the pandemic started. I had recently moved into a house that would turn out to be not so great, and I never unpacked my BJD stuff except for at the very end of my few months living there to sell and give away a few dolls and accessories. During the pandemic I lost my job, moved twice, and returned to school. Through stress and changes (and spending a lot of money elsewhere), I didn’t unpack my dolls except to check in a couple boxes here and there to confirm what I was putting away.
Throughout the past couple years, I would think once every couple months I should take out my dolls to set up a couple and sell a few, but I never found the time or energy.
I am just now, in the past few weeks trying to get back into the hobby. My life feels stable enough that I can turn my interest towards BJDs, and it still seems like a hobby I can do alone at home will be a useful way to entertain myself as things go on.

 

For me, covid meant both bad and good things.

On one side, I didn't feel confident to order anything from the outside world due to the disease itself and also the delays (and lost items) in the postal service even though I really needed some stuff for my crew. This led to me not really caring that much about new dolls, companies or anything doll-related because I didn't want to see pretty things I wanted but couldn't get. Luckily, this changed in the past week, as I finally dared to order a small bunch of clothing and wigs and I hope

On the other side, as I couldn't buy things, I devoted some time to think about my doll family (made some tough decisions but I know it's for the best) and learn how to make things myself. For example, I made a couple of wig that I think came out ok even if I don't think I'll use them but I certainly learn a lot by doing them. I hope to keep improving my wig-making skills in the future.

 

Since I couldn’t travel because of covid and had money saved specifically for traveling… I used it for dolls and treated myself that way So, covid made my doll collection explode lol

 

I've heard too many mail horror stories, from melted dolls to lost packages and huge wait times, so I've been extremely hesitant to buy anything from too far away. Sounds like this didn't stop a lot of people! I'm hoping maybe it has gotten better by now?

But also, with staying indoors so much, I've started learning ZBrush and working on doll ideas! ^^

 

Covid hasn't affected my doll collecting at all. Before Covid, I was winding down my purchases because my list of dolls I want is getting shorter. At this point, there are about nine dolls I definitely know I will buy someday, and a few more I'd like to buy duplicates of, if I have the opportunity to buy one, but they're all extremely old sculpts that aren't in production anymore, and so rare I may never have the opportunity to buy one (cough Moment/Anson cough), especially unmodded.

Covid has, however, affected me, in that work is consuming so much of my free time I haven't had time to rest at all in the last two years, let alone make anything for my dolls. I'm making tons of money to put into buying materials when this finally ends, but my available free time is consumed with sleeping.

 

Besides stimulus checks that ultimately went towards doll purchases, the pandemic hasn’t really had an effect on my BJD hobby. I’ve been buying and selling like I was in previous years, and I never really went out of the house much or traveled before COVID.

 

Some things have changed and some haven't for me. I was already hesitant to send out doll heads that need faceups so if anything the shipping issue just nails that more tightly into the "not doing that for a LONG time" section. Though I have had small packages shipped from as far as Russia w/ no tracking and they've been fine, it's different for an irreplaceable doll.

I already didn't have a lot of free time for doll stuff due to college classes- and recovering from stress due to said classes. One thing that is unfortunate is that I had been starting to plan to take my dolls, both resin and off-topic vinyls, out more to do more travel-esque photoshoots a la Danny Choo (before the drama lol). However, I already didn't have a driver's license at the time so I was already limited to where I could get a ride to from family... I still plan to get my license but the priority has been low due to fewer places to go- due to the pandemic. I don't have a lot of good spots to take photos in my immediate area, unfortunately- but that was true before the pandemic.

Relatively, this is merely an inconvenience compared to the actual suffering caused by the pandemic as a whole, but I am very annoyed that I was only just coming out of my shell socially outdoors, in the city etc. and now that's been set back by the isolation of quarantine/lockdown. I would like to be confident enough to take my dolls out places but even if things ever get "back to normal"- a loaded term in some ways- it will take a while to get used to it again. Of course there are more important things, that's just a personal peeve I have re: the whole thing.

I made one of my off-topic dolls a mask though, and people seemed to be amused by that back when it seemed like things would be over quickly. I actually think that doing things like that- having something relevant with a doll that people might find amusing- can be a good way to deflect people from the "oh my god a creepy doll' reaction to the "oh wow even the doll has a mask that's actually kinda cool" alternative reaction. Now though I worry it might be insensitive but it's not like the doll isn't still wearing it, I like how it looks but if it ever comes up I'll probably have to get rid of it or deal with any issues socially. I think we're all tired of the pandemic at this point though so it might get a different reaction than it did at first. Not to mention, mask/anti-mask drama hasn't really reached where I live, but I know people in other places can get really militant about that so it may be an issue someday. I might make a thread about dolls and masks but I don't want to start any controversy.

One of the stimulus checks I got went mainly to a major doll purchase, I felt guilty about it though and ended up donating the following one because I felt uncomfortable spending it on dolls when others can barely afford food. I think part of that has something to do with people getting guilt-trippy about how disabled "but not disabled enough" (*eyeroll*) people should allocate money, but I don't want to get into the politics here. I will say that I don't think anyone should feel bad for spending stimulus check or other money on things that improve their life, even if those things are on the expensive side!


...but I ramble.

 

Yes definitely affected my doll collecting, since I got back into the hobby around 2020. My life changed drastically in many ways, so I think getting back into the hobby was one way to copy with the situation for me. I was super inactive many years, but during covid I started collecting and doing BJD related things again. Last year I started building diorama and also did lots of new accessories for my dolls. Currently I am debating on buying a sewing machine, so I could do more sewing for my dolls.
I would love to meet other collectors in my area at some point, when the covid situation gets better, but now I am just putting effort to finish my currently dolls and building my diorama.

 

My BJD's have been on hold a bit. I really want to get back to taking pictures and such, it's just I haven't done much with them in the past year. Too much to do around the house with everyone home, and not enough time for fun hobbies.