I got my doll... Now what?

Don't invest too much hope that owning the doll will banish boredom or the blues forever. It sounds like that may be what you are doing? I work from home and the rest of the time I am surrounded by loads of hobbies and feel like I never have a moment for myself... but I still get those strange days where I just feel unmotivated or everything seems to be conspiring against me (thread has run out, no fabric, haven't got the right tools, etc)...

Just let yourself off the hook. A BJD won't change your life but it will make things a bit more interesting once you get into it more. Your doll wasn't a waste of money because sometimes it will just sit there and stare blankly back at you, it's only a waste of money if you start to resent that fact. What about making a backdrop to photograph him/her against when you come to take photos? there are lots of things you can do but you could also put him/her down and go and get a big bar of chocolate and watch a good movie or go for a walk, do something else until the mood passes and you feel like messing with the doll again

 

Usually i put them on a shelf close to my PC table, so i can take random peeks at them while browsing internet, watching tv and such.

For me it works just like a Nativity set, you know? You just let them there, sitting pretty.
You can try posing them in different ways and leaving them as you had it organized for a photoshoot, so you can comtemplate the 'scene' you created in small peeks, while you're doing other things.

 

There's also nothing wrong with just hanging out with your doll, ie sitting with him in your lap just enjoying him. If you mooch about on DOA for even a hour you will come across threads where some of the most well known doll photographers and customisers talk about liking nothing more than watching a DVD with their doll of the moment propped on the couch with them, when they're not being incredibly creative with their dolls, or other people's dolls.

You don't have to revolve your life around him. As many other people have said, BJDs are art forms as well as playthings and when you aren't feeling so creative or excited by your dolls, you can get lots of pleasure out of just having them around you. My Bory has been sitting on a bookcase in my hall for about a month. I don't play with him much at the moment but it gives me a kick just seeing him sitting there every time I go past.

 

When my dolls aren't being worked on, they're usually over taking my sofa (much to my mother's dislike!)

Right now, however, my MSD and Tiny are headless and sitting on a desk while my poor SD sits alone on the sofa without her hair on, because it refuses to stay.

Sometimes I will get lazy... I'll need the sofa for something and I'll pile them on the desk. But I never feel bad when I'm not doing something with them all the time. To me it's like a pet... so long as you show them love when you can, you can just enjoy spending some free time with them.

 

actually the thing i do most with my dolls is simply looking at them, enjoying their beauty. just being happy that i have them here to look at is often enough for me.

 

Well, sadly I don't have a BJD yet. ;^__^ But from the old repainted Dark Barbies I still have from my younger days, I still play out random storylines with them, act out story ideas, et cetera. ^^ I think of them as my miniature actors for my amusement; DANCE MY PRETTIES, DANCE! >

 

This happens a lot more at college for me than it does at home, in the dorms I was usually busy with projects (or trying to find good food) that my poor dolly had to just sit on my desk and admire my hard work, haha. Yet this summer I have found days where I didn't feel like taking pictures of her or sewing anything, so sometimes she sits in my lap while I play WoW, the other day we read a book together, and sometimes I go downstairs with her and we watch tv. SDs are so cuddly!!

 

I agree with Sylvian - Sometimes, it's nice just to keep dolls around as pretty things you can sit with. After putting hours and hours into customising them, painting them, dressing them, and in a few cases building them from scratch, sometimes the nicest way to enjoy your handiwork is to sit them on your bookshelf, or your settee, or next to your keyboard, and just give them the odd glance whilst you do something else.

 

I usually don't have time to work on/play with my dolls, since I work most of the time. But, even when there's nothing to do for my girls, I look at them, and think of all the cool things I COULD do. I make a wishlist of the items/clothes/eyes I want, price them, to what would seem normal/fair.
Aside from that, my yo-sd comes with me most places. She fits perfectly in my purse and when I look at her laying there wrapped in my purse junk, it makes me happy. Don't know why.

I guess dolls in themselves are little accomplishments. They're very expensive, and it takes time to work/save up for the ones you like. So, they're beautiful little reminders of all the hard work you've done. A testament to "I can do it."

 

While I am happy to be building furniture, making jewelery, making clothes, doing photoshoots etc for/with the dolls... I am just as happy if not happier to simply have them sitting nearby or in my lap. I agree whole heartily with what others have stated. You put alot of time, effort, money, etc into finding the doll you want and getting them. Sometimes, the best part after that is simply admiring your doll.

 

well to me theyre someone just there. If you dont feel like being alone, just sit with them next to you. Glance at them... watch movie together... etc. Just being together is technically doing something.

:3 im more into the just collecting type so theyre more decorations but they all have storyline, background, etc.

 

I would imagine that there's no harm in just sitting them pretty and admiring them when you can. She knows you love her and every good partnership knows that alone time to both individuals is important. lol

 

Well, here's how I see it...barring special or extreme circumstances, nobody is doing something with their dolls 24/7. We all have other things to do, whether it's other hobbies or just regular essential life activities that demand our attention. In my case, I also have multiple dolls to juggle, so even when I'm doing something with one doll that almost always means at least one doll isn't being played with. I don't feel guilty about it. When I'm not playing with them they sit on my shelf, and just knowing that they're there is good enough for me.

 

This thread has been a real help. I've kinda been worrying about being stuck when i finally get one, with what to do but everyone's ideas are great... Its definitely something to consider when buying a doll, of what you are going to do with it once it's yours. thanks for making the thread, and the great replies

 

Never feel guilty for not doing something with your dolls when you aren't actively dressing them or photographing them, etc. My dolls are all out of their boxes all the time and I love to just having them sitting around whether I'm actively doing anything with them or not. Just looking at them makes me happy. Just enjoy having them with you and appreciate their coolness!

 

I've been really busy with work and school since I got my girl so I haven't had much time to work on her. But I like having her nearby, and I'll idly change her pose. I try to discover the various looks and expressions she can have so that I can get a better sense of her personality

 

This is the reason I want more than one doll Haha, so I can imagine them cozy it out with a conversation when I'm not there. Silly me..
But to be honest, if I'm guilty of something then it's more towards the money spent on them than the dolls themselves, when I don't play with them enough. This is also the reason why I want more than one but not too many so I don't completely neglect some of them (newbie-minded) haha. But I'm curious as to see how things turn out when I get my first doll. Maybe I'll become so attached I'll begin to actually care for the doll being lonely

 

I rarely do anything with my dolls. For me, the joy of collecting BJDs is based on looking at them or letting them sit near me while I'm reading/playing video games, etc. Sometimes I do feel guilty about it when I see the effort other people put into their dolls, though. I am trying to learn to do face-ups on a practice head, but I doubt any of my dolls will ever be face-upped by me because I'm horrible at it.

 

When i'm not specifically doing anything with my dolls one of them is usually sitting next to me while i study. I like them being there...it's comforting, especially when i'm home alone. I also write about them.

 

Something interesting happened to me a few weeks ago. I was invited to Tahoe with a girlfriend and her friends who are "quilt" hobby gals. It ended up being a wonderful trip and I decided to bring one of my BJD's along.

I tend to favor my SD sized girls and boy and was feeling kind of guilty about my one MSD Iplehouse I girl named Rachel. Being that I really had not done anything with her. I even thought that MSD size was not for me at all. Then, it occurred to me that her size was perfectly suited to come along on my trip! (also as a dolly buddy suggested)

Rachel was transformed into the perfect traveling companion and she worked out nicely sitting in the passenger's seat right beside me. Later, I introduced her to my girlfriend and the "quilting" group and they found her amazing and they were actually asked questions and showed interest about our hobby.

I agree this hobby is very much hands on when it comes to sewing, crafting, customizing, photography, etc.- when there is time, just love that aspect of it. Yet, I do find myself feeling like others on here that BJD's are a type of artwork. 3-dimensional art where they actually keep me company. I know that when I cannot be "hands on" with them; they are all comfortable sitting in their couches with their teddy bears, treats, books, AG flat screen and fireplace. So, when I cannot always be there; they keep each other company too; like a good BJD family should...