I got my doll... Now what?

I am so glad I found this thread. I opened my first BJD yesterday. I don't know what I was expecting but I didn't feel good.
First of all I felt extremely guilty. I'm not used to spending on myself and such a vast amount.
Secondly, I have never really liked dolls but I fell in love with BJDs. YES, I did spend all day playing with her joints and posing her.
I don't know I feel so upset. I tried removing one of her hands and I removed the magnet by accident, I messed up her wig by taking out the little ribbons it had in it (I'm sure nobody will want to buy it now that the ribbons have been taken off because it's not the same as the original) I had to take her out and put her back in because I had to leave for my karate grading... Ughh, I just feel guilty and paranoid. I got past the regret, I don't regret her but I am too afraid of handling her really. Her wig is VERY tight and falls into her face a lot but I'm afraid of touching her face because of her faceup.

I really want to do lots with her, sew, photography and such. Before she got here I went inspiration crazie and drew her a lot and wrote about her backstory and everything. I hope I can keep that up!

 

i was a bit hesitant to walk about with Sven when i first got him. no one really seemed interested in him, so he just sat on my computer desk. now, i'll bring him with me when i go in the living room. he's always by my side when i'm playing video games with my brother. i can't do much with him most of the time, but i enjoy having him near me. he's my constant companion during the day. i haven't gone anywhere with him yet, mostly because i'm still learning things about him. but, once i'm comfortable with it, i may bring him with me when i go places. :3

 

This thread is interesting because, I am waiting for my first BJDs to come, and the other day I was thinking: I was so excited to get them, and once I clothe them and whatnot, what will I do? I dont want to keep them in their boxes all day, and I dont have a lot of places to take pictures. I feel like I will probably end up doing what I do with my pullips: arrange them pretty and stare

 

Hmm I've thought about this numberous times. Somehow I end up finding topics on DoA that's also on MY mind as much as it is on others., Haha. It's funny how us doll owners think alike.

Anyway.
I was thinking the same thing a little while ago.
I was like: I am spending... Hundreds of dollars... On decoration?
Because face it, in the end we only use them for photography, sewing and other creative stuff.. Etc etc etc...

But I try to find stuff to do with them more and more.
Like little stuff. I cuddle with them, talk to them, I love dressing them and just holding them in my arms.
It really works good for my stress. I have a lot of stuff to worry about in my personal life.
And they somehow, take that weight away from me, even if it's just a little while.
So they work really stress relieving for me. They make me a lot more calm.

And besides it, I guess watching TV with them and such? taking them to places?
I guess my dolls are really treated like little kids haha.

 

this.
They help me write my novel.


Or, I just sit them next to me while I work on other outfits, or draw, talk on the internet, whatever.

I like to pretend they're helping me with something =]

 

Ah, the angst. XD I got my first doll and realized that I'm bad at taking photos...
I love her, and her character came alive when I realized a thing that I'd had wrong about her. I really enjoy making her face-up and am looking forward to doing the body blushing. But at the same time, I feel bad somehow. I'm not actually good at this; my photos don't look good and the stories I write for them are awkward. I'm so used to being proud of the pictures I draw and the stories I write that with this stuff I'm not so good at I feel bad. AAAAAAaand my grandparents were here for the weekend, so I didn't get to do all the stuff I'd've wanted to with my new doll.
Well, I guess I'll try and write a story first and then take the pictures, and redo her face-up, and buy some gloss, and then I'll try to be happy with her again.

 

Compared to many others, I don't really do much with my dolls. I am not a writer or an artist, my photography skills are mediocre at best and I am just now starting to learn how to sew. So, when I interact with my dolls, it is usually to change their clothes, arrange them in different positions or take pictures of them as best as I can. The vast majority of the time, however, my dolls are just being pretty on their display shelves, and that's perfectly fine with me. It's like any other material thing in my house - I cannot interact with everything I own ALL the time, that's simply impossible. My dolls are like art to me - I enjoy looking at them and appreciate their beauty when they are displayed. They are beautiful sculptures that I can also play with when I want to

 

I only have one doll ever since I started 2 years ago, and I also don't do much with my doll since I'm always busy with school, I made a backstory but I couldn't finish it which makes me feel guilty everytime I look at him. But now that I'm a bum xD I try to make it up to him by making him tons of clothes for photoshoots. There was a time when I thought about selling him because I just kept him in his travelling bag for almost a year, but I realized that they'll be contented even when just displayed

 

My husband always asked "What are you going to do with them? Don't just sit there and look at them, do something with them." I thought that was the weirdest question ever at first. "I'm playing, redress and admiring them. What else can I do with them?" However I've researched that most BJD owners use their dolls, either model them in their clothing lines, pose them for photo shoots then post them or inspire for writing and I'm can't do any of those mentions, how I wish I have all those owners enthusiasm about their BJD as to just redress and admiring them.
I guess that's nothing wrong with just love and admire them.

 

I stare at them I love to watch them either way. I also try new poses, or just sit them by my side and keep staring hehe I draw so I use them as my models for drawing too. ^^

 

I can do so much with them. I'm also writing about them when I don't sew/make stuff for them, take photos or just enjoy their company. I always try to find out new ways to express their characters. ^^
There isn't a time where I can say: I don't know what to do with them. There're always ways for improvement for me.

 

I think having them sit with you counts as something. Hahah. I like having one of them sit on my lap when I'm watching TV, or next the keyboard when I'm on the computer. It's nice to just look at them after all.

 

I looooooove miniatures, so I like to work on roomboxes and props for them (this counts as playing to me, whatever playing actually means....) I pose them, maybe take a pic, maybe not. Sometimes I open the box and just look for a few minutes...admire the faceup maybe.

I don't carry them around, I don't keep them around me when I do stuff, I don't take them out, I don't do voices or anything like that. When I explained that to my boyfriend, he asked me that same thing, what DO you DO with them?

I guess not much, in the end, but it is enough to make me happy!

 

When my girls and I are just hanging out, I really enjoy cuddling with them or posing them. Being away from home, having something to cuddle with when my cat is hundreds of miles away is pretty nice. My friends are also constantly in my room, so we have fun talking about my dolls, posing them, and making up funny dialogue that they would have. When alone, often times I find myself doodling still-life sketches of them, just to more intimately understand their forms. If just having your doll sit on your lap makes you happy, then I think that's enough right there.

 

I'm Perfectly fine with having my dolls just standing/sitting there looking pretty. Specially, when I'm busy. But for the most part, I like to take picture of them. Even if I don't have the right lighting. I can always use them to pose for me then try to draw something completely different from that pose.

I have two dolls and even if I have three, I'm perfectly happy with just having them around me.

They're inspirational! I get idea just from looking at them!

 

After the initial excitement of having my first doll finally at home, I really began worrying that I wouldn't know what to do with him. I never played with dolls even as a kid (cough*Asperger*cough) as I don't actually know how to play with them... Then I just stopped worrying about playing in an orthodox way and realized that I like just looking at him or having him around xD

 

Sometimes I just like to sit and watch TV while snuggling him. ^^

 

Hmmm, I have had those moments. It's nice to just have a doll near me, though, I don't always need to be doing something with him or her. Usually when I'm studying or something, I have one of my dolls with me, because it kind of cheers me up to look at them. ^^ If I want to do something strictly doll related, and I don't know what to do, I go on DoA and post around and look at other people's dolls. xD

 

I spend a lot of time on the computer, so sometimes I pose them on my computer desk and just admire them while I do whatever else. They are so pretty ^_^

 

I have a lot of those days where I do nothing with my dolls, don't feel bad. I usuall just admire them from across the room. Sometimes I will take them and set them next to me while I study or work on writing; I find them nice to simply have in my presence (: