In a hobby for longer than 4 years? How is it going?

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I've been interested since 2006, but I didn't become a doll owner until 2008. I also joined DoA only just 3 months ago!

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Definitely! I feel much more knowledgeable about BJDs now and am willing to take more risks regarding money, aesthetics, etc. I've learned to be a lot more careful with my dolls after scratching my first doll's kneecap on accident... that doesn't stop seemingly random scuff marks from appearing on my doll's feet sometimes though :/

How many dolls have you got over the years?
Two. I currently only have one, though.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
My first doll was rehomed to one of my tumblr followers and I think she's doing well with her new owner. As for the doll I have now... she's getting her faceup redone because I somehow messed it up u_u but I'll be back to see her in March. She's pretty new so there should be no yellowing at all.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby? ---I ordered my first dolls in December of 2008.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc? ---I knew nothing about Asian bjds when I first started. I had just begun collecting other dolls when I happened upon some sites that sold abjds and found them appealing. Since then I have learned more about the hobby, joined message boards, attempted hybrids, commissioned face-ups, taken up photography, and I am more careful to avoid damaging those face-ups!

How many dolls have you got over the years? ---A lot. From a variety of countries and companies, and in a variety of sizes and species.

and the question that interests me the most:
How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time? ---They are holding up beautifully. I've had only two face-ups redone and the only yellowing I've noticed is on an off-topic little bunny anthro who went from white to a buttery cream color which is actually quite nice.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?

I'm going on 5 years.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc

Well, yes, a lot has changed! I'm doing things I never thought I'd do, faceups, mods, restringing, etc, and not doing as much as what I started out doing (sewing)!
I'm much more comfortable with my dolls now, and have no fear about changing them. Also, my tastes have changed. I still have many of my "first" batch of dolls, and have sold many more than I have kept, but different "looks" interest me now, that may not have interested me 5 years ago. That's part of the beauty of the hobby to me though, it is always interesting, and I grow and change as time goes on.

How many dolls have you got over the years?

I have lost count of how many I have bought and resold. At least a hundred, I would guess. I have around 23 right now. Since I can't go to my local "bjd store" to check out dolls, I buy many just to see them. I oftentimes will give them a fresh faceup, play with them awhile, and resell them if they don't steal my heart. As the years go on, naturally, more of them steal my heart, so my "keeper" collection grows.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?

My dolls are all doing great, and I still have several from my first year. Every one of them is still gorgeous, and I've really not had any issues with yellowing. Oh, I suppose some of them have yellowed, but none of them have yellowed to a point where it's obvious, they've just gotten a bit creamier. Faceups get touched up or redone now and again, but for the most part, faceups have held up beautifully (I have had issues with a couple of artists work chipping, but that's one of the reasons I learned to do faceups, and I won't hire those artists again). Like artwork in my home, I keep my dolls from direct sunlight, but I regularly take one to my studio with me, or wherever else I want to. I like to be able to see them and appreciate them, so they sit on a shelf in a dark area of my bedroom when I don't have them out with me, but I don't miss out on having them out and about with me on a regular basis.

A question you didn't ask, but that I would like to share about, is "how has this hobby changed your life over the years?"

I have made some new, dear and wonderful friends through this hobby. One of my dearest-bestest-friends, is a woman I met through this hobby. We talk/e-mail every day, and it is such a joy to have her in my life.
My mom and sister became involved in the hobby as well, and we have become so much closer, we talk on the phone every day, at least once a day (we're all in different states), and a lot of what we talk about is bjd's!
I don't clean my house so much anymore, I am too busy playing! It's a better way to live one's life as far as I'm concerned, to spend time with play, and not so much with work. I have never been able to sit still for a minute, so if I wasn't working, or doing something with my son and hubby, I was cleaning. Now I take time to play, to "smell the roses" so to speak.
There are so many amazing artists in this hobby. There are many artists whose work I would never have seen without getting into the hobby, and the ability to appreciate their work, whether I own a piece or not, is a wonderful thing!
I'm having a great time in this hobby, my dolls bring me great joy, and it has changed my life in many positive ways. I highly recommend it!

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
4 Years, 4 months

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Yes. My tastes have changed over time and even dolls I used to think were hideous I'm in love with now. *stares down my rheia*
I treat my dolls the same, I'd say. I'm maybe a little bit more careful with them? I'm more hesitant to let people touch them, I suppose.
I got into BJDs (and even dolls in general) to photograph them, and that's what I still do.
However, I've picked up sewing and a bit of face uping over the years.
I also used to RP, but I don't so much anymore.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
At this point, I've probably been through 50 dolls (including different heads)
for the past 2 years I've averaged about 10-15 dolls at any given time. I have 11 right now

Oldest dolls
The oldest doll I have right now I got in 2011, which was my dollzone raphael - He's in perfect shape aside from a bit of yellowing. I also tried to modify his face up a bit and failed XD so his lips are kinda messed up, but as far bumps and bruises, he's absolutely fine!

I /think/ my oldest would be my rheia, I think she's from 2010, but I got her second hand. She's had a bit of damage while with me, the biggest issue being a chipped ankle (that's since been sanded smooth)
Yellowing is pretty bad, and she has stains from her wig, but I play with her constantly.
I got her a new face up right after I got her, and that's held up perfectly

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?

I've been in this hobby since around mid 2004. I spent a very long time just looking at other people's dolls and justifying the amount of money that could possibly go in to this hobby until I finally broke down and bought a Custom House Petite Ai Sariel, the very first release of that mold. I still remember looking at Blue Fairy tiny's and thinking how much I would love one of those dolls. I have since moved my tastes away from blue fairy, don't get me wrong they are still beautiful to me, but now I just enjoy seeing other people's photos of them rather than in my home. :3

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc

The way I treat my dolls has remained exactly the same as when I first started the hobby. The majority of the time all my dolls spend their time in a box, away from light and air. But some of the time I bring them out for photos, to try on new clothes, or to sit at my desk and be my muses. I love my dolls, and if anything has changed it's that I love more molds of the dolls out there than I used to.

Just for example; when I first entered the hobby my very first doll was a tiny (CH Sariel). But now that I know more about the makers of aBJD's, I have plans for MSD and SD sized dolls down the road! At one point I had a Custom House one off that I couldn't bond with largely because of her size (she was SD sized). I think it was just a shock to my system how very large aBJD could be! I still felt a little guilty about how much they cost, and how much it would cost to clothe her, so I decided to sell her almost right away.

How many dolls have you got over the years?

I have purchased quite a few dolls actually. The ones that I have sold in the past were either because of buyers remorse (the first SD girl I had), or because I was very strapped for cash and felt like I had no choice. I was going to college at the time, and I felt like it was wrong for me to have expensive things when I had college loans to pay. Now that I've graduated, I feel that the hobby is more justified and have since held on to just about every doll I've bought.

I have purchased 12 dolls all together. 2 of them came with heads (1 of them is still around!), and 1 more that is on layaway. I have 5 dolls currently in my home (with the 1 on layaway, making 6 dolls total). My first 3 dolls were rehomed due to a big life change. Moving, college, and all that. The next 2 dolls were bought to replace some of the ones I really missed, I still have them to this day. The next 5 dolls have moved on, 1 of them I really regret selling but to be honest she really ended up being too small for me anyway (she was a Lati White Belle, I find the lati white size to be too small for me personally, the Lati Yellow are barely large enough to feel like they belong in my home and I adore them). The last 3-4 dolls have found a permanent place in my home and I don't see them moving on anytime soon.

I think the number of dolls that have come and gone have really been a trial for me to see what types of dolls, sizes, and molds I really bond with. I've had literally the same 4-5 dolls (the newest ones since selling) in my house unmoving ever since I laid eyes on them, and I really love them no less than when they first arrived on my doorstep. In fact one of them is exactly the same doll as the second doll I ever owned, a Lati Miel only difference is she is tanned skin. ^___^

I can't wait until I get to purchase my first MSD (most likely a Unoa Lusis, I have been wanting her for years!!)! I also can't wait to get my first boy, most likely an MSD or SD sized doll. The truth is, one of the biggest reason I haven't strayed from tinies is that I now have a big enough wardrobe to support them, and the thought of purchasing a new wardrobe for MSD and SD sized dolls both excites and scares me! I can't wait for the adventure, and I can't wait to photograph my dolls more than I have. I just haven't found the time with moving from west coast to east coast and back to west coast with college in between it all! Oh how life can get in the way of things we really want to be doing! LOL

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?

I think my oldest dolls are from 2006/2007. As far as I can tell there is no noticeable yellowing, but there must be some natural yellowing that has occurred evenly which I don't notice since I have nothing to compare them too. I do have some tans from 2006, and even those seem to be in excellent condition as far as their resin color goes. But again, I have nothing to compare them to. All of their faceups are in perfect condition, and if my dolls ever get a little dirty from being handled I do spend time cleaning them with a Mr. Clean sponge.

Their wardrobes are kept in airtight containers, and lay flat. So even those are in excellent condition. I guess you could say I take the BJD hobby quite seriously because of: A. How much they mean to me, and B. The amount of money I have invested in them.

TL;DR: I've been in the aBJD hobby for about 9 years, not much has changed other than I realized what my tastes were and have held on to those dolls since they set foot in my home.

Anyway that is enough rambling.

edit: I missed the how are your dolls doing question.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
Since 2003, 10 years, yikes!

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
I haven't been 'active' in the community for the entire 10 years. My interest and participation comes in waves. The dolls have been neglected at times when the real world took precedence over hobbies.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
I have 9 currently and due to a resurgence of interest I have another two on the way

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
I'd say all of my dolls have yellowed some what. My Volks F-16 boy in white is distinctly yellow. I'm pretty sure he was made prior to volks newer UV protect resin. none of them have spent an excessive amount of time in the sun but they're no treated with kid gloves either. I'd say the amount of yellowing is pretty standard for the amount of time I've had them.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?

Since about August or September 2007, so just over five years at the time of writing.

Has anything changed? like the way you treat your dolls, etc

I've become a lot less inclined to share - The hobby has, over these few years, gone from one with a broad-spectrum of talent, to one where people are either very, very talented (at painting, at sewing, at photography) or they get someone else to paint, dress and photograph their doll for them. Since my interests lie in painting and sewing for these dolls myself, I generally don't post photos very often. I am getting better though! Also now, I tend to dress my dolls in a single outfit, instead of having multiple, usually badly-made, looks for each of them.

How many dolls have you got over the years?

I've owned twelve, four of which I've sold (either in full or in part), so I've now got eight dolls, one floating head and one floating body. I've also got really into sculpting, so have two or three unfinished projects lying around being sort-of-dolls and also sort-of-not-dolls.


How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?

My oldest doll is my MSD Myu, who was made in 2003. Her resin is basically worn smooth, making her a right pain to paint, and she's quite yellow, but Volks dolls seem to suit a bit of yellowing. My yellowest doll is a white-skin AoD Gu, who was my first doll, bought fresh from the company in 2007, and who spent the first year of his life sitting in full sun on a coffee table in my student house. Thankfully, he sort of suits it as well.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I've been in the hobby since June of 2007, though my first boy did not come until October of 2007. So, it'll be 6 years in June?

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
When I first joined the hobby I treated my dolls like they were more than just dolls. I used to tuck Kazuma (KDF Bory) in at night, wash him and change his clothes everyday. Sometimes I would even sleep with him if I had a bad day. Interestingly enough, I also used to take him out with me when I went shopping. Now though, my dolls usually just stay in my closet. I still pick them up and change them every once and a while, but I don't change their clothes everyday (it would take forever.) They don't really go out with me either unless I'm taking them out to show them to people and they are usually in a carrying case.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
I've bought and sold so many dolls over the years. I currently have 16 full dolls and 4 floating heads. I've sold 21 dolls/floating heads total. So I've had 41 dolls or so?

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
They're doing surprisingly well. Even Kazuma, who has been outside a lot, has a really nice pale color. I don't think there has been a lot of yellowing in him, but I haven't been able to compare him to the newer Luts resin. Like I said, my other dolls don't really leave the house, so their color has pretty much stayed the same. All of my Volks are older but they are still roughly the same color, even compared to Bran (my new Volks Ayumu I bought from the Volks store when I visited) The only one that has really yellowed at all is Chris (my School A) I tried doing the baking soda/hydrogen peroxide treatment, which definitely lightened him up.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?

Six years

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc

No, not especially. I learned better ways to care for them, so in that respect I might or might not do something based on knowledge, but overall no not really.


How many dolls have you got over the years?

Four dolls

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?

Overall, good. The one doll I have is white skinned, but he was always from the day I got him a yellow tone. He may have yellowed a little, but its very even so its not bad. I also had a pair of hands turn yellow. My first doll has a few chips in his torso as well, because for the longest time I only had one and I over loved him.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
Five years.

Did anything change? Like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Well I’m not so protective of my dolls anymore. When I started every other people told that it’s so fragile and so on. But now when I have these I have learned what you can do and is not appreciated to do with them. I have learned to do better faceups and clothes.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
At ‘best’ time I had nine BJDs, now there is three with me.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
My first doll has yellowed over the years, since I used to take much photos of him and take him out a lot and also to meetings. So he has seen world a lot, but looking still good. : D

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I got my first doll in 2006, so 7 years.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Yeah, I did baby them a lot more when I first got into the hobby. I also have a lot more dolls, so they don't get the individual attention that they once did. I also don't drag them out in public as much as I used to, but that probably has more to do with personal lifestyle changes rather than any change in doll interests. I have a room for the hobby now, which is a very nice change! I started doing my own faceups in the past few years and my sewing has vastly improved, even though I don't do as much as I'd like. I also don't go to as many doll meets as I used to, but that's again, more the lifestyle change than change in interest.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
I currently have 12. I have sold/traded/given away 4.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
My oldest dolls are doing the best! If they have yellowed at all, it's a very lovely creamy color, just the resin mellowing possibly. Some of my white skinned dolls seem to be taking on a yellowish tint, but I suspect that's more due to the Testor's Dullcote. I haven't had any issues with faceups rubbing off or anything like that. My Ipsae did have an eyelash failure, but that was pretty easily fixed.
One of my dolls did have a mishap at a meet when someone bumped the table he was standing on, and he fell and cracked a rib. That was really hard to deal with, but it was years ago and I'm mostly over it. I am planning on modding the area to look like a scar to cover the epoxy my husband used to repair it, but I haven't yet. So be careful!

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
Since June 2005 so almost 8 years!

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Not much. I have a LOT more since I started. I still do not do faceups, but restringing is easy. I only get to sew every so often when I get help so not much does.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
I'm at 76 in house, with 2 more incoming.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
If they are, it's to a creamy color, to the point I literally can not see it. My oldest dolls still look the same. My first bought, Mike, broke a finger the other week at a friend's house and we never found it, but I had a pair of spare El hands so that took care of that, but it's still upsetting to me. I only have one who's horribly yellow but I bought the head apart from the body and did not know he was that yellow. I'll have to try something to do something for that, but I'm not sure if it was because he was from the first batch of Luts real skin and they all did it, or if his former owner smoked, or had someone smoking or if he was in a window all the time..but then his whole head is yellow. So there is no telling. He really doesn't go anywhere since anyone can see it.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I've known about them since 2007 (maybe late 2006, I don't really remember) but I was just recently able to get my first BJD in 2012.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
in the few months I've had my girl I think I've been getting more and more paranoid that something will happen to her
so yes, I treat her with even more care than I did when I first got her

How many dolls have you got over the years?
just one

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
she hasn't been here that long so no severe yellowing or dolly injuries (a few random stains but they were small and came out right away with a MC Magic Eraser) but I did buy a pair of hands of her years before I was able to order her and those have not yellowed at all, they match her perfectly despite being made 4 years before she was

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I've been into bjds since early 2005, ordered & received my first doll in late Dec 2007, joined DoA in Dec 2007

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
I'm more knowledgeable about bjds in general but nothing else has really changed.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
I'm at 13 full dolls and still wanting more.
I've also got a nice head collection and a bucket of body parts.

and the question that interests me the most:
How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
I'd say that all of my dolls are in very good health still.
My factory fresh dolls have mellowed a bit overtime, mainly the WS dolls.
Some of my used dolls came to me yellowy but they don't seem to have yellowed any further.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
Eight years as an active DoA forum member, a lurker for several months before that, and a non-commital member of the DoA Yahoo group.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Yes! I have definitely gotten more confident with handling them. I'm not scared to restring, suede, or wire, but I will never do my own face-ups. Well, maybe in another eight years...haha.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
I have 17 complete dolls, one floating head, and one "floating body" (oh dear, that sounds bad!) On average that's two and a quarter dolls a year.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
Oh definitely, some have yellowed quite a bit, and some not at all! Really depends on the resin, I guess. Interestingly, my CustomHouse girls have gotten significantly lighter over time instead of yellower.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I first encountered and fell for them in 2006ish, so I'd say 7 years or so.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc...
I bought some dolls, I traded some dolls, I sold some dolls, I bought some more dolls. They are definitely more spoiled now than ever. I was able to obtain a grail doll and have collected quite a bit of furniture and props over the years. I know more of what I like in a doll, style-wise, and what I want in a body.

How many dolls have you gotten over the years?
Oh jeez, let's see. I've probably owned closed to 20 different dolls over the years, never owning more than 5 at one time. I now have 7, which is more than I've ever allowed myself, but you all know how they like to multiply.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
I'd say everything is going splendidly. Most of my dolls have yellowing, especially the older ones (from 2005 and around then). The yellowing is beautiful, though, very nice and mellow. I think they are all getting more love now than ever before.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
It'll be 4 years in October 2013 for me.

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
I definitely treat my dolls differently now than I did when I first got into the hobby. With my first doll, when I first got into all this, I was pretty much afraid to do anything to him or with him. I treated him like he was made of glass and might disintegrate at the slightest bump. Now, I realize that although these guys are fairly fragile, they're a lot more resilient than I'd first assumed. I'm not afraid to take my dolls outside and photograph them in all kinds of crazy places now. I've also learned how to restring, sand, paint faceups (although I'm still bad at it), do simple mods and do some repairs. I enjoy my dolls a lot more than I did in the beginning.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
20. Well...22 if you count the off-topic ones. And I have 3 on the way and 3 more planned for 2014.
The only one I'm not bonded to is my first one, and he's the only one I've ever wanted to rehome.

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
I have a number of second-hand dolls, so this question is a little difficult to answer because some of my dolls were already slightly yellowed when I got them. Overall, I'd say they're yellowing nicely and not too quickly. I'm not unhappy with how any of them look.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?
I bought my first doll 2008 (I already knew a little of BJDs before, but always thought they are too expensive to own)

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
I learned a lot within the years, even how to sew a little. But I treat my dolls like the first time, very carefully.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
Don't ask... my horde is about 80 dolls and still growing (if I still find some free room in the future)

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
I still cannot see any yellowing on my first dolls, ok, compared to brand new dolls from same companies there is some difference, but mostly because the companies changed their resin mix over the years. For example: my first doll was a Soom Sabik, normal skin. That time their normal skin was really "normal" - their latest normal skin is very dark pink.
String tension is still quite good with most of my older dolls, I only think of 2 which will need to be restrung soon (one is a new doll from this year and the other is a second hand doll from 2006)
Faceups of all dolls is still in best condition, no scratches not even on my very first dolls.

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby?

Since 2005, so 8 years!

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc

Hmm...I guess so. I used to take them everywhere and take more photo's of them, nowadays my enjoyment comes more from making new outfits for them and posing them together and then looking at how pretty they are. I'm still pretty hands on with them, but I keep them more to myself. I'm also less involved in the doll community, I feel like my dolls are my own and I don't have to share them or hear from other people that they're pretty, you know?

How many dolls have you got over the years?

I have 7 dolls, 6 SD's and a Puki My very first two dolls are still with me, I didn't sell that many dolls either. So I guess my collection is pretty consistant.


How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?

They hold up well! They yellowed, sure. My two 8 year old dolls are yellow, of course, especially my Chiwoo who was 'beauty yellow' to begin with. It doesn't bother me, I'm used to it. I did notice that at some point they stopped yellowing, as if they reached their final colour. I've heard the process of yellowing is simply the dyes in the resin breaking off until the resin is it's orginal colour. If this is true, it would make sense the dolls don't yellow further past a certain point..it seems true for all my dolls who are older than 4 years. Other than that, they're still in wonderful condition, no scratches or chips or broken fingers. Of course they're not brand new, but I think with some care these dolls hold up for a very long time. I sure do hope to enjoy them for another 8 years at least!

 

How long have you been in the BJD hobby? Since early 2007, so long ago!

Did anything change? like the way you treat your dolls, etc
Not really. I've always been gentle with my dolls and it's really common sense as to how to handle and store them, in my opinion. Aesthetics-wise, my tastes have changed a bit; I used to prefer sadder-looking dolls and now I prefer happier, sweeter faces, and I still prefer the more 'anime' style that was predominantly present in 2007 to the more 'realistic' dolls now.

How many dolls have you got over the years?
Sixteen! All either Volks (for SDs) or Lati (every other size) so my company preferences haven't changed with time either. Ugh, I hadn't even realized how many I've obtained until I counted just now..wow. >.<

How are your dolls doing? Severe yellowing..etc. How are they holding over time?
Most of my current dolls are tan-skinned and haven't yellowed in the slightest. The ones with normal or white skin have mellowed a bit into a slight custard but I prefer it, it gives more color to their skin which I adore. I still don't get the negative connotation of 'yellowing' but chalk it up to people who haven't actually experienced what yellowing most often is and just go by what the word implies in a drastic sense.