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

How long have you been in this hobby?

Around 6 years now.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?

I didn't actually have time to feel anticipation when I got my first doll. I'd pre-bought his eyes, pre-made his wig, bought a pair of pants with him, and pretty much picked him up the day after I confirmed that I wanted to buy him. I didn't feel much of awe or excitement in the early days of my hobbying, mainly because I was prettttttty much flat broke.

Nowadays, now that I have money to spend, I think I get more excited about receiving dollie purchases. I've actually done a few box-openings, for example, for a change.

I think, whenever I get bored of a certain style of collecting, I change things up for myself a bit so that I can get excited again.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
Since 2005.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I do get excited when a new dolls comes, but I'm finding less and less dolls that really mean as much to me as the first dolls I got. My resin revolving door has sort of exhausted me at this point.

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
I worked really hard to get my first dolls, they were special. After that I got far too many dolls and I think it sort of diminished the impact of new arrivals. The ones in the more recent times that I've had to save for or hunt down have meant the most.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
Since 2004!

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I got my first doll in '04... that's pretty much when I started. I KNEW about bjds before that, but I don't really count that, since I didn't DO anything about it.

Do I still feel the same sort of excitement/awe? That's a good question.

No. I don't. But I don't expect to feel the same. I'd NEVER SEEN a bjd before I got one. Also--in those days, things were pretty rare and there wasn't a variety of anything, so things always seemed new and strange.

However--I still feel a different kind of excitement and fun when I get a doll or see dolls or see doll items! I actually don't want to feel the exact sort of fear and worry I had with my first few dolls. It's nice when I can open a box of whatever and know more what to expect.

Now that I have cart-loads of doll stuff, it would be easy to become absolutely jaded! I sometimes do slide into that... BUT, I still love dolls. I still love seeing them. I still love finding out more about them. I still love getting stuff for them... So that helps carry on the fun and excitement.

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
I don't think I have other reasons.

I would like to hear how others react towards this. How about these questions===???

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?

It definitely is for me! I'll keep doing this for as long as I'm having fun. The fun doesn't stop for me when I no longer feel as crazy when a new doll arrives. (Actually, I'm still quite excited enough, I think!)

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?

For me, maybe take a little buying break?

Or do a project -- modding or sewing or constructing or a new photostory-- that you've always wanted to do with your dolls?

 

Six years- and I still feel excitement when a new perfect doll is released, or when my existing perfect dolls come back from a great face-up artist.

I'm mostly done acquiring dolls now, though- I'm going to focus on buying them ALL THE THINGS instead.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
I started searching for my first doll in 07 but I didn't get him til 08 so I consider that my intro to the hobby. So almost four years.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when? and If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
This is kind of difficult for me to answer...it really is a doll to doll basis. With my first doll I had no idea what to expect, I was nervous, terrified sure I'd done something stupid by spending so much on a doll, super excited...all this stuff I can't replicate because it's just not my first doll anymore. Kind of like seeing a movie sequel, it's still good, but it's not the first. Also, my first doll remains my favorite, and is totally perfect for the character I bought for him to be. I know I won't like another one like that, so the excitement will never be the same.

But I still get excited over dolls I order. And sometimes it's close to that first time feeling. I recently got a Dollstown body for one of my first heads...a favorite head and character of mine. He'd been on a string of not great bodies, and putting him on the DT one nearly made me cry with happiness. It was as close to that first doll feeling as I'll ever get.

 

I have been in the hobby for a relatively short period of time I guess; I purchased my first doll in late 2009.

I have to admit, the 'excitement' has died down a bit since I just don't have the time to keep up to date with doll news and the community. That, and I've narrowed down my wishlist and I'm focusing on what I really want because I like to think I have a limit... eventually. ^^; Ordering a new doll and buying accessories for it however, will always be exciting for me, it's just something I like to do and so far nothing has taken the fun out of it.

 

I've been in the hobby for a long time...now that I think of it, those feelings I had back in 2004, when everything was still so new (in more ways than one - I remember the move from Yahoo groups to here), seem so distant now. I think it's inaccurate to say that I don't get excited anymore. Actually the same things still get me excited - new dolls, new eyes, new clothes. But the intensity has faded.

I have heard that everything is more intense when you're young. I got into this hobby in my late teens. Just about everything was a big deal back then. The Lord of the Rings movies were a really, really big deal back then. XD I still love them today, and I'll freely admit that I was freaking out during the trailer for the Hobbit when I went to the theater. But that was it, y'know. It was contained. I don't live and breathe The Hobbit, unlike how I really did live and breathe the other three movies. And when it comes to dolls, it's was the same deal. I was totally into the hobby at that time, and it was just so intense. I still love my dolls and I still love this hobby for all the same reasons, but it's no longer like that.

Maybe it's just a result of growing up...?

 

Oh god, I hope something ends me before I grow up.

This hobby has always been a bit of a different beast for me because it's been a background hobby for almost the entire time I've been involved in it. I love my dolls, and I've always derived a lot of joy from owning them, but they've never been THE ONE fan thing that has kept me going, as I have other hobbies and interests besides them. I've never abandoned other things to concentrate solely on these dolls. I mean right now I've been sucked so completely and utterly hardcore into the Thor fandom I honestly cried watching the Avengers trailer. I can't imagine feeling that emotional over opening a doll box, even way back when in the infancy of my doll hobby participation 9 years ago.

So, I never really got excited like a lot of doll owners do in terms of over the top OMG NEW DOLLY. It was definitely a lot of fun learning all of the ins and outs of doll fandom, and that's something I feel is pretty universal across the board over finding anything new. That initial honeymoon discovery period. I am way past that stage now. I now get a lot more satisfaction out of seeing a doll completed. Fully turned out and looking just the way I imagined it in my head. There's just a lot of good feelings to be found in finally seeing your vision made real. It's something that took time for me to really become good at and appreciate.

It's perfectly natural for your feelings for something to change over time be it good or bad. Some people need the constant thrill of something to keep them going and others don't. I think for me dolls are something that are enjoyable and steady and always there to amuse me whenever I take a break from my other raging fan passions.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?

I've been in this hobby since 2006.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?

I do. Everytime I'm waiting for a new doll, pair of eyes, wig, clothes etc. Perhaps this has partly to do with me not buying much and partly because I fall for the expensive dolls and it usually takes me up to a year before I am able to order one. It's been such a heavy investment - both money- and time-wise - that I'm literally checking the computer every five minutes to see if the doll has already been shipped.

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?

No, I don't think so. Most of the time I don't buy anything and then I'm pretty level-headed. But that doesn't mean I'm bored with my dolls. I do enjoy them and love to look at them. If it was a necessity to stay excited, our wallets would cry out in horror.

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?
What brought the spark back for me was sculpting. I've always liked to create things, but once a doll is finished, it's finished. I'm not the type of doll collector who wants to dress her dolls up every other day. Most of my bunch only have one outfit, one wig and one pair of eyes. So, I needed something else to do and taking on a huge project not only gave me the opportunity to see the hobby in a different perspective, but it made me feel good about myself. There are tons of things I never knew I was able to do, until I joined this hobby.

I also have this desire to build sets and take on photography, but those wishes will have to wait. There are too many dols that still need to be sculpted.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?

Three years since I bought my first doll, 4 years since I discovered BJD's.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?

I'm waiting for my Supia to ship and I feel butterflies everytime I think about it. In fact, I need to try to not-think about it or I get nervous, just as with my first doll.

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?

I noticed that I am sometimes less exited about things like clothes, wigs, or parts. But it depends on what it is, some clothes are as eagerly awaited as a doll. Heads sometimes don't interest me that much if it is a head that doesn't have a body yet or doesn't have a face-up. It's because it is not yet a character for me then.
I do get exited about heads when it is something that I've been pining/planning for. But it always has a body then, I never had a 'floating head' in terms of a character without a body. I guess I can't do that?

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?

I'm not sure. I don't think so, generally, but it might be important for me personally.

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?

If it bothers you you could try selling a few. Get back to a few 'core' dolls and go from there.
I sometimes hear people that have been in this hobby for a long time say that their tastes have changed, and ofcourse there are a lot more different dolls (and different sorts of dolls) available now then a few years back. That might be a situation where selling a few dolls could help.
And ofcourse things like new face-up, new wigs, new clothes. I spoil my dolls so the one doll-one outfit approach that so many people have would seriously inflict on my enjoyment of my dolls. They can look so differently depending on what they wear! I am too hesistant with professional face-ups though, so I do understand where they ae coming from. I plan to remedy that this year and the next .

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
Doll owner since 2006.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I get most excited now, when they're all scrubbed clean and resealed, ready to be repainted. It's really hard to describe the feeling of a blank canvas under your fingers, a doll waiting to be created.

I also really enjoy talking to and hanging out with other collectors. I get to experience and play with different dolls without actually having to own them.

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
The last time I got a major doll-related item, it was the body for my Soom R.Taco head... I was excited, but not as much as I think I would have been for a new, full doll. His head had been sitting out in my room, so I was used to seeing him with my other dolls, even if he was incomplete. Getting the body was almost more like getting an accessory. He's also not finished at all, since I plan to send him off for mods.

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?
Excitement - or at minimum, positive sensory stimulation - relating to our dolls is necessary for keeping interest in the hobby. If you aren't getting anything out of it, why spend the money? But... there is so much more to the hobby than just material objects (dolls and doll-things) there are also doll people. It's nice to be able to share what I love with like-minded folks.

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?]

If the only excitement you're getting out of this hobby is collecting dolls, then I think you're doing it wrong - the hobby is so much richer than that and you're probably missing something.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
Almost 4 years.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I was more worried than excited over my first doll. With the others, my excitement varied based on which doll I was waiting for. Overall, I'd say it's definitely decreased after buying over 20 of them. It's like most hobbies. After I started reading manga, I was excited to get new ones. After hundreds of manga, it wasn't special anymore because it was more difficult to find something different from what I'd read already. I think this is why some BJD companies are experimenting more - because people eventually start wanting something that really stands out from the crowd.

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?
I think that once it's no longer exciting, it may be a good idea to stop buying for a while, or try buying a different type of BJD (see below).

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?
For years, I was against buying tinies - it seemed like a waste of money since they were so small. I was also against buying females. Now, I've got a few tinies, an MSD girl, and one SD girl. This helped make the hobby more exciting. Rather than thinking "great, here's SD boy #10..." I could think "Yay! My first tiny!" or "Finally, I can order girl clothes for an actual female!"

 

IN for three years now, not very long, but long enough to know what I'm doing now and have some things get old. I actually get Re-excited about the hobby by going through Gallery posts, or by being away from forums and doing my own developments on sets and costumes and props, making my little worlds and playing with my own dolls, just enjoying them. That's the most fun for me.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
I have been in the hobby since late 2007.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I do not feel the same way as I used to when it comes to things like getting dolls and doll items. However, when I first started, it was more of a feeling of nervousness than glee. I used to wear gloves and a mask when I opened a doll because I didn't like the fumes or the idea of getting oil on an unsealed doll. Now, I am calmer, and sometimes I buy used heads I am not extremely thrilled about just because I want to try something on them. Though, I still get excited about some things, as much as I do. (I am not a very excitable person to begin with.) I am very pleased about the doll I currently have on layaway, and I adore one of my newest dolls, Hilary Paige. I am fairly excited about an outfit I am commissioning for him.

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
I am more familiar with the items, so I don't feel as nervous to get them because I am more sure I am getting the right thing and not wasting money. Also, I no longer feel the need to spend $50+ on one pair of eyes all the time.

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?
I do not think there is a need to feel anything specific in this hobby as long as one enjoys it in their own way.

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?
I still enjoy this hobby. I feel like I have more experience and am less nervous, but I still enjoy it. I enjoy some things more now that I know more of what I am doing. If someone no longer finds this hobby enjoyable, perhaps they should try to understand why they speficially feel that way. If they are the kind of person that always needs something new and unknown to be excited, maybe they should try a new aspect of the hobby or restyle a doll.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?

I've been interested in dolls since 2004 or 2005 but I didn't actually get a doll until 2006.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?

I feel excited every time I get a new doll/head/body, etc. Also I get pretty excited when a package of doll goodies arrives, particularly when it's a lot of things. Last December I used almost all of my birthday and Christmas money on doll clothes and the excitement when I got that package was crazy! When it arrived I tried everything I got on my dearest Chiwoo. I think that's the most times I've taken off a doll's head in one day. XD

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?

I don't think it needs to be exciting all the time, but I feel like almost everyone still feels a burst of excitement when there's a knock on your door and there's a postal worker standing there with a big box that you know has a doll in it.


If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?

It might not be as exciting as my very first doll but I don't think there's any feeling quite like that, especially if before your first you had very little or no experience with playing with dolls. I'm not jaded (yet and hopefully ever) but I think the best way to bring excitement back is by buying actual resin or maybe ordering from a company you've never ordered from. I know that I'm excited for when I'll be making a wig purchase from Crobidoll since I've never bought anything from them before.

 

I got my first doll in mid-2009, so I'm by no means an old hand. But ABJDs was the first hobby I acquired in my adulthood, and also the first that revolved around acquiring things. All the sports and hobbies I currently do are ones I picked up in childhood and/or adolescence, and they all focused on intangibles. (Reading is an intangible hobby! The book is only the medium. ) BJDs however, were mostly about the dolls and their stuff. For me, the attraction of dolls was primarily having something beautiful -- and expensive -- around. I do photography, drawing and world-building, but that association with BJDs was only secondary. (More on this in a moment.) And I don't sew or craft. Furthermore, I had enough money to buy what I'm not able to make. So the awe and anticipation primarily focused on getting the dolls and their things.

Well, I found out that a hobby that revolves around getting stuff doesn't hold excitement, or sustain interest, very long. Yup, money can't buy everything! I burnt out a little toward the end of 2010 -- there's only so much that money can buy, after all -- and since then I've "been on hiatus", with my dolls hidden in their boxes. Hobby-wise, life is pretty much continuing as it did before I got BJDs.

Now, I don't regret getting into the hobby. I love having beautiful things around, and I love the dolls I have. But I've definitely learnt by this experience that a hobby built on tangible, bought things, requires tangible, bought things to sustain it! If that floats your boat, more power to you, but it's not my scene, and I'm now somewhat dissatisfied by material attitude and the jadedness I feel towards BJDs.

So... how to rekindle the interest? (For me, the challenge is not the excitement, but the original interest!) Maybe I have to build a stronger link between BJDs and my older, intangible hobbies such as drawing and photography, so that I'm able to think of them beyond merely buying "better" eyes and clothing. I think that would help with building interest that will last, instead of the flash-in-the-pan excitement of material acquisition. How to go about changing thinking, I have no idea, but I'm now resolved to try it this year!

Anyway... thanks cian for prompting this question so that I could think and ramble about it

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
Since late 2005.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I honestly had no idea what to expect with my first and I didn't know about DoA yet at the time, so I was eager to get him but it was sort of an impulsive thing. My second was when I got truly excited because I already knew what to expect and was super excited and had a better idea of what I wanted. I can honestly say I still get that feeling most of the time. I still check the tracking number every two seconds on days when I'm expecting an arrival (and even sometimes when I'm not).

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
I do sometimes go through lulls where I may pose my dolls and change their outfits but I'm not really spending as much time with them or photographing them. It usually just comes and goes. Kind of like loving a song and listening to it so many times you get sick of it but then you don't listen to it for ages and you hear it again and remember how much you loved it.

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?
I don't really think there's a NEED to keep it exciting, but I do love that feeling and I almost never buy anything new or do any customization work when I'm not in one of those excited moods.

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?
I don't think anything can really stay as fun as it was in the beginning all the time. But I think it can be that way again sometimes. I honestly have no idea what I'd recommend aside from seriously considering whether the same things appeal to you as did before. One of the things that really revitalized my interest was realizing that my tastes had changed since I first entered the hobby, and updating my collecting accordingly really got me back into the swing of things.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?

Around 6 years now.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?

oh yeah! I still stalk my postmaster when I know I have a new dolly coming, I still love to get new eyes, or a wig, I love to make them new outfits. My family has grown a lot in the last few years and I still love this hobby, even though I am always flat broke

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
I've been a doll owner for about a year and a half, but into these dolls for a few years.

Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
I haven't bought a doll in almost a full year, so I can't really answer this one.

If not, are there any particular reasons other than the "used to it" one I mentioned above?
I think it's always saying I was going to do something such as buy them more, better clothes, or get more and better camera equipment. None of that happened, nor did any more storylines, so I kind of took a hiatus. Still not sure if I'm coming back, full-force, yet.

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?
I don't think so. I fear that, in the need to keep the excitement up, a person might make the wrong decision and spend more than they needed, or get in over their head. If their excitement grows into contentment, so be it.

If you feel jaded and that it's not as fun as it was... What would you recommend to do to stir things up and try and get the excitement back?
I wouldn't try doing anything. There's no rule in the BJD fandom that says you must have a certain level of excitement. If you really want to get that feeling back, get back to what you were doing in the hobby if you stopped doing it. For example, if you used to sew things for your dolls, maybe design a more elaborate sewing project that you could work on.

 

How long have you been in this hobby?
Hm.. since 2006! But I had discovered them two years previously!


Do you still feel the same sort of awe/anticipation/excitement as you did when you got your first doll? If so, when?
Yes! I feel that awe everytime I see my boys, I'm in awe of them... and I'm waiting for two new girls, so I'm extremely excited to introduce them to the family n_n

Is there a NEED to keep it exciting? Or is just enjoying dolls and doll things enough?

I think just enjoying them is enough.. at least for me.