1. It has come to the attention of forum staff that Dollshe Craft has ceased communications with dealers and customers, has failed to provide promised refunds for the excessive waits, and now has wait times surpassing 5 years in some cases. Forum staff are also concerned as there are claims being put forth that Dollshe plans to close down their doll making company. Due to the instability of the company, the lack of communication, the lack of promised refunds, and the wait times now surpassing 5 years, we strongly urge members to research the current state of this company very carefully and thoroughly before deciding to place an order. For more information please see the Dollshe waiting room. Do not assume this cannot happen to you or that your order will be different.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Dollshe Craft and all dolls created by Dollshe, including any dolls created under his new or future companies, including Club Coco BJD are now banned from Den of Angels. Dollshe and the sculptor may not advertise his products on this forum. Sales may not be discussed, no news threads may be posted regarding new releases. This ban does not impact any dolls by Dollshe ordered by November 8, 2023. Any dolls ordered after November 8, 2023, regardless of the date the sculpt was released, are banned from this forum as are any dolls released under his new or future companies including but not limited to Club Coco BJD. This ban does not apply to other company dolls cast by Dollshe as part of a casting agreement between him and the actual sculpt or company and those dolls may still be discussed on the forum. Please come to Ask the Moderators if you have any questions.
    Dismiss Notice

Is your doll habit a dirty little secret?

May 2, 2012

    1. Most everyone I know knows about my dolls, and most people comment on photos and statuses when I post on facebook about them. I have most of my photos of my dolls on facebook (lol even my valentines day photo shoot which was tasteful, but still guy on guy so my Uncle now jokingly calls my doll photos "the doll porn" ^_^)

      I share most everything with my friends and family and even the guy I am just starting out in a relationship with knows about them too. He asked about hobbies and I flat out told him "I collect BJD's" and of course he asked what a BJD is so I showed him some pictures of my boys. He likes anime and other nerdy kinds of things and he says they are quite cool, creepy, because he's seen the Chucky movies a few too many times, but still cool lol. It's funny actually, I don't like to be tickled, but he finds it hilarious so I always threaten to send my doll army out to attack him if he threatens to tickle me.

      I *do* tend to keep the price a bit of a secret from certain people though, like my mom for instance. She knows they are expensive, but I let her interpret that in whatever way is acceptable to her mind, I have never come out and told her how much money I have spent on them in reality because I have this fear that she will freak out and scold me or something. I'm 22 years old and live on my own, but still I don't want her to think I am spending my money on something "foolish" like dolls. She likes them, she likes that I have a hobby, especially since it gets me out and about meeting other people in real life as well as online at doll meets and conventions and such, but I just think if she knew I'd spent over 700 on just one of my dolls, (not including the money spent on accessories, or the amount I spent on my first doll or the doll I have on layaway for 800 -_-; ) she might think...I don't know honestly, but nothing good lol. She might change her mind about liking them. Maybe not I don't know my mom can be hard to read.

      As for taking them out in public, I do and I don't. If I am with other people who have dolls I couldn't care less where we are or who sees them. I even walk the short way to my local doll meetups each month with one of my dolls cloaked (for sun protection) but out on my arm because fitting him into the doll bag with my other one is a bit of a pain in the butt for going such a short distance. I don't feel self conscious around my home with them, even in public, but If I am taking them any further than a few blocks (or on the bus, some people have legitimate doll phobias and a bus is an enclosed space, that would be like smoking on a bus) I take the time to pack them both together in the bag. Once my 80cm doll arrives things are going to start getting interesting as far as carrying them/ transporting them because, well, if you've ever seen/held an 80cm doll you know how bloody huge they are. They are like small children and quite heavy. I will be investing in a doll bag that I can transport him in before he gets here if I can afford it, but if not he's going to have no choice but to ride on my arm with the other two in the bag because he won't fit in there, even if I bend his knees because he's a little over half a foot taller than the two boys I have now.

      For anime conventions though, I take them out and about with no problems. I like to display them, especially in places where people are more inclined to appreciate art and things "not normal" in regular culture, and I absolutely LOVE when I get people asking questions at conventions about them! I don't feel insecure, embarrassed or anything in the least, even if I am alone, at cons. I'll have a doll on each arm sometimes, although that get's heavy pretty fast!
      The more I take them out to meets and in public and stuff the more comfortable I get with them and I think eventually my shyness about them will go away and i won't have a problem taking them out with me anywhere.
       
    2. Personally, my doll family isn't a secret especially among my friends. Granted that I tried to keep it a secret as much as I could among my distant family members, but what is there to keep when I posted the pictures of my crew in my FB? And I don't mind carrying my crew, especially to an event or meetups. I usually carry one in my arms the whole time through an event. I'm pretty much proud of my crew. :D
      However, it is not something acceptable for a grown up to be carrying a doll around (or so that's what I was told). Although I don't mind people staring at me and call me crazy, I do mind how my friends around feel. So if I'm out and about with a group of people whose pretty much doesn't care, I'll definitely be carrying one around. And if I'm going to a place on my own and doesn't want to be alone, I usually bring one of my crew along. It pretty much repels dangerous strangers. Thank heavens for that. But I do dislike children around my crew, they will usually scream wanting em. They thought it's Barbie...:|
      But as far as dirty little secret, even if they aren't a secret, I definitely doesn't put my dolls on display. But as the others said, I don't hide neither do I shove my crew to their face. :)
       
    3. Pretty much, only my family and close friends know about my doll hobby. I tend to not broadcast it, but if people found out about it, I wouldn't be embarrassed or anything like that.
       
    4. I completely agree with this. The only time I've taken my dolls outside and been seen (while not at a meet-up) was on Easter Sunday, and I got the infamous "WTF?" look. It was INCREDIBLY embarrassing, and I haven't taken them outside since. My family and some close friends know about it, but I keep it under wraps for the most part unless someone asks me about it or something relating to it.
       
    5. for me it's a secret from some people in my family that don't approve. O some dolls that are a secret. Like my dad is completely unaware of my hobby, but my mom knows about it. However she only thinks I have two, not 9 XD; As my grandma thinks I have 1 -_-; it really depends on who i tell because not everyone supports me and if it's people outside my family, I could care less. But family, that's different somehow.
       
    6. My dolls are a secret to certain people. Some of my church youth group knows (none of the adults though), and so does half my school friends. My family (minus my brother) and the other half of school friends I'm not planning on telling. Not telling why for personal reasons but there does need to be a good amount of secrecy ^^"
       
    7. i have yet to encounter the need to take mine out but im guessing that i will in the future
       
    8. It's not a secret, but I don't broadcast about them either.

      I usually mention them once or twice and if there is no interest I drop the subject. People are usually more interested in what I sew/knit for them than in the dolls themselves (but tend to find it a waste of time to do stuff for dolls/play with dolls as an adult).
      Very rarely someone is really interested (excepted, of course, my friends that are in the dolly hobby).

      I tend to overcome my shyness to photograph them in public, even when my two "alibi" daughters aren't around. Well, if they are around, people just assume the doll is theirs.... haha, little they know! But I still tend to photograph them in places that are semi-desert...
       
    9. I don't treat my dolls like they're a dirty little secret at all. XD I enjoy talking to people who are curious about dolls, and do meet up with some of those who want to see a BJD face-to-face. :)

      Of course, my doll spends most of their time with other doll-loving people, but they're not something I would hide. My local BJD community actually holds meetups in restaurants in malls. :)
       
    10. I thought of something else when reading the title of this thread. ^^;

      Well, I've never been to an open doll meet and I think I also wouldn't want to. It's nothing against doll meets on general, but I don't really want to run around with my precious doll in a place full of people. It'd be way more stress than meeting up at a home.
      That said I don't really make a secret of this hobby. When someone asks me what I like to do in my spare time, it's one of the things I mention. I'd also go out with my dolls (I did take two out to a nearby playground way back in the beginning), but only to places that aren't overrun by people.
       
    11. OMG SUCH a dirty little secret lol. Some of my friends know. My Fiance caught me looking at the galleries on here and was like " why are you looking at dolls?" Me: I like them?...

      Not sure how he will react when i get my first doll, lol
       
    12. Yep, about the same for me.
      I'm not a very social person anyway, but I've dabbled in so many art forms that BJDs are just a drop in the bucket for me anyway.

      Although....the amount of money I've been spending on dolls kind of is a dirty little secret for me hehe. My family thinks I'm crazy for spending so much money for a single doll that I don't really want to let them know when I buy more dolls, or how much I spend on them.
       
    13. It only becomes a dirty little secret when I've overspent and some new dolls need to hang out in the closet for awhile before I can let them be seen by the hubby.
       
    14. I'll share with anyone wanting to see, but I don't advertise that I have any. The same with a lot of things really; most of my hobbies are obscure and some make people uncomfortable. So I am used to keeping my mouth shut, ha, ha.
       
    15. I agree as well, I don't take my boy out and I don't really take photos and I haven't gone to group meetings (yet). Im not embarrassed of my boy, I actually brag about him, and most everyone I know is amazed. :lol:
       
    16. my doll is definitely not a secret, as soon as I got her I posted pics and her box opening everywhere that I have an account at
      can't imagine being embarrassed of something so beautiful that brings me so much joy
       
    17. I was really proud of my doll when I first got her, but then all my friends and family got creeped out by her, and my boyfriend is in denial about how much I've spent so far and how much I intend on spending. I still get excited going to doll meets, but I don't really like taking her to social functions that aren't doll related. I still love dollies, but it's become more of a forbidden love rather than a show and rant. ;_;
       
    18. It is hard for me to keep my dolls a secret, because I have them all throughout my house. 3 in my kitchen, 2 in my foyer, 5 in my office, and 5 in my room. Pretty much everywhere that someone would go in my house (besides bathrooms lol) there will be a doll. (With 4 more on the way) I am proud of my dolls, though. I can't imagine ever keeping them a secret, or denying that I collect them. I'm still pretty young (19) so it's not too weird for people to see me with them, especially because I look younger than I am. I do keep their cost a secret, though, (or at least downplay how much I spend on them) Because I really don't want to run the risk of them getting stolen. I haven't taken any of them to public places (yet) but when I do I won't be ashamed, and if someone gives me a dirty look, I will give them one right back. But people in my town are generally pretty nice (I live in a retirement state after all, so it's filled with kind old people) and I think my dolls would be accepted pretty well :)

      I actually just mentioned I collect them in my college English class about a week ago. We were all sharing what our topics were going to be for our essay and I told everyone I'm going to write about Ball jointed dolls. Most didn't know what I was talking about...but I wasn't ashamed or scared to tell them at all :D But I am going to write a kick-butt essay about this hobby, and really try to do it justice, I promise! :)
       
    19. I actually really like to show off my dolls, tell people about them and try to suck more people into the hobby.

      HOWEVER my family is the exception, I have not told anyone in the family. They, especially my mum, are really judgmental of anything that is not "normal" is frowned upon, tell them about the price and there will be a shitstorm to handle. It actually makes me really sad :(
       
    20. Considering the fact that Wiishu's diary is by far the largest part of my professional blog, I'd say, no, I don't keep it a secret! :D And yes, he's gone to the post office with me and to the grocery store and our favorite sports bar. Everywhere he goes, he brings smiles to people's faces and they're fascinated with his engineering. Sometimes the pookster comes with as well, but mostly, just Wiishu. I doubt I'll ever take Morgaine and Vanye out with me. At 40cm, they're awkward. Wiishu, being a YoSD is the perfect size to tuck into my purse and be no tribble atall. When Pook comes along (a pukipuki) he rides in a glasses case, since he has a disturbing tendency to shed hands.

      I've found there are those who look askance, but most people are fascinated or enchanted. Since he considers it his duty in life to make people smile, to keep him all to myself would be selfish. ;)