Mom/Stay at home mom collectors

Hi lovely ladies. I am a SAHM in Australia to 3 very active and sometimes testing children. 6yrs, 5yrs and nearly 4yrs old. I own my own online stamp business and discovered bear making a couple of months ago and stumbled across someone who loved BJD's so I investigated. Boy - I don't know whether that was a good thing as now I just love them and can't get enough.

I got my first 'head' - Fantasy Doll Amber a couple of weeks ago and after watching lots of tutorials on face ups I have nearly completed her head and am currently awaiting her body. I also received my Doll Leaves Vivian doll last week and just sprayed her head to start her face up. I am intending on making most of my dolls clothes if I can. I am swaying toward the tinies or minis and love love love the Real Puki's but none are currently available although I am being told they will be available for preorder at the end of the year so waiting for that. I do have a liking for a lot of them. I have purchased a few more dolls over the last couple weeks and again awaiting their arrival - Cherish Pia, Fantasy Doll Pamela, Puki puki Ante - basic ---- hmmmmm think that is it. Look forward to talking to you all.

 

Hi Booya, I'm not familiar with the other dolls you mentioned, but my pukipuki Ante recently arrived and she is wonderful - well worth the wait!

 

Been catching up in this thread and see some familiar names. I was lucky in that DH supports the hobbies this one as well as past ones. Money wasn't always a issue, but the hobbies were restrained in that he paid for the dolls. Then after starting my own business got my own CC, checking account and well even though business ended after trying for 3 years. I had this new power. Not always a good balance $$ wise, but I have been willing to sell to make sure CC gets paid in full on time every time.
I get an allowance plus he is always willing to take the easy out and have me pick what doll I want for what ever major holiday is coming up. Have DIL & DD in hobby is fun. The men just deal with it all. This of all my hobbies has been my fav and my only 2 regrets is I went into fast, didn't research enough first and didn't start sooner.

 

I finally finished my first face up. This is the Fantasydoll Amber head.
She will be called Kenzi - as I love the show Lost Girl and her character is rocking.
Now waiting for her wig and will make some awesome clothes for her.

 

Wow Booya! Your faceup work is beautiful! I'm still trying to find my nerve to give faveups a go! Lol! I love your girl's eyelashes!

 

Thanks Britt. I 'had' to give it a go. I am a naturally crafty person so I couldn't let another challenge pass me by. I am now working on my Vivian head from Doll Leaves.

I can't figure out how to do the signature under the posts. Can someone help me out on that one please.
I am too new to all this.

 

I'm functionally a single mom of a six year old girl. I got into the hobby last year while I was still employed, and my daughter is just nuts for my doll. I've permitted her to handle the doll on a few occasions, and she's been very gentle. I've promised that when she's middle school age we'll start saving for a doll of her own, if she's still interested.

I do understand baby issues influencing doll purchases. I recently dealt with some depression on that score- people in my life pregnant and I can't have another child- and acquired an off-topic baby bjd to help. She now sits in the lap of my on-topic doll until I need her again.

 

Wow fun to find this thread! I'm a (mostly) stay at home and homeschooling mom of two boys ages 5 (almost 6) and 10. I got into collecting BJD's about 3.5 years ago when my kids were 2.5 and 7ish. I had never collected dolls before so this is a bit of a stretch for me hobby wise. Now not only do I collect but hubby and both of my boys are into dolls as well. At first most of my doll money came from gifts, hubby or selling crafts (I crochet). Now that my boys are older I have gone back to working part time as a large equipment mechanic which is what I did as a teen before I married and had kids. I don't work a regular schedule just for a friend who is retired. We take jobs when we want. It is kind of like a hobby I get paid to do because I really enjoy it. I don't feel bad about using that money for dolls but I usually split it up and use it for all kinds of things like gifts for the kids, doll stuff and things we need in the house. Hubby encourages me to only use it on myself but that makes me feel selfish. It is nice having a husband who supports my hobby.

Booya, for a signature click on user CP and then on the left hand side there should be an "Edit Signature" tab. Just click that and you can give yourself a signature.

 

I'm a mom of 3 - 11 yo daughter, 13 yo & 15 yo sons. My daughter and I enjoy collecting together. We've attended doll shows, a couple of doll events, placed in some competitions and driven 3 hours just to visit a doll store (several times) I've been collecting dolls for about 4 years now but only into the BJD dolls recently. I've owned a few MSD size but off and on for maybe 1 - 1 1/2. I just couldn't seem to find the right doll for me. My daughter loves my new Dollzone Stramonium and said...oohhh I'd love a doll like this for Christmas.

 

Booya- That is a really wonderful faceup! Congrats on doing such a great job, on your first try, even.


I am a SAHM, I have a 19 month old boy. I started collecting BJD after he was born. It took me 2 years to finally get my first doll, and now I have 6! I had to sell a lot of my other dolls (like American Girl) to help pay for them, but I am really glad I did. My son is really interested in my dolls, and loves to play with their feet like they are walking or dancing. He makes a funny "tappa-tappa-daaaaaaaa" sound when he's doing it.
I let him play with them, even though I repeat "gentle, gentle, gentle" every 3 seconds. I don't let him touch the faces though.
The other day he was sitting on the couch with me and my doll watching TV and brushing her hair, than his own. I think its just beyond cute, and so does my husband. He's amazing and basically gets me anything I ask for.... I am beyond spoiled.
We have a modest income but my son is very well provided for and has plenty of toys and activities of his own that he is involved in already at such an early age, so I have a great joy in my dolls knowing that I am not taking from the family's finances.
I basically get an allowance every month to spend on dolls/camera equipment even though my husband has bent the rules and just bought me a doll as a gift
I am so blessed! Forgive my bragging, but I am just soooooo grateful I can cry.

 

My 20 month old son loves my dolls shoes its funny he plays with the buckles on them and has tried to put them on his feet once. Was really funny watching him see that his feet are too big and gets his shoes. He is very much boy lol and loves to destroy everything but knows moms dolls is a big NO lol. My 10 year old daughter used to go to doll meets with me when we lived by D.C. but when we moved to El Paso TX there was no where near the amount of doll people lol its sad we miss it. I keep very good care of my dolls and sometimes my daughter helps she learning you have to take care of what you have and if its not yours you have to be even more careful. She would love to have a doll of her own but I have not worked in about 3 years with our move and my husbands military and with 2 kids and car payments there wont be any new ones coming in unless I sell some that have been hiding in there boxes for almost 2 years lol just have to find the time to list them and all that fun stuff. Wish there was more doll shows around here where I could just set up and sell them there.

 

I'm a 35yo sahm with 2 kids, an 8 and 3 yo, and I'm lucky to have a supportive husband with a good job. I have 4 tiny bjds and I've gotten them as gifts for the holidays or my bday. I originally had 5 but sold her to get another currently on her way. Anyway, the first 2 i received as gifts from the hubby with his bonus check, after bills were paid. the others were gifts outright (putting our budget into consideration first, of course). My kids And family are top priority so they get spoiled first, in every situation. Obviously, as moms, we come after. I'm fine with that but my hubby knows I need An outlet to keep me sane And happy so he's all for it (though I'm sure he can live without my constant doll talk...lol. I must drive him crazy discussing photostory ideas, my plans for my dolls, and Clothing, but he puts up with it). I've always had hobbies so my family understands it and see it as a normal thing for me to do (I'm an artist, the family photographer, srapbooker, an crafter). Sometimes I do feel silly about my passion for dolls b/c I was a tomboy growing up and when I talk to others that don't understand the hobby, I feel selfish b/c they make me feel wasteful with money when I have kids but, I have to remind myself that they do get spoiled, they love my hobby as much as I (my 8yo son has taken to setting up his own photoshoots with his stormtroopers and my daughter shares my enthusiasm and looks for mini props whenever we go out). Ultimately, though, it makes me happy so we try to make my wishes happen somehow without crazy sacrifice . I do want to eventually make things to sell so that i can support my hobby without having it included in our family budget

 

I'm a stay at home mom since my son was born 4 years ago. Before then I was employed and bought my own dolls. Since then I don't buy dolls/clothes/wigs/anything anymore. I get a really small allowance from my husband that I'm only allowed to use on my son. So I'm looking forward to when he starts going to school full time, then I can get back to work and maybe pick up the hobby again.

 

I'm a stay-at-home mom with an almost ten-year-old boy. I've been a doll collector my whole life, but BJDs came along for me about 6 years ago. My husband has been very generous about my getting dolls, and I try to be very reasonable about how I buy (layaway and event heads are my best friends)! He has no room to lecture--his dearest hobby is model railroading, which takes even more time, space, and money. XD I'm hoping to get a part-time job soon, which hasn't been feasible because of various circumstances.

My whole family has BJDs, including our son, who has a Volks MSD Ken and a Luts Shiwoo girl. He's currently counting the minutes until he can join online doll forums. ^^ He's a very careful child in a lot of respects, and I felt he was responsible enough to take care of nice things.

 

I just stumbled across this thread. It's nice to meet so many other moms! I'm currently a SAHM with a 2 yr old. I've known about BJD's for many years and aquired my first roughly 4 years ago. Since then, I've had many come and go, but slowed down drastically when my son came along. Since then, I always make sure he wants for nothing before any of my own personal pleasures come about. I've been lucky enough not to have to sell a doll for baby needs, but should I need to, there's no real second guessing the issue. Pleasure to meet you all, ladies! I look forward to getting to know you all through the thread

 

I had a good excuse, I intended to buy one to make clothes for sale. Downside is that all I ended up doing is feeding the addiction for myself and my daughter, not to mention she wants all the clothes I make.

 

I have three girls, aged 19, 17 and 5. I started collecting BJDs back in March 2005 when I was working; I only gave up work when the little one came along. Even so, I don't get an allowance or anything like that - I make money by making and selling doll clothes, and taing on the odd portrait commission here and there.

The eldest two have their own dolls, but that doesn't stop the younger teen trying to tell me how to dress my dolls (all 15 of them) or do their face-ups! I just tell her she can do what she likes with her own dolls and leave me to mine. The youngest child has grown up with my dolls - we used to measure her height beside my Hound until she finally grew taller than him! She's very gentle with the dolls, but she's only really allowed to gently hold my Minifees or my Bambicrony Kumi - the big Delfs and my Hound are way too heavy and unwieldy for her to comfortably manage. When she's a bit older she'll probably get one of the 50cm Obitsu girls of her own.

 

Arkady- I love how your girls have their own dolls! I think that's really awesome that everyone can share a hobby in a family.

My son is now 2 years and 3 months, and he is showing more interest in my dolls. I left my Supia Muse out on the couch, and he went over and started playing with her. He was petting her hair and moving her head back and forth. I thought it was pretty neat how careful he was with her. I'll be getting a Lusion Dahlia soon, so I am curious how he will react to her, since she is so humongous.

 

I'm a Mum to a 2yr old boy and am preggers with my second child. I've collected dolls since about 21, but my BJD 'habit' started when I was on maternity leave with my son. I had owned Lati's in the past but sold them and wasn't really into BJD's until 2010.

I'm currently working 4 days a week, but will be on maternity leave again in two months. Last pregnancy I had to sell so much of my collection to buy my first BJD, a Peakswoods WU Goldie, but she was worth it and it felt good to downsize.