Overprotective of your dolls?

I feel like at a doll meet- MOST people know not to touch others without permission. (My group touches each others dolls, but we are at the point where we all know each other so well, we have built that trust)

being outside will NOT hurt the dolls for a short amount of time. We're talking about hours of exposure is what you should be worried about-- not a little bit for pictures or anything like that.
And more or less everything can be fixed or replaced if damages do happen, Enjoy your dolls!

But also-- if you're comfortable with how you handle them, don't feel bad about it! Do what makes you comfortable

 

I feel pretty safe at a doll meet, but even then I’m choosy about who I take out. I tend to favour my lighter msds over my more striking but heavier and more fragile sds for outings. Around the house Zephyr is usually with me no matter where I go. I sit her instead of standing her and avoid ledges or things she could fall off. I haven’t had an accident yet, and I don’t worry about it as long as I take basic care.

Don’t just stuff them in a sack and sling them over your shoulder and you should be pretty ok

 

I had to take Pip on several summer vacations before she began to show signs of yellowing. One of those was to HAWAII. Plenty of sun. And you know what? I did a little doll care to her and she looks like she's minty new. Dolls made of resin are suprisingly reparable and resilient. You really only need the most basic of precautions and you should be fine.

 

6 years in the hobby and I wish I could relax and enjoy handling my dolls - never mind taking them outside!

 

My house is the bottom floor surrounded by trees so I dont have to worry about my girl in the sun. I dont mind taking her outside briefly just to get her to the car either. my issue is trusting others to handle her. I dont trust my hubby at all to touch or hold her. he has already shown that he doens't understand how delicate she can be. I know they arent like...super fragile glass, but he is still way more rough with her than I am ok with. he also suggested i just use sharpie on her to help with measurements. So yeah...he is not allowed to touch her. I get nervous when he is even close to where I keep her. My mom on the other hand, I trust her completely with my girl. I am comfortable not even being in the same room when my mom is handling her. I would LOVE to go to a doll meet though. I would be ok with other doll people handling her as long as I was present.

 

I used to be terrified that if i left my doll out on display she’d fall to her death.I’m less worried about her making falls now. I used to be super careful with my doll’s head when I didn’t have a body for her. Then I dropped her and made a big dent in her nose and chin. But other members of the community reached out to me when I talked about it, and I learned that you can fix dents by boiling the doll. I did it and she was pretty much good as new. Now I leave her out where I can see her, and close enough to the ground that if she fell no fingers would snap off. That my biggest fear. I would never take her outside, because if she fell while I was transporting her, I’m afraid her fingers might break off, since they’re so thin. Concrete is much harder than carpet.

 

All my dolls are kept in boxes naked. They only have their eyes. This is bc I don't want any staining I only take them out of their box for photoshoots which are taken INDOORS in my home. I live in Hawaii and would LOVE an outdoorsy, beachy, picnicy photoshoot but I view sun to resin like sun to vampires LOL I hope to one day get over this over protective thinking, and just do what I want comfortably Hopefully soon

 

I used to be more overprotective, and I cried the first time one got scratched, bu eventually, I got over it. I like to play with my dolls, take them places, take pictures, go to conventions, and I finally just asked myself "Why would I spend hundreds of dollars on something I'm so scared of damaging that I can't even enjoy it?" And I decided then that minor yellowing, a small scratch, a damaged faceup just really wasn't that big of a deal to me at all. I enjoy my dolls much more now that the first "injury" is over. I'm not rough with my dolls, I don't leave them laying in direct sunlight for hours, I don't throw them around like a child's toy or anything, but I'm comfortable handling them and traveling with them now. I had to stop looking at them as investments, and start looking at them as a hobby, something meant to be enjoyed.

 

I’m okay with mine, to be honest. I would be upset/annoyed if one got badly damaged, but at the same time I do t thing there’s any point having them if I don’t enjoy them. I’ll admit to the fact that I’m more protective of some than others - the two with default face ups, for example.

However, most are hybrids and given face ups by me. Any damage is repairable and yellowing is inevitable. I do keep them mainly in a room with blackout curtains, but at the same time I want to enjoy them. Some come downstairs and my family will touch them & stuff. My dad knocked one on the floor accidentally the other day... it happens! Lucky he was a little 30cm guy and wasn’t damaged. Wouldn’t like the 70cm ones to fall on wooden floors!

I agree with @CloakedSchemer - I don’t know why I’d pay a lot of money for something to keep in a box until I die! Most things that are loved are damaged (including people).

Two of my head sculpts are customs and I got 10 of each. That means I’m less scared of damage to those two so they get carried about more. Teo has no body blushing either so he gets most trips out. If his face up was damaged, I’d be annoyed but I’d redo it. Luckily, aside from a chip to some blushing, I’ve not had any major damage. Also, I’m a crafter and I enjoy that side of things... if it gets broken, we can fix it!

 

I took my UNOSS to a con one time, for a bjd panel and I was very nervous! I was stopped in the halls a couple of times to show her off and I did but I was super-protective! I find that it’s better for me to take my ‘less loved’ ones out for 2 reasons...it is less nerve wracking and it makes me want to style them better. Taking my Unoa and Unoa hybrids out are pretty fun because they aren’t as un-replaceable as a few of my others. My SD Kun is also really sturdy and my IMPL baby would not be difficult or expensive to replace.
Maybe if you started with a doll that would not be so hard to repair or replace even if they got damaged? Or try with your ‘least favorite’? And also let your doll meet friends KNOW how nervous you are and maybe they can also help reassure you (and know not to touch if it bothers you).

 

I'm careful with my guys because I don't want to deal with broken fingers or damaged face-ups (I can't paint my guys so re-doing face-ups will quickly add up cost-wise). But being careful doesn't mean never taking them anywhere or handling them with gloves in my books. I've brought dolls on trips, taken them outside for photos, to meets (indoors & outside ones).

The only thing I get particular about is how people touch/manipulate my guys. I will immediately tell someone not to touch their face if they want to change the position of the head and I've had some people be what I consider a bit rough in their moving of joints/parts. I will immediately tell the person to be more gentle and if they don't like that, then I remove the doll from them. You're welcome to treat your dolls how you wish and I won't say boo. However, my dolls, my rules and if you don't obey my rules, then you don't get to touch my dolls. Fortunately, I've only had to remove one of my dolls from people twice during 10 years in the hobby because they were being what I saw as rough/careless. They weren't happy, but it wasn't about them, it was about keeping my dolls undamaged.

 

My first doll i took to a con, i also had my daughter in a stroller with me. It was so nurvracking and i ended up carting and worrying more for my doll then spending time with my daughter. After that i sat down and thought about if i really wanted to be in this hobbie, for why am i getting into it if im going to be stressed and not be able to fully enjoy the doll and only worries about it. from then tell now iv come to the terms that its just a item i cant take it with me when i dye. Yes i find great joy in my dolls and love playing with them, i also know they can be pretty dam spend. Some times i cant even justify buying something over $50 for my self let alone a doll. But would spend $300 in a min for a play house or new bike for my child. Then i also thought bikes and playhouses don't last but the mamorys playing with them do! So i should let go and not worry enjoy my dolls, dont worry about damage that will only add to there charm and story.

 

One of my Petite Ai went home from a convention with a friend's toddler - I got her back the next time I babysat (a few weeks later, I think it was). There was no damage other than her wig needing a comb.

They really aren't all that fragile.

I bring mine to work in my regular backpack along with my diary, notebooks, lunch, umbrella, and whatever other everyday bits and pieces are in there. They haven't been in boxes since they arrived and were unpacked. My colleages are forever pickign them up to have a llook at "the doll of the day" and what's the big deal about touching their faces - they're sealed so the faceup won't rub off.

Teddy

 

My first doll was a second hand ( but still expensive) fullset, limited, face up, french resin and all. I am careful with all my things usually and do not like them to get scratches or look worn out. So I was in awe of my bjd, but I also realised a) all that creative stuff I wanted her for was not happening because she was always ‘protected’ in a box & b ) me not getting the fun out of it.

My solution was buying a used, cheap, messed up ‘project’ doll second hand. She was in a bad state and the first things I learned from her were cleaning a doll and sanding... I had no reservations because I could have hardly made it worse. She has been my “Grab ‘n’ Go” girl for all occasions ever since. She also taught me that resin is not that vulnerable, most things are somewhat repairable and on the other hand there are things you can not avoid. She has become very dear to me in that process, probably the doll I ‘bonded’ with the most.

My resin family has happily grown since these days and now I am not uncomfortable handling even the expensive pieces and happily bringing them to meets (some I am still more comfortably with than other),

It also helped me when I started doing face ups. They are not professional, but no one has to go with an empty face anymore and a scratched face up not the end of the world ( just a small catastrophe ) and really an opportunity for something new and better!

Also meeting other collectors and artists is a great reassurance, as is being on this forum: Someone will know or have an idea how to deal with stains, dents, restringing and whatever can occur.

Personally I think bjds are a bit like a beautiful bouquet of flowers: Enjoy them to the fullest while you can and they are in their primes. They might age well, but they still do age: My very first french resin girl still lives in her box ( but is not afraid to come out anymore) and even though she has been lovingly protected as such: she is very, very yellow now ( was white skin before ). I still adore her.

P.S.: Just for good measure and not to freak you out: Other dolls have aged more gracefully or still look like new, btw.,

 

The only time I take my dolls out is when I package them properly in a carrier and bring them indoors only >_<

 

Well, they're expensive dolls! 100$ is like the cheapest you can find. I tend to get protective of even my more expensive fashion dolls.

I would try thinking of your doll as a friend, rather than a possession. Maybe it's a little creepy, but it's what helps me get over the whole "wow, this thing is so expensive and nice, better keep it put away." Would you keep your friends at home all the time?

Everyone's different, of course, so it may be that you would simply be happier keeping them at home.

 

My dolls haven't arrived yet. I'm obviously not going to be playing Frisbee: Doll Edition with them or anything, but I'm not super fond of the idea of keeping them naked in the box whenever they're not in use. I bought them to enjoy them, which for me is not keeping them locked away for special occasions but rather displaying them in my room, dressing them up, and bringing them to conventions/meets. I'm pretty comfortable with letting other people handle my other dolls (although they're off topic), but I'll probably be a tiny bit more careful with the BJDs since they're going to be a bit more difficult to replace.

BJDs are resilient and most incidents can be fixed. With that being said, I don't recommend making yourself uncomfortable if you're happy where you are. What makes other owners happy, like bringing their dolls out and about, can make you stressed out. There's nothing wrong with the way you're enjoying the hobby. You're enjoying it your own way, and I don't recommend stepping out of your comfort zone if that means stepping into a stress zone.

 

I think I am a little overprotective, but I don't think I'm super overprotective. I keep my dolls in a box naked when they are not in use. I never bring them outside. If I were to go to a dolly meetup of a convention I wouldn't bring my 1/3 SD's, but I would bring my tiny!

 

It varies with how protective I am of my dolls. I have a Fairyland Puki Puki who usually stays in a pocket in my purse- so he goes everywhere with me. I did his face-up for the third time recently, so if it gets damaged I can just re-do it again. I don't carry any of my dolls with company face-ups around with me as casually as I do him. My skill is nowhere near good enough to re-do them. I've taken one of them to a doll meet, since I can trust that everyone there will be careful, since they're doll owners too.