Rekindling the love without emptying the wallet

What's so horrible about that? So you think you might have secretly been a closeted Revolving-Door-Collector all this time-- big deal! They're your dolls, and it's your money, so you should configure them in whichever way make you happy. If you think your true joy is in the shopping-and-welcoming, rather than the extended-ownership thing, then start hocking the old to finance buying the new. I confess, I have secretly always been jealous of that type of collector. (As a hopeless sentimental twat, I never get rid of anyone, can't even imagine it. Thus, the apartment is crowwwwded. ^^ That's why I like just looking at the stuff I have.)


But srsly, yeah, I agree-- if you've outgrown their styles, then first try giving them new styles! Maybe all they need is makeovers! They'll become new dolls, and you'll remember why you loved them. I too have plenty of dolls who used to dress more punk or j-rockery, or wear only freaky fantasy eyes, back in the day (those were the doll-clothing styles that were so easy to get back then!) who have different looks now. I like seeing who else they might evolve into. It also reminds me to get off my ass and sell some of those 2005 fashions that don't fly so well now.

 

Grooming. Do a maintenance and styling session. Magic Eraser, restring and comb out the wig(s). Grooming as quality time works for animals and kids, so hey, why not?

 

I've been stuck that way quite a few times these past few months due to some real life problems, and I felt very disheartened. However, I found that what worked best for me was just including them in little activities, whether it be having one or two sitting with me when I'm online/gaming, or just hanging out with me in general. Swapping around wigs/clothes/eyes is always interesting, and just switching around their poses/positions works as well. It's the small things that do it for me, you never know

Oh, uh... 'talking' to them helps too ;D

 

I felt like this about one of my girls ... and i thought about selling her...
but i just completely undressed her and redressed her .. and i guess in doing that ... i just fell back in love with her
(and restyling hair helps too)

 

I feel the same too sometimes. I'm not into anime and Lolita fashion like I was at one point and my dolls I also see as sort of a representation of those interests but though those interests have gone a bit by the wayside I don't want to give up BJD. I still love them but just lack motivation to do much with them lately.
Looking back at old pictures is something I do the help me to remember why I like them so much when I have no motivation to re-dress them or set them up for new pics but I'm realizing now that an overhaul of my collection may be in order. Tastes change and I think the style of my dolls is due to change with them, whether that means changing up the clothing and wig style of a particular doll or re-homing a doll so I can get one that might be more my current taste can be a difficult decision though. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks like this as well.

 

Role play helps me! If I'm kind of "eh" on a doll, I try to get him out there and role play him, reconnect with his character and remember why I fell in love with him. My dolls' characters are every bit as important as the dolls themselves to me, so if I'm just seeing "Oh, pretty" and nothing else, it's time to work on the character and fall back in love.

 

Since sewing clothes still requires money and skill, I like to take old jewelry I don't wear anymore and convert it to BJD size. I also like to RP with my dolls online, and I'll take pictures of them that correspond with whats happening in the RP. I also snuggle with them. I love snuggling with my dolls.

 

If you already have the supplies on hand, I find that re-doing the face up really shakes things up! And if you happen to have different wigs, throwing one on that you never use also helps see the doll in a new light.

 

Sometimes I shake things up by selling the dolls that I have been hiding away in boxes and buying new ones with the proceeds. While it is hard to part with the ones I sell it makes me feel better to think that the buyer is likely actually displaying them and playing with them - and I have new toys!

 

It's like having a relationship isn't it? I think it is good that people are doing this!! To rekindle the love that may be hidden away, sometimes it is really uneasy when times has passed and things have changed. I always wish that love never dies, but who knows sometimes? If love is gone even after you have tried, then let it be so you can be free and move on.

I think the people who were once active were not as active as they used to be on forums, that why little of them are around I guess? I begin my BJD journey on 2004 (it's 9 years now!!), but it is more like participate in a "behind closed doors" way lol I think those owners are now more or less like how I used to be?

Currently I am planning on giving makeovers to some of the BJDs I own that suits their faces and personality better, and I have been reading fashion magazines and researching a lot on the possibilities, what I wanted to do and drawing up my plans, I think it is a good way to rekindle the love

 

Ah, the same thing happened to me, Satoru. I got really into dolls around 2007 and when I lost my job in 2009, I stopped everything BJD-wise. I couldn't stand the thought of selling them, but I didn't do anything with them for two years! They just sat where I left them (one on his side after being knocked over) for months! When I got back into them, I went spend crazy, and that got me back into the hobby again... but there are ways to not break the bank.

Make Them Projects.
You may not want to redo their faceups for various reasons, understandably. I redo the ones I did previously -- it helps me to bond again. For those dolls you don't want to alter, you can try blushing their hands (or even their bodies!) and that could help.
For example, my KDF Bory has received no love for a year. (I've been spoiling other dolls.) I decided it's time to dye him -- he's so old and yellow, and I think a dip in a dye bath would do wonders to freshen him up. This, of course, means a new faceup... which I'm all for!
You can also rekindle their stories. Do they have backgrounds? Do they have worlds? Try remaking them -- or, even better, try putting them in a different world, and seeing what happens. (I do this with characters I like but who have stagnant stories, and whenever I make one of those characters into a doll, I redo their story completely.)

Vlog, Blog, and Photograph.
I noticed whenever I got the urge to do something related to the Hobby, I buy a new doll. u_u; of course, I have this urge to do something new in the hobby every WEEK, so I can't sustain a purchasing schedule like that! I decided one way I could put myself more in the hobby is by vlogging. I haven't done it yet, but I'd love to make a vlog about my dolls and my dolly activities (as well as other stuff, of course) and I have a list of prompts I'd like to do. In addition to this, there is a great BJD community on youtube, with prompts of their own!
I also blog about my dolls on Deviantart a few times a week.
This helps to ease my restlessness in the hobby a ton. once I start vlogging, I'm sure there will be even less moments of restlessness!

Combine Hobbies

I recently took up DSLR photography, and my dolls are the stars as I learn how to use it. I also love the arts, so I like doing faceups and things. One thing you can do is take up sewing, or prop building, or furniture design -- all with your dolls as a focus! It freshens up the hobby and it also gets you feeling creative without too much extra expenses.

New Wigs. yeah, you'll be spending some money... but a new wig does wonders! I was having a hard time bonding with my Iplehouse Eric -- I was even thinking of wiping his factory faceup and redoing it, it was getting that bad -- but I bought him a new wig on a whim and everything clicked. Sometimes, a new wig is all you need.

 

I can definitely recommend photographing them. Even if you just do casual photography (not aiming for results you're happy to post on DoA), it still helps you focus on your doll's form and personality. You can focus entirely on the sculpt (and capture the artistic side of your doll), or entirely on the character (and capture your doll interacting with its surroundings), or a of both. I enjoy both 'free-form' photography (take out doll, pose, shoot), as well as themed photography (which, for me, is usually 'this character evokes this feeling in me; can I capture that feeling in a photo?').

I also benefit from keeping my dolls packed away most of the time. It always feels very special when I bring them out, and I put a lot of time into planning who I want to see most, and whether to bring dolls out individually or in groups. Keeping them packed away most of the time has the added benefit of keeping them as un-yellowed as possible, which helps me enjoy them ^-^

I found that sanding out seamlines has made me closer to my dolls as well. It's probably because it's a very long process that has (in my opinion) very noticeable results.

I also write endlessly about my characters (who are represented by my dolls), and I do think that keeps my interest in dolls constantly engaged ^-^

 

I think doing things with the characters always makes the doll itself more exciting. I want to be with the dolls that I have the most in depth characters/storylines for. So do a bio, write facts about them, think of a side story to go along with the main story, change their look and write down why the character wanted to look different etc. That stuff is why I personally love the hobby to begin with