The experience of owning many dolls

How did you end up with a large collection?
Sticking with just the on-topics, I own an army of dolls in general, I tell myself if Xavier had existed it could have been just him but I got Shi Shi first. Xavier came second and it could have stayed just them then I saw Lucifer in a magazine but decided he could be a dream doll I could wish for. When my sister and I won Dollzone Recall twins the collection immediately doubled. After that I got my first tiny, had I not got a Recall it would have been easy to go tiny and never go back. Then I found where to get Lucifer, then Xavier wanted a wife Jibriel. Throw in a Puki then Xavier and Jibriel had their Brownie son. Aside from a daughter for X and J, and 12cm tinies which never count, I feel done. I especially never want anything bigger than a mini again.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Where the heck do I put them? My scale is 1/6 and I don't have room for all of them. If absolutely everyone was to go out for a show it could take nearly 2 hours to set them up and another hour to take down. But in owning that hoard I have a somewhat encyclopediatic knowledge of the brands and can answer questions for people off the top of my head and direct them to the perfect doll for their vision.

How organized is your collection?
On birthdays I remember with the resins, the date they arrive usually ends up in my diary and that's their birthday. For the Littles outside of Dad everyone collectively celebrates on August 8 because that was when the first core group arrived home.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Some get more attention than others. Xavier gets most of it, the twins practically have a layer of dust. They're just things. With X he's an easy to carry mini and what I use to connect with my guardian angel. Dad goes out lot because he's fun. Certain dolls do certain things better than others. If it involves Muppets then it's Rian. If I feel grumpy it's House. I take a doll to something based on who would enjoy it the most and so I'll have a good relaxed time.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Having first hand knowledge of which brands are worth getting and which you can't look at funny without something happening.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I stopped counting the entire hoard at 100 so I win! :P Large is relative to how many the next person has.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
It's the faces. I am a portrait painter, and the idea of having all these little muses just made my brain explode. I have more than thiry now, I am just now in the process of cataloging them.
How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Sometimes I feel like the sultan in a harem, and that isn't always a good thing. All the wives want attention, lolz. Sometimes I get a little panicky, like so and so really does not have a thing to wear, or eeep five of them need to be restrung.
A large collection is going to draw attention, good or bad, so how do you deal with that?
I haven't found that my bunch garners negative attention. I do know one very lovely person who owns about four times what I do, and I have heard people being snarky about them, but that is just silly.

I wonder how many people enjoy owning a lot of dolls and who are sort of in denial of owning that many. Do you already start to count the ones you are planning to buy very soon as part of your collection or do say that floating heads, dolls that haven’t arrived yet, and the ones you want to sell do not count to make it look less bad?
I don't feel bad about my dolls. I'm not the type to collect heads, right now I have one floater, but that was kind of accidental, someone new came that co opted her body. I bought an AIL head, they don't sell complete bodies. Now I am researching which body will be best for the poor dear whose body she swiped.
Any feelings of being overwhelmed or do you think the more the merrier?
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but that is part of my personality.


How organized is your collection?
Them and all their crap is everywhere. But I am not a super organized person. On a scale of one (one being like Raven who seems super neat and organized) and ten (ten being those poor souls on Hoarders who have to be dug out of their homes with shovels) I would put my house at a six. It's not dirty, but there is stuff everywhere and the dusting is a full time job.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I draw or paint them, I actually paint on them when I do their faceups/body work, I dress them, carry them around, not a great photographer but I enjoy photographing them, I take them to work with me, I play with my kids with them, I show them to my Mom, who is bed bound and loves dolls, I make my DH restring them, and so on. One of my dolls, a handcast YO size LadySaiyuki Ted, is my comfort doll. I sleep either holding him or with him next to me.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
I love the differences. I appreciate the beauty in all of them. Many of my dolls are "artist's dolls" and I love the different energies of each of them.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Like I already said, I am in the process of making "The List" right now. I know I have more than thirty. I think anything over ten is large.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to participate in this hobby, in every way.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?

I've been collecting a long time and collects different kinds of dolls.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?

They are part of our home and family (they live in the family.room) and I would very much miss them if they weren't there.



How organized is your collection?

I have mine in Ikea cabinets (Detolf) and two other glass fronted cabinets (one has just been painted; I also took the back off to be able to paint the backround). Some dolls live in an antique winter sledge, a couple on the floor. It may soound crowded, But it isn't really

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?

Dress, redress, buy the occational wig, dress, or shoes. Make things for little vignettes and sceneries. Sew them new underwear etc.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

I never tire of my dolls and have different kinds to appeal to different aspects of myself

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Around 60 (I think).

It is not a large collection. 2-300 IS a large collection

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I'd have to say that I'm one of the people that have to have the entire cast of original characters from my comic. That's what all my dolls are (bar my Soom Heliot, which is just another beloved OC that doesn't fit in with the rest of them).

I'm a person that has to have a character before I buy a doll. Honestly, I've tried just getting dolls I thought were pretty, but it never worked out because I had no real motivation to DO anything with them. So in short, I'm getting such a large collection because all of these dolls are dolls I'm enthusiastic about, have certain looks I want to achieve and in general inspire me to utterly adore them in every way.

As I'm coming to a peak in my buying, I'm realising that there aren't many dolls that I have left on my WTB list and that feeling might see me slow down a little, but all in all there's still 17 PLANNED dolls. Who knows what others I might decide upon in time?

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I love it. They're all so different and yet because they're from the same storyline and universe, they all fit together brilliantly. I love my collection of dolls and I can understand how someone would want simply just to have one or two to spoil entirely, but I just love the variety and the change that comes with being able to do different things with different dolls. The combinations are endless and interchangable for me and I adore it.

As for regret, I feel none. I love my hobby. End of story.

Envy isn't something I get, to be honest. Why? I'm the only one in my area with these dolls, so it's my hobby and my hobby alone. I travel 3 hours west and I get to have meetups every once in a while, but I can only lug one or two 70cm dolls that far.

How I count my dolls: I count heads that are in transit and have a body waiting for them as dolls. I count full dolls as dolls. Floating heads aren't counted unless a body is in transit for them, either.

How organized is your collection?
I just keep a list on my profile. That's the extent of my organisation. I don't bother keeping track of when they arrived, how many bodies I've switched them between or anything like that.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
On a whim, really. If I'm thinking about that character, I'll take photos of them. If clothes need to be made for one of them, I'll make them, then take pictures. If I have an idea that works with a few of my dolls, I'll do it with them. I don't really have a system.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Variety of creative expression. I love being able to have different dolls. Dolls that have definite seperate personalities shine through and convey that. I don't just have one or two that I do the same thing with. The more dolls, the more combinations and ideas. I like that a lot.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I'd say over ten would be a large collection. I currently have nine which I am counting (one head and one body in transit to make two seperate complete dolls). I also have multiple floating heads and another two full dolls on layaway. If you count those two I'm buying, then eleven.

I plan to have around 17-20 dolls at the moment? Who knows if it'll end up being bigger than that. But hey, I really do think that considering everything, that's still a lot of dolls. XD

 

I will so have to come back and fill this out later.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
VERY slowly and with much trail and error. I started off in I think it was 2002 when there as just a few companies. My main goal was to have 5 volks SD size dolls, I carefully created the characters how they would look and the general personality. Once I had three I just felt they were too large! so then I sold them and moved to MSD volks dolls.
Then I found UNOA I was literally in the very first order period for unoa! I bought Sist. Despite many other people commenting that they didn't like the look of the new dolls they were too sexual looking etc... course that would later be a thing of the distant past!
So now I had volks MSD's and Unoas. Not SD's at this point.

TIME PASSED: This time however I focused my love toward hypermaniacs after I saw owner picture of Hahanbi one of the smaller 54 cm hypers and set my myself to a long wait to find one. I finally found him in 2005.
After this one I decided I wanted to get many of the early hypers Greedy? no just enjoying myself and a great challenge!! Of course I also adore them each and every one!

NOW: I have my unoa group and still have two msd's. Plus some more ...
Keep in mind that this has all taken years, I do sell if I don't find the doll feels right for some reason anymore. I make an effort to do the one in one out at this point to keep the numbers under 25. I also do have personalities for most but not all of my dolls some with small backstories, over time my hypers whisper their tales.. I like to take my time with all things dolls!

Fear of others? to answer your question. Honestly so far its not effected me. I am not one to have every new soom or volks or whatever, so I think I have moved under the radar. I am sure some people may wonder why they can't have a hyper as they are hard to get, especially the early ones. But you have to keep in mind that for example my Jamie hyper I waited 5 years for!! of active waiting as I did for most of my hypers and I also took chances as they were not new and had to travel from Korea most of them. Its like being an active gardener, that beautiful garden did not just happen!! it grew out of effort and love as well as imagination, at least I can say this is true for myself. its the only one we can speak for.

Spending Guilt: No

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Well I have always collected. When I was a little girl I collected dolls from other countries, match boxes, marbles and christmas cards/birthday cards. I always found I would go into a very relaxed meditative state organizing and looking at them it was my own private zone. A really pleasant place to be.
As for the question. It does feel very normal like Raven said! its just another way I express my creativity and get excited about the wonder that is this world! I am so happy that in time the dolls, wigs, eyes and clothes are SO interesting in themselves.

I think another reason I like to own so many dolls is I have a real passion for the clothing! and I like having the dolls to model them. For me it is a matter of loving beauty in the doll form, the tiny details and also the strong expression of the artist. I think they are small miracles!

Unlike some here I don't feel overwhelmed, but I do have plenty of wigs, eyes and clothes that I have slowly gathered and some of these dolls I have had for years so many now have the perfect faceup

How organized is your collection?
I have a few large see though containers in one is the wigs, in one the msd/unoa size stuff and in another the SD sized clothing - I also have clothing on the dolls themselves of course and in the boxes they came in. The eyes tend to be in a sewing organizer.
As for keeping records of when dolls arrived I don't. I do buy all things on the internet so I always save pictures and include the price I paid so I remember if I want to resell.
Also all said and done when I look at my dolls it doesn't seem like that many!! as weird as that may sound to thoes that have only 3-5. Grouping them helps with this I think. Instead of a big mixed row of dolls.

I do not have any of my dolls in the living room or other areas of the house nor their things only in my art room on that one area and the doll room.
IF I didn't have my dollroom I would have about half the amount of dolls I do.
I never box my dolls up, when I am not in the doll room I have the blinds down so no light gets in the room to protect them from the sun.
If anyone ever came to visit they would not even know I have dolls !!! I like it that way to me its a private thing and only for sharing with a few who might appreciate the beauty of them.

I keep my dolls in groups, so the unoas together, the msd sized together, and the SD ones on their areas, tinies together.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Well one thing is my dolls have their own little doll room! I never thought I would ever have a doll ROOM kinda nuts. I think the day I decided I needed a doll room was the day I realized I did actually have allot of dolls. The room is small too small for a bedroom but just right for a little doll room. It also helps me keep organized and I also use it to store my sewing trims and fabrics.

PLAY: I normally just go sit in the room and organize things then take out a few wigs and eyes and play around to improve my dolls looks. Take out the clothes container and do the same. I either select the unoas or msd sized ones or the SD. Normally just playing with one or two dolls at a time.

I also have a cabinet in my art room and I alternate who sits on there ! this way I get to see my dolls more.

I do have my favorites I think you figured out which ones by now, thoes are the ones I pick up to play with and just end up staring at in a kind of samadhi. Recently I took to doing photo sessions and posting a few in the gallery (a very competative area I now find! feel free to go check out my gallery posts and comment! LOL ......)

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

I think the best part are the amazing clothing, wigs and eyes!! Its total eye candy!!! finally having my hypermaniac doll family together

As well to play with a doll in person. Its one thing to look at a doll online but whats the doll like to hold? to move? the resin in person? the overall scale these can be different than you might think! I love exploring a new company ... such as my most recent doll is a dollzone Binli, I was really surprised at how great the resin is! and the overall sculpt of the doll. I now have a dollmore Flocke on the way it will be the first time I have seen a dollmore in person I can't wait to experience her! (and yes I really did sell a few dolls before these two to make room

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

I consider a large collection more than about 12 SD or Mini size, over say 15 of tinies. (years ago 5 would have been a large collection that has changed as more people and companies have cropped up - now 5 is a small amount)

I own 26 dolls, 16 of them are SD. The rest are MSD/unoa sized, plus a couple of tinies (I do plan to sell a few of my tinies)

What is the WORST part of owning many?
Things getting unorganized! its nearly impossible to keep everything organized in my doll room once I enter! OR remember who stole the eyes I am looking for!
Also I would say selling is not much fun, I don't want my little doll hoard to get bigger so I do sell a few now and then to make room for ones I want to see in person. I am aiming 20-25 that seems to be my favorite size and the one I tend to be able to maintain the size of!

 

How did you end up with a large collection?

The same way as many collectors here, I guess. I started off with "just the one doll" in 2005 (an Angelregion Ami), then I saw another whose face just spoke to me... I never intended to have a large collection, but there are so many interesting doll sculpts out there! "Just the on" became "just two" became "just two each year" became "no more than 20"... My taste in dolls changed over time, and so some dolls moved on to other homes, but there was always a new doll to replace the ones who went.

I just love the variety, and to be honest, a huge part of the fun of BJD collecting for me is "the hunt". I especially love finding dolls on Ebay or the Marketplace that need some TLC or whose sculpt isn't that popular. Which means that my collection doesn't have a high resale value at all, but I don't care about that.

I've always been a collector of different things, and it gives me a lot of satisfaction to acquire a new doll I love.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?

Sometimes almost a bit overwhelming, especially when three of them are in pieces and waiting for a faceup or to be restrung, and two don't have clothes that fit properly, and four don't have the right eyes yet... But on the other hand, I also love that there's always something to do, some doll to fiddle with or paint or sew for. It's never going to get boring!

How organized is your collection?

The dolls are pretty much never in their boxes -- they have their own set of shelves behind a thick curtain to keep out the light. There's enough room there for them there to sit neatly side by side. I have a couple of large boxes, one for each size of doll, to hold their clothes, and more boxes to hold their wigs, spare eyes, shoes etc. There are yet more boxes for fabric, faceup materials and so on.

I used to keep a "timeline" for my dolls -- who was bought or sold when etc. I've stopped doing it because, honestly, that kind of information just isn't that interesting or helpful in the long run, imo.

My BJDs usually stay in what I think of as the "doll room" -- it's not really just for dolls, but there are a lot of dolls in there, BJD and non-BJD. I think having a lot of dolls would feel a lot more overwhelming if I didn't have enough room to keep everything neat and organized.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?

I don't really play with them in the literal sense. I love doing their faceups, I love trying to sew for them ("trying" being the operative word so far!), I love taking pictures of them... They do have names and characters and a back story, but I don't do any real roleplaying or photo stories.

I think what would count as playing is that I change their outfits every once in a while just for fun!

I tend to focus on one or two dolls at a time. Those sit on my desk for a while, or next to our bed, or anywhere else where they're in my line of sight... Then, after a week or so, they go back on their shelf and one of the other dolls gets the spotlight.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

As I said, I love that there's always something creative to do! And the variety in size and style allows me to play around with a lot of different clothes and eyes and wigs. Also, having a lot of dolls also means having something in common with a lot of collectors, so you can easily talk to a lot of people...

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

I currently own 20, with number 21 planned. I consider 15 or more a large collection.

What is the WORST part of owning many?

Somehow, there never seem to be enough clothes, shoes and accessories to go round... Sometimes I feel almost stressed!

And the more I own, the more often I'm forced to sell a doll before I buy another, just so I don't run out of room.

 

Good questions...

How did you end up with a large collection?
Well I was only going to have 2. My favorite HP pairing. Then to help out a friend I got another doll, so she could practice mod work, then I really wanted a girl to wear all the pretty girl clothes. I had thought I was going to be able to stop then, but it just didn't happen. I don't have a 'goal' but keep telling myself I'm about done, because I am running out of space.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I had issues of guilt when I first got into the hobby, spending so much money on 'toys', but I got over that. It's my money, they make me happy, so what. My large collection has drawn alot of attention both good and bad. I use to get upset by the negative comments, but now I just don't care. I didn't set out to have a large collection, it just sort of happened, and what I've found is the negative is alot of jelousy, that some people feel the need to be negative to make themselves feel better. I also get alot of negative flack about how my dolls which are HP characters, are not done how they think the characters should be done. Uh...they are my dolls, my interpretations of the characters, so I'll do what I want with them, and whatever makes me happy. 'If you don't like what I did with this doll, or how I did this character, well go out and buy your own doll that you can do what you want with it.'.
I've also had alot of positive from my collection which far outweighs the bad. People wanting to see what characters will be added next, and squeels over favorite pairings. I'm always more then happy to bring whatever doll people may want to see at a doll meetup, be it to see a character, a doll mold, or to do a resin compairson. I'm lucky that there are alot of collectors in our local area with big collections, so it's not a big deal at meetups who has alot and who doesn't. Then those with large collections are also very helpful to the newbies as we have experience with a variety of molds and companys, etc...and are usually more then willing to share our knowledge and help out as we can (resin matching, order experiences, tips on face-ups, etc).
I just ended up with alot of dolls because they make me happy, what does annoys me is people assume I have alot of dolls for the attention which isn't the case. Or they think I want to be the only one with HP characters. I'm happy to see everyone's HP themed dolls, even their non-BJD HP dolls. I'm happy to see anyone's doll from their FCS Volks, to their Bobobie Tiny with self done face-up. Because I can appreciate that they are finding joy with their own dolls and with this hobby.

How organized is your collection?
I'm a programmer and just run my website with a database already, so it made sense to put my dolls into a database from the beginning. So I've done that with each doll. I do this to keep track of any mods or such that may occur to a doll, because even when I was first getting into this hobby 'declosing all mods' was such a big deal. It's also been useful to keep track of which dolls I've taken to what events so I can balance which dolls I've brought out. In the case of HP conventions I attend once a year and it's alot of the same people, and alot of people there want to see all my dolls but I can't bring them all, so it's easier to keep track so I can bring a doll that they haven't seen year/time. So when I get complaints about why I didn't bring the doll someone wanted to see I can explain because I brought it last time, etc...

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I just haven't had the time I want to really play with them, so I keep track of who I brought to events so I can bring different dolls and get time and pictures of each one over time. For stories I use whoever is needed for the story, who I feel like working with, who has clothes, etc... Since my stories are usually HP themed, major HP characters will get more use then minor ones. But then in 'Manor' themed stories, or those that just sort of are doll world story, the dolls which I like more are used more often.


What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
I don't know if there is a 'best' part. I know I have a large collection, but I don't look at it as a large collection, I just see it as a bunch of dolls that I wanted and love. I didn't set out to get a large collection, just sort of happened. Occationally I just look over my dolls and go 'which one should I sell, if I had to', and I just can't seem to find one that I want to get rid of. But then if I had a doll I wanted to sell, it wouldn't still be with me.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Well I think it depends on your location. In our local doll community those with 'large' collections are those with 10+, but usually 20+ dolls. It's also not 20+ dolls owned by one person, it's usually counted by 'household'. I know in our local community over 10 people who fall in the 10+/20+ range. I have 50 dolls, and I know people in our local community with way more then that, so it's no big deal.

Oh have to add this:
What is the WORST part of owning many?
Well knowing/realising you have no self control. That you have to deal with the stupid of jelousy. But mostly annoyed I don't have time to finish all the characters/outfits/wigs/photostories that I want to do with all the dolls. That the list just grows and grows.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?

Five years ago I bought my first MSD doll and I stayed only with him for 2 years. Also, I used to say that I'd never buy SDs but one day I saw a CP chiwoo on the marketplace and he just stole my heart ^^

I didn't plan to have any size in specific. I got my first 2 dolls because I fell in love with the mold, regardless of the size. The same happened with the next 2 MSD's and the pukis was a huge surprise since I wasn't a fan of tiny dolls. I got my 2 pukis and they bring me so much joy that i want to buy more (but I haven't found another mold that I like).

As for the big dolls, I wanted a companion for my CP Chiwoo, someone older than him (like a big brother). Again, there was no mold that gave me that feeling of "I'm the one!" until Luts released SDF Howl, his sculpt was perfect for the character I had in mind, not too old and not too young. He came with the free summery head (which I was planning to sell in the beginning) but I got attached to the head and created a character for it so he became another member of the family^^ I bought his body later on from Luts too.

Finally, I've been a little obsessed with Yo-SD sized dolls. I have one which I love very much, waiting on the second one and planning to get the last one (hopefully) soon.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?

To tell the truth, I had so much fun when I was only with my first 2 dolls. I took more pictures and spent more time with them. Now, I admit that I often feel a little overwhelmed because I don't have time to spend the day with all of them at the same time. And it's sooo tiring to change them into new outfits. BUT when I see them on their outfits, complete and together, I feel so happy with my collection they all bring me joy in different ways. I like to use my imagination and create stories with them. I also enjoy to discover what kind of personality they will show me (I never create their character before their arrival) and I love to buy clothes for them^^ the lack of joy I feel right now it's because of the time that I can't afford to spend with them.

How organized is your collection?

Because of what I said above (more dolls = less time for each of them) I decided to put a limit number to my collection. No more than 3 of each size. (of course, you never know and the number could change to 4 XD) They all have their own place in my room with their seats.


Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?


I like to form an emotional bond with my dolls, it is very important to me to have one day just for them. So this is what i do: The first day I'm with my MSD boys, the next week it's the tinies' turn or the SDs whichever I feel like playing with first. Every week, I choose one day (which is usually my day off, no school or work) for one doll or one group. No one is left behind

I have my favorites and I spend more time with kyoshi, my first doll and my favorite of all.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

This is like when we have many friends in real life. Each of them is different and you enjoy doing different things with them. At least for me, it's the same with my dolls. They all have different personalities and styles. It's like having my lovely side, my dark side, my serious or happy side manifested on each of them. And it's fun buying their clothes according to their style/personality. Variety is the spice of life!


How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

I have 9 right now (they're all complete) and waiting for one. That would be 10 dolls in total which for me is a lot I think there's room for one Puki more and that would be it.

More than 15 is a large collection in my case.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I bought 1/3 of them myself and the other 2/3 my sister gave to me to look after and keep.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
It feels... chaotic. I inherited more than half of them from my sister since she left the hobby. There is no pride really. I feel overwhelmed since in a manner of speaking I have 20+ asking for bodies, eyes, wigs, shoes, clothes, etc. I would only bring one at a time to a meet up.

How organized is your collection?
They are all bubblewrapped and in three boxes. And the full dolls are on the bed.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Easy. The majority are heads and until they receive bodies there is no problem in attention since I can spread them out and have an audience. As for the ones who have bodies. I cradle them and speak to them about the nice things I will buy them someday.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
It is nice to see them all at once.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I consider more than 7 a large collection.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
Ah... to be honest, it really sort of just happened (lol). I hadn't planned on having more than one. Unfortunately, my fiancee is also into dolls, so we would both get to talking about new characters we wanted in doll form, and how so and so would look great as this character, etc etc... and the collection just sort of built up.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I do feel kind of guilty sometimes when I think about how much I spent on them and their clothes, and considering I also collect Pullips, I have... a lot of dolls in the house >> Then I think, well, they've giving me a hobby to enjoy and love. Everyone I know has something, you know what I mean? And I've only ever collected My Little Ponies in past. My other hobbies are not hobbies where you 'collect' anything (drawing, writing, things like that), so it felt kind of nice to actually have something I could display and enjoy looking at whenever I pass the shelf I keep them on. It is kind of annoying sometimes because I feel like I don't have enough time to photograph all of them, but in reality, I'm too attached to all of them to sell them.

A large collection is going to draw attention, good or bad, so how do you deal with that?
The only people who ever see my full collection are my family and friends, and by now, they're used to it (lol).

The number I have can be overwhelming, because I feel like I don't always have the time to pay attention to them all. But like I said, I wouldn't get rid of any of them for anything barring a situation where I required money OMG RIGHT NOW. I enjoy the doll hobby too much to ever really dislike my collection... it gives me something to relax and enjoy in my spare time. Plus, I never collected dolls as a kid, so I just say I'm making up for it now.

How organized is your collection?
They all sit on a shelf and I keep their clothes in some little plastic boxes that sits next to the shelf. That's about as organized as I get.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I grab whoever I want off the shelf whenever I want, stick up a background, and do a photoshoot, or I change their clothes randomly, or I write a small piece about the character the doll represents. Sometimes I grab one off the shelf and sit them with me for the night, or for a movie, whatever.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Variety for photos and story and clothing. And there's always a doll for how I'm feeling at the moment.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I just ordered what will be my 'last' doll if I can help it (space on the shelf doesn't permit any more at this point), and he'll round it up to 13. I consider anything over 10 a fairly large collection, just because of the space it would take up (especially if they're all SDs, like most of mine) and the amount of time it would take to build up a collection like that.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I came from collecting anime figures. Often, there would be multiple figures of the same character, but with different outfits. My "great idea" was that I would have one doll that I could dress up as I wished. Well, I guess it technically worked--I buy a lot less character dolls/figures--but I ended up focusing on collecting different body sculpts instead. It's really quite interesting how different companies choose to depict the female form. No goal, just an everlasting quest for beauty.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
As with many possessions, it depends on your mood that day. During the holidays (and the hangover month(s) after), the less-played girls look like wastes of money. During spring cleaning or moving, the larger girls look like wastes of space. But most of the time--any time other than those--it feels pretty good. I'm surrounded by exquisitely beautiful girls, each with their own unique charms. If I do go to meets, I only take 1 or 2 girls, no more than I can comfortably hold and protect safely, so my total collection is not really hinted at from attendance.

• How many I have is on my online profile and I will answer truthfully if asked, but I will not bring up the topic in conversation otherwise.
• Incoming (complete) dolls are not counted, but will be mentioned as such.
• Dolls to be sold are not counted--I usually have already packed them before I even have a buyer.
• Incomplete dolls are not counted. To me, it's fair to say that you only have parts in inventory but no doll yet.

I don't undercount to seem less bad. I undercount because in some way, they aren't "my" dolls.

How organized is your collection?
Finally broke the double-digit (10) barrier. I have started logging in details of my girls on a spreadsheet: sculpt, modifications, age and approximate value. I own both Dollfie Dreams and resin. Physically, I seat them such that like sits with like, so Dollfie Dreams would most often sit together. They clash aesthetically less that way.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Most of my time at home is in front of my computer. So I have a few roles that my girls assume.

• the "greeting princess" sits on the edge of my desk in front of me and faces the door of the room
• the "media princess" sits on the center hinge of my L-desk next to me; named since she's online with me
• the "high princess" sits on furniture above me
• the "shadow princesses" sit on furniture behind me

Generally, these positions are listed in order from those receiving the most attention to the least. I rotate the girls whenever I feel like it. The friendliest-looking girls dominate the greeting princess position the most.

As for playing, for the most part I'm just satisfied being with them and holding them. I don't change their clothes very often or take them outside at all. The most I will do is an indoor photoshoot a few times a year.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Variety. Sometimes you want to see someone cute. Or sexy. Or friendly. Or bratty. Or cool.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I own 10. Naturally, I want more. I have a "drop everything" mentality for Volks, unsurprisingly for the DD girls. I'd consider that large. I'd curve my definition of large depending on the size of the dolls in the collection: 3 dolls 70cm or larger or 5 dolls 45-60cm or 10 dolls 27cm or smaller. Double that would be "huge" to me.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
For me, it was never really planned... I was one of those "I'll only get one" people at the beginning. But then I wanted a spare head to practice faceups, and one of the faceups was so much fun I couldn't bear to wipe it, and I ended up having a great time taking goofy photos of my one doll and the floating head. So of course, the head had to get a body and those two became a couple.

From there... it just grew. Some are purchased just because I fall in love with a sculpt and the character comes afterward. I also have a thing about pairing or grouping my dolls into couples/family units, so when I get a doll that's all "alone", I feel happier once I get a sibling or significant other for him/her.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I do sometimes experience the guilt mentioned in the OP, especially when I get all the dolls in one place, like taking them to a meetup. I look at them and realize how much money I've spent on dolls and doll stuff. But it makes me happy, and it's money that I would otherwise have spent on books, or clothes, or dining out. It does seem overwhelming at times, since I don't really have a lot of time to spend on all the dolls. But I tend to rotate amongst the "groups", since each doll or each group has a different aesthetic feel.


How organized is your collection?
Not very. I have to really think about when my dolls arrived... I can put them in chronological order if I think about it, but I don't keep track. I don't have well-planned groups... more like vague ideas such as "it woulf be fun if Sprocket had an assistant for his storyline".

I do have a few dolls pre-planned out though, but I don't have a distinct timeline for when I'd be able to purchase them, or even a set order in which I will buy them. (I like to buy secondhand, so sometimes it all depends on which of my "wishlist" dolls is available for sale, or which one is listed at a bargain).


Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I do tend to rotate around the collection, depending on my mood. I do tend to get on a particular "kick" for a while... like I'll play with Iris's hyper, bubbly family for a while, then switch to the more sarcastic Valkyrie/Mafia group for a while, then I'll switch to the girly demon princesses for a month or so. (Okay, so all my dolls are a little goofy, but in different ways.)

Also, new arrivals tend to shake up the order a bit... whenever a new doll shows up, I'll spend time getting them all put together and take pictures of his/her group for a while.


What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
The ability to have variety without completely changing my dolls personalities/styles. When the mood strikes, I have dolls that are cutesy, dolls that are elegant and pretty, realistic dolls, stylized dolls, boys, girls, all different sizes... I have the ability to play with whichever style strikes my fancy according to my mood.

That, and the multitude of characters that accompany the dolls are great fodder/inspiration for creative writing!



How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
My collection isn't terribly large. I have about a dozen full dolls and a handful of floating heads... but it certainly seems large to me when I have to find space for them! That, and it was more than I ever thought I'd own when I first got into the hobby!

 

How did you end up with a large collection?

I kept buying. Seriously! For one thing, I enjoy adopting previously loved dolls. Then I decided I wanted a particular set of characters. Then there's the love of elves. And, in all honesty, I have fun shopping.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?

I run the whole gamut of things the OP mentioned; occasional guilt, occasionally overwhelmed, but mostly just happy because they make me happy. I would feel guilt over owning an extra pair of SOCKS, though; guilt is one of my best things. On the other hand, every single doll represents hours of hard work. I could use my money to buy fancy clothes for myself, or drive a better car, or have perfect furniture and stuff... but I don't.

How organized is your collection?

I know all my dolls but not necessarily their numbers, exactly. They sit in groups because that's just the way they fit best. And I kind of gave up trying to keep track of when/how much. I usually can tell you who I got a doll from and generally when, but not always.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?

Some of them just sit and look lovely. Some of them get lots of "changing poses" time for one reason or another - because they're all in generally the same area they seem to have conversations going on, etc. Several of them get LOTS of handling, fussing about, and some have been modded lots/ sanded/ generally angsted over until they're what I was hoping for.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

Getting to look at them. Also, I like feeling as though I have a clue when reading comparisons about posing, resin quality, and so forth - I have both high and low-end dolls and lots in between so I don't feel as though I'm just talking out my, um, hat when asked for an opinion. And I'm not afraid of doing stuff with them because I know that for the most part they're a lot tougher than you might otherwise think.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

Something in the area of 55. Honestly, right at this moment I'm not sure; I purchased several pieces and parts for projects, and a couple of full dolls, in the last few months, so it could be as low as 50 or as high as 55. I think I could potentially pare the collection down to about 30 but there's a core group of dolls you'd be hard pressed to part me from (and they're not even necessarily the nicest ones!)

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I have 15 dolls and a couple floating heads. I don't know exactly if that would be a large collection or not. The numbers developed out of my compulsion to have dolls which were coupled in relationships, and also to have interactive storylines with the group. My group also developed over a period of several years, it wasn't immediate by any means.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Often it feels like I have too many, yet the ones I currently have are all keepers. I find myself wishing I had more time to do things with them.


How organized is your collection?
It's organized by couples, and inter relations. I don't keep track of when I bought who. I have my large group (all 70 cm) my minis, which are my travel dolls, and a couple oddballs that are there for various projects.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I sew for them, photograph them, and do photo stories.


What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls? The ability to have interactive groups of characters.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I have 15, and think that's a moderately large collection. I know lots of people who have, and want more than that, but I am about at limit of what works for me.


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How did you end up with a large collection?
Well... I want to get all my characters in doll form... but right now there seems to be more dolls that I cant find a character to match so I just end up making new characters xD
Its just so~ much easier to create new ones when you already have how they look in head1

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Well I am happy =D
And I'm sure I'll be more happy the more I get as I would get closer to my "goal" =3

How organized is your collection?
Right now I only have 3 in hand, one thats waiting for my at the post office and 4 in preparation.... and many more to buy later.....
So right now they are absolutely not organized. But when I get more I think I will try to organize them by size or something like that....
I like to keep track of things and be organized in my disorganization, so if I ever get to many to keep track I'll just have a little book with all the info in it XD

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Not enough to really start that... but I hope to do the group/Doll per day XD
Or I'll just go by who I want to play with at the time =3

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Its fun! If you dont really feel like playing with one, or just want to do something that doesnt work with one, just go for another one >w<

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Like I said above, I have 3 dolls, one head at the post office and 4 being made. Thats 8 dolls and I am thinking of getting a lot more. While right now 3 is not really that many for me, I think that when I have all 8 + a body for the head it will start to be a lot xD
I know I'll keep getting more, but it will already be a large group =3

 

Rynn hey looking forward to reading yours

 

bump anyone else?

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
Hmmm. It was a bit of a gradual thing. I started out with one in 2003, then I thought, "She needs a companion!" and followed with another one a few years later to be the companion. Then I took a long hiatus from dolls until last year because I was 100% focused on finishing my degree and when I came back there were all these amazing sculpts that I fell for. So, last year, I went about scooping up a bunch of great sculpts I liked, but a lot were not fitting with the characters I made. So, off they went to better homes where they could be truly appreciated, and other doll sculpts came in to properly fill the characters. I have since retired my first doll and updated her character with a new sculpt, while using her body for another character. Somehow, here I am waiting for 13th and 14th dolls to come home... XD There's part of me that still wants one more to cap off the group, but we'll see how that goes.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Hmm. I think it would be overwhelming for me if I didn't remember all of my doll names. I am truly running out of space though, so capping off my group is the best thing for now. I do feel, "the more the merrier" though! Haha!

How organized is your collection?
It's well organized. I keep character profiles to make sure their storylines are consistent with one another. The fun part is that a bunch are assassins, so I get to mix and match their wardrobes and wigs. They all have default wigs though that are specific to their characters. I keep those organized as well because I don't want too much overlap in terms of look and personal taste.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Hmmm. I take a few out at a time for photoshoots. I also have fun making clothes for them.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Posing them to "interact" with one another in photoshoots. I also like the level of variety---I've tried to make sure that they vary greatly in terms of size, look, resin tone, etc.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
When my Asa comes home...it will be 14 dolls total: 12 large, 1 mini, and 1 tiny, as well as a floating head (probably selling her though). But I have plans for one more large by the end of this year. After having around 7-8...I felt like it was getting a little large, but not in an unruly way. I think above 10 feels large to me.

What is the WORST part of owning many?
Oh man...perhaps that feeling of always wanting more, but knowing that I already have so many. Additionally, I have sooooooo much more character development to do in terms of outfits and styling. It's fun, but crazymaking at the same time.

 

I'm going to reply here only because I have 12 dolls and I'm nowhere near finished.

How did you end up with a large collection?
I started out by wanting a "family" of dolls. An immediate family (they are all relatives). Started with husband and wife and their children. Well, naturally, they found some friends and girlfriends/boyfriends. Then I got into anthro cat dolls so they're multiplying.
Actually not all "family" members are in the house yet but girlfriends/boyfriends of those yet to be collected are already in the house. Two of my dolls were unexpected buys. One filled a character I had in mind and one had to have a character invented for it.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
With 12 dolls I feel two ways: like I have too many dolls and like that's not a lot of dolls. I'm at a crossroads with it really.

How organized is your collection?
They are family. But as I said, I'm not collecting in the proper order due to unexpected buys and not finding the perfect sculpt for certain characters.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
The most enjoyment comes out of getting outside with my dolls. I don't like the attention I receive so It's really hard for me to get them out for outdoor shoots. But I love getting them all dressed up and outside on beautiful days. I also love shopping for them.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
The versatility by far!! I find that each doll has a specific attitude, which comes with a particular style. Certain dolls will only wear certain styles of dress, others - anything goes. Basically, only 2 of my dolls will wear just about anything. Others are more snotty and particular. I love their "personalities."

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I own 12. I consider 12 to be a lot sometimes but I know people who have many more than 12! I happen to think that more than 30 is too many. I wouldn't want that many but I can see how they are so easy to love, and can be easily obtained at times.