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

Were You Afraid to Start The Hobby?

Jul 21, 2015

    1. At first, even though I owned two dolls at the time, I was in denial that I was actually in the hobby. It still doesn't feel quite real as I don't do much customizing.
       
    2. Oh boy, YES!!! The prices are way up there and then there's accessories and changing wig and eyes! I am never happy with just one! I thought I would start out with a used one and I did but two days later ordered another one! Didn't know if I would be happy with them and it took awhile to adjust! Not sure it was the best thing to o at my age but it's been fun!!
       
    3. I came into the hobby knowing good and well that it was unlikely to be a "forever" thing for me... But that didn't scare me or give me pause. I jumped in anyway, built my collection and never looked back.

      I knew that just like the other hobbies I've been interested in and later moved on from, I'd keep the favorite bits of my collection even after I'd left the 'obsession period' behind. I'd take those favorites out of their cabinet from time to time to play with them, just like I tinker with my stash of gaming miniatures, or the remains of my fossil collection, and that would be just fine. I'd sell on the not-favorites to fund whatever came next and have no regrets.

      Funny thing, though. I've been at this for almost ten years now... That's a lot longer than most of my other hobbies have lasted. I have sold off some of the dolls I bought along the way, but that was more a matter of learning what I liked and what I wanted than an expression of the desire to cull the herd and move on. My level of interest varies, but has never completely faded. I'm still wary of saying that I'll always be a doll collector, but so far it's looking like I might be and that's unprecedented. :lol:
       
    4. I was afraid of committing to anything more than loving how they looked online... I knew that if I'd decide to go for it that it would cost me sooooo much money >< But in the end it doesn't really matter on which hobby you spend money, as long as it makes you happy. And bjd's make me insanely happy. I also realised that it was way more than just expensive after getting a doll. Also time consuming and totally worth everything haha.
       
    5. I'd collected information about BJD for years before getting my first doll. At first, I wasn't sure if I would be really into this hobby and the cost wasn't that cheap anyway. But after I decided to order my first doll, I found myself that this hobby truly suited me. Until now I still love all my dolls and enjoy sew clothing plus taking photos for them. No regret! :D
       
    6. I love this story Darkrozen!
       
    7. The hefty price tag was definitely something to consider, especially once you take into account all the extras such as accessories, wigs, clothes, shipping, customs, etc., not to mention the fear of losing interest after making such a large investment. I was also worried about breaking the news of my new hobby to my family. They came around quickly after seeing how obsessed I was XD.
       
    8. Well, I've always loved dolls and knew that they were too fun to outgrow. XD' So I know that once I finish saving for my first doll I'm not going to quit anytime soon. I'm a little worried about the cost (*insert scolding myself for picking an expensive hobby here* ow my wallet hurts just thinking about it...I just HAD to pick an expensive doll from Volks instead of a cheap MSD from Ebay...), and also worried about messing my doll up once I get her. Like, I know they're made of tougher stuff than we seem to give them credit for, but I'm still super paranoid of getting her dirty or staining her or something. Or worse, dropping her. O.O

      I'm also a little worried about her, well, being too big. I'm pretty used to Barbie/Monster High-sized dolls, and I'm just a little worried about, I dunno, her being somewhat big for me to handle. I dunno, I'm probably just being irrational about it. XD Don't mind me, just bein' a newbie~

      And also, well, y'know, a little worried about not liking the doll as much as I think I will and such. Like, I've been planning on it for ages and every time I look at pictures of the doll online I'm reminded exactly why I want her and how beautiful she is, but I'm still sort of nervous since I'll be spending all that money on something, and, well, I want to be sure I'll like her.

      But then I just have to remind myself that I've been planning for months on saving up for this one and I spent awhile looking at other dolls, too, before I picked her out, and also that there are very few people who actually do majorly regret getting their first BJD. :)
       
    9. I'm scared at first because I value the money I earned hard. But finally after getting my doll, it was one of the happiest days in my life \(*-*)/ now I am up to saving again for his companion.
       
    10. I wouldn't say afraid, but I got very apprehensive after the order was put through and the money gone. It was just so much money all in one go that I honestly felt a little shell shocked after. I think I would have been afraid if I hadn't spent so much time researching. Reading up the company discussion thread here on DoA, hunting down measurements and companies for clothes and wigs, reading opinions on SD vs MSD size, all precisely so I knew what I was getting into. I wasn't worried about not falling in love with him, because that lightning strike of "this is the one" happened pretty much instantly and I was thinking about him all the time, but I was apprehensive over what if he's too big, did I make the wrong choice with his body type, what if he gets here and it's not as magical as I think it should be? And the dreaded, what if I regret buying him?

      But you know what, the one thing I couldn't have prepared for was how much I love having him around. He's my boy. He brings me so much comfort and happiness just having him nearby. I actually miss having him around when I'm away. I can speak with the benefit of hindsight that I shouldn't have been apprehensive. He was worth every single penny.
       
    11. I could say that I was a little bit afraid,but not because the dolls are quite expensive,my biggest scare are the customs fees :...(
       
    12. I never planned to start collecting BJDs mainly because of the price tag. I was extremely excited but at the same time afraid because they were so expensive. I'm also frightened about not bonding with my doll when she arrives after waiting for so long and falling in love with other sculpts.
       
    13. I wasn't scared so much as I was turned off by the price tags on most of these things.
      Now my biggest concern is trying not to buy too many.:lol:
       
    14. I wouldn't say frightened, like everyone else here money was the issue but after researching and saving up my money it was definitely worth it. I am protective of my dolls though and only let those i am closest too see them, i always feel awkward and upset if any type of shade is thrown at my dolls.
       
    15. I was a bit frightened to jump in, yes, because BJDs were a complete unknown to me and I didn't know any other people in the hobby. It's daunting to invest that much money in something when you know nothing about it and you can't even see it in person before you buy. So I couldn't bring myself to purchase anything directly from one of the Asian doll companies.

      Then I found that good old enabler, Etsy! Finding a Batchix Lagoon listed there somehow made the doll seem like less of a risk, even though she was no cheaper than some of the other dolls I might have ordered from companies in Asia.

      So purchasing a doll through a trusted channel like Etsy was a plus, and it was also comforting to know that by buying from a dollmaker in the U.S., I was eliminating the long production time and international shipping wait times. So I guess Lagoon was my gateway doll. :XD:
       
    16. I was pretty scared. Spending a lot of money on something for myself was daunting, and I felt a bit guilty. I also kept the hobby a secret from family and friends, because I wanted to avoid any negative comments.
      However, I now realize that it's my money, my hobby, and it makes me happy. :) Also, the few people I've told about my hobby have responded really positively, even thinking it's really cool!
      I'm already saving for my next doll, so things must be going pretty well. ;)
       
    17. I was afraid I wouldn't love the doll I bought after spending that amount of money, or if I couldn't protect it or repair it if broken. I was terrified I couldn't make her look the way I wanted because I didn't know how to sew or where to buy appropriate clothes. I was afraid too of what my parents and my friends were going to say if I started playing with such dolls.
      I was afraid of a lot of things when I started, but soon or later you start leaving all those fears behind. Now I own three dolls and I am very happy with them and the way everything turned out ^w^
       
    18. Sort of... I was quite anxious about buying such an expensive object, about whether I'd like the doll (I was actually afraid I'd be afraid of her), and about damaging the doll.

      Little did I know I'd fall head over heels for that first doll, acquire more, and try my hand at modding.
       
    19. Not really. I think I was most afraid that my first doll would get lost or damaged in mail, since it was a lost of money I spend. When I finally got my doll I was scared to do anything with it - open his head, change clothes.... Now I change dools clothes almost every other day and love customizing them.
       
    20. I was, due to how expensive everything was. But that was all sorted out when I got a job and I made enough money for my first doll. It then just spiraled out of control from there!!!