What is the worst part about being a BJD collector/owner?

There are a couple things that I find frustrating with this hobby. I hate how long it takes things to get here and the cost. But, by far, the worst thing is that it can be very, very hard to find people in your area that also participate in the hobby. I've been having a lot of issues finding doll people in my area. Sure, I have friends with dolls, but for those people, they aren't so much a hobby as they are pretty things to look at. :C It's gotten to the point that I have trouble taking out my dolls- I just don't know quite what to do with them at the moment, and could really benefit with meet-ups in my area.

 

Limiteds!!!! Just when you think you have everything planned out, NO WAIT...! Here is this shiny limited that you MUST HAVE! All your plans... ruined!

The limiteds are stopping me from catching up on my accounts too. Where I would have waited to order a basic, I have to order a limited NOW. Financial plans... ruined!

 

The worst part for me right now is just the attitudes of some of the people in this hobby, snobbishness, entitled, spoiled and rude behaviour and all the hypocrisy really are putting me off right now.
The other thing is distance, it costs so much for me to have anything shipped to my end of the planet, so when I save up to buy anything I have to factor in a huge shipping cost as well.
Also customs, they are really trigger happy at customs over here if they catch you, you must pay a sizeable ransom to get the doll.
And lastly for me is space, I love the big boys but they need so much room, I have a room in my little house just for my dolls and craft stuff, but they always seem to need more room, perhaps this is one of the reasons I've become addicted to chiclines, beautiful sculpts in a much more manageable package, plus no dead arm from lugging around a huge chink of resin for photoshoots.

 

Ditto for the most part. Add to that faceups. It's hard to find a good faceup artist to trust with my dolls, and know that you will get your doll back. I am my own worst critic when it comes to my own novice attempts so I rather have someone else do it. That however does fall into the category of cost and wait for me. All the rest is pretty much an echo.. LEs, completeness...etc Oh and space. I have a large group of families and I love making scenes but I never have enough space. Unfortunately my idea o space requires I somehow get myself a huge house and build them their own house somewhere inside or outside mine lol... c'mon Publishers Clearing House rofl.

 

I agree with a lot of people that one of the worst parts is that you always want another one! The cost is another bad thing about this hobby, however I don't think I'd be as bothered by it if I didn't always want another doll or more things for the ones I have >.<

 

Number 1 problem is money issues. Dolls are ridiculously expensive and I am not made of gold. I am new to the hobby but have already spent an arm and a leg buying 3 dolls from Volks. I keep saying 1 doll is enough but recently bought both Lieselotte and Charlotte. There goes my wallet for anything else! Also, I get a lot of my friends saying I am crazy for buying a doll that cost over $1000 and I do literally nothing to them (which is quite true, my doll is still in her box sadly). My boyfriend keeps telling me that I could've traveled with that money or use that money for a new car. Another problem is my lack of knowledge of bjd. I am so scared that I will break my doll somehow while handling it carefully. I do not know the rate it will yellow so it's always in the box. I am also scared that my natural oil will destroy the doll or the joints might break if I try to move them around. Another thing is lack of time. I never played with my doll before, didn't even put their clothes on, just still in their original wrapping how they came.

 

the judgement and criticism i receive day in and day out from my family about spending my own money on something that I love so much
sigh~

 

I hate not being able to find dolls I love.

Like, I'll find a ton of dolls that are beautiful, but I just look at them and say "no, you're not the right one either" because something is always missing... And I don't know what it is exactly.

 

My collection grew too fast, so I have a long queue of things I need to do and buy, but I'm lazy, and would prefer to do other things or spend on something else. Also clothing, as I really love all the nice expensive outfits, and wish I would get around to learning how to sew.

 

For me it's my parents. I still live at home, and that limits what I can get for my dolls, and even getting them period. I got my first doll second hand last May (after ordering what was SUPPOSED to be my first the month before), and he had to go pretty much clothesless until July or August when I got a full time job and could buy him clothes. My mom hit the roof when a package from I believe China. She was even more angry when they outfit didn't fit him right, too. My dolls are almost completely locked in my room 'cause my mom doesn't want to see them. It's pretty tough, actually...

 

Delivery times are the worst even just for clothes takes so long.
and fear of damage is possibly the other worst thing.

 

THE WAITING!!!! I periodically flip out and say that I'm gonna leave the hobby because I can't take the waiting anymore. But of course I don't. But it really is the WORST!!!!!!!!

 

The venn diagram of "people interested in or generally ok with dolls" and "people I am honestly comfortable around, and have anything substantial in common with as a potential basis for friendship" seems to be two entirely separate circles with no overlap.

 

Mine is so odd-- the language barrier. I wish that I had taken more languages when I was in school! I love reading the Russian blogs (in translation) and I would like to be able to read and write Korean to ask questions about the history of the dolls and the life of the sculptors and creators. I'm old enough now that learning new things is a slow process. But overall the doll hobby is wonderful, even lacking time, money and space.

 

I think the worst thing about being a BJD owner is definitely the cost. The second worst thing is how the rest of the world perceives the hobby, feeling like you have to keep what you do and love a secret for fear of being criticized. I've gotten over this aspect of it, but it wasn't easy.

 

For me, the cost is the worst part. Sometimes I spend too much money on this hobby than for me.
That makes me sad but I can't stop buying BJDs and their clothes, eyes, etc..

 

As of now, the worst part is cost. As a college student, I'm constantly worrying about loans, loans, and more loans, so the fact that I invested in a BJD (in my first year) has me both excited and annoyed at myself. Of course, this is only the start because I have a few dolls I absolutely love and wish to take home soon, but obviously can't. There's also limited or super expensive dolls. Beautiful, fantasy dolls that I see in Soom. That I will more than likely never have. Haha!

 

The high price and not being able to afford what I want to get. >.>
I think it's a common problem, but the doll companies make it so hard with all the amazing sculpts they put out. After taking a few years off, now that I've come back to the BJD world there are so many new dolls I just love.... and that I know I will never be able to get.

Limited releases bother me too. I love Volks's Dollfe Dreams and yet now (especially the older ones) are so expensive and hard to get.

 

Not having the space to display all the dolls in my collection at the same time/properly.

 

German customs! Seriously. They slap 19% import tax onto everything, and if it exceeds a certain value, customs fees on top of that. Europe is a cool place to live, but definitely not for ordering dolls ...