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

What is your best memory of being in the bjd hobby?

Nov 29, 2022

    1. i think that mine is when i first found out about bjd's and i sat around on youtube and the internet and tried to get as much information about them as i possibly could.

      i was sooo obsessed with bjd videos. i remember also loving choctopi_bjd(who i don't know if is still around), and being so interested in their stories and their cute lil ram sculpt they made!
       
      • x 6
    2. Oh man, my favorite memory is either my grandma surprise loaning me enough money to buy my first doll for Christmas, so I could go to a BJD con a few months later! So either that or the con in question. It was baby's first con and I never felt more comfortable than I did there that day.
       
      • x 4
    3. I think my best memory is my first faceup. I felt so proud and accomplished, even though it was really nothing but minimal pastels and a bit of pencil around the eyes. It's wild how something so simple wound up highlighting the features exactly as I wanted to. Genuinely think a failure would've discouraged me too much to continue, so I'm happy it worked out.
       
      • x 2
    4. I've had pretty much nothing but great experiences in the hobby (which I'm learning is maybe a bit rare, unfortunately.) But aside from getting my first doll, I always love going to the yearly meets & BJD cons where I can be surrounded by tons of dolls from different companies and artists. I can see dolls in person that I had only ever previously seen online, and everyone is always so friendly and interesting. Maybe even more than that is the local BJD meets- where the regulars meet up and hang out in a relaxing environment. I value my local community so much and it's the best part about the hobby for me.
       
      • x 2
    5. Holding the first BJD I sculpted after a friend 3D printed her for me. It was surreal.
       
      • x 4
    6. Oh, there have been SO many! It's hard to pick just one. But I think I'm going to go with the one time over a decade ago that my doll married my friend's doll and I had 6 doll RP friends from three different states come in to do a whole wedding party complete with photos, music, a cake and vows, and just have a week long slumber party! It was a big event for our doll characters, but even more so, it was an opportunity for some of us who had role played together for 2-3 years to all finally meet in person and hang out.

      My other favorite would be going with a friend to a BJD Con. That was my first road trip with a friend, and my first BJD con and it was awesome! Lots of time bonding, fun adventures and meeting lots of people in the hobby!
       
      • x 11
    7. I don't know which is my favorite, though picking up a doll and deciding whose going to sit with me at work (I work from home) is always a great feeling.

      I was super tense/stressed at the time but walking an hour to rescue my girl Morpho from the post office is also somehow a fond memory now.
       
      • x 1
    8. Receiving all my dolls were the best memories for sure, but probably receiving my first resin head sculpt and full resin doll are the ones I hold the dearest in my mind. My first BJD was a hybrid (Volks DDI x CP VDES head back in 2003-2005-for-the-resin-head), at the time seen as an "inexpensive" choice. So, I felt like my first full resin doll (SoulDoll Paris, back in winter 2006), was a real eye opener (in terms of size and weight). The first doll of mine of this kind was light, and easy to manage, like the rest of the (fashion) dolls I was used to, only way taller. However, the full resin doll I got a few years afterward, was so heavy (for me) I felt like I was carrying a ton of bricks after a while (and I wasn't doing all that much carrying to be honest, I'm just scrawny, short and weak!). He's still super precious to me even now, and I definitely still remember how it felt when I first receiving his larger-than-life box and saw his beautiful face for the first time. I feel like I can recall how it felt when receiving all, but my first full resin is the one that feels the most nostalgic for me (old-fart-feelings!). (:
       
      • x 2
    9. When I told my friend I ordered her the doll she had been wanting for a while but wouldn't let herself buy. She was speechless before giving me a huge hug. :hug:
       
      • x 5
    10. Definitely that moment where they first arrive and I stand them out of their box, falling in love in real life rather than through pictures! Secondarily: when the wig, eyes, and clothes are finally perfect, and my doll is display-ready as their intended character. The satisfaction is unrivaled. <3
       
      • x 2
    11. My best BJD-related memory isn't altogether a happy one, but it led to some very important personal growth.
      A couple of years ago, some partially suppressed memories of past childhood abuse came up, making me severely depressed and suicidal. However, when I started thinking about timing etc, my less-then-logical brain glommed onto the fact that, if I died, there would be nobody to deal with the incoming doll shipments, so I decided to wait until then.
      By the time the shipment came, the immediate crisis had passed. This whole experience taught me to be more patient with myself and if those feelings ever arise again, to distract myself and sleep on it. So, while this wasn't AT ALL a happy memory, it made me appreciate my dolls and the doll hobby a LOT. I know that I'm projecting my own feelings onto them, but my dolls really feel more like friends than objects now.
       
      • x 11
    12. I forgot to share, Choctopi is still active! Life is very busy for them at the moment, but they’re doing well and do plan on being more active once time and space permits. :)
       
      • x 1
    13. For me I think it would have to be doing my first faceup ever. It was a fun experience and I was so proud of myself even if wasn’t the most amazing faceup. But I feel it lead me to be even more creative and exploring other aspects of this hobby. Like sewing, making wigs and eyes
       
      • x 1
    14. i'm so glad! i really loved their channel and their art!
       
      • x 2
    15. Mine is probably opening a birthday present from my doll friend. Money was tight back then so I couldn't afford much. She totally spoiled me. Gave me a very expensive and absolutely breathtaking outfit for my only doll at the doll at the time along with a whole doll that was on my wish list.That was four or five years ago and I still don't have anything even close to as incredible as the dress and the doll is still one of my favorites. I was in tears from it, and now that money has gotten better I can finally start paying her back for it. It was an incredible experience and one I really needed at the time.
       
      • x 4
    16. My best memories are creating stories for my OC's. All of my dolls are original characters. Dolls are a great form of self-expression also.
       
      • x 2
    17. Without a doubt, it was discovering the Dollzone Anson (see avatar.) Dollzone put up the notice of her impending release here in the News section, and my jaw just dropped!:o I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was completely mesmerized by her and instantly fell in love. I remember literally stalking the website of my doll dealer waiting for them to activate her “buy” button…and once they did, I pushed it so fast I swear smoke was rising from my keyboard!;) From that moment on it was all about ideas and research and artistic plans for her…months and months of so much fun and daydreams! What a tremendous acquisition she was…especially since the company suddenly cancelled her after only 3 months owing to shipping difficulties with those delicate petals. I was very fortunate to have gotten her, and I completely adore her to this day!:)
       
      • x 5
    18. Wow, I have a bunch, from the arrival of the dolls themselves to seeing them completed, but if I had to pick just one...
      I recently did what I didn't think myself capable of doing, and that was changing my main couple characters to new ones. I was holding on so hard to their old personalities out of nostalgia of my younger self who had first envisioned them but they didn't click with me anymore. The moment I got them together again after the change, I felt as if I had met them again for the first time and I was incredibly happy.
       
      • x 2
    19. The meetups I went to are definitely my happiest memories. I had so much fun with my local doll girls! I wish we could all meet up again like the old days.
       
      • x 2
    20. Doll meets back pre-covid. My favorite was a christmas meet where we were all sitting in someone's livingroom singing Mulan's I'll Make A Man Out Of You :XD:
       
      • x 1