When you realize it’s over...

Hi there ! To try and answer a few questions, yes I have lost the bond to certain dolls or characters. If you had a bad experience with one of your characters, sometimes changing the sculpt slightly can help or re-creating a better storyline to help
Them be happier ! Totally abandoning the whole hobby, no. I have owned dolls for about... Ten years now and have always had at least one. Taking a break from social media, yes. I
Mainly role play with just my sister now, we both have ongoing stories that fulfill us. I have also traded or sold a few in the past. Hope you end up with a good solution, whether you decide to sell or take a break. Or keep a few for your own use, photography, story lines, sewing or art. You have to find what makes you happy too. Best of luck.

 

I've considered giving up BJD several times, for various reasons, including losing hobby companions.
None of my original core group of local doll friends is around anymore.
Somehow, I've never been able to fully give up bjd and, even if my dolls have sat in boxes for months untouched or I've sold most off them off, I always seem to come back again.
I think it's natural to have highs and lows with this sort of thing.
The decision to leave a hobby or community is very personal but don't forget that you can always make more friends.

 

I knew one storyline was over when I left the girl I made it with. I didn’t want it to be initially, because I put 5 years of my life into it, and was attached to some of the characters, but it was just a matter of some of the world building being so deeply flawed/plot holes/how does who have what power and I don’t like it? I realized how many concessions I made in those stories, and how much they weren’t actually mine.

One day, I’ll reboot it, but I’m just taking a good long break from it until I’m ready, and keeping 2 dolls from my part of that story. So I guess I felt the end of a whole cast of my characters, and I shifted some dolls into new roles and am selling others. Some that I were really excited for just didn’t feel the same, because that story is closing. It’s a little bittersweet. It means I can focus on the dolls and characters that mean something to me, I suppose. Mostly, I just felt like the story they lived in wasn’t my story or my world anymore. But selling them is bringing home dolls I never thought I could have, so I can’t say it’s too bad!

 

Personally I have lost and regained the spark several times in the last decade...and I'm glad that I held onto my dolls during the less enthusiastic periods. I think that if you know for a fact you can sell them without regret, then it's truly over - but if you have even a small doubt, then it may not be quite time. You never know what's waiting just around the bend!

 

Hello there!

I myself just came back, well, moments ago. My two larger dolls have been bundled up and packed away with care, and my poor little Soom girl had been sitting on a dresser, beautiful as ever but untouched for quite a long time. The last time I was here was about 9 years ago, and never thought one way or another about coming back. I did have many good times here, and met some great and talented people, but life happens.

I was inspired to return, however, after seeing a photo set of a BJD adapted to "The Arcana: Mystic Romance," visual novel. I would like to change the character of my DZ boy into one of the main characters there - and came here for assistance in doing so. Going through all my old things kinda rekindled my appreciation for the hobby and my collection. We shall see where it goes.

I hope you find your spark again. Change has been inspiring so far for me, and I am eager to recreate personas as much as interest in the hobby again.

Keep us updated!

 

Well, ive been back for about a year, but I left the hobby for six years! I did more-or less start fresh with all new dolls, but my chacarters are my own, so I stuck with them. I changed headmolds and sizes (sold all of my 1/3rds and got 1/4ths) but I'm happy to be back. I dont have any doll friends hardly anymore for the same reasons you dont, but I still see some of the long-timers on DOA and instagram and that gives me joy. I love seeing SN's I regonise on the forum and following them to instagram. Ive seen there has been lots of us that have left and then come back, so if you dont feel fully ready to sell, then dont! Otherwise, of course im sure there will be happy new familys for your dolls to go to if you do decide to sell.

Good luck!

 

That helped me a lot. The other thing I did was I took the parts I loved and said that I’d use them elsewhere. You don’t have to lose the parts that mattered to you in the end, you can always reimagine them!

 

Why does it have to be over? The people you bonded with through dolls have changed but has your love of dolls? I'm not far enough along in the hobby to relate to this yet. </3

 

I haven't been in the hobby for very long. Already I have put my boys away for a break but when I take them back out I like them more I guess there is a season for everything! How do you feel about being through with the hobby?

 

Sounds like the idea of starting a social circle is a cause of anxiety? I like meeting others who like dolls but sometimes the others remind me why I like dolls so much I also have made my dolls a solitary hobby where I put them someplace i can see them just because I like them there. If you like your girl maybe put her where you can admire her?

 

I haven’t left the hobby, but over my 11 years in it, I’ve definitely ended stories and sold dolls. Like you, once a friendship ends, it usually kills the story and characters for me. It’s so difficult or even impossible to continue a story without their half. I’ve sold off my crew and started over several times. While I might have lost old friends and RP partners, and lost interest in certain dolls, my love for the hobby never died. I just needed changes. I don’t like to think of my crew as permanent forever. My collection is fluid, it changes as my needs, interests, stories and friends change. Sometimes it’s hard to let go, but if you hang on to the past, you may miss out on some pretty great things and people in the present and future.

Ending one stage of your hobby doesn’t mean the whole thing has to be over, but if it truly is, that’s okay too. Not everyone keeps the same hobbies for life. You have no obligation to continue something that isn’t making you happy, but only you can make the decision about what you need to do.

 

Great points! Do people have stories including other peoples dolls? I'm fairly new to the hobby and have only been able to get to two doll meets so far.

 

Some do, but not everyone does. Some people are friends who write stories together or roleplay their dolls together. It's usually done online, but can be done in person as well. Since the end of a friendship can destroy the doll's world and story, I really only do in depth RP with doll relationships or family with my sister, since I know we want the same things and aren't going to ditch each other. But I do occasionally do less serious RP with friends--things that won't destroy my character if it doesn't last.

 

Whoah... I had no idea this was a thing! How do I get started with this? any suggestions? Thank you so much