You've got ALL the dolls you want-- What Next???

You spoil them all rotten by buying them pretty clothes and accessories, of course. At least, that's what I'd do. My dollies will have no idea just how spoiled rotten they really are. And I like spoiling my friends dolls too, so, yeah, I'll never have money again.

But, I don't see my wishlist shrinking any time soon. My brain is ALWAYS cranking out a new character that somehow manages to fit into the dolly story line. I'm not going to have any shelf space at this rate(and somehow I'm just fine with that).

 

Hmmm...I think after I got all the dolls I want, I will still keep this hobby, and finding the new dolls which I may like.. and will buy more and more stuffs for my dolls..

 

I'm getting there. At least I only have room for a couple more SD sized dolls then I'm done. As for YoSD or anthros who knows. For me it is a matter of space and a matter of wearing myself too thin. I don't want to own too many dolls because then I don't feel like I am really enjoying the ones I have.
But I think after I am done buying dolls (eventually) I will do what I have been doing in between buying more: Sew new clothes for them, redo their makeup until they look perfect, make new areas for them to "live in", and take artsy pictures of them. I can always buy new doll stuff too, I think I will just spoil my dolls. Personally I don't think I will ever run out of ways to enjoy this hobby, even when I'm old and grey I will enjoy just having them around.

 

Before collecting dolls - I collected anime cels - an equally - if not more addictive pass-time~ after a few years the supply of hand-painted animation cels literally ran out. As I can not see that happening with the supply of BJDs (and their creators) - [which only seem to be getting more and more creative]... I suspect there is no way to have all the dolls you have or will ever want - but I can imagine being satisfied with the collection I had/have amassed ~ I would then begin to really focus on sewing and creating for them.. and probably then get into collecting small printed fabrics and 'to-scale' furniture.

...cels took up less space ;D

 

Exactly 4 years ago I recieved my first doll. And now I have 28 dolls at home, 2 incoming, and another 6 dolls on my wishlist to buy within the next 6 months.

I think that if I have all the dolls I want, I'll just end up buying more.
I am a kind of bjd person who really loves to collect different dolls. That's the part I enjoy most. (together with photoshoots) I am not that kind of person who has a story in mind with a certain set of characters to work out in dollform.
And I don't really like to buy/make different outfits for the same doll. I always have this iead in mind and when they have the right outfit, for me they feel finished. And once I give them a second outfit, it doesn't feel right anymore. :p

And in the ball jointed doll hobby, companies continue to release new dolls, so there will always be a new doll which I want to own.

But now that I have an incoming DC Alberta and a DZ Anson, I think my collection might take a different route and add more 'odd' dolls.

And I am just a collector person in general which can't stop collecting. Since I was a child I collected plushie animal toys and now I have over 200 of them and I still buy more.

 

It seems like whenever I'm at a place where I'm content with my collection, given enough time I'll eventually want to buy someone else or sell someone off. So getting the perfect group may well be an impossible goal. My plans change too much and that's probably why I'm still in the hobby after so long.

During those times when I'm not concerning myself with buying and selling I stay active in the hobby by buying my dolls clothes, going to meetups and following news on here.

If nothing interesting seems to be going on I focus more on my other hobbies.

 

You've been in the hobby for a while
ive been collecting for approx 4 to 5 years now so yeah its been awhile

You've got all your characters shelled
i would say ive pretty much got all of my characters sorted out

You've got your Grail Dolls and Wish List filled
lucky enough my wish list is pretty much full filled, some i decided aganist i choose other sculpts in their place

You've got a bunch of the perfect dolls just the way you wanted and planned... (is this an impossible goal? Has anyone ever had this happen?)
lol alot of mine are as i planned but not all of them as i found that some dolls didnt suit my plans they really had their personality which i went with instead
i didnt have a plan for every doll ive bought just some of them

What's next???
um for me most likely just enjoy them!

Do you swap them all out for something else?
i have swapped some but they were swapped with family members who also collect

Do you go on to another hobby?
um maybe but ive always had other hobbies too!

Do you just keep buying dolls?
yes and no, i wont buy for the sake of buying i will only buy if i fall in love with a sculpt. i think over time ive become more picky and look for certain things that i didnt when i first started to collect

Do you start focusing on other things for you dolls, like making rooms for them or making more elaborate photo stories or ???
ive always focused on these things so that hasnt changed

Do you start up a company of your own to make dolls or parts for dolls or clothes, wigs, etc.? (I mean, not as a means for buying more dolls, which a lot of people do... but as a new focus after you get most of the dolls you want and need something else to do.)
um maybe

Do you see things changing--and how? What would you like to see happen--With yourself, or with the hobby? Do you hope doll companies will come up with new things that will change bjds as we know it? Do you think you'll go on to come up with something new and innovative for bjds? Or do you just go on playing with your dolls and wait and see?
i would love to see more new things so i look forward to all the new sculpts and ideas im alot more selective with my choices so new is good!

 

I think this is one of the most thought-provoking questions on the forum. I only ever wanted ONE doll. I didn't even think I'd be lucky enough to get that! I though, "If I can just scrape together enough cash to get my dream doll (pukifee Ante) I'll be happy!" I even worried having more than one doll would cause me to enjoy the hobby less, or pick one doll over the other or something.

Well, I got a better paying job and my doll plans suddenly seemed more viable. I had a sudden change of heart as I went to purchase my first doll and opted for littlefee Ante, rather than a pukifee. I think it's for this reason that I wound up buying a pukifee Bonnie off of the marketplace six months later, then a minifee Chloe came along soon after and was sort of an impulse buy. Now, my pukifee is by far my favorite girl, my littlefee gets next to no attention, and I have not played with or even named my Chloe and am trying to rehome her. My doll plans now consist of sewing for my pukifee and perfecting her image. Hopefully for my birthday I'll be getting the pukifee Ante I wanted in the first place, and perhaps then I'd be okay with rehoming my poor neglected littlefee... Then I'd have just the two dolls, and I think I would be absolutely thrilled to sew for them, make a cute little room to photograph them in, etc.

But maybe I'd still not be happy. Honestly, there are days when I think it is in the nature of this hobby to strive for perfection yet remain unsatisfied. Who knows? I also think the more active you remain in the community (having friends or family members who collect dolls, going to meets, posting box openings and photostories and browsing the marketplace and company websites) the less likely it is you'd ever be okay to stop buying, trading, reselling and improving your collection lest those activities and social connections stagnate, too. Someone mentioned that it was also dependent on your view of the hobby on a very basic level-- are you in it to collect as many dolls as you like, or are you in it to supplement other hobbies and utilize your creative talents? It is your highest priority to "complete" your doll plans, or do you value more the constant change and movement that comes as your dolls evolve with you? I think the answers to those questions are important to discover, but I also believe that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to participate in the hobby.

 

You've been in the hobby for a while...
8 years now - time just flies when you're having fun!

You've got all your characters shelled...
Yup.

You've got your Grail Dolls and Wish List filled...
Yup.

You've got a bunch of the perfect dolls just the way you wanted and planned... (is this an impossible goal? Has anyone ever had this happen?)
I think it has happened to me!

Do you swap them all out for something else?
Nooooo! I've already swapped some out and sold some others, and I think I love the remaining dolls too much to let them go.

Do you go on to another hobby?
Yes and no. I have recently started another time-consuming hobby, but I won't leave the BJD community - though I might spend a little less time here than I used to. Maybe.

Do you just keep buying dolls?
No. I've decided that enough is enough!

Do you start focusing on other things for you dolls, like making rooms for them or making more elaborate photo stories or ???
That's what I'm planning to do: lots of sewing and taking pictures.

Do you start up a company of your own to make dolls or parts for dolls or clothes, wigs, etc.? (I mean, not as a means for buying more dolls, which a lot of people do... but as a new focus after you get most of the dolls you want and need something else to do.)
I already have a store for BJD stuff - if anything, I think that now that I've reached another phase in my collecting, I might eventually close the store, because that is REALLY time-consuming.

Do you see things changing--and how?
I've already discovered that when I ignore the Marketplace, I am much more relaxed browsing DOA. When I see a sculpt I really like, I no longer have to fret about whether or not I'll be able to afford it etc.

What would you like to see happen--With yourself, or with the hobby?
Uff, I don't know! I would like the hobby to keep changing and evolving.

Do you hope doll companies will come up with new things that will change bjds as we know it?
Well, yes. Even if I'm not buying dolls anymore, watching new developments is always fun.

Do you think you'll go on to come up with something new and innovative for bjds? Or do you just go on playing with your dolls and wait and see?
The latter.

 

What I like about dolls in general is the creative aspect. Customizing, costuming, making things to scale for them, drawing them, photographing them, etc. Collecting/acquiring is definitely NOT my favorite part. I prefer to own small, very curated collections, and I have a pretty small group of characters that I really want BJDs for. Once that group is populated, that's it. Thinking about getting my group finished and planning for the purchases is more of a distraction/interruption to doll play and doll projects for me than it is fun. So even though I've just started with BJDs, I'm very much looking forward to getting the doll-buying phase OVER with. I see the doll collecting process as less of the main event and more of a necessary precursor to the actual hobby. (I do, however, have a fascination with collecting doll shoes. I adore miniature shoes. I prefer to make my own doll clothing, but I actually enjoy buying doll shoes.) And I'm sure I'll continue playing with my dolls indefinitely--- after all, BJDs are just the latest evolution of a lifelong interest in dolls for me, and I tend to stick with my major interests more or less permanently.

 

Do you swap them all out for something else?
I couldn't do that because I'm too emotionally attached to them.
Do you just keep buying dolls?
Nope. I just can't do it anymore. One more doll and I'm done because I don't think I could manage a huge collection. I had to do a lot of maintenance and repairs lately and it was a lot of work. More dolls=more restringing and fixing.

Do you start focusing on other things for you dolls, like making rooms for them or making more elaborate photo stories or ??? That's what I want to do. I need to start taking pictures and I also wanted to paint portraits of my dolls.Do you start up a company of your own to make dolls or parts for dolls or clothes, wigs, etc.? (I mean, not as a means for buying more dolls, which a lot of people do... but as a new focus after you get most of the dolls you want and need something else to do.)
I would like to get really good at sewing so I could sell some clothes,and maybe start making wigs. I don't think I'll try making dolls though. I just don't think I would be good at that. But I think I would really enjoy making wigs to sell,especially for tinies. It's hard to find elaborate wigs for tinies,so maybe I could fill that niche in the market.
Do you see things changing--and how?
My financial situation might change,if I stop buying dolls and start selling clothes lol.
What would you like to see happen--With yourself, or with the hobby?
For myself,I would just like to make some friends in the hobby. At the moment I don't have any BJD friends.

Do you hope doll companies will come up with new things that will change bjds as we know it?
Definitely. Even if I never buy any more dolls,I would still like to see what the companies will come up with next.

Do you think you'll go on to come up with something new and innovative for bjds? Or do you just go on playing with your dolls and wait and see?
I'll just keep playing with my dolls and making things for them,and who knows what might come out of that. Like I said,I would like to create elaborate wigs for tinies and mature clothing for minis. I guess that's a fantasy of mine.

 

I haven't completed my collection yet, but I'm close. It's true that there's definitely a certain thrill to ordering a new doll and opening it up. It's fun and and new and exciting! But it's definitely not my favorite part. I'm similar to thedarkeststar13; I'm more focused on all the rest that comes after it, and I'm eager to have my collection finished as soon as I can. I look forward to that 'finished' satisfaction, at least for the dolls themselves. I see them as a bit of a family, since they're meant to be together as friends and couples and such, so I really want the family to just be together already, haha.

Focusing on dolls, collecting the actual BJDs is actually kind of stressful! They're by far the most expensive single big-ticket items I have to buy, I have a specific plan of what dolls I need (at least one of which will be a limited edition when it's released in the skin tone I want), and each one is absolutely necessary for my collection to be complete, so I have to fret and worry over when and how I'll manage to obtain each of them.

But after that, I can relax and just think about the fun parts! So long as they have one nice full outfit, I'm satisfied, and yet I can always windowshop and pick up a few new clothes, wigs, or shoes if I see something I like for them. I don't have a set limit on their wardrobes, just color themes, so I look forward to slowly growing them out and having a whole doll closet of cute and stylish outfits! My other doll dream, one that comes in the far future after I've got all my dolls and lots of nice things for them, is high-quality furniture! A lovely couch, chairs and table, maybe a desk, and shelves and lots of little props too! I also do their faceups, though I'm still not very good, so I can always keep practicing that, giving them new 'makeup' styles or even tattoos. I also want to learn to sew and create my own fashions, though that's slow goings so far, haha. I also recently got a great new camera, and photography is another skill I'd love to improve. But even if my doll interest sometimes wanes every now and then, they'll always be there for when one of my related hobbies flares up.

To list them, there's a lot of things I hope to do with my dolls:
a. Buy them more shoes, clothes, wigs, and accessories.
b. Fashion design, jewelry-making, and sewing.
c. Photography.
d. Faceups and tattoos.
e. Buy/make furniture & props.

On top of all that, even when I'm not doing anything with my dolls, I also love them when they're fulfilling their most basic and obvious role--acting as decoration to brighten up a room. There's one doll I own in particular that doesn't really fit into my plans anywhere, since she was a gift, and so far I've found that she now works wonderfully standing as a traditionally-dressed Korean doll in the living room end table. I don't really want to do a lot with her once I've 'finished' her like the rest, such as buying lots of new clothes or such, so I really like that in this way, I don't have to really do anything with her but I can still enjoy her a lot in her own way =) . Who knows, I may even end up taking her down sometimes for a photoshoot or the occasional new faceup anyway, haha. Maybe make a future attempt at a handmade hanbok too, ahah. Dolls are great like that; you can get bored if you feel like it, and come back to them whenever and they're always patiently ready for you.

ali

 

"You've got ALL the dolls you want"

... impossible! xD I doubt that such a time would ever come as long as there are doll companies that make new dolls now and then. Of course, I'm not sure about how far my pukipuki pukisha -collection will expand (so far I have 3, and plans for another.. *counts*.. 18 xD)

 

I can't imagine ever being to this point. There will always be a new doll, a new wig, a new outfit, shoes, accessories. I'm also not the type that has a pre-selected character in mind when I get a doll. I think that gives me pretty much infinite possibilities.

 

I can sort of answer this question. Right now, as I'm waiting to finish getting doll #3, I realize that I can't afford to buy anymore for the next few years. So, for doll number three, I got one that I can mod a little and constantly change the appearance of. My first two are set characters that I love, but can't change. To keep up interest, I'm going to change the dolls I have. I also plan to get more clothes, try new photography techniques with props, and going to meets to see other dolls and talk to other BJD lovers and see their dolls. I may not be able to buy new dolls, but I can still love the ones I have!

 

I've got all the dolls I wanted, and then a few more, and a few more I didn't know I wanted at first. I just realized today I swore I was stopping at 7 and now have 9. And I'm still pursuing the ultimate anthro cat doll. If you keep looking at the new releases sooner or later something's going to make you think oh I have to have it, I just have to! I think a lot of how you get the collection you're 'satisfied' with is to plan and chose sculpts that can be versatile if you want to wipe them.

 

XD Oooh that is a tough question. I guess I'd just keep looking...Maybe start doing face up commissions, or start collecting LE's...Or buy random dolls that pique my interest or make character dolls...I dunno actually. Maybe make 3D print Digimon and Pokemon BJD's? I dunno really...Dolls are now a big part of my life. I can't imagine it without 'em. (Does that sound weird?)

Maybe I'd cut back on the dolls for a time and just enjoy them, do more meets, arrange swaps, buy clothing, accessories, sew more, paint ect.

 

Every time I think I'm done, I realize I'm actually not. I thought I was done after I reshelled Billie...then I realized Mige's head just wasn't right and I had to fix that. Thought I was done. Then my favorite company came up with a new sculpt I love. Got im, done. Then Parker needed a friend, since he's my only preteen in a sea of adults. Done. Then I realized having Maddy and Hansel stay MSD while everybody else was SD really really bothered me, so...upgrade! I'm still in the process of upgrading Hansel. Otherwise, I THINK I'm done. Except for future kids....my RP characters age as humans, so as they grow and mature, a few will probably want kids. Unless my RP partner claims all the babies (which I don't see happening), I'll have to buy child dolls, then upgrade them as they grow up. But IF I finally get to a point where there are NO more kids to shell/upgrade, then I think I'll just focus on buying clothing, accessories, props, rooms etc for my crew.

 

I'm almost done with my wishlist. (lol. i always say that. ) I do wonder what I'll do after I have all the dolls I want... probably be overloaded with clothing. Maybe expand my photography interest with them, get some more lighting and whatnot.

 

I have a plan. I'm not getting these dolls just to look at them - I am getting them (only have at most 16 more to get including tiny tinies) in order to do photo stories (for a short answer).
I'm a writer who's retiring very soon from that job that pays the rent. I have a blog (that I haven't done much of anything with yet) - stories that haven't been published (one was on a now-extinct ezine) - 2 novels. I basically intend to do photo stories using the back story I'm writing about this little group of cosplayers (those characters are all being shelled by my dolls) - they start out w/the cosplay group but then go on to form a community theatre (plays - my stories - ain't I clever)
So that means I've got tons of costumes to make as well as photos & writing to do. Ergo - this is how I will spend MY retirement