Dollieh Sanctuary

Hey guys, (and gals!)

I'm finding it extremely difficult to get motivated enough to take photos of my dolls. I used to make photostories all the time and I would like to do so again, but man, zero motivation. I absolutely love the crew I have right now and I want to take photos... but I don't want to take them in my house because of the lighting and the clutter and the overall bad setting for photos. So that leaves the outdoors.

I keep thinking that I'll do it when the weather is a little warmer, but I didn't last year. I'm going to blame it on my social anxiety, but I'm not sure that's even really the true reason that I don't want to go out. I'm not sure why, it's not like I ever really see anyone when I'm taking photos. And my mom and little brother often go with me so I'm not even alone when I do it.

Anyone else feel this way? How the heck do I get out of this no-photos slump?!

Oooh, I get the same way, and it's tough!

What makes me get up and go through the effort of collecting up the dolls, accessories, gear, etc and photographing them, is :

1)I want to 'complete' my photo collection set. I.E. Got a new Scuttle figure in 1/6 scale---ugh....now I need to dig up the Little Mermaid dolls AGAIN and set them up and take photos....ugh...But, because I NEED to have my sets 'complete' and matching. All the others are done and just this ONE MORE, so I just do it and tell myself 'You only need to do this ONCE. Just get up and do it and it'll be done!'

2)I just focus on one section or set of doll(s). I try not to think of all the photos I need to take of all different dolls but just take one section out at a time to give them proper attention and so I won't feel overwhelmed.

3)I think up (before I go out) a story or plot or pose and/or place I want to photograph a certain doll and figure it all out in my head first. Then, that usually motivates me to get up and actually do it before I forget my 'plan' for them.

Maybe one of those will work for you, too!!!!

Yup yup yup. I am in a constant battle just to keep my brain mildly interested in anything but not overwhelm it. Don't even start my brain on the anxiety anything.

You can always pick one doll, get out some clothes, and play fashion shoot. Or just have a theme like _____ party, a few dolls show up, take pics like they'd post on social media.

Thanks SetsunaKou and DollyKim! Those are great ideas.

Having a plan is a great way to go, I think. It is hard when you're just "winging it". If I had a plan, I think that would help motivate me for sure!

I love the idea of a party and just take "natural" pics. I always feel like I'm taking portraits where my dolls have to be looking at (or near) the camera. But some photos where they are just interacting with a prop or two sounds really fun. That's kind of how I did my photostories back in the day.

I'm the same way for the same reasons. Small cluttered space with not-so-great lighting. I rarely even do box openings anymore. And I don't like to take my dolls outdoors because they draw too much attention and I don't like drawing attention to myself. Introvert here. The only time I feel comfortable doing that is when I'm in a group of other BJD collectors, but most of the local group I used to attend meetups with seems to have trickled into nonexistence. It's been years since I attended an actual meetup.

You know, I never really considered myself an introvert until I got older. (I was pretty shy as a child, I guess.) Now I just find social interaction to be draining.

I'm actually finding it difficult to do anything with my dolls. They've been in my dollieh cabinet for the past 5 years, basically untouched the whole time. Now that I'm back in the hobby, I need to do some dollieh maintenance and I just can't motivate myself.

I have two 1/3rd scale girls that need full body cleaning because they were body blushed and it just looks awful now. Then there's the restringing thing and that stinks. My Obitsu is a little loose and I have no clue what to do about it, or if I'm even going to do anything about it. (Or if I should do something about it!?)

Then there's making clothes, wigs, and faceups. I just feel like I have a lot to do and no time to do it. But I do have time, I just don't have the motivation. Argh. It's so frustrating. I think I just need to take a step back and just breathe. Dolls should be fun, not stressful.

I'm going to have to come up with a game plan... Maybe unstringing, cleaning, and restringing first. Get that awful chore out of the way. Then maybe wigs... I'm just so not looking forward to making a wig. Haha. But I don't want to spend $70+ on a custom wig. So, that only leaves the option of doing it myself.

The faceup thing in killing me too. The person I want to do the faceup doesn't do facial hair! And since I have 3 heads that need the same faceup, I wasn't really wanting to send it to someone that's going to charge $100 for each head. (Being cheap is awful! ) I'm contemplating just sending her the heads anyway, and foregoing the facial hair. It wasn't really in his design in the first place but I think it would look awesome. I don't know. I'll have to keep thinking about that one.

Thanks for reading my rants. I didn't really mean to, but it just "slipped out". I've tried talking to my mom about all of this (she's really the only one in my family that tolerates my dolls/has any interest), but she has taken a strange attitude about my dolls lately. It's really bumming me out. She keeps telling me that I'll have to "grow up" one day. Yeah, right. Like that's ever going to happen!

You're fine. I have several reasons why I don't talk to my smother about anything I'm in to, if I wanted discouragement, judgement, misunderstanding, and demotivation there are places on the internet for that. I'm not growing up or adulting for anyone else, just enough to get money to give my dolls nicer shelves to live in. I have pre doll hobbies and toys here I'm not parting with any time soon even though they've lived the last 20+ in a box. Seamore and Swinggy will quietly turn 30 soon.

I wish I lived closer to you, stringing and some doll painting stuff is nothing, just bring your own MSC because I don't have any.

I wish I lived closer to you! California would be awesome. I'm tired of snow. Also, I think it would be easier to do all this doll stuff if I had someone to do it with. There are people here in Michigan but... I don't know. They've already "clicked" together and they're a little rough around the edges. Nice, but rough. I don't really want to go into too much detail about it, though. (And then I think that maybe I'm the problem. I didn't really care for the first group I met with 10 years ago and now, I'm not crazy about this new group either. They're so dramatically different from each other. I wish there was a happy medium.)

My dad is the same way as my mom. He always asks: "are you ever going to grow up? When I was your age I had a wife, two kids, a mortgage and a couple cars." But I don't want any of that... I have a car, pets, and a student loan. So, I'm good. I don't need a spouse or kids or a mortgage. I'm not ready for all of that even though in 3 years I'll turn 30. (oh my gosh!)

I think the problem with my mom is that last year, I went doll-crazy and bought a billion of them! I'm not planning on doing the same this year. And really, I could afford them. I didn't miss payment on any of my bills so what does it matter? If you can still pay bills and afford dolls too, why shouldn't you get them?

But anyway, I've unstrung the two dolls that need cleaning and I've cleaned one. (The easier one.) I'll try to do the other one today, but the smell of the cleaner gives me a headache so I can't do it too long, even with the window open. She's really old, at least 8 years. And I think the body blushing is as old as she is. I got her second-hand so I'm not entirely sure when she was made. I'm hoping she'll clean up nice and easy.

The part of California I live in has Mud, Wind, Allergy, and Fire seasons. At this time I'd be happy to be around anyone slightly artistic or crafty just to have someone with slightly similar interests. It's a big Ignoritall environment around here.

When I do doll baths I start with warm plain soapy water and a wash cloth.

I'm glad you mentioned the soap. Is dawn dish soap OK for resin? I have this:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dawn-Ultra-O ... 3=&veh=sem