The experience of owning many dolls

How did you end up with a large collection?
Good question, actually. I first got Nikki because I really wanted a boy doll and he looked so deep and charismatic in the photos... then I got Claudia because I found that I preferred to sew dresses. A year later I suddenly realised that I'm a sucker for twins (all my fav characters are twins - Hikaru and Kaoru in Ouran High School, and Fred and George from Harry Potter, for example), and that's how I landed myself with four dolls. Considering I was planning to have 2 at the most, that's double the amount I was prepared to have...

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Guilt, yes... I hate to see money leak out of my bank account like a sieve, and my room is literally cluttered with stuff I could live without. Sometimes when I see the cursor hovering over the "Confirm and Pay" button I'm suddenly reminded of that wig I just got Claudia last week... and a huge "WASTEFUL SPOILT BRAT" sign hangs over my head for days. But most of the time, pretty and cute stuff is all I need for the universe to make sense again.
Ever since the twins came, their backstory has been expanding like mad. Characters from their world sprang into the plot, with or without my help, and many of them I would like to see in doll form some day. However, I'd have to sell poor Nikki and Claudia if that ever happens - it's simply a matter of space (and lack thereof). Four is my limit; no more.
I remember reading on a website about someone who owned over 100 BJDs. I was a little envious at first, but then the thought of having to maintain so many dolls became kind of daunting. More power to people who have loads of dolls - but personally, I know I'll never be able to manage it.

How organized is your collection?
I have a few dolls, which isn't difficult to organise. All I've lost track of so far are eyes and small accessories.

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
They share my attention equally every day. I might not "play" with them (as in physically touch them) a lot, but I imagine them having conversations and elaborate on their backstories (which I swear I'm going to write down someday). If I buy a new outfit I give them a change of clothes, and once in a blue moon one of them gets a new faceup. I also take an obscene amount of photos of them, but that's about it.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

Two dolls feels better than one doll, purely because you can actually see the communication between them. Poses like looking into each other's eyes, touching another doll's hand, etc. can create a very real and warm atmosphere. Four dolls, and you can imagine an intricate conversation where every single one's personality comes into play. 'nuff said.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Like I mentioned, I have 4 dolls, and to me that's a little overwhelming already. I can never make up my mind whose turn it is to get new clothes, or to accompany me on a trip, or to hug while I revise. I'd say that a collection is "large" when you start to feel you can't handle the cost or effort of maintaining them anymore, instead of a specific number.

 

Good questions...
How did you end up with a large collection?
Yes, it did sort of just happen, and I didn't plan on having this many (18).
The thing is I don't really have back stories as such, but I do have characters or looks for a doll. So once I have a particular look finished, I can't change that doll's look to something else so get a new doll and start from scratch.
Also I buy bodies and heads separately too, so that makes them multiply.
I've traded and sold a few, and actually found that quite hard to do for a long time, but once I managed it, it wasn't so hard after that.
A few of my dolls (5) are visiting my friend's house at the moment, and I am really missing three of them, so don't think I could ever part with those dolls.
Some aren't particularly expensive dolls, but I've put my creativity into them, which means more to me.
So I guess rather than seeing them as a collection, I see them more as a creativity outlet.
How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
At first I felt very overwhelmed, but now I'm sort of going with the flow. As long as I have room for them, it's ok...
How organized is your collection?
TBH, my ideas do actually change over time. At one point I wasn't too keen on Hybridising my dolls, but now I'm doing that a lot. Also I'm finding that I'm prefering SD sized dolls in general. A lot of my dolls are Steampunk inspired, but they aren't all, so they are not a huge group the same, plus because they don't have backstories they don't have relationships as such. I do have a hankering of an idea that I'd love to do a group shot with them all having the same theme/ colours to pull them altogether.
I'm not very organised with them though, and I think the rules I started with went out the window....as I tried the one in, one out method, but it didn't work.
( I'm still convinced they hold midnight parties, invite the neighbours over and then....stay!)
Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I have them in my Office/work area with me all the time at home, so can always see them. Some are in cabinets, and some on stands or just sitting around. So I am constantly enjoying looking at them. I also hold meets at my house, and try to go to meets when I can, and take different dolls with me at different times. I don't see it that I neglect one for another.
Although not very good, I like to take photo's of them as well.
What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
I don't really consider it a good or bad thing, that isn't really important to me.
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Hmmnn, a large collection? I'd say over ten maybe? I've got eighteen,( as above).
I suppose when my creative urges stop, so will more dolls...

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I'd call it kind of an "organic evolution" from my starting point... when I first discovered BJDs years and years ago, I decided that the only way I would really want one and be happy with it was if I could make one in the likeness of my original character Gabriel. I didn't really actively do a lot of searching for a mold that would fit him, though, and ended up finding him (and being completely, ridiculously in love with his sculpt) when a friend sent me a link to pictures of his sculpt on JunkySpot. While I initially intended to have only him, as I saw more and more of what was out there, it started to evolve that I'd get the rest of the major characters from his story. I now have seven of them as full dolls (though not complete yet), and one as a floating head, with a few more on my "wishlist."

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
With the number and size range I've got currently... it's a bit odd and sometimes overwhelming when I look at them and try to decide, "Okay, who am I going to work on today?" or "Who still needs work done to finish them?" I'm trying to stop myself from looking at more (except Soom MDs...) until I get at least half of who's on this shelf "done" or close to it. And I do wonder how I ended up with this many and where it might stop.

How organized is your collection?
Well... I don't have a huge collection right now. They're sort of in three family groups (I originally intended just one, but two irresistible sculpts walked in and messed that up), but since I know who goes with who, and by appearance it can be a bit obvious, it's not a problem with "organizing." I can remember what sculpt each one is too at this point. Can even get fairly close to when I got them.

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
It's sort of at random. I do "enjoy" them by keeping most of them in my studio (wanted it to be all of them, but one can't sit on the shelf), so I can look up at them while I work. "Play" for me involves things like maintenance, blushing, sewing, modding, and so on, as well as just fiddling around, changing clothes when I feel like they need a new look, and sometimes taking pictures, though I'm not as heavy into that aspect (yet). So those aspects are more on the random side, and depend on which one I want to work on. The closer one gets to finished, the more I want to work on him or her and get them there, but if something interrupts me and I move onto another one, then that one ends up waiting until I cycle around again.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
All the different sculpts! Both head and body; I get experience with a range going size-wise from Puki to Super Gem, and with affordability from ResinSoul tinies to Soom MDs. And each company has its little quirks and curiosities that make each one an unique experience to own. I actually really enjoy having so many different companies represented in my collection (eight now, with I think three additional companies on the wishlist). And I love the different sizes, too; the minis are the main dolls of my collection, but I've discovered that I LOVE tinies too in the process of shopping around and trying new things.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Currently I have ten "complete" dolls (as in head and body together), plus two floating heads and a floating body waiting for its head, plus one "practice" head. Not counting the extra, that would give me thirteen in various states waiting for completion, and each one needs a little something here or there.
A large collection... I guess I'd consider it around 20 or more. So I'm not there yet. (Just gotta keep telling myself that!)

 

How did you end up with a large collection?

Like many people with a bunch of dolls, I thought I only wanted one. That idea expanded to a few more, after I learned more about them and discovered the variety of dolls available. I never intended to buy a lot, but over a period of time (since 2004), I slowly accumulated more of them. I have always collected dolls and already had a big collection before I found Asian bjd's, but after I became enchanted by them, I sold most of my other dolls and bought resin dolls with the money. Almost none of my dolls are expensive LE dolls, but just have faces that appeal to me. Some of the large ones are hybrids because I like to personalize them with just the right body to match the character I made up for them. I also love miniatures and most of my dolls are tiny to fit in my dollhouses.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?Do you sometimes experience any feelings of guilt or regret or are you pretty content and happy with what you own?
A large collection is going to draw attention, good or bad, so how do you deal with that? Share what you’ve got with the rest of the world by posting pictures, telling about your dolls, or bringing them to meet ups while ignoring the envious looks or keep it quiet you own over 30 or 50 dolls (just naming a few numbers) and hope you won’t hurt anyone’s feelings for having what a lot of people can only dream of? Any good experiences you’d like to tell about?
I wonder how many people enjoy owning a lot of dolls and who are sort of in denial of owning that many. Do you already start to count the ones you are planning to buy very soon as part of your collection or do say that floating heads, dolls that haven’t arrived yet, and the ones you want to sell do not count to make it look less bad?
Any feelings of being overwhelmed or do you think the more the merrier?

It feels good. I wouldn't buy them unless they made me happy. I might feel guilty if I were depriving someone in my family to buy them, but since I am not, I don't think anyone cares how many I buy. I have to save up to buy one of them, usually for a few months, just like many other members of this forum. I list them in my profile because it's a convenient place to keep track of them and their names. I'm not overwhelmed and have a few more on my wishlist for the future. I rarely attend meetups, but when I do, I take my current favorite big doll and one or two tinies. If someone asks me how many I have, I say "several" and leave it at that. Although I have a lot of dolls, I know several people in my city who have much more valuable collections than mine.

How organized is your collection?

My dolls are organized according to scale; the big ones are adults, some with children, and I think of them as a group of friends. The miniature dolls live in my collection of dollhouses and room boxes.

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?

The big dolls are like interactive art to me and I like to costume them and photograph them. I don't really make up photostories for them, but like to place them in interesting settings and photograph them. I collected miniatures for years before I had tiny dolls, so I invent little stories for them as I have so many props and settings . The dolls are a way to focus all the interests and hobbies I have had all my life.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

If I get a good idea, I have a large cast of characters to choose from.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

My dolls and their names are listed in my profile. Most of them are very small and can all fit in a small carry-on suitcase. "Large" is a very subjective word. I have a small house and currently keep my dolls in their carriers when I'm not playing with them because I don't have room for glass display cases and I have a big dog. Too many dolls for me would be having so many that I simply display them and never get around to playing with them.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
It just kind of happened over the years.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Its a little intimidating, actually. I had to quit my job when I had my son and its a financial nightmare having a baby, let alone pairing that with an expensive hobby. Getting clothes, shoes, wigs, eyes for each doll is proving difficult. Needless to say, in the two years I've not been employed my doll hobby has pretty much fallen by the wayside.

How organized is your collection?
Oh its a total mess, really. I have vague recollection of when each doll arrived and keep them all together on a couple little tables in my crafting room. Their things are fairly well organized when I can be assed to keep them that way. There aren't any requirements or restrictions on what I will or won't add to my collection other than it not be a bootleg and that I find the doll itself attractive.

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I don't really play with them much at all. Every now and then I look at them and think "So and so needs a different wig/new faceup/nicer outfit" and then I'll work on that doll for a little while before putting them all down again for months on end.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Variety. Its also the worst part. I do wish they were all the same size so I'd only have to buy a few things and could switch them out between them instead of feeling a need/want for multiple things for each size of doll. At the same time, if I feel like making little kid style clothes, I have a tiny to do it with. And if I feel like making an elaborate gown, business outfit or clubbing outfit, I have the more mature dolls to work with.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
11
I think its a bit of a large collection considering the cost of each item.
But you want to know what a truly "large" collection is, look up pony_geri.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
Well, the first time I discovered BJD (2005) my intention was to buy a male doll and a female doll only. I was sure that two dolls in that way would be the best and the perfect match. I changed my mind just after I ordered them and ordered another male too to be twin for the first one... they ended up to be lovers and not twins XD anyway at the beginning owning 3 dolls was perfect for me... if only this hobby could be a "static" thing. As I started to roam for BJD forums and sites, I discovered more and my curiosity just done the rest. I ended up with too many dolls compared to my first idea....

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Well, pride and happiness indeed. I usually look at them feeling happy and "drinking" their beauty. I would be happy to share the view of them in person but, as it usually is not possible, I take many photos to share them.
And sometimes I feel guilty about them too, just cause I have spent a really large amount of money on them. I adore them but I know that there are many other wise ways to use money... anyway I am quite a "carpe diem" person about money so... I try to not think about it XD


How organized is your collection?
I keep track of the arrival of any doll, just setting they arrival date as "birthday". I have them in several places in my room, usually organized by couples and families ^^ or, in extreme situations, some of them are forced to stay in a place just cause their size
I only bought what I really like now. Time ago I was used to buy everything was a bit intriguing for my taste, but I ended with too many dolls so I started to be selective...

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
It totally depends on my mood. Sometimes I am focused on a doll or on a couple and I take many photos of them... sometimes I don't think about taking photos and I just look at them or I just change their eyes and wigs... I don't have a specific path I follow....

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Probably the best part is that I own almost every doll I had in my dreams, just now. I wish to have certain kind of dolls to take photos of them, but I do not really want to own them, so I am totally happy with the ones I have.


How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Well a large collection could be 15-20 and more dolls for me, it depends on their size and their price... I actually own more than 35 dolls but I know they are far too much for me, I don't want to hit the 40 dolls just cause I cannot afford them and I don't have enough room for them too. (I am used to sell the ones I do not care for anymore when I hit the 35 dolls... there are always dolls I stop to care, and usually they are small size dolls... ^^).
Honestly, with no problems about money (I need to win a lottery!) and no problems about space, I would buy back every doll I have bought and sold in the years just cause I was in need for money... I love them all and I wish to have no limits about them but, sadly, I have ^^'

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I got one. Then i got a head. Then i got the head a body...and the first girl needed her brother....and it just went from there. ^^; I didnt intend to have a lot of dolls in such a short period of time, and i actually intended to get one, then wait a little while, a few months at least, before getting another. Yeah, failed within a week of ordering the first. Whoops. XD Two years, and I have 16 full dolls (13 if you don't count pukis ^.~) and i'm working on getting a body for one of my two floating heads. And it totally just hit me that its 16 now. XD;

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I enjoy it. If i didnt, i wouldnt have bought them, or be planning to get more. Occassionally, particularly when i'm thinking of getting a new doll, i consider how much money i've spent on them in the two years i've been collecting....then i think i'm completly out of my mind. Thats when i go about considering all sorts of finance things, and realize that as long as i can afford it, the price is worth how much i love them ^^ (though pricetags are certainly still kinda scary)

How organized is your collection?
if you look in my profile, you'll see dates of when i got each doll, and if i got the head and body seperate, you'll see dates for both. I often forget those dates, but i like to have a little record of it anyway. My dolls have shelf space, but their clothes are kinda everywhere in my room ^^;

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I enjoy making them clothes and taking pictures of them, and other general doll-playing stuff ^.~ I've got a few "groups", where certain dolls are part of a certain story i'm writing or something, but its not like i set aside certain days to play with certain dolls.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
The variation, different sculpts, and the different personalities taht come out of them. Being able to see so many of my characters in physical forms helps to inspire me, and it serves as a nice creative outlet. =]

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
3 SD sized, 7 MSD sized, 3 bambicronys, and 3 pukis, making 16 total. And 2 floating heads. Though with an order i'll be doing soon, that'll bring it up to 17 full dolls and 3 floating heats. @_@

Basically, i consider anything above 10 a pretty large collection. I can't believe how many i've gotten, but i love them as much as, if not more than when i first got them all so i have no problem with it.

The only limits i see are space and money. If someone is capable of buying and maintaining 40 or 50 or however many dolls, then more power to them. Granted, i think 50 or more is a little crazy, but if someone is capable and wants that many, thats pretty awesome =]

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I started out thinking I'd only ever have two dolls. My first two were ordered within a week of each other, and for a while, I figured they'd be all I wanted. But as it happened, I ended up liking more and more sculpts, and thinking of ways to add them into my little story I'd started. I never had a pre-existing story though, so I don't have cast members to dollify, I just tend to buy dolls I like and make up characters for them afterwards. And it seems I like a lot of dolls. ^^;

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I know I have a good number of dolls, but it never actually feels like I do until I think about the actual number. I don't feel like my attention is stretched thin over them, even though I have some I photograph less than others. I guess I just pull out whoever I feel like taking photos of, and that's that. I like having all of the dolls I own, so it never feels like a burden that there are so many. And as for guilt over spending, that's not something I worry about, either. I live by myself and take care of my bills, food, cat care, and everything necessary, and since I still have money to have fun with afterwards, I don't feel the least bit bad for spending it on a hobby I enjoy. ^^

How organized is your collection?
I do keep a list of when my dolls arrived, dates of new faceups, and with some of them, dates their auctions were won. For their arrival dates, I actually have two lists - one chronological, and one ordered by the calendar year, so it's easier for me to find which arrival anniversary is coming up next. ^^;

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
My dolls stay in my spare bedroom, sitting out on their furniture. When I want to "play" with them, I usually just go in there and pick out one or two (or three or four, depending) to take photos of, and haul them over to my photo area. Sometimes though, I'll change their clothes even if I'm not going to take pictures of them, just to have them in something different. Having them all out in one place lets me enjoy them without actually having to pay particular attention to any one doll, so again, I don't feel like any of them are being neglected. I do often choose who to play with by who I feel like I haven't taken photos of in a while, though sometimes it's just whoever has gotten a new outfit or accessories.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Just being able to have so many sculpts I like, all in one place. It's also fun to build up their little stories, and adding new dolls adds more dimension to that. Really, I just like surrounding myself with pretty things, I think.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I think over 10 or so is a pretty big collection. I currently have 18 dolls; 17 of them being SD/SD13/SD17 size, and one YoSD. Two of my big boys are floating heads at the moment, but I intend to get them bodies as soon as I can. Since I still have plenty of room to house them though, I have nothing against adding more when I can. :3

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I honestly don't know how I ended up with 5 dolls. I started off with just 1 and it grew from there. I saw more and more I liked so I wanted to get them. I got my second doll and thought, oh this is great! Then my 3rd one came and I was like, I can handle this many. Then the 4th one and a free event head. I went this is even better! Then my friend gave me a body for the head and so now it's 5. :3 I still want many many more! XD

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I love it, it gives me a great variety and it's fun to have more than one out with me at a time. :3 It's also nice to take all of them to a doll meet and say, yep that's my 5 boys. Each one is so unique in their own way that they all stand out. Not just one gets attention.

How organized is your collection?
Very organized. I know where all my boys are at all times. I also know where all their clothes are at any given moment. :3

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Well, I normally have one who sits with me while I am on my laptop. I'll take one or two out with me when I go out with my mom and I'm always taking all 5 with me to doll meets. I can't see not having a doll in my arms! I have a smaller doll who fits in my purse so he's usually riding along in there. XD

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
The best part is that I get such a variety! I have One SD, 3 MSDs, and One Yo-SD sized. They all have their own unique style, personality, and look. So it's fun to shop for each of them and look at different things that might fit the doll. :3

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I currently own 5 dolls. I really would love to own 6 someday. I have my eye on this one Volks boy currently and I really like him a lot! I consider a large collection anything over 10. I could never imagine owning 10 dolls even though I have a wishlist that would get me well over 10, I don't think I'll ever hit 10.

 

How did you end up with a large collection? Did it just happen, did you from the beginning expect to expand the number of dolls, but without any planning or did you set yourself a goal like "reaching the perfect set of dolls" or "getting the entire cast of X in resin form"?

Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other. The collection over-all has grown in a very organic way, but there have been a few cases where I did intentionally look for specific dolls to complete a particular set of sculpts or cast of character avatars.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls? Do you sometimes experience any feelings of guilt or regret or are you pretty content and happy with what you own?

I have no regrets about my dolls. If I did, I wouldn't keep them... It is a little sobering sometimes to consider that I could probably have replaced my car with the money I've plowed into this collection of glorified toys, though. o_0

A large collection is going to draw attention, good or bad, so how do you deal with that? Share what you’ve got with the rest of the world by posting pictures, telling about your dolls, or bringing them to meet ups while ignoring the envious looks or keep it quiet you own over 30 or 50 dolls (just naming a few numbers) and hope you won’t hurt anyone’s feelings for having what a lot of people can only dream of? Any good experiences you’d like to tell about?

I deal with it by avoiding the issue.

There's a reason I don't have a signature graphic, personal albums or my collection's contents listed on my profile anymore. Though my casts have pretty extensive backstories and worlds, I try not to talk about them to excess in public venues. (I keep most of my commentary about them limited to my LiveJournal, and even then I've learned to keep a lid on the bulk of it-) I don't post the majority of the pictures that I take anymore, or any of the fiction.

I don't know if that's necessarily the best approach, but it's been awhile since anyone accused me of being a "show-off". I guess it has at least some merit.

I've never taken more than a small number of dolls with me to meets, though. Keeping up with a large number in that kind of setting is a serious pain in the rump, regardless of anyone else's feelings...

Do you already start to count the ones you are planning to buy very soon as part of your collection or do say that floating heads, dolls that haven’t arrived yet, and the ones you want to sell do not count to make it look less bad? Any feelings of being overwhelmed or do you think the more the merrier?

I do count my two Floating Heads as regular members of the crew, since I've had both for awhile and both will eventually end up with bodies of their own. I'd also count a paid-for in-coming doll, even if they hadn't shipped yet.

As for what I tell people when they ask how many I have... I've just been saying "Too many!" for quite awhile now. I don't think I need to be any more specific than that.

How organized is your collection? Do you collect what you like or do you have any rules to keep things in check and manageable?

My only real rule is that the dolls who are going to be posed and photographed together need to look good together. Luckily, as I said in another thread recently, my tastes are narrow enough that it's never really been a problem... Though it has kept me from buying an Aida. ('Very handsome sculpt, but he'd look like a pin-head next to my Volks and CPs. o_0)

Otherwise, I do pose related groups and pairs together and the scale-to-age ratio of my crew is very consistant. The 1/3 dolls are all adults, the 1/4 minis are older kids, the 1/6 tinies are younger kids and the 1/12 tinies are... something else entirely.

I could tell you the month and year any given doll was ordered, the month and year it arrived, where it came from, about what I paid for it and, in some cases, who its previous owners were... but I don't keep written records, or remember exact ordering or arrival dates. I don't really do the "birthday"-thing. I'm pretty meticulous about storing the dolls' clothes, wigs, eyes and props. Everything has its proper place, and I like it to be there when I need it.

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls? How do you manage your dolls and your time?

Usually it's just a matter of having them around. I look at them, tinker with their outfits and their posing, take pictures sometimes, sew for them occasionally, and once in a rare while pick one up to take somewhere (Issun, my Banji, went with me to PAX for instance-).

I'm one of those "rotational" people. Which one I pay the most attention to at any given time is pretty much random, and I do have favorites, but everyone gets a turn sooner or later.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

Having options...
Want to take pictures of a happy girl instead of an emo guy? No problem!
See a cool outfit? Odds are good it'll look good on *somebody* no matter what size or style it is.
Someone in your local group wants to see Sculpt X live? You may just have one to hand them at the next meet.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

[laughs] Too many! ^_^

Honestly, though... I don't know the number.
Seriously. I don't. It's been at least two years since I counted... At a guess, the total is probably somewhere between 40 and 50 at this point, but that's as close an estimate as I can make. Specifics don't really matter that much, and as long as Pony's around I know that my crew will always be far, far from the largest collection out there.

What is "large", though? For me, I'd say anything over 20, but it's such a subjective thing... What's an absolute horde to one collector could easily be a prefectly managable number to another.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I guess I don't really consider my collection to be large. I don't have many on-topic dolls, per se. But I do have a sizable doll collection, according to my husband. He is overwhelmed by it.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I love my doll collection. To me, it is the source of beauty, peace and art in my house and life right now, in the midst of chaos and kids. But if my collection gets too large or messy, I think it can get overwhelming and it feels out of control.


How organized is your collection?
Not at all! I think I need a better system, but I have to be so scheduled and organized with the rest of my life (and I hate schedules and organization) I'm not at all organized with my dolls!

Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I have them on display in my living room. Every evening I sit and relax and enjoy my dolls at least visually. On a daily basis, I make a point to redress at least one doll or give her some face time or play with her some. Sometimes I will involve one of my daughters with my playtime, but sometimes it's just time for me. Once or twice a week I will do a photo session--this is a longer time for me, and I consider it art therapy.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
That I can redress them, change up their eyes and wigs, and take photos of them. I really like that I can share their clothes, wigs and eyes. And I love that my daughter (still) likes to get involved with my dolls, too, and it's something that we can do together.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I am not really sure. I have nine BJDs (not all on topic here), and then about 30 other fashion dolls, which I rotate in display. That is too many. I think I don't like rotating my display after all. If I have to keep dolls in boxes in the garage, what's the point of that?

Again, when I say that is too many, it's too many for me. I would never say that is too many dolls for another collector. I have seen gorgeous displays of 300 dolls, and have been amazed, and not at all overwhelmed by someone else's collection. I think a collection is very personal, and I think it really depends on what you want to do with it. I definitely would like to add to my collection--but I tend to tire of my (fashion) dolls very quickly, and sell them almost as quickly as I buy them. That collection is very fluid.

So far, I haven't sold a single one of my BJDs yet. Nor do I feel like I want to. I love each one. Well, one I'm not thrilled with, but she will probably go to my daughter.

Well, that was a great question!!

 

I'm answering this as someone who used to have as many as 25 at a time, my collection is much reduced these days, but I think my experience is still relevant.

How did you end up with a large collection?
I'd been collecting antique and vintage dolls my whole life. I had scads of them. So my acquisitive habits just continued when bjd came into my life. Eventually I sold most of the other dolls (antique/vintage/artist) and now only have bjd and a few special antiques.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I was used to it, it seemed normal. I don't understand why people have such a hard time imagining what it's like to have so many. It's not that different from having two or three, or at least it isn't for me, space or funding constraints aside. Maybe it's only that I come to bjd having already been a doll collector. Maybe all the mystification I'm seeing is from those who never owned dolls or never collected anything before...

How organized is your collection?
I had a few doll sofas and the bigger dolls would sit in these and the smaller dolls in their laps or around. I kept their things in a special dresser, one drawer for wigs, one each for different sized clothing, a compartmented box for eyes. That's about as organized as I ever needed to be.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls? I didn't have any special approach, it went solely by whim. On one day I'd be into X and on another I'd mess with Y. I did a lot of tweaking their looks, customizing, painting and so forth. I had more money then and could buy one of whatever I wanted. It was fun! When I got tired of one I sold it and got something else.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
As in any field, an expert is only as good as what they've handled. I'm so glad I got into the hobby when I did, when I had low living expenses and a lot of extra money. I was able to handle and tweak absolutely everything out there, some of which are fabulously rare and elusive now. Now when I see lots of different things it's because I get sent them for commission work. Comparing the different companies' resin qualities, colors, engineering quirks. That was the best part of having had so many for me.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I own five currently, and have "one-plus" on the way. Three of mine are packed away, so that leaves two out and one lonely head waiting for its body to get paid off. I'm rotating them by style. Right now I'm in the Japanese mode, so my human Volkses are out. My elfy Volks and Dollstowns are packed away atm. I used to sell the dolls rather than pack them away, but I'd have a hard time replacing these so we don't mind taking a break from each other instead. What do I consider a large collection? Hmm, more than ten? I'm sure there was a poll a long time ago quizzing people on how many they had. I don't remember what the average was, I'm sure it's different nowadays!

And now I'm adding my own 'question':
Why did you go from owning so many to owning a comparative few? There comes a time in everyone's life when you just feel the need to downsize. Maybe having been a lifelong doll collector I'd had enough of little people and bothering with their stuff. Maybe it was going over to an acquaintance's house and seeing her tons and tons of gagsome tacky tchotckes cluttering every horizontal surface. It looked like sickness to me and I really didn't want to see that in myself. So I started getting rid of things. Now I limit myself. I've owned over 150 different bjd (there's a list here somewhere) but I'm very okay about not having kept them all. Of them all there's maybe two or three I wouldn't mind having back; we'll see about that! ^_~

Raven

ETA: And I wanted to add yet another question:
What is the WORST part of owning many?
Hands down it's the sour-grapes attitude of those who can't for whatever reason. Reading Brightfires' entry above... people really do accuse others of "showing off"? Isn't that what this forum is about? Personally I'm grateful to those who have so many and take the time to show them off.

A tangent: I can understand to an extent because I get resentful of rich "doctors'/businessmans' wives" who come into the antique doll world and are able to buy up every expensive and rare doll just because they have the funds. Then suddenly they thought they were somebody, and in that world they are. Ugh. It's not like that in this hobby. If you're "somebody" it's not because of how many you own, it's because you're an awesome photographer, painter, creator of intricate backstories or you say the funniest or smartest things in response to all these topics.

So it'd be nice if people could just knock it off with the petty jealousies.

 

I don't know if my collection is considered "large" or not since they are mostly tinies .....

How did you end up with a large collection?

It just sort of blossomed! :-] Somewhere on this forum is a post by my saying I was content with my two dolls, one msd and one sd. :Nyuck!! And I really was content with that for a while. Especially since my daughter, Zingor, lived with me at the time with her largish collection that I got to see a lot of. But then on impulse I got a good deal on two Bahas. As I started writing stories for them, I came to feel like I wanted more characters and thus more dolls! It's sort of grown from there.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?

Sometimes I feel just a *wee* bit of guilt about it - after all, times are tough for a lot of people and there are other things I could/should/would do with the money. On the other hand, I'm lucky enough to be doing well and have worked hard all my life so I look at it as a late-in-life reward to my inner child who was always a such a good girl! I pay my bills first, save for my future second, and still support charitable works, so I think I'm entitled to buy dollies if I can afford them. :-] The only thing overwhelming is the amount of projects (sewing, stories, etc) that I have in my head that I don't have time for.

How organized is your collection?

My only rule is to try to avoid buying a doll "just because". I have to have a vision for the doll, usually about how they fit into the stories I would like to do. Otherwise, nuh-uh, no matter how cute/beautiful/handsome it is. I keep them organized somewhat - I have a small room that I can keep fairly darkened where they all sit out on shelves or small furnishings. They each have their own labelled boxes that their things are kept in.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?

The favorites generally rotate by what I am working on. If I'm sewing or knitting for a particular size, I have them sitting nearby for modeling. That usually gets me thinking about their personalities and possible storylines, for which I might jot down notes in between rows or whatever. I might stop and play with them, posing and photographing them, or changing their clothes. I love occasionally taking them to work with me, as my coworkers really appreciate them and love to see them too.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

I think that because I see them as having distinct personalities, having many different ones just expands the imagination and inspires creativity. These are two things I value very highly, so this hobby is not just about entertainment or collecting for me, it's very mentally stimulating as well.

And the last question:
How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

I have twelve, 1 sd, 1 msd, the rest anthros and tinies. There's 1 incoming msd, and 1 sd on the wishlist. Is that a large collection? I don't know. I suppose that "large" is in the eye of the beholder.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
Because I thought they were insanely expensive, I hoped at first that I'd only have one with maybe a few outfits. As often happens, somehow the crazy prices seemed less and less prohibitive...!

So... No planning whatsoever!

I don't have characters I need to have dolls for. I don't have any agenda. I just see dolls, fall in love and if I have the money, I'll buy them if I absolutely HAVE to have them. There are so many fabulous dolls out there. I know I can't have them all. But I do indulge myself WAY too much as it is!

Gah---if my parents actually encouraged me to collect stuff, I'd be in SO MUCH TROUBLE. I'm a collector by nature. I don't have to have 'em all, or anything like that, but I LOVE STUFF. Sadly, no encouragement needed...!

Hmmm... why so many then? Poor buying control???

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Yeah, I just love having them, enjoying them, customizing them (in my case that means mostly just changing wigs and eyes and clothes).

Yes, I feel I spend too much money on dolls and doll stuff. I'm hoping to cut way back this year. I have so much stuff already! I do feel some guilt, but try to turn it into something more positive--like trying to not buy everything just because, and to be smart about purchases. And to enjoy what I DO have.

Attracting attention is fine with me. I have dolls I love. I don't mind sharing--bringing them to meetups, posting photos, etc. If people envy me, that's fine. That's their business. I can't tell them how to feel. And really, I think I have great dolls and they are worthy of envy!

I don't have a HUGE number of dolls. More than I thought I'd ever have, though... Anyway, many others have as many dolls as I do, so it's not the NUMBER of 'em that is a huge stand-out in my case.

I'm not going to worry about other people's reactions to my dolls and my buying! As I said, it's not my business. They feel what they feel. I'm not hurting anyone with my dolls. If people feel hurt, then there's something wrong with them that they need to examine. I'm not here to shore up their fragile feelings. (I'm older and care less about peer pressure or whatever, I guess! People need to get a grip on real life and just deal! Oh, they don't have a thousand dolls! How SAD!--- NOT!!! I work. I don't whine when I can't afford a doll. That's just life. Not having a doll isn't the worst thing that can happen in life. :rollseyes

In denial about how many I own? Maybe, but I think I know how many I have (heheh!). I don't think it's a bad thing to own dolls. If it's a PROBLEM, then it's something a person has to deal with on their own... seek help for doll hoarding or whatever. Or for going over budget. But that's a personal thing.

I do feel I have enough dolls, however. I could have stopped at two or three, actually. Or should have stopped! But I do love the "extra" ones I've purchased... otherwise, I hope I wouldn't have bought them! I'm just hoping I won't be too tempted by more!

How organized is your collection?
Not very organized (I'm not an organized person, sadly).
I DO have notes on everything--dates, prices, information--to do with the dolls themselves. Things get more out of control when it comes to keeping track of wigs and clothes and accessories. Those are hard to organize for me! I have a list of all my dolls and number of dolls and such, though. They are posted in numerous places, too--my Signature, my Profile, my website, databases, etc.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I try and rotate attention a bit... Take different dolls to meetups, vary the photos and clothes-buying, etc. Some dolls get less attention, though. Mostly if I can't find outfits for them and therefore can't show 'em off as much.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
I can pose them with whomever. I can bring the right doll to the right event. I can pay attention to a choice of dolls--pick whichever I want to play with. I like the variety and choice!

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
7 Large
[7 Large Heads, two are up for sale]
7 Tinies

It seems large enough to me... probably anything over 10. Over 30, kinda mega-large, I think! One or two, small. Between that, medium. But I do NOT give any value judgements to sizes, whether small or large. Nothing is GOOD or BAD about the numbers! People may have 1.000 for all I care. If that's what they want to buy and own, that's up to them! What's wrong with it? Nothing, as far as I'm concerned.

Heheh. There's always room for more, I think!

I'm just running out of money, space and time, so I don't need/want many more. I'm hoping I'll be strong enough to avoid temptation! We'll see. If I had the money and space, I'd certainly be open to buying more.

-----update 9/2011 -----------

13 Large + 1 incoming + considering another 1
1 Mini
9 Tiny + 2 incoming

My will-power is nil these days. BUT I'm still loving the dolls, still playing with them, bringing them to meetups, taking photos... etc. I really enjoy having a variety of dolls, girls, boys, big, small, different colors, some fantasy, some realistic... Owning only a few dolls is good, but owning more is pretty fun, too!

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
I really blame Soom. No, really, I do. Know how in the movies, there is some crazy assassin who knows all those wild nerve strikes to completely paralyze their opponent by hitting every weakness at once? That's what they do. I am convinced of it at this point.

Their faces remind me of the illustrations of my favorite artist, their overall styling reminds me of many of my other favorite artists in many cases, they do comparatively realistic and mature sculpts, they do "big", they do strong women who aren't cutesy-looking, and they do mythology and "weird". Doomed. I'm completely -doomed-, because all the things I swore I'd never find and thus be 'safe' come rolling out of their web site with frequency that genuinely boggles me. I grew up reading mythology with my fairy tales, with "Clash of the Titans" and "Xanadu" as favorite movies while I was growing up. (Hey, I was in gradeschool, cut a girl some slack here. ) Like the love of mythology, I got the 'collect things' bug from my father -- seriously, the man appropriated my stamp collection at age 8 and swelled it to collossal size for years after I'd forgotten it existed, which I can't help but find hilarious.

It is very safe to say that if they weren't a collective of mad geniuses, my collection would be -substantially- smaller, as I'd wanted only one size, and that size was chosen in part because it wasn't common. Here, I pause to shake a fist at the sky, glare at Bix again with narrowed eyes, and mutter under my breath about Cancer men always screwing up my well-laid plans, because he was the one to open the door to a second 'group' which is now far, far larger than the first.

Both 'groups' are vaguely characterized, some more specifically than others. I'm an RPG geek (note: not graphical MMORPGs, but I did my time on MOO/MUX/MUSHes and in tabletop games and WoD LARPs) and started writing a game 'world' just before I graduated high school. (For the people who forget that I am old, that would be a project started before 1991. ) This is because I can't actually write a novel to save my life, but liked the setting too much to completely abandon it. Of course, I had the concept for the story worked out, along with the characters, many of which I simply adore. I don't expect I will ever 'round out that cast' -- and don't necessarily try to, either -- but when something fits (all my criteria of 'I like it, I can afford it, it will fit with the others', etc.), I'll try to get it.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Like my army of resin minions will kill anything that tries to disturb me in my sleep with a string-puller and eye putty! Mwahahahahahaha! ...ahem. Sorry. Just had to get that out.

It's more than a little awkward, actually. Some of the common assumptions are a little troubling, to say the least. "Oh, you must be rich!" -- Not hardly. Not even a little. I got so accustomed to living with few real luxuries (and many things like a car, mobile phone, etc.) that many people can't live without that when I started making more money, the luxury I chose to spend it on was dolls. It's like the "You must be a snob because you own limiteds! You just want to sneer down at people!" silliness to me; I can go for one or the other with limited funds available. Isn't it just common sense to get the one you know you won't be able to get at retail later to avoid spending any more than necessary on it?

I'll tell people if they ask, since I don't see a reason to lie about it. I do keep them all listed in my profile (in part because I am so horrible with names until I get really used to them that I need the notes for myself), but took the list out of my sig when it got long enough that it felt 'showy'. I hadn't been paying attention to it, and just editing as things came in, until a thread about showing off cropped up. I'm really not a 'showy' person.

I wouldn't sell them to make people feel better, just like I wouldn't buy one just to impress someone. It's two sides of the same coin to me, in that regard.

My shelf space is overwhelmed, but I'm not.


How organized is your collection?
I don't keep a spreadsheet or anything -- just being able to refer to order dates on the doll sites helps handle those things, along with the paypal payment listing -- but I do try to keep the physical -dolls- as organized as I can. I have a few storage containers on the bottom of the shelves they sit on that contain their clothes, wigs, eyes, shoes, and so on, so everything (ideally) is in the proper place. Things can migrate from time to time if I am working with something downstairs, but they don't do so often and don't stay out floating around the house for long.

There are two fairly distinct groups: the Mecha Angels, and Everybody Else. The MAs (6) sit on top of a dresser. Everybody Else sits on the shelves.

The Mecha Angels are, well, all Mecha Angels.

Everybody Else is limited to 'reasonably realistic mature sculpts with or without a fantasy twist in the general 55-75cm range'. Basically, 'not anime head proportions', good detail, with the size range to allow for what would look like a reasonable range of people of different shapes and heights and body proportions, which they do. I could say 'this is a rule to keep things in check', but obviously, it's not like that happens on that shelf no matter what logic I attempt to apply to it. The lucky thing is, that's the style I -like-, so while it's still -fairly- restricted, there isn't much that falls outside of it that I have more than a passing, "Oh, how lovely! Not for me, but lovely!" feeling about.

On the 'keep it sane' downside, though, is that the mature, realistic sculpts seem to be getting more popular at a variety of sites. In the short time I've been collecting, the ones that caught my eye seemed to be made only by Soom, Elfdoll, Limwha, and Supia -- and now there's Angelheim, the EID series at Iplehouse, Souldoll's Zenith, SpiritDoll, and some more realistic head sculpts starting to appear over at Dollmore as well (along with the 'Ow, you got me right in the heart there!' Dollpires). (I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, but the point stands. ) Like other trends, I am aware that, as with all things, "This, too, shall pass." Provided funds are in order, I don't mind ordering now while there are a wealth of options in that style that may not be popular or made later.


Can you give a general description of how you usual play with or enjoy your many dolls?
Sadly, this assumes time to actually -play- much that I don't often have. The fact that I've budgeted about six hours a week minimum to do -something- with them is actually a huge step for me, because I have some unhealthy workaholic tendencies. I tend to spend this time sanding, or practing faceups, or making them jewelry. I like them as a creative outlet in a variety of ways, and it tends to be whatever strikes my fancy at the time to do.

In all seriousness, I enjoy looking at them. They're right there when I wake up in the morning, and when I fall asleep. Not a bad thing to see first thing in the morning, and they're good at banishing negativity before bed as well. There is a sense of accomplishment in having acquired them, so when I'm feeling discouraged, that reminder before going to bed has been incredibly positive.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
Variety. Is it a gothy day? A fae day? A stompy hooves day? A strapping, sexy man day? A delicate lady day? Tragic heroine day? Wild, feral beast day? Scheming royal advisor day? Got it covered.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I have 21 now in house, which would become 24 if I could find bodies for the heads I need bodies for; there are three more paid and waiting, and naturally those three all have second heads I'm keeping, so the math on that is... well, the growth factor is exponential.

A large collection is X+1, where X="how many I have home+paid off and awaiting shipping at the time".

Quick Edit: I don't actually count the Minimee heads in with the rest of the collection, even though I do list them. They don't have bodies and likely won't; they simply are. I order them when someone I've wanted to sketch comes up for an order simply because I'm fond of their facial structure, usually. A few of them will likely end up on mini-busts and possibly given a metalcoat to be like the old portrait busts you'd see in bronze. I tend to view them as a separate collection in a number of ways because of this.

 

To begin with the last question:

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
I don't know if my collection is considered "large". I have 15 dolls (my 2 floating heads counted as whole dolls). It is large conpaired to those who have only 3 or 5 dolls, but it is considered small compaired to those with 20+ or 30+. :p
But I have plans to end up with at least 20+ dolls and at this moment I consider my group somewhat large. I don't really know where I draw the line between large or not.

How did you end up with a large collection?
Well... I am used to collecting things. For example I also collect plushie animals. I have over 180 of them. I always have the urge to buy something if I like it. and if I really really like it, I don't really look at the price. If I have money, I spend it.
When I first started with bjd's, a lot of ideas for different characters popped into my mind. So from the very first beginning, I already wanted at least 6. A few times I tried to set myself a limit, but then I realised that it wouldn't make me happy to set myself a limit into dolls.
And then I created a background story for my dolls and a setting where they would all be connected to eachother somehow. For that story, I have made up a cast. And I am saving up to complete that cast. However, still new characters pop into my mind so the cast will never be complete, I am afraid! Lol. But that's not a big deal for the story. More characters will always be able to fit in somehow. Because it is just a basic sketch of the setting and some background stories for the dolls themselves. It is not a.. how do you say that... finished product story where every detail is already filled in. I have a lot of room to change characters or place new ones in.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
I honestly don't really realize it. I always think that I I have a somewhat large group, but I never know exactly how many I have. I do know all their names, but every time I have to count their names on my fingers to see how many I own.

And sometimes you have these meme's on this forum, like "how many have you spend on dolls in total?". And when I count the money, I go like "Woah.... that's a lot money". But then again, this is the thing that makes me happy most. More than anything else. I don't need vacations to other countries, or cars or booze or the newest gadgets.

I never feel any regret or guilt. I am really happy with everyone of my group, and althought it might be many dolls, with even more planned, I love them all.

I haven't yet experienced any attention because of the size of my group. But then again... 15 isn't that much compaired to many others on these boards.

Do you already start to count the ones you are planning to buy very soon as part of your collection or do say that floating heads, dolls that haven’t arrived yet, and the ones you want to sell do not count to make it look less bad?
Sometimes I feel that my characters on the wishlist are almost as real as the ones I already own. And since some of them are very improtant in the background stories of my dolls, I often talk about them.
And often I count the floating heads as whole dolls (see first question), but that's more because although the heads are just floating, to me they are whole characters, and count as whole dolls. I also have a floating head that hasn't have a character yet. So I don't count it. Or else I would end up like: "I have 13 dolls, 2 floating heads and another floating head just floating around". And I also don't count my floating waist and legs and such... So I count dolls with characters and then I don't really mind if they are floating heads or not. But also often I say that from the 15 dolls, 2 are floating heads. Just because I want to let them know that they are not omplete dolls yet, but still I consider them a whole doll. Do I make sense now? :/

How organized is your collection?
Quite organized. Although I do not know by heart when everyone has arrived and I always forget their birthdays, I do keep track of their arrivals. At my website I have a page where I keep track of everyhing.. the dates when they are ordered, when they are paid of if they are on layaway, and the date of arrival.
And like I said above, altought I do not remember the exact amount of dolls I have, I never forget any names. Nor the names of the ones on my wishlist. And I do remember the chronological order of arrivals.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
I love to look at them all, and sometimes I just pick on and do some posing or try something else like wigs and such. For photography, I try to give everyone the same amount of attention. I do have a few favourites, but I do not feel quilty about it. Every doll is special to me in their own way.
And when want to work on face-ups and outfits for the dolls that need something, I just pick the one that 'calls' to me that day. Quite random actually.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
That I can give everyone their own theme, without having to limit myself. For example I like both fantasy and cybergoth dolls. For cybergoths, every doll has their own theme colour. Yelena is green, Varushka pink, Skittles multicoloured, Lilliya black, etc. If I would only have 2 dolls, I would have to make a choice between those colours. And I don't want a doll to wear multiple themes, like Varushka wearing pink and sometimes blue. That is just impossible for me.

 

How did you end up with a large collection?
Well, originally I'd planned for about 5-6 dolls and was going to be done with that, but after moving to Japan and having access to my own space, salary, and many more dolls and accessories my limit steadily expanded. After first deciding that I wanted to get at least one doll that was a sort of dream doll that I only wanted for looks, my F-35, and then getting a doll from a second storyline I knew I was sunk. After that, I started to figure that there were so many great, attractive dolls out there with such variety that I would complete my storylines and allow myself a couple more dolls just for the heck of it.

Though, the bulk of my dolls come from the fact that I am collecting based off of already created characters.

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?
Nice, in that there are all so unique and have their own charms that I never feel like I tire of looking at any of them, and overwhelming when I start to think of the space these dolls take up and the logistics of moving them all when I inevitably have to move again.

I generally don't think much about what people think of my collection. Maybe it's because a lot of my doll friends are people with fairly large groups, but I'm not too worried about what assumptions people make about me.

How organized is your collection?

It's actually still fairly well organized, but the number of "groups" has grown more than anything. I started with one group of young looking SDs with one tiny in that group, my sophisticated older looking SDs, my Victorian adventure SDs, and two "others" that I got purely because I couldn't resist their faces.

I still have two dolls left to complete my SD groups and I figure after that I might get another MSD sized doll but I'm almost done and actually looking forward to having that feeling of completeness. Still, every purchase has been thought out ahead of time and I can remember each time I decided to get another and what lead to that decision.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?

I do some of their faceups, I change their outfits, I pose them nearby while I'm working/studying, I take photos of them, and I go to doll meets. I work on projects involving the characters the dolls are based on, but I consider those to be separate activities since the stories came first and are not at all reliant on the dolls.

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

I love variety. I love posing two dolls that look fantastic together in fun poses and just looking at them. I love having sexy girls and spunky boys, sweet girls and shy boys, demure girls and nerdy boys and everything in between. I love giving each doll a unique look and style and getting them just right. I also really love seeing the whole group come together. Seeing a cast and posing all the dolls from that cast next to each other is a pretty cool thing and gives a feeling of accomplishment.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

I've got seventeen now and I think hitting the six was when the collection got large. Before that it felt like a group, after six it started to feel like I'd gone beyond that and going over ten was when I really felt the whole "wow, that's a lot of dolls right there".

 

How did you end up with a large collection?

It just sort of happened, very quickly. I am incapable of turning down excellent bargains on the marketplace on dolls I like, and have gotten some of them for MUCH less than they would otherwise have been. A handful of mine are also floating heads - I got the heads for a good price and they're taking turns on a body for now. I hadn't really intended to get this many, especially not this quickly, but I love every one of them and especially love the work of putting a doll and it's look together.


How does it feel to own a lot of dolls?

I think it's fun! Some are in-progress, some are pretty complete, I have a variety of styles represented so I can find someone here to wear just about anything I find that I like. There are some downsides, like trying to decide who goes to meets or cons, and the expense of getting them all outfitted well, but for the most part it's awesome to have this group of very different characters hanging out at my house all the time!


How organized is your collection?

I keep track of all the info I have about them, but not meticulously. I just make sure it's somewhere in case I ever want that info. As far as groupings, I've found that no matter how different, every doll I've seen that I've liked has managed to fit themselves into my doll's story. I have two main crews and other associates, but they all fit together somehow. The minis are adults and are the main characters, but the others all fit into their story in various ways.


Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?

I enjoy doing faceups on the ones I received blank (or wiped, in some cases), finding and sometimes attempting to make clothing, doing photostories, working on their shelving unit "rooms", taking photos in general, shopping for them, and I'm soon going to work on modding. I don't carry them around a lot except at DragonCon, but will sometimes take one or two to a friends house and sit with them while watching TV or something. I usually focus on 1-4 at a time, rarely more than that, and the larger number is only for photostories. They all get their turn, though. Sometimes one will sit for a while as I focus on the stories and work needed on others, (the one of mine who looks most complete hasn't done much except go to one meet in the past couple months) but their time will come back around for more photos or stories eventually.


What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?

Getting to "know" their characters, and how they interact. Plus the fact that they're all SO different, and yet all so beautiful. They're interactive participatory art, which is awesome!


How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?

I just got number 14 a few days ago, and number 13 a day or so before that. I should have 17 total characters by 2010, though several are just heads and will likely stay that way for a while. I think in 2010 I'll have a lot fewer new dolls and a lot more time working with and outfitting the ones I have - there are only 2 more who are critical to the stories I need to buy, and one of those can be just a head. I'll be buying bodies as I can, though. I'd like to eventually have everyone on their own correct (for their character) body. I'm not sure what I consider a "large" collection. When I had one, anything over like 6 seemed overwhelming. Now I have 14, and it doesn't really seem like that much. Maybe it would if they all had bodies, but for now it just doesn't look like that big of a collection. Maybe 30 is a large collection? I imagine if I had that many though, I probably would think 50 was large. Kind of like how "old" keeps moving as you age yourself.

 

I actually didn't think I have a large collection but after reading these posts, I guess I do I have 21 but 2 are for sale.

How did you end up with a large collection?
I blame DoA!! Actually I had no plan to have so many, but I bought one (Elfdoll June) and then it just multiplied from there. Seeing all the lovely photography on DoA really made me fall in love with certain sculpts, and it is still evolving. Even now I am trying to figure out how I ended up with 7 SD size when I was sure that MSD was the perfect bjd And I have another SD boy on the way!

How does it feel to own a lot of dolls
I have lots of other types of dolls, so other than trying to deal with space and money issues, it is a joy every day to see their beauty. I feel very lucky.

How organized is your collection?
Not sure what this means, really. I have been reorganizing how I store clothing, accessories and photoshoot props, which seems to be an endless space problem.

Can you give a general description of how you usually play with or enjoy your many dolls?
They are in my work/computer/studio room and I see them most of the day. I really love to look at them. They don't get redressed or rewigged that much, since once I find what fits their personalities, that is what they wear. I love photographing them in various settings, especially for BJD Games

What do you consider the best part of owning many dolls?
I really like having SD, MSD and tinies because then I can meet almost any idea I come up with to photograph. Someone always seem to fit an idea. As others have mentioned, it is also really interesting to see the way different companies design and sculpt bjds. I still think my Souldoll Hye is the most stable, best engineered doll I own.

How many dolls do you own and what do you consider a "large" collection?
Right now it is 21 plus 2 heads, waiting on 1, and 2 for sale. I thought a large collection would be 50 - hee!