One collection, seven years, and a new beginning

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Today I’d like to talk a little bit about myself, my collection, and my return.

I know blogs aren’t what they used to be, and I’ve noticed that many of the ones I used to follow have disappeared. I was even thinking of giving up blogging myself. I’m glad I’ve picked it up again, even if it’s just for myself.

The Disappearance

It wasn’t my plan to disappear for so long, but with my dolls put away, I had nothing to talk about. I also couldn’t keep buying or planning things for them.

I stepped back from almost everything to avoid the temptation to buy something I knew I wouldn’t be able to use right away.

The last photos I took were from 2019. I didn’t have a place to put my dolls, which made it hard to photograph them. Things got worse for a while, and when I finally had a place, I had to do some renovations.

And then I never found the right moment to take them out of their boxes. The major renovations at home are finished, and we’ve finally cleared out the room that will be my office.

My return

In January, I bought my first doll stands and a few other little things. I even bought an Obitsu 24 body for the future.

A couple of months ago, I ordered the display case for my dolls and was finally able to take them out of their boxes after 7 years. Now they live in my office, although they’re the only thing in that room for the time being.

I changed the blog’s design, edited some posts, and even deleted a few (reviews of stores that no longer exist, for example).

And when my friend came back from Japan, I kicked off the blog with an unboxing post. There were no more excuses.

Changes I’ve noticed

Seven years is quite a long time, and I see that many things have changed—while others haven’t changed at all.

• It’s much easier to buy most dolls now; for example, Licca has been available in the United States since March of this year. Petworks reopened its global store a while ago. Even many independent artists have international stores.
• Affordable BJDs. I’m not interested in BJDs right now, but I’ve noticed that many have become more affordable, and there are even plastic versions as blind boxes at very good prices.
• AliExpress is full of products, and they arrive quickly. I really like this platform because they offer free shipping on anything labeled as choice over a certain amount, and they have a wide selection of clothes and accessories.
• Doll photography on Instagram. There are so many more people posting content on the platform. I’ve noticed that a lot of people from Japan are sharing their Licca and Momoko collections, and I love that.

And overall, there are lots of new dolls.

What remains the same

People are still taking beautiful photos, creating amazing dioramas, and coming up with original customizations. Almost everything that’s great about this hobby is still there.

As for me, I love the dolls in my collection just as much as I did before they went back into their boxes. And that desire to expand my collection is still there. I find myself checking tracking numbers with the same eagerness I had years ago, hoping the status will finally change and making plans for what’s to come.

Plans

I don’t want to make this post too long, but I’m really looking forward to:

• Continuing to learn about the dolls I collect.
• Creating dioramas for my photos.
• Setting up a mini photo studio on a small table and learning how to take photos with artificial lighting.
• Buy a couple of dolls a year and be selective with my choices.
• Be more consistent with what I post online—that’s always been really hard for me.
• But also, take it easy.

What about you? Have you ever taken a really long break from a hobby?

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