Liebster Award the Sequel (In English)

So I was honored to receive the Liebster award from Fyrd and Xaya again! Thank you both! <3
More questions and answers under the cut!

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Sain kunnian vastaanottaa Liebster Awardin myös Fyrdiltä ja Xayalta! Kiitos kiitos! Lisää kysymyksiä ja vastauksia! Suomenkieliseen versioon tästä!




Questions from Fyrd

1. What did you expect of the doll hobby when you first found about it or got involved in the hobby?

I first found out about BJDs in an artictle on Asian dolls that was published in a German anime, manga and Japanese popular culture magazine. This was somewhere around the years 2005-2006. I don't think I had a lot of expectations other than I wanted a handsome doll. At first, I just saw it similar to collecting anime figures, I think. I've also always liked all kinds of miniature objects, so I thought it would be fun being able to use those as props for dolls!

If memory serves me right, in that article I read I believe there was some talk about doll owners building backgrounds and taking artistic photographs of their dolls? Yes, there definitely was! And a little later I found out that people made photostories with their dolls! I think there were photostories in Haute Doll -magazines as well.

Then I read from Yun Kouga-sensei's (the author of Loveless manga) blog that she had Ritsuka and Soubi dolls! And there were pictures! (I'm really mad at myself for not saving those pictures, now I can't find them anymore...) That was like someone had thrown gasoline in the flames of my doll-passion. Yes. I think that's quite right. My original expectation was to have dolls that resemble the characters that I like.

2. Which doll company was the first to really capture your attention?

Originally Volks in 2006. Later on DikaDoll in 2011 when I got my first BJDs.

3. Is there a sculpt that you love to see photos of but don't need to own yourself? If so, which is it?

Perhaps Soom Amber and Heliot? At one point I wanted to own these pretty badly but now I've skipped the "for sale"-announces of them at forum matketplaces with ease. I really love Irene's Soom Amber boy though! ;__; <3 (and sometimes looking at the pics of him I wonder if I'll someday get a boy Amber of my own. But for now I settle for pics!)
I was a fan of the original release of Amber, but now I think I've started to prefer the re-release called Romantic Amber Midnight Whisperer.

All rights belong to SOOM.

4. What would you most like to learn to do yourself for your dolls, unless you already can customise them from start to finish?

Probably the face-ups? It would just be awesome to paint your own face-ups!
Oh, and of course it would be super cool to make your own ball jointed doll from scratch!

5. What is the most risky thing you have done to or with your dolls?

Pretty boring but: posing the dolls in a windy place for taking photos. I don't like taking risks with my dolls. ^^;;

6. Do you have a theme song for all or any of your dolls? If so, care to share at least one of them?

I attempt to come up with a theme song for each and everyone of my dolls but with some it takes longer to find a song that suits.
Often the themes are simply songs that I've listened a lot to during the time waiting for the doll or coming up with the character and the song has merged together with the character in my mind. Sometimes I just find a fitting song for a character later. Sometimes I also use my favorite songs as inspiration when designing a doll character.

I have listed the theme songs in the doll profiles for each doll that has one. I think it would be fun to make special posts for each doll character and write a little something about my thoughts on the doll and its character and why I've chosen that specific song for its theme.

But I'll share a couple of personal favorites!





Röyksopp - I Miss It So Much
For Xavier.
I love Röyksopp's music and a lot of my dolls have theme songs from them. At one point I thought of using only Röyksopp's music as the theme songs for my dolls.

I was listening to this while waiting for Xavier to arrive. The song is a bit melancholic and I think it's mostly the melody that makes me relate this song to the sad-looking Xavier. The original story that I had planned for him also featured a future dystopia where the society has crumbled and modern technology is just a wavering memory.

Hence the lyrics:
"I miss it so much.
No button to touch
No dial to turn
No key to hold

I miss it so much.
No button to touch,
No flick of the switch,
Hand on my heart"





Sim Gretina - Plastic Beauty feat. ChiChi

This is a song that makes me think of Remy when I listen to it. Maybe because the repeated "Oh how I love you so, so much!" XD
But also because it's a song about a robot is confessing her love to her master. Dolls and robots are somewhat similar in terms of trying to mimic humans.

Hmm... I'd really like to write more about my thoughts on the theme songs but I think I will spare that for if I ever make those specific posts on each doll and their theme songs.

7. If you had your own doll company, what kind of dolls would you produce?

Animal BJDs that would be big enough to be in scale for SD-dolls. Manga and anime-inspired male BJDs.

8. Are there any doll hobbyists that you stalk?

Stalk? As in "follow, watch and bother someone constantly in a way that is frightening, dangerous, etc." as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary... um... no? :'D
As much as I keep thinking, I can't think of anyone I'd stalk in this hobby? Well, I do follow people whose dolls and works I like (some of which can be found in the Spica Reads blogroll) but I don't count that as stalking.

I admit to stalking some hobbyists that have dolls I'd like to own. Just so if they ever sell the dolls, I'd be able to buy them before anyone else does!

9. Which of these do you have the most of: doll eyes, wigs or clothes?

Clothes I think? I'm always out of eyes! :'D

10. What is your favourite part of blogging?

Answering the comments. :D Although sometimes it gets a bit repetitive if the only thing you can answer is "Thank you".
And when I have finished writing a post a can click the "Publish"-button! Also if I manage to post at least once a week, I feel kind of satisfied, feeling a sense of completion of sorts.

11. What is your current grail doll?

That damned Ringdoll Frankenstein 2011!

All rights belong to Ringdoll.

Questions from Xaya

1. What sort of book would you make from your dolls?

Actually I've been planning to write a book starring some of my characters. It might be a steampunk fantasy novel with a slice-of-life feel to it. I have a "deeper" more "epic" plot sketched out in my mind but I'm not sure how to tie it together in end. I'm good at coming up with things and book ideas but then I always fear that I can't write a good ending!

I'm also thinking about writing a collection of short stories that take place in the world of my characters. And then I have Alternative Universe visions too. :'d

2. What size of doll would you prefer if you could only have one size?

Ahh nooooo! D: I'm not good with choosing only one of something. My original interest was in bigger SD dolls but I've fallen in love with the tiny Teenie Gems. The size categories cater to such different tastes that I don't know how to choose from the two.. then again if I could only have one doll it would no doubt be Remy.

I don't want to be boring and answer "I can't choose" so perhaps it would be the Teenie Gems. After all, I enjoy photographing them the most and to me they have ideal posing abilities. And if they get knocked down from a standing position, I won't immediately die from a heart attack because they are so small and light that falling is not as dangerous as compared to the bigger dolls. *knocks on wood*

My Teenie Gem Boys in 2014. Need to take new group pics!

3. Have you ever been in doll event? (Dolls Party, LDoll, etc)

Does Wonder Festival count? They had artist BJDs. :) If not then no. But I would like to! LDoll sounds like fun and I'd love to go to one of the Japanese doll events someday.

4. Do you have nicknames for your dolls?

Hehe, yep! Xavier is Xav. Abelard is Bram. And so on and so forth.

5. Is there anything that you'd like to learn to make yourself for your dolls that you currently don't? (Clothes, shoes, face up, furniture etc).

Do I! All of the above! Maybe face-ups being the priority. Also, I'd like to try making some furniture for dolls as they are quite expensive and hard to find.


6. If you would bump into dolls NOW and find them interesting, which doll would you buy? And is it different than the one you did?

I would buy an SD-sized South-Korean male BJD. I like their head-to-body ratio, sculpting work and aesthetics better than the Chinese BJDs that were my firsts. And by that I mean I like dolls that have bigger heads and eyes than for example my first doll Dikadoll Autumn has.

However, I think that I'd get the same character as a doll and a doll that has similar characteristics to Dikadoll Autumn. But instead of White, I'd choose Normal skin. Think of it as a sort of an "upgrade" to Xavier.

I'd probably go for Crobidoll, Migidoll and/or Little Monica. And then there's Soom, but I doubt I'd start a doll collection with them. I'd say I would either get Little Monica Haazel or Migidoll Ell. But then again, if I didn't know the things I know now, would I make the same mistakes I did when choosing Xavier? This opinion is formed because of my current tastes in dolls, which have developed over time and experience. I wouldn't have had any chance of knowing the things know now when choosing my first doll.

Migidoll Ell and Little Monica Haazel. All rights belong to Migidoll and Little Monica.

Speaking of which, I'd really like to get either of these as a "new Xavier". I love Xavier's character, and I'd like to be able to do more with him. But I don't feel inspired to take photos of him because of multiple issues the doll has. Then again he was my first BJD and I feel sort of bad replacing him... What should I do!? Is it ok to replace him? ;;___;; I'd keep the doll though, since it is my first one and has sentimental value. I'm being torn in half because I currently I can't do anything with one of the characters that are most dear to me.

Migidoll starts their monthly sales period soon and I'd really like to get that Ell. And the thought of getting a beloved character "back" as a doll I really adore makes me feel very inspired!

7. Have you been belittled by anyone because you have dolls?

Um. Let me think. There has been somewhat sniggery undertones but no one has really up and said anything belittling. But I'm sure some of my relatives think the doll hobby is madness and that I should grow up already. But I won't, haahahahaha! >:D

Well my sister does say mean things about he doll hobby, when she's mad at me. And my friend who isn't into dolls and figures said something like "Oh, no, I don't want to own anything useless." when I questioned them about joining the hobby.

8. Where do you photograph your dolls? Do you have favourite spot in/out?

I don't have many spots where to take pics of my dolls inside so the usual spots are chosen more out of necessity than favoritism. Like, where there is enough light and not too much clutter in the background. :D

At our summer place I have this one spot where there usually is nice, even shade and spaces where the sunlight gets in the background so I can sometimes capture the bokeh effect in pics.

I'd prefer to take travel dollpics though!

9. Do you keep your dolls out of sight or somewhere where you can see them continuously?

I keep some of my dolls on top of the shelf where I can see them. That space is actually reserved for a television set but I don't have one yet. I don't know what will happen to the dolls when I get that TV. Maybe I'll put them in their boxes first and then decide.

As it is, I might currently have too many dolls and toys and figures on show. I think I might pack them all away and then choose a selected few to display. That way I could "change the layout of the exhibition" every now and then so to say. :D

10. Is there one doll that got away? Why?

That damned Ringdoll Frankenstein 2011!

I wrote a lenghty post on this somewhere but I can't find it now so I'll tell you why. I had just bought Xavier, and I didn' want to put a huge amount of money on another doll before the first one had arrived. Back then I didn't think I'd like grey dolls at all. Damn I'm annoyed I didn't get thay Franky!

11. Are you happy how your dolls look or do you want to change their looks all the time?

Depends from the doll in question. Some of them have styles that I like and some are still under development.

And then I'd like to get them new things even if I've found a style that I like. For example, Floyd, my Soom Bygg has had the same outfit for years! But I can't find anything else that suits him so well! And it's boring that he always has the same clothes.

So that's it for now! Thank you for reading!

How did you like this way of blogging, dividing English and Finnish into their own separate posts? Was it easier to read than including both languages in the same post? Or does it matter to you either way?

And then another thing: would you like to see more pictures in a tag post like this? Or is it ok to post just a few pics?

Opinions, please! :)