Monday, January 11, 2016

Tagged! Liebster Award 2016

The Liebster Award question tag is making the rounds, and thanks to Musume of My Dolly Adventures, the tag has come my way. I always have fun reading other people's answers to these, so let's get on with it!




RULES:

  1. Thank the person who presented you the award and link back to their blog (Thanks, Musume!)
  2. Post the award image on your blog. 
  3. Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter. 
  4. Nominate 5 blogs with less than 200 followers. 
  5. Create 11 questions for the nominees to answer. 
  6. List these rules in your post. Inform the people you chose of their nomination by leaving a comment on their blog and link them your post.


the QUESTIONS


Have you learned any craft because of the hobby? 
Not technically, but I did buy a new sewing machine when I first got into the hobby because I was intending to get serious about making doll clothes.  That didn't really happy, but hey. 

Have you gotten a doll you thought you would never get?
 I have! I missed the order period of Iplehouse's Shadow Chase the Magician back in 2009, and thought I'd gotten lucky when someone posted theirs up for sale on DoA. I excitedly messaged them, but I was too late, and they'd sold him to another owner that same morning. But then a few months later that second owner listed him for sale, and that time I was first to ask, and I brought him home (and even better, she was in Canada, so no customs fees!).
Mr. Shadow Chase himself, now known as Murad

Do you have a preference for any BJD size in particular?
I prefer the biggest, SD+ ones, but these days I'm appreciating the portability of MSD-range ones.
Do you collect any other type of doll besides BJDs?
I do, primarily action figures, but I dabble in play dolls (mostly American Girl size) and fashion dolls.
A random sampling of the dolls and figures who share
my house.
Have you ever "re-shelled" a character?
Not yet, but I've been thinking about getting a new body for my IH Cocori/RS body hybrid, so that may be on the horizon (the head would stay the same though, so maybe that doesn't count).
What calls your attention first: the head sculpts or the body sculpts?
Definitely the head, but the body can be a deal maker or breaker.
Do you "research" the hobby? (find new releases, read reviews, find info about brands...)
I do. I check the news on BJD Collectasy a couple of times a week.
Do your dolls have a back story?
They do, but my dolls tend to have a meta-existence and know they're dolls, so their stories are very malleable and shift over time.
How do you take photos of your dolls: go outside, prepare a big setup, or just snap in any place?
Going outside is always my favourite, although depending on where I've lived it's not always the easiest choice (when I lived in the DC area we had a loft with no outdoor space, so that was my year of indoor photography - that's where the group photo above was taken). Given the choice though, I'll always head for the garden.
I always loved taking photos in my garden
in Burlington.
Which is your main avenue to enjoy the hobby? Blogs, videos, forums, social sites?
This blog, a few different forums, and Flickr.
Have you done doll cosplay?
No, but I've often thought about making my YID Aaron into my Dragon Age Warden:
YID Aaron, and my Dragon Age: Origins mage

THE NEW QUESTIONS

1. What was the first doll or figure that started your collection?
2. What were your favourite doll-related moments of 2015?
3. What are you looking forward to in 2016?
4. Do you have a favourite doll in your collection?
5. Do you have a favourite size of doll, and if so, which one and why?
6. Do your dolls have character back-stories?
7. Do you prefer to buy character dolls or blank slates?
8. You can have any doll maker make the doll of your dreams. What does it look like?
9. How do you protect your dolls from damage (sunlight, hungry pets, angry children, wild animals, etc)?
10. How do you store your dolls?
11. How do dolls fit into your everyday life?


TAG, You're it!
As always, no pressure if you don't enjoy doing these, and if you've done one already this month (I've tried to skip people whose lists I remember reading, but sometimes it all blurs together), feel free to skip it.
And there we go! Looking forward to reading everyone else's responses, and thanks again to Musume!

20 comments:

  1. Great answers! I agree with the photo ops and benefits of natural lighting outdoors. I am so impressed with some bloggers abilities to work with studio or natural light indoors, but give me a tree and overcast light anyday! Your Shadow Chase is a stunner...:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!

      Yeah, under a tree is always my favourite spot too. My garden in my current place is small, but at least there's a tree and a little space for photos! :)

      Delete
  2. Great answers! Are you planning on making doll clothes in the future? Your dolls are always a delight to look at - the look you gave your Aaron is beautiful, and Murad is just stunning! Thanks for tagging me! I really like your questions, I'm in :-).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I ended up putting my sewing machine in storage when we moved to the US (convenient excuse, I know ;)), but I suppose I could always look into picking up a new one...

      Looking forward to reading your answers!

      Delete
  3. There is doll cosplay? I never heard of that! How interesting. I've attended many anime cosplay events but probably wouldn't have noticed someone cosplaying as a particular doll.

    Enjoyable read and thanks for tagging me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've seen costumes for the MH characters, so I know people dress up as those, but I think the way it usually works is that cosplayer make matching costumes for themselves and their doll.

      I'll be watching for your answers! :)

      Delete
  4. Oh I'm glad you did this one!

    That whole getting a sewing machine and getting serious about doll clothes sounds eerily familiar. I was the same and ... that was quite a few years ago now and still no decent doll clothes to speak of!

    It sounds like Shadow Chase was always meant for you!

    I really wish I had a nice enough garden to take photos of my dolls in (and not so nosy neighbours). I really love outdoor shots and wish I could do more of those myself.

    Oh your Aaron already looks like he could be a warden! I have my PD Bomu as the Tenth Doctor, sort of...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh, I'm glad I'm not the only one whose lofty intentions to sew a whole wardrobe turned out to be rather less than what I'd intended. I think I only ever made two pairs of pants and a shirt, myself.

      And I love when characters turn out to "sort of" be someone (that's happened with mine a few times). ;)

      Delete
  5. I loved reading this about you! It is always interesting getting to know about someone a little better, isn't it? I would be interested in your Shadow Chase character! I also keep saying that I am going to make clothes for my dolls, but haven't done so yet! But I will! Maybe 2016 will be my year for that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!

      You know, I've been thinking about doing some character-type posts, when I get around to it, I should start with Chase. Thanks for the inspiration! :)

      Delete
  6. Interesting answers JS to different questions to mine, which is a nice change. I so enjoyed reading them all.
    Hugs,
    X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Seeing new questions is always one of my favourite parts of these tags.

      Delete
  7. Thanks for doing the tag!! Your answers were great, and I didn't knew you had a cosplay of your Warden! I love Dragon Age, it was great to find about this character of yours :3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for tagging me - it was fun to share! :)

      Delete
  8. Nice to read more about you JS and your dolls too of course. I agree, the garden or other source of natural light is my favourite too for photos. I laughed that you and Farrah prefer under a tree because I too love taking photos under my lemon tree when I'm at home (and not at the coast like now) but someone once said to me "the lemon tree photo" and I felt it was a bit like "oh NO! Not ANOTHER lemon tree photo" so it put me off a bit! But at least there's been no lemon tree photos for almost a year now so I can do more when we eventually go home!
    I think your YID Aaron would definitely look wonderful as a Dragon Age Warden!
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh, now I'm going to be specifically watching your photos for the lemon tree! ;)

      Delete
  9. Thank you for tagging me! I'll be putting my post soon, but there was something else I'd already said that I'd blog about first.

    When you said your dolls have a meta-existence and know that they are dolls, it made me think of Deadpool. I imagine your dolls' lives are not so X-rated. :)

    You have a really nice variety of dolls in your collection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh, now I'm tempted to pick up a Deadpool figure and see which of them can out-meta the other! ;)

      Looking forward to reading your answers when the time comes as well! :)

      Delete
  10. Love the photos you used to compliment your answers...which by the way...were quite interesting. You certainly have a wonderful collection of dolls. I love getting to know more about my fellow doll enthusiasts!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I always enjoy reading other people's answers to these question lists as well. :)

      Delete