What do YOU consider 'Playtime with Dolliehs'

[Trethowan]

Mine sit on a shelf until it's time for a photostory. That or I'll drag a few out when I throw a doll party. Usually though, doll parties are more like "group face-up time" and we'll just sit together painting heads. That's always fun, though I've not had anyone over since last Fall.

[quidam]

I keep mine out posed in little scenes or just randomly doing things on the shelves. Playtime is re-posing them, plus the standard redressing or re-wigging them. When I get too bored with their looks it can also include doing a new face.
It's actually about time to re-pose them again today!It's been taking them forever to set up their tree for Christmas, they probably need something new to do! (Is it time for presents????)

[embyquinn]

I'll freely admit it--I'm a bit of a doll weirdo. I talk to my dolls, I dress them, pose them, cart them about with me, and bestow upon them individual personalities and imagine their reactions and hold conversations with them.

I don't believe my dolls are alive or can feel anything at all. They're hunks of plastic shaped like people. But I like to pretend they can interact with me.

I talk to Cherry all the time, and I have a whole fantasy relationship with her that goes beyond anything I have with any of my other dolls. She's the only one I imagine calling me "Mama"; all the others treat me more as of a...keeper, I suppose? A guardian? A slave who buys them stuff? At very best, a friend who can do things for them they can't do for themselves?

But Riri's different. I take her to conventions with me, I sit around at night with her sitting beside me to watch TV and websurf, she lives in a homemade "dream house" by my bed, and I spend almost every waking moment with her when I'm at home. I used to take her to work with me, when I was allowed, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I thought I could get away with it. I love her with all my heart, inanimate object or not, and I'm not a bit ashamed of that.

[OkamiKodomo]

I don't think anyone is weird for talking to their dolls. I do it all the time, in particular when trying to pose them and they don't cooperate. then I'm scolding them lol.

[Indigo]

I like to make clothes and boots for my dolls, so when I am making something I always have one or two of them sitting on the table for measurements. They are of course posed while they are waiting their turn (in hopes that the new item will be theirs I think... )
My dolls have a photo story so they are always getting photographed with their props. My brother helps make props for them and also helps me with the lighting when I photograph them. He even likes to come up with ideas for their story. So I guess he also plays with my dolls.
I change their clothing about three times a week and sometimes retouch their faces if I feel they need a change. My dolls get lots of playtime

[littlesamuraigirl]

I like to think that while I'm certainly not careless with my dolls, I don't think I'm capable of donning gloves every time I want to pick one up. I do wash my hands before I handle them, and I clean them regularly and make sure not to touch their faceups or catch their fingers on anything.

I'd love to be able to bring my dolls with me everywhere I go, half because I enjoy their company and half because I have the tiniest shred of hope of meeting another BJD lover. Unfortunately, I have to reserve the outings for special occassions; like taking them to doll shops and malls, and maybe anime conventions.

I talk to my dolls a lot...it sort of, I dunno...helps to develop their personalities? Like, I invision how they'd respond to something I said. I'm a writer/artist, and I'm constantly creating characters in my mind, so I don't know if that's the reason for this. Also, I do enjoy taking photos of them and making new clothes and accessories for them.

I like to carry my boys around on my shoulders, haha...it's a perfect perch for them. My little Sharon obviously prefers riding around in the palm of my hand, since she's so tiny. Gillie seems to like sitting on my knee, a habit which he developed almost as soon as he arrived. I like to play around with their hands for some reason.

I'm a bit of a spiritual-ish sort of person in some ways, and I sort of want to believe that the more love I give my dolls, the more of a 'soul' they develop; that they are capable of embodying that soul that I've created, and even if they can't actually move or talk. BJDs...they have this strange, surreal air about them, almost as if they are actually alive. I know, that sounds crazy and weird xD

Maybe I just have no life at all, but those are my thoughts.

[VirgoVertigo]

I like to think that while I'm certainly not careless with my dolls, I don't think I'm capable of donning gloves every time I want to pick one up. I do wash my hands before I handle them, and I clean them regularly and make sure not to touch their faceups or catch their fingers on anything.

I'd love to be able to bring my dolls with me everywhere I go, half because I enjoy their company and half because I have the tiniest shred of hope of meeting another BJD lover. Unfortunately, I have to reserve the outings for special occassions; like taking them to doll shops and malls, and maybe anime conventions.

I talk to my dolls a lot...it sort of, I dunno...helps to develop their personalities? Like, I invision how they'd respond to something I said. I'm a writer/artist, and I'm constantly creating characters in my mind, so I don't know if that's the reason for this. Also, I do enjoy taking photos of them and making new clothes and accessories for them.

I like to carry my boys around on my shoulders, haha...it's a perfect perch for them. My little Sharon obviously prefers riding around in the palm of my hand, since she's so tiny. Gillie seems to like sitting on my knee, a habit which he developed almost as soon as he arrived. I like to play around with their hands for some reason.

I'm a bit of a spiritual-ish sort of person in some ways, and I sort of want to believe that the more love I give my dolls, the more of a 'soul' they develop; that they are capable of embodying that soul that I've created, and even if they can't actually move or talk. BJDs...they have this strange, surreal air about them, almost as if they are actually alive. I know, that sounds crazy and weird xD

Maybe I just have no life at all, but those are my thoughts.

that last part, about dolls and souls? i didn't know anyone else thought that ... i know this is a strange hobby, but i thought i was even stranger for thinking like that! but i'm not the only one!
i really feel like my dolls have thoughts and feelings about me, and they just don't move. i feel like if i were to smash one (God forbid!), its soul would go flying up into the air and feel very sorrowful. when i bring something for them, the energy in my room seems to change, even if just a little ... i don't know. just weird spirity wirity stuff!

[MelodyT]

What a delightful topic!

Well....what is playtime for me? I enjoy making clothes for my dolls, knitting and sewing. With that comes changing their clothes. Because they are out in the open (not inside a container), I keep a close eye on their hair and that gets washed regularly. Of course their body must also be wiped down regularly. I love brushing their hair and playing with it. To me they all have their own personalities and definitely their own stories. They are all my adopted children and their 'children' are my grandchildren . The boys are my son in-laws. (I need more of those as I have many daughters ) Sometimes I get the feeling that someone is unhappy. I will ask them what's wrong. For my one doll, she didn't like her name and wanted it changed. For another she found fostering babies made her happy . Mostly they happy though. I kiss them too. They are special to me and make me happy, so why not give them a kiss . But I also have times where I focus on other things....just to keep balance. After all, they are just dolls... even though they mean so much to us.

[Chrystal]

I like to sew, knit and crochet for my dolls. I handle them a lot, talk to them. Usually I have one or two sitting nearby on the arms of the chair I am sitting on - especially the one I am busy making stuff for. The others are sitting on a plant stand I have in the sitting room. It has 3 shelves to it, so there is more than enough room at present.

[Lif]

Playtime with my dolls... Well I guess its much the same as everyone else here. I pose them (the ones which are not already standing here ) beside me when I am a bit down. I have non resin dolls beside me and Kuma sitting on my desk. And I have a bit of space reserved for Audrey so she can sit on my (much to full and cluttery) desk when I am behind the comp...which I usually am when I am at home because this chair is the most comfortable one. And...we are a bit strange from other families...we don't watch tv. We occasionally watch a movie on tv if we watch them with our teenagers but if we watch a series or something we do it behind the computer...most of the time my husband and I sit behind our desk (which is in the back of our livingroom) chatting with eachother or with our family and friends (over the internet) and me doing some knitting or crochetting. So this is also where my dolls are. The non resin dolls all beside me on the windowsill and the resin ones above me on a shelve packed away from sunlight....I take them out if I feel like it or when I am busy making things for that doll.
I'll make clothes for them (always have one project or more that I am working on in the evenings) I talk to them...well... mostly to Audrey. And not only when shes not cooperating when shooting but well.. just regular chitchat or I'll tell her I don't have the time now but I'll do something more with her tomorow or something. Or promise her I'll make her something. She is my grail doll and I just love her...and I need to know she knows. Thats the basic of it I think... Its me who needs to tell her that, to have her here beside me or to have her in self made clothes to direct my love for her trough that. Its not so much as if I believe shes real or something...no soul or anything. A little make believe I admit. But mostly ME needing the talk to someone who always understands...much like my stuffed monkey when I was a kid I think.. Altho back then I believed he had feelings.
Funny thing is...I used to never play with dolls. I played with barbies and Jem for a bit. But before those I never played with any dolls. I recognise something someone said earlier in this thread...I posed dolls and loved to look at them. I remember getting this beautyfull baby for my birthday from my grand dad. I took off its clothes only ones. Then put them back on. sat it down somewhere and just loved looking at the pretty and cute doll. I didn't want to mess with it because I was afraid I would spoil her... This was me age 5.. How different from my daughter now...who just now finally does not pick dolls up by the hairs anymore XD
And how different from how I treath my dolls these days. Now I'll cuddle them when I feel the need to. And I do snapshots but also big shoots and photostories with them. And I take them places to take pictures or just for company altho I can't take them to everything cause my husband and kids (well the big ones anyway...my younger daughter loves it when I take dolls XD) are too imbaresed when I take a doll with me when they are with me.... But just the other day I took Audrey out with me to do a shoot in nature....which turned into a little story.