About the T.I.C.

Welcome to the T.I.C. Q&A, or the Tourist Information Center Questions and Answers section! Got a question that isn't on here? Send it in!

Why a doll information site?
In short; Because I'd love to see more people in this hobby!

Long version; When you're visibly out and about with a doll you'll get some attention, and often questions. I myself love to talk about my hobbies, but out on the street or on an event's busy walkways it's often difficult to really explain things properly. I'd love to show you how my doll is put together, but I'll need a table!

Usually the next step would be "Go google it!", but in between different languages, many sites, and advertising this isn't much of a fun activity for everyone.

So out of all that came the idea to establish this site as sort of a halfway-point; a clear explanation of what this hobby is all about, and a few directional markers for those who want to go in deeper.

Why a Tourist Information Centre?
I wanted to give this site a name that was easy to remember, but which also indicated what the site is, i.e. a starting point for people who are visiting the hobby.
"Het BJD VVV" (Dutch tourism information centers) sadly wasn't an option because the term "VVV" is protected. Now, aside from the VVVs we do have the "TIP" in the Netherlands, or the "Toeristen Informatie Punt", but I wasn't wildly enthusiastic about this one myself. It would work just fine, but the "TIP" made me think of a single line of information instead of the package I wanted to put online.

Then I thought "What do they have in Japan?". After all, it kind of is the birthplace of the whole hobby. A quick round of Google later I had learned that Japan has the simple "Tourist Information Center", or the "TIC" for international visitors.
Why not? Works in Dutch, works in English, and the abbreviations rhyme which helps with remembering it.

Why isn't [x] on the site?
Because this site is meant as a starting point I'm not attempting to reflect the entirety of the BJD-internet. Especially where shops are concerned the focus is on what's within reach for the Europeans, and brands that have existed for a longer time and/or are very populair.

Why isn't this site available in [language]?
Because I only speak Dutch and English! Hopefully more languages can be added in the future, but this will be dependent on people willing to translate voluntarily. In the meantime Google Translate will have to carry the load.

Who runs this circus?
Hello, I'm Isabel! I fell into the (A)BJD hobby back in 2004 and never got out :D
I started on the resin side of the hobby, rolled to the vinyl side after many years, and now I'm comfortably in between. Every now and again I show up on social media, mostly on Instagram, where I have both my personal account and an account for my dolls.