I am not the queen of this forum, I don’t have a crown, wand, magic, or power but if I did I would say this to anyone new to this forum.
Welcome to the reborn community, people who make, collect, and just appreciate babies. There are plenty of people who think we are odd, and that is ok. There are people who think these dolls are creepy, and some who like them a little creepier, that is ok too. The cool thing about this community is we all have something in common and that is a love for this art form.
On any forum there is drama, disagreements, a person or two (or five) who get on your nerves. There are shy people who lurk, know-it-alls, angry, funny, silly, goofy, and sweet people. From time to time we have people who are just curious or people who have some issues in their lives that keep them from being able to communicate in way that is easy for a lot of people to understand. From time to time someone gets on here who is young and cool and sometimes a little too young for it to be cool.
I think for the most part everyone tries to get along but we are humans. There is tension, jealousy, misunderstandings, and differences that are hard to see past sometimes.
Once in a while we get opportunists who think this is a good place to try to get a free baby, money, stuff… If you happen to be one of those people please know that we have seen it all baby and you will not be well received. We all work hard, we are passionate about what we do, what and who we love, our friends and our community.
Once in a while we get people who are shape shifters. That means they don’t want anyone to know who they really are because they have been asked to leave, have caused trouble in the past or are here reporting back and taking screen shots of our posts to give to someone else who has been asked to leave or has caused trouble for our friends here. If that is you, shame on you. This is a community of good people, it should be a safe place to hang out.
If you just got here and you want to make a few connections, form some friendships, bond with artists, learn and be a part of a kinda cool gig, just be yourself, your best self. It is a crazy world out there, we are stressed out, worried, lonely sometimes. This is a place where we can connect with something tender, escape a little and just feel less alone and more a part of something sweet and good.
If you have issues that affect how you communicate, if you have some personality differences you are living with or some mental health concerns that might make it a little bit harder to jump in easily, just be open about it in a way that is comfortable for you, steer away from threads that might trigger you, and if you make a mistake, hurt someones feelings, or feel hurt by someone else, be gentle with them, be gentle with yourself.
This is a place where you don’t have to try super hard to be liked, just reply and comment when you feel you have something to contribute. Ask for advice when you feel comfortable, we may not have the right words or solutions but you will be amazed at how hard everyone tries.
Many of us have formed some tight friendships, many kind hang out in the shadows and enjoy the forum from a distance that feels safe for them.
I think the bottom line is kindness and integrity.
I have been here several years and I haven’t always shown up my best self, I have made mistake and created drama without realizing it. If I know better I try to do better. We all can, tomorrow is always another day to get it right.
I use to own a little store called Tangerine, I had my motto hidden everywhere, behind a picture, on the edge of a table, on a candy jar, at the bottom of your sales slip…
.“Make Art = Be Happy”
I think that is what most of us are doing here making what ever we make so we can feel, share and create a little happiness in the world.
End of my little speech special friends.
