So on Thursday, Grace arrived from My Doll Best Friend in the UK, she got here really quickly because I only ordered her on Sunday! I could see straight away that she had potential and thought I'd just change her wig, maybe I'd tone down her lips a little as they were quite pink! However, never content to just do the bare minimum, I ended up giving her a full makeover.
Firstly I removed her wig, it wasn't a bad wig but it was a little bit shiny and 'synthetic' for my liking, so it had to go. I already had this Monique Gold Roxie in mind for her, the colour is Nearly Black and the size is 8/9 inches. Then I decided to tone down her lips.....but I thought I might as well add some blush....OK, maybe I'd remove the whole faceup and start over!!! So off came the original paint, leaving the tiniest trace of her eyebrows so that I could redo them in just the right place!
Next I thought "maybe it would be nice if she had glass eyes!" So I cut through the 'pate' on the top of her head, removed her head from her body, and cut into the little 'pockets' that hold the original acrylic eyes in place. I removed those 'pockets' altogether, just leaving enough for the eyes to 'sit' on. The eyelashes came off with the removal of the acrylic eyes. Once the eyes and lashes were removed, along with all the original makeup, I sprayed her face with a coat of Mr Super Clear Flat, this gives a nice base surface to work on and to build up the colour. And that was it, I gave her a new look using artist quality chalk pastels and watercolour pencils and I sprayed MSC between stages as it helps the pastels to adhere to the vinyl. Now all she needs are clothes of her own!
I hope you like her....I think her name might be Sian, but not entirely sure yet!
Oh dear! Yet MORE dolly temptations....but which luckily I can more easily resist as I'm not keen on any double-joints being on show..... BUT love what you have done to her with your own personal 'customising.' You're very clever at this.
ReplyDeleteLove to those three Little Darling Dolls.
LOL, now I know you're kidding Kendal because a little birdie told me that you're not into Kidz n Cats, so I know you'll resist the charms of this one too! ;) Thank you for your nice comments though, I'm glad that you like what I've done with her!
DeleteI have passed on your love to the LDs, they are looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks time at the CnS!!!
Hugs Sharon xxx
Sharon you are amazing! removing the wig, okay! I thought what a good Idea, maybe I could do this on one, then removing the face make up, okay! possible, maybe.... Cutting a hole in her HEAD! and changing her EYES !!!!!! OMG you are so amazing! I would not even think of doing that!!!
ReplyDeleteOkay maybe I could start small !! buy a cheap doll from the charity shop and carve her up!!! there could be my rejects scattered round the house , a mismatched set of wonky eyes here ! dolls with various size holes in their heads ! like Dr Frankenstein!! lol
I have not even had the courage to change Elfine's wig in case I cannot get the new one on properly! never mind change her eyes!!!
I may have to come live near you one winter for a month while you show me all the tricks of the trade... or while I hand you over a few dolls and watch you work.....mmm I'm liking the second one... :)
hugs from a very impressed Dee xxx
Thanks so much Dee, I'm glad you like what I've done!!! I admit that I am never happy unless I'm fiddling with something, be it wig, eyes, eyelashes, you name it and I've probably done something to it on one of my dolls! I just enjoy customising things I suppose....I've never been comfy with having something the same as the next one.....if that makes sense!
DeleteElfine's wig would be really easy to change, you'll have no probs whatsoever getting the new one on....and if you do, then bring her to the CnS and I'll help you with it, same with the eyes.....it's so much fun being able to change their looks and those are the place to start if you fancy a change!
LOL sounds like a great plan, I'll do the work and you watch.....erm, something not quite right there somewhere! I know, you can make the tea and cakes! :)
Hugs Sharon xxx
Oh my, she is wonderful! There is something very special about glass eyes. They give such life to her. :). I can only imagine the hole in her head but I really marvel at your skill to give her such a sweet and soft look. She looks great in her overalls and boots. The photo showing her sock is perfect! Thank you for a great post :) xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Ginger, and yes, glass eyes are really my favourite. I do have a couple of dolls still with acrylic eyes, my Narsha by Dollmore, who was my first BJD back in August 2006 still has acrylic eyes even though she actually came with glass ones....it's just that they suit her so well, but in the main I prefer the depth that you get with glass.
DeleteYes, poor girl, with a hole in her head!!!! ;) I'm glad you enjoyed seeing her though!
Hugs Sharon xxx
Hi Sharon, what a cute little lady!!! Her eyes are super realistic, and you've done a beautiful make-over. You dressed her so lovely too :-). I love the pictures you made, great job!!! Hugs xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Night Owl, I'm glad you enjoyed seeing her with her new look! I get so much pleasure out of doing this sort of thing, and then sharing it and hoping others will like it too.....
DeleteHugs Sharon xxx
She looks great! I would never recognize her as a Grace! I love the glass eyes... :D
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Lynn, I'm glad you like her! No, the shop where I got her from said the same, she does look quite different now, doesn't she!!! I too love glass eyes, they work so well at bringing a doll alive!
DeleteHugs Sharon xxx
She's gorgeous, Sharon!
ReplyDelete.....I'm looking at my Kidz - especially Alister who has blue eyes that are too synthetic looking.... and wondering.... Brain surgery involving removing part of the cranium seems a little beyond my early-stage career as a doll surgeon, though... what do you think? Fancy walking me through it? Can't stand his short back and sides, hasn't-been-washed-in-weeks-look wig either, the later style Alisters have much nicer ones, so should he be my sacrificial lamb....?
Jenni xx
Thanks very much Jenni, I'm glad that you like what I've done!
DeleteI'm more than happy to talk you through changing your sacrificial lamb...sorry, I mean Alister!! He sounds like the perfect candidate to me. Let me know when you're ready to begin and I'll get into my 'scrubs' !!! ;)
Hugs Sharon xxx
Yup! Going to do it, somehow.
DeletePoor Alister - I've tried to love him but he was one of the Madame Alexander years dolls, where the quality dropped for a while, presumably because quantity required became more important than the quality that attracted me to the early years of Kidz when they were produced in smaller numbers.
Poor boy, I kept thinking of him as Michael - without knowing why. Then Mum mentioned Hazel Fligg, my early primary school friend and it dawned on me - Michael Fligg, her cousin - same flat hair, dull eyes and permant need to sniff, spit and torment smaller kids and little animals. Horrible kid!!
So sad for Alister whose younger clones are more attractive! Emailing for info re supplies required for facelift, eye surgery and new hair..... actually, I need all those for myself too...... do you fancy being my own plastic surgeon? I'll just mail myself to Spain, but anasthesia is required please!
LOL I'm sure you're perfect just the way you are Jenni!!! And would you really want to be clasped between my knees as I poke into your head with a craft knife? Probably not a great idea eh? ;)
DeleteI hear that some of the middle years Kidz had a few problems, and some people much prefer the earlier ones. I honestly have no idea but the one I've got coming from the US is from last year I think so I hope she's fine, although I have heard that the wig on that model isn't great...but I planned on rewigging her anyway. I'll await your email!
xxx
She looks great in Kit's overalls. Very cute.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Aren't those overalls great! xxx
DeleteOOOH so glad I found your blog! Thanks for sharing how you did her makeover! I was going to get Alister because I love his outfit, but after the total control I have doing BJD faces I felt the painting on Grace was a bit flat (plus my girl's lips were not painted on center!) If my "surgery" on Grace is successful I may go ahead and get Allister too!
ReplyDeleteThank you Tami and you're welcome, I hope it will help people to take the plunge if they have the urge to do so!
DeleteI look forward to hearing how you get on!
xxx
I love love what you have done with this doll! Someone told me about your blog and I had to come and see, love the blog and looking forward to more posts from you!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for visiting Marda, I'm glad you enjoyed the posts!
DeleteI really enjoyed working on this girl and hope to do another one soon!
I must be a glutton for punishment eh?
:) xxx
Sharon, I am so glad I've found your blog (I didn't even know you had one!)!! I love this new Grace, though, of course, I've already said it before. Gorgeous! And I actually love how she looks in her overalls. Do you really need to change her outfit? ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Olga, I'm glad you found your way here too, hope you'll like what you see!
DeleteI'm glad you liked Grace's new look, I enjoyed doing her! I love to personalise my dolls, so she had to get the treatment too!
Well I did change her outfit today for a dress I made for her, I will share photos in a day or two, hopefully you'll like it, although it was just a 'trial' dress to be honest!
xxx
Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Gladys! xxx
Deleterozbrajająca kruszynka - choć nie zbieram dzieci i nastolatek -
ReplyDeletetaką natychmiast bym zaadoptowała i w mig dziergała ciuszki!
So pretty! I love her new look!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Mistycat, glad you liked her!
DeleteXxx