Pinky is 50 years old and has been loved by her family, so much that she came to us to give a second life and continue to be loved and cherished by her family. Pinky is rather beige and grey in coloring in her current state. She has a big gash in her arm and several holes in the back especially where a music box turner comes out to wind to sing “Rock a Bye Baby”. Pinky is made to sit but she’s lost some life in her stuffing and is rather floppy. Pinky also has some years o

A Unique Restoration Project So, this was a funny story. A client sent me several pictures of a doll they wanted restored. It looked very much like some 1950s dolls I had worked on, so I had them send it in. The project was simple: restore the doll to reflect the era it was from. This included putting the doll back together (restringing), patching some cracks and worn areas, re-wigging, and finding clothing appropriate for the era. I'm always excited about these kinds of proj

"Them Bones" by Doll Maker's Notebook If you were to visit our home, there isn't much around here that hasn't been found second hand or refurbished.  Let me explain.  Growing up, my dad was always adopting the most downtrodden wooden furniture.  The way he'd talk about a dresser did not align with what I was looking at.  "Look!  It's solid oak!  Look at the dovetails in the drawers!  This is probably 70 years old and was made to last!  It just needs a little sanding and I can

Felani was born in a small village deep in the forest. Her people were a hybrid mixed between orc and elves and they were outcasts not accepted by the orcs nor the elves for their existence. But over time, it was discovered that this unique blend made for excellent warriors.  The elf in them made them good with swords and bows and arrows with the ability to be stealthy and sneak up on an enemy.  The orc side made them incredibly strong and resilient.  And so her village becam

An Intro to Doll Maker's Notebook What happens when you request a custom doll?   I have the pleasure of customizing dolls for their people, and many wonder what the process is!  First we talk and agree upon who will be customized.  When I receive the head of a doll in the mail, I make sure I label and keep everything together.  I use inspiration pictures and ideas from my client to make their ideas come to life. I need to clean the doll's face of factory paint, stains, and su

When little girls send their babies away for repair it's a very emotional experience. Our job is to do the repair quickly so that time apart is minimal and preserve the doll and girl memories.

Not to go too far back, but my mother married and was divorced at a young age and didn't re-marry again until I was about 11 years old. ...

A very poor conditioned Patti came to the hospital barely hanging on. She needed restringing, her dress was shredded and tattered, and...

American Girls use a 16mm Blinking eye which has eyelashes attached to the lid. If your doll is missing eyelashes you pretty much need...

I love the bigger dolls simply because sometimes you can borrow from the human world to dress your doll. This is the case with Patti...

For Cars or For Dolls? I know you are probably reading that headline and going what in the heck? What do cars have to do with dolls? ...

If you've done any crafting before or even entered the world of industrial strength bedazzling, you will be familiar with the glue known...

When I'm giving presentations to doll collectors what always seems to catch me off guard is the question "What's inside the doll?". It...

It's a subject that us older collectors are getting to know more and more, but that stumps the younger generations as they get into doll...

If you've ever done an Eye Change on a vinyl doll, you will be pleased to know that changing eyes on a BJD is the simplest eye change you...

Restringing and repairing Where to buy elastic bands and repair kits GINNY REPAIR KIT ( thedollhospital.com ) About Ginny: Ginny is an...

This is a subject that comes up quite frequently because children seem to discover these pesky little drawing items and color our beloved...

As you get out there and shop for wigs, there might be a few things you notice when comparing wigs and that is the way that the wigs are...

If you have been using your wig a little while or a long while and your doll is in play (we aren't talking about the dolls you are...

If the legs or arms have gone a little slippy slidy on you and you find your doll leaning or not being able to stand upright anymore,...