How to make a Doll Parasol - for Monster High and Barbie

Spring is almost over!
Time to make the most of it. I'm thinking picnics and puppies in the park... and the perfect accessory? Why, a parasol, of course!

These adorable parasols are easy to make in whichever colours you like.

What you need
< For the parasol >

                                                         A cocktail umbrella
Small piece of lace - a wide piece of trim may be used
Gathered lace trim for edge
Glue
Sharpie
Pins


< For the handle >
Embroidery thread in 1 or 2 colours
Paddlepop (popsicle) stick
Ribbon

Step 1
Open up the umbrella
Use your sharpie to trace the outline of one section on the umbrella

Step 2
Carefully peel away the wax paper from the 'ribs' of the umbrella
Cut out the triangle you marked out earlier. This is your pattern for the pieces of the canopy.

Step 3

Use your triangle pattern piece to cut out 8 pieces of lace

Step 4
Apply glue to one of the ribs and line up one of the lace triangles. Press down to secure.

Repeat, securing the opposite edge of the lace triangle on the next rib.

* if you are unfamiliar with using a glue gun craft glue can be substituted. The glue gun dries very fast and you don't really get second chances when it come to aligning the lace.

Step 5
Work your way around the parasol, layering the edges of each canopy piece.





Step 6

Apply a drop of glue on the underside edge of the parasol.

Line up the lace trim and affix around the edge with glue.

Step 7
Finish with a small piece of lace around the 'spike' on the top

Step 8
Cut a small piece of embroidery thread about 12cm long
Place thread along the top of the paddle-pop stick.
Wrap all of the embroidery threads around the stick about 15 times

Step 9
Take each end of the small length of thread and tie together tightly.
Side threads off the stick

Step 10
Take another piece of embroidery thread - I have used a contrasting colour but this is not necessary, it just depends on how you want your tassel to look.

Wrap this piece around the top of the bunch of threads close to the tie and secure tightly with a knot. You can also use a needle and thread to complete this step which enables you to secure the thread without a visible knot.

Step 11
Make sure the ends are even and cut

Step 12
Attach tassel to parasol handle with tape.
Tie a small loop of embroidery thread around the tape.
Using a ribbon, wrap the tape to create a handle, leaving knot free.

Secure with needle and thread.


And you're done!
Picture time!

You can use the loop to secure around your doll's wrist. Then, prop the handle up with her hand. This works best with Monster High doll which have wrist joints and removable hands. So she holds her parasol up all by herself! Ace for pictures!

 

Custom Doll Making - how to reroot hair

A huge part of the look of any doll comes down to the hair. And unless you can incorporate the locks she (or he!) was given in the factory into your design, you need to either re-root she hair or replace it with a wig.

A wig can be fitted at any time during the customisation process, however, if you choose to re-root the hair it needs to be completed before you start repainting. This is because the re-root is not going to be gentle. You often need to squeeze the head which may cause sealant to crack and you will generally be handling the face. Repaints are fragile and usually meant for display as opposed to play. Therefore, they must always be handled with care.

There are many different fibres out there that can be used for doll hair, both natural and synthetic. You can use human hair but I generally work with either nylon or mohair.

For this tutorial I will be using nylon hair and will use mohair in my next tutorial on wig-making.

The hair I am using is "Pussycat" nylon hair from dollyhair.com.

My 2 'scrapers' a blackhead
remover (left) and clay
working tool (right)

You will need:
Your doll
Scissors
Small cup/jug of boiling water
Needle nose pliers
Tweezers
'Scraper' (see right)
Doll Hair
Acetone (if painting scalp)
Acrylic paint (matched a closely as possible to the new hair colour)(if painting)
Re-rooting tool
Glue
Time
Patience

Step 1 - Remove the head
Simply point a hairdryer at the back of the neck  for about 30 seconds - 1 minute.
GENTLY pull the head from the body. You may need to wriggle it a bit and reapply heat if it does not come away easily.

* wear gloves because her head will be hot!

MH heads are attached with a pronged coupling which will bend if the head is simply pulled off. If this is done, the head will not sit firmly when returned to the body and flop all over the place. Not pretty.

Step 2 - Cut off all the hair with scissors
Get as close to the scalp as possible as the more hair to get rid of now, the easier it will be in ...

Step 3 - place the doll's head into a cup of boiling water for about 30-45 seconds.
(BE CAREFUL! Always use tongs and if in doubt, gloves.)
This will melt the glue in the head. Then, take your 'scraper' or pliers and scrape the plugs from the inside of the scalp.

I've tried many methods of removing the plugs from the inside, whatever works, really. The blackhead remover is good as it has a loop on the end making it less likely to accidentally puncture the head (which can happen very easily when the vinyl is hot). It also has a point on the other end to poke in difficult plugs. I got mine from Priceline for about $5.
The other thing I use is a clay working tool. It is wooden, with a curved end so great for avoiding holes-in-the-head.

Use your tweezers to remove any stubborn plugs.

Step 4 - remove any paint from the scalp using acetone or nail polish remover and repaint with acrylic paint to match the colour of the new hair.

* make sure you wash your doll THOUROUGHLY with soap and water after cleaning with acetone. Remember, is a solvent and will eat away at the vinyl if not washed off.

Let dry completely, then seal with MSC. This will stop the paint from flaking off while you are inserting the new plugs.

For a video on steps 1-4 check out part 1 of my hair re-root tutorial  at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM6hYrMC9G4

 Step 5 - insert the new hair.
Take a small amount of hair. You only need a tiny bit as it will be folded.
Wrap the strand around your index finger to create a loop.
Using the re-root tool, catch the strand in the loop and pull tight so it is firmly wrapped around the tool.

Insert the re-root tool into the head using the holes from her old hair and then gently pull the tool out.
The hair should stay in place as long as it is not pulled too hard

* there's no right or wrong place to start, some people like to start out on the part and others at the nape of the neck. Whatever is comfortable to you.

Voilà!

And that's the hard bit, done! Now you just have to do that a couple of hundred times! Hehe, sorry! It's not that hard, but it is time consuming!

Step 6 -affix the hair on the inside of the scalp with glue. You want an adhesive that is no too thick so it can reach all areas inside her head and not too thin so it doesn't seep through the plug holes. I'm using wash-n-wear so I can use hot water to style her hair later.

Step 7 - style
Sometimes it is fine to leave this until after the face up as the hair will be wrapped during painting. However, if you want to set curls it's probably best to do before painting so you don't steam her face up off!

Part 2 video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsMLQYNTGAQ

And you're done!

Monster High OOAK Hand-painted Sandshoes

These are my new shoes! Want some?

                                          

Hand-painted, using only the finest Matisse and Liquitex acrylic paints.
Sealed and sprayed with water-proofing.

You can choose which character you want to be stepping out with and I am happy to incorporate any specific designs you may want.

Please note, these are just basic sand-shoes. I can only guarantee black or white, other colours subject to availability.
If you would like me to paint a pair of shoes you already own you can send them to me. I highly recommend this option, simply to ensure your custom shoes will (a) fit and (b) last a long time. If you order a size 6 and they don't fit, well, let's just say that's bad for everyone. Remember, they are one of a kind and made especially for you.

Please email me with any questions, I am extremely dedicated to making sure my clients are 100% happy with their new artwork and are involved during the design process. You can have as much, or as little, involvement as you like. If you like surprises, I can just design something for you myself ^-^.

They make a gorgeous and unique gift as they can be tailored especially for their new owner.
As a one time, pre-Christmas deal, the standard sand shoes are only $80(AUD). Please contact me if you would like to send shoes for me to paint.

Please contact me via email at live_transmission@hotmail.com.

Custom doll making - how to remove factory paint

This post is about everything you will need to get started repainting your dolls. Some items can be swapped out for a cheaper option if cost is a factor, but there are a few products that cannot be compromised on. There is a lot out there on this step so I will try to keep it brief.

You will need:
Acetone
Mr Super Clear
Cotton balls and buds
Soap and water (cleaning wipes are also useful)
Sandpaper
Face mask
Courage



- Paint Removal
Before you can start creating your own masterpiece you will need to remove the factory paint. This can be done by using a solvent or sanding, but I would definitely recommend using a solvent on the head as you are less likely to damage the vinyl (as long as you wash all the solvent off with warm soapy water).

100% acetone is the best thing to use for this step. Acetone is the active ingredient in nail polish remover. You can use nail polish remover if you don't have pure acetone but it is not as effective.

Use cotton buds and balls to wipe away the factory paint. Then, wash off any acetone with luke-warm water and soap. It is very important to remove ALL the acetone as if left it will eat away the vinyl.

When it comes to removing paint on the body, however, DO NOT use acetone. It affects the plastic extremely fast. It will literally melt your doll. Besides this, it is hard to keep the solvent out of the joints. This will severely weaken the plastic and it will start to go powdery after a few days. Trust me, you don't want this to happen. Once weakened, the plastic will snap under any kind of pressure.

To remove factory paint from the body -e.g. Frankie's stitches - take a piece of fine sand paper 400-600 is usually good. Gently sand the area in a circular motion. The paint will come off quite easily, but be patient and don't press too hard as this may scratch the doll too deeply. If she looks scratchy after all the paint is removed just take a finer grain of sandpaper and smooth her out.

* make sure you have lots of cotton balls on hand and don't use the same piece of cotton to re-wipe. The paint will simply transfer from the cotton to your doll's face and become a smudgy mess.

* it can be tricky to get into the gap between the lips. Use a toothpick with a little cotton wrapped around the end and squeeze the doll cheeks. As she pouts you can get into the gap with your tiny cotton bud.

- Sealant
Before you start working on your (now face-less) doll you will need to seal the vinyl with Mr Super Clear (MSC). MSC is one of those products I mentioned that cannot be compromised on. It provides a truly matte surface with significant 'tooth' for your pigments to stick to. Other sealants I have used have been shiny (despite declaring they are 'matte'), crack easily and don't give enough of said 'tooth'. It can be hard to find in stores but is widely available online.

Hold the can on a 45° angle about 20cm from your doll's face and spray from left to right and back again. While you want complete coverage, don't saturate as this may cause drips and will take forever to dry.

You seal your work as you go, kinda like a 'save' button

* make sure you don't squeeze your doll's head after applying sealer as it will probably cause the surface to crack.

* always seal before you start to avoid discoloration of the vinyl.

* always use a face mask when using MSC to protect your lungs.


Taking the factory paint off for the first time can be quite daunting. Just remember you are aiming to improve your doll and it will all be worth it in the end. If you are intimidated by the thought of completely starting from scratch then start off small. Only remove, say, the lips or eyebrows and practice just those areas.

The first doll you paint probably won't end up looking how you imagined. It's not easy and, like anything worthwhile, takes practice. My first repaint was pretty appalling, but I still keep her on the shelf to remind me how far I've come.

Doll painting is such an amazing creative outlet and above all it's fun - which is what dolls are supposed to be.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me, either through email or the comments section below.                    ,