The Rapunzel Reimagined Project: Impulsive purchases, long projects

I was one of the foolish Tonner collectors, in love with the Breathless sculpt who fell in love with the idea of the super-long-haired brunette version, who rushed to purchase the Rapunzel exclusive from FAO back in 2008. I paid full price, and was so thrilled when the box came.

However, when I opened her, I have to admit my disappointment. While her gown was beautiful, her face lacked a certain zing I had been expecting. Her lips were orange... and that hair! Gel worked at first, but within a day or two, it would be sticking up again. What to do?

My doll (on the right), with which I had initially been smitten, did not live up to my standards. Had I become obsessive-compulsive? I displayed her anyway--but soon, I noticed she didn't fit in with my display. She didn't fit in with my princesses, who were gradually turning into the wives of Henry VIII. My ReImagination girls certainly wouldn't have anything to do with her. So into a box she went. For a time. This lesson--impulse buying, based only on promo photos--is a lesson I still have to learn.

After a few months, my friend Jen got involved in more sewing, and together, we came across a daring idea. At the time, I had more ReImagination dolls; and I thought of trimming the length of her dress and skirt to look more like the ReImagination line. The skirt was certainly full enough. Jen was happy to oblige.

I sent Rapunzel's torso to Michele Hardy, a talented BJD face-up artist, and asked if she might be able to work some magic into Rapunzel's face and hair. I mentioned the coral lips, and she said that was easily fixable. She added some soft sparkle to her face as well. Also she tied in some wonderful bunches of Tibetan lambswool below each bow into the doll's lovely locks, so now you can't even see where the hair sticks up.

I found some sparkling lace stockings for her and two sets of jewelry from LVNVdolls in Las Vegas, and put her all together. Here you can see her completed look.

Now, she's finally finished. After two years. And now, I don't have many ReImagination dolls left in my collection, which is very sad. Rapunzel recently found a new home at our last doll meet. After all that time, work and elbow grease? My OOAK precious doll, who is lovely still (I sincerely believe) in these photos, now has found a new home. What kind of doll collector am I?