My "first" attempt at a OOAK Barbie

Okay, so the "first" in quotations means that this is not actually the first one-of-a-kind Barbie that I've tried to re-paint. There is one very sad attempt that is hidden deep in a drawer somewhere in my my house. You will never see a picture of her and we will never speak of her again.

Now that that's cleared up, here are the before & after shots of the first OOAK Barbie that I'm not ashamed to share pictures of. She began as a "Celebrate, Disco Doll!" Barbie (2008) with an afro of short, sausage curls & glitter eye shadow. Cute in her own way, but ready for a different look.

Sock Tutorial: Cardigan & knee-highs for SD13 ball-jointed dolls

Materials:

2 ladies crew socks or 1 ladies knee sock (I recommend pre-washing socks to set colors and pre-shrink the fabric before sewing)

Pattern (scaled from the image included at the end of this post)


Scissors

Pins

Needle and thread

Miniature books - an easy & inexpensive project

These little books are so easy, quick & inexpensive that you’ll probably end up with stacks of them all around your house after this! I like making them as table gifts at doll conventions because you can customize them with each of your tablemates’ favorite book titles!

The size & shape of the wood pieces will determine the type of book (novel, textbook, coffee-table book) and scale (12” doll, 16” doll, etc.).

Materials:

• Pre-cut wooden rectangles or squares (about $3 for a bag of 130)
• Tacky glue or hot glue gun
• White acrylic craft paint (often on sale for less than $1)
• Scraps of leather or vinyl (about $6 for a package that will make several books – or cut up an old purse!)
• Ultra fine-tip Sharpie (about $1-2)

2012 IFDC backdrops...and a few tips on how to create your own!

 At my third International Fashion Doll Convention this year, I decided to create two backdrops for the photography night and to then be raffled off. (If you want to see photos of all the backdrops from this year’s convention, please check out Shuga-Shug’s Flickr photos.) Conventioneers can pose their travel dolls in front of each backdrop for some unique photo opportunities. My favorite backdrops from last year were the ones with seats, so I didn’t have to fiddle with trying to get my Fashion Royalty to stand on her own, so I decided to incorporate seating into both of mine. I’m so proud of how they turned out, that I had to post some photos. If you’re a crafty DIY-er, like me, I’ve also included some tips on how to create your own.

Patterns for download and for sale

The Adams-Harris Pattern Company offers a wide variety of doll patterns for sale--sized for large, mini and tiny BJDs, Marley, Kish, Tyler, Antoinette, Ellowyne, and American Model--at reasonable prices for your home use or for resale purposes.

This site was only recently brought to my attention, and I have to say, while I'm not personally a sewer, I am really impressed by the variety of sizes and patterns available.

There is also a portion of the website that offers a free section of clothing and accessory patterns for a variety of doll sizes, including an SD-sized 1790s era shoe. I read the instructions, and it looks really well-done and easy-to-use. Please check out the website, and support it!

Before and after: personalizing a doll display case

Before: gold lining and all.

I inherited this glass display case from my friend, Alison (aka Alington) several months ago, probably because she switched over to 6-foot-tall IKEA bookcases to house her ever-growing doll collection. Luckily, I'm a little sister and I learned early in life the beauty of hand-me-downs!

My "what NOT to do" tip of the day

Who knew that styrofoam and spray paint don't mix? Apparently not me.

I thought I'd be both thrifty and environmentally conscious and create an armchair for an 11" doll out of a styrofoam Jamba Juice cup. However, once I sprayed on a light coat of enamel spray paint, the styrofoam began to disintegrate until the seat was no more!

Am I the first one to ever discover this? Probably. I imagine that most people just throw out their take out containers: not try to make them into doll furniture. :)

Sock tutorial PART 1: one-shoulder top for 16" doll

The finished project on Peak's Woods "Lottie."

There has been a trend in my local doll groups lately to make doll clothes from socks. So, I thought I'd challenge myself to see how many different garments/accessories I can make from a pair of socks. I'll show you the steps, in case you want to try them, too!

Sock size: women's size 6-9
Sock thickness: medium
Sock height: crew

Turning a silk scarf into some new wardrobe pieces

I recently found some silk scarf panels of fabric at my local swap meet (my favorite place to find cheap fabric!) and decided to see what I could make with them.

From the circular design in the center of the scarf, I was able to make 2 half-circle skirts. I added a waistband and 2 rectangular strips to one to create a halter dress. (My vintage brunette bubble cut models this one.)

The second half of the circle I folded over at the top to make an elastic casing, then made a seam at the center back. (I supplemented this outfit with a navy t-shirt knit bodysuit - also made from cheap swap meet fabric!) The 2 corners cut from the panel I used as the front and back of a tunic, with a pair of knit leggings to round out her outfit. (These are pictured on the 2 Fashion Royalty dolls.)

How to turn those extra bookshelves into Barbie real estate!

My two-year-old niece, Emma (whom I absolutely adore! all you Aunties out there know what I'm talking about) is starting to express some interest in Barbies. So, when she recently came to visit, I wanted her to have a doll house to play with them in.

If you've ever been to my 600-square-foot condo, you know that there is not much room inside for an additional residence, Barbie-sized or not. So, to save room and cost, I cleared off two bookshelves and transformed them into a brand new housing development!

If you have a niece, granddaughter, neighbor or friend coming over, or just want to create your own display diorama, here are a few tips I've discovered:

Kimonos that create themselves! (well, some assembly required)

Feeling bored? Or creative? Feeling like your doll needs a new look? Or just want to play "fashion designer" for the day? Grab some supplies and join me for a kimono sewing bee! (Mine was made on a rainy afternoon in Maine, while on vacation with my husband's family!

Tube dress for BJDs (or other dolls) for beginners (and I mean BEGINNERS)

I was so inspired by JennyGrey's first post on sewing that I was tempted to uncover and clean my sewing machine (usually used for quilting) and attempt a new project. This dress is a no-pattern, easy-to-do beginner's level. Give it a try, and let me know your results!

My model is Peak's Woods (about SD-sized, 58 cm or about 23") BJD Yeru, but you could use any size simply by changing the length and width of the fabric tube. Read through the instructions first. Yeru is close to the size of a Tonner American Model, by the way.