CHILD'S PLAY - GIFT IDEAS FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART
Personalized Doll
 I
know, I know, our little doll friend Barbie is still portraying
the ideal woman with inhuman proportions. But come one, who wouldn't
want a pose-able version of themselves? Though she may still only
come in one shape, nowadays you can find all kinds of skin and hair
colors to match most anyone. How cool are you to show up to your
make-up artist friend's party with the "Julie Doll," complete
with mini make-up kit and mirror. There are also situations where
giving a doll of yourself to someone is a great gift. Here are some
tips on making your own doll.
Be Thrifty - Don't spend twenty bucks or more on the doll itself.
Check out discount stores and toy store sales. Even the dollar stores
have generic dolls, just remember the quality will not be as good
(the dolls are often hollow or have thin hair). But, the less you
spend on the doll itself the more you can spend on accessories,
and let's face it - accessories make the doll!
Choose Wisely - Keeping in mind price you still want to try to
get a doll with the closest matching hair color, style, and eye
color. While you can make some changes the doll's hair will not
cut, style and dye as nice as your own. If you can find a doll with
clothing that fits the person you are creating than that's even
better.
A New 'Do - If you do have to change the hair drastically try using
beard grooming scissors or other small ones instead of big choppy
ones. I have used a curling iron to help get a flip at the end of
a haircut, with great care not to cause a fire (I wonder if that
hair is flame retardant?). I then secured the flip with a rubber
band around the head - after a few days that hairstyle was stuck
for good. If you need to change the hair color (I had to put some
pink streaks in blond hair) I recommend a magic marker. Obviously
you can only go darker with the hair - no bleaching. And if you
are making a boy doll you are really outta luck, unless you are
a skilled mini-wig maker.
Dressing Up - Nowadays those dolls come with as many styles of
clothing as any major department store (well, maybe not old granny
housecoats). You should be able to find something to fit the style
of the person you are creating. If you are up to the challenge consider
making the clothing yourself - especially if there's a signature
piece of clothing that this person always wears.
Identifying Marks - Don't forget to draw on any tattoos, beauty
or birth marks that will add an extra personalized touch to your
doll. Use permanent markers - they make ones with very fine tips
that work well. You can also change the eye color somewhat (like
blue to green, or in general light to dark) with permanent markers.
I'd stay away from paint as it will probably just chip off the plastic.
Accessorize - First thing's first, decide what you want your doll
to come with (depending on who you are making and what occasion
it is for). There are sets that come with all kind of accessories,
but if you can't find the perfect thing (or don't want to spend
the money) than you can get crafty and make it. There's a wonderful
sculpting material that came out from Crayola - it's called Model
Magic and it's a very lightweight kind of shaping foam that air-dries.
You can color it with magic marker and shape it into anything you
need. For the Lesley Craftmates Doll I made a mini hot glue gun.
Which brings me to my next note - the hot glue gun is your friend.
It can help attach accessories that may not fit in your doll's hand,
and can even help you "sew" clothes together for your
doll.
Packaging - Every good product must have good packaging. Think
about how you will present your doll. You could make your own box
from a shoe box, or simply attach an explanation card to the doll.
Again, the more effort you put into the project the more it will
be appreciated. Go even further and come up with a slogan or jingle
to go along with your doll.
Keep An Eye Out - If you are the type who likes to rummage at flea
markets, garage sales and thrift stores you should make a habit
of checking the toy sections for doll gear. If you have something
specific in mind you probably won't find it (Murphy's law) but if
you ever see something that says "It's the exact dress from
my sister's prom" and it's not too expensive, why not pick
it up? Perhaps for your sister's thirtieth birthday you can make
her a High School Prom doll to rub in just how old she's getting.
Play Time - Hopefully the person you give the doll to will be good
at sharing and you can all play. But if not you can always make
your own doll!
 Check
out some of my creations:
Lesley - The official Craftmates doll. She comes complete with
handknit bag (knitting needles to boot), glue gun, and rolling pin,
plus anatomically correct tattoos. She's ready to DIY all night
long!
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