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Index | Welcome | Mailbag | About the Editor | Collecting News | Profile of an Artist | Doll in the Spotlight! | Doll Care Basics | Resources | FAQ | Closing Words |
As iterated in a past issue of The Black Doll E-Zine, doll care entails keeping your dolls clean, dust-free, free from sun exposure, displayed properly, dressed and redressed as you desire, etc. These measures of doll care will certainly help preserve and maintain the value of your dolls for many years to come. In this issue, however, let's focus on doll creativity as another factor of doll care or caring about/loving the dolls you collect.
As a challenge, many members of the WeLoveBlackDolls (WLBD) Yahoo email discussion group agreed to complete a doll-related project. The challenge was to create anything doll related over a 3-month period of time. Each member is scheduled to unveil their project/projects during the final week in May; or for those members who will be attending the 19th International Doll Show and Sale in Philadelphia during Memorial Day weekend, the unveiling will take place there, if possible.
Because the birth of a real-live doll -- my second grandson, Logan -- keeps me grounded in Texas this year, I have decided to unveil my projects in this issue of BDE.
My first doll project was an African Wrap Doll, the complete kit of which was received almost two years ago. Yes, for nearly two years, the kit was stored in one of my doll storage bins, untouched by my two hands... not because I did not want to make it, but because I could not set aside the time to do so. I was too busy buying pre-made dolls to allow my own creative juices to flow. After the idea of the doll-project challenge was set in motion, I knew that I had to bring Debbie Britt's African Wrap Doll Kit to life. (Incidentally, Debbie will conduct a doll-making work shop at the upcoming aforementioned Philly doll show. I pray that those who attend the Philly show this year will support her, and have fun as well.)
The concept of the African Wrap Doll Kit is to create a doll using found and household objects; but if necessary, purchased items can be used as well. All materials used for my completed doll were included in the kit that Debbie Britt provided with the exception of the orange and black marabou feathers, the buckeye seeds on her hands, and the raffia cord used to hold her "dress" in place. The shell that covers her face was pre-painted by Debbie or one of her associates. I am pleased with the end result.
The contents of the African Wrap Doll kit with instructions (left) and the completed African Wrap Doll (right)
My second doll-project was the creation of a doll pin... two doll pins, in fact. I've always wanted to try my hand at sculpting and this challenge was an opportune time. The pins were made using Polymer clay. The face pin was made using a push mold from Michael's that I modified to look like an African-American woman, complete with beauty mark. I hand sculpted the girl-with-doll pin, which looks more like a stick figure holding one; but I think the finished pin will be a nice addition to my doll-pin collection. The creation of these two pins gives me a newfound appreciation for those who are gifted in the area of sculpting anything and also confirms the fact that sculpting is NOT one of my gifts. I enjoyed taking a stab at it, however.
Before baking: Polymer clay push mold face sculpt (left), modified face and the doll and girl sculpts (right)
Baked, painted, ready-to-wear pins
While at the African American Museum in Dallas this past March for a doll exhibit, I briefly visited with a troop of Girl Scouts who were there for a clothespin doll-making class. I knew that if these approximately 8 to10-year-old girls could make a clothespin doll, certainly I could, too. Well I did... I have made a total of 3 sets to date. The first set was made from craft clothespins and stands purchased from Hobby Lobby. The second two sets were made from vintage clothespins that I found on eBay. The vintage clothespins look more like real people with legs that look like legs. I was pleased to discover that the craft stands from Hobby Lobby can also serve as stands for the vintage dolls. Craft acrylic paint was used to paint the clothespins in various shades of brown. I even made their clothing without sewing a stitch. The hair used for the second set is hair saved from my first grandson's first haircut! I love to recycle! Incidentally, the fabric remnants used to make the outfits for the first and final pair was in Debbie Britt's African Wrap Doll Kit. (Thanks DB!)
Craft and vintage clothespins, craft stand Dolls made from craft clothespins (far left) and vintage clothespins (middle and far right)
For another project, I decided to change the eye color of two dolls to a more pleasing, natural-looking color. I did this using a brown Sharpie pen. A vinyl doll by William Tung, whose eyes were originally an awful, amber color; and Amanda, an early Lee Middleton doll (actually sculpted by the late Lee Middleton in 1983), were the two dolls used. Amanda's original eye color was brown; however, it is believed that the material from which her eyes were made turns violet/purple over time, particularly when exposed to sunlight. While my doll was not in direct sunlight, she had been displayed in diffused sunlight for several years. I decided that since Amanda already looks "special," she was the perfect candidate for the eye color transformation. The glue of the Tung doll's wig had loosened; so I re-glued it in place. These were very simple projects... but the challenge was do to anything doll-related, and I took that ball and ran with it. I think they both look so much better now.
Tung doll before and after darkening of eyes and reaffixing wig
Springtime Amanda (looking quite "special") before; and after darkening of eyes, looking... almost cute
The last project that I will share was also very simple to complete. I purchased the jointed, wooden Keisha doll from Robert Raikes and everything needed to complete her. Enough fabric and a pattern to sew a dress for Keisha was included in the doll kit, which is the reason they call it a "kit." However, I chose the easy way out. I purchased several ready-made dresses for Keisha along with shoes and a wig. The wig, unfortunately, is still on backorder, but I found a size 4/5 wig on eBay for Keisha in the meantime. I had on hand the size small, cut-to-fit socks, purchased from Prillycharmin.com and made a pair of stockings for Keisha. She's a cute, jointed little girl, and I am sure that I will enjoy redressing and posing her for many years to come. I'll just be happy when the $12 wig that I ordered from Raikes arrives!
American Kit doll, Keisha by Robert Raikes before and after
These are just a few of the doll projects that I completed for the WLBD doll-project challenge. An unshared project includes the transformation of some mini dolls into doll pins. They are adorable! At the time of this writing, I am waiting on the arrival of another doll who will be transformed in a manner that I cannot divulge at this time. I have a "mind" to transform another doll, but I'll have to purchase her first. There is yet another doll already here that is up for transformation consideration. Perhaps if time and Logan permit, I will include these transformations in the planned June update of this issue. So, please stay tuned...
If you would like to share doll care tips,
doll makeovers, or other doll-care-related topics with The
Black Doll-E-Zine
please write to:
blackdollezine@sbcglobal.net (Deb).
