Before and Afters - Share Yours!

[tackygoods]

Please post your before and afters on this thread.  Big or small, whole rehab or just a refreshing....and tell us how you did it!

I will start.  Here is Ideal 14" Sonja Henie doll before and after.  The crochet ensemble is "Bare Back Rider" by Mary Hoyer.....

Here is Before:

[nieve]

I will ask again.   You show several pics of crazed glass eyed dolls that have been fixed, but I see no posts explaining what you did to fix them, or if you replaced them.   Please share what you did to fix your glass eyed dolls that you have shared in the pics.

[nieve]

You know... I've looked there numerous times, and only found a couple of options, non of them being to change the order.    So, I signed in and tried again.   I saw the same thing.. but noticed that the drop down box had moved to the bottom of the page.   I realized I would be able to scroll down and see if there was more, and there was!    I finally see the way to change it, now I can stand to read here again!

[marym52]

Hi Nieve-- I thought I had posted a reply to your question, but it looks as if it got swallowed up by the board-- I can't find it now! The original eyes are celluloid, not glass. That's why they craze & disintegrate so badly. They don't cloud, as the plastic eyes in vinyl dolls do.

I carefully remove the celluloid iris with wax carving tools and replace it with a new  one. Usually the new iris will snap right into place, but sometimes it needs a little glue to hold it.

It took me ages to find a source for the replacement iris, but there's a company selling doll eyes of all kinds that produces them. I'd give the name, but the moderators would probably delete my post.

[me_merc60]

Ladies...OPTIONS => right there at the top...SORT NEWEST TO OLDEST (or vice versa). Hope that helps.

[me_merc60]

Marym52 - Click on Nieve's username/handle and it will take you to her profile page. At the right of the page [in blue] is the option to SEND THIS SELLER A MESSAGE. You can share the information on that supplier this way.

[nieve]

I've never heard of that!   However did you find out such a thing was possible?    I had always heard the crazed eyes were glass, and wondered why they would crack like that.   This is my little girl "Fancy Pants" that has bad eyes:

[hightidealong]

Here are some of my latest restorations!

[hightidealong]

[marym52]

Hidealong-- you  I could make a great team!

[quiet_lady45]

Hi Nieve,

I am happy that you solved your problem et are back in the action !

We really CANNOT afford to loose an active member !!!   

[twangerstudios]

Nieve ~ is there a manufacturer on your dolly?   i'm trying to ID another with similar molded hair.  TIA!

[me_merc60]

HighTideAlong,

Beautiful restorations - I'm in love with the one in red and can't wait to see these little ladies with their eyes replaced.

I need your help with a papier mache doll - Please see here and let me know what you think in terms of painting her limbs:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Dolls/Recommendations-for-painting-vintage-papier-mache-limbs/m-p/22546...

Thank you so much.

[hightidealong]

Thanks everyone! Such kind words 😃 I will send you a private message about your papier mache doll 😃

[marym52]

Several months ago, I found a n antique French doll who had a beautiful bisque head, but was otherwise a mess. I restored her, but she didn't look right in any of the vintage clothes she tried on. So she stayed in the doll room, undressed.

The other day, I decided to try an auburn wig on her. "Zut alors!" she said, "Je suis une petite dame Alsacienne!" Her French was as bad as mine, but I think she was telling me that she needed a traditional outfit from Alsace-Lorraine to make her happy. "Fat chance" I thought.

Yesterday I visited the annual doll show in Gaithersburg. I was going through a big bin of doll clothes when--voila!-- an Alsatian costume appeared. I took a chance on it, and it fits as if made for her.

Motto-- always listen to dolls. They know what they need-- and they have a way of getting their wish!

[me_merc60]

Amazingly gorgeous...She's so sweet and beautiful...Great job!

Étonnamment superbe ... Elle est tellement douce et belle...Superbe travail!