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:

[goldiegirl500]

I just cleaned her up and set her wig.  I had to reglue her shoes and I painted them.....I just couldn't resist her.   I love Sweet Sue dolls.

Goldie

[chaplinssmile]

Oh my goodness, I love make-over threads.  Tacky I love the little union suit girl you painted!

This poor girl was pathetic but she had that Butterball face..

[nieve]

that is amazing.. really

[goldiegirl500]

What an adorable little face.   Nice restoration!

[nieve]

I have a question about her eyelashes.    I like to ask how people do them and see if everyone uses the same technique or if everyone has their own method.   Can you tell me what you bought and how you applied it to get her new eyelashes?   Oh, and tell about the dress!

[taadaa58]

I'm in awe!!!!  I've redone a handful of dolls from just cleaning them up to redoing the clothes and hair to resell.Unfortunately I never thought to take before & after pics.As soon as I start working I keep going without another thought in my head except--pretty her up!  I do the same with vintage toys and clothing. I love to take something dirty,forgotten and unwanted/loved and make it over.I had no idea there were others who love to do the same. I'm anxious to see more and now will be keeping ym eyes out for more dolls once flea market an yardd sale season start again.

[goldiegirl500]

Here is a Little Miss Revlon I got at a yard sale for $5,00.     She was one of the first dolls I restored.

$5.00.     

[taadaa58]

I just ordered some WEN which was some excellent advise. Thank you!   Tonight I made my husband sit down and look at all the dolls listed.When he got to one point I heard him chuckle,then he says,,You talk to the dolls when you work on them too,even when your just changing their clothes.   I never realized that.

[chaplinssmile]

Hi, nieve.  I buy paint brushes to match the eye lashes. Then I cut the bristles off and put a bead of glue on the bristles, then push them into the groove where the missing lashes are. I arrange it somewhat with a toothpick.  Then I let it dry 24 hours. Looks like a big old mess until you trim them to match the rest.

The dress is one of those "Premier" old store stock dresses!

[me_merc60]

My goodness, Chaplinssmile! What a great tip. That is an absolutely fantabulous idea. I am going to check my stash of trimming brushes and do this this weekend for my MA Pussycat Baby - The poor baby is missing 1/3 of her lashes on the left eye. I'll post a before and after once I'm done.

By the way, I just finished revamping a 1954 R&B Littlest Angel joint-knee walker...Just a cosmetic cleanup.

Here's that Before and After:

[me_merc60]

Goldiegirl500,

Beautiful job on the Cissy Dolls! I just love, love, love Cissy!

I need help with mine... She's a 1957 doll. I purchased her beheaded and used elastic cord to attempt to reattach her head. No matter how tightly I tighten, her head snaps back in the most comical & brusque manner that makes her wig fall off. I have the same issue with a 1957 Valentine Ballerina. While it cracks me up every time and I find myself telling the girls to, "Calm down!," I really would like to know how to fix this. They both initially appeared to me (a novice) to be simple, straightforward restrings via hooks & loops. However, I now believe that it's more complicated and that the Valentine doll is a walker because of the way her lower torso is constructed - Take a look. Can you or anyone else help me out please? I'd really appreciate your recommendations.

Cissy's head needs proper reattachment. Right now it's tied from the hook protruding at the neck to the large "staple" at the crown of the head.

And this is the Valentine Ballerina - There is a loop in her belly and a hook on her neck:

Moderator:

Maybe we should move this to and start a new post on doll repair...I'd certainly welcome that. I think we're onto something here!!

[belledejour14]

Memercado, I use these bands to restring Cissy's head and arms.  You place the loop in the hook at the top of the head and pull down to attach it to the hook on the neck.  It may take a few attempts, but I don't think I have ever spent more than 15 minutes on it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-CORRECT-RUBBER-BANDS-TO-RESTRING-YOUR-DOLLS-/380810328561?pt=LH_DefaultD...

I think it is the 1-1/4" inch diameter size that you use in the head.   I am not positive about that.

I can't see too well inside that ballerina.  If there is not a hook in the body, you may have to add one.

[me_merc60]

Thank you so much, Belledejour14! I took another look at Cissy's insides and, yes, there is a hook to hook connection that I can loop a band through. I'll purchase those ASAP. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Let's see if I can help by describing the Valentine doll. She has a loop in her belly you can string a cord through, but I don't know if that's all there is to it. Looking at her again, she is definitely NOT a walker - The whole lower body mechanism is meant to allow for positioning and locking the legs at the hips.  The upper torso is empty and right now the cord just runs up through it, which doesn't seem right to me because there's no support to hold her upright - She can easily just "snap" into a bent position. It's possible something is missing. There is a plate with a relatively large hook right at her neck. This is viewable in the photos.

I have other Valentine Ballerinas, but none with twist torso to compare her to. Hopefully, someone who's worked with these dolls before will see the post and help.

[goldiegirl500]

What an adorable Littlest Angel!    She looks so happy now.  Nice to see her brought back to "life".

Goldie

[goldiegirl500]

I use 1/2' rubber tubing that I buy at Home Depot.  I cut about a 1/4" piece off.    A lot of time the hook inside the Cissy head has a tight loop.   I use a pair of long needle pliers to open up this hook a little bit.  

I clamp the little piece of tubing with a pair of hemostats and using that, I hook the band onto that head hook.   Then I pull that band down (it is really, really taut),  and slide a large metal knitting needle through the rubber band and position it so that it is across the bottom of the neck.

Then I merely hook Cissy's body hook onto the rubber band and slide the metal knitting hook out.     

If you need photos of the implements I use (including the tubing), let me know.   That tubing will supply you with enough bands to string 100's of dolls.

Goldie