Letters From BlogLand

To all of my Followers, Lurkers, Comment Writers and Searchers out there in Blog Land, I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Bright New Year.

This has been a very challenging year for me and for my family, as it has been for many I am sure. 

One of the challenges I am facing right now is Meniere's disease.  I have terrible vertigo and am spending my days trying to accomplish things all while being dizzy and nauseous.  It is not easy.

Currently I am in the process of re-vamping my etsy shop.  I am painting new back drops, painting furniture and making props.  It should return by Jan. 1st 2014. 

Recently I have had several people contact me through my etsy shop. 
Unless it is a short but sweet question or involves business on etsy, I would prefer you did not do this. 
I love it when you use the Comment section here- there is some really good stuff in the Comments on several of the Monster High custom tutorial pages where you can learn more about doll customization.  When you comment, and I publish it, it reaches a larger audience.

Also, unless I have used a technique myself, and can document it here in writing and with photos, I will not be posting what it is that you do yourself for your own customs.  I have my own sense of integrity about things of this nature and will not advise anyone to do anything I have not also done.  One should know what the results will be with certainty before telling you to try it.

Over the last 2 years I have put in a lot of time and energy to make this blog helpful.  My posts have slowed down recently as I have faced the challenges of just finding the time to do the things I need to do, let alone the things I like to do.

Lastly, to those of you who have said Thank You, who have told me they have gone on to do their own custom dolls - you have made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  I am grateful.

If you have photos of your doll customs you want to share, send them here: pb.maximus@gmail.com

Cheers, PB Ray

Yes, I know, not Monster High :)~  But these are some of my other girls ready for Christmas.

Ahoy Matey!

Pirate Queen Coquette

Coquette is finally finished. 

The Rescue

Meet Coquette

Coquette started out life as a Monster High Abbey Bominable.  She was blue with glitter everywhere.

Then someone decided to take off the glitter.  Acetone removes the glitter, and can damage and melt the plastic of the body.  Then they decided to do some painting on her face- and I have no idea what they used...but that too left a mark.  Then, I am pretty sure they used epoxy on her back for something.  And they used a Dremel, I think, to "sand" her body in places.  Most inelegant.  Her hair looked melted- so maybe a heat gun??? 

I wish I had picked my camera up before now, but to be honest she started out as this possible rescue project sitting in her own box on the corner of a shelf.  I got her out when I had the time.  I picked away at different things for minutes at a time and returned her to her project box. 

Every doll I work on has their own box.  Everything that relates to them goes in there and stays with them until they are complete. 

Ignorance had ruled this girl's world since she left her original box in some home in northern Nevada. She arrived on my porch via the USPS with Monster High amputees and other Monster High doll parts. 

 I didn't take photos, because, honestly, I thought she might end up in the experiment box.  That is the box dolls and doll pieces go when I cannot rescue them.  They become my testing ground for new paints, new glues and other ideas.  That way, if I try a new product and it does not work, I have not ruined a new doll.

 

Coquette hung in there.  When she finally spoke to me, I started working on her an hour at a time instead of 10 minutes.  Her face is almost finished, and her body is as good as she will get. 

Coquette is on her way to becoming... a  friend of the famous Anne Dieu-Le-Veut .

This week when I have time I will be making a new boot pattern, and a tri-cornered hat- for my little privateer.

I will post photos as I move along with her.  This is not a tutorial- just me sharing the progress of a doll that almost went the way of the waste bin.

Related Tutorials (click on colored bars and go there):

Removing Hair and Painting with white spray paint

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-monster-high-doll-tutorial.html

Making a Wig and Rooting with Mohair

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-monster-high-tutorial-hair-and.html

Custom Painting the face, Part 1 and Part 2:

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-painting-monster-high-dolls.html

http://monstercrush.blogspot.com/2012/06/custom-monster-high-doll-face-painting.html

Remember to leave a comment and get an entry for the September Drawing :)  Cheers, PB♥  

Modding Part 5

Finishing Draken

If she looks a tad unhappy, she is.  Draken is not big on having fittings.  Usually I fit clothing to Cleo- she is my resident 'model on call' for fittings.  But Draken has some "special" attributes that require I fit directly to her.  Her horns and tail must be taken into account.  This is a dry run- I never cut the actual material until I am sure what I am making will fit properly.  This cape is hand and machine basted.  Once I am done fussing with it, I will rip the seams and use it for a pattern. The yellow fleece cost 1.00 for almost 2 yards in the remnants bin.

I also purchased some light brown fleece when I bought the yellow. I want her to look like she is wearing a fur cape.  One that is well worn.  Using Tulip fabric spray paint and my fingers I change the color and look of the brown fleece.  At the top is the brown with black, bottom is the original color.  Behind both is the yellow that I practiced on.

I rarely fail to make a mess when I paint- which is what you see on the label.

It is important to remember scale when one is working with fabrics and dolls.  A long fake fur cape would look too big and cumbersome.   This fleece looks more like buffalo or a sheep type of fur once it is painted.  This needs to look like something she killed and then made her own.

After Draken is finished with all of her fittings, I will apply her hair.  She will remain a little spitting and hissing baldy until I am done with her garments.  Right now she is clawing her way through my goodie drawer looking for weapons.  As if her fangs and nails aren't enough!  Pretty sure she wants a staff as well.  I will go twig hunting soon if she continues on this path...

Skirt made of batik in layers of shredded single pieces. 

Vest style top made of white felt with faux white fur and vintage embroidered ribbon.



Cape has soft suede ties at the throat. 
I would have fussed more with the hood, but both of us were
feeling pretty impatient- best not push things.  I will fuss after she has hair.



I lined her boots with the same material as the cape. 

Everything fits.  It has been a long day for both of us.  Tomorrow, she gets hair and then an outdoor photo shoot.

Next Post will have her finished and will include some better photos of her garments and her wearing them.

Remember: Write a comment on this post and get an entry for the September Drawing.

Modding - Part 3 - Tail and Paint

Draken's Tail & Body

Tail is finished, time for a fitting.  I decide where I want the tail to be, and make a mark with pencil on her back.

Now I need to make a hole for the tail wire.  The wire is for stability and to add resistance that is not dependent on the magic sculpt.  I am using a stencil cutter with a fine tip.  It gets hot enough to make a hole while not damaging the rest of the plastic.  How many crafts have I tried over the years?  Lots.  This stencil cutter is no good at all for cutting stencils- but- I have used it to repair dolls and on many other projects.

Hole is made.

I test it with the wire.  The wire is a little too long so I clip it shorter with wire cutters.

I've mixed my magic sculpt and divided into to balls. 

One is flattened over the hole.

I stick the tail wire in, find the hole and push.  Then I start shaping the clay over the tail end.  I smooth it with water and my fingers.  I add to it with the other clay I have mixed and waiting.

Now she sits for 4 hours to harden.

The magic sculpt has hardened.  The fabric didn't reach all the way after I started sewing.  I could simply attach another piece of fabric, but I kind of like the way this looks, so I am going to go with it for now and see if I can keep the feel of the exposed poly batting.  We shall see.

Beginning painting of the tail.  I am using the violet first.  Green, blue and then violet and black will follow.

I am also beginning the sponge painting of her body.

When you use a cosmetic sponge to paint your doll, remember to not use too much paint.  It needs to go on in thin layers.  I cut my sponges too- make some with smaller surface areas to fit inside curves and such.  Draken will have 2 coats of violet and then a coat of spray sealer before her serious painting begins.  I am using the same method on her head.

This is a short post, but there will be a follow up post as soon as I can manage.

Meet Duvet

The latest addition to our little family of critters.