Don't worry!

I have not quit my doll remaking, I've just started high school in another town and don't have any accessible internet for my computer there :c

So, I'm going to update you a little.

I have not yet started to paint Pépite, because I'm still missing her hair ans Mr. Super Clear, but that's all I need!
I have started to sculpt and paint her polymer eyes, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I'm not satisfied with the result yet, but almost there!

My dolls from America have arrived as well.
Both Draculaura(a.k.a. Pinkie Pie Cake) and Cleo/Clawdeen(un-named :c ) are here, clean and shaved!
I've named my skeleton Malin before I even have her <_<
But her torso is shipped and I will buy her head and limbs this week.

Pictures and more WILL be posted, but not now :(

Hugs!

On my way!

Sorry for bad update, but my mood has been a little low the last days, it just happens sometime without reason(and that's why I eat my medicine).

Today, I got my hot glue gun from Ebay + about five stick black keratin(it's more visible than translucent glue, and since I am going to glue INSIDE the dolls head, I will be sure that I don't do anything wrong and destroy her :c).
I REALLY recommend  that you buy "hot glue gun for hair", because it's the same thing as normal hobby guns, the "for hair" is just something they say to make little girls buy their stuff and destroy their hair with it...
And yes, it's much cheaper.
My gun + its glue sticks went for less than 3$ c:

I have bought ALOT of stuff, but there is still a few things I need.
I need pliers( atleast two), sandpaper, cottongloves and... Mr. Super Clear.
I'm running out of money ;___;

NOW things happen!

Yesterday, it was my birthday and I got some money!
So, finally I could by some artistic tools and colors for my ghouls(girls in monsterian)!

I put on my "spending pants" and searched the internetz for interesting stuff in Sweden.
I found a page that actually was sellling almost everything I was looking for.
Acrylics, dry pastels, water color pencils, acrylic thinner, polymer clay, liquid polymer clay(but I have to buy more of that) and a little plastic palette.

The same time, I got a GREAT offer on the doll-community, a girl was selling TWO Monster Highs, totally naked and clean, for totally 29$.
You can't even get ONE doll for that price in Sweden.

One of the dolls, a "hybrid" between a Cleo(the head) and Clawdeen(the body), really needs some ideas for her design, because I don't have any at all x.x
I already know that she will be my very first sold OOAK, so I should focus on her quality a lot, or else, none  want to pay +100$ for her.

So, three dolls already, and there will be moore :'p

The two ones to the right are miiiine!

Ideas.

Because I want to save them somewhere...

*Gems for eyes?
* Creep School-Emma-dollie?
* Pinkie Pie-dollie?
*What to do with my beloved skeleton??

I will buy the skeleton torso from a nice girl in the USA and I REALLY love her facemold and limbs.
I think a "non-scary", cute and sweet "baby"-skeleton will be lovely.
Do you get it? A myling! It's a Swedish lore, google it :'p

Slow as a snail...

I'm stuuck ;__;
I was supposed to buy Pépite's hair today(a blend of ashy hazelnut and black) buut...
The payment don't work and the owner of the store is busy with her new baby, so she hasn't read my mail I think.
Come ooon...
Yesterday, I told my grandfather that he should tell my dad(who is visiting him and grandmother) that I wanted colors for my birthday, hopefully I will spare a couple of crowns(Swedish crowns/kronor, our currency you know) because of that! c:

But, this morning I got a little package with some cheap ear studs from Ebay in the mailbox! c:
I'm going to make accessories for my girls with them in different ways later, when I got my sewing-tools from my other apartment and my hot glue gun!
So, a liiitlle snail step forward! Better than nothing...

I've also done some research in doll-costs, because they are just too expensive here *sob*.
I found out that it will probably be best to buy my next dolls from the UK or the USA.
Germany has SICK prices, like 100 $ on a simple one of Skull Shores?? Including the Ghoulia(Skull Shores' Ghoulia is the doll nobody wants, I like her a bit because she's a zombie, but I have problems with the rockabilly-style).

Stuff I need in first place now:

For the face-up
*Brushes - CHECK!(bought a pack of twelve yesterday)
*Dry pastels
*Acrylics
*Acrylic thinner
*Mr. Super Clear(matte)
*Gloss sealer

For the hair
*Hair... *roll-eyes*
*Extra long needle
*Glue

For the eyes
*Polymer clay
*Liquid Fimo
*Glitter? Something sparkling to create more... "Wow!".
*Dotting tool - CHECK!(comes with my brushes)
*Perfect Eye Tool or something similar that cost less than 20$

This will take awhile...
The face-up will cost about 400 SEK, that's like 60$.
The hair... Max 20$ I think.
Eyes.. oh.. The eyes... maybe 50$? But I can make alot of pairs!

It's hard to start from scratch, but it will be funnier later then I get my next dolls and can use my money on funnier things.

Here she is, my Pépite(MY pictures this time)

Of course,  my Rochelle Goyle looks almost exactly like all the other Rochelle Goyle's, but...
She is mine, she's different, she's special...
And sure, I can tell you her new name - Pépite.
It means nugget, or more exactly "little piece of noble metal", it don't have to be gold.
I chose her name because she is made of stone, and you find metal in stones, PLUS "have a heart of gold" means in Swedish to be very nice and kind.
And... It remembers me about "Pebbles"(you know, the daughter in The Flintstones?) :P
I think it's very pretty c: <3

So, ladies and gentlemen - Pépite.

I knooow, it's a bit strange to show off her ass...
BUT LOOK AT IT, IT'S AMAZING <3

Before I bought her, I thought her skirt was silver-printed, but the silver is actually holografic! :D
I'ts very fancy c;

Personal style

I understand more and more why people make so... Pale, ashed, washed-out One Of A Kinds(OOAKs) and I will probably buy a couple of these from other artists.
But copying the style and do it bu my self? Never.

When you start a "career" as a Monster High-remaker, you need to give your dolls something special.
Because, you are the very best in your person style, and other are the best in their.
Copying or imitating others creations is perfect for learning the basics, but not more than that.
IF you are going to publish pictures of your "copy-cat", be nice to the artist and give her or him links and credits.

So, whatever I have in my mind, I have to keep it original.
It's pretty hard I say, because everywhere I see stuff that I had in mind before(like gluing "bubble-gravel" on the doll to make her look more watery, right from the sea) and idea after idea breaks.
But I think, that every idea I get, can together be some awesome doll-fashion in the future.
So I keep the bubbles in mind, and maybe make up something better, personal, with them later!

Here is a lovely OOAK Lagoona with "bubbles".
She and her picture belongs to Kerbeneteka on Flickr.

Welcome home!

I bought her.
She's all mine now, my little stone-fairy...
Rochelle Goyle.

Google tells me that I got her for twice as much whan you need to pay for her in America...
"280 Swedish kronor = 41.7088 U.S. dollars"

I HAVE to find an american store that sells and ship cheap to Sweden... They are way to expensive here.

First, we went to Toys 'R Us, but their section with Monster High was EXTREMELY small.
They only had Operettas and a few Ghoulias... ;/
So, we had to leave with empty hands.

The reason for the trip to town was buying food, so we went to City Gross... And like I told you before, I KNEW Rochelle would be there and sure she was, actually two of her(I picked the one with less dark flakes in the center of the face, because both bodies looked very well)!
They had some beautiful Sweet 1600-dolls there and Abeys and one Nefera as well <3
They even had Create-A-Monster, 4 different packages including "my" skeleton, but..
No, I'm not rich and I have to spend money on paint and tools too.
Buuut.. Next week is my birthday :D *happy dance*

So, right now, she is laying clean and naked  beside me and my sleeping cat, Sippi :P
Well, Rochelles bangs is really stiff and bleh when she's new.
Bathing her smothers the bangs and let you see more of the rooting.

So, what do I react to?

1. Her skin is NOT true grey, it's actually pretty green/yellowish grey and the pink hair makes it more visible.
You only have to compare her skin with her grey accessories to see the huge difference.
Is this a problem? Hell, no! Now I have a better reason to buy Skulls Shores Frankie(she's totally black 'n white) ;)
Oh, God.. If I hold the doll in front of the computer, the light shines through the wings... Yes, yellowish, sand-colored.

2. The body is amazing! Even if the upper arms/shoulders are not as movable as they could be.
She look very "girly", not mature at all. Sure she has breasts and grown-up hips, but  her thin body don't remind me of a woman.
But her wings totally makes the doll complete, I don't know if I want a doll without anything "special" like ears, tail, fins etc. anymore.
I have never really liked Frankie, Draculaura, Ghoulia and the rest of the simply girls, but their headmolds is unique, so, I don't really know what to do :/

3. Her hair is soft and thin, but... All oily :c
I have washed her TWO times, and it's a lot better not, but still.. Blah :c

4. She's soooo tiiiiny o.o Her hands are soo small and there is small claws on them, and her feet are adorable! <3

I want to repaint her NOW, but I have to buy a couple of Bratz-dolls to begin with, and I don't have any paint either! ;__;

Progress of today!

Well, I can't do very much on my doll project because I get to excited while browsing Ebay and Art&craft-stores ;__;
I mean... I can't stand window-shopping when I have money but are not allowed to buy anything x.x
This is totally new for me, because I used to fill my home with cheap Ebay-crap(seriously, I got like 5 packets every day in the mail) last year.
But i'ts fine, moneyburning can wait...

Today, I instead discovered my Rochelle's new name!
I mean, the pink-haired and pink-eyed design of her "is" Rochelle, and the character Rochelle would hate my  costuming-job(I have NO ideas of putting ANYTHING pink on her ever again, she seems to love that color..).
So, for her, I will make her in to a whole new girl, including changing her name.
I have been researching alot on internet for french words meaning anything about stone, but today I thought "outside the box" and found a interesting name that also tells a little "story" about her.
Oh, yes, I'm so deep :p ...

But I will keep that name as a secret until she's totally done! ;)

This day I became a member of a really interesting community called "Legendary tutorials"!
It's a forum for dollartists of all kinds from the whole world, and I hope they will teach me alot about dollmaking.
For example, they have doll-competitions, like, every month with great prices, and THAT is really good if you are in a "bad" period then dollmaking don't entertain you so much anymore.
It can be a great re-start!

Oh, I almost forgot, I became a member on Flickr(love the name, because "flickOr" means "girls" in Swedish <3), but I haven't put any picture up there yet.. :p

Oh... Sweet little Rochelle.. I'm longing for you so much! ;__;

This is an avatar I have drawn quickly in Flash(I seriously CAN'T draw, but hopefully I will become a better dollpainter).
I use it on Flickr and Legendary Tutorials and it's supposed to look like she has been drinking paint(she had Paint Thirst) :p

Sketchie

Did a quick sketch only to compare Rochelles original look with my idea.
Ofc, I used some more time on "my" side, but I would not repaint her if I don't think it will improve her looks, right?

Tell me, doesn't my version seem to have a bit more soul and personality?
I'm pretty sure that she will look gorgeous in dark/dull dresses with lots of shiny accessories and gems.
Especially silver will be great on her(and you know, she comes in a silverprinted black skirt ;) )!

About planning and buying...

Well, I'm REALLY excited about dollremaking and while searching for interesting stuff on Ebay I am all "OHICANUSETHATTOMAKEFANCYSHOES!!!!ANDTHATTOMAKECOOLEARRINGS!!" but now I got some orders from Master...
"First, you buy a doll, THEN you can buy beads, chains, fabrics n' shit."
Damn... He's clever!

I'ts totally different to watch pictures of a doll and only imagine how fabrics will look on her and how large the jewelry should be, than holding her in your hands and follow every curve, see how she moves and feel her weight.
First then you get to know the nature of the doll, you can create truly fashion for her.

Oh, Rochelle... My preciouuusssss! c;

Rerooting

"Rerooting" is a term for then you give a doll a whole new hair by attach the hair roots at the scalp.
Ofcourse there is alot of different ways to do this depending on the type of the doll and the hair you use and which hairstyle you want.

At first, you need to remove the head of the doll.
Some older and softer doll heads can easily pop off, but more new, harder heads like Monster High will need heat in some way(hot water is the best) to expand and soften a little in the neck.
Take it slowly, you don't want to destroy anything!
In Monster High's necks there is a little "barb", so you have to turn and twist the head more or less to get it off, but like I said, be careful!


When the head is off, cut of ALL THE HAIR! I mean, if it already has hair...
And be sure to remove as much as possible of the plugs and glue inside the head.
If you are going to insert scupted eyes of soft glass or polymer, it's good to cut the "jigsaw piece" out of the head now before we reroot it.
Otherwise you could destroy the whole rerooting job by cutting off the attachments inside by accident.
If you want to, paint the scalp in the same color as the hair you are going to reroot with. This will make the hair look more thick, because no "visible scalp" will be seen.
If you are unsure about which color you should use, pick the darker or the less colorful choice, because it will look more natural that a bright, strong color(It will almost look like hair on a lightbulb..).
I think I prefer to NOT paint the scalp, because I think  it looks more realistic with some visible skin in some hairstyles, but who knows, maybe I will change my mind later.

Okay, now it's time to choose hair.
Most dolls, including Monster High and Barbie, come with Saran hair, but when you buy loose hair online you should go for nylon.
Nylon is a more mordern alternative for dollhair. I'ts softer and easier to style and dye.
Kanekalon is a third kind of hair and is perfect if you want a character with lots of messy hair(like trolls) because it's supposed to be used for cheap masquerade-wigs in humansize and synthetic dreads and is very easy to tangle and snarl and very hard to straighten, It CAN work fine on a doll if you are lycky to find an extra silky and thin kind of kanekalon, but why take the risk?

When you have your hair i'ts time to reroot!
I had some fun in paint as you see.. :'p

You will need a thick needle to all of these and picture nr. 1 shows how to use it!
Beware of your fingers and use a thimble/"fingerborg"(means finger castle in Swedish, isn't it a cute word? :3) and take alot of pauses, rerooting takes some time.
If you don't have ready holes in your dollhead, or if you want more, you can make some of you own by carefully using a nagger.
For one root of hair, you will need about 8-16 hairs depending of the hairs thickness,, size of the holes, the heads softness, your needle and your strength! (You can use your teeth if it's to hard to pull, but take it easy!) Try small and add a few more hairs if you think it is to thin.
But remeber! A bad rerooting is when you make a few, thick roots, so please, keep the roots somewhat thin and many and your result will be pleasant!

2.
The most common rerooting method, called "knot-rerooting", you just tie a little knot at the end of the hair to keep is stuck.

3.
New dolls has more flexible vinyl and if you keep the roots thin, you don't have to knot'em  in the end, instead, when you are done rerooting, smear some glue in a THIN layer and leave it to dry standing up. Because, if the glue goes through the scalp and dries with the hair falling right down(or right up) it will be difficult to correct and the girl will look exactly like Frankensteins wife...(Or Marge Simpson).
So leave the head on an empty toilet roll standing right up for a day or two before you comp or wash the hair. This is the quickest way to reroot!

4.
If you are going to have a shorthaired style and want to save some hair, this is the method you should use!
You pull in a lock of hair, knot it on the middle and pulls it out through a another hole.
Instead of  have alot of long hair that you need to cut and throw away, you now have saved half of the hair that you used in the first method(picture 2)!


5.
In this method you can use a thin needle and you will need a thin thread too.This method don't suit for the holes close the hairline, but in top of scalp, i'ts perfect. Different from other methods, the hair will be thicker and it's perfekt to cover the "eye-insert-hole" or to make really advanced hairstyles.
You use thicker roots for this one, up to 20 hairs, the hairs shall not go through the scalp, only the thread should.

6.
This is the hardest method, but it's really easy to remove if you want to!
You start like in method number 5, but use less hair and pulls all the hair through the scalp making a little loop of hair and pull the next root-loop through it. Repeat all the way round, knot and glue it in the end. If you loose one loop, it all will be destroyed, and that's why it is so easy to remove :'p

Be sure to comb and boil the hair afterwards to keep it in place and you SHOULD glue the inside of the scalp if you really care about the hair.

Now you can cut and style it and dye it or whatever you want! :D

You know Rochelle, the doll I showed you yesterday?
This is an in-progress rerooting of her and you see her without the facepaint as well!
Isn't she just perfect? :'3

(You see the scalp that has been painted by the artist to)
I DONT OWN THIS PICTURE!