Rooted hair trick

I use a little trick after I root a head that I'd like to share.

It's easy and amazing what this trick does.  

I had not yet used my trick on the "A Rose" prototype when I took her first set of pictures as she opened the box of clothing.

I didn't like her hair in those pictures:

I felt that it stood up too much and didn't lay down.  It also looked coarse which I knew it was not.

My trick is to spray the hair with plain water to get it damp.  

Style the hair laying down, placing the hair where you want it.

When you have the style in place, FULLY spray the hair until it is soaking wet.  

Once it is soaking wet, use your finger to smooth the hair to the head.

The hair will be slick and stuck to the head.  

Set the head/doll aside and allow the hair to dry naturally.

Mohair goes through a lot of stress when it is rooted.  

It's not unusual for it to need a little TLC.  

Eventually, if these steps are not taken, the hair will look better and better as time goes on, but

I would rather give the TLC before the baby leaves the nursery.

Here are the results of the wet-hair TLC for Rose:

It just looks so much better to me!  

XXOO

Prototype Annalisa kit by Dianna Effner

This sweet kit arrived at the nursery the other day:

She is Annalisa by Dianna Effner.

This is Dianna's second vinyl kit.

She's made of German vinyl and just like her first kit, Huggy Bear, will have two eye options:

Insertable eyes option (seen here)

and the paintable eyes option.

Dianna has filmed the Painted Eyes video and is in the process of editing it from production.

Dianna does some of the best painted eyes in the industry!

Annalisa will be approximately 19 1/2 inches long with 3/4 arms and full legs.  

Due to my busy schedule, this prototype won't be complete and available for adoption until after the Down East Doll Show.

I will paint her...or mostly paint her, and take her to the show.

You see, I needed a painted kit to take to Evon Nather's Painted Hair Class so the timing on Annalisa was perfect.  She will be my class baby and will come home with at least her painted hair started.

SO much to do yet....

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

AA Suzon work in progress for the DEDS

In between getting Rose finished and listed, I have been working on the Suzon toddler 

as an African American little cutie.

Here are the first set of WIP pictures I took:

(This particular picture is most accurate of her tone)

THIS precious girl is who I am working towards.  

I found this picture on Facebook one day and thought she was the

PERFECT Suzon.

Here is the second set of WIP pictures.  

I've got 5 days of painting on her up to this point:

I started her out with Genesis Heat Set Paints.

I will finish up my Genesis work today, put a light Matte Varnish coat on her then continue with both Art and Magic and LDC air dry paints.  

I have beautiful human curly black hair for her big head.  

Oh she's going to be SO cute!  

She will be on my show table at the Down East Doll Show greeting anyone who wants to adopt her.

SO much good stuff going on here in the nursery!  

More tomorrow....

A Rose By Any Other Name Auction! (And video)

Rose is live on eBay!

~CLICK HERE FOR AUCTION LINK~

I am excited to see who is going to be called her "mommy"

Here is the video that is also in her auction. 
I hope you are blessed by it. 

And have an awesome day!

Another silicone kit arrives at the Nursery

What fun it was opening the package that contained my second silicone kit purchase!

This is Dawson, sculpted and poured by Rachelle Ferrel.

He will measure about 16 inches when complete and have 1/4 limbs 

which will make him super cuddly!

 He is BEAUTIFULLY sculpted with exceptional details.

And the silicone is perfect.  

As much as I would love to believe I could reborn him for the 

Down East Doll Show, I know I won't be able to get to him.

Have a great Sunday!  

I'll be working up pictures, video, story and auction for 

A Rose By Any Other Name prototype.  

I expect auction to start at 8 pm PST tonight. 

A box opening by a baby? ~Picture story~

Well now.  I've done box openings OF babies but haven't yet experienced a 

baby doing a box opening...until the other day.....

"Rose!  Something has arrived for you!"

"Ford me???"

"Yes, for you."

"But Auntwie Dwebbie...the card sez it is fer YOU!"

"I know sweetie, but what's inside it is for you...

and it looks like clothes, which is a good thing since you are,

well, naked."

"OH boy!  Wook at dis! 

A big buffiful bwanket jest for me!"

 

"And ooohhhhhh......

SO PRETTY...ROSES!!"

"Ebben rose buttons on da back!"

"Let's try it on you Rose.

Oh my....it fits perfect!  You will have a lot of variety with these clothes!"

 "Let's add the jumper to the top and bloomers.

It is just precious!  And so are you!"

"Antwie Dwebbie...WOOK!  A pwincess crwown...am 

I a pwincess??

"Pwincess pajamies...I AM a PWINCESS!

 Thar is ebben little sparklwing cwystals on my crwown 

and swippers!"

"I feewl so speshil!!"

"I ebben has crwown buttons on my back!"

"I is so happy!"

Thank you for joining in on Rose's clothing box opening!

The outfits were all custom made by Laurie Duncan, of 

Fancy Pants 'N' Flounces.  

duncanlaurie@rocketmail.com

You can also find Laurie on Facebook.

Laurie always does such an exceptional job for me.  

I tell her the colors and theme that I have in mind for the particular baby I am working on

 and allow her the freedom to create from her heart. 

She has the greatest collection of buttons...ever!  

From frustration to overwhelming joy~When things don't work out as planned.

I had a very specific plan in my mind as I worked on prototype

"A Rose By Any Other Name",

especially her hair.  

I wanted a chocolate brown hair and had some in stock from another seller.  I've had that hair around for a long, long while and I see that hair rooted on many reborns and it does look nice.  

I simply could not root it.  It broke.  It would not stay in the head.  

It would not lay down.

So I went through my personal stock and found some darker brown hair.

~sigh~  Not exactly what I wanted but thought it would look nice with her tone anyway.

I also had a very specific hair style in mind and had lightly painted the direction on her head.

Things were going well until I reached the top of her head and I don't know...it just did not work out as planned.  I still don't have an explanation of what went wrong....well....actually, I do.

I was not happy with the outcome of her hair.  

But, she is getting great responses and even compliments on her hair.  

Everyone has their own tastes and I'm glad she is being liked.  

I was chatting with Kellie Beckett yesterday on Facebook.  

I shared with her my frustration over her hair.

And then she sent me something amazing.  

She sent me this picture:

THAT is Kellie Beckett at 2 months of age.  

(I do have permission to use this picture.)

And this is "A Rose..." prototype:

Other than Kellie's hair was thicker, the style is identical!

I can probably style the hair closer to how Kellie's is on the top. 

I had never seen the picture of Kellie before.

Kellie had brown eyes.  I chose brown eyes for A Rose.

Kellie had darker brown hair...I ended up, against my will, with darker brown hair.  

This really just gives me goose bumps!  

I DO love my work!!!

Tomorrow, I'll share a darling picture story with you.

The custom made outfits for Rose arrived and I let her open the box  :)