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Improving your Disney dolls

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Improving your Disney dolls
HLRaikkonen

HLRaikkonen

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Okay so I don't know if this has come up before, but I have seen already complaints about Disney's shoddy standards on their dolls, for instance the LE Cinderella's stained slippers and other issues of poor workmanship on their products.

I want to know if anyone has had a go at 'improving' if you like, their Disney dolls. I for one am determined to make better quality and even truer to the original dresses for my 12" Gothel and Elinor dolls. Gothel's dress is very ill fitting and her sleeves are all wrong!
I also want to replace my talking Merida's dress, which I hate because just GLITTER UGH! Anyway I've rambled enough, please share your stories and pictures. I hope also this thread is allowed!
 
HLRaikkonen said:
Okay so I don't know if this has come up before, but I have seen already complaints about Disney's shoddy standards on their dolls, for instance the LE Cinderella's stained slippers and other issues of poor workmanship on their products.

I want to know if anyone has had a go at 'improving' if you like, their Disney dolls. I for one am determined to make better quality and even truer to the original dresses for my 12" Gothel and Elinor dolls. Gothel's dress is very ill fitting and her sleeves are all wrong!
I also want to replace my talking Merida's dress, which I hate because just GLITTER UGH! Anyway I've rambled enough, please share your stories and pictures. I hope also this thread is allowed!
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you, if someone do that will be great, I receive my limited edition Merida and Queen Elinor set, they are stunning, but I love Elinor blue dress at the end of the movie, if someone recreate that it'll be great
 
I got the talking Vanellope doll yesterday as an early christmas present and her hair is horrifying. It's incredibly, UBER gelled at the ends so much so that when I took her out of her packaging the ends were already snarled. Also, they put a rubber band to secure her hair at the halfway point to the pony tail. I fought myself on wether or not to cut it off and finally did and it has left this ugly indent in her hair. Lastly, there was a smudge of green on her ear and a dark smudge on her hand. I toyed with returning her but since I had already taken her out of the box and she was a present, I kind of like my "defective" little Vanellope. I'm presently trying multiple gentle scrubs with shampoo in her pony tail to get all that gunk out and then brushing it straight and letting it dry. Once I get the ugly kink worked out of her hair, then I'll try and deal with her smudges.
 
Aquata said:
I got the talking Vanellope doll yesterday as an early christmas present and her hair is horrifying. It's incredibly, UBER gelled at the ends so much so that when I took her out of her packaging the ends were already snarled. Also, they put a rubber band to secure her hair at the halfway point to the pony tail. I fought myself on wether or not to cut it off and finally did and it has left this ugly indent in her hair. Lastly, there was a smudge of green on her ear and a dark smudge on her hand. I toyed with returning her but since I had already taken her out of the box and she was a present, I kind of like my "defective" little Vanellope. I'm presently trying multiple gentle scrubs with shampoo in her pony tail to get all that gunk out and then brushing it straight and letting it dry. Once I get the ugly kink worked out of her hair, then I'll try and deal with her smudges.
Click to expand...
Are the smudges bits of paint? Or more dirt-like? I'm thinking just a bit of acetone will clean it right up (just be careful not to get it on the rest of her face).
 
Mermaid's_grotto said:
You don't need to, just use some tape to reduce / remove the glitter, or do a search for other methods (you could try hand washing).
Click to expand...

As much as this is a good idea, I don't think it would remove all the glitter and it would create a horrific mess! I'd rather just make her a new dress. But since I have so many projects on the go it probably won't happen until Christmas
 
Normally I never open a LE doll, but when I saw Cruella's bangs, I just needed to fix it because it looked sooo messy and I was really unhappy with it.

I've never fixed a dolls hair before, but I'm happy with the results...

Here's a before and after picture. ^^

2znsdxx.jpg
 
disneycrazee said:
Are the smudges bits of paint? Or more dirt-like? I'm thinking just a bit of acetone will clean it right up (just be careful not to get it on the rest of her face).
Click to expand...

Paint, I think, sadly. It's strange... it's like GREEN paint on the outer, top part of her left ear, it's faint but it's there. Why there is GREEN paint there is BEYOND me as this shade of green is like kiwi green o_O The one on her hand...almost looks like a faint, very light brown burn in her plastic but the plastic is smooth. It's strange.

Also, Niels94, very nice job on Cruella's bangs! They look 100% better :)
 
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Aquata said:
Paint, I think, sadly. It's strange... it's like GREEN paint on the outer, top part of her left ear, it's faint but it's there. Why there is GREEN paint there is BEYOND me as this shade of green is like kiwi green o_O The one on her hand...almost looks like a faint, very light brown burn in her plastic but the plastic is smooth. It's strange.

Also, Niels94, very nice job on Cruella's bangs! They look 100% better :)
Click to expand...

hmmm...that IS strange, but if it is indeed paint, then that'll come off really easily with pure acetone. It's what's used for completely removing faces for doll repaints (which is why you just have to be careful not to get it anywhere else lol). ;)
 
So although I have yet to do the promised dresses for Merida, Elinor and Mother Gothel as previously mentioned, I have to ask what people think about my new project for 'improving' my disney dolls.

Recently the Wedding LE Rapunzel re-appeared on the UK disney store website and I snagged one, despite previously not buying because of disliking her face and hair. My plan is to re-root Rapunzel with longer brown hair. What does everyone think?
 
HLRaikkonen said:
So although I have yet to do the promised dresses for Merida, Elinor and Mother Gothel as previously mentioned, I have to ask what people think about my new project for 'improving' my disney dolls.

Recently the Wedding LE Rapunzel re-appeared on the UK disney store website and I snagged one, despite previously not buying because of disliking her face and hair. My plan is to re-root Rapunzel with longer brown hair. What does everyone think?
Click to expand...
I actually like her as she is. I think she's one of the nicest LE dolls and one of my favs. It's entirely your choice though :D
 
disneycrazee said:
hmmm...that IS strange, but if it is indeed paint, then that'll come off really easily with pure acetone. It's what's used for completely removing faces for doll repaints (which is why you just have to be careful not to get it anywhere else lol). ;)
Click to expand...

I work with monster high dolls alot since i collect them and am now customizing them. If you want try using acetone FREE nail polish remover, it usually will take off light colors and whites, and a nail polisher remover with acetone is still dilluted and much better to use on a doll then pure acetone.


Dolls faces are typically made of a different material because the paint itself they make the faces with usually HAVE acetone in them. The bodies on the other hand will melt if you use acetone on them. Tape and saranwrap the bodies before applying anything and HAVE LOTS OF PATIENCE!


ALSO for gluey hair, a simple hair wash with a really light soap, like softsoap hand soap is just fine. About that rubber band thing though, I have that problem with one of my Nefera de Nile MH dolls! After washing out her hair and everything she's still got that LUMP akdjna kd.jv advkjadbv but it's better not that hertf hairs been washed.
 
@HLRaikkonen. You should definitely go for it! What better way for you to like something than improving it yourself! I'm really looking forward to see your redo of wedding Rapunzel! Also excited to see what you'll do to Gothel, Elinor and Merida :) !
 
HLRaikkonen said:
So although I have yet to do the promised dresses for Merida, Elinor and Mother Gothel as previously mentioned, I have to ask what people think about my new project for 'improving' my disney dolls.

Recently the Wedding LE Rapunzel re-appeared on the UK disney store website and I snagged one, despite previously not buying because of disliking her face and hair. My plan is to re-root Rapunzel with longer brown hair. What does everyone think?
Click to expand...

Hogoodness...Have you rerooted hair before? It's a trial. Of course I'm doing them in a doll with no previous hair holes LOL.
 
HLRaikkonen said:
So although I have yet to do the promised dresses for Merida, Elinor and Mother Gothel as previously mentioned, I have to ask what people think about my new project for 'improving' my disney dolls.

Recently the Wedding LE Rapunzel re-appeared on the UK disney store website and I snagged one, despite previously not buying because of disliking her face and hair. My plan is to re-root Rapunzel with longer brown hair. What does everyone think?
Click to expand...
I say go for it! Customizing can be a very rewarding process. But like Carissa said, have you rerooted before? If you have, then you obviously know what you're getting into...but if not, you may want to try it out on an inexpensive doll first. Just a suggestion. ;)

Romancing_Train said:
I work with monster high dolls alot since i collect them and am now customizing them. If you want try using acetone FREE nail polish remover, it usually will take off light colors and whites, and a nail polisher remover with acetone is still dilluted and much better to use on a doll then pure acetone.


Dolls faces are typically made of a different material because the paint itself they make the faces with usually HAVE acetone in them. The bodies on the other hand will melt if you use acetone on them. Tape and saranwrap the bodies before applying anything and HAVE LOTS OF PATIENCE!


ALSO for gluey hair, a simple hair wash with a really light soap, like softsoap hand soap is just fine. About that rubber band thing though, I have that problem with one of my Nefera de Nile MH dolls! After washing out her hair and everything she's still got that LUMP akdjna kd.jv advkjadbv but it's better not that hertf hairs been washed.
Click to expand...
Good points. Personally, though, I like to reduce the amount of time I have to be outside with anything smelly...lol...so I use a paper towel dipped in pure acetone, quickly wipe the face clean (and because it's so strong, it takes it all off super quick), then do a quick wash with soapy water to stop any reactions the acetone may have with the vinyl.
 
Thanks for all your responses guys! I have already started but not finished re rooting another couple of dolls before, and I'm feeling quite confident after watching a lot of tutorials recently that I will finish this one! I'm hoping the slightly bigger head will be less fiddly than a Barbie sized one. Fingers crossed I get one with long lashes too, she seemed prettier with the bigger eyelashes :)
 
HLRaikkonen said:
Thanks for all your responses guys! I have already started but not finished re rooting another couple of dolls before, and I'm feeling quite confident after watching a lot of tutorials recently that I will finish this one! I'm hoping the slightly bigger head will be less fiddly than a Barbie sized one. Fingers crossed I get one with long lashes too, she seemed prettier with the bigger eyelashes :)
Click to expand...
As far as I'm aware we only got the short lashes version in the UK. I checked them all in the Oxford Street store and had two replacements online and they all had short lashes. Eveyone I know who bought one over here got the short version too. I wanted to get one of each but couldn't.
 
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