In your house(s) - dolls or no dolls?

[Patsea]

Here's a picture of my little antique doll in the bathtub. I love her face!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthsandsea/8006358358/in/photostream/

[Mary11]

I have dolls in my house. I first decide on the house and then pick the family. Then I design the house and rooms the way I think would match their personalities.

[Rhonda]

I have never put dolls in my houses in the past, but to set the mood for the Bordello I will be looking for "Soiled Dove" to either put on the balcony or draped over the piano in the bar, I think it will really set the mood of the house.

[havanaholly]

Rhonda, check with Wolfie; at one time she was making filles de joie.

[Rhonda]

Rhonda, check with Wolfie; at one time she was making filles de joie.

I already had Her in mind when I was thinking about it, but first things first I need to build the house cant have her sitting amongst the saw dust soiling her corsett and stockings!

[ADayInTheMiniLife]

I'm about to start tonight sculpting my doll. She's going to be bendable and as flexible as possible. I'm doing it with help and inspiration from Casey at Casey's mini's. If you haven't been to her blog,she has two main chars Tessie and Zar and they're as much of her houses as the houses themselves. I like that and is what gave me inspiration for mine. I wasn't a fan of other dolls to put into my house until Ifound her site and realized that was what I was looking for. My own mini-me type doll that was workable and almost an extensioin of the house. Even tho Im terrified at sculpting a doll of my own,it like it says,will be my own. I can't wait til she's done so I can see her and where it'll take things. I see nothing wrong with playing with dolls. There are much worse things we could be doing. lol. I've got all the stuff out and ready as I can be I guess. Since the questioin was asked dolls or no dolls....does it matter to u if its a premade,or something you order or something u make? I plan on mine being a part of the house. I think it'll be more fun. But it all depends on the house and person and style I guess. Just somethingI always knew I wanted,but didn't think I could make my own.
'

I'm off to work on my own lil creation.Wish me luck. It sooo terrifies me. Lol

Kris

Oh, an interesting site of dolls is http://www.livingdeaddolls.com/archive/preview.asp?main_id=ldd&sub_id=ldd-exc&name=Penny&series=Living+Dead+Dolls+Exclusives&deathdate=9%2F9%2F1969&chipboard=Little+Penny+found+life%3Cbr+%2F%3ETo+be+boring+and+dull.%3Cbr+%2F%3ESo+she+jumped+out+the+window%3Cbr+%2F%3EAnd+cracked+open+her+skull.&dyk=Penny+was+the+first+Living+Dead+Doll+exclusive%2C+limited+to+666+pieces+and+produced+for+Toy2R+in+Japan.+The+popularity+of+this+doll+%28picture+not+available%29+led+Mezco+to+release+a+new+version+of+Penny+%28shown+here%29+through+ClubMez.com.&msrp=%2440.00&ages=For+ages+15+and+up&description=Poor+little+Penny+hit+the+street+with+her+head%2C%3Cbr+%2F%3ENow+she+keeps+company+with+creatures+under+your+bed.&product_id=ldd-exc-014&status=Sold+Out&units=&title=Penny&ai=0

Living Dead Dolls. They're horror type collectible dolls.But Penny is where I got my nickname from. And if you have a horror type house or Halloween scene,there's some cool ones on there you might be able to use or build your own off of. From Edgar Allen Poe dolls to horror type Alice in Wonderland. Take a look around in the archive. Even the 7 deadly sins dolls r neat. I had the whole original set that you can't find and are rare with my exhubby and hence the nickname I got. I had blood red shoulder length hair when we met.Lol So Penny stuck.XD

(Sorry the link is so long...I don't know why) Just thought some may find it interesting.

Edited January 20, 2013 by ADayInTheMiniLife

[havanaholly]

I mostly make all my little people, although I have some Li'l Bratz & Boyz to use eventually, some Todd McFarlane figures that will go into other houses, and I once grabbed some Kim Possible dolls to go into the Travel Trailer. I start with a mix of one part translucent and three parts flesh colored Sculpey and add minute traces of acrylic paints from the tube to get the skin tones I want. I use a combination of techniques from Sue Heaser (Making Miniature Dolls With Polymer Clay) and James Carrington (1/12 Character Figures for the Dolls' House) And I joint most of them to make them poseable.

[CheckMouse]

Got my hand slapped when I clicked on your link, Holly - "my little people". Was told I didn't have permission to use that feature. Is it a link to your Gallery?

[havanaholly]

Good Lord! Yeah, it's a link to my gallery, and the second one was a link to the Travel Trailer picture with the Kim Possible dolls in it. Here are the proprietors of the pub, Porter & Emma; I used and tweaked push molds for the faces, but it didn't really help make them look any better:

[ADayInTheMiniLife]

I've never sculpted or used these types of clay before. I got the two colors of Sculpey Living Doll. One in "Light Skin" the other in "Baby". One looks a little pinkier then the other. But I figure before I do my doll full force I should take a little of each as is, and make a little face or something and bake it just to see how it looks. Then I can add or mix as needed. I can always add paint later if needed. I'm good at painting and fine details. Its the sculpting part that scares me.

I did look at some of the molds at Michaels, but didn't like them very much and figure I just keep working at mine til I am happy. I'm hoping to have the mixture worked out and have the head done and baked as well as the chest and hopefully have the hands and feet started by end of tomorrow. The tiny fingers and toes are daunting to me too. I like the needle eye idea for the nails and will try that. Am even debating once i have the hands done whether or not I can add "fake clay accrylic nails to her" lol. I must be nuts! Guess we'll see. Gotta make her look real and be able to stand and move first.

She'll be able to move waist, calf up, forearm up, and may try to be able to make her head turn. But not sure with doing the head attatched to the bust. It'll all be learning for me. I've gone thru the net and read, watched youtube videos, and all that. But I think in the end you prob need to learn ur own style. We shall see. I'm off to throw some of the living doll clay into the over to see how it looks. Fingers crossed.

Kris

OH HOLLY..............Or anyone else.Ihad asked this on my blog and been wondering a long time but can't seem to find a definitive answer. What is the difference (if any) between translucent and "white" translucent? Anything? Is one more "clear" then the other? Alot I seem to find say is that it's just preference. I have 2 packs of each. But still don't get it... any info would be appreciated and keep me from continuing to scratch my head. lol

[ADayInTheMiniLife]

Holly, forgot to say I like your dolls. The Kimpossible ones r quite interesting. I like how u say how ugly they are but perfect for the trailer. lol

One thing I haven't thought about yet or have is stuff to make the hair/wig. Unless I cut some of my own I need to figure that out relatively soon if I have the doll worked on to the point of where i'm hoping by tomorrow. I don;t like the craft store doll wig curls stuff they have in bags.I read a few other different things.But unsure as to whats best. i would like her to have long straight black hair like mine tho...

[morgansmith]

Kris, you can get mohair on ebay. I think you want to look for ooak hair. Ooak being one of a kind. One purchase of a small package goes a looooooong way, like for lots of dolls. I have been learning to make ooak characters for my builds. However.......I am really surprised no one is speaking up about OTHER types of residents for our builds. My poor Emily and Elsie have been waiting for a home of their own for a very long time. They are a bear and bunny. And Gracie is a mouse, written about, but not yet created. She's been demanding an attic for a very long time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that critters count too And fairies.....and pretend families too. I have a house FULL of invisible people

[havanaholly]

I've located plaited fiber hair that works OK. I love natural wool roving for ladies' hair. Viscose works well, and the curls can be straightened by cutting lengths and clamping each end and hanging them over a seaming kettle of water (also good for setting tighter curls, or plaits) I tried the push molds to see if I could get a more "pretty" look to my peoples' faces.

For fingers (and toes, when I'm doing bare feet for sandals or just plain bare feet) I shape the hands and palms and use my craft knife to cut the fingers apart and trim the ends. then I use my fingers to gently shape each one, then attach the thumb. I use a dressmaker's glass-headed pin for wrinkle lines and a darning needle for holes for the wiring for joints.

I do full body sculpts. I have jointed the head at the top of the neck as well as at the base of the neck. For shaping fingernails I have some pointy flat and cupped pick-type tools I found at one of those tent sales for small tools we sometimes spot along the road.

The translucent I have has more of a creamy look than what I'd call white. I like the effects I get coloring the clay with tube acrylics (the siennas and umbers work best, especially for ethnic dolls, with a touch of ochre sometimes) as I work it. Except for eyes and other facial features I don't paint the dolls after baking, I prefer to use the barest touch of grated chalk pastels to color the finished doll; IMO it gives a subtler effect.

It's all a learning process! Each handful of clay has its own ideas of who is lurking inside, and the hardest thing in the world for me was to try to make portrait dolls (I did a passable Tom Baker/ Dr Who, and a Patricia Routledge/ Hyacinth Bucket, pronounced "Boo-KAY" that came out too youn and underweight, and a Graham Greene/ Storm Crow that wasn't too bad), but there was too much clay-wadding and *magic* words to keep it up; Pearl Jordan has no competition from me!

[ADayInTheMiniLife]

Thanks. I'm off ooking right now. I couldn't remember the name. And if there was anthing else that could be used.

As for other inhabitants, I've seen those I think they're called happy family or something, and come in everything from cat and dog families, to monkees skunks and bears..Which are really cute. I haven't seen homemade ones yet tho. Just fairies and stuff like that. Mine will have my char, and I plan on having a ton of pets like ive always had. I need to figure out how to make suagr gliders, flying squirrels and a prairie dog. All of which I've had. I plan on my house being able to be lived in by me thru her. lol. So I willl live in my house too. And every time i read another post here I think of more I need to start working on. lol I can see it all in my head..now I need to execute! Back to the clay. (Its 7:45am, so Good Morning All!XD)

Kris

PS- Where is the best/cheapest place to get the hair? Or should I just spend a while and look all over? I really don't want a ton. Or spending a ton either. lol

[heidiiiii]

I love my dolls. I refused to inhabit my houses with a doll unless they were perfectly perfect and I had to have them. I own three Wolfie dolls. As for animals, I do not own anything fancy like I have seen at the miniature shows. All my animals came out of the 50c machine outside of the grocery store.

Some houses never have people but others deserve to have a Lady of the Manor.

[havanaholly]

I've even found packets of the curly viscose in the craft supply bins at thrift stores! Also bunka. Look everywhere for goodies; you never know what you'll find or where.

[Muriel]

I've got a couple resin people that move around different houses, but don't live in any particular one. The Elephant couple that I made for the top of our wedding cake had a house especially made for them, but generally my families have just popped out to work or school ;)

I have various doggies that are in the houses and my calico critters/sylvanian family pets also visit.

[ADayInTheMiniLife]

I always look in thrift stores, and when its nice and they have the outside area open to the flea/farmers market. But mainly only people that sell there anymore is cheaply mass produced made in china purses and junk like that. None of the personal items for sale like it used to be. Like I said Im always green with envy at what other people are able to find in their thrift stores. I've never seen a house or DH items or bags of the hair. And I always go thru EVERYTHING as deep as I can go. lol. One day maybe I'll get lucky. I plan on going to a few this weekend. Apparently there's another freeze coming thru and possibly snow and yet another winter advisory. Today it was 9degrees without wind chill factor. So a good time for cuddling up with hot tea and finishing my doll and working on other stuff. I was gonna post a pic of the doll head i sculpted just to test out the color of the clay and how it'd look, but can't seem to attatch it. >< It came out ok for my first sculpt and considering it was a quick one just to test out. This real ones coming along better. I'll post pics once my net is working normally and I can get pics uploaded. I'm kinda proud of myself lol

I am gonna need to get that hair soon tho.

Quick question...mostly ive seen the glue method. Any tips for that? Mainly all ive seen is using the reg tacky glue, and glueing the back and up the middle and some up front. Like I said I'm pretty sure i'm going to leave it long and straight. Not gonna do a up-do or anything like that. Any tips would be great. Also, should I "texture" the head before I bake it to help the hair stay on?

Kris

[Jo Med]

When I wig a doll I make about 20 wefts by cutting and combing a length of hair, then spreading the end over my finger and gluing it. I stick them on a tile until they are dry. When dry, I trim the glued end so that its straight and then stick then to the doll starting at the bottom back of the head and working up. I do the front last. Tips - don't make the wefts thick, the thinner the better as too much hair is a common mistake (one I've made often). I don't texture the head as I find that the wefts stick fine - the doll won't be brushing her hair. To straighten hair out I use a knob pin and just sort of comb it into a reasonable shape. The good thing about doing it this way is that if you aren't happy with it you can tear it all off and start again and it won't leave a mess on the doll's head. Some people make a sort of cap by shaping the combings into a matted circle and stick this on first so that the head is actually covered but I find it harder to stick hair to hair than hair to head.

Good luck.

[havanaholly]

To wig a female doll (or one with longish hair) I run a bead of tacky glue from where I want the front hairline down the back of the (untextured) head and center a thin bit of hairover the front of the glue bead and press it down. I keep strips of waxed paper handy to wrap around the doll's head to hold the hair in place whilst it dries. Once that strip is dry I repeat with a bead glue across the top from side to side, above the ears and another strip of hair centered over that and wrap as before. Once that's dry I pop one more small bead of glue on top of the head and gently pull the hair hanging over the face back onto the glue (I haven't done bangs, but if I did I'd leave a very small amount of hair hanging over the face until after this last bit of glue has dried, and then trim the bangs). At this point I style the hair however I want it.

Note: I usually save wigging the doll for last.

[Caseymini]

When I first started in minis, I was dead set against dolls. For a little while I didn't have dolls in any of my rooms. Then I started making them. That was it. Dolls everywhere.

Then along came Tessie. She was the first one that "talked to me". She lived in a glass display case for several years. Quietly biding her time. After I started blogging she started nagging me for a better place to live... Every time I went into the workroom, she would bang on the glass and yell, "Let me out!".

I let her out. Did I mention that she's a witch? That was the first mistake. She is bossy and opinionated. She has taken over. She thinks that everything should be done her way. If she was strong enough to type, she would be writing my blog every day. Fortunately, she hasn't managed that yet, even with the help of her pogo stick!

If anybody asks me about little people now(I don't call them dolls if I don't want to be scolded) I just blame Tessie! If you want to meet her, she is on my blog almost every day. Just poke "my blog changes daily" below.

[havanaholly]

Tessie is a hoot! I'm a fan. My little people come out of the clay at the behest of whichever house I'm building (except the Small family; I orginally made them to live in the Willowcrest, but then it up and stopped talking to me, so it had to go. Now I have started rehabbing a Pierce for them, if we ever get a workshop so I can see how badly damaged the house got during the move. The Claudians live in the Cracker Shack quite happily, the Poquitos live in the haciendita and the Gotrox live in the Bah Hahbah summer cottage.