When one of my friends read my blog, they asked me, "Do you really
pop their heads off?" She was referring to how I switch doll bodies, and I had to explain how I perform my "Frankendolly" surgeries. I decided that this would be a good blog topic (while giving The Committee time to calm down).
I am going to FOCUS on Mattel dolls in this blog. (You must use a heating pad for Fashion Royalty or Silkstone dolls).
First, I use a Phillips Head Screwdriver to help pry the head off the doll. I pull the head back and slip the screwdriver inside the head. I find the "tabs" and pull them toward the hole with the screwdriver. This allows the head to pop off.
This Crescent Cutting Tool is important once I get the heads off. It is a great cutting tool that I purchased for my miniatures many years ago, so I'm not sure where you can buy it.
(NOTE: Always wear safety glasses when doing anything like this. There will be small flying pieces of sharp plastic!)
It is good to take the tabs off these neck knobs, so you can switch heads easily. Once you pry one of these heads off using a screwdriver, you don't want to do it over and over again on the same body - sooner or later the neck knob will break completely off!
If you are doing a Fashionista body, the neck knob is a long pronged piece. Here is how you cut it off.
Then you have a nice like knob to slip a doll head over easily.
The Model Muse and pivotal bodies have a smaller tab, so it requires three cuts. First you cut the small tabs off.
Then you cut the taller part off.
So ... I had taken the Elvis Barbie's head off its pivotal body. Since I had purchased multiple Frank Sinatra dolls for their bodies, I decided I would put together a "Frankie-dolly" - (pun on Frank Sinatra/Frankenstein dolly). I boil permed the Elvis Barbie's hair (by the way, the big beehive is actually a piece of foam stuck under the hair!).
I think the hair looks pretty good down! I took the head and put it on a Model Muse body. Then I added the Frank Sinatra outfit. I think she is darn cute!
Now, for those who were wondering which doll won rights for the Grace Kelly "The Romance" extra ensemble ... I give you Victoire ...
This is so perfectly vintage and right with her style.
And a final closeup!
6 comments:
Victoire looks gorgeous in that outfit. But I haven't seen her look anything but gorgeous in everything you put on her.
Robyne, nice tool you have. I have jewelry nippers that I use to cut off those plastic pieces in the head.
Victoire looks fab in her newest ensemble. I have to go free mine from her box. She's been in there since convention last year..oops
I hope Marta from Spain see these photos and instructions, she was interested in transferring a head to a fashionista. Awesome instructions and pics.
I'm jazzed you showed Elvis dolly with her hair down. I was convinced her head had a cone under it to hold that beehive in place, and now I know she is salvageable just by removing a piece of foam. Thank you!
I love seeing Elvis Barbie without that beehive on her head- and thank you for posting photos of this- I had to learn on my own experimentation! I so enjoy your blog, loads of fun!
Hello from Spain: thank you for explaining change. I am very interested in doing some of my dolls. Your Victoire looks gorgeous in that outfit. Roville thank you for remembering my doubts. I´ll try to do it. Keep in touch.
Thanks for sharing your head-removal tool. I'll think of using something like that with the trickier (harder) fashion doll and action figure heads.
Post a Comment