Hello and how are you? Sorry it's been about a month since I have done anything here on the blogsite. With all of the spending time with my family and a mostly relaxing summer schedule in full swing and two graduate study courses (at the same time) and NOT painting a thing because I have been customizing American Girl dolls to make them look like boy dolls instead... I guess you could say I have been quite busy!
What's that? Oh... that last thing? The whole customizing American Girl dolls to look like boy dolls? Uhhhh... yeah. About that. Hmmm. Where do I even begin?
Well, if you didn't know, I have a five year old daughter and she happens to be a pretty serious fan of American Girl dolls. Heard of them? They've been around for upwards of 20 years so perhaps you have because you had them when you were younger OR you have kids who are into them. Or... perhaps you know about them because you don't like them for any number of reasons.
Whatever the case, American Girl dolls are a big thing in our house and we hardly fight it anymore. As with anything, we enjoy them in moderation for the most part and with some serious doses of creativity. We craft with and for them (specifically, we love making pony bead jewelry), we do pink lemonade "tea" parties, we go on trips to the store and the park with them... etc. You get the idea. My daughter is very much into them and seeing as how I am a teacher and my husband is a teacher too and we both know a thing or two about play being a major part of early child development? We are pretty supportive of her being into them because that means she is less "plugged in" in other ways that she could be. And? It's pretty much the one thing she is REALLY into (other than being creative with visual arts because she wants to be an artist when she grows up *yes, I am totally beaming over this!*) and so it actually doesn't end up breaking our budget as much as it might seem it could.
So, since she has really gotten into American Girl dolls (last Christmas is when she got her first one named McKenna), she has been vocally hankering for a "little brother" doll. *shrug* But wouldn't you know it? They stopped making anything acceptable of that sort of thing way back in the 80s when they had "My Buddy" dolls. (Cue the theme song that you children of the 80s surely know! Please don't hate me if you sing this all day to yourself.*wink*) That being said? What it really came down to is she thinks of her American Girl dolls (she got another one she really wanted for her recent birthday) as her own little family and she wanted a BOY doll that would be comparable and compatible with them. And since I am a bit of a can-do and why not(?) type of person? Well... I got to thinking, how can I make a BOY doll happen for her?
To make an already long story just a tad longer before I get to the punch lines of it all, in my adventures to be a creative problem solver for our unique dilemma of a lacking of a boy doll, I stumbled upon quite a number of other folks who want the same thing for their kids - both girls AND boys! And the answer to all of our problems? It's taking a previously owned and very well-loved doll, almost fully refurbishing it the way American Girl would (at their doll hospital) and then cutting the hair to be handsomely boyish and dressing it accordingly. My friends? I have officially become a doll customizer. And I specialize in custom boy dolls (made from American Girl dolls). Wanna see? Click the images to see them larger if you are so inclined...
What's that? Oh... that last thing? The whole customizing American Girl dolls to look like boy dolls? Uhhhh... yeah. About that. Hmmm. Where do I even begin?
Well, if you didn't know, I have a five year old daughter and she happens to be a pretty serious fan of American Girl dolls. Heard of them? They've been around for upwards of 20 years so perhaps you have because you had them when you were younger OR you have kids who are into them. Or... perhaps you know about them because you don't like them for any number of reasons.
Whatever the case, American Girl dolls are a big thing in our house and we hardly fight it anymore. As with anything, we enjoy them in moderation for the most part and with some serious doses of creativity. We craft with and for them (specifically, we love making pony bead jewelry), we do pink lemonade "tea" parties, we go on trips to the store and the park with them... etc. You get the idea. My daughter is very much into them and seeing as how I am a teacher and my husband is a teacher too and we both know a thing or two about play being a major part of early child development? We are pretty supportive of her being into them because that means she is less "plugged in" in other ways that she could be. And? It's pretty much the one thing she is REALLY into (other than being creative with visual arts because she wants to be an artist when she grows up *yes, I am totally beaming over this!*) and so it actually doesn't end up breaking our budget as much as it might seem it could.
So, since she has really gotten into American Girl dolls (last Christmas is when she got her first one named McKenna), she has been vocally hankering for a "little brother" doll. *shrug* But wouldn't you know it? They stopped making anything acceptable of that sort of thing way back in the 80s when they had "My Buddy" dolls. (Cue the theme song that you children of the 80s surely know! Please don't hate me if you sing this all day to yourself.*wink*) That being said? What it really came down to is she thinks of her American Girl dolls (she got another one she really wanted for her recent birthday) as her own little family and she wanted a BOY doll that would be comparable and compatible with them. And since I am a bit of a can-do and why not(?) type of person? Well... I got to thinking, how can I make a BOY doll happen for her?
To make an already long story just a tad longer before I get to the punch lines of it all, in my adventures to be a creative problem solver for our unique dilemma of a lacking of a boy doll, I stumbled upon quite a number of other folks who want the same thing for their kids - both girls AND boys! And the answer to all of our problems? It's taking a previously owned and very well-loved doll, almost fully refurbishing it the way American Girl would (at their doll hospital) and then cutting the hair to be handsomely boyish and dressing it accordingly. My friends? I have officially become a doll customizer. And I specialize in custom boy dolls (made from American Girl dolls). Wanna see? Click the images to see them larger if you are so inclined...
And just because I am a crazy person who cannot do anything completely and I must go overboard whenever possible, I have really REALLY pushed the limit and have set myself out to fully customize more than 15 boy dolls with the goal being to sell them to others wanting/wishing for custom boy dolls but with no means to literally make it happen. I have always considered starting on Etsy store but this is far from what I ever thought it would look like. It's my custom boy doll store called "Thank Heaven for Little Boy Dolls."(Click through the image to access the store that is now up and running and will eventually have the last round of boy dolls in it). The plan is for all of them to be in the store and for sale before my summer officially ends in just a few weeks...
Yeah, soooo... how crazy do you think I am now? REALLY crazy? Hmmm.... well, I have been called worse so I'm OK with crazy or even REALLY crazy just fine. Honestly, I'm pretty used to people thinking I'm off my rocker. But now you know where I have been and what all I have been doing for the most part.
So... yeah. I don't even know what else to say now that I have "outed" myself with all of this of officially deeming myself a "Crazy Doll Lady" (if you will). As things go with this blog though? I haven't abandoned it but it's more like I have taken a bit of a sabbatical without realizing it or telling anybody officially. Forgive me. I will be returning with a semi-regular schedule of all of "the usual" soon enough though since the school year will be kicking itself in gear very soon *sob*.
Until then though? I still have about eight more custom boy dolls that I have to finish up in ways like putting new wigs on them, giving them boy haircuts (that I have actually gotten pretty good at if you can believe it - I liken it to subtractive sculpting *high five!*), and then dressing them to be all handsome and boyish. Thanks a bunch for putting up with my absence! I'll be back soon enough. Later!
I've missed u! But I'm glad you're enjoying your summer and I think those boy dolls are GENIUS! I actually went on the prowl for boy dolls like that for my son and all I could find was a stuffed Diego....totally should have been creative and made over an American Girl! Best of luck to you in that new venture!!!
ReplyDeleteI will be back in the saddle soon enough and doing my usual. :) I was actually just at my school yesterday for a string of meetings with folks in order to plan what this next year would look like so that we can really hit the ground running AND it looks like I might actually be finishing my MEd by December *PTL*.
DeleteHow in the world are YOU doing now that you have that precious little girl in your arms? If there is one thing I know for sure it's that daughters are such an amazing blessing. :)
Oh and thanks for getting the "My Buddy" jingle stuck in my head ;) WHY do I even remember that?!
ReplyDeleteBecause that's just how catchy and clever it was!!! Which is also why I endeavored to even think that these boy dolls would be even remotely successful.
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