Fixing cloudy doll eyes

Revised 9/15/24

I found this Madame Alexander Pussycat doll

with VERY cloudy eyes. 

I decided to try the cone and hairdryer method.

What did I have to lose?

So, all you do is make a cone from printer

 paper or light cardboard.

Make sure the opening is the 

size of the doll's iris.

Put the cone on the doll's eye

and use a hair dryer to blow hot 

air into the doll's eye.

 

The cloudiness is caused by a waxy film

that develops over time.  The heat

softens this wax substance

and allows the eye to look

normal again. 

This is how her eye looks after about 8 minutes.

I sat with her and heated her eyes, alternating

from left to right, for another 25 minutes. 

AND LOOK!!

Madame Alexander Pussycat Doll restoration

Clear and beautiful again!

It's possible the cloudiness

could return over time, but a little more 

hairdryer and cone will keep it in check.

Christmas Dresses

Christmas Time Is Here!

This time of year I like to get all my dolls dressed

in their Christmas best.

This beautiful taffeta dress for Cissy I found on eBay at 

A Doll's Closet

I just LOVE it - so beautiful.

(I added the netting bow and a rhinestone button)

This skirt and bandeau hat I made for Elise.

The lace front blouse I found in a lot of vintage clothes on eBay.

I made her belt and added the red ribbon to the blouse.

I made both these dresses for the twins.

This is from a 16" vintage pattern, but it makes up 

small so it fits these two perfect.

These two always look like they are up to something.

This dress I found on eBay at the

Corner Room eBay Store

While it's not fabric from Patsy Ann's era, I love it anyway!

SO SWEET!

I made this little dirndl for Shirley.

She did not have a dress for Christmas 

so this just kind of came together.  

The blouse is part of that same 

lot of blouses from eBay.

One of my latest thrift store finds - Kewpie Ann.

Her dress is one I have had and wondered who could wear it!

I made her little sweater and hat.

I think Joan's dress and coat is my favorite!

The dress and bonnet are from a 1984 Patsy.

The little coat I found on eBay.

SO SWEET!!

Last but definitely not least is my 

17" Madame Alexander Maggie doll.

When I purchased her she was wearing this sweater. 

She also has roller skates but for Christmas I gave her ice skates.

I hope you enjoyed all this Christmas Beauty!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Vintage doll changing table

I found this little changing table over the summer at a thrift store.

The table rotates so all the baskets are lined up.

As you can see the baskets were needing some work.

I needed to re-glue these areas and I wanted to recover 

the cushions and repaint the baskets and legs.

This is the fabric I chose.  

I selected paint from the light pink in this fabric.

I call this antique pink.  Its the shade of pink popular in the 40s and 50s.

Sadly I lost the photos I took of the cleaning and painting, but here is the end result!

As you can see the table folds up to save space.

I had my husband cut the legs a bit shorter so 

the scale would work in my doll room.

Here it is! I am using it to store my little doll blankets

and some dresses.

I painted this doll basket to the left with the same paint

as the table and decided to make a matching quilt.

And here it is.

And whose bed is this?

My 1930s Arranbee Nancy

A little dresser from a friend!

This past August a dear friend saw this little rattan dresser at a community sale.  She texted a picture and asked if I wanted it.  Of course I did!!  

This little dresser was in rough shape.  Some of the rattan was broken or unraveling.

I knew I was going to paint so I repaired loose and missing rattan with ribbon and white glue.

After a new coat of paint the little dresser looks SO much better.

And here it is in the doll corner. This is where all my 1920s and 1930s dolls live.

The photo over the dresser is my Grandmother when he was 11.

This was taken in 1930, so I thought this was a perfect spot.

She too was a doll collector.

BUT, who else do you see in this picture?

My twin Patsy Jr. dolls

My Patsy Joan

Patsy Ann

And my latest thrift store find - Kewpie!

Puddin gets a makeover!

I have a very dear friend, Sina, and this is her childhood doll, Puddin.  

She is a Madame Alexander 'Puddin' baby doll.  

She is 20" long and has a soft body.  SO sweet and cuddly!  

Well, Puddin had been put away for many years, 

but my friend had kept her all this time!  

I knew Puddin had a special place in my friend's heart 

and I knew I could help Puddin!

Here is Puddin right after I got her home.

Her hair is in bad shape and she needed some cleaning.

First thing - wash her hair!

For doll hair I recommend this shampoo and 

finishing spray for synthetic hair.

I get it from my local beauty supply.  

Be sure it says for synthetic hair!

Puddin already looks relaxed and happy after her bath.

Look at those cheeks!

Puddin's hair needed some work.  I brushed it out and used

a ceramic hair straightener set to LOW to help the frizzies.

Then a little straw curler.

This is her little dress and bonnet.  The ribbons on the bonnet were very 

frayed so I replaced them and added the matching bow on the dress.

AND, I made Puddin a bracelet!

(If you look at my header photo, my dolls all have a name bracelet too!)

AND.......

HERE SHE IS!!!

So sweet! SO cuddly.

 Puddin originally had this little side braid.

Well, now Puddin is on her way home for Christmas!

Merry Christmas Puddin!

Here is Puddin back home in time for Christmas, and she's wearing a new 

Madame Alexander Babydoll dress and matching bonnet!

Sina's Puddin and my Puddin together!