1967 twist n turn Barbie. She was a complete transformation which is why she gets to be ate the top of the list in my portfolio. She was a terrible custom someone had made, and I had to turn back time, and turn her back into who she was before.
I went to a doll show and found this poor #4 Barbie head. I’ve been on the lookout for a #4 Barbie head, as I had the body, and I wanted a brunette. So it was fate. She was priced very cheap so that helped too. She had a little bit of green ear, which was trying to go to her left cheek. She had cut hair, and was very dirty. I rerooted her with some brunette saran hair that matched the original color perfectly. I set the hair in its original style. I made her new plastic post earrings so she won’t get green ear again. She also got a lip touch up and some blush to complete her look. She is wearing plantation belle, a gift I got from my dear friend Liz, and that I made jewelry for. She is a stunning doll again. And I’m excited to have her in my collection.
1964 bubble cut Barbie. This doll was going into the trash, so I saved her. She had a buzz cut, and crayon colored hair. her face was darkened with age, and her face paint was dry and chipping off. I decided to reroot her into a brunette "swirl ponytail" from the same time period. This doll is gorgeous now, and looks factory new.
This 1967 twist n turn Francie doll needed a lot. She came with a huge slip on top of her head, and her hair was buzzed off, and her lashes were stubs. She got a complete makeover and reroot as you can see, and looks stunning again.
1960 ponytail "#3" Barbie. This is the earliest Barbie I've worked on. She had a hair cut, and needed a paint touch up. This doll is special because she has the rare blue eyeliner variation for a #3 Barbie.
1970 twist n turn Francie. She was another transformation. And as you can see, you'd never be able to tell she was the doll on the left.
1962 was a great Year for Barbie. She got a best friend Midge, who was made to be a more homely look for parents who didn't like Barbie's heavy made up glamour image. This doll was moldy and was missing some face paint. She now looks as she did brand new in 1962.
This 1970 PJ doll was moldy with cut up bangs. Her bangs were rerooted, her hair was set in its original setting, and she was thoroughly cleaned to get rid of the mold.
1962 bubble cut Barbie. She just needed a bath, hair resetting, and paint touch up.
1961 bubble cut Barbie. She was a quick and easy restoration, she just needed a bath and a touch up. But how beautiful she is.
1965 bendable leg "American girl" Barbie. Ironically this poor doll head was bought in Russia. A complete transformation. The vinyl was darkened with age, and her hair was cut or removed by her previous owner. Now she has hair and looks nice again.
1964 Skipper. She came bald, beat up, and dirty. And now has hair again, freshened face paint, and a new lease on life.
1967 standard Barbie. She had a moldy head, which is common of dolls from this era. She now is a treasure to her new owner.
This is a Dramatic Living Barbie from 1969. This particular doll was from a Sears exclusive set, made in Japan. She was moldy and needed some touch ups.
1967 twist n turn Barbie. She needed a bath, hair restyling, lashes, and she was ready to go!
1965 bendable leg "American girl" Barbie. She needed a bath, paint touch up, and hair resetting. She looks beautiful once more!
1965 bendable leg "American girl" Barbie. She had darkened vinyl, a hair cut, and her face paint was faded. She now lives in Japan. The new owner loves his Barbie, and is very happy with her new made up appearance.
1967 twist n turn Casey. She was for a client, and that client loves her now!
1967 twist n turn Francie restoration.
1967 twist n turn Francie. She needed a bath, hair styling, eyelashes, paint touch up, and vinyl recoloring.
1975 deluxe quick curl Barbie. This doll has hair that curls like magic. Rooted with her hair are metal wires which allows the dolls hair to be curled in various ways. Unfortunately, overtime the dolls hair can look like a Brillo pad. It had to be flat ironed with a straightener to make it straight again.
1967 twist n turn Barbie. She was the roughest doll head I ever worked on. She was about to be trashed, but I had an idea just to work on her. She came out much better than she arrived.
1976 Superstar Barbie got a partial reroot, a thorough cleaning, and restyling. Now she is as stylish as she was in 1976.
1977 Fashion photo Barbie, in a Bride ensemble I made to resemble a barbie dress of the time.
1957 Madame Alexander Cissy doll. I'm going to let the picture speak for its self> she was a labor of love. And is a prize in my own collection. Lilac is my favorite color, and that's the color pallet!
1955 Madame Alexander Cissy doll. When I restore Cissy dolls, I truly get in my element. I love the 1950s, and these fashion dolls perfectly represent the era. She needed a bath, restringing, her eyelashes needed to be refilled, she needed her hair reset, and needed a belt and hat stockings and shoes to complete her outfit. She was a complete pleasure to do, and she is a beautiful example.
1956 Madame Alexander Cissy. She was a grubby doll that turned into a glamour queen. She needed a bath, a paint touch up, new lashes, hair restyling and restringing. The black velvet dress is also a creation of mine.
1950 Ideal Toni doll. She was moldy, dirty, and smelt like rotten eggs. Now she is crisp, clean, and smells nice. Brought me great happiness to put a smile back on the face of the collector who owns her.
1954 Madame Alexander baby doll restoration. She was from the same owner as the Toni and Madeline doll.
1953 Madame Alexander Madeline. This doll is a transformation, as you can tell from the photos. She was a lot of work, and took about a week to complete.
1970 Madame Alexander Scarlett O'Hara portrait doll. She was in bad shape, and belonged to a dear collector who is no longer with us. She tried her best to fix her doll, as she was originally strung with rubber bands. Overtime those break, limbs fall off, and she decided to hot glue her together.(Do not do this) After the hot glue was removed, She was washed and put back together. The collector who owns her now loves her, which makes me very happy.
1950 Terri Lee doll. She needed A lot of work. This doll reminds me of the Terri Lee doll my Nanna had as a child, which she had prominently displayed in her house when I was growing up. she had a bath, paint touch up, new vintage old stock 1950s wig, she was restrung, and given an original Terri Lee outfit. I also made her taffeta silk teddie, hat, and shoes
This doll is a 1940 Ideal Judy Garland doll. Composition dolls are very difficult to restore while keeping things original because the materials they're made of just weren't made to last. She will never be perfect, But she certainly is getting there!
1958 Madame Alexander Cissy. She was for a client and that client loves her Cissy now! She was sent to a restorationist before me, and they didn't do her any favors. I corrected the previous restoration and now she's beautiful again.
2010 Mother Gothel Disney Store limited edition doll. She is a rare valuable doll that was found at the bottom of a toy chest. I restored her back to her villainous glory!
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Doll Restorations
Here is a collection of the battered, forgotten, and very much played with toys of yesteryear! My goal for each restoration is to make them look as factory original as possible. Some are simple restorations, some are complete restorations. My end goal is to preserve and conserve the history fo each doll, as each is a time capsule and a product of its time.
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