Make it Own Dal: Veronica

I think I've mentioned here before that I got a Make it Own kit from Pullip Style this Christmas. Well, I was so excited to begin that I started a couple of days after Christmas and finished today! It was so much fun learning and attempting a new craft, especially as I was combining painting and dolls, two of my loves. Plus, I got to add a new doll to my collection, called Veronica!

First I painted the eye chips. I used my sister's nailpolish in a brown shade with glitter, called "heirloom", which is a rather fitting name for a vintage-styled doll. This was a bit nerve-wracking as it looked very clear in its first coat, but when I layered the nailpolish and added pupils with acrylic paint, it looked much better. Already, with eyes, the freaky alien doll face starts to look more human.

Instead of using the eyelashes that came with the pack I went out and bought some from a beauty store, as I figured that there I'd have more choice (plus, the ones that came in the set were looking a little limp and lifeless after their trip from America). On the same day I sprayed the front and back of the head with matt primer/finishing spray that my Dad had in his mancave (it's good to have a parent obsessed with painting minifigures, as not only did he have primer, he also had the paints I needed!) and applied ground-down pastels to the face for blusher and shading under the chin and eyes.
I used Cidatel paint for the eyemakeup and bottom eyelashes, which are looking rather unelegant and blobby at the moment, and brown pencil for the freckles and eyebrows.

 The dress is what I used Celeste as a model for, as in my mind Veronica is a 50s girl at heart. The hat was something I made for Aika ages ago, with supplies I bought from gift and craft stores in Maine, and the wig is from Pullip Style.

 

This is my first faceup, so I'm rather thrilled with the cute results. Here you can see her with Beverly and Audrey.

Dal Clair

For Christmas this year I received another lovely addition to my doll collection, Dal Clair! Not only that, but I also got a blank, make-it-own Dal to customize and paint; I'm feeling quite lucky this year to have a new doll project to keep me occupied.

Dal Clair is my first Dal, and I just adore her sulky expression and petite form. Dals are slightly smaller than Pullip dolls, which just makes them all the more cuter in my opinion - it's amazing how many intricate details the Innocent World outfit manages to fit on such a small doll!
Her dark green eyes look stunning combined with the brown of the dress and bonnet, and her ringlet curls are perfectly formed - just like an antique Victorian doll!
I adore the outfit she comes with, naturally, seeing as it is designed by Innocent World, and those boots that she wears are so cute and tiny.

She has to be my second favourite doll, after Aika of course!

Due to her sour, spoiled-child-looking features and pouted expression, a name came immediately to my mind as she reminded me of a girl I knew in my childhood: Grace. I know it's kind of silly, but as soon as I saw her she jogged that memory of the brattiest little girl I ever knew, and no other name would suffice. My Mum thinks I'm rather mean to name her like that based on her expression, but the name has stuck and I can't shake it! I also thought that Grace was fitting, as it's a rather religious name that reminds me of angels, which is fitting for a present received on Christmas day.

In my mind she's a young English child, perhaps ten years old or younger, with rich parents that love to spoil her with adorable clothes and many stuffed animals. She's not a sweet little girl made of sugar and spice and all things nice, rather, she can be manipulative and bratty, throwing a tantrum whenever things don't go her way. Yet despite all that, her parents see her as the apple of their eye and continue to buy her love. However, she also has her good side and can be very polite, kind and generous whenever she wants to be. She also stands up for those that she loves, especially if they're weak.

Houndstooth 50s Dress for the Doll Family

Recently I've been feeling really bored without some sewing to do, so I nipped across the road to the local fabric store for a look at the remnants, with the view of making a dress for my Pullip family. I found a perfect blue houndstooth fabric that is the perfect scale for making a doll dress, and not only that, but it only cost me 2 pounds for just less than a metre!
For Christmas I'm gaining two additional dolls to the family - two Dals; a make-it-own kit Dal and Dal Clair - and I thought I'd make the make-it-own doll as dress, seeing as she will be arriving naked!

I used a Barbie pattern from Herbie's Doll Sewing, Knitting and Crochet Pattern Collection and printed it out. It was very simple and I shall be using this website again, as there are some fantastic patterns there for free, most of them out of print! I really recommend it, as there are patterns for all sorts of dolls, including BJD, Dal, and Barbie.

Making the dress was rather hard, as I'm not very familiar with working with such a small scale. The sleeves were murder, as was the collar! In the end I rather like the results though, so I'm pleased I stuck with it. I've come a long way since making my first doll dress, as you can see here.

The lovely Celeste (Pullip Nella) was my model for the making and photographs, as Pullips, Dals and Barbies are relatively similar in size. I had the idea that if the dress didn't fit either the Pullips or the new Dal, then I'd buy myself a nice Barbie to fit it instead. ;) I have my eye on the Lady Tremaine Barbie from the latest Cinderella film, as her looks are rather vintage and I love the dress!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!