Wing Ideas: I made a fairy doll for a friend once. I made the body of the doll in Fimo and then made the wings from micro glass which Dad had had in the shed for yonks. Cut the glass into pieces and copper foiled the pieces into wings. I painted the copper strips with patina to make the lines black. The micro glass was just clear so then I got the glass paints out and painted between the copper lines with irridescent paint and to finish off used a bit of that florists' spray with the ultra fine glitter in it. The doll was sitting, however, so the wings just sort of helped hold her up in the right position. Being microglass, they weren't all that heavy, although for a standing doll it might be just too much.

Tracey Joy

Butterfly or Fairy Wings: Have you thought about using the method of printing onto acetate, as many people do for leadlight windows? I figure you can draw what you want your wings to look like (you only need to draw one), scan them into the PC, print a pair onto acetate and then use glass paints or Jo Sonja's Translucent Acrylics to add some colour. Alternatively print them in colour in the first place.

Tracey Joy

Wings: To make your own, get a GOOD picture of the butterfly you want, take it to your local copy center and they can enlarge/reduce to your needs. Once it is right, copy it onto a transparency.

Sue Thwaite

Ghostly Girl: Just a quick note about the ghostly girl. Idea: Put her in a very dark corner. Take a slide transparency of an appropriate little girl. These can be done at a photo shop, or made at a copy shop with a color copier, although the color on these wouldn't be as dark or rich. (Maybe that would be a plus?) Blacken the entire area around the girl with India ink and brush, or black paint. Now you've got a picture that light will go through, and there's nothing but black around her. Put her in a dark corner with a dim light behind her...not just the bare bulb, but with a bit of tape, paper, or something else to diffuse the light a bit. You can add a little curl to the picture, (vertically, not horizontally) by either making a bent "frame" out of black cardboard, or by simply putting clear tape on top and bottom, from one side to the other, but only holding at the end. (Imagine the tape is a bow string, and the slide is the bow...) That would give it a little more roundness to the viewer.

Dave Pierce

Eyes: Contact Alice Gordinho for small glass eyes. Her e-mail address is ahubbard@cwnet.com

Michelle Geoffrion-Mahler

Tiny eyes: You can get the 2mm - 3 mm eyes you need from Sue Thwaite. She has a very nice selection of colors and sizes. Her website is http://www.ladybug-fairies.com However, they aren't on her "supplies" page that I could see. You can email her directly at llbug1124@erols.com

Carrie McKinley

Glass Eyes:  House of Caron has the glass eyes. http://www.houseofcaron.com

Carol Griffith

Fly-Away Doll Wigs: To avoid the "electified" look on your doll wigs, try spraying your finger with hairspray, then running your wet finger over the doll's wig. It should hold the hair in place.

Viola

Hair: I always use hair spray on the dolls. Wonder about a product called "no more tangles" by Johnson and Johnson. I know we used it on big dolls' wigs to tame then down, just a light spray takes the static out. Also using a dryer sheet and just running it over the hair will help, sometimes.

Dorothy

Fly away hair: Cellophane is a great conductor for static electricity, better to use another type of packaging.  I have a lot of electricity in my body and do best with silk mohair especially on days when it's windy. Check our supply page for silk mohair.

Jackie Caron

Hair, hair everywhere: I can give you a few tips that have helped me with fly away frizzies. With viscose I spray it with a very light coating of hair spray then let it dry before using. With mohair, I secure about a 3" piece at its top by wrapping with string or wire. Then pin it to a piece of foam board or cork covered with wax paper or plastic wrap. Wet it then braid it or twist it tightly. Pin the bottom to keep it from unraveling. Let it dry completely. Looks really neat when you unravel it. And then it is so easy to use for wigging.

Lyn

Doll Hair: I purchased silk roving and dyed it the colors I wanted.  It works great for hair.

Sandy

Animal Dolls: Feather lace and clay and Cat Wingler do animal dolls.

Renee

Hedgehogs: You may want to contact Todd Kreuger. He does absolutely wonderful figures. He may be able to do your hedgehogs for you. His email is: TKDsgns99@aol.com.

Lloyd

Cat Wingler: There is a wonderful doll artist named Cat Wingler. And there is a great article in the March (2000) Miniature Collector by Mary Kaliski featuring Cat. It is on making 1" scale dolls from polymer clay. It is clear and concise complete with  step by step photos. Everyone can learn something from it no matter what level they work on. (Don't know if she does animal dolls though.)

Lyn

The other artist who could make animal dolls, dressed, like you mentioned, is Charles Claudon.  He used to do actual small cats, but has expanded to do mostly animals dressed up in old-fashioned clothing.

Trish Billard

Buttons on doll clothes. Squeeze a little on some paper. Use a toothpick or pin to make tiny dots, about the size of a poppy seed, where ever you want a button. Now don't wait for it to dry as the directions tell you. Hit it with a 'heat also called an embossing tool. Keep the heat on till it puffs and is dry. Then keep the color you have used or paint your button . I have used metallic  gold and silver over black puff and the results are great.

Shoe sole: Spread a thin even coat of Puffy paint of the foot base. Again hit it with the heat tool. It will puff in an irregular pattern This is great. It looks like rubber soles. Keep using heat. Now when it appears it is dry, flatten the sole. Press the foot down on flat hard surface.  Looks great!
Words of caution. These tools are VERY hot. They can easily burn fingers. (Believe it! I should own stock in Band-Aids.) Hold things you are working on with tweezers or forceps. It can also burn the material to which the puff paint is applied.

Lyn

Dolls clothes: Someone advertised "Miniature Kits & Clothes" in Dolls & Miniatures magazine.  Her address is 54485 Gards Prairie Rd., Cassopolis, MI 49031. You could check with her for clothes for your dolls

Viola

Bendable / Posable Dolls: I know of several off the top of my head! Happiness Is (Sammy Smith) at http://happinessisminiatures.com/ Blackfoot Daisy Studio at http://www.blackfootdaisy.com/ to name a couple!

Anne Gerdes

Sue Skoggins Dolls: Can also be found on http://www.miniworld.com/

Sandra Monk