DeeDee + Bel = ...Dee? BelBel? I have no idea

Still having a bit of computer trouble, so there won't be any pics today. BUT I think I have a body for DeeDee and I just had to share my joy. Super Model Bel by Simba Toys! Why they had to pick such a generic and ungoogleable name I don't know, but I did manage to find a couple of places that sell them. I wasn't sure but decided to take the risk (it was a good price and hey, worst case scenario I get a new complete doll) and I'm glad I did. The skin tone is very close, a better match than Diva on her Fashionista body, for example. This is a pretty short body, like MH or '80s Skipper, so I'll have to figure out what that means for her character.

brb!

I'm having computer problems and will probably have to stay offline for a while.

Baby's First Frankendolly Project! (Thrift Store Find)

I've come to the conclusion thrift stores here restock on Mondays. The last few times I've had a chance to do my little round to my favorite places has always been a Monday, and I've found much better stuff than I used to. Yesterday's finds resulted in some interesting - and successful! - frankendollying.

Sisters?

Found these two at the same place. Stamp in neck says TOP-TOY, but I haven't bothered to try and ID them yet (although some quick googling told med TopToy owns Toys'R'Us ETA: sorry, I can't read - they run the Scandinavian branch of Toys-R-Us, apparently, plus some other toystore chains, so that should narrow the search a bit). Gymnast style articulation, yay! 

Different feet

At first I thought they had the same body and was going to pick the best one, but then I noticed a few differences: one has flat "gymnast feet", while the other's are smaller and slightly ...arched, I guess? - and, most importantly, only one of them has articulated arms! And of course she's also the one with a badly yellowed torso, floppy joints and a cracked thingh... 

-Quit hogging the camera!
-Shut up, she needs a close up of the elbow joint!

HOWEVER, I also noticed the joints were basically just a plastic plug through a hole... Hmmm! I've never done any doll surgery besides a few head swaps (funny how when it comes to dolls, a brain transplant is the least complicated procedure), but this felt like a good project for a beginner. I bought them both (two sets of clothing, yay!) and headed home for some frankendollying.  

Shoulder pin on its way out

The plan was to take the articulated arms from the bad body and put them on the good body. Seems pretty easy, right? Well - actually, it... was.

I mean, talk about anticlimax - frankly, I was expecting at least some kind of disaster. But no: just push the plugs out with something hard and pointy (required some force at an awkward angle, but nothing worse), put good arms on good body, align the holes of the shoulder joint, and just ...pushing the pin back in again. That's it, that's all it took. I don't think I've ever seen joints this user modder-friendly!

Well, I took some pics of the process, so I might as well share them:

The crochet needle was the right size for pushing the pins through.

Arms, pins, shoulder socket

-Well, so long sis, I'm off with your arms!
-What th- HEY! COME BACK HERE!!

...and ta-daa! One non-yellowing doll with fairly tight joints and pretty good articulation! The articulated arms are not matte like the rest of the body, and have a slightly more yellowish tone, but it's hardly noticable. Originally I had planned to put the unarticulated arms on the donor doll and give her back to goodwill, but she's in pretty bad condition so I'm not sure it's worth it. I'll probably keep her for spare parts, in case I need some flat feet or something.

JUST YOU WAIT! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!!!

...on second thought, I'm not sure I dare to keep her around!

What I Learned About Staining (That I Should Have Known Already)

It will stain. Yes, it will. *

If it's black, blue, pink, or even a light lavender shade that couldn't possibly do any damage, it will stain. Cotton, synthetic, some unholy mix, or just plain plastic - as soon as you turn your back, it will deposit its surplus dye into the plastic of your poor dolls and then they'll never be able to go shirtless again.

And that's what I learned today!

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* Except when it won't! But you won't know until it's too late.