Yes, many dolls can use arms and legs by other artists, and you can customize the look of your doll. We don’t have a way to list all the different options, but if you contact us we’ll work with you to provide the look you want for your doll.

Customers can use any wig available from either Global or Monique. The standard assembly kit includes a modacrylic wig, but mohair wigs are also available in limited styles and colors, and will generally be about $20.00 more.

Yes and no. China paints are specially formulated to use on porcelain, and must be fired into the porcelain surface. You will need access to a kiln for this. Unlike ceramics, porcelain is very dense and has a slick surface. While it is possible to paint the surface with acrylic or enamel paints, they will not be permanent and can be easily scraped off since there is nothing for the paint to grab on to. There are paints available in craft stores designed for use on glass, and in combination with sealers, these can be used to paint shoes that are molded onto a doll’s feet.

Yes, eyes and lashes can be installed in the painted bisque for $10.00. Premium quality eyes, such as blown glass, glass paperweight, or Eyeco silicone eyes can also be used in your doll for an upgrade charge. The upgrade charge depends on the type of eye you would like to use.

No, but we can tell customers where to order patterns that will fit their doll. Most artists and mold companies have patterns available for their dolls.

Most dolls are shipped within four to six weeks. If the bisque is on hand, it will go out much sooner. If the customer has an e-mail address, they are notified when the shipment is ready to go out.

Each doll goes together somewhat differently, and while assembly instructions are included with more difficult dolls, it would be very hard to put one together without any previous doll making experience. Many cities have studios where you can take classes, or perhaps you can find someone near you who has made dolls and can help you.

The best way to have a doll that looks like someone (short of an original sculpture!) is to find a doll who has a face that resembles the person. Some amount of tweaking can be done to get a closer resemblance, and eyes can be reshaped, and the mouth changed slightly. It is important to stress “slightly” because it is not possible to completely change a doll’s expression from the way it comes out of the mold. Painting and the correct eye color and wig style can usually achieve a doll that looks much like the person.

Yes, dolls can be poured in other colors.

If you are making a soft-bodied doll, (which is everything we offer except dolls that are all porcelain), you will need enough broadcloth for the body, Poly –fil for stuffing, and electrical wire for the armature. We use #10 Romex for most bodies, and #12 Romex for the arms. These can be purchased by the foot at hardware stores. Romex is flat wire, and the most useful type has the ground wire (third wire) included. You will also need a small amount of plaster or Rock Hard water putty to set the eyes, eye wax, or any soft wax such as orthodontic wax to position the eyes in the head. Also needed is green florist wire sold on paddles in craft stores for attaching arms and legs to the cloth body; craft glue, heavy thread such as carpet thread for stitching up the top of the body after it is stuffed, and also for attaching the head/shoulder plate to the body, and 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon for attaching the shoulder plate to the body. Helpful things to have on hand are hemostats, (great for attaching s/p conne

Ready to dress dolls are completely finished, with the exception of clothing and shoes. Most standing dolls, with the exception of ballerinas, also come with a metal display stand. Customers may choose wig and eye colors, and a wig style other than the one shown in the picture. Many dolls also have a choice of seated (bent) or standing legs. Unless listed as all porcelain, the dolls will come with a cloth body firmly stuffed with poly-fil, and will have a wire armature to provide support and posing flexibility.

Bisque is made from porcelain greenware. Porcelain greenware is produced by pouring a slurry of porcelain material called slip into an artist’s mold, resulting in soft greenware body parts for a doll. The greenware parts are cleaned and smoothed before being fired in a high temperature kiln that hardens the greenware into porcelain bisque. At this point, it is blank porcelain bisque, ready for china painting by customers who wish to complete the china painting process themselves, or for us to offer as painted bisque. Our painted bisque is completely painted, including the hands, feet and shoulder or breast plate, depending on the doll. Painted heads require at least three separate paint firings to achieve a natural look. Both blank and painted bisque sets come with a body pattern, and most have assembly instructions.

The basic assembly kit will include the wig, eyes, lashes, pate and shoulder plate connector. Some dolls, such as a number of the babies, will not need a pate or shoulder plate connector, but might need pellets to weight the body, and teddy bear joints to attach the arms and legs. These would be included instead. The standard eyes in the kit are either high quality acrylic or flat backed glass with a natural iris. To assemble your doll, you will still need to sew a body, and purchase poly-fil and electrical wire for the armature.