After I do a billion other repaints...

..Rhianna would be a good repaint to do. There hasn't been much variety for brown-girl repaints (besides Esme and Violet) until recently with Jac. That might be a good match-up.

To-Do list

For Claire (the cheerleader)
• Get printable fabric for her sweater logo
• Get sneakers from Facets by Marcia
• Finish rerooting Ash blonde hair
• Repaint

For Eowyn
• Get a belt that will work
• Figure out the slippers

For Rachael
• Pick a face-sculpt that looks like Sean Young

• Do photo sessions with Velma Kelley and Sophia Loren
• List them

My new philosophy

A few years ago when I started repainting it seemed that most of the work being put up on Ebay was in one of two camps. Either it was a Noel Cruz style repaint of a Hollywood icon (especially when Gene was the repaint queen) or it was just a pretty face that would serve as a nicer model for the line of available doll clothes.

I did my share of both at the time. Lately, though, I've found the challenge of making a resemblance much more inspiring than just a straight repaint. Some artists are very good at straight repaints --American Jezebel coming to mind immediately--but overall they don't seem to attract as much attention or sell as easily.

So the first part of the challenge is to find that face sculpt that most closely resembles your chosen celebrity/character. It used to be just Tyler and then Sydney but there has been such a proliferation of different sculpts (from Tonner specifically) that it's gotten a little easier to find a match. Lately I see Laurie-Leigh and Noel Cruz taking advantage of the actor-specific sculpts to very nice effect. The factory paint on the 'Spiderman' Mary-Jane and the 'Pirates' Elizabeth Swann are so unflatering that they beg to be redone with a better resemblance to the actual actresses.

I have a Basic Brenda Starr lying around that I'd dearly love to use for a repaint. I'm just having a very hard time coming up with a repain idea for her that isn't Lucille Ball. Would a Lindsay Lohan work?

A Little Background

My sister and I have been dabbling in repaints for the past few years and listed and successfully sold a few on ebay under the name azure rose dolls. We both got caught up in life and work and left the repaint world for a while.

Recently my sister took up doll sewing again and that re-ignited the desire to do repaint/costume collaborations so we're back with a streamlined name and ready to turn out dolls we'd love to see made.

When we took a hiatus we left a few dolls high and dry --repainted but uncostumed and vice versa so the first thing on our agenda is tying up loose ends. Ww have a couple of outfits lined up but the first costumed repaint will be Eowyn from Lord of the RIngs.

Stay posted.