stormberryfairy wrote:I now have a grand total of 46 Rainbow Brite customs!

Wow.
You should photograph all your customs as a group.

@ Jazzy :
I guess people would be very sad if you d stop making custom dollies ...
I am a big fan of you and always love to take a look at photos of your projects !

I agree with Clinozoisite ... a photo with all of your custom dollies in one place would be fantastic stormberryfairy !

You should photograph all your customs as a group.

Yeah, I agree with this too!

I would love a museum one day Jazzy! It'd have so many toy lines in it, lol. But the main ones would be SSC & RBB.

I'll try to do a pic of all my customs together for ya'll this weekend if I can remember.

Can't wait to see the pics!

Did you all see the custom rainbow brite barbie on ebay?

Anyone know who that is?

Yes, I saw that Barbie Brite the other day. She looked rather well done.

Haven't gotten to take pics yet, sorry.

Yep I saw it. Very cute. I'd buy it but I have my money in other dolls at the moment.

This is an interesting question.

It's worth noting that, when you buy a doll at retail, that doll has been stringently tested to meet a set of safety standards. When doll prototypes are made (any toy, really), extras are made with the express purpose of running them through tests to destroy them.

This includes tests for dropping, pulling, breakage, choking hazards, poking hazards, electrical safety, and many other standard tests. If the toy fails, it has to be redesigned. Essentially, these tests are designed to simulate actual play and determine how well the toy will stand up to that play.

Customs do not have to meet these standards, and so their ability to stand up to play will vary depending on the construction of the doll, the materials and the technique used to make the doll.

It is always acceptable to ask the customizer about his or her techniques if you are curious about the workmanship of a doll. Does the customizer hand-stitch or use a machine? What is their technique for rooting hair? What kind of paints are they using, and do they prime beforehand or seal afterward? What materials are being used on the doll?

In my past, I designed items that were both intended for everyday use (Sprite purses), and custom dolls that were very much so 'for display only' (Evil Princess, especially). If a customizer knows ahead of time that you intend to use the doll for more than display, there are substitutions and extra work that can be done to make the doll more play-worthy. But, continue to bear in mind that a custom doll is still a one-of-a-kind handcrafted item, and it should be treated as such.

I agree with you, most I've seen seem to have alot of hand stitching or glueing.
I make mine as much like the originals as I can, but the evil princess is harder to make durable for play since you glue jewels on & such.

As long as the clothes are sewn with the sewing machine I think they are very durable.

Knowing what a doll is made of will also give you an indication of how well the doll will be preserved over time, too. Cheaper materials may result in a doll that fades in sunlight or fabrics that break down and become brittle over time. Glues can break down or worse, travel into the fabric and discolor it. Paints can break down the vinyl if they're the incorrect type. Stitches that are too weak can rip, or too strong can cause the fabric to tear at the seamline.

Many of these issues become exasperated with hard play and can be managed or negated with proper storage.