Thrift Store Fun!

 On Thursday, I found, not one, but two American girl dolls at the thrift store.

One was American Girl # 26, and the  other was Kaya with a hair cut.

This post includes a picture of a doll head without its body.

After spotting them in the glass case, I checked their price tags, then jumped in line. 

I couldn't breathe until I had purchased them and stored them safely in my car.

THEN I checked the rest of the store for anything else I might be interested in, haha.

I knew that they were both in need of care.

They both had marker all over the vinyl.

I also thought that they both had hair cuts. To my surprise, only Kaya actually had a hair cut.

All of the marker and glitter came off of their vinyl with Magic Eraser. That was a quick, easy fix. I was especially relieved to get the blue marker off of the nose of #26.

When I took down the hair of # 26, removing hair clips, hair bands, plastic ribbons and a bobby pin, I was surprised to see that her hair had not been cut. The curls were squashed out of shape, but that was all.

I brushed out each curl individually, sprayed it with braid spray, and finger curled it.

Here is what she looked like at that point. Her face may be a bit shiny from braid spray.

Kaya's haircut looked fairly even to me when I looked at it by lamplight.

In the light of day, her haircut is pretty choppy, as well as short. So I don't know yet when I am going to do with her, and I am not getting any name inspiration until I know what she will look like.

She needs a new wig for sure.

She has lovely face paint, though.

I took her on a field trip, choppy hair cut and all. The worst part of her hair is in the back, so I feel it's not too noticeable. I could be wrong, I don't really care.

So, last but not least, I had to boil perm the hair of #26 to restore her curls.

I used clips and popsicle sticks to hold her hair in place as I poured boiling water over it and then let it dry.

I was really reminded of Judith and Holofernes as I prepped her for her boil perm.

She looks much better afterwards! Her curls are very skinny, and I am not totally happy with them, but it's a huge improvement.

I think to get fatter curls, I would need to wrap her curls around pencils, clip them in place, and boil perm them?

Meanwhile, at least she has curls.

This girl is so gorgeous and has such personality. I keep thinking of different names to give her. 

I haven't decided on the final name yet!