Heidi Ott Faithful Friends eBay Score!

Hi Doll Friends,

It's been a bit since I posted... 

Life has really been... Well, hard. Life has been hard. 

I mean 2020 has been hard for everyone though right? 

Everything I ever thought life would be or become has been turned on it's head this year. 

Every. Single. Thing.

Perhaps my problem was having expectations in the first place. 

I don't know. Suffice to say I've been struggling to deal with the reality of my life and my sweet little blog here is feeling the hit. So, sorry about that. 

Well, I should back up and thank Jesus for even getting me to this day. Because without Him I might've just lay down on the bed and quit trying at all. 

So praise Jesus!

So, when trying to keep my head above water, I often go out 'researching'...

Or rather keeping an eye on my 'watched' items on eBay. 

Teehee. 

Mostly I just look for deals that are unheard of which are much more rare now than they were like 20 years ago when I joined eBay...

But sometimes...

You find a great one. 

So when I saw this Heidi Ott Faithful Friend doll listed on an auction for $5.00 starting bid plus shipping... (And reasonable shipping at that!)

I knew I had to at least bid on her!

So I did. I bid like $5 and change. Figuring I wouldn't get her but it couldn't hurt to try and then...

I won the auction!! I was shocked! 

So here she is. Isn't she beautiful? I love love love Heidi Ott dolls. I have several as you can read about here.

Most of the Heidi Ott Faithful Friends I've gotten in the past I've given body transplants to because I don't really like the body type they came up with on these dolls. But I also love the sculpt on the hands and feet of them and those are lost when they get an Our Generation Doll body... So I might just let this little lady keep her original body... I don't know, time will tell. I do know she's going to get a new wig though. Heidi Ott Faithful Friends were very well done in most every detail, their costuming was amazing and of course the Heidi Ott sculpt is gorgeous. But they wanted to make them afforable to the masses and, I think, the one place they had to skimp on quality was on the wig. 

In fact, as I am writing this, this little lady has already gotten a new wig... Teehee. She looks amazing in it too! I'll have to show her to you soon. Here she is dressed in some contemporary clothes. 

Isn't she cute and pretty? 

So I am so glad to have added her to my collection. 
Side note, the quilt she is standing in front of? My Grandma made that. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL? It's one of my most precious items in all the world. 

I better run. 
XXOO
Heather 

 

Heidi Ott Faithful Friends 18 Inch Doll Make-Over

Hi Doll Friends!!

Last year, I found a new in the box Heidi Ott Faithful Friends doll and was so thrilled because I find the face sculpts on them so beautiful. When I found her she had the dreadful wig that they came with... When they mass produced them for Target they were only priced at about $40.00, which, for a Heidi Ott Doll up until then was unheard of. The clothing they came with was absolutely top notch (some of best I've ever seen) and the face, hand and feet were all so well done... But the wigs? Rubbish!! So... I'd re-wigged her a while ago with a wig I recycled off a porcelain doll. However, I wasn't ever happy with it because it was a smidge too big... I knew I'd eventually change it again but it wasn't a high priority because...

The thing about the dolls is that even though their hand and feet sculpts were done so very well, the body design was not all that great. The shoulders are cloth and very wideset and the body is soft and not poseable at all really... So they don't stand all that well (without a stand or a wall to lean on) and can't really sit all that well either. So... The doll just sort of sat because of all these reasons. 

She was beautiful but lonely...

Fast forward to last week... I found another Our Generation Doll second hand at Goodwill.

I paid a tiny bit more than I usually do but I had the cash on me and new the doll would make a perfect one for a body transplant for my Heidi Ott doll!

Her hair was a mess but I didn't bother with it because I wasn't keeping her head on... 

Here they are before 'surgery'.

See why I wasn't totally fond of the wig... It was a bit too big and I couldn't get all the old glue off the front of the bangs... Trust me, it was, at the time, an improvement over the old wig but... Not my favorite.

So I've done a few body transplants before... I'll have to post a link to the 'procedure' when I can find it... Running out of time to write this blog this morning and want to get it posted before I get ready for church! LOL

But the photos will give you the gist of the procedure anyway...

This photo made me giggle... Is that terrible?

Mid way done... I'd taken off the Heidi Ott dolls wig by then...

New body attached!!

After surgery. I'll donate the OurGen/HeidiOtt Hybrid doll to the Goodwill... Maybe some other girl won't mind her somewhat unusual body? I was a bit bummed because naturally I liked the hands and feet themselves better on the original body but... The new one lets her stand so much better and look better in cute clothes. 

See what I mean??? SO. CUTE!

I am thrilled with how she came out. I think she may end up being one of my favorite dolls. I named her Karrie after a friend of mine that she, after her make-over, looks almost exactly like!

I just couldn't stop taking her photo! I love her. What do you think?

Gotta run or will be late to church!

Till next time!!
XXOO
Heather

More Body Snatching Going On In Doll House!

Greetings And Salutations Doll Friends!!

As you may be becoming aware, I tend to love to 'customize' dolls... When I see a second hand doll at a thrift store and happen to like the face sculpt, I often wonder if it will lend itself to 'becoming' an 18inch type doll. Ever since my very first custom Tolly Tot boy I've done more and more body transplants as I find dolls with lovely face sculpts but less than ideal bodies when it comes to posing and modeling clothes...

Recently, you may remember, I very recently customized this little fella... I just think he has the cutest face. However, as you may also recall, I wasn't entirely satisfied with his pale pale face not matching the skin tone of the body I transplanted on him... 

Then, recently, I discovered another Heidi Ott Faithful Friend at Goodwill for $2.99. I do believe she is a Maggie Doll and I was so glad to find her! As I was researching to make sure I was right about her name I ran across this blog about them that has several photos of the different dolls they originally produced. As I've said before, I adore the face scuplts on Faithful Friend dolls. I also think their hands and feet are beautifully sculpted too... Unfortunatly they have the dread 'soft body' that is my least favorite sort. They can't stand without a doll stand and can't sit properly in a chair without looking all 'slumpy'. So... despite it being a shame to lose those gorgeous hands and feet, I think the best solution is to give them a body transplant. Since Our Generation Doll bodies are generally the ones I find the most often second hand, they are generally also my 'go-to' for bodies for them. 

As you may have guessed, I have quite a lot of dolls. So, recently, I decided I needed to thin some out... As I was considering which dolls to re-home, I decided that, while I think she's pretty enough, I didn't really have much sentimental attachment to my darker haired Pen Pal doll. I mean, I loved the wig I'd put on her and she was cute enough but I didn't really 'love' her... So I'd put her in the 'box' of dolls that are going to find new homes. She wasn't there long... All of the sudden one of the things that 'bugged' me about her, her very very pale complexion, made a light bulb go off in my head! The pale boy doll sculpt would make much more sense on that body! Then... It all came together in my head. The boy would steal the Pen Pal Doll Body, then the OG body he had been on could become the body for my new Heidi Ott doll... As a bonus, the Heidi Ott doll needed a rewig... Her hair was a mess. Ironically enough, I'd wanted to re-wig her with a dark wig because she is slated to be a doppelganger doll of my Aunt Dora. The adorable bobbed wig the Pen Pal doll was wearing wasn't glued down yet because I'd never felt 'settled' on her keeping it. You might be surprised how often this happens in doll house... Until I am absolutely sure a doll is 'perfect' with a new wig, it generally doesn't get glued down. You know, just in case... *giggles* So, my Dora doll had the perfect wig already!

Aren't they adorable?! I'd like to report that the Heidi Ott doll body was put together with the Pen Pal doll head... But it looked ridiculous!! So I am ready to just toss the Heidi Ott doll body in the rubbish... Is that terrible? It makes me feel bad for some reason. Is that crazy? Haha. I think I am going to keep the Pen Pal doll head. Saying I eventually find another, more pale, body transplant for it, I think it might make a really cute boy doll someday. I have a bag where I've kept a few other doll heads for same reason... That sounds kind of creepy doesn't it? Ah well, perhaps it would be less creepy if we think of them as those sorts of real people who have decided to freeze their heads when they die in hopes of getting a whole new body someday when the technologly rolls around? In cyro-stasis as it were. Right? 

So what do you think of the 'new' Dora and updated boy... (He still hasn't told me his name, shy little fella!) I think they look fabulous. 

Better run! I have three more drafts I want to get done before I get ready for church!

Have a great day!
XXOO
Heather

Heidi Ott Little Ones 8inch Doll as Baby Sister In the Doll House

Hi there Doll Friends!!

I think I've mentioned, but I love Heidi Ott dolls. I only own one, the Target variety Faithful Friends Beth. She really is a nice doll for the price point they originally charged for her and I am so glad to have her in my collection. 

Heidi Ott also produced a more upscaled doll line called Heidi Ott Little Ones. They range in size from 8inch babies to 12-13inch 'children' dolls. They are a gorgeous line of dolls that I've admired but never thought of owning one of because they are rather expensive on eBay. I kept them in my saved searches though, just in case some off chance one might find it's way to my price range. 

I really would have liked to get one of the 12-13inch dolls and may get lucky and get one someday but this little sweetheart showed up and I just couldn't stop thinking about her. I don't normally 'do' baby dolls, just not my thing... But she, I thought, would be a perfect scale to be a baby sister in the doll house. I have several 'little sisters' in my collection, my dolls range from 12inches to 20inches, but have never had a 'baby' in the doll house. 

Look at her! How could I not? I got her for less than $20!

Her wig is made with real human hair! (There is a reason these dolls cost so much even when produced!) 

Love that the back of the box only had string to untie. Untie the two knots and she is out of the box!

Here is her hang tag.

Check out that price from like 20years ago! So, clearly, I got a good deal.

And look how perfect she is as a baby sister to the dolls!

I'll have to work on posing her better.... but so cute!

Some of dolls crowded in and had to ooh and aww over the baby.

Amy gave her a piggy back ride! Pretty sure Amy is gonna be one of Heidi's favorites. That's right, I named her Heidi after Heidi Ott. Seemed fitting. 

Amy think's she is going to like having a baby sister to play with. 

Now for the particulars of the doll. 

She has a soft body stuffed with bean bag type material. She has soft vinyl limbs and face and a human hair wig. 

She has a neck string kind of like American Girl Dolls. 

She is so well made!

Here is stamp on her neck. 

The clothes were, of course, top notch!

What sets expensive dolls apart from more mid priced onces, I think, is details to things like hands and feet. Check them out! So cute!

Look at the little finger nails!