'everyone can be a princess'

My blog is on a roll today! It's valentines day today, so my loved one, known as Joost, and I are celebrating it properly by both working (and blogging, I admit) on our computers, while occasionally shouting inappropriate jokes to each other. My other loved ones are currently licking their own butts (my parents, okay... cats, cats!) so it is time for another blog.

My niece, Jinthe, is obsessed with princesses. She has her own incredibly cute version of 'Let it go' from Frozen ("Leddit goat..."), and dances around the house with a long scarf on her head to resemble Ranpunzel ("Rapoezzel") all the time. So last Sinterklaas (our Dutch december-tradition with gifts and poems) I wanted to give her a little princess for herself. But since I don't really agree with Disney or Barbie on what princesses look like, I wanted to give her a more down to earth version.  And so I did, with the inspiration of the beautiful lady behind Tree change dolls.

I found this barbie a while ago in a thrift shop. She looked quite well for a second-hand barbie, but had some pencil marks on the left side of her face. Since I thought that not a lot of people would buy a dol with those pencil marks on it, I took it home.

I washed it with baby-shampoo and then began to remove the pencil-stains of her face with nail polish remover. I was not able to do so without removing the original eyes as well, but I didn't mind about that, because I had seen the process of tree change dolls and wanted to try it for myself.

When the face was clean, I just sort of painted a new face on it myself, using acrylic paint and the tiniest brush I could find. I wanted to make it as natural as possible, with freckles, a little crooked smile and natural eye-brows. I finished with a matte varnish. She actually now looks a little like my own niece!

When I was finished, I decided to make some clothes as well with it. Of course I made a little "frozen"-dress ( or at least, my interpretation of it:) ) Some boots, skirts, shirts, and a yellow felt coat. I didn't really use patterns, I just placed the barbie on a piece of paper and sort of traced her for measurements.

I wish I had a coat like that...

Do you like our hand-painted wall behind her?

If you liked this, please visit the website of tree change dolls a visit. She also sells them online!