We aren’t exactly going from brown eyes to blue….. but bluish gray eyes to blue…I just needed a catchy title for my post today! :o)
I thought I’d show you how to change the eyes in your ball jointed dolls (bjd’s) and help you get over the fear of doing it. It’s quite simple like those books were yesterday.
You only need a few things… eyeballs… glass ones are the prettiest, but they are also the most expensive. You can get acrylic ones that will work well but they won’t glisten and sparkle quite like the glass ones do.
I have several pair and store them in a snap compartment container… and keep it with my wigs…
You’ll also need something to hold the eyes in place… Mack’s Ear Plugs is what was recommended to me when I first got Nyssa and I’ve never used anything else… You can buy it at Walmart. It’s actually silicone for ears but it works great at holding in the eyes.
You’ll also need a towel or some soft fabric… so you don’t drop your eyes and also you’ll have your doll face down part of the time and you don’t want to put any shine marks on her face.
You’ll also want to be very careful when handling her face… I try to only hold onto her ears and not touch her face… it’s too easy to scratch her faceup with your fingernails or the oil from your hands can make her shiny. Some people were gloves… but I just try to handle her with loving care.
There are lots of ways that bjd’s heads open up to reveal the place for the eyes… Nyssa’s head happens to pop off like this…
The crown part of her head is held on with tiny magnets…
It will look something like this when you look in the head… I usually can get by with one plug of silicone, but if you need more, that’s completely fine.
The Mack’s holds the eyes in the correct position… Some people take their dolls head off to make it a little easier to get the eyes in… not me… I can do it just fine… it just takes slightly more time… Now you have an eyeless doll…
I decided to try a pair of darker blue glass eyes for this tutorial…
I sat the eyes in the sockets and started getting some globs of Mack’s ready to fill in around the eyes. These are glass eyes and have a little stem which makes it easier to fiddle with the eyes inside the head…
Now it’s just a matter of putting the Mack’s in around the eyes however you like… some people make like a little donut and put it around the eye before it’s even placed in the head… some people put the eye in and cover it with a big glob of the silicone… I tend to use small pieces and fill it in where necessary, constantly checking to see if the eye is looking in the right direction. The eyes need to be tilted slightly upward, with just a little bit of white showing at the bottom. Keeps your dolls from having that “deer in the headlights” look. (Thank you again Marsha for that reminder!)
Just use your finger to keep turning and moving the eyes until you think you have it right… make sure when you tip your doll up her eyes stay where you intended them to be…
Yep, works for me…
What do YOU think, Nyssa?
I LOVE them… thanks!
Do I HAVE to get back in my box?
Sorry, but yes, you do!
I just picked out a few more pictures of Nyssa so you can see how versatile of a doll she is… many different eyes and wigs… she’s wonderful!
See everyone tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
When you do it, Jeanne, it looks EASY!! I don’t currently have a doll whose eyes can be changed, but if I ever get one, I’ll know where to come for a tutorial!
I love seeing Nyssa in all her different “looks”. Quite the personality, and what a difference the wig and eyes make!
Thanks, Marilyn, for the link to the Virtual Doll Convention gift shop. I could be in some trouble here! LOL
Hi Charlotte,
I know what you mean about that virtual gift shop…wasn’t it fun?
Blessings, Jeanne
Doll heads without eyes are very disconcerting! I currently have a little articulated doll whose eyes are not yet in place. I can’t figure out how to do it. Her head doesn’t come apart like Nyssa’s. That would help.
hi Julia,
What little doll do you have? Maybe send me a picture and we can help you get her eyes in place…
Thanks Julia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Great tutorial. I only have one BJD but for now am super happy with her eyes.
Nyssa is so versatile being able to wear so many different eye colors and wigs. She has just the right skin tone to pull them off but I love her in the red wig.
I do have an AG doll who needs a eye replacement though. From tutorials I’ve watched it’s a tad harder but I think it is something I can do.
hi Sandra,
I tend to like Nyssa in the red toned wigs too!
She has a pretty peaches and cream complexion!!
I haven’t ever tried an eye swap but have watched LOTS of videos on it. Yes, it seems a bit more intimidating to me… maybe some day I’ll try it.
Blessings, Jeanne
I like the new eye color so much that I think Nyssa should stay out of the box and get a new outfit. I do that a lot. Whenever you make something, I want you to do it again — a second vote out with pleats instead of gathers on the skirt, a second Regency outfit in Christmas colors, a new Nyssa outfit but in AG size, and always another colonial or Civil War dress. Your new sewing room does seem to make sewing faster and smoother so that I’ll get more and more outfits to admire.
Charlotte, did you notice the doll ironing board (for doll owners, not as a prop)? It would make ironing doll clothes easier and mean not cluttering up the house with a full size board.
Hi Marilyn,
I guess I’m not the only one who feels this way…when I make a doll dress I especially like a lot, I always want to make something else right away. I’ll have to see what happens… :o)
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Not yet, Marilyn–but, then, I already have one (or a version thereof) so maybe that’s why I didn’t spot it right away. I’ll look for it and see how it compares to what I already have Thanks!
Love the last photo of Nyssa with brown eyes and beautiful brown/black wig. That is the perfect color for her with those dark brows. I would love to see another outfit for her too, but as a brunette. Do all of Kaye Wigs dolls have the extreme lashes? I’ve never looked at her dolls closely. Nyssa has such a special look, maybe she needs a fantasy outfit for fun too. I know a fairy costume for Halloween. 🙂
Just a mention, but the eye size is very important. Most doll makers will tell you what size eyes their doll wears, which is so helpful. Lots of different sizes around here. I believe all of my dolls wear oval eyes. Some of the eyes come with glass for the color/shine and then soft acrylic or something pliable for the rest. Fits in the eye holes much cleaner. Not that Nyssa’s don’t fit perfectly, but some dolls have odd sized peeps. Curious, but what eye manufacturer do you use?
So excited as the fires around here are closing in on containment. The smoke has been awful. And now we’re in for 100 degree weather into next week. Extreme fire danger yet again. 🙁
Hi Joy,
I think some of Kaye’s latter dolls have more normal eyelashes. But her earlier dolls had the long spider type lashes. At one time, I thought about changing her lashes but decided against it.
Yes. Eye size IS important…I forgot to mention that… i haven’t looked at eyes in a long time…I might have took to see what is new in doll eyes.
I hope you get some relief in the near future from all that’s been going on around you…
Blessings, Jeanne
All the info whether new or a refresher was great. All the pics are so sweet. I especially love the green background with roses dress. That necklace is stunning on her, a perfect match and complement, I’m sure that was a Rebecca creation?
hi Dorothy,
Yes Rebecca made that necklace for one of my VERY favorite dresses she ever wore.
I’m glad you liked it.
Blessings, Jeanne
I will take the head off if it’s smaller, to make it easier to work in the tiny space. 🙂 I got a new doll yesterday with wonky eyes, so I had to do a little repositioning before taking a photo. 🙂
Melody,
Thanks for the email with pictures of your dolls. Glad you got the eyes in… they look so adorable together…
Blessings Jeanne
Jeanne, it has never ever occurred to me to change any doll’s eyes! I can see how it is much easier with Nyssa’s head coming apart, but what about AG eyes? Have you ever tried that? If I want blue eyes on a doll, I get a doll with blue eyes! Taking their head apart just creeps me out! I guess we all have our quirks, meaning me, not you!
However, you did a great job on showing how it is done, as you always seem to do! She looks so pretty in those dark blue eyes shown in that last picture!
Hi Linda
Changing eyes on the American Girl dolls is quite different… it is much more involved…includes using boiling water and popping those old eyes out…I’ve never tried it…
But if I had an old doll I might…
Thanks Linda…i seems like a shame to change Nyssa’s eyes only to have her get back in he box… :o(
Thanks again,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you, Jeanne.
I always appreciate your “How to’s”. This was a good one!
Judi Kaye
Thank you Judi Kaye,
I’m glad you enjoyed today’s post…and maybe learned something… :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
That looks super easy to do. I don’t have a doll whose eyes can be changed, but how I wish changing PC/AG eyes were as easy. When I started having my own dolls I got a very TL:C Felicity when I bought Nellie. I wanted to use the Felicity to practice taking the eyes out and putting them back in. Taking out was a piece of cake, putting back in didn’t go well at all… one successful and one cracked. When I bought #33 to re-wig Nellie, the plan was to switch eyes also. I got the eyes out of #33 just fine and sold the eyless/wigless doll. I am too afraid of attempting to put the eyes in Nellie and possibly destroy them and then not be able to reinsert the dark blue. I need a few more super TLC dolls to practice on again first, or better yet, hope face mold come with eyes I want. Re-wigging is no problem.
I did tighten arms on MG and Nellie the other day, but I cheated by using the hair tie technique instead of the brass clamps… works for me!
Hi Laura,
I know how you must feel about wanting to change your dolls eyes but too scared to do it… I have never tried it but would like to.
Nyssa’s are MUCH easier to do…you really can’t mess them up…just might have o adjust them a few times…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
I have enough trouble changing wigs. I’ve only done one set of eyes and that was for Lolla. Didn’t inspire me to want to do more of it. I’m trying to get up enough courage to move them some. The Mack’s got a little warm at some point and the eyes moved. Maybe after the grandkids get back in school. I’m going to be in big trouble when they do return to in person, since I’ve promised myself to get a lot done when they do. I bought a new wig for my one rescue doll. Her hair has some dry rot and I cut of most of it off, but now what is left is looking dry and lifeless. I decided a new wig was in order. I love the “Jo-Jo” wig but haven’t had a doll to put it on so that’s the one I bought. Can’t wait to get it and see Emma’s new look.
Hi Barbara,
It does sound like you will be busy when the kids go back to school…let’s hope they stay in school so you can get your to-do list finished…
I love the JoJo wig too and have only one, I think…
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m a bit like Linda, I never considered changing a doll’s eyes! I don’t think it would be particularly easy on the Our Generation dolls, I did take off one of my dolls’ head to tighten the neck and I didn’t even look at how the eyes were put in. I think buying supplies from here would be difficult anyway. The dreaded postage again. When I looked at your auction for Nyssa’s dress there was an AG doll for sale just underneath. The postage to NZ for her was $103NZ. Actually it seems an awful lot. I sent a reasonably big parcel to my brother and family in Texas for Christmas and it cost $53.
Hope your better news about the fires, Joy, continues. All that smoke can’t be good for people’s health. When Australia had the last big fires we got the smoke here in Christchurch, 2000+kms away. Vagaries of the wind.
Love your ‘how to’ blogs, looking forward to the next one.
Hi Anne,
I’m glad you enjoyed today’s post about the eyes…
Its really too bad about postage rates to NZ… i bet you wish you could get some AG dolls. I wish you could too.
I think you do remarkably well with what you have…and are VERY creative with what you can find!!
Thank you Anne,
Blessings, Jeanne