I hope everyone enjoyed reading what we all wanted to find in our stocking this year…the winner of the skirt and purse was…
Hanna, if you could use the “Contact Me” tab at the top and send me your address, I’ll send out your goodies!!
Cogratulations!!
I have a new addition in my sewing room… she’s a head in search of a body… but she’s not getting one…
I felt a bit silly offering my face masks and displaying them like this… using my ham (for pressing) and buttons for eyes and pins for ears… a bit elementary…
I debated about those styrofoam heads you sometimes can find at Hobby Lobby, but that really wasn’t much better than what I was using. I looked for a mannequin head but they usually came in statue form from the bust up… I didn’t want that either… I just needed the HEAD on a neck.
I searched and searched on Ebay and Etsy and was just about to give up when a cosmetology head popped up one time. When new, they usually come with long hair and you buy them to use in your classes… cutting hair and giving perms and things like that. Most of the time the cheap ones have their hair chopped off and they are being sold for some pretty reasonable prices…I thought I had found a solution and I kind of liked the idea of her having eyes and a mouth and EARS… to hold those elastic bands on.
Well, after I had discovered them, it was a matter of finding a low priced gal with some hair that might work and one that looked half way pretty… some were pretty awful looking… like this one…
…and these two…
I kept searching for over a week and one caught my eye… I actually could see some potential in her… Her name was Miss Barbara… they have their names stamped on the back on their necks…
She had a butchered up hair cut but that didn’t matter too much to me… it was better than being bald. BUT…she had this big spot on her neck where something had been marked out with a permanent marker. (I didn’t know it was a permanent marker at the time.) I thought she would work… so I made an offer and got her for $12.50. She arrived pretty quickly.
So she arrived and I was so excited… she had human hair that was rooted but as I just barely touched it, it fell out…I mean in clumps… it was a mess… this was just one time I tried brushing it… it happened like this every time I tried to touch it.
I decided if I could find a cheap wig, I would just cut her hair all off and she’d have a new look. Then the wig search began… most of the wigs were coming from China and I discovered from checking a few feedbacks from people, you didn’t always get what you ordered or what the picture looked like. So I wanted to find a picture of a wig that was for sale from SOMEONE and not a company selling wigs by the hundreds.
I found one that seemed nice enough (for $12 and free shipping!) so I ordered it…
Meanwhile I tried to fix Miss Barbara up a bit… I had some eyelashes from doing dolls and added a set to her already pretty nice eyes…
I tried everything I knew to get that mark off her neck in the front… to no avail! It seemed hopeless. It was black and it was DARK. So, what did I do? I got out my paints… my fabric and acrylic paints…and mixed and mixed until I came up with a flesh tone color that I thought would work… and I painted her neck. It took a few tries but I finally was happy with the color…it’s a bit lighter but when you have the mask on her face, you won’t notice the difference from her eyes to her lower neck… I was pretty happy…
Don’t you think she actually looks sort of pretty now?
Well, the wig finally came today (after 12 days) and I almost wish I was a blonde… it’s a beautiful wig… an ombre blonde and is VERY long… I wasn’t needing anything this long, but it’s okay…
I have it clipped in sections so I can put the masks on faster when I’m taking pictures.. I lift up the side pieces and hook the elastic on the sides to the clip in the back and then put the hair down. I’ve got a little system worked out and have been working at getting pictures taken of all my masks…
I got 12 masks listed last night and have 9 new styles to still list. I will try to get them listed today…
I have some new styles and hope you’ll take a peek if you need a mask. They’ll be in my Etsy shop as soon as I can get them there… I also got out my mom’s old glasses (that she had never worn because the Rx was wrong) and used them to show these masks are the kind that help with fogging glasses.
On the right side of my blog, or at the bottom if you read my post through your email, you will see this…
It’s a thumbnail shot of my Etsy shop..
If you click ONLY on the IDreamofJeanneMarie in the red at the bottom of the pictures, it will take you to all MY listings in my Etsy shop.
If you click on the Etsy ABOVE it, you will just end up on Etsy…
I wasn’t planning on making masks, but my friends have decided it was time for me to make some… also it gives me a little Christmas money… or dolly money…or fabric money… or “honey” money!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congrats to Hannah! Your dolls will love the skirt and purse, especially if they were made by Jeanne Marie!
Your ham, Jeanne, works, but I must say Miss Barbara works better! Oh my gosh, thoes heads with those eyebrows up to their hairline and those slanty eyes! What were they thinking? Miss Barbara looks way more human!
Great job on covering up the black markings! I really don’t think she needed all those eyelashes, she looked good enough for me without them. She actually has a very pretty face, and the new wig gives her a “friendly” look, way more than the wig that looked like she touched an electric socket!
She is a real improvement in modeling the masks, and I guess your poor ham will go back to being a mini ironing board from now on!
HI Linda,
I just got Hanna’s skirt and purse set packaged up and so she’ll be getting a fun present for her doll soon!
Weren’t some of those heads hideous!
Here eyelashes are lightly glued on so I could change them if I want to… I just had those on hand and decided to use them.
Yes, my poor ham will just be a regular ham again…
Blessings, Jeanne
Hanna, sorry to have misspelled your name! I happen to have a friend named Hannah, so I just didn’t give it a thought!
Congratulations, Hanna, on winning the giveaway!
Miss Barbara works very well as a model for your masks, Jeanne. Her new wig is really nice, too. Good for you on the solution to that black mark. (Did you try using Oxy 10 on it to lighten the mark? I’ve gotten Lots of ball-point pen ink out of a Cabbage Patch head that way. It takes a series of applications sometimes, but it works. However, that said, you solution works, too!)
HI Charlotte,
That wig is incredible… when I got it I thought… maybe I should sell it and just find something else for Miss Barbara…
I didn’t have time to try and use the Oxy stuff… I just needed a quick fix and it worked… her neck is hardly seen, but Rebecca said she might use her to sell beanie caps when she posts her things on Poshmark.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
I enjoyed laughing at Hammy. I think you should put them in the picture rotation because it’s hilarious! 😂😆😁 More work but more funny. More funny is always a bonus and 2020 being 2020, more needed.
Congrats Hanna! When you win something from Jeanne, it’s always even better than you expect. I hope we get some pictures of your winnings being worn. 😉
HI Julia,
Your comments made me laugh… maybe I do need to use that ham again occasionally… he did bring a laugh to me too, when I first put him together. :o)
Thanks Julia,
Blessings, Jeanne
“Hammy” could be your male model, for masks more suitable for men!! LOL
The blond wig looks great on her! Jeanne, I sent you an email with the subject line I Am Desperate, it should have said I Am Desperate for this fabric, I’m a bit frantic this morning. 🙁
HI Christine,
I just saw your email… I will look for the fabric when I go into town to mail my masks… I hope I can find it for you…
Blessings, Jeanne
So glad you didn’t purchase one of the horror heads. So scary. 🙁 The one you have rehabbed is quite amazing. Good call on the neck repaint. I would love to see a pic of Jeanne wearing that blond wig though. 🙂 And when Miss Barbara isn’t wearing masks, maybe she can be a lovely display prop in your sewing room for a vintage hat?
Congrats to Hanna on her prize win! 🙂
We’re having weather in the high 70’s here in northern CA. Lovely after our high winds. Only problem is that I will need to water the potted plants today. Wind dried out everything. Not the December we’re used to.
Hi Joy,
Believe it or not, I did sling that wig on top of my head when I opened it up. I don’t think I’d make a very good blonde…it didn’t look right on me… of course, I’ve never SEEN me as a blonde so that could have been it.
Rebecca said she’d like to have dibs on Miss Barbara when she sells beanies on Poshmark… I sold enough masks overnight to pay for her and the wig… yay! (a principal bought 5 from me yesterday.)
It’s supposed to be in the 60’s here on Thursday… strange weather…strange times…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congratulations to Hanna! I’m sure you will love your new goodies.
Miss Barbara makes a lovely mask model. She also will work well for the scarves and necklaces that Rebecca makes.
HI Laura,
Yes, Miss Barbara might stay quite busy between me and Rebecca.
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
I laughed at the other heads – so creepy. You lucked out finding Miss Barbara, she is quite lovely. I think you should still use “Hammie” for masks. He was really fun. This was an enjoyable post, thank you.
Hi Debi,
I liked Miss Barbara the best too. She is actually quite pretty.
I might have to let Hammie” make a guest appearance every so often…
Blessings, Jeanne
Congratulations to Hanna. You’ll certainly enjoy your goodies. The plaid skirt is so cute. Plus all the goodies that come with the purse will be fun. Love the purse.
Jeanne, I think you did good with your model head. Good idea painting her neck too. Her face looks more normal than the other models. That’s a great buy for the items you and Rebecca make.
Thanks Paula,
I hope I made the right decision buying her. I thought she was “kinda” pretty and just bought her…not too much thinking involved. I’ve already sold enough masks that she and the wig has been paid for…
Thanks Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
I really think there isn’t ANYTHING you can’t do. Barbara is quite lovely and makes a great model. Mixing flesh paint to match is tricky and you have a good match.
If you need a customer review I am so happy with mine. Not one fits as well as yours and keeping my glasses from fogging is a real plus. Of course that design is better too. By the time I get my glasses on and my hearing aides in …and the mask it gets complicated😳😷😉Hope you sell lots of them!
Hi Kathie
Actually the neck looks better in person than in my pictures…
I’m glad you are happy with your mask, Kathie. A friend at church really likes hers too.
I could be a full time job if I let it be..
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings. Jeanne
First off, congratulations to Hanna for winning the skirt and purse.
Second, I have to say today’s post gave me a pretty good laugh. The pressing ham with button eyes is pretty funny, and those disembodied heads range from creepy to hilarious. Glad you found one you could use, and you did a good job with the paint. I was kind of sorry you couldn’t save the hair though.
Hi Carolyn
Her hair was human hair and really nice…and I was sad it couldn’t be salvaged too..it was just everywhere when I tried putting the mask on her. It must have gotten chemically damaged.
Thanks Carolyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, it is looking like we will all need masks for a bit longer than we hoped. It is wonderful that you are able to make them.
Congratulations to Hanna. That’s one doll holiday gift she can check off the list.
Thanks Dorothy,
Rebecca works at the hospital and apparently they’ve been told the masks will be required most of next year…ugh…I hope she’s wrong…way wrong!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
First let me congratulate Hannah…Congratulations!!! I’m sure your dolly will love her Jeanne Marie original creations.
Next congrats Jeanne on the auction. I tried … I found out I need faster internet service for sure!
Love your new mask model. Love the eye lashes! Somewhere around here is Danielle’s Cosmo head, if I’d known you were looking for one I would have gladly sent it to you. It’s not nearly as pretty as the one you found but you could have done your magic on her. After Danielle graduated the head moved in with us. once while I was in Danielle’s room putting away some clean laundry the head sort of rolled out of the closet and startled me. Nothing more creepy than a body-less head rolling around!
Hope you all enjoy the day
Hugs
Ingrid
Hi Ingrid,
You better get that internet fixed…or learn to put in a high bid if neesssary… maybe next time. :o)
Loved your story about the head rolling out of the closet…what a fright that must have given you…
Blessings, Jeanne