Just For Fun What basic household items can be used for dolls?

Well... first thing that comes to mind, is stockings for wig caps! And I sometimes use toilet paper to wrap my doll heads in for transport, so that I don't tangle up their wigs too much...

 

Cling film, paper towels, masking tape or washi tape are useful for making slopers and patterns for doll sewing.

I've used chopsticks to hold elastic in place while stringing. XD

(New) toothbrushes or brushes for cleaning veggies, and dish soap work nicely to clean resin.

 

Q-tips for faceup removal in delicate places like inner eyes and lips! Also I’m not sure if this counts as a household item but I share my necklaces with my dolls, and some look good as hair ornaments.

 

Seconding chopsticks during stringing! They're a lifesaver!
I use stickytack instead of eye putty--I think it works just as well.

Do food erasers count as household objects...?

 

Makeup sponges for faceups. Shoelaces (usually still on the shoe ) for removing heads.

 

Ribbons and/or ID lanyards (those that come with the hook-like attachment at the end at least) for pulling on S-Hooks. Especially useful for removing heads from the tightly strung Impldoll bodies. Oh, and old well-used toothbrush for brushing out wigs. =))

 

I've transformed metal hangers into long hooked wires to help for restringing.
I used plastic wrap to protect resin when making wigs,
Toothbrush for faceups,
Pliers for changing heads
Tweezers to help gluing eyelashes
... and a first aid kit for when I unwillingly offer blood offering to the arts and crafts gods while working on props!

 

Toothpicks for holding the elastic when switching out hands, shank buttons to replace hands while dressing if the hands won’t fit in the sleeves. Magic erasers to clean smudges.

 

haha i've used chop sticks to!! there so handy XD

 

A couple of crochet hooks and a nylon cord are essential for restringing my dolls. I can restring almost anyone in my collection with those, from my tinies to my SD.
For easier storage, I wrap my dolls in scarves, preferably those in silky-satin-like fabrics.

 

Also chopsticks here! And whatever piece of ribbon I find laying around. I wouldn't be able to restring anything without those two items. @AntarelNefertili I used a lanyard for that same thing just yesterday! Very handy.

Also bandaids for cutting into tiny bandaids for my dolls when I feel like they need a "damaged" faceup or body blush.

in my doll kit I have
masking tape (to tape up the ends of wires for wiring arms and legs)
scissors
pliers
paper clips
tooth brush
tweezers
glue
cotton swabs
cotton balls

and a lot of other things I wouldn't count as household since I only got them for BJD stuffs.

 

Nearly anything because I really like the look of dolls posed within the larger human world, it’s really a charming sight to me. I’d much rather see dolls in the human world than with disproportionate props, that’s something I struggle with.

 

I use a lot of toothpicks for some reason. Sometimes in the making of props but also for removing small particles of dust, cat fur, eye putty, etc., from eyes and other difficult places.
I also use my embroidery scissors quite a bit. They are nice and sharp and small for clipping threads, errant eyelashes, wayward wig hairs... but I do have to be careful not to scratch the doll with the sharp point.

 

Toilet paper roll as a head stand when I make/style wigs!

 

Another chopstick user! Also needle nose pliers, Q-tips, a length of copper wire for as a stringing tool, dish towels for doing faceups on. I use the cat's metal comb for wigs, does that count?

 

Crochet hook for head removal. Works better than pliers or pretty much anything else.
Magic eraser for cleaning smudges. They're the best. Just don't use them on the face because they can remove the faceup.
Lint roller for cleaning clothes because I have cats and a lot of dolls that wear black.
Rubber band around the head under the wig to help keep it from sliding.
Defrizz spray works nicely to tame wigs made from natural hair like Tibetan mohair.

 

Q-tips for cleaning eyes without removing them from the head.
A clean, new toothbrush for brushing hair (My dentist provides these every six months!)
I've used paper clips as temporary s-hooks before.
Some keychains can make cute YoSD toys.
I've used pencils to hold the string while restringing (I'd guess this is the same as the chopstick method, just a different stick of wood!)
Small dog collars can make nice SD belts.
Jewelry can also be repurposed. Bracelets can make nice necklaces. Sometimes a necklace can make a nice stylish belt that goes around twice. Rings can sometimes work well as bracelets. Sometimes additional modifications need to be done.

 

I'm a sucker for props and furniture, so I'm going in that direction.

Pillows can make a great bed, and tiny potpourri type pillows can make great doll throw pillows (just make sure there are no oils in it that can harm resin). A chunk of foam rubber covered in fabric is also a cheap bed option. Fancy picture frames can be cut in half and attached to it for a headboard.

Jewelry boxes make good nightstands, dressers and wardrobes.

Pet beds can make great doll beds--you can get some very fancy dog beds that are a good scale for MSD and SD beds or couches.

Some shot glasses work for beer mugs for SD and 70cm.

"Communion cups" (the tiny plastic cups used at churches, but also available at party stores) are the right size for party cups for MSD or SD.

Wedding guest name card frames make great photo frames.

Eyebrow/mustache combs work for doll vanity props.

Tiny paint brushes that come with the party favor watercolor sets work for mini makeup brushes.

Table place mats work for throw rugs, especially if you can find some of the hand made braided types.

Bath mats make good carpets/rugs for SD and MSD.

Clear beads work as ice.

Christmas tree ornaments are a gold mine! I've found Coca Cola bottles, coffee cups, a martini glass, a coffee maker, amixer, mini foods, books, and a lot more just by searching random stores during the holidays. Same for keychains!

Toothpicks can be cut and painted to make pencils for MSD and YoSD.

Cupcake pedestal stands make really cut tables for tinies.

Old clothing is good for making doll clothes, especially old baby clothes because the prints are usually small enough to look good on dolls. Old clothing has usually been washed and worn so many times that staining is very unlikely and the fabric is usually worn thin enough to drape right and not appear bulky.

I'm sure I do a lot more that I'm not considering right now!

 

Plastic semi-sphere cache-pots are easy to transform into chairs.

 

-Small crochet hooks, yarn and needlenose pliers to help with restringing.
-Scrapbook paper as floors/walls/background
-Small jewelry boxes can sometimes work as dressers/shelves
-I've made a tiny dresser from empty match boxes for realpuki
-plastic baggies for storage

 

The heirloom painted screen in my living room has been a backdrop for several photo shoots and also lets me "Hide" the miscellaneous props piled in the corner that don't have a good storage spot anywhere else. ;D
There are a couple of tangelo boxes waiting to be remade into either a divan or a bed among the things behind the screen.

 

i actually also used my mic holder as a chair/ stand for my mermaid! her fins helped her sit perfectly on it XD

 

I swiped dad's (unused) hemostats he bought for some reason to use for stringing dolls. Hemostats plus pipe cleaners plus ribbons are my go to restringing kit.

 

Metal skewers! I fix wire on its ring with apoxy clay and after it is fully dry I use it as a dollstand in photoshoots outdoors. Just stick it in the soil and voila you have an almost invisible support for your doll!

 

I use my dresser as a display area for my bjds. Yarn for making wigs, rubbing alcohol for cleaning off face ups, tablet for bjd research, the oven for baking or drying clays for eyes etc, the kitchen sink for washing fabrics, under my bed for doll box storage, drawers in my dresser for doll clothing storage. Yep, I use a lot of household items for my dolls!

 

the toilet paper is perfect for make a mummy!

 

I use all kinds of household things. Like when restringing dolls: pens to hold the elastic, chip-bag-clips to keep the elastic from sliding into the body, or close scissors.
Shot glasses as drink props.
Cotton balls, toothpicks and Q-tips for cleaning.
Toothpicks or Popsicle sticks are also are good bases for some props.

 

I'm with CloakedSchemer I was thinking items to use for doll props..lol.

Well since I do have a Trinity Doll (105cm) almost anything goes with them..lol..I very briefly had a toddler bed but it just took up too much space.
For my MSDs though:
Jewelry boxes for dressers, etc. Smaller little jewelry/pill boxes to use for doll sized jewelry box.
I've recycled clothing to cut up for doll clothing
Little tiny tera cotta pots to use as doll pots
Miniature keychains/Christmas ornaments as props
Shelf lining to use as floor covering or walls in a doll room (haven't done this yet but have a few rolls on hand for when I get to it)
Fabric placemats for flooring/rugs as well
Just picked up tiny cactus at Pat Catan's to use for decor
Shoe boxes can be good to use to build a bed
Small step stool that I use as a workbench/table

I'm sure there is much more will have to add later when I think of it.

 

Oooh, I love recycling! Hmmm.... I'm gonna go with cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls! I plan on using some to make some cute circular wall shelving for my MSD boys when I can make their dioramas!

 

Twist ties, ribbon, and crochet hooks are the only reason I can manage restringing my tall lads on my own. Also, it may be overkill, but nothing gets a synthetic fiber wig orderly again like my wire pet brush.

 

I use a lot of things in the house so much that my mother complains about it hahhaha here's a few!

• Lotion bottles with towelettes on top - To hold big body parts when drying from paint.
• Hangers with attached clothes pin - For hanging wet parts.
• Ribbons, usually recycled from cake boxes - Goes through each part so the paint is evenly distributed and drying is easier.
• Chopsticks (a life saver) - Usually metal for me so it would leave a stain on the doll when restringing.
• Toothbrush - For combing fur wigs.
• Pet socks - I use them as doll socks instead lol (Small for SD 13 and SD 16, Large for SD 17).
• Towels - Body bags for double protection when going out.
• Food magnets - Food props.
• Handy dandy Mr. Clean Magic Eraser - No need to explain lol
• Baking soda - Can also be used for cleaning.
• Toothpaste - For cleaning too.
• Garden gloves / Surgical gloves - For face up.
• Lint roller / Feather duster - Get rid of them pesky dusts.

There's a lot more D:>

 

I freakin love this thread! All my ideas are already here, but a lot of ideas I hadn't thought of are making my list now! Thanks!!

 

I know...! At first I couldn't think of anything, but reading through this thread I remembered that I HAD used a lot of household items! And I discovered some great ideas!!!

 

Yes, these ideas are fantastic! This ought to be a sticky.

 

I'm addicted to chocolate cherries from the grocery, and they come in the most useful plastic containers. I've used them to hold alpaca as I'm sorting it for wigs, to store my pastels, to work as a stand for my doll's head during faceups...

Cling film and old plastic grocery bag pieces also work well to protect my doll while making wig caps. I have a number of leftover thick silicon bands that hold more stubborn wigs on.

 

Thinking props-wise -

tiny mug magnets that can be picked up at pretty much any touristy place make good doll-sized mugs,
nutmeg-graters make amazing doll sized cheese graters
Gimmicky compact mirrors shaped like laptops, again amazing doll-sized laptops
food-shaped erasers make good doll-sized food in a pinch (though for the 1/6 scales I prefer rement, and the 1/3 scales the little Japanese keychain miniatures)
I always keep an eye out amongst the sweets/candies for containers that look like other things - I've gotten a load of doll-sized coca cola/Sprite cans that way.

 

A shoebox to put a dollhead in while spraying the coating for a face-up so the sealant doesn't fly EVERYWHERE! And a garbage bag with holes for my arms and head is a very cheap but effective coat o I don't ruin my clothes while doing a face-up. Yeah, I'm a small person so the bag goes over the knee, even.

Keychains (the round iron part where you put your keys on) to grab the hook so I can pull it out to remove the head.

Toothbrush for combing the wigs.

Balloon to keep wigs in place.

These drink holders for the pool, which are great floating chairs for MSD dolls.

Letter openers as a sword.

The big hanging clock as a showcase for an MSD doll.

 

-I used a plastic pudding cup to make a dolly footstool.
-Sheet for photo backdrops
-take-out soup cup lids as paint palettes for face-ups
-old clothes to sewing into dolly clothes
-Shoeboxes, jars, and various other containers to store dolly things
-A jewelry box as a small dresser

 

I use the silicone ear plugs as eye putty as well as doll stickims. They're currently holding a doll of mine on the top of a triangle shelf while sitting backwards on it. So much fun and they keep everything so stable.

 

I love canned air. It's great for keeping the computer keyboard clean, but more important, it works wonderfully if a bit of dust gets into your doll's eyes, or face. I also use it when I do face ups right before I spray Mr. Super Clear. It gets rid of any excess 'stuff' that may have settled on the doll face.

 

• Toothbrush for brushing wigs
• eyebrow razor for trimming wigs
• magic eraser for cleaning the body
• plastic bottles (diy facecaps in a pinch, and carriers for tinies in a pinch)
• Ribbon for restringing
• Keychains for restringing
• Books (layer them so that they make steps and cover with cloth)
• Canned food can make great seats and stools when covered in cloth

 

Paper plates as a faceup paint/pastel palette! I love it, because if you use the more heavy-duty ones (with the shiny surface), pastel doesn't stick to the plate as much. And you can then mix and match right on the plate, and as long as you don't get them too dirty, you can clean them off a bit and reuse them!

 

I use a toothbrush to brush their hair

 

Those little salt dip bowls/salt cellars can be used as serving bowls for props or if the doll is large enough maybe even tableware for it. I actually like to look for them in antique stores.

 

You mean this house isn’t all theirs already??

• Tri-fold cardboard project boards are good backdrops if you cover them with fabric.
• Those door mats that look like Persian rugs are perfect for doll rugs, too.
• This isn’t a common household item anymore. But, I use vintage metal shoe button hooks for a head hook puller. They’re easy to find on eBay.
• Broccoli rubber bands are good for wig holding caps!
• A plastic, rubber-tipped cuticle pusher is great for changing eyes and cleaning out eye putty. (I agree with Alewife, this should be a sticky!! )
• I have used regular modeling clay for eye putty for about a dozen years with no problems except it gets under your fingernails. I bet dental wax would work as well.
• A dedicated, clean, fluffy makeup brush is great for getting cat or husky fur off of doll faces and eyelashes...chests....feet...if that’s a thing that happens to anyone else’s dolls. (I’m not saying...I’m just...you know...speculating...maybe.)
• And, don’t forget every bookshelf ever is fair game for doll space!

 

Those little cocktail umbrellas and swords make adorable props. I have some metal cocktails sword skewers that look like real swords in my SD girls hands

 

I used those rubber silicone bracelet things people use for sports as a wig stopper
Also, I use glue tack, make it pointy to pick up dust from the eyeball, or remove excess glue from the eyelashes when I stick it in fresh to smooth it out instead of it looking goopy
I use the small circle parts from keyrings to hold the s hooks when I need to change their clothes and the hand get in the way

 

- Placemats and sushi mats to make carpets and wooden floors
- Toothpicks to make tiny arrows and pencils
- the plastic inside of chocolate boxes to make steampunk goggles
- contact lenses containers to make goggles
- wrapping paper as backdrops

 

I use a crochet hook to restring dolls, sponge eyeshadow applicators for face ups. I have a lot of left over barbie and american girl accesories that word really well for MSD and SD. I use contact solution vials and the tiny vials for my medicine for jars and mason style cups.