davidd's A DOLL A DAY 2025

[davidd]

$300 for a can??  Whew.  Someone was telling me the other day that some people will buy old perfume bottles for like $600.

Never throw out anything old (or old-ish) or odd without checking on eBay. Make sure to check "sold prices," because eBay sellers often ask unrealistic prices which do not reflect true market value.

But stuff like old soda cans and beer bottles and cardboard boxes of Gold Dust Washing Powder -- yeah, it's why I said that old farmhouse you were looking at, the one with a phonograph shipping crate in the attic, might be worth as much in "junk value" as they were asking for the whole place.

By the way -- I learned that Canada enacted a "non-resident owner" tax on U.S. residents who own property in Canada. They did this during COVID. The Canadian government taxes U.S. owners one percent of the assessed value of the property annually. So the non-resident owner of a $500k property in Canada must pay $5000 to the Canadian government every year, in addition to the regular annual property taxes. I certainly hope that the current U.S. administration reciprocates with a similar real estate tax on Canadians who own property in the U.S.

Anyway... most "old stuff" isn't worth much, if anything; and prices on "old stuff" have been declining. Younger people have neither the space nor the interest to collect things. And the things we usually think of as being potentially valuable, or which our families told us over the years were "old and valuable," tend not to be, while stupid stuff like old soda cans or cereal boxes or PEZ containers can sometimes bring a few bucks.

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14 April - A Doll A Day 2025:

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What th' What, Now? Pullip Amelia with Brown Eyes?

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The original owner of this "limited edition" Pullip Amelia doll replaced the original green plastic eye chips with brown inserts.

Why somebody would purchase a limited edition doll and then modify or customize it is something I do not understand.

Fortunately, the owner saved the original eye chips and included them when they sold the doll.

I purchased this doll pre-owned three years ago and am only now opening the parcel to look at it to see if I can restore the original eyes.

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Opening the head of a Pullip doll

Remove the wig and remove three screws to open the head

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Ex-posing the "Eye Mech"

The eye mechanism is secured inside the "face plate" by three screws

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Pullip Doll "eye mech" after removal

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The eyelids, which are held in place by tiny springs, usually fall off during the eye mech removal.

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Original Pullip Amelia Eye Chips

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The original owner of this pre-owned Pullip Amelia doll had changed out the eye chips (the colored parts of the eyes), but kept the original green eyes. I am attempting to restore the original eye inserts.

Some eye chip tutorials suggest backing the eye chips with metal foil for a brighter appearance. I thought I'd try doing that.

The brown replacement eye chips popped out fairly easily even though they had been secured in place with glue. The chips can be pressed out from behind using some kind of stick or probe or tool that can be inserted through the eye mechanism.

While I've removed and replaced eye mechanisms before, I've never actually replaced the eye chips until now.

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Eye Mech Re-Installation -- Eyelid Springs

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After the eye mechanism is reinstalled in the face plate, reconnecting the eyelid springs is often the most challenging part of the entire process. Teeny tiny tweezers, a lot of patience, and a little bit of swearing help accomplish the task.

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My First Re-Chipping -- Complete! YAY!