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All Dolled Up, Inc
A porcelain doll studio
Frequently Asked Questions

Please take the time to review some of the questions that have been asked of us.  If by chance you have a question that may not be listed below, just visit our Email Us page and submit your question.  We will answer your email and just may post your question(s) to our website so others are able to benefit.

What kind of dolls can I make?

What kind would you LIKE to make?  All Dolled Up has baby dolls, lady dolls, children, antique reproductions, male dolls, figurines, half dolls, and lots more!  We have tiny dolls, medium dolls, big dolls, even a life-size manequin.  There are dolls with cloth bodies, composition bodies, and complete porcelain bodies.  Blondes, brunettes, redheads, and every-thing in between.  Blue eyes, green eyes, brown eyes, even violet eyes.  Simple frocks or fancy gowns.  Dolls to love, dolls to share, dolls to pass on, even dolls to sell if you dare to part with them!  Whatever you can dream, you can create!  So come join the fun, and share the joy of making your own special dream dolls!


Is there a difference between these dolls and ceramics?

Absolutely!  Ceramics are produced from earthenware clays.  They are fired to a lower temperature, and produce a courser, more porous finished product.  However, porcelain clay is a much finer composition, containing silica (glass).  It is fired to higher temperatures thus producing a hard translucent bisque.  Ceramic clay is used for household and decorative items, not usually for doll making.


I can’t sew a stitch! So what would I do about costuming?

Not to worry!  There are lots and lots of ready-made clothes available for your precious creation.  All Dolled Up carries a large selection of doll clothes, shoes, socks, hats, and accessories.  Many baby dolls can even wear preemie-size (and larger) infant wear available at your favorite retailer.  And you’ll even find that some of your fellow doll buddies are willing to share their creative talents.  If you would like to learn how to make your own doll clothes, All Dolled Up also offers classes for the sewing impaired.  Talk to your instructor for details.


I don’t have an artistic bone in my body! How do I know I can actually do this?

If you can hold a brush, I can teach you to make a doll!  The truth is that it’s just a matter of patience and practice.  The Beginner’s Special allows anyone the opportunity to test the waters, without a huge commitment of time or money.  You will surprise yourself, guaranteed!  Many of our newest students, who didn’t think they had any talent, have actually won blue ribbons for their efforts at local doll show exhibitions.  So you just never know!


After the Beginner’s Special, I may not feel fully comfortable to continue on my own just yet. What should I do next?

After the Beginner's Special, you are not left alone to wonder what to do next.  All Dolled Up is here to help guide you.  We offer the novice doll maker an opportunity to advance and perfect their skills while building confidence in a unique initial doll making continuing education series.  There are four advancing doll making skill levels which starts with the Beginner's Special.  Once you complete all four levels, you will be awarded a certificate of achievement.  Be sure to learn more about this continuing education series.


Is porcelain doll making very expensive? How much does it cost to make a doll?

Like any great hobby, it’s usually a matter of how far you want to go, and how much you want to spend.  With our Beginner’s Special, your only investment is the cost of materials needed to complete your baby doll.  You will use studio paints, brushes, cleaning tools, etc.  This allows the student to get a feel for the joy of doll making.  The budget-minded student can then purchase only what is needed, a little at a time (i.e. a brush here, a china paint there, a tool later, and so on.)  Students may use studio items, if they wish, but most find that they are more comfortable having their own supplies and tools.  Doll makers tend to get rather protective of their tools of the trade!  Things such as eyes, wigs, shoes, etc. are available in a wide price range, and fabrics, of course, are limitless.  So the choice is up to you.  The sky is the limit!


I would like to make dolls, but I work and have a busy schedule. When would I be able to take classes?

All Dolled Up currently offers seven classes per week, to meet the needs of any doll maker.  For those who work, evening and Saturday classes are usually best.  Please review our Porcelain Class Schedule/Fees page for a time that best suits your schedule.


What’s the difference between a collector doll and one that I would make myself? Why shouldn’t I just buy a doll from one of the popular collector companies?

Typical collector dolls are usually mass produced overseas from inferior materials and workmanship.  Their porcelain has a rougher texture, because it only has two or three firings with little to no polishing.  Hand-crafted dolls are carefully cleaned, then polished, painted and fired many times.  These many steps and attention to detail is what gives these dolls their life-like, one-of-a-kind personalities, and create heirloom quality creations.


I'm interested in making marionettes and non-traditional dolls. How would your class offerings help me in this regard?

You can learn all about porcelain, beginning with cleaning of the greenware.  After cleaning, the greenware will be fired which will result in bisque/porcelain.  You will then learn how to apply china paints, use of brushes, and brush stroke techniques.  The studio firing is handled by All Dolled Up staff only, however, both firing techniques and use of a kiln can also be taught on an individual basis.  Feel free to contact me for more details.


Where will you ship my package to?

In an effort to protect our customers and ourselves from fraudulent charges, since payment on our website is accepted using PayPal, we will ONLY ship to the address the customer provides to us in their PayPal account. This is typically the 'Confirmed Address' listed in PayPal. It is up to the customer to ensure the Confirmed Address and shipping information on their account is up-to-date and current.  We will gladly ship to an alternate location but the customer must provide this information during checkout to calculate correct shipping charges as well as update the address in PayPal showing the needed address change. Once we are ready to ship your package, a shipping label will be generated with the information provided to us from your PayPal account. Should there be any problems with shipping addresses, customer is responsible for any additional charges.


Do you offer a refund if I am unsatisfied with an item?

Customer satisfaction is our primary concern.  Refunds are not available on custom/special order items. However, we do issue refunds on items that are carried on a regular basis. The refundable amount will be the purchase price of the item (including any applicable taxes) less any shipping & handling charges. Also, the customer will be responsible for the return shipping charge which is also not refundable.  Please see this follow-on FAQ (directly below) for more details in completing a hassle-free return.


If I am unhappy with an item that was ordered, how do I get it back to you to obtain a refund?

We accept returns for merchandise within 30 days for products that are unused and in the same condition that we sent it in. Please follow these instructions for a hassle-free return.

  1. Contact us first as we will need to know of any problems.
  2. Indicate the order number from your invoice and the product number(s) for the merchandise you wish to send back.
  3. We process refunds within ten (10) business days of receiving the merchandise.

***Please remember that postage from the original order is not refundable. No refunds or credits will be made toward the cost of postage for the returned merchandise postage back to us.***




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All Dolled Up, Inc., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Phone: 719-590-9988 or 719-306-3197