Remember a few weeks ago when I shared the story of doll heads floating in the sink and spooking my children? Well, I didn’t stop there. My love for customization—and maybe a dash of doll-head madness—has taken me down a new path. I decided that I needed even more head choices for my Lil Missy dolls because, let’s be honest, the head really makes the doll personal for you.

Most of my head options are based on Barbie’s little sister Chelsea, and I’ve got quite the variety: different skin tones, hair colors, lengths, and styles—all with that youthful/teenage look. But, I wanted something more mature in the makeup department. I envisioned a couple of heads with a bit more grown-up flair. So, naturally, I got to work designing, and off my ideas went to a toy maker.

After weeks of back-and-forth communication, I was sure we were on the same page. The photos looked fantastic, the sizing seemed perfect, and everything appeared to be smooth sailing. Here’s where I made a rookie mistake: I decided not to pay the $300 sample fee. Why? Well, I thought we were good to go. Oops. Huge mistake—literally.

Fast forward to this week, and my 1,000 custom heads have arrived. The makeup? Looks great. But the size? Not so much. Let’s just say these heads are, um, huge. Like, bigger-than-the-dolls’-shoulders huge. For my petite Lil Missy dolls, these heads look like they belong on another species. I was devastated—immediately imagining this as another expensive lesson in my journey of doll-making.

But then, my teenage daughter stepped in. And guess what? She loves the oversized heads! According to her, they’re the perfect size. All the other heads are apparently too small for her taste. Chalk this up to the Bratz doll generation, where giant heads are now totally in style. Who knew?

So now, I’ve expanded my lineup—anatomically correct heads, large heads, and, of course, XL heads for those who want their dolls to make a bold statement. Crisis averted, and a new option added. Sometimes, mistakes really are just opportunities in disguise!

— Dana (Your Custom Doll Head Enthusiast)