I Took the Wigs off Four of My American Girl Dolls: A Cautionary Tale / Tutorial
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- In my quest to share all my doll-related failures with you so you don't make the same mistakes I did, I present this video. Part tutorial, part cautionary tale.
The dolls featured are all from the 2023 Madison Children's Museum/AG Benefit Sale. If you missed the videos where I talked about the sale and showed what I got there, please check them out here:
• American Girl BENEFIT ...
• Benefit Sale Haul - Am...
Thanks for watching and creating a community I'm lucky to be part of!
-Kristie (agtakesover@gmail.com)
I like the neck strings better because it’s easier.
I think as far as threading it, it's probably easier to get a zip tie through than a neck string. But for removing them, neck strings are easier because you don't have to replace them or re-thread anything.
Omg.. I’ve never had the vinyl come off like that and I’m so glad you pointed it out and showed us that it can happen. I do use some non acetone nail polish remover with my wig removals because I find it doesn’t damage the wig, but, I primarily use brute force and can see this happening to me for sure. I love what you did with your 116 and can’t wait to see the customizations for the rest! ❤
Oh - and I much prefer the neck strings since I do so much customizing but the zip ties look much better in pictures.
Maybe this is why people will watch video after video of the same topic… because there are so many ways to do things. Spoon or no spoon, nail polish remover or none, hot water or none, remove the head first or don't. Whatever works for people is what they should do LOL. And agreed about neck strings vs zip ties
I have done many wigs on many dolls, including several AG dolls. For just changing the wig, I don’t remove the head from the body. I use a spoon to wedge between the wig and head. Once it is started, I pull. Requires some strength and patience!
I use Tacky Glue to glue the new wigs on. It stays on well and is a lot easier to remove than the child safe glue AG uses. Tacky Glue is also water soluble and can be rinsed off the head and the wig. It is semi-permanent.
I have seen heads boiled to soften the vinyl for eye changes, which I have not done.
I like the cord neck strings. I had to tighten the joints on my 1997 Josefina, and it was a lot easier than the zip ties. It would take a pretty big change or repair for me to mess with zip ties!
I've used a spoon (for my first several wig removals) but I do worry that if my hand slips I'll make a big shine mark. No one way to "skin a cat", right? ;-) When we've glued on wigs, we used Tacky Glue, too.
while i'm not into AG, your pic with your mini me is too adorable!
Oh thank you!
If AG was smart, they would sell heads, wigs, eyes and bodies separately for artists to buy and customize. That would open a whole new market for them. They could sell paints and sealers too.
It would open a whole new market, but I don't know if it's the market they want. Mattel has always had people who customize their products and has never catered to that market in the slightest. Maybe they've crunched the numbers and decided it's not the way they want to go? Or maybe they're just missing out.
That was great. I just learned why I can't get my dolls' heads on tight. I'm not pressing their head against something to push it further into the body. I thought it was just because I wasn't getting the strings tight enough. So good to know! I just sent my #26 Annika's head to Kirsten at Oh Deer and I was concerned about putting it back on when she's done. Thank you! Annika was feeling very jealous of the other girls, as her freckles and lip paint were done with washable markers. When she's done, she will be up to par with the rest of the girls. :) Thanks for sharing all of this great info! I'm so sorry about your #90, but so glad that the other 3 went so much better.
Glad the video was helpful. That's exciting about your doll Annika, and don't worry about the TM90. It won't be visible at all by the time we're done with her :-)
The neck string should be 2 mm macrame chord. Try not to get twisted, but rather woven (twisted unravels). Love it!!
I'll have to take a look at what I have to see how it compares to this, but what I've been using works okay so I'll probably finish it up at any rate :)
I'm still too scared to try wig removal. I really like your video for showing so much detail. If/when I build up my courage, I'll definitely refer back.
Thanks! I will say that a) only you know your level of risk-taking/adventurousness (and whatever it is is okay) and b) wig removal is easier than an eye swap :-)
@@agtakesover I have watched videos of eye swapping. They do look a lot harder!! Customization does seem like it could be fun though, being able to create a character.
@@charlotteamaro7165 It's definitely fun. I know what I'm comfortable with and what I'm not, so I don't usually feel like I risk ruining anything. Even with my botched TM90 wig removal, she's definitely not ruined.
I have removed wigs a few times. I’ve never used hot water for that, just for the eye swaps. That seems to be a good way to soften the glue without chemicals. Nice. I glue about half the time. Otherwise it’s fun to have the flexibility to swap.
We glued the first couple ones we swapped and after I regretted a) no longer being able to use those wigs on other dolls and b) not being able to put other wigs on those dolls, we kind of switched to never gluing them down. Elphaba's will be the first exception in a couple years.
I just ripped them off and ruined a lot of spoons (my mom was mad)
Awesome video… I actually prefer the zip ties, most of my dolls I’ve switched the strings out. I push the original strings in the body incase I decide to sell later I will put the strings back.. The zips give the neckline a smoother look.. lastly I’ve re-wigged a few, and usually I peel back the hairline , hot water the crown off, and I will glue the new wig after they wear it for awhile .
That's a great idea! So smart to just push them inside the body! And it sounds like we do wig removal the same way. Is your rationale for gluing *after* they wear a wig for a while that it'll stretch the wig a bit and make application with glue a bit easier?
I did my first wig removal on 65 the other day. I didn't use heat because I was in the basement and didn't have access but if I cared about the wig I would have. I did try to pull out my exacto for a few spots and accidentally scarred my doll, and myself, but it did help get some of the harder-to-reach spots.
I didn't know about the weeding tool but I'll have to try that when I do a limb tightening or wig removal in the future. I have a cricut so that is already something I own. I used a seam ripper for the stitches and because I didn't have any string I'm using a shoelace to temporarily keep her head on. It surprisingly works really well and I didn't have to use a tool to feed it through her neck because it already had a spot to grab.
I will say the spoon helped me a lot too, I just have to be more careful in the future. Her wig is not glued down because I struggled enough to get it on to see how it looked on her. I might switch her look every so often but I bought her wig with the intention of it being hers, and she looks pretty close to her stock look.
It sounds like that was pretty rough going - sorry to hear that. You said you scarred the doll and yourself. Are you both okay?
@@agtakesover Yeah, I had a few cuts but they weren't bad. And the doll just has a few slices cut out of the vinyl on her scalp. It's not anything you can see with a wig on fortunately I'll just have to be more careful next time. I learned quite a bit so when I have to do it again hopefully it goes a lot easier
I'm glad it's not visible with the wig on. That's the lucky thing with the TM90, too.
I was wondering about their names. Love the Bobby pin trick, I usually use a safety pin. If I rush though it always opens up lol
Yeah, I actually have better luck with the full-sized bobby pins than I did with this tiny one. Any name suggestions?
I like the neck strings, because it reminds me of the original Pleasant Company dolls .
I get that. The longer I collect, the more I can appreciate the pros of each option. I still haven't replaced any neck strings *or* zip ties with zip ties, but I think I can understand why some ppl do.
Personally, I like the neck strings. However, I am customizing a doll for my 4 year old gr gr niece and I think I will use a zip tie for it. I can just see this little cutie pie cutting the strings off.
That makes sense. I like the neck strings and zip ties for different reasons - zip ties look neater, but I can reuse the same neck strings over and over if I need to restring, eye swap, etc. That's a good rationale for using zip tie for your gr gr niece :-)
When I do a wig swap I always have the intention of keeping the wig on. The only time I don't glue one down is when I'm unsure of it being the right one. So I'll order a different wig when finanances allow and if it is the one that suits the doll, then I'll glue it down. I used to used tacky glue. But last year I was doing a lot of papercrafting and Christmas crafting, gluing plastic to metal and plastic to wood and thus had Tim Holtz Collage Medium by Ranger. I decided to use that this year gluing the wigs down and it is now my top choice, applying the idea of *we use what we have*. Thank you for the tips of pushing the head into the body while tying the string. I do not like the gap. I also like the tip of using a doll bobby pin. I like the zip ties and I like the strings. Sometimes the string may show in a photo, but I have that solved with my editing app. I don't do eye swaps so there's no need for head removal, but I think I will consider your method of heating the crown in the future. Thank you for this very helpful video!
I'm glad you got some tips out of it! And I'll keep the Collage Medium in mind for the Elphaba wig when we glue it down.
I've misshapened and melted eyes by pouring boiling water in heads - which you can't avoid doing somewhat with eyeswaps - so I never do it for wig swaps.
I am one of those rare creatures that prefer the zipties, and it's only because I don't like the look of the string hanging down the back in photos. They're also very easy to replace for customising; just snip.
I've never melted or misshapen eyes, thankfully. But I've definitely scratched some. I'm going to try two things differently when I do Elphaba's eye swap and hopefully there will be fewer headaches with it.
And from the comments, it sounds like you're not all that rare in preferring zip ties. I was surprised to see how many ppl like them better. It makes sense to me - I don't have a strong preference either way. What size zip ties do you use? (feel free to email me a link if you have the info from a past order).
@@agtakesover lucky you; it would figure that of the two sets that I did that to, 1 was a #26's amber, and the other was MG's aquamarine. argh. couldn't have happened to something common and easy to replace like light blue, of course.
We use zip ties a lot in our household, so I got a large multi-pack. I can look that up and figure out from the listing which ones I use, then email you that info! Yeah, I'm surprised by that as well, I've always heard that adult collectors prefer the strings.
Oh no! Amber and aquamarine - they're so pretty. Why not a dime-a-dozen hazel? lol. And thanks (about the zip ties)!
I like neck strings better than zip ties, although I’ve gotten used to not having ties run down the dolls back. A friend suggested hiding the strings down inside the neck opening, so I might try that.
Ooh, I like that idea. You'll have to let me know if it works well for you.
OMG, Kristie ... what a video!
I wish I have the courage to do anything you just done; very impressive 🤩🤩
Congratulations for all the changes you have made
Thank you so much!! Since it's a lot harder to get your hands on these dolls in Spain, I certainly understand being reluctant to alter them.
Yep,@@agtakesover ! You are correct 😀
Definitely prefer string. I had a horrible time getting the zip tie off and then the string was impossible to get into the ultra skinny seam. She originally came with a zip tie back in 2000.
Most proponents of zip ties say that if you replace one zip tie with another, then getting the new zip tie in will be much easier than using a string. Personally, I don't have a strong preference but it's been fascinating reading everyone's opinions.
I'm re-wigging a 47 that I just got from the benefit sale (I'm going to give her braids!). You made this look too easy! I was nervous about using the hot water so I tried the "just pull it off" method. I've done if before with success, but this particular wig had been excessively glued on the top, so much so that the glue on the top was almost right up to the glue line around the edge. I got it off (after several hours), but destroyed the wig in the process, leaving most of the wig cap on the top in the front still attached to her head. Maybe I'll have to try the hot water method with my next doll because I do want to be able to resell that wig (Joss's wig). The wig on 47 is terrible anyway, so it's no big loss. It was so thin, choppy and static-y.
I think you've done freckles on your dolls, right? What do you use for those. I did some cute freckles using washable markers, but those come off to easy and now that I'm more confident about my freckling artistic abilities, I'm trying to figure out what to use to paint on permanent freckles.
It was actually validating to read this because you're right - what works four times in a row might not work the fifth time. You just never know. I'm sorry you had such a hard time with your 47 (you're right though - her wig won't win any awards). I hope you have better luck with your Joss.
For freckles I use watercolor pencils. I haven't sealed them but if you leave them on long enough, I think they do kind of stain it/become more permanent.
I have not wig a doll before or taken one off. Glad l came across your video. I have a My Generation l picked up at Good Well for 5$. I plan on putting a new wig on her and tighten up her body. She was well loved by someone before ending up at Good Well.
I have seen re-wigged Our Generation dolls and they look so adorable. My understanding is that their hair is rooted rather than a wig. If that's the case, I think you have to cut/shave their hair off first, and then you can apply the new wig. But don't take my word for it since I don't own any Our Generation dolls. At any rate, I hope it turns out wonderfully!
OK, I was watching each wig choice and liked each one more than the last! Well done! You have a perfect eye for this.
Thank you so much!!
Neck strings. I've had my Truly Me 75(Asian boy)for awhile, and one morning I was getting him out of bed and his head fell off (he had the zip tie). I was devastated. I didn't do anything to him,and his head hit the floor just from me picking him up off his bed. Eventually I calmed down, found a longer zip tie and reattached his head. Had he had the neck strings, I doubt his head would've fallen off.
That's CRAZY!! I've never heard of someone's doll's head just coming off like that. Did he get a shine mark or was he hurt?
@@agtakesover No neither. I was traumatized by the ordeal. He's happily married to his then boyfriend and they're raising his little brother as their son
This is the most adorable comment of the evening!
I have switched out wigs and been successful . I have glued down some of the wigs but I like to have most of the wigs unglued so I can switch the wigs out., I love ordering new wigs!
What I have failed at is eye swapping! Any chance you will do a video on that subject??? I have watched all the videos on You Tube but I can not get the eyes in!!!
Great video! Thank you!!!!
I'm going to swap out TM90's eyes to turn her into Elphaba, so I'll film that. I actually hate eye swaps but I'm going to try a few things differently with this next one. We'll see how it goes - hopefully it'll be my easiest eye swap yet and you'll get some useful tips :-)
Thanks for this video. I only removed wigs from a couple of old PC dolls and the glue was dry so they came off easy. One thing I was thinking as I watched this, (and maybe I missed your commentary?) is how do you know the hot water isn’t going to get in the eyes or the steam in the head will not cause moisture and affect the eyes? I prefer neck strings and change out all zip ties. 😊
If you think about the eyes as bird eggs, there is a vinyl "nest" that they sit in. So when you pour water in the head, that vinyl "nest" is protecting the eyes. Does that make sense? I'll be doing an eye swap video in the not too distant future and can show that part better.
@@agtakesover I didn’t know that and never swapped eyes. Looking forward to your eye swap video
This video was rlly helpful bc we're planning to also take of a doll head bc she has permapanties. Also we do prefer neck ties over zip ties bc it make it easier tighten limbs and take off wigs.
Yay - I'm glad it was helpful. I watched your AGBS haul video but I've forgotten already (I watched a LOT of benefit sale haul videos) - which of your girls came with perma-panties?
@@agtakesover The doll that has permapanites is my truly me 35. We did buy another one to swap heads tho. We also watched your benefit sale haul today. You got a great selection of dolls! Your custom 116 looks so cute, we were hoping to find some of the newer truly but they sold out by the time we got there.
@@crystalstarsag6762 And Grace was jealous that you got a 35 because it didn't occur to her to look that doll...so everyone gets to be jealous of something the other person got lol. I'd say we all did really well!!
I don't use the hot water for this reason. It scares me!😯 I do have pretty sore hands afterward, but never did four in a row! I love the Corinne mold and have customized her twice. Love her with dark wig, no painted lashes and sticker eyeliner. She comes out so pretty! I keep my dolls, so I only put a small amount of glue on them- case I change my mind later.
Would really love to customize an #89 in the future.. Her skin tone/eye color is beautiful! I would love to see her in a different wig! String for me is best! Can't wait to see how these girls evolve! THX!
Ooh, I bet Corinne looks nice with vinyl eyeliner! What kind of wigs have you used on her? Ever give her freckles?
@@agtakesover no bangs, straight dark with lighter brown ends. No freckles, but that would be cute with red hair!
@@paulettepalmer4860 Fun! I'll have to try red hair on her just out of curiosity.
Corinne with Blue Hair>3
I actually like her better with either all-black or all-blue hair than with her original wig, it turns out lol.
I'm working up the nerve to rewig a gotz ag prototype
That *would* take guts/Gotz!
Loved this very honest tutorial - that's really strange about the vinyl removal! But I really love the in-depth, non-sped-up tutorial that you provided. I like being able to pick the kind of tutorial I'll need at any moment - I could see using yours when I get started, but maybe someone else's sped up when I feel more comfortable but still want a refresher. I've never done a wig swap but I could see myself getting a project doll in the future for that purpose (there was a chance my #39 was going to be that doll, but her hair was refreshed after the wash and hair straightening). There are just so many lovely wigs out there, and I especially love the variety that Zazou has. In terms of neck strings or zip ties... I am currently a neck strings person, but I have really, really weak hands and I could see a future where I switch to zip ties if I have trouble reattaching a head. I've tightened limbs and always struggled so much to get the strings tight enough. Really looking forward to seeing future wig reveals, and thank you so much for sharing this tutorial!
Thanks - and yeah, I think there are good reasons there are so many videos about these common topics (restoration, customization, etc). Like you said, sometimes you want in depth and sometimes you want something short and sweet. Plus we don't all approach it the same way (spoon or not, nail polish remover or not, hot water or not, remove the head or not). You know if you decide to try a wig swap you're welcome to come over and we can tackle it together ;-)
@@agtakesover I need to think of a reason to have you and Grace over at some point! I feel like I'm imposing on your hospitality. But yes, if I ever have the theoretical project doll where I want to be doing a wig swap, I will be hitting you up; it is always nice to have someone more experienced to provide direct supervision.
@@eliseelliot You're not REMOTELY imposing. I thoroughly enjoy your company. That said, I'll gladly visit any time - no invented reason needed :-)
I've done three wig removals. My first ever was on my very old Girl of Today (the first one's they ever released, which was my mini me). Her wig was such trash by the time I took it off, but it was so old it took me FOREVER and tons of elbow grease. I glued her new wig down because I didn't anticipate changing it and I wanted to style (and it would slip around if I didn't glue it). The second wig removal was much easier (an old Molly whose wig was a mess). I didn't glue her wig down because it was tight enough without glue and I like the flexibility. Third one was for a Caroline that had cut hair (I didn't know she was Caroline until I got her home; she was just listed as 'blond with green eyes'). Her wig is glued down cause it was too lose without glue.
All that to say.. I love the flexibility but sometimes it's not practical to leave it unglued 😂
Agreed (that unglued is most flexible but not always practical). Next time I run into a wig that's a bit loose, I think I'm going to experiment with putting a couple glue dots on the doll's head to see if that works. I'm always experimenting and learning :-)
Do you always take their heads off? I only do that on the dolls that I struggle to get the wig off and need to use hot water. I am so impatient waiting for the inside of the head to dry completely before I put the head back on. That is too bad that the one doll gave you problems.
I mostly always take off their heads, but not always. I think what I'm learning over time is that I'm going to take wig removal on a case by case basis. I'll probably start the next with head on, no heat or water, no nail polish remover, and no spoon. Try the simplest approach first and take it from there :-)
I’ve replaced a bunch of my dolls’ strings with zip ties because no matter how tight I tie the strings or how I position the doll’s head, there is a neck gap and that annoys me. The heads sat so flush to the body on the dolls in this video - impressive. I haven’t glued down any of the wigs I have on my wigless dolls for 2 reasons. I can’t make a decision and commit plus I’m afraid of making a mess with the glue when putting a new wig on.
You and I avoid gluing wigs down for the exact same reasons lol.
I have actually replaced all of my dolls with zip ties even my older dolls
I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other so it's really interesting to read about everyone's preferences. What size zip tie do you use?
@@agtakesover i use the 8 inch cable ties from Walmart.
I could not look away during this video I am terrified to re-wig a doll. I have three dolls that need it Cecile, Kaya and #26. and a Josefina with one bad eye. I enjoy your videos because I love how chatty you are it makes the topics more interesting. Are you selling the Claudie wig?
I prefer neck strings to zip ties but have never changed out the zip ties in the newer dolls I am the person that just sends the doll to the doll hospital mainly for limb tightening. most of my dolls are pleasant company so I would end up with an AG head in most cases and I prefer the older molds.
Another great video and hello to your daughter ( I don't want to misspell her name) I loved your other video dressing the dolls together.
We're not sure about the Claudie wig. I sold the 116 wig today, we're keeping 90's and selling Corinne's, but haven't decided about Claudie's. Have your three dolls' wigs been cut or do they just need some TLC? Personally I've really enjoyed learning more about restoration (and probably saved a lot of money that way) but if you're not comfortable restoring their hair and it hasn't been cut there are options other than rewigging them. And I'm glad you liked the recent video with Anika - she's the best!
I think zip ties are easier to replace than neck strings. If the neck strings don’t need replacing I won’t replace them with a zip tie I’ll just keep them, I don’t really have a preference as far as how it looks. But threading a new neck string is a pain, and a zip tie is so much easier for that imo. And obviously if I was working with a doll that already had a zip tie I’d replace it with a new zip tie.
It definitely seems easier to replace a zip tie with another zip tie than with neck string. I may convert yet lol. (I also don't have a preference visually)
I prefer the neck strings but replacing them is such a pain. Now I just use zip ties since they are not that expensive anyway and easier to replace. If I need to customize again (or tighten the limbs) I can just cut and replace them again with a new zip tie.
I've been doing neck strings, but since I don't have a really strong preference, I decided the next time I'm going to try a zip tie. What size do you buy?
@@agtakesover I use is 4*400 mm which is a bit too long! I miscalculated. I think 12 inches will be enough.
Changing Corinnes eyes would be difficult because they are larger than a typical ag doll
Yep. That's one reason I wouldn't change her eyes (the other reason being I like the brown ones just fine). :-)
I like both but for the newer dolls I prefer neck ties but I’m too scared to change the ties to strings 😂
Edit) I meant neck strings for new dolls like AG used to do. I have pleasant company kaya beforever addy and I think goty Lea that have neck strings. And my newest doll is Nani (re-named kit doll) I’m not sure from what year I think (kit) is from the anniversary release. I received her from a yard sale. She came with her meet clothes. All she was missing was her hat and shoes. Idk what else she comes with but I do have her necklace. ANYWAY my point is she has neck strings and I love that about her.
I think you can make strong arguments for both neck strings and zip ties. And as a result I don't have a real preference. But whenever we've sent a doll into the hospital, we always say if she was sent in with neck strings, we want her to come back with neck strings.
The neck string should be 15". Hope this helps!
Yes, that's helpful. I'm guessing the zip ties should be the same length if I want to go that route.
Does the hot water do anything to the eye sockets in terms f the shape and how the eyes function?
Good question. In this case, I don't worry about it at all. The vinyl behind the eye sockets isn't being pushed or manipulated. It *is* a risk when doing an eye swap, but lots of factors come into play. Do you let the water cool just a bit after boiling before pouring it into the head? How long do you leave it in? What tool do you use to pop the eyes out? I'll be doing an eye swap video for Elphaba's eyes and will try to address all that.
@@agtakesover I will be watching
I’ve never done a wig swap, not sure if I ever will but I haven’t really seen the method you used! I’m used to seeing people use spoons and nail polish remover to remove wigs
And this is what I love about the community - people share their different approaches generously and viewers can pick whatever feels most doable for them :-)
I really want a Dreadlock wig, but all of the ones I have seen are so thin and I don’t like them Like it looks full at the top and then it looks stringy at the bottom because there’s not enough locks. I think AG now and forever has a nice Dreadlock wig but it’s short I want one that’s longer.
We have the same one that Ann (NowandforeverAG) has. We also have a longer one. Both are from Zazou custom wigs on Etsy. I think they're lovely quality. We have both lengths in very dark brown, but they are also generally available in black (and I think the long one is sometimes available in red as well).
@@agtakesover just ordered. Thank you so much.
Awesome - you're welcome!
I like neck strings
The more I think about it the more I think I don't have a preference. But I haven't used zip ties yet, so maybe I'll try to see if I really don't have any preference :-)
if the doll hospital does not have a Cecile wig watching this video I am thinking of a Claudie wig for her. might work. Still a coward so probably not do it. Willow is a nice name. I love that show Is it cake No comment on the host but it is crazy how real the cakes look.
I'm interested to see if the hospital still has Cecile wigs. And we did decide on Willow. Now we just need to figure out names for the duplicate Claudie and Corinne.
@@agtakesover When I contacted them they said they no longer have Cecile heads but I can get a new head for my 26 so I will do that I try to figure out what to do about Cecile. I have three Cecile dolls so thinking I might try to re-wig her but don't hold me to that I am terrified I will damage her in some way
@@nailahvenable7989 You can always have someone else rewig her for you. People who customize dolls as their job rewig dolls all the time and many are happy to provide that service very reasonably.
@@agtakesover Thank You for the information in my own head did not think of that but doable
Try using a spoon to help remove the wig
Agreed! I pretty much only use a spoon and my hands and haven't had any issues with my wigs or the dolls vinyl
@chloey3412 I've never removed a dolls wig before but always wanted to so I'm looking into rewigging a $2 thiftstore doll and trying to figure out what wig to get like AG wig or a non AG wig.
I’ve never rewigged a doll but I would like to try. I feel like I’ve watched enough videos on it that I could go into it semi-confidently, but eye swaps not so much. That still looks scary.
I freaking hate eye swaps. I've done plenty of them and I haven't had any *fails*, but they still stress me out lol. I'm going to film the eye swap I do on Elphaba and I am going to try a couple of different things in my approach, so we'll see how it goes.
Some AG wigs are very affordable on eBay if you get them from the grey market in Asia. I got an extra Joss wig that way and an extra TM62 one. They're just not labeled that way in the listings.