I'm also going give you a brief demonstration on how to make the most of this:

and then turn the all of that into something like this:

I came up with the idea for these stands when Mattel introduced the Spa Silkstone Barbie. It was my first experience with a wig doll, and of course, I went crazy and bought lots of wigs. Although I enjoyed seeing them on my doll, diorama nut that I am, I thought they would make an even better wig shop display. After that, it was off to my local craft store to see what I could dream up, and the rest is history. There's a materials list and directions at the end, but for now, lets get straight to the finished scene. Here's a full view. This mini diorama is 12" wide x 12" deep by approximately 15" high. Wall height is up to you. Small as it is, even 16" doll collectors can benefit from a setting like this one. It's compact enough to fit on a shelf or bookcase, but just big enough to add a backdrop and props to plain doll display.

Here's a close-up of the upper left shelf. The blonde and redhead wigs are from Vivette Giftsets. The wig in the middle is from Monique and is called 'Penny'. I made the shelves from Victorian dollhouse trim (now shelf supports) and wood strips. The shelves are being held up with two glue dots each.

Here's a close-up of the upper right shelf. The redhead wig in the back is from a Vivette Giftset, the wig in the middle is 'Marianne' by Monique, and the platinum wig in the front is probably by Charles Joseph, but might also be the 'Pinky' wig by Monique.

Here's a close-up of the double wig stand on top of the display case. The raven wig is from a Vivette Giftset and the honey blonde wig is vintage. The base of the stand is made from a wooden bar, two finales and two pegs. The brass table top mirror is a 1:12 scale mirror purchased at a miniatures shop.

Here's a close-up of the upper shelf in the display case. The blonde hair piece was from a generic doll set. All I did was braid it. The other two pieces are from a mid '90's Barbie hair accessory set. They came attached to funky, oversized plastic barrettes that I have since removed. To make your own hair pieces, cut a section of hair approximately 8" long and wrap a clear plastic hair elastic around the very center. Fold the hair in half, and loop another clear plastic hair elastic around the fold to secure it. Style the hairpiece.

Here's a close-up of the bottom of the case. The manufacturer of this fantastic case is Re-Ment. It comes with 2 clear plastic removable shelves, two shallow storage drawers in the back at the bottom, a 3-tier display pedestal and slanted shelf inserts. Manufactured by Monique, from left to right, the wigs are 'Blossom', 'Lexy' and 'Claire', and are being displayed on my shortie wig/hat stands. The wig stand base is made from a wheel and a peg.

Here's a close-up of the right side of the display. The blonde flip wig on the top of the case is a Monique wig called 'Sabrina'. The wig stand base is made from a wheel, a finale and a peg. The reddish brown pageboy wig on the very bottom is a Pink Ponytail exclusive. The base is made of a wooden candlestick holder. The long straight redhead side part wig in the middle is of course from the FR New Versailles Veronique. The wig stand base is made of a wooden candlestick holder and an oversized wooden peg.

What's this? Could it be a home perm gone terribly wrong or just a really bad hair day? Wig boutique to the rescue!

"Ugh! No cameras, please!"

"Nice, but definitely not me."

"How do I look as a redhead?"

"Or as a retro blonde?"

On to the directions. Here's a list of what you'll need to make these fun wig/hat stands.

1 1/4" Styrofoam Balls (use a larger size for bigger dolls)
Pantyhose or knee highs in any color
Thread (any color)
Wooden wheels (with holes), pegs, finales, candle stick holders and blocks in various sizes
Craft glue (Elmers, Aileen's, etc.)
Small saw
Scissors
Small binder clip or clamp
Paint and paint brush or spray paint
Sealer 1. Using your saw, cut the end off of your pegs so that just the tapered stem remains. (Tip: Don't be afraid to use a saw. If you don't have one, you can up a hack saw or equivalent at the dollar store.) 2. Insert the pegs into the wooden wheels or finales. If the fit is loose, add a little glue in the hole first. If it's tight, pound it in with a hammer or mallet If you're using blocks, simply glue the blocks in place. 3. Paint! I used inexpensive acrylic craft paint and a brush, but you might find it easier to use spray paint. After they've dried, use a satin or gloss sealer to protect your wigs against any potential paint transfer. 4. Get out your foam balls. Using the cut end of the wig/hat stand base, poke a hole about half way into the styrofoam, then pull it out.

5. Cut your hosiery into (approximately) 2 1/2" wide rectangles. For example, with knee highs, cut off the toes and the knee band, then cut the remainder into 2 1/2" lengths so that they make a short tubes. Cut the tubes into 2 equal squares. 6. Wrap the balls with nylon by pulling one corner at a time toward the hole and pinching it between your fingers while you go for the next loose end. Although it looks too small, it will stretch. 6. When you have all the loose ends above the hole, pull them all at once even further and twist. Secure the twisted end with a binder clamp, then tie it shut with a double knot using a piece of thread.

7. Release the binder clip and cut off the excess nylon, leaving an approximately 1/8" long tail. 8. Using a long narrow object like the end of a paintbrush, push the tied off end into the hole in the foam ball.

9. Put on just enough glue to cover the opening, then insert the stem of the wig stand base into the hole and push. Adjust the height of the foam ball if necessary. Ta-da! You're done. Leave it as is or decorate your stand with ribbons, paper, stickers, etc. For my shortie stands, I cut lengths of rhinestone chain and wrapped it around the base. Because the base is curved, the chain stays in place without any glue. Pearl or bead strands could also be used to change the look. Due to the fact that they are nylon covered styrofoam, wigs and hats don't fall off as easily, however, for added staying power, you can put a straight pin through the wig to help keep it in place. An unpainted stand with a straight pin makes a great wig styling tool. And now, a quickie tutorial on how to enhance your Barbie Fashion Fever Build A Room Kit. Among other things, the kit comes with a two section slotted floor, the parts of which can be used together or separately. For this display, I used the 12" x 12" section all by itself. To make the walls higher, I cut up one used US Post Office 12" x 15" sized priority mail box. I taped the two sections together and then slid the cardboard into the floor slots where the walls would go.

I could have covered it in paper and used it as is, but instead, I cut a piece of posterboard to size, scored it, folded it, used spray glue to cover it in light blue wrapping paper and then slipped it in the slot in front of the cardboard. Since the corrugated cardboard is only for support, by using a separate posterboard wall, I can add as much wall height as I want to. For the floor, I used a 12" x 12" floor tile that I bought at the dollar store. A 12" x 12" piece of scrapbook paper could have been substituted just as easily.

This concludes today's Diorama Discussion. Here's hoping you found it useful, inspiring and fun!