Personalized Magnetic Paper Dolls

When I was a kid, I had a set of Edwardian era paper dolls that I enjoyed playing with and sometimes my mom would draw paper dolls for me.  I used to wish that I could have a paper doll version of myself, though.  Here is a way to provide your child or another individual in your life with a personalized paper doll.  Also, by magnetizing the pieces it may make it easier for your child to play with (I always found the paper tabs annoying) and easier to keep track of all of the pieces.

Materials required for both options 1 and 2:
*Printable magnet sheets (preferably without a gloss finish, especially if the intended recipient is young, since glossy images will scratch more easily)
*Camera
*Computer and printer
*Scissors
*Sheet of printer paper

Materials required for option 2 only:
*Pencil or pen
*Markers, glitter, and other imbellishments

Directions:
*Photograph the individual you intend to make a paper doll of.  If you are planning on including shorts and T-shirts in the paper doll wardrobe, it works best if you photograph your subject wearing a swimsuit or shorts and a tank top.

Option 1: Photographed clothes
*Next photograph your subject wearing a variety of different outfits that you would like to include in the paper doll wardrobe. 
Note: This option works well for shorts, T-shirts, and billowy clothing since the subject will not need to replicate their original position exactly for these garments to fit the paper doll, but can be quite tricky with long pants or long sleeved shorts.  To make the jeans fit my paper doll, I widened the legs of the jeans using Paint.  As another option, you could leave white space around the garments, as I did with the shoes, so that it won't matter if the garment would not fit the paper doll body exactly.
*As a test, print the paper doll and the clothing garments onto a sheet of paper.  Cut out the garments and make sure that they fit the doll.  If they do not fit, try some of the remedy techniques mentioned above or try photographing your subject again.
*Once you are certain that the clothes will work for the doll, print out the doll and clothing onto the printable magnet sheets.
*Cut out the doll and garments and your doll will be ready to use.

Option 2: Draw your own clothes
Note: This option is easier than option 1 and can give your intended recipient an avenue for creative expression.
*Print out the photo of the subject onto a printable magnet sheet.
*Print another photo of the subject onto a sheet of printer paper.
*Cut out the photo on the printer paper.
*Place the photo onto a printable magnet sheet and trace around the outline of the subject to create garments that will be the right size for the doll.
*Decorate the clothes as you wish.  If you are giving this doll to a child, s/he might get a kick out of designing her/his ideal wardrobe for her/his paper doll.