Need a Holiday Gift for Your Taylor Swift-Loving Kid? This TikTok Mom Has You Covered

A mom shares a video of the DIY Taylor Swift doll she made, and now she’s breaking it all down for us.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

If you have a Taylor Swift fan in your household (I suspect most of us do) and you’re still clamoring for the perfect holiday gift for them, look no further. A mom recently shared an adorable gift idea that’s perfect for Swifties of all ages, and it won’t break the bank. (Unlike Eras Tour concert tickets!) The one catch? It does require some DIY skills.

Jillian Rundell (@jillianrundell), a mom and interior designer, took a store-bought doll and transformed it into the popstar’s likeness for her own daughter. Not surprisingly, social media users are loving the doll and taking major inspiration from it.

“In my crafty era…Making a DIY Taylor Swift doll for my Little Swiftie!,” Rundell writes alongside a TikTok video showing her creating the Swift-inspired doll. Rundell’s creation includes details that’ll ring familiar to any Swifite, from the friendship bracelets on the doll’s wrists to the multi-colored fingernails.

“My 4-year-old daughter and I are both huge Swifties. One morning I was scrolling through TikTok and came across a video where another mom pointed out that the Disney ILY Ariel doll could easily be transformed into Taylor Swift,” Rundell tells Parents. “By this point I was already done Christmas shopping for my kids, but just knew I needed to make this for my little girl to open Christmas morning! I instantly placed a Target pickup order for the doll and went to work on it right away. I had a lot of fun making this.”

Like Rundell, I’m a Swiftie myself (and a mom to a budding little Swiftie as well). I’ll admit it, though—My first thought upon seeing this video was “That’s so adorable, but I’m just not artistic enough to recreate it myself”.

But Rundell doesn’t think artistic talent is a prerequisite for other parents who wish to try this at home. It’s all about honing in those specific details that give the doll those Taylor Swift vibes.

“I'm pretty naturally artistic. I have a degree in art and interior design and absolutely love crafting and creating art with many mediums. [However] I do believe that this is a fairly easy project that doesn't require a ton of supplies and that anyone could do this with a little patience,” says Rundell.

If you want to try to do this yourself, Rundell walks us through the process in a second TikTok clip. She also shares a few details with us about the process of creating the doll, as well as some tips for others who want to make it.

“I started by making a list of Taylor's features I wanted to add to the doll. I knew she needed the signature red lip, bangs, friendship bracelets, and a 13 written on her hand; but I decided to take it a step further and added a little wing to her 'eyeliner' and painted her nails in the exact way Taylor's nails are painted for the Eras Tour,” says Rundell.

She goes on to explain the supplies needed for the doll.

“I used acrylic paint for all of the details that I added to the doll and sealed those areas with a clear Mod Podge,” the mom explains. “I also purchased a cheap mini guitar from Dollar Tree that I painted pink to resemble Taylor's Lover-era guitar. I would recommend spray painting the guitar if you decide to try this, as the acrylic paint gave me some trouble on that element of this project!”

Having a visual representation of how this DIY project actually comes together is so helpful—that’s why Rundell, who is not a frequent TikTok-er, decided to share this video.

“I really wanted to share the idea and instructions with other [parents] so that they too could make Christmas morning magical for their little Swifties,” she says. “I shared two videos to my Tiktok originally and then created a reel for Instagram. I've never gone ‘viral’ for anything, so my mind was blown when my video was receiving so many views and likes!”.

Rundell says she’s received many comments from fellow parents of Swifties, as well as adult T-Swift fans who want to make this doll for themselves. Through feedback on her videos, Rundell has even sparked additional ideas for taking this doll to the next level.

“There has also been a lot of brainstorming going on in the comments and some people have suggested things to add to the doll that I didn't even think of originally,” she says. “Since posting the video I have added glitter paint to her boots and am in the process of making matching friendship bracelets for my daughter to wear with her doll, which were both fantastic suggestions from commenters!”

This is a great (and affordable!) gift for little Swifties this holiday season. Or, if you won’t have time to tackle this project ahead of the holidays, it could be a really fun art activity for kids and parents to do together. In fact, I just might attempt this with my own kids while we try to fill the days during their upcoming winter break.

And of course, I'll take Rundell’s advice into account if I do. Here’s what the mom suggests for anyone who plans to recreate this idea. “My biggest advice if you decide to try this is: take your time, follow the natural lip and fingernail lines when painting, have fun, and don't be afraid to make it your own!”

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Read the original article on Parents.