She began her work with dolls by dressing them up in costumes to help her daughter learn the history of other countries. Grannie suggests cleaning porcelain dolls with soap and water but warns that you should be careful not to get water in the eye area, where the plaster of Paris can easily be ruined. Broken joints can often be repaired with epoxy or dental powder and glue. An abundance of work has encouraged Grannie to take on an assistant, Rose Barsamyan, whom she has found to be sharp and eager to save the little dolls. Rose is learning the tricks of the trade, and thus far Grannie's protegee can report that she has repaired 14 dolls and assisted in fixing many others.
Grannie also makes clothes for the dolls.
These are even more time-consuming than repairs because they must be fitted to the doll. Making doll clothes requires the skills of an excellent seamstress.