Cotton Reel Art Doll

A new swap challenge has just been set by Viv on my favourite Flickr group Art 'n' Soul.  It is to create an art doll who stands in a cotton reel and based on an article by Sue Roddis in the UK Craft Stamper magazine (March 2010 issue, page50).

The doll I created is quite large - measuring from top of her head to bottom of cotton reel a whopping 11 inches high. 

The body is constructed of strips of folded card (I used strips 2cm wide - that's why she's so big!).  Once all the strips were attached together, I cut out the body shape.  The wings are cut from one piece of card.

Here's what I used to colour the body and wings

For the body, I painted gold acrylic over the whole lot, once dry, I went over with purple Viva precious metal paint, but swiped some off with a baby wipe.  I like how it almost looks like wood.

I gave the body a coat to wear - by adhering pieces of old dressmaking pattern to each side with gel medium.  She had to have a belt around her slender waist too - made with wire and some bugle beads (I think that's what they're called!) and an old button buckle.

Her wings were coloured with distress ink and then over stamped with text.

For her head I used one of those sample chips for kitchen work tops you get at DIY stores (Wickes in this case - Venice Granite!)  The colour of it looked fine as it was and I just rubber stamped a lady's head onto it (from Crafty Individuals CI-238).  I used Versafine archival ink and although it's supposed to be 'instant dry pigment ink' - it didn't want to dry at all!  Eventually after using the heat gun and several blots, I took a chance a sprayed it with crystal clear acrylic coating - and it didn't smudge - oh what joy - LOL!

 

I drew the heart onto card, cut it out, painted with Viva Ferro (metal effect paint) in Gold Iron colour, edged it with gold pen and sprinkled a few glitzy bits in while it was still wet.

I don't go to posh coffee shops so didn't have a coffee stirrer, but found a piece of dowling I could use as the backbone instead.  I rubber stamped some text onto it and attached it to the back with E6000 adhesive.

Once everything was dry, the doll was placed in the centre of an old cotton reel.

My doll has a vintage look about her, but the one Viv has made is much more quirky and fun - and you can see it on her blog.  I can't wait to see what other people make now - and which one I'll get in return, but I'm going to have to as the challenge doesn't end until the end of the month.