Garden Goddess Art Doll

The current challenge on the Flickr Art 'n' Soul group is to make a 'Garden Goddess' using the template by The Enchanted Gallery and to use some embossing on it (either powder or metal).

Here is 'Fern' the Autumn Goddess.
I cut the shape from mountboard, covered it with some Decopatch paper and free hand scribbled some lines to emboss - I didn't want to cover too much of the paper up as it has lovely autumn leaves and ferns on. I glued on a few buttons near the bottom (after removing their shanks) to make the cute little plant pot and flowers.
 

The hair is part of a tassel and it's just the right colour I think. 
The heart shaped sign is actually a button which I've rubbed a little gold metallic cream onto to tone down.   The wording says 'How does your garden grow?'  Quite appropriate for this garden Goddess.
 
Autumn is my favourite season and I really like this doll and can just picture her in a pot plant - or hanging up in my dining room - maybe I'll forget to enter her into the challenge!!  As she was so quick and easy to do though I think I'll make another to keep for myself.

Meet 'Fritzi' the Festive Fairy

Whilst blog hopping recently I came across this intro  'Do you like a challenge? Do you like Art Dolls?  Well you have come to the right place.....'  Where is this place you ask, Artist Trading Dollz Challenge Blog created by Linda B - her own dolls are truly amazing and if you like art dolls do go have a look and a drool over some of hers. 

The first challenge was to create a 'Festive' doll she said 'think parties, celebrations, happy times, lots of colour and sparkle'.

My doll 'Fritzi' is from Germany and over Christmas went to a fancy dress ball as a 'Festive Fairy'!  Her crown and outer wings are made from some fabric leaves which are absolutely dripping with silver glitter.  The rest of her clothes are an assortment of fabrics.  She just couldn't get her hair right on the day so wore a glitzy, red sequined wig instead.

Lovely as the silver glitter is, it does unfortuntately get everywhere - much to my hubby's amusement!  Over the last few days he's gleefully informed me that I had a silver moustache and a silver neck!  I had to laugh though when after I gave him some sandwiches he asked what the glitter was actually made of - is it glass?  His sandwich was liberally covered in the stuff and he was actually contemplating eating it!!   What does this say about me?  No, don't answer please. LOL.  I didn't do it on purpose to get my own back - honest!!  I will say though that I did take the sandwiches off him and made some fresh, glitter free ones!  Incidentially, what is glitter made of? LOL

The festive fairy has a lot to answer for!

Mermaid Paper Doll

Isn't she lovely - well, I think so, especially her wild hair! Being underwater most of the time plays havoc with your hair so I must recommend a good conditioner - lol!

I've joined a new Yahoo group called Fantastic Flat Paper Dolls and this month's theme is 'Mermaids'. Well, I've never made a mermaid before but really enjoyed making the tail! The base is two layers of card (the back is covered with a scrapbook paper) and on the tail I used some self adhesive silver tape (I think it's what electrican's use, but for what I don't know!). I embossed it free hand to make a scaley effect then coloured it with a few different alcohol inks. I had trouble finding a top for her. I wanted her to have a bikini top but couldn't find anything suitable (much like me when I'm getting dressed these days - lol) In the end I used some more of the silver foil and made her a little triangular shaped top. Her face is moulded for air dry clay and coloured with pens and chalks and her hair is some gorgeous fibres which are incredibly soft and fluffy.

She is jointed at the arms and under the belly button. I think I'll have to make another one to keep for myself so I can play with the hair all day! Help someone.....please!!!!!!!!! LOL

An Indian themed week

This week's MAMMA ATC swap was 'India - An Asian Experience'. Here is my entry 'Indian Dancer' who is bedecked in some beautiful fabrics and wearing a very exotic head piece. This gave me an excuse to rifle through my little box of sumptious fabrics, mesh, glitter threads and the like. I must say thank you to Lubna though for the exquiste piece of fabric she once sent me, which I have used here as the dancer's sari.

MAD MAMMA!

The very lovely and talented Margaret has finally officially declared herself as MAD! Only kidding of course - MAD stands for 'Monthly Art Dolls' and is Margaret's very exciting new public Flickr group called MAD MAMMA. Each month Mad Mamma - oops I mean Margaret will set a new challenge to make an art doll. For the first month - January the challenge is to make a 'Jointed Card Doll' using the template by Mirkwood Designs.

I love making these paper dolls and it was Margaret who first introduced me to them a couple of years ago now - so this was a really enjoyable challenge for me. I know that a lot of other members of the group will make really whacky and interesting dolls, but I've stuck with something straight forward and sensible (just like me!!!)

I used an air dried clay moulded head painted with acrylics and features made up with Sakura pens and chalk. The hair is from an old cone of very fine fibre (I don't know what it is exactly - some kind of cotton I think). Her stocking are made from some netting which I've attached to the legs with Anita's 3-D Gloss Finish. There is also more of the netting under the dress. The dress is made from a scrap of beautiful fabric. The sleeves don't go right up to the shoulders as I thought it may create a problem with the brads. She is wearing some gold beads and a matching bracelet. Oh, and she also has a bust - made with some wadding!

I'm pleased with how she's turned out and hope that she'll go to a good home - once Margaret make the draw at the end of the month.

Can't wait to see what kind of a doll next month's challeng will be now!