Doll Making Demonstration

I'm making a video of a doll making demonstration. This was day three but it's getting windy so I'll have to continue on another day. So this video is part one. Hope you enjoy it.

Scary Clown Doll

Yesterday I finished my ugly clown doll except for figuring out some way to put a label on it. I like the vintage green pompom trim I used on the body suit.  I got that at a thrift store when I was visiting my daughter in Atascadero. I feel good putting these abandoned bits of trim to use.

Then at an SCA rapier tourney on Sat. I took a 'how to make a fabric button' class.  I used my button as one of the eyes (the black one). I love the flower buttons on the hat and body.  I got those at Beverly's fabrics in SLO in a bag of mixed buttons. I'm working on a Vlog for Youtube of the doll making from yesterday. Maybe it will help someone make their own doll.

Clowny Ugly Doll

I have a love hate relationship with clowns and clowning, and I used to be one. Clowns can be a snarky bunch. Kids can be mean to clowns.  Maybe I'm channeling my inner clown angst, because my current doll really really wanted to be a clown. Far be it from me to ignore what a doll insists it wants to be. This photo shows how far I got yesterday. Then today I didn't feel like working on dolls at all.  I think I'll take a nap and then see how I feel.  Maybe I'll work on it tonight while the opening for the Olympics is on.

Primitive Style Art Doll

It was very hard for me to make an ugly doll on purpose.  At the same time it was very cathartic. I kept thinking how hard life is, how we all get beat up, how we earn scars, how we are often blinded to the truth. Each stitch reminded me of the slings and arrows of misfortune that scar us. I kept finding myself wanting to 'pretty' the doll up. Right now I have on leg warmer left to knit and some sort of neck trim to sew on and maybe a bracelet and then I'll be done.

People walking by would see me, then see the doll then look back and me and I couldn't help but wonder what they were thinking.

I am torn between naming the doll San Luis Obispo Sue or Beverly after the store all her parts came from.

Dammit Dolls Done

I just finished the first three Dammit Dolls.

These Dolls are Whack

I had to escape from my apt. today so I went to the library and worked on Dammit Dolls. Sometimes they are called 'whack dolls', because you whack them on things when you need to express some pent up hostilities. Then when I got home I stuffed them. Next I'll figure out the hair and eyes. Since these are going to be smacked around, I'm not going to add anything fragile.

In doing the research some commenters said that they didn't want to hurt the doll's feelings by smacking it on things. The doll doesn't mind if it can heal you from stress related diseases. The doll knows you really love it no matter what.

If you think you might want to buy one of these when I'm done, and you have a favorite color in mind, let me know and I'll try to get your favorite color into my Etsy shop. These 3 were sewn by hand because I didn't exactly have a sewing machine at the library. But future ones will be done on the machine because I think it's more durable and faster to make.

Archery Shoot

Fog on Sunday morning.

Woven dolls

striped doll

This one sold right away.

Muddy road on Thursday.

The smoke is from my friend's wood burning stovepipe.

On the last day of the archery shoot in the last few hours, I hung up some of my new woven dolls and sold the red orange one right away.

Two More Woven Dolls

A mint green doll and an orange and green doll just joined my doll family. Soon I will explore making faces for them.

Woven Dolls

I learned stick weaving long ago and always wanted to know how to make something other than belts and scarves. Today I learned how to make a doll. I can't wait to make more and try out different faces and clothes.

Gourd Doll With Pyrography

Happy Leap Day. I've been working on a new gourd doll. I'm enjoying it but it's wearing out my right hand. The wood burning tool is like drawing with a very heavy pencil with a cord on it. After three days of burning whenever time allowed, I think I'm 98% done.

Art Doll Ideas

Last night I was cruising around Flickr and found these cool art dolls here: Art Doll. It got me thinking about art dolls all over again. I'm fascinated with the concept of making art dolls out of things I already have in my stash of found objects and craft supplies. It's a great way to upcycle all kinds of fabric scraps, clothing, tinsel, glitter, beads, ornaments, broken jewelry, gourds, balls, and all kinds of other things. You just have to keep an open mind. If one thing doesn't work, try another and another.

Here's a video on making an art doll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJZ34vIqN8 I should make my own videos some time.
Primitive Folk Art Dolls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJZ34vIqN8

Doll Making Runs in My Family

A random post I saw on the Internet reminded me that my Granny Flippin used to make dolls from dish soap bottles. For a time I owned one. But with many moves, I'm sure it got tossed at some point (not necessarily by me). She used to make them and sell them to friends.  I remember mine has a pale blue gingham dress and a pre-made doll's head with blond hair and felt feet. She wore little granny glasses. My grandmother also did crocheted afghans. I didn't really get to know her until she was already elderly. She had 9 kids and my mom had five kids so I don't even know if my grandmother new who I was. Maybe I should try to make a few dolls with soap bottles to carry on the family legacy of folk art.

Red Headed Wire Gourd Doll

I found the photo of the redheaded doll. The face is a gourd, the body is wire, the hair is wool roving I dyed, and the headdress is a crocheted star. I haven't seen this doll in several years. I never sold it, so it's around here hidden in a bin somewhere. She's a one of a kind doll. I had her listed on Etsy for awhile, but then I lost track of her and had to take the listing down.

Gourd Art Doll with Green Cape

I made this gourd art doll a few years ago. Her hair is natural colored wool roving. Her body is made of wire. I crocheted her cloak.  Each gourd doll is one of a kind. Some day someone will fall in love with this doll and buy it. In the meantime she just hangs around with me.

Bottle Gourds

When my boyfriend asked if I wanted to go to the gourd farm today of course I said yes.  I soon realized I'd get to buy more bottle gourds to make dolls out of, since the bottle gourds are the perfect shape.  I like the ones that aren't symmetrical, because the bends and leans make the dolls look more animated.  Since a lot of gourd artists look for the perfect symmetrical shape, that leaves everything else for me! And when bottle gourds are 70% off, that's a great savings. I got tiny, medium, large and extra large bottle gourds so I can make doll families. I just bought my self a whole lot of work.  In the heavy rains the gourds are quite muddy and will have to be scrubbed.

Fairy Doll Dioramas

I'm gathering together some of my older photos of dolls I've made in the past. I keep finding things that I've forgotten existed. When I do I have to post them here right away before I forget again.

Two Fairy Art Dolls by Fayme Harper

Fairy Doll With A Basket

Fairy With Pear

Fairy With Basket

I believe I gave these all away as gifts. I wonder if anyone still has them. As I recall the dolls were removable so you could pose them in different ways. Click on the photos for bigger views.

Nesting Doll Blanks

I got these nesting dolls to paint. I've always wanted some. I think I will paint them like belly dancers. I've never seen anything done that way and it will be a fun challenge. I think I should sand them a bit and then prime them with gesso. If anyone is reading this and has already made some of these I'd love to see what you did with them.

First Post

I can't believe I've never started an Art Doll blog. I made the first one about the time I was in Jr. High School probably. I didn't get far. As I recall I found her years later and she never did have any arms.

I guess I haven't needed a whole blog just for art dolls because the apple head dolls and the gourd dolls and the beaded dolls have their own blogs respectively.

But now I want to share spirit dolls, prim dolls and other art dolls. I've been collecting doll making books for years, but because dolls are so labor intensive, and sometimes confusing to figure out, many of my dolls never got finished.  Sometimes the doll is done but not the clothes, or the clothes are done and don't quite fit right.

At any rate, I thought it was high time the dolls got their own realm.

Here is  link to an article I wrote on art dolls. http://hubpages.com/hub/Make_an_art_doll