Posted in Journal, tagged Cara L Johnson, handmade doll, recycled art, recycled fabric, recycled upholstery, recycling art on August 17, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I love Jane Austin and this is my version of a period costume. She is an art doll I displayed at an Embassy Art show this last weekend. I call her Still in Rags. Her outfit is complete upcycled upholstery and drapery fabric. I did a lot of hand sewing to fit it to her and add the wonderful ruffles.
Upcycled Art Doll
I also used my heat gun to melt the fabric into the interesting shapes in her skirt.
Posted in Journal, tagged cloth doll, fairy doll, folk art, folk art doll, hand made craft, handmade doll, recycled clothing, recycled craft, recycled doll, recycling cloth on April 16, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Ingredients: remnants of swimwear, high-count cotton fabric, my old fat jeans, a ribbon from an Amazon present, fabric swap from upholstery book, a few mother-of-pearl buttons, and a little boiled wool.
She’s done!!! Yeehaw!
I’ve finished the fairy doll I showed you a few weeks ago. She’s been a great learning experience for me. I’ve learned some new painting techniques and constructed a new pattern for her arms and body. The legs are my new favorite type, but they started with the tweed doll.
I liked the way this one came together, I’m planning on doing a few more in this same vein.
Posted in Journal, tagged doll making, hand painted doll, handmade doll, recycled doll, recycled materials, recycling crafts, upcycled crafts on March 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Here is Provincial Georgie, I had a lot of fun with the hair.
I’m still giggling over the wonderful chicken print fabric as well – I liked it so much on her legs that I used it in the dress as well.
I even came across a ladies lace collar to use as a shawl, I have a thing for dollies in shawls. Enjoy the pics.
Posted in Ideas, Journal, tagged fabric doll, handmade doll, original doll, painted doll, recycled dolls, recycled fabric, recycling crafts, recycling ideas on February 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’m one of those luck girls who had a new dress every Christmas and Easter. Grandma would take me shopping and we’d pick a new pattern and then choose some fancy fabric. Grandma did sewing for all the granddaughters (there were 8 of us!) – she’s an amazingly accomplished woman. She’d even fit the dress to my wide hips and large upper arms – it was so nice to have something so unique. It helped me feel special even during my horrid teen years.
So to continue the tradition I’ve been working on some dresses for my daughters for Easter. In the process of working on the dresses I was prewashing some fabric and ended up with wads of stringy tangles. And it reminded me of some very knarly dreadlock hair. So I gave it to one of my new dolls, doesn’t she look like a cute little Medusa – oh and my daughter was very pleased to see such a happy doll.
I love when you can find something that would normally become garbage and turn it into something fun and interesting. I plan to start saving these strings on a regular basis for future dolls.
