Like the base for a doll I made more than 8 months ago! Not making excuses, but by waiting til I found just the right thing, I think the base is niftier than it would have been otherwise.
I wanted something...not flat, not square, not round - but - whimsical. I kept my eyes open and finally saw this metal flowerpot on clearance at one of MFCSs (My Favorite Craft Stores). It was painted bright summer colors but I knew scrapbook paper & decoupage could start the Steampunk metamorphasis.
I covered the sloping sides in masking tape, then grunge-painted over it. Then the fun process began of adding doo-dads I've been collecting for the occasion. I love the phrase on that Tim Holtz piece: "possibility begins with imagination." Why the Scrabble "B"? It means "Begin" (a little nudge to that ol' procrastinator in me).
The big gear on the left is a spray-painted ribbon reel, covered in an old bracelet & some real gear parts.
The springs on the right are from a motorcycle my husband has been working on for weeks for a friend...but that's quite another story. Let's just say, after some mighty hard wrangling with that machine, the score was hubby:1 / bike:0.
And here's my sassy girl on her new stand! This is one of my favorite dolls.
She's from Barbara Schoenoff's pattern called "Circus Girl." A friend asked me to make a doll for her granddaughter, who has red hair and her name is Scarlet Rose. I thought Circus Girl would be fun all done in red and juggling roses. I can't believe I never posted pictures of her!!! I think I was in a hurry to get her shipped but I did do a montage for myself. This is Circus Girl in red:
While making her, I cut out double pieces of the basic body and started on my Steampunk version at the same time.
I'm annoyed with myself because, had I not procrastinated quite so long, I could've submitted her to Art Doll Quarterly for their Steampunk issue. Alas, the deadline whizzed past me Sept. 15. Someday, I'll learn.....
Here's a closeup of her eclectic collection of things she just might need while she's juggling gears.
The gears are from Tim Holtz scrapbook elements line. The other items are also various scrapbook embellishments, old buttons, jewelry & clock bits.
The sleeves & bustle are fabric I was going to use on another doll, but it didn't look right. The tulle on the back of the hat is actually an organdy gift bag that I cut the bottom off. It held the black feathers on the hat as part of a supply kit from another doll workshop called The Raven. See - things never go to waste when making art dolls!
Well, now that that's finally done, I think it's time to start another project! Our next club challenge is to make a doll inspired by a piece of music. I thought I was so clever to come up with "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" because, you know...I love sparkly things! But someone has already chosen that one. Maybe Steve Nick's "Leather & Lace." Or if I can find a belly-dance pattern, I might do U2's "Mysterious Ways."
Any suggestions??
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