When it's cold there is nothing like sitting down to a nice cup of something hot, a movie, and a bunch of wool. It's still needle felting season! I haven't had much time but here are some cuties. They originally started life as "kelly" barbie's little sister. Then were discarded. I am recycling them and giving them a new life. I like them so much better now! I made around 30 mermaids for the holidays as ornaments but then realized that they can go anywhere anytime.
Most of them sold during the holidays but I do have a few left if anyone is interested in them. I was selling them for $25.00 but they are on sale now for $18.50. What a deal! ;)
(The gnome is not available. I just thought I would show him off. :0)
Before (sample pic)
After: I changed his face paint and he needed some "ageing" also. His clothes are all needle felted.
As a child I was not allowed to have fashion dolls like Barbie only baby dolls. Well, I didn't like baby dolls. All the adults in my life thought that was just plain strange.
I think that's a main factor in why a few years back I got into remaking old fashion dolls. I couldn't get enough of them. Some of my friends and especially my mother-in-law would bring me more dolls every time they saw me. I was thrift shopping all the time. At one point I think I had 125 cast-off fashion dolls and few new ones too. People thought that was strange too, and I felt a little strange. What was this obsession?
I didn't want them for what they were...a fashion doll (and nude and filthy). I wanted to transform them into something more. OOAK's as they say in the remake biz. That's one-of-a-kind to the uninitiated.
I would wash them, take off their face-paint, redo it, make new fantasy outfits, sometimes re-root new hair (hours of work!), give them "accessories", etc. Now when I look back at that time, I realize that I was transforming the inside of me and it was reflected on the outside of the dolls.
Hubbs and I started this short film in 2005 just to document my work, but then it turned into something more. Hope you enjoy it! I do have images of some of my art dolls for sale as greeting cards in my Etsy shop. Be sure and check it out. I need to eat too. ;)
I took this photograph 2 years ago when there were 4 of these nude nymphs guarding my garden. They were very vigilant...staying out there day and night. And I never caught them napping...they always had their eyes open. After a year with no time off, we decided it would be best if they took a permanent vacation.
Title: Garden Nymph Medium: Digital Painting Full Size: 8" x 10"
Title: Coffee with Barbie Medium: Sculpture (sold) Prints available. Full Size: prints from greeting card to 8" x 10"
I did this sculpture for a coffee house art tour in 2007. It took a long time for me to figure out how to make the coffee without melting the doll. The whip cream was especially fun to do!
She was a big hit on the tour and now resides in her permanent home. However prints of her are available.
