Doll

I am not getting any doll work done- just slogging through the mess in my work room… trying to get it useable again. The room is in the attic and is often too hot to work in without air conditioning. The room tends to switch dramatically from being way too cold to way too hot. One of the things on my list is to put in air conditioner. I have to clear out the spot around the window so I can put in the air conditioner- but it is so unpleasant up there I don’t want to do it! I’m driving myself nutty. Also the longer it takes me to get back to work, the more foul my mood will become- I need to feel I am making progress. The mess in my work space seems to represent too much of what is going on in my life right now…
This morning I have put all the costuming fabric away in boxes and found one container for all the costume patterns. My goal is to find enough of the floor so that I can set up my ironing board again- then I can get back to work!

Today was the last day for the show. I actually sat in the audience and watched. It was great- everyone was pleased. I got beautiful flowers! Some of the kids even thanked me- always impressive!

I would like to post a lot of photos, but don’t feel like I can since these are not my kids and I don’t have permission… but this one has no face showing. This is “Angie” with the silly hat I made.

There was a little flea market at the historical house (Jason Russell House) around the corner from us. I got some goodies!

The embroidered doll is made from a kit or else was from an iron-on pattern. There are blue marks on all the seams. It’s a great little doll- she is well stuffed. Her hair, under her hat, is disintegrating though.
The other doll is a Stupsi doll. When E. was a baby, I always wanted to get one of these, but never did… I’ll have to see if I can fix her hair.
Also some vintage trim for 25 cents.

I also got some great vintage textiles- a beautiful linen pillowcase with nice old buttons and is embroidered with “Buona Notte” and 4 vintage handkerchiefs. Nice ones for dolls.

The armor! ( I don’t want any problems about showing this kid’s face so I just scribbled over it.)

One of the girl plays a pseudo-wizard- unqualified for the job she has been hired for. She is a comic element. After the school show yesterday morning, I decided she just didn’t look funny enough… she really needed a silly hat. This is what I made for her- plus I found these very silly glasses. She looked much funnier for the evening show!

Today was dress rehearsal- all 72 kids had costumes on their bodies so I feel it was a real success! I brought my digital camera to take some photos, but totally forgot- it was very hectic.
I have an itchy rash on my face. I am suffering from an allergic reaction to mangos- actually it is the skin of the mango… it has an oil in it that can cause a poison ivy-like rash in some people. Lucky me. My face is itchy, itchy, itchy! Today it was especially itchy all around my left eye- which was puffed up all morning- boy do I feel great! I peeled and ate the mangos last Wednesday, so I am hoping that the rash will soon go away. The itching leaves me feeling not completely well, and I’ve been needing lots of energy, focus and creativity to get the costumes done. It has been a distraction.
Just one more day of work on the costumes- the first show is Thursday morning- a performance for the school. Things looked really good today- my list of what is left to be done is much shorter then I was expecting. Tonight I’ll go to bed early!

I am making enough of a suit of armor to get the idea across- it is made of craft foam and that rubbery mesh that you put under carpets to keep them from slipping.
I have been spray painting the crowns and armor. The foam doesn’t accept the paint very well, but the places where I used the dimensional paint are beautiful- shiny and metalic. If I did it again I think I would spread a thin coat of sealer onto the foam before doing anything else. For now I am just going to appeciate the differences in visual texture between the very shiny and the dull gold and silver areas.

I’ve got 2 raccoon tails made- I will be attaching them to a costume that was a mouse. I need to do the ears.

I am making the crowns out of pipe cleaners and beads and craft foam. The first thing I did was play with the pipe cleaners and beads, putting them together with floral tape. I am thinking this will be the evil queen, step-mother crown.

Here are all 5 crowns- I put some designs on them with dimensional fabric paint. This is my “spray booth”- outside in a cardboard box. Only one has the beads and wire attached at this point.

Here they all are- gold and very smelly.

Next Tuesday is dress rehearsal, so I have one week to get everybody dressed! Things are going well on the costuming project- 72 kids, 3rd to 5th graders, most with 2 costumes. The hardest part is when we need to try things on. We called all the ladies-in-waiting and the narrators to stay for half an hour after rehearsal, to try on dresses- 28 exhausted girls, mobbing me. I am not good at this part of the project.
I am working on armor for one of the boys, and I’ll make the 5 crowns that we need. This is the most fun and creative part for me.
What I love about doing costumes- This is the only time in my life that I can play with fake flowers and metalic spray paint!
I’ll post pictures when there is anything together enough to show.