A Decorated Gourd

This project was done last year, but I thought it would be fun to revisit it. 

I bought a box of gourds a few years ago here in Cornville and this is the last one I have left. It has moved to New Mexico, Nevada and back here to Cornville, Arizona.

Cleaning on the outside of the gourd was done a couple of years ago, as well as cutting the top out. I finished cleaning out the inside, making sure to get all the papery lining. Then I sanded the inside with 100 grit sandpaper. I also sanded the edge and refined it to include the crack that it had gotten over all this time. Gourds are fragile so you do have to be careful. (For cleaning information, check the great YouTube videos)

I began by painting the inside with some Golden Matte Medium to seal it. I started with a brush but ended up using my hand to get the medium up under the rim.  I am a hands-in-the-paint type of person anyway. (At my last job I worked with developmentally disabled adults. I taught them arts and crafts. They, and my staff, all thought me weird and crazy. No matter what the medium, I had my hands in it.)

After the inside dried, I used my Dremel to drill a decorative hole at the bottom of the crack on the edge and one hole at each end of the other crack that I found on the bottom. This prevents the cracks from growing and looks kind of cool. While drilling the first hole I got the idea to drill holes along both sides of the cracks and then lace up some cord to make it look more interesting. Of course, my new layers of paint did cover some of the holes I had drilled, but I drilled them again after all my painting was finished.

Then I mixed a little Red Oxide acrylic paint with some of the matte medium and painted the inside with it. I found a short handled brush to do this and it fit inside the gourd just fine.

Using the same Red Oxide/matte medium mixture, I painted one thin coat on the outside of the gourd.  I rubbed this coat on with my fingers (ahem, hand in the paint!) because I didn’t want brush marks and I could create light and dark areas of paint. Then I mixed some black acrylic paint with a little of the matte medium, and applied it in the same way to different areas to give an aged look. Both coats were light enough to allow the natural markings on the gourd to be seen through the paint. They add character.

The paint layers were left to dry for at least an hour, just to be sure all the moisture in the paint was out. This was to avoid bubbles forming under the coat of gloss ModPodge decoupage medium/glue that was applied as a final seal and base for gluing on embellishments. I put that on with my fingers as well. I rubbed the ModPodge on the top half, let it dry and then did the bottom half. ModPodge was also used on the inside as a seal.

I opened up the holes and threaded the cord as if lacing a shoe. Deciding to thread the cord along the top edge, I drilled more holes.

Using ModPodge I added the dragonfly images. Each piece was torn so the edges would blend, then the Red Oxide paint mixture with just a touch of black was rubbed on to give the papers that antiqued look like the rest of the gourd.  

I decided to put handles on the gourd using a couple of sticks from the tree in the front yard. I painted them with the black paint and then used the Gloss Medium/Varnish to give them a shiny finish.  I drilled more holes in the gourd and used the waxed cord to tie them on. I had previously cut and drilled some of the same type of sticks to make beads, so I used them to help hold the handles up off of the gourd.

I added the beads and I Ching coins to the cord hanging down and glued a nice dragonfly on the top edge. The dragonfly was a lapel pin, I removed the pin back to make it lay flat.

This was not a one day project, but well worth the time I spent on it. 

This was an example of a project that created itself. I had one idea, then it changed as I worked. It shows that when you are working on a project being open to new ideas is important. If I had refused to see the possibilities I might still be trying to force the gourd to be something it didn’t want to be. (I thought it would be a Steampunk bowl.) Yes, as krazy as it sounds, I do think that art, crafts, dolls, all have personalities and they do tell us how they want to look. We just have to listen.

On to my next project…..

Terri

Product Note:

The ModPodge, acrylic paints, and matte medium are all available at Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, or Joann’s.

The beads can be purchased at firemountaingems.com 

The dragonfly pin is a vintage one that I found in my grandmother’s jewelry box, that I was given when she passed away in the 1970’s. 

Prayer Flags

This is from a couple years ago and I thought it was a great thing to put up today because they are all about prayers.

Have you heard of Prayer Flags? They are a Buddhist, Tibetan, and East Indian traditions that is thousands of years old.  They are created and hung to make prayerful requests for mankind and earth.  There are traditional symbols and sayings that are put on them and have deep spiritual meanings. They are simple, but beautiful and very inspiring.

Traditionally prayer flags are done in the colors listed below, and when strung they are always in this order. If you do more than five, it must be in increments of the five and always strung in the same order, over and over, with each set. Blue is always first, at the top or the left. They are always made of cotton so they slowly disintegrate and need to be replaced with new ones, like the circle of life. New and old hang together and create a beautiful scene.  They are meant to be like a prayer sent out to the world. Their request is not for the individual, but for everyone. Each color represents an element.

Blue – space

White – air (also wind or clouds)

Red – fire

Green – water

Yellow- earth

There are fabulous pictures of thousands of flags strung in the mountains of Tibet and Nepal. Several photos from China show thousands of white flags, not the same as the above described flags.  (Put prayer flags into the images search and just look at all the flags)

I discovered the idea of prayer flags from my favorite magazine, Cloth Paper Scissors. There was an article about the flags and the Prayer Flag Project (theprayerflagproject.blogspot.com). This project invites anyone who wishes to make some prayer flags to post them and join their efforts to “spread positive hopes and prayers for peace, compassion, and creativity beyond the borders of our own little world.”

      

As an artist and fabric lover, this was intriguing. I decided to make a set of at least five and hang them outside to send peace wishes through the air to the world.

The flags in the article are not the traditional flags. They are unique to each artist and each one was wonderfully different, yet similar.

  

So, I got out some muslin, an in-between weight, and cut out five flags. I cut them 9  inches wide by 10 ½ inches high. I allowed for a ½ inch on each side and bottom to be folded twice to make a ¼ inch hem. For the top edge I allowed two inches to be folded with a ¼ folded under on the edge. This allowed a generous pocket for the string or fishing line to be fed through. I stitched the bottom first, then the two sides, then went on to the top.  A longer stitch (#3) was used so the stitches were looser and allowed the eventual fraying and disintegration that is traditional.

I did not stitch the top pocket on some of the flags until after I had added some type of fabric embellishment or trim. Others I sewed and then embellished afterward.  Plain white glue could be used, if you don’t sew. It isn’t about your skill, but about the intention to send prayers for peace, compassion or other requests.

I kept the colors semi muted to maintain a calm feel to the flags. My theme was Peace, and the calm feeling was essential, in my mind anyway.  I wrote simple sayings on some and just the word peace on others. I tried to use fabrics that had a feeling of peace about them and that made me feel good.

Be creative and add your own personal sayings and embellishments that promote your request/prayer.

This is a fairly simple project and can easily be done with kids. You could sew the flags and have them decorate them by gluing things on. Or glue the fabric into flags and let them decorate them. Remember that the flags hang in groups of five. So have the kids make 5, 10, 15, or 20. String them up outside and let the wind carry the kids’ requests around the world.

Have fun, be creative, and definitely make a mess.

Til next time.

Terri

Create a Cloth Doll Part 3

Now it is time to dress and embellish the doll. This is my favorite part. I love creating fun clothing and then adding beads and trims to make it sparkle.

At this point in creating a cloth doll you would have a color scheme that you are working from. The body colors, hair and fabrics hopefully create a beautiful collage of colors.

I usually drape and lay different pieces across the body in a variety of styles to determine just how the doll wants to be dressed. And the doll will tell you in her own way. Some fabrics will just not work. Others will be perfect. You will know when you lay them on the doll body and it makes her brighten up. The right fabrics and trims will just feel right to you.

I used the tulle and wrapped strips around the arms and one leg. Then added beads and embroidery thread to hold the tulle on. Green thread was stitched randomly to add interest and help hold the tulle on as well.

The dress top was just sheer fabric rolled to create the bust and draped in an interesting way. The skirt was also the sheer fabric folded to create two layers and stitched around the waist to the doll.

Strings of beads were added to the top and the skirt to dress her up. I got a little carried away on the waist with all the draped strings. But in the end I liked the result.

The wings were created by using tulle and the sheer fabric layered between two pieces of Sulky Solvy. Sulky Solvy is a water soluble stabilizer. It can be washed out in about 30 seconds with water but works well to create a stitchable surface. It is awesome to use in creating lace fabrics and sewing over lightweight fabrics. The wings were stitched, then jewelry wire was sewn around the edge using a zigzag stitch. Green embroidery thread was sewn around the edges using a blanket stitch to give it some pizzazz.

 Embroidery thread was wrapped around her left ankle and tied as an extra decoration.

The wings were sewn to the body and she was done. I am sure I could continue to add stuff to her but she is only about 11 inches tall.

Til next time. J

Terri

Stop by my Etsy shop for new arrivals www.etsy.com/shop/1krazyrtist

Creating a Cloth Doll Part 2

Before I talk about making the doll I want to thank the readers for your comments. This is not a paid blog. I am an artist who just likes to share the how to’s so other people might find the same joy in art and crafts as I do. There are no advertisements (except for my Etsy shop) on this blog. The ad agreement requirements are not acceptable to me. So this blog is just a labor of love for me. I hope you do enjoy it and will find your own creative juices when you read each post.

Now on to the dolls.

I use cotton muslin for the bodies because it can be found in a variety of flesh colors and weights. It is also a fairly inexpensive fabric that is great for beginners. I do recommend a tight weave rather than the really light weight (and cheapest) muslins. Cotton takes the dyes really well and will hold the color once it is set. Since these are dolls you won’t be washing them like you do your clothes. So you really don’t have to worry about fading.

To dye the dolls I just grab a paper plate (coated so it doesn’t soak up the water and dye) to use as a palette. I use a small paint brush and have a small water container next to my jars of dye. My process is really simple. I put a little water on the plate and add dye until I get the depth of color I want. I dab the doll with water to wet the fabric. The wet fabric allows the dye to spread. If you add the dye to dry fabric it will create a dot that is very strong in color. If you get too much dye on the fabric just add lots of water to it. This will dilute the dye and it will spread. It also spreads into the stuffing inside. This can make the dye on the fabric lighten up a bit. Just keep adding til you are happy with the color.

 

Experiment on a small piece of fabric before you start the actual doll. This will let you see how the colors will look and how they will spread. You can also determine how much water you want to use.

Don’t get discouraged if it turns out crazy looking. Just add some crazy fabric later and make it a really ‘out there’ type of character. The biggest problem would be adding too many colors like blues and brown over reds and greens. You will end up with muddy colors. You can heat set one group of colors and then add others over them. Then heat set again. Just like in printing, put on the lighter colors first then move on to the darker ones. You can’t put light ones over dark but the dark ones will cover lighter ones.

Once you are happy with the colors let the doll dry. Then put it into the clothes dryer for about thirty minutes on medium heat.

After that you can use rubber stamps with dye based inks to add designs. Do freehand designs with fabric pens and markers. Just heat set your inks, pens or markers when you are done.

Hair is the next fun addition. I like yarn and other fibers. I usually split the strands of yarn to create thinner ones and then stitch them on.  Cutting the strands longer than the desired hairstyle requires will let you trim it into a nice style later. You can wrap it around the head, braid it, glue it on or randomly stitch it. You can intertwine fabrics, fibers or strings of beads. It’s up to you and what your vision.

I even took apart a nice tapestry fabric to get the thick chenille threads to make hair for the Willow doll.

The hair can be put on at any time after your dyeing process is done. If the hairstyle would suffer while embellishing and putting on clothes then I recommend you wait. But if not, you can go ahead. The hair does enhance the personality of the doll. It can influence the clothing and how you finish the doll. Even if you are waiting to add the hair it is always a good move to hold the yarn/fibers around the head to inspire you. You can see what color hair is right and get a lot of ideas for styles, colors, beads and your other embellishments to the doll.

On this fairy doll I stitched the yarn at the front hairline and then put a second knot even with the neckline and stitched it. I layered it to cover the head and created an interesting hairstyle.

Then I gathered a variety of fabrics to make choices on her outfit. By choosing the fabric for the clothes I could see what to use as decorations in her hair too.

I used both tulle and sheer fabric for the hat, with some gold metallic thread knotted to hold the fabrics on. It came out as a cool hat.

The next post will talk about clothing and trim.

Til next time. J

Terri

Stop by my Etsy shop for new arrivals www.etsy.com/shop/1krazyrtist

Creating a Cloth Doll Part 1

Since I have been making a bunch of cloth dolls lately I thought I would show you the beginnings, the basics.

As you see in the photo at right there are a variety of body shapes and sizes you can create. Your imagination can run wild with the possibilities. Three of the dolls have been dyed using Jacquard fabric dyes.

The fourth doll was created with a fun printed fabric. The design was cool starbursts so I used some embroidery thread to accent them. Yarn was separated and braided to create an interesting hairdo. Then metallic blue beads were sewn through the hair and onto the body. I’m not sure she is completely done yet. More beads or embroidery may be called for.

The green doll is a fairy design and the one I will use today. I started with a sketch. I usually sit and watch the tv and sketch out ideas for new dolls. Right now I am designing some fun small stump dolls for Mother’s Day that I will put into my Etsy shop.

After the sketch is satisfactory I use it to create my pattern pieces. I usually lay lightweight paper or tracing paper over the sketch and transfer the drawing to a bunch of smaller pieces, separating the arms, legs and head from the main body.  I keep in mind that the finished doll will actually be smaller in size than the sketch. This is because of the stuffing, it pulls the seams in toward each other. The body takes shape but reduces its size. To allow for this I draw my pattern just a tiny bit bigger than the sketch.

After I am happy with the pattern I cut out the pieces and lay them on the fabric. It is important to lay them far enough apart to allow for seam allowances. (at least ½” between each piece so you have a ¼” seam allowance outside the stitching) Pins are put in specific places to remind me where to leave openings for stuffing and to be out of the way when I stitch. Though sometimes I have to remove them during the stitching process because they get in the way of the foot.

The stitching is done around each pattern piece. This is a slow process because you want to keep everything as precise as you can. Setting the stitch length to 1.5 or 2 slows down the machine and makes it easier. Small stitching is also important because you are dealing with small doll bodies. You want them to hold close together when you fill the body parts with stuffing. Gaps in stitching look bad and cannot be easily hidden if you want the ‘skin’ to show without clothing.

Once all the pieces are sewn they are cut apart using pinking shears. This makes your work when turning a little easier. Curves have to be cut close to the stitching if you don’t use pinking shears. And even then you may have to snip some spots around fingers, wrists, necklines and around the feet.

There are two options for leaving a hole for stuffing the arms and legs. You can leave the hips and shoulders open or you can stitch around them to shape them and leave a side seam open about an inch. Either way you will hand sew the seam once the piece is stuffed. Some patterns call for sewing all the way around and then cutting a slit in the upper arm and thigh but for me this weakens the fabric and also has to be hidden somehow later on. I like to do the side seam, or shoulder and hip because they are not as hard to disguise.

For me the head is an important piece and gets extra work. On the back piece I stitch a rectangle around where I will slit it for stuffing. This keeps the slit from unraveling and stabilizes it. It stretches and can rip when trying to put stuffing in. Then I put the pieces together and stitch all the way around. I start at the top of the head and end there, overlapping the stitching. I will cover the top of the head with hair so I know the double stitching will be hidden. This gives the chin a nice smooth stitch. Then cut it out with the pinking shears. Use some small scissors to snip the slit in the back (fold the fabric to get a good spot). To accomplish this I use a washout pencil to draw around the pattern and then draw the rectangle. After sewing the rectangle I lay the pattern over the pencil marks and sew it together.

  

I turn the head, stuff it and then do the face (before sewing it to the body). I do the face early because I want to make sure I like the face for the doll. Plus, if I mess up the face I can make a new head and try again. If I sew it on before I do the face I might have to spend more time removing it from the body and possibly damage the body in the process. Sometimes you can create a cool face but it might be wrong for the doll you are trying to make. I have a bunch of heads waiting for bodies. I also like to experiment with different styles and ages.

When you are satisfied with the face you can attach the head to the body. Stuff all the body parts and then attach them to the body. I recommend sewing the legs first, then the arms and lastly the head. The neck is fragile and you want to keep the face as perfect as possible.

Turning the small hands and feet or fingers, is sometimes difficult. Take your time. There are turning rods that help with the process. But I also use a pin to work the tips out. You have to be careful not to pull the threads or poke holes in the fabric. Again, take your time when turning. It will be worth it.

The arms and legs can be sewn rigid so they don’t move, or they can be stitched through to allow them to move. The blue doll’s body is all one in one. The arms are not separate from the body. You can also do this with legs. The drawback is that the doll has less real dimension. It is all dependent on what type of doll you want to create. I am never satisfied with just one style. I think I get bored easily and like to try new things.

After the doll is stuffed and sewn together it is time to dye it, stamp on it, paint it, sew on it. Or whatever you want to create a unique and beautiful creature. Dye and fabric paints require heat setting after they dry, so I throw the dolls into the clothes dryer on medium heat for about a half hour.

Then it’s time to put on hair and clothes and embellishments. Next time I’ll show how I sew on the hair and start dressing the dolls.

You don’t have to make your own patterns. Check out the books at your local book seller. There are dozens of great patterns. You can also find some great sites on the web that offer free patterns. If you type cloth dolls in Google you will find a bunch of patterns for sale. Most of the doll artists sell patterns for some of their dolls.

Doll making is fun. It allows your imagination to go totally wild and create whatever clothing and hairstyles you want. I get to combine my sewing, painting, drawing, collage, and so much more to make just one doll.

  

Til next time. J

Terri

Stop by my Etsy shop for new arrivals www.etsy.com/shop/1krazyrtist

Mermaid Art Doll Part 2

This is the second part of making the Mermaid Art Doll. I have been working on the doll for the last couple of weeks.

Once all the dye was set in the dryer I started putting on some beautiful sheer brown/green/blue fabric. I wanted a unique look so I pinned it into folds along the side of the body, over the chest and up onto the head. I added some to the head and around the face. This step took more than eight hours over a three day period.

 

Once that fabric was done I added the yarn hair along the front and sides. I had separated the yarn strands to give it a better effect as hair. Then I twisted it into interesting curls and added more sheer fabric to create a really unique look. Embellishments to the hair came later.

The velvet tail was sewn but not completely. I only stitched part of the way up the sides so I could add stuffing and to let me hand stitch the velvet around the sheer fabric. At this point I was hoping my vision would actually work out. (You don’t always know as you work if the ideas are viable.)

The inner tail wasn’t as flexible as I thought due to the wire. But I did get the velvet tail up over it and started adding stuffing and then hand stitching the seams. It took me a couple of hours to pin, hand stitch, and stuff the tail. Even after stitching the side seams and around the sheer fabric I added stuffing before finishing up the top edge of the tail. The stuffing was inserted through that top edge with the hemostat and pushed around until I got just the right look and feel. (When I add sequins and beads the stuffing and velvet tail will be fully secured to the underbody and nothing will shift in the future.)

Once all the stitching on the velvet tail was complete I decided to add more sheer fabric on it. It took another three or four hours to add it, but it looked right once it was done.

Then it was time to add the sequins, beads and more. Black sequins were stitched all over the doll and on the fabric on her head. I added strings of black beads to her hair and tiny green ones to the sheer fabric areas. The sequins and beading took a week.

 

More yarn was separated to look like sea plants and then attached to her hand. A couple of shells were sewn on the yarn. Then a polymer clay clam shell was added.

Then I made a polymer clay starfish that I decided was perfect in her hair.

Then I darkened the facial features and add more color to her eyes. I also used Prismacolor pencils to add some peach color to her face and other areas on her body.

The last thing I did was to make a tiny seahorse for her to hold. I used the last of the small green beads as accent. This little thing took a day to finish. Turning the nose and tail were tedious. But it was worth it.

She didn’t quite turn out the way I thought she would. But I like the results anyway. 

This doll is now available on my Etsy site for sale.

Til next time. J

Terri

Stop by my Etsy shop for new arrivals www.etsy.com/shop/1krazyrtist

Mermaid Art Doll Part 1

Looking at photos of art dolls on Google images is very inspiring. I get so many fun ideas. One photo

of a doll by Virginie Ropar inspired the idea for another mermaid doll. Her doll was not a mermaid, but the designs on the legs were exciting. So I mulled it over for a couple days, designing in my head, making sketches to help me when it came time to actually work on the doll. (I have dozens of sketches and go through them every so often to help with design)

This new mermaid was to be different from the last two I created. Those were modeled on the idea of a real mermaid. This one would be more dark and powerful. I toyed with the idea of black leather for the tail, but I didn’t have any in my stash of fabrics. Then I found a small piece of some awesome dark green velvet. That brought a whole new set of images.

I already had a pattern for the last mermaid doll so I used that one. I didn’t have to do any math or thinking, I could just get started cutting out body pieces and start sewing.

I cut the main body pieces out of a nice cotton fabric. I like to create the body with a tail from the cotton because it gives the body stability. I then create the outer tail that slips over the inner tail and hand sew it on.

I sew the body pieces together, stuff them with polyester fiberfill and then sew them together. The head is done separately from the body to begin. I sew it, stuff it and then do the face, before sewing it on the body. I like to be sure I like the face before attaching the head to the body. It saves a lot of unnecessary sewing. I lengthened the tail a couple of inches because I planned to put in wire to allow posing.

Once I have the body assembled I use Jacquard Dyna-Flo Fabric Dyes to add interesting skin color. I work on getting the torso color to flow into the tail color, in this case to match as close as possible the dark green of the velvet. I keep the tail fabric nearby to compare. The velvet tail, the hair, and all embellishments will come later.

I let the dyes dry overnight. Then the doll went into the dryer on a medium heat for about thirty minutes to set the dyes. Then it would be time to add the tail and other fun stuff.

 

Here are the tools I use in doll making, besides my sewing machine. I have three pairs of hemostats to stuff the bodies. Pinking shears are valuable for cutting around curves to make them easier to turn. The turning rod and copper tubes are for turning fingers and small things.

In my next post I will show you the rest of the creation of this mermaid.

Til next time. J

Terri

Stop by my Etsy shop for new arrivals www.etsy.com/shop/1krazyrtist

New Angel Art Dolls

Since I have been working on dolls the past couple of months I thought I would show the two Angel dolls I recently finished. Both of these are from patterns I designed.

My first couple of dolls in 2005 were from a pattern by Patti Medaris Culea, from her book Creative Cloth Doll Making. If you want to learn some great stuff, get that book. She has three patterns in it that allow you to pick and choose and be very creative. She also has some fabulous photos of dolls made by her and by many other people. You can also check Google Images for photos of Patti’s dolls.

I have been sewing for well over 50 years so I quickly began creating my own patterns. But for anyone who feels less confident in designing patterns, definitely purchase the cloth doll making books by Patti and by Susanna Oroyan. Though Susanna has passed away, her books are necessary reading for doll making.

First is the 27” Ballerina Angel. I love making large dolls. They don’t take any longer really than the smaller ones, The details are the same for me. The larger ones are easier to put together. The fingers are easier to turn and all the parts as well. But I can get just as carried away with embellishment on small ones as I do on the larger ones.

The second doll is called a stump doll. This is because she is created over a wooden dowel that is glued into a wooden base. The doll has no legs or feet. This one, the I Heart Angel doll is about 15” tall. I was inspired by Valentine’s Day.

Both dolls are all cloth filled with polyester fiberfill. They have yarn hair and a variety of fabrics.

My next post will be the first of two parts. I am working on a mermaid doll that is a little different from the two I have made before. I am excited to show you the progress of making her.

Both dolls shown here are for sale in my Etsy shop  - www.etsy.com/shop/1krazyrtist

Til next time. J

Terri

Art Doll Medicine Man

I have been so busy working on new dolls that I haven't taken the time to do anything for this blog. So here is a previously written one about one of the dolls I made a few years ago.  I will be sharing more on doll making in the upcoming posts. I realized I could photograph and share how I have been making the dolls.

If you like dolls, especially unique dolls, check out Art Doll Magazine. I saw one for the first time in 2005 while living in New Mexico. That pushed me to make some dolls.

This particular doll was one of the first few that I made. (made in 2005) His head and hands are sculpted in polymer clay. It took over a week to sculpt them before I baked them. I wanted a face that was older, experienced. And the hands had to also show the age.

I started with a ball of foil taped to a piece of wooden dowel. I layered the clay until it was the right shape, then sculpted, and refined. The hands were sculpted over wire.

I used bailing wire, from the hardware store, as the frame for the body. This was glued into the head once it was baked. The hands were wired to the frame as well.

The body was them covered with strips of quilt batting and wrapped with strips of muslin. Each layer was stitched to keep it from shifting once the doll was completed.

His clothes were a problem. I couldn’t find any leather in the fabric shop that was right.

Of course, I lived in Silver City. A town two hours from any kind of real shopping. We had to drive to Las Cruces to go to a book store, or a computer store. (Then we moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. What a difference!!!)

Anyway, I finally went to WalMart, in the auto section. I found the soft leather chamois in the car washing section. It was perfect. But it took two packages to make the clothes. Each piece was hand sewn and beaded.

The cape is made from a rabbit fur. It was beaded and the feathers were sewn or glued in between the beads. The moccasins also have rabbit fur around the tops.

The mohair hair is glued on. I made holes in the polymer clay head before baking so the glue would go in and hold better. The necklace is real turquoise beads with black glass seed beads in between.

He also carries a medicine bags with stones and other special items.

The Medicine Man stands approximately 13 inches tall.

I think I spent over a month making this doll.

I realize this may not be the type of project everyone will want to try. But I do recommend trying things that are outside your comfort zone and new to you. Stretching your abilities is a great way to inspire you in your everyday projects and it’s fun.

This can be messy too. I had fabric, paint, clay and beads everywhere for weeks. My little section of the couch was covered and no one could sit there but me. (by the lamp because I worked every night till bedtime)

I hope you try something new this week. Even something messy. Have fun with it.

Til next time. ☺

Terri