Treasures of the gypsy challenge 2009Can you believe the shock I got when I openened my gypsy treasure package and found the exact same fabric as I had for last years challenge???
I had a really hard time then trying to somehow make orange, red and a hint of purple work in one doll, I felt like screaming NO....NOT AGAIN.....ah, well....
This time I took a different approach and pulled out every bit of red and orange fabric I could find and laid them out from dark to light.....it just screamed firebird to me and that's how the idea for the Phoenix was born....
Btw...in the pictures here she's not quite finished, still some finishing touches to do, but I thought I better make use of the light and take the pictures already....
As always...click on the pictures for more details...
I decided I had to sculpt a full body, because she had to be a very pretty and elegant girl. So I made a wire frame over which I needle felted the body in wool batting, this wool batting then got needle sculpted and covered with two separate layers of nylon pantyhose which got individually needle sculpted as well.
I really hoped that I could create the curves and humps and bumps a body has got without it looking unnatural, after all she wouldn't be covered up by much....
I spent forever trying to recreate the ankles, knees, breasts and collarbone in woolbatting and nylon.
And then there where feathers.........
Oh, dear the feathers........I started of with the largest layer of tail feathers......easy peasy....6 different fabrics, gold thread and lots and lots of tiddly tiny size 15 Miyuki seedbeads. Did I think for one minute that even my tiniest feather would have to made up out of 6 different fabrics, gold thread, etc. as well? Of course not........sigh, but we got there in the end.
To cover up or not to cover up, that's the question....
Then I came to my final problem, could I sent a bare breasted doll to a challenge?
Not much of a problem here in Holland, but in the States??? I thought the subject could be a bit more sensitive there..... So I tried various "coverings" and one after they other got rejected, whatever I did to cover up the possible offending area, it made it much worse...she started to look like a very exotic dancer. So yep....the Phoenix stamped her feet (or should I say flapped her wings) and I gave in. She'll stay "au naturelle".
I had a really hard time then trying to somehow make orange, red and a hint of purple work in one doll, I felt like screaming NO....NOT AGAIN.....ah, well....
This time I took a different approach and pulled out every bit of red and orange fabric I could find and laid them out from dark to light.....it just screamed firebird to me and that's how the idea for the Phoenix was born....
Btw...in the pictures here she's not quite finished, still some finishing touches to do, but I thought I better make use of the light and take the pictures already....
As always...click on the pictures for more details...
I decided I had to sculpt a full body, because she had to be a very pretty and elegant girl. So I made a wire frame over which I needle felted the body in wool batting, this wool batting then got needle sculpted and covered with two separate layers of nylon pantyhose which got individually needle sculpted as well.I really hoped that I could create the curves and humps and bumps a body has got without it looking unnatural, after all she wouldn't be covered up by much....
I spent forever trying to recreate the ankles, knees, breasts and collarbone in woolbatting and nylon.
And then there where feathers.........Oh, dear the feathers........I started of with the largest layer of tail feathers......easy peasy....6 different fabrics, gold thread and lots and lots of tiddly tiny size 15 Miyuki seedbeads. Did I think for one minute that even my tiniest feather would have to made up out of 6 different fabrics, gold thread, etc. as well? Of course not........sigh, but we got there in the end.
To cover up or not to cover up, that's the question....
Then I came to my final problem, could I sent a bare breasted doll to a challenge?
Not much of a problem here in Holland, but in the States??? I thought the subject could be a bit more sensitive there..... So I tried various "coverings" and one after they other got rejected, whatever I did to cover up the possible offending area, it made it much worse...she started to look like a very exotic dancer. So yep....the Phoenix stamped her feet (or should I say flapped her wings) and I gave in. She'll stay "au naturelle".
So here she is my Phoenix, I think it's my first attempt at real pretty, pretty doll.
My hands where itching to add a few flabby bits here and there, to give certain areas a bit of droopyness and add a few wrinkles to the face.
Who wants to look at there doll's body and be jealous???
Hmm.....I might have to make an old lady next, just to make me feel better.........
