Santos Cage Doll... Comin' Along!

Have you ever had "one of those weeks"... 

that too quickly turned into "one of those months"?

I found some time today to finally apply a coat of paper clay

over the duck cloth fabric armature!

I did manage (two weeks ago) to stain and add several more 

decorative features to the wooden cage.

The arms are articulated... jointed at the shoulders,

elbows and wrists.  I will apply paper clay to them,

and add fingers eventually.  I hope to work on her face

this weekend.  Those are German bead eyes in the sockets.

I have cut out a metal mesh Victorian corset, using an

old window screen... it is soaking in a vinegar and bleach solution,

to give it a worn, rusty patina.  The plan is to hand stitch the

parts of the corset together, add some dribbles of paint 

and give it that "old world" appearance... a vintage "find" from

another time and place.  Blessings... Daryle

A New Doll... in the Works!

My excuse?  Well, our downstairs is still waiting for new flooring,

following the carpet soaking waters of Irene!

Two weeks ago we finally pulled the last of the old, original tile flooring up...

(the carpet went four weeks ago)

The new flooring will be delivered tomorrow, acclimate and be installed on Tuesday.

My workshop is a disaster: furniture piled, stacked, jammed and junked all over the place.  Being a bit "over the top tidy"... (Yup! basically O.C.D.)

I struggle to work in a "less than well organized" environment.

This evening I decided to venture into that very same space and at least attempt

to "work on" the base for a new Santos!  I am defining "work on" as taking a photo of potential materials to be used in the base of the new cage doll.  Sad, huh?

And so it goes...  Happy Sunday evening!  Daryle  

Oh Glorious Anthem!

A second cage doll is in the works! Designing the cage-skirt for this particular piece was a challenge. I (Daryle) wanted a vintage look, reminiscent of old Victorian wicker with beading. We found some great scrapbook paper that has the appearance of being water-stained. It will look perfect on the bottom of the wooden skirt base. We made the bird’s nest with grapevine, wood wool and backyard twigs... and will eventually speckle the eggs and add a crackle finish to complete them. The hang tag will (hopefully!) tie the piece together with the theme: “Oh glorious anthem, all nature sings...” This angel cage doll will be holding the nest in her hands, once it is attached.

I photographed the art doll head and bodice using the “museum” setting; to soften the image. The art doll was sculpted with paper clay over a paper armature. Her entire head, upper body and arms are finished with a fine porcelain look, crackle medium. Like our wooden cage doll, her features have been finished in the “Queen Anne style.” She has glass eyes, softly defined eye brows and lashes and sculpted black hair. Our aging process gives her that “attic find” well-loved appearance. All of the laces and trims are vintage scraps... that will eventually be sewn in place. Be blessed! Daryle & Katie