paperclay

Scenes from my workspace.

August 1, 2010 By Rebecca 4 Comments

There’s been a lot going on the past few weeks. My studio (and tabletop) looks like a tornado full of art supplies & doll parts has stormed through it. I’ve been playing around with paperclay & papermache cones & have these little guys to show for it. Almost done!

There are doll parts strewn here & there, waiting for buttons, clothes & finishing details.

And there are new bodies waiting for extra coats of paint & then all the details!

Extra workspace means I get to have several projects going on at once. It helps me work better, but I’ve found that there isn’t such a sense of completion. I do, however, love working on these Christmas dollies. It’s a little weird when I’m thinking about snowmen & santas–then I open the door& a burst of steamy heat hits me in the face. But, I almost feel like a kid, anticipating the greatest of holidays. I like being in touch with my inner child!

Filed Under: Christmas, Dolls, Sneak Peeks Tagged With: elves, paperclay, Santa, snowmen, studio, work in progress

Starla–Little Pink Wonder

August 1, 2010 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

I apologize if you’re scared of clowns. However, I don’t think this little girl will send a shiver down your spine.

Meet Starla. She’s quite the talent! This little juggler is a muslin & fiberfill creation. She stands 17″ tall. Her lower torso is rag-stuffed & lightly weighted so that she stands nicely. She’s made in the style of a stump doll & has no legs. Her arms are button jointed.
Starla’s nose, bottom lip & hands have been needle-sculpted by hand for a great bit of dimension & the cutest pout. She’s been hand-painted top to bottom a couple of times & has been aged to perfection!

Her blouse is constructed from muslin while her apron dress is constructed from vintage fabric that is so sweetly faded & super soft. Starla’s blouse boasts a fancy, hand-made tissue paper pom pom which is wired & sewn in place.

Starla’s four pink balls, which she so delicately balances in mid-air are paperclay over styrofoam creations. They’ve been hand-painted, aged & sealed. They’re attached to rusty wire which is attached to her hands.
Her hair is brown mohair. It has been applied with light glue for extra stability & needle-felting. It’s been pulled to the side & left slightly loose.

Starla is currently available in my Etsy shop.

Filed Under: Clowns, Dolls Tagged With: circus, clown, Doll, folk art doll, juggler, miller campbell designs, original, paperclay, pink, standing

Lumina, a tiny paperclay punkin’ head.

July 22, 2010 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

This sweet little girl is Lumina. If you’ve seen my previous dolls, you’ll know that this dolly is a little different than the dolls I normally create. Lumina is a 12″ tall doll created of paperclay, fabric & paper mache cone. Her head and torso have been sculpted by hand without the use of any molds. She has a paper mache cone as a base. She has no legs. Her arms are made of muslin, have been stuffed, painted & are button jointed. Lumina has been hand-painted top to bottom a couple of times & has such a lovely, aged patina. She’s been sealed so that she may be lightly dusted after display.

Lumina’s sweet face has been painted with a variety of media. Her paperclay face has lots of dimension & a great little pout (similar to my fabric dollies!) Her stem is accented with tendrils made of rusty wire.

Her skirt has been created from a 100% cotton print in a lovely black & cream pattern. The hem has been hand-stitched.

Lumina is available on Ebay. She will end Sunday, July 25th at 9:15 Pm EST. Click here to view or bid.

Filed Under: Dolls, Halloween / Fall, Recent Work Tagged With: black and white, button jointed, Halloween, lumina pumpkin, miller campbell designs, paperclay, pumpkin head, small, white pumpkin

Priscilla, Little Miss Pumpkin Head

August 4, 2009 By Rebecca Leave a Comment

This sweet pumpkin head is Priscilla. She’s 15.5″ tall from stem to base. Priscilla has been made of muslin & stuffed with fiberfill. Her lower torso is rag-stuffed & weighted so that she stands nicely. She’s been made in the style of a stump doll & has no feet. Priscilla’s been hand-painted & sanded a couple of times, giving her a lovely, aged patina. Her head is partially made of paper clay. She’s been sealed so that she may be lightly dusted after display.

Priscilla’s face has been painted with a variety of media. Her stem, leaf & pumpkin head is fashioned from paperclay on fabric. Her curly tendrils are rusty wire. Priscilla’s nose & bottom lip have been needle-sculpted by hand giving her a perfect pout. Her hands have been needle-sculpted as well. Her arms are button jointed. She sports brown painted gloves.

Priscilla’s blouse is made of white muslin. It features hand-gathered sleeves & hand-stitching around the neckline and back. It is finished off with tiny, black buttons at the neckline. Her apron skirt is made of 100% cotton fabric in a beautiful green tonal print by Moda. The hem is hand-stitched with brown thread.

Priscilla is a free-standing piece & is sure to bring the perfect touch of whimsy to your autumn & harvest decorations or to your Halloween collection.

This little girl is available on Ebay. She will end August 9th at 9:15 PM EST. Click here to make her yours!

Filed Under: Dolls, Halloween / Fall Tagged With: fall, Halloween, paperclay, Pumpkin