country living fair

here's just a few of the things that are headed to CLF with me in Sept. Country Living Fair is in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 18, 19, 20. hope to see you there. i'll post my booth # once i receive it!

Mother Machree

Well, i have finished my manikin. Her name is Mother Machree (from the piece of sheet music i added to the front of her). so the first picture (below) shows how she started. i'm going to tell you how i did it, in case you want to make your own.

she was a wire form manikin that i found at Home Goods. her arms are something i got at a flea market. it is one piece and looks like it might be a part/piece of some sort of tool. my husband drilled a hole in the center of the wood piece/arms for the rolling pin to sit in. i collaged the rolling pin (her head) and then glued it into the middle of the wood piece. there was an opening on each through the arm arm area and i just slid the piece through. then i wired the rolling pin from the back and under each arm to make sure the pin didn't roll forwarded.

for the body, i tore up strips of newspaper and dipped them in wallpaper paste and the secured all around the form. even though i was going to paper mache her, i did this because there were big gaps in the body where the wire was. this would help give the paper mache more to grab onto. i let that dry and then proceeded to paper mache it. i use the paper mache strips that you cut and dip in water. then i let that dry overnight.

So then last night, i collaged her body with vintage sheet music. after that was completely dry, i started accessorizing. i had the vintage slip/crinoline in my stash of stuff and put it on the body. then i glued crocheted flowers that i harvested off a doily. i wrapped the rolling pin with some tulle and added a little screw at the top to hold her hat.

So she is a multi talented gal. she can hold a hat, wear necklaces around her neck and hang jewelry off her arms.