Queen Elizabunny - The paperclay folk-art doll!

I took a Folk-Art Doll Class

This month I've been taking an online course offered by The Artful Gathering. The course I'm taking is called Rosaleen Rabbit by Colleen Moody. Registration is closed for the session, but sometime in November the dvd from the online course will be available to purchase from their website if you want to make your own!

Rabbits are Trendy

I've been noticing woodland animal designs everywhere lately! In clothing designs, home decorating, product packaging, etc. I purchased several baby and childrens clothing items with funky woodland animal designs for my grandbabies!

Learned to sculpt with Paperclay

In the course we learn to mold the adorable rabbit dolls using paperclay. The course uses lots of different mediums, the body is sewn so you work with fabric. The head, shoulders, arms and legs are sculpted using clay. We paint and antique the dolls, then we sew costumes for the dolls. You can even make some jewelry for your doll!

She's Finished

Here is my rabbit doll all finished! She is about 16" tall. She turned out quite regal so I named her "Queen Elizabunny"! She is very elegant and dignified, but she is also kind with a sense of duty. It's just how she turned out.

"Queen Elizabunny"!

An Important Portrait

 

 Here she ponders her many responsibilities...and carrots.

"Queen Elizabunny" sitting on her throne.

Take a break here for tea and carrots

It has been a very rewarding course and I have learned a lot. I struggled with the clay at first, especially the ears but I figured it out! I have made lots of dolls over the years, but have never made a doll with a clay head starting from scratch. The clay head technique is new to me. I love her. I have one more smaller rabbit doll to finish. I have to go create her a suitable outfit that matches her personality.

Link to Colleen Moody dolls on pintrest: Colleen Moody dolls on pintrest.
Link to a blog about her live doll course: Blog review of Colleen Moody doll class.
Link to Collen Moody's blog: Colleen Moody blog.

Snowflake Ornaments - Made from Tim Holtz Snowflake Rosette die

I made 4 snowflake ornaments using the Tim Holtz Snowflake Rosette die! It's an amazing die! 

I used some scrapbook paper with an ice pattern. I added blue denim distress ink to the edges, mica glitter randomly, and I also added embellishments to the centers. I used tissue tape on the back before folding so the perforations don't tear when you fold it up. If you don't have tissue tape, you can cut a strip of newspaper the same width as tissue tape and glue it on the back with a glue stick. I've done that and it works too.

To learn how to make the paper snowflakes using the Snowflake die, you can follow this video tutorial by Tim Holtz for making paper rosettes as the technique is the same. It's an excellent tutorial!

Look what "It's raining jelly beans" made with the same die! Beautiful! She gave her creations away as Christmas gifts! Wouldn't it be nice to be on her Christmas list!?

I love this die! The snowflakes look complicated to make but really they are easy and turn out spectacular! They are pretty stiff once assembled so they can stand up on their own on a shelf or you could hang them and they dangle beautifully. I've seen someone make an entire wreath decorated with these snowflakes.

I love snowflakes for their simplistic beauty, and would frame the real snowflakes if I could, but they do not last, as they melt ... after we ski on them, turning into water, which then evaporates ... and stuff. I'm sure there are many metaphors for life in there somewhere, but all I'm saying is, make a snowflake, it's fun, and they last on your shelf, and they sparkle! That's good enough for me!