Recycle and paint

I have wanted to try making a doll dressed in tyvek. I love the way it looks and tho it is a little stiff for clothing on a doll, figured I would give it a shot anyway. I never say never when it comes to trying things. Having once again fallen into ownership of a used Postoffice Express tyvek envelope I figured now was a good time to try my idea. I cut open the sides of the envelope so I had one long flat piece of "paper". I used EarthSafe Finishes (ESF) Shimmer paint and painted the paper in muli colors, one on top of the other. Once I liked what I did, let it dry. Then blasted the paper with a heat blower to sort of melt and bubble the paper.

I had a ELF doll already made. It stood without clothes in it's white fabric. Painted the legs and the sleeve part of the arms in ESF green colorant dye. Made a top and pants for the doll, out of my tyvek painted envelope. I did the the clothing sewing with seams on the outside (no turning rightside out necessary) Put the clothing on the doll and used the hot blower to melt the top and pants to fit the ELF. Hot blower melted the "outside seams" and they are now gone.

Came out totally fun and funky. My plan of doing a Tree Bark Elf, is somewhat changed. I have always said the dolls tell you want they ARE. I think my doll looks like a Funky Flamboyant Irish Matador. Way more fun than a Tree Bark Elf. I have two more Elf Dolls I am doing then will make them into patterns.

Hugs, Barb Keeling

ESF will brighten your life with great and safe paint.

Doll Clothes ARE the DOLL

I am always looking for new fun stuff to do with dolls. I am having so much fun with the paint and dyes from ESF (Earth Safe Finishes) that I find myself looking for new excuses to paint the dolls.

You may remember I am the one who used about half a bottle of the Colorant Blue dye and re-dyed a whole 8 foot couch, costing less than $6.00 to do. OHHHH wait that is a story for another time.

Here are some funky dolls I designed and made the clothes part of the stuffed doll. Then used the Shimmer Paint from ESF to paint the clothes and used the colorant dye to dye the doll "skin". This way when you stuff the doll you are stuffing the clothes as part of the doll. Then just paint the whole doll and it is a done deal. A really fast doll. Makes these ready small would be super cute Xmas Tree Deco too. All you need is the Shimmer Paint and some of the Colorant Dye to do this easy project.

Happy Doll Making a painting.

Best, Barb Keeling

Painting on Doll Clothes.

For some 35 years or so I have been involved in the creative whirl of sewing, crafts, quilting, fiber arts, needlearts etc. doing a little of "everything". Spent many years as a product demonstrator at craft-ee/sew-ee/quilt-ee creative products consumer shows. Have shown people 'how to do "stuff" for a long time. I have indeed been a "show'n-sell-er for a lot of years. It has been a joyful creative fun time.

For the past 15-ish years I have designed Cloth Dolls and sold the patterns and supplies for making them, via my website. I am always looking for new ways to do dolls and keep my ear to the ground looking for new products to use. When I found EARTH SAFE FINISHES I was thrilled. It is a non-toxic with NO SMELL paint/dye. Kind to mother earth and the user.

Recently I decided I wanted a Fairy Doll to put on my front porch. So designed a delightful 30" tall doll. I have several very large Fairy Wings tucked away in a drawer and wanted to use one of them..

I took the ESF (Earth safe finish) Shimmer paint and painted a blouse shape on the doll body fabric. I used three colors, teal, gold and emerald. Painted the sleeves on the Arm part of the doll pattern. Sewed the whole deal together and stuffed it. Made the legs and added them into the body and I was on my way. I used a SkinTone dye, ESF does for me and painted the head/face, neck and hands. My husband does all our doll faces so he took on the doll face design. Once I got her head on I added a big, wonderful, colorful, glob of fab SoySilk for her hair. I beaded around her neck and added some machine embroidery leaves. Made a quick pair of pants, added more leaves to the bottom of the pants.

For shoes, I used EFS Shimmer paint & painted some tyvek. That was a used express envelops from the postoffice. Turned my heat gun onto it to melt and bubble, the tyvek. Then cut out and sewed shoes the shape of the doll foot. Slipped them on, and used the heat gun to melt the tyvek to fit the foot.

DONE DEAL.

Oh how I love that EFS Shimmer Paint. Try it you'll love it.

Barb Keeling