In Progress: Beaded Evening Gown

This poor doll has been so patient. She's been in progress for well over a year now, watching as Penny People, Dolled Up Photo Frames, and other projects spring up around her. She will get finished, though, and hopefully soon.
See the fringe on her gown? Well, that thing is one reason she's sat on the shelf for so long. See, each strand in that intricate fringe is beaded separately and individually glued in place to ensure that perfectly even edge that rises up to a point in front. If she weren't so particular about the placement of those tiny little beads, she might be finished by now. But she is, and so she's not.
Her bodice separates her from other dolls I've done in the past as well. It's covered in several pieces of black lace, carefully cut & placed to show off the floral motif. Between that, her satin gown & her beaded fringe, she may be waiting just a little longer until I have both the time & energy to finish her toilette. But then again, aren't all sophisticated ladies entitled to be fashionably late?

Yarrrr! It's Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Arrrgh!

Pull out your eyepatch, dust off your tri-corner hat, & practice that swagger. It's Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Need to brush up on your lingo? Forgot the difference between Arrrrgh & Yarrrr? Never fear! Try a Pirate Dictionary.

Here are a few samples to get you started:

Ahoy! - "Hello!"

Avast! - derived from "hold fast". Stop and give attention.

Aye! - "Yes!"
Aye aye! - "I understand what you said and I will carry out your order!"

Having trouble getting into character? How about turning your name into a Pirate Name with a Pirate Name Generator? I'm Lady Felula the Forgetful. Hmmm...can I try that again?

Why, you may ask, should we bother with Talk Like A Pirate Day? Silly question! Why not?

Now, straighten that hat, wake up your parrot & have fun!

(The photos are from picture frames made exclusively to celebrate this silly day! Check them out at www.AngelaMichelleDolls.Etsy.com)

Rapunzel's Blonde Highlights

By the time I finished making Rapunzel, I wanted to give her a haircut in the worst way. Personally, I'd think she'd be gorgeous bald. Ok, maybe not. But all that hair was definitely a challenge! Usually, I make curly hair by wrapping thread around a toothpick, soaking it, & removing it when it's dry. Of course, that wasn't good enough for Rapunzel. She was a high-maintenance gal. To get her look, I wrapped the thread around wire that was slightly smaller in diameter than a toothpick, to get smaller curls that would look better in volume. I wrapped thread around those wires for close to an hour to get enough curls, using two different colors of blonde to give her a more natural look.

If you look closely, you'll see that the curly tendrils that frame her face are smaller than the rest of her curls. I love that wispy look when small fly-away pieces escape and frame the face (clarification: I love it on dolls; I hate it when it happens on me!). To get that look, I made MORE curls, this time with a much smaller size of wire. Each of these curls had to be placed individually in particular spots to get that "the wind just did it" look.

To see more pictures of Rapunzel, stop by to visit her! It does get lonely in that tower...

Have you seen a doll on this blog or on my website that you'd like to know more about? Let me know! I'll feature her in a future post.