Mixed Media Scrap Wood Dolls

Not long ago I saw some art dolls made by Mary Jane Chadbourne and I immediately wanted to learn how to make them.  Mary Jane is a mixed media artist who does incredible work and when she starts teaching again, I'll register for every class!  Every once in awhile you run across an artist who's work speaks to you......and for me, Mary Jane's work just flipped my switch.  As intimidating as mixed media pieces look to make,  I somehow managed to figure out a process that's pretty easy to follow and gives consistent results.  Once you start, you'll develop your own process that works for you, but everyone needs a starting point.  Remember to save your scrap wood, use all of your favorite techniques and always Make Your Mark!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Scrap wood blocks

E-6000 Spray Adhesive & E-6000 Glue

Americana Acrylics

Rubber stamps & Ink pad

Book pages

Vintage images

Glamour Dust

Beads, buttons and flowers

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Cover the wood blocks with book pages using E-6000 Spray Adhesive

3. & 4.  Give the book page covered blocks a color wash and paint the small triangle

5. 6. & 7.  Cut out vintage images and glue them to the painted blocks

8.  Press the corners of the wood blocks into a stamp pad

9.  Stamp images around the sides and in the blank spaces

10.  Add a wash of color to the body

11.  Paint stripes on the hat

12.  Glue buttons, letters and flowers to the body and tip of the hat with E-6000 Glue

13.  Wrap a metallic pipe cleaner around the base of the hat

14.  Attach keys to the base of the body with eye screws

15. & 16.  Glue a butterfly wings print out to cardboard and cut out

17.  Glitterize the wings Glamour Dust

18. When dry, glue all of the pieces together and you're done!

Kokeshi Doll DIY

For some weird reason I can only wear roll on deodorant.  Because I'm a recycling nut, I never want to toss out the bottles when they're empty.  I'm also strangely obsessed with the roll on balls!  Recently a friend gave me a Kokeshi doll as a souvenir from her trip to Japan and I thought it was fantastic.  I decided to try to make one with my roll on bottles and below is the result.   I think this is a terrific project for kids and a great place to stash bobby pins and small gifts.  Have fun!

Check out the how-to video

You'll need:

Pliers

White glue

Roll-on bottle

E-6000 glue

Markers

Sticky labels

Scissors

Ribbon

Sandpaper

Origami paper

Colored paper

Black Krylon Fusion spray paint

1.  With pliers, remove the roll on ball by pinching the neck of the bottle.

2.  Peel off the label. Don't worry if it's still sticky, that's fine.

3.  After you've washed the bottle and the roll on ball, sand one part of the roll on ball.

4.  Sand the top of the roll on lid.

5.  Glue the ball to the lid (where you sanded) with E-6000 and let dry for 30 minutes.

6.  Spray paint the ball and lid black after it's dry.  

7. Wrap your roll on bottle in origami paper using the white glue to keep it in place.

8.  Glue a 1" strip of contrasting solid paper around the bottle to create an Obi belt.

9.  Tie a ribbon around the 1" strip of solid paper.

10.  Draw a face on a sticky label and cut it out.

11.  Stick the face to the painted roll on bottle.

Screw the face on the bottle and you're done!