Mannequin Finished

Yes, such a relief my customer loves her Mannequin. So lots of pictures for you all to see what has kept me busy.

All original hand cut images, paper napkins, PVA, ribbon and roses. 

Happy Sunday every body.

Mannequins Rule

Seems having done several mannequins periodically they get popular again. Working on this one for a client. 

A 1920's or 1930's model was our guess as she is fairly flat chested and slim all over to suit the slim mode that was the style in those days. All mannequins are styled to suit the clothes of the day.

  

Tatty old cloth body cover is removed.

Revealing a paper mache surface underneath. There is some indistinct writing on it.

 Now I've covered it with Hymn Book pages this dates from 1910 - 1930's. Nice thin paper so it moulds well to the shape of the mannequin.

Now she has had two layers of napkins. Had to do the two layers as this set were very thin and too much of the music showed through.

Lots of PVA. I mop up puddles and drips as they form.

When dry you can just see the hymn music and words peeking through. 

Now she has to sit overnight to finish drying.

I am run out of PVA, Craquelure glazes and used nearly a whole pack of napkins.

Onto cutting out all of the lovely French adverts, fashion illustrations and typography.

Paint, Paint and yet more Chalk Paint.

Well with a vets' bill  and a car service bill its paint brushes at dawn and every other hour of the day. A girl has to raise funds somehow.

The chair stack is gradually getting transformed from treacle tarts to Prince and Princess thrones.

 Henrietta paint, script and leaves fabric, roses decoupage.

 Paper napkin decoupage for her.

 French Linen paint paired really well with copper leaf and this super map fabric.

 Quite a task to get your straight lines straight!

Map of the world and copper leaf for him.

Some old favourites are starring on eBay. Last of the Diva Dolls, vintage cushions and Happy Scrappy Dolls. Sad to see them go but my art always moves on at a pace. It keeps me fresh and customers really do get unique items.

Molly has been at the vets again, with a nasty bout of colitus, inflamed large bowl, yup not a happy time here. She's now on chicken and rice as a diet, eating better than me! The car has had a service and its tax time next month too. Plus time to buy winter oil whilst prices are low.

Nine chair seats on my workbench for re-upholstery. Three will be in this fab seaside themed fabric.

The other six will be in a new fabric that I am deciding on at the moment. They are very lovely chairs, with nice wide webbed upholstered seats, carved backs with what's called a fiddle back. If we are being posh they are Chippendale style Fiddle Back Dining Chairs with Wheatsheaf  carving.

Hope all you craft guru's on Handmade Harbour have had a good week.

Dying using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Today I have been covering a dressing table stool with vintage fabric. On looking at my trims box I only had cream which looked pretty naff. So.....................................  of we go on a dying adventure with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Here's what you need, Chalk Paint in your colour, Emperor's Silk for me and your item to be dyed vintage trim off some curtain pelmet. Looks like a cotton/man made mix. .

Warm water and I put in about two tablespoons of paint to 1/3 washing up bowl of water.

Swish your mix around well with an old knife or you may get dyed hands. Check on your item. Longer its in the more dye it will take up. Well that's what I found, it took a couple of minutes for the item to wet evenly.
Rinse in warm, then cold water.

Hang out to dry, nice handy neighbours fence.

Are we liking it yet?

 Or is this one better? It will be a bit paler when it dries. If its not bright enough I will pop it back into a stronger mix.

Here's the stool with its 1950's vintage curtain material. Stool legs painted with French Linen and dark wax. They were originally white plastic, with the (Yawn) pink dralon cover.

Where do they sell third hands? It's very hard to hold fabric, stop stool from moving , squash down padding and use a staple gun. I need that third hand now.

Photo's of the finished item to be added.