Sunday 22 March 2015

CC3C - Challenge 24

Hi All,



Wow, I've had a blast with this challenge.  I have had this mannequin for quite a while and kept looking at it wondering what to do with it, well I suddenly had a brainstorm the other night.  My beloved hubby has been away for a few days and I don't sleep very well when I am alone in the house, I know at my age its ridiculous!  So while lying there listening to the house creek I started to plan out what I was going to do, by morning all I had to do was get on with it!  I wish all projects went like this.

So to start: - As the mannequin is made of pressed fibreboard I coated it in two layers of white gesso and allowed it to completely dry overnight. I then consulted the Compendium of Curiosities page 51 and applied the technique to the mannequin.



The next thing to so was to make the fake leather for the coat.  I learnt this in a workshop with Sheena Douglass.  Spritz a sheet of kraft card with a solution of glycerine in water until it goes soft and pliable.  Then put the card into an embossing folder and put through an embossing machine, then allow to dry.  Once dry add some distress ink, I used a combination of vintage photo, spiced marmalade and a little pine needles.  Then dry thoroughly with a heat gun and then seal with Glue and Seal, gloss finish, to give a nice soft leathery look.  To give added strength to the 'leather' back the sheet with fabric stuck with a strong glue.

My sister is a fashion designer and made me a pattern for the coat.  I used this to cut the coat, a bit of a struggle out off a single sheet of A4 but just about managed it.  I then assembled the coat on the mannequin.


I added a key to one lapel and an assortment of cogs to the other .  I made a key chain using a key, a fob watch and a wing and attached it to the coat using some jump rings.


To finish off the bottom of the mannequin I added some beaded fringe from a local haberdashery and the head and arms are door knobs from the local DIY store.


At the back of the mannequin I added a half belt with two mini fasteners, one at either end, and finished with a selection of tiny cogs from some assorted watch parts I had bought online.


As the surface of the mannequin is not flat I stamped the Top Hat image from Stampers Anonymous Mini Blueprints set 6 onto tissue and applied it to the surface with Glue and Seal matt.

The base of the stand was covered in torn paper from an old dictionary, (Ive always had issues with dictionaries if you cannot spell a word how can you look it up?) then inked with the same inks as the coat.  I then raided my stash, yes I have actually used some of my precious things!, and added lots of treasures to the base including the plaque that says Treasure, which was swiped with picket fence distress paint.



If you have seen any of my previous blogs you will have already guessed that my daughter has claimed this for her room at University.  Hey Ho!

Thanks to Linda, as usual for organising this fabulous challenge and do check out the wonderful examples from the Curiosity Crew on her blog.  Some fantastic work there.  Also thanks to The FunkieJunkie for sponsoring this challenge.

Lyn

15 comments:

  1. This is super super cool Lyn, how innovative and FABULOUS!!!

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  2. WOW this is a great creative work!!!

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  3. Lynn....this is wicked cool! I really love your creativity on this project. Way to think outside the box and create something ultra different! Your use of the remnant rubs on your dress form looks fantastic! I love the clothes you've created here. This is just a very very unique piece and I love it! Thanks for sharing with us at CC3C. <3 Candy

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  4. WOW!!!! I LOVE that sister the designer helped out with this, and that outer coat is fabulous! LOVE LOVE LOVE that you did the technique right on the mannequin...so awesome and original! The metal, the adornments are all wonderful! Thanks so much for playing with Remnant Rubs with us at CC3Challenge!!!

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  5. Girrrrrrrrrlllllllllllll! This is gobsmackingly cool. Love it. Thanks for sharing with us at CC3C!

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  6. Girrrrrrrrrlllllllllllll! This is gobsmackingly cool. Love it. Thanks for sharing with us at CC3C!

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  7. WOW AND THRICE WOW! This is awesome... love your take on the challenge, love the cute coat and the embellies you added... bravo! Thanks for joining in with the CC3C x

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  8. 1-This is a fantastically FABULOUS entry!!! I'm definitely just excited over the steampunky look of this lady!! She's absolutely strutting w every right to!!
    2- Who says being alone at night w Hubby away is easy at ANY age?!? In June 2013, my ChiefHubby made a mission trip w several others to Haiti; helping at an orphanage there. Since I was not a good candidate due to health factors, I stayed home. Let me tell you: that was the longest week of my LIFE!!! We've been happily married 31 yrs this July w 2 sons (1 married & the other ready to marry his girl) & the longest we'd ever been apart before that was never more than 24 hrs. (The hospitals allow him to stay w me whenever I have to stay.) I'll b 50 this fall, & our kids STILL check in on me if their Dad is away on a fire call or other needs at church or work. So, don't ever feel badly or silly not liking hubby being away! PS: our sons' girls are the same way!!! We stay up all night busy w something in the house & sleep when they get back home.
    And finally 3- Ain't that hard: those little things that make up our stash piles are just sooooo cute that we'd just as soon COLLECT 'em as USE 'em!!! lol!!

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  9. HOLY COW this is absolutely AMAZING. I love that you incorporated the RRR technique in this dress form. But I still can't get over that coat and that it's made from card stock! Thanks for explaining the process, because I may have to give that a try some day. Way to rock this Compendium of Curiosities Challenge with such an inspiring piece.

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  10. Are. You. Kidding me?? This is fabulous!! No fair that your sister is a fashion designer, would she like to be my sister too? Ha! Seriously, this is SERIOUS art, congratulations on your design, your process, your construction and your execution. Love it!!
    p.s. I design in my head, too. Most of my design work is in my head and then sketched before I ever enter the studio!

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  11. Very cool! I really like the pile of treasure at the base (and the coat too). Oh heck, I like the whole thing! Nice work!

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  12. What a cool project! Love all the details and embellishments! I wish I could wear that coat! Love it!

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  13. Oh this is way cool...great details !

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  14. Umm...wow! What an amazing piece of art! So so cool!!! Thank you for sharing it with us at CC3C!

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  15. Such an awesome piece! Congratulations on your win!!

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