Good Day for Crafting

Don’t you just love Mondays.  Well today I do, I finished the rest of my projects today.  I said I would didn’t I?  Just don’t ask how much progress I’ve made on my studies.

First up, this is a Barbie doll that used to belong to my niece.  She didn’t want it anymore and I seem to be a sucker for forlorn looking dolls.  Well, there’s nothing more fun than fixing them up right?  

So, here’s the before…

…And after.  

She was easy to clean up except for that hair.  It took a ton of conditioner to smooth out that rat’s nest.  I decided not to give her a hair cut, though it was tempting.  

Looking at her long flowing hair, I envisioned flowers.  So I whipped up the wreath using tiny fake ones leftover from another project along with some wire.  Then I whipped up a dress that I thought would look good with the flowers.  I used the same fabric as I did for that doll dress in my last post, I did have tons of it leftover.  I made a strapless dress because it seems more light and airy, like spring.  

So now I have a “Spring Princess” doll.  You think my niece will want it back now?

Next, remember those simple $1 gloves I tweaked (see More Pretty Stuff)?  Well after about two winter seasons, they weren’t looking too good.  Trust me, they look way worse than in this photo.  I wanted to find a way to recycle them into something that is cute and could possibly be used in the spring weather too.

The solution?  These fingerless gloves, as modeled by my niece.  The fingers are the first things to wear out I any of my gloves, so why not just chop them off?  Beyond that, all it took was some lace and a lot of zig-zag stitching to transform them.  Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with them when their wear out again. 

Last but not least, these tiny plushies.  I got the idea somewhere to make tinny-tiny little plushies.  I think from a book, but I don’t remember.  

Anyway, I used some of my stash of fleece scraps and some googly eyes to make them.  They are basically two pieces cut in simple shapes, zig-zag stitched around, then stuff and stitched shut.  Finish up by gluing on the eyes, then quickly make some more.  They are after all really fun to make. 

The larger ones are about 2 inches tall and the smaller baby ones are about an inch.  They kind of remind me of the those ghost things from Pac man.  Maybe that’s why they seem so adorable to me.  

Anyway, I still need to think of what else to do with them.  I was thinking of making some key chains with them, or maybe some pencil toppers.  Decisions, decisions.

Here’s the updated list:

• Floral bag
• Wreath
• Doll
• Top
• Doll dress
• Gloves
• Black purse
• Tiny plushies
• Tiny “men” clothes

Nine down and out.  Now nothing to worry about but those pesky tests and school work.