It's Already Started.....

Yesterday I finished punching out all of the pieces for the house. Yes. I know that the directions say specifically not to do that. Why make it easy? I like doing it this way. I always have. It's another one of those jobs that I dislike, so I want to get it over with all at once.

This is what it looked like after I got done. The pile on the left is allllllllll waste! The pile on the right is the house. What a shame that they can't figure out a better way to lay them out so that not so much waste is left.

I think that Greenleaf needs to sharpen their cutters. Some of those pieces weren't even half way through. I had one piece that wouldn't cut by hand. I finally got my jigsaw out. That even bound up with the cutting. I don't know what the middle ply of the wood was, but I think they slipped in some iron for Steampunk purposes.

Anyway, this morning I decided that I needed help. I got out the chenille stems and went to work. On the left you see the bare stems. I double them for strength. They are 12" long, so when they are bent in half and their toes turned up, they are just right for a 6 foot man in mini.

After that I cut off the end of his arms and wrapped him in floral tape. All I had was green. He looks a little alien so far. He will get better(I hope.)

The reason for cutting off his arms is when I sculpt the lower arms and hands I don't want the wire to poke through the flat hand part.

I went and rummaged through my stuff and found a 5/8" wooden bead. I am going to try this for a head form this time. Yup. He's still green.

After that I covered the head with Fimo and started sculpting. If you are interested in learning to make dolls, go to this Addy on U tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo4COOhPk3k It is Jodie Creager with excerpts of their video on sculpting faces. She explains the process much better than I could. Her doll is bigger and easier to see too. There are 5 sections to the lesson. It is really a valuable lesson.

By the way, those aren't the guy's bare feet. Those are my fingers holding him up.

When I finished sculpting I stuck his head in the oven. No. Not murder. I was bringing him to life. I feel like Frankenstein when I do this.......

He still doesn't have any arms, legs, hair or clothes, but he is already starting to look like something. And I fear that he is going to be another one of those people that like to stick his nose into the building of his house. He looks so pathetic sitting there with nothing but a frame. I have to get him done soon!

I have one piece of the foundation glued to the side of the house. The next pieces are an odd corner. I finally figured out that they don't go in flat, like the diagram looks. They are an inward corner. I am waiting for them to dry. Then the first two walls will be raised. Hey! At least it's a start!

I have to go to Wednesday Mini Witches later, so there will be plenty of time for the first part to dry.

I hear him calling me. He needs a name, a body and some clothes. Poor man! I have to go work on him some more before I leave.

See you tomorrow.