Legs for Raisa!

Raisa's figure may be a bit "boxy", but she's got some sexy legs! Four sets, to be precise. Each with a different pair of sexy, high-heeled shoes.

I also gave Raisa a fringed tulle miniskirt and a pink garter that she can wear over her hanging legs or tuck inside her box. I was thrilled when I found the tulle trim - it matches Raisa and her journal perfectly!

Her two-sided interchangable cardboard legs are painted and stitched, and hang on a tiny screw hook I attached to the bottom of the box lid. She can be displayed on the edge of a mantle or shelf with her legs hanging below.


My journal page depicts Raisa's shoe addiction and includes a little bound booklet of interchangable legs and shoes.

Serenity's First Stop

Serenity came to me with just a head and torso,

 from her creator Amy in Central Texas.

Serenity is so beautiful,

with such an interesting face.

I just kept thinking of

the Sea of Serenity

on the face of the moon...

Mare Serenitatis

Enjoying the splendor of the full moon

has always been very calming

in my life.

Serenity....

makes me think of..

calm

peace

music

a creative life

a centering line of thought

a study of work

contemplation

with eyes wide open

voices from the past

Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time;

serenity, that nothing is.

by Thomas Szasz

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Center-down

...Quaker saints

To the possession of the self the way is inward

...Plotinus

The cell of self-knowledge is the stall in which the pilgrim must be reborn

...St. Catherine of Siena

The crane symbolizes peace.

The Moon Shell,

a gift from the sea,

 says 'solitude'

and in solitude there is

serenity.

Everyone needs some time alone

to find the peace and serenity within them,

especially when there is chaos all around you.

Mano Poderosa...

a labyrinth shaped like a hand,

derives from the ancient times as a sign of

magical protection and benediction.

Walk the labyrinth for

serenity.

Some additions...

hair

vintage lace head wrap with beads

faux diamond on nose

moon shell

pearled polymer clay moon face cabochon

to forehead

man in the moon earring

long horsehair pony tail,

representing travel

in Native American culture

additions listed in journal

Old dictionary page

 showing definition for serenity.

Last journal page...

watercolor of Serenity

on dictionary page.

I truly enjoyed working on

Serenity.

Soon she will be traveling on

to the second stop in her year long journey...

to North Carolina with Gail.

Yvonne

Serenity

My start with Serenity is based on a pattern I created for another doll I'm working on at the moment. She's a cloth and wire armature torso and soft-sculpted cloth head. Her name came about as Serenity is something sorely missing in my life at the moment. I hope that she will bring calm and peace into the lives of all she meets and collect some to bring home to me.

Serenity's journal is a book that I bound in my first book binding class. The cover is paper that I painted and stamped.

Inside, I've created a title page that mirrors the chaos and stress of life that Serenity is destined to encounter.

And a set of pages that reflect the calming influence Serenity can bring, if only she is allowed to do so.

Prince Charming leaves me

In a big stretch for me, I have made a doll start that does not include a face, or even a head, and further is not cloth. Plus it's a guy, at least named as a guy. The lower torso and legs are made from a wire armature, covered with batting and then plaster bandage ("rigid wrap"). Originally I was planning a polymer clay skin, but I changed my mind for a couple of reasons.

First the plaster is very acceptant of acrylic paint. Second it is porous enough for white glue. Finally it is hard, but can be pierced with a biggish needle or bodkin without cracking.

Three wire loops emerge at the waist which I hope will prove useful for the rest of his body.

He won't stand alone at this point, but I am prepared to attach him to a stand once he returns. I have some wood pieces saved that I will treat to match him.

The journal is a loooong scroll, playing on the idea of a medieval prince or proclamation a la fairy tales. I have used pages from an obsolete Writers' Market and non-woven interfacing. Both sides have been treated with acrylic paints. Jayn helped paint the outside.

The content has been cut using images from Cricut with my new favorite glue, Zig 2 Way glue. I crocheted two different varieagated yarns together for the tie.

I'm envisioning a long hanging banner in the end (but don't let that dictate the alignment of your entries), and I'll add some weights to wooden end pieces. If there are charms or objects that become part of his accoutrements, maybe they can be hung on the banner too.

The main message on my scroll is "Let's Play". I'm looking forward to learning what "Prince Charming" means to all of us.