I am working on some fairly long term projects. In order to keep from burning out from working on just one project for a long period of time, I am trying to work on two or three projects at the same time. This week I have started back on an unfinished project, a life sized doll that I started last year. Readers interested in learning how I made the doll can scroll through my blog posts from January through October of 2018.
When I started the project, I had hoped to have it ready to put in a contest at the State Fair. My intention was to make this doll into a flamenco dancer, wearing a red dress and holding a black lace fan. However, I was not able to finish the project in time. Since it was my first (and most likely only) life size doll I really did not have an idea of how much time the project would take. I also underestimated how much time we would be traveling last year. My available time to work on the doll was much less than I had thought it would be. I kept working on the doll thinking I would finish it for Halloween. I worked up until the day of Halloween, and finally got it to a stopping point of a sort. I painted the doll to be wearing a black ballet leotard and tights. I started sealing the paint with an exterior grade of sealer. I was able to get one full coat on the doll before I ran out of varnish. That is where I stopped. I did not even put the doll outside for Halloween because it needed several coats of sealer before I would consider it waterproof enough to be outside in damp weather or dew.
Since I did not have the doll ready for the doll contest or for Halloween, I lost interest in the project and entered into a creative burnout. I was not really motivated to work on anything. I plugged away at another project I wanted to finish, but the doll languished. Now that Spring is around the corner, I can open the windows for ventilation and start adding more sealer to the doll. I'm ready to get back to work on this project.
What the doll needs at this point is clothing. I want the doll to be dressed before I permanently attach her wig. A decision needs to be made on whether to continue with the original plan of a flamenco dancer or just a Halloween prop of some kind. I have made a couple of forays into thrift shops and even some consignment shops looking for an acceptable dress that can be altered to fit the doll. (At this point I am not so enthused about the project that I want to make a dress from scratch.) So far I have not found anything that worked for me. The nicer looking dresses (of which few were red) were too expensive. What I have been seeing at thrift shops were dresses of such poor quality fabric that I would not even consider putting them on a doll. I guess that was why they were in a thrift shop in the first place. I plan to make another couple of trips looking for a dress before giving up the quest.
It looks more and more like I will be making this into the Halloween project. My concept for Halloween will be easier and will take much less time. That way I will have time to work on another UFO (unfinished object) before Halloween. Check back next Sunday to see the latest of what is happening with this project.
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