Catalina the Photographer

Catalina the Photographer
© Melissa Gaggiano

Meet the latest art doll piece in my collection. Her name is Catalina and she could be yours. For more details visit my online store.

Tree Top Flamingos

my poppet.com.au

Here it is! My latest design-craft tutorial for My Poppet. It's got everything you would want for this time of year – flamingos, pom-poms, with a Xmassie twist. So come along, check it out here. More importantly, try it out.

Twice the Magic

Handmade Issue 36-7

The latest issue of Handmade magazine has landed. In issue 36-7 you will find a smashing stash of enticing  Xmassie craft projects. In and amongst the creativity you will find two projects that I have produced. Check it out now at your local news agency and library.

© Melissa Gaggiano

Red, Blue & Glitter Too

© Melissa Gaggiano
Etsy store

No two dolls of mine are ever exactly the same. This is a perfect result for me. As a cottage industry doll designer my aim is that each doll stand alone in her/his uniqueness. And with each doll that I create I am evolving with the dolls.

My latest art doll creation makes use of a variety of craft disciplines, including: sewing, crochet, armature, painting, needle felting, clay sculpting. Her body has an endo-skeleton (armature wire) allowing poseable positioning. Her clay shoes are a new evolution in my process. The shoes are hand sculpted, decorated with glitter (sealed with a topcoat). Facial details are hand painted. The shirt decoration is a granny square pattern in miniature.

This OOAK art doll is available in store right now. Check her out!

Coffee Break, Masks and Other Challenges

In things that have been happening:

© Gwen Gaggiano

My eldest has offered to paint my portrait if I can go a month without drinking coffee. I'd love to have my portrait painted, but I don't know if I can sustain myself through caffeine withdrawal. I mean, my aim in life is to be less grumpy, and I can only imagine what the lack of caffeine might do. Perhaps the trick is to build it up – go one day without coffee, then have a coffee the second day. Two days without, one day with. Et cetera, et cetera!

Felt craft: The Legend of Zelda – Link with Bunny Mask;
Deku mask; Majora's mask.

My husband's birthday is just around the corner and I made him a headband. No, really!  I did. For a bit of context, years ago I made him a LOZ Link doll. Each year after that I make an accessory to go with the doll. So far I've made a Deku mask, and Majora's mask. This year I made the bunny headband mask. I'm thinking that one day we will need to build a treasure chest to store these pieces. Perhaps it can look like an actual LOZ chest.

© Melissa Gaggiano

My doll design development continues, as always. Working with armature, continued improvements to the pattern with each new doll. This week I have been exploring wig hair. Playing with a synthetic weft, as well as a needle felted hairdo. My next step is designing shoes and a crochet top for the blue haired doll. The crochet top is a massive challenge as I am experimenting with a super fine crochet hook and embroidery thread. Might work, might not! We'll see!

Ballet Meets Burlesque

© Melissa Gaggiano

The unveiling of my latest BJD concept. A nod to the Snow White fairy tale this doll is wearing a crystalline outfit made of emeralds and sapphires. I call her Snowdrop.

The concept is a little ballet and a little burlesque. In fact I could picture Dita Von Teese wearing a stage costume like this.

A Week of Bees

© Melissa Gaggiano

The world speeds up, and I find myself slowing down. Or so it seems. When I check the date I am surprised to find that it is not May. I could have sworn it was, and yet here I am, the year almost complete. How quickly it goes, huh.

The past couple of weeks Spring has started to kick in. The bees are buzzing around, and for the first time I look at having a flowering garden as more than an aesthetic pleasure. When the heat of summer kicks in I'll put out little bowls of water so the bees have something to drink.

You can find my latest craft tutorial over at My Poppet. This one is a cute spin on the tooth fairy pouch.

my poppet.com.au

In October I debuted as a contributor for Handmade magazine. How cute is that Santa doll on the cover?

Handmade 36-6

In other neat stuff: I am devoted to to Joshua David McKenney's Pidgin dolls. On the Pidgin fan Facebook page, people were invited to suggest a Halloween costume illustration for Pidgin. Guess who had the winning suggestion... Yep! It was me! I suggested The Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.

@pidgindoll