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!

My Work Is Done

© Melissa Gaggiano

    May I present to you, one finished Link doll, and one very happy kid. The awesome thing about this doll is that it has an armature skeleton, which means bendy body parts.

© Melissa Gaggiano

Head over Heels

© Melissa Gaggiano

    This morning I cut out pattern pieces, sewed, stuffed and attached the head onto the Link doll. You will notice my daughter's Link drawing. She's been drawing many Links lately.

Making the Link

© Melissa Gaggiano

    Work continues on this little Legend of Zelda: Link doll. Yesterday I sculpted the limbs and boots. Today was all about making the pants and tunic.

© Melissa Gaggiano

    The way I am sculpting this felt doll I am reminded of an animated film from my childhood - Gulliver's Travels. In the film these tiny people mend Gulliver's [The Giant] clothes and make him a new tunic by sewing the outfit onto his body. Of course, for these little people, levers, pulleys, bows and arrows were required to make this happen.

Little Link

© Melissa Gaggiano

    My littlest  has put in a request for a large fluffy sloth and a miniature Legend of Zelda: Link doll. I have chosen to take on the smaller of the two options. But make no mistake, when it comes to doll making, 'smaller' doesn't necessarily mean 'easier'.

    I have begun the doll with armature and wrapping. So right now the doll looks like a headless Egyptian mummy. From little things...

On His Way

Doll making by Melissa Gaggiano

Doll making by Melissa Gaggiano

    Another quick Link update. He is coming together and holding his own… things. Good on him.

Check. Check. Check.

Doll making by Melissa Gaggiano

    Link? Check. Shield? Check. Sword? Check. What next? Sword holder, Majora's mask, bunny mask and Deku mask.

    My hands are occupied with sewing. My ears are occupied with the sounds of Frozen [4th viewing request by Keira]. My mind is thinking of a million wonderful creations that may just happen once I finish making Link.

Shield

    This afternoon I did some shield work. This is the first accessory to go with the Link doll I have been working on the past week or so. No time to say much more than that. Must eat...

Hat + Ears

Melissa Gaggiano doll design

    This is where I'm at with the Link doll. The transformation of this doll has been incredible. I just love how the little pieces make up the whole.
    The next phase is working on the accessories, starting with the shield.

Look At That

Melissa Gaggiano doll design

    Will you look at that. I wasn't sure how I'd address Link's hair. Using my usual felt wigs [the mermaid dolls] and the floppy yarn hair [a more recent design feature] wasn't going to work with this doll. Staring at the illustrations of Link I realised that his hair needed to be flat, curved and layered in individual pattern pieces.