Tuxedo Mask, Mermaid + Other Cuties

This has been a week of announcements and other fun things.

Firstly, there is this finger puppet tutorial that I created for mypoppet.com.au. If you're a fan of Sailor Moon and making crafty things, then this project is for you.

My Poppet Project

In Handmade magazine, issue 37-3 you will find my Lambie doll design. Lambie is as soft as a pillow, if not, softer. You will want to make this fellow and tote him around for cuddles.

I was commissioned to make "Mirabella", a cloth mermaid doll. She was constructed using a variety of techniques:
- She is machine and hand stitched.
- Her facial and body details have been painted and drawn.
- Her hair is partially needle felted.
- Her body has internal armature.

In other things I have been constructing miniatures. Miniature food...

... and miniature sloths.

Potential

© Melissa Gaggiano

I like the word 'potential'. I see it in every little thing that I create. From the wordy note that I write on a paper napkin in a restaurant, to a doodled sketch, or in this case a digital concept image.

Something for Laodicea

© Melissa Gaggiano

     One of two projects I was working on this past week is this mermaid. I have made mermaids before, usually of the big cuddly variety. This time I designed a removable fishtail for my fashion armature doll design.

    Another reason for me to be getting excited about this design is my use of needle felting to make the hair. I love this technique. It's my new thing.

    I made this doll as a response to the lovely Laodicea who kindly illustrated a caricature of me recently. You can read about the drawing here.

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano

Mermaid for Mimosa

© Melissa Gaggiano

    This shimmery, shiny, pretty mermaid is ready to swim to her new home. Hooray for dolls finding homes.

Punk Rock Mermaid

© Melissa Gaggiano
punk rock mermaid concept art

This Mermaid's New Groove

© Melissa Gaggiano

    This dry, sunny and eventually grey, wet saturday morning I was asked to make one of my mermaid dolls. I hadn't made one of these in a fair while. In fact quite a few new doll designs have come along since I first made the mermaid.

   I made the doll in a record half work day with a couple of tweaks, updating the old design.

© Melissa Gaggiano

Mermaid Rockettes

© Melissa Gaggiano

    My production line for the Xmas market continues. I now have mermaids lined up like rockettes. Time for me to get sewing...

Fab Finds 12

And now for my 4 Fab "Fin" Finds. Check them out...


1. In this Marie Forleo episode she has a chat with writer, Liz Gilbert. Liz has come out with a new book titled Big Magic [big on my library check out list], and it is all about creativity, a topic close to my heart.

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2. Photography Concentrate is a friendly, encouraging resource centre for photographers of all levels. It is run by Lauren and Rob, photographers who super love their field and want to share that love with you. - http://photographyconcentrate.com/blog/ Lauren and Rob.

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3. So maybe I should have called this Fab Fin Finds. In a world of wonderful coincidences I have been making dress up mermaid tails for my girls this week. Then in online news I read a story about two Perth Mermaids. These ladies are awesome, and you can learn all about them here.

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4. And if you ever wanted to be a mermaid yourself, a twin sister team in Hawaii can make it happen. Abby and Bryn run Finfolk Productions, making… You guessed it - Mermaid fish tails! Now who wouldn't want to be a mermaid. I know I do.

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Sirène Pattern Available

    I have a new product available in my store. I have created a pattern and instructions for my beloved mermaid doll. For those uninitiated, the mermaid has an accessory fishtail which the doll's legs can be tucked into. How awesome is that?

Big Beautiful Doll Giveaway

© Melissa Gaggiano
Sirene & Avril dolls

    Fresh off the press - I am hosting a handcrafted doll giveaway. That's right, you've heard it here first.

    There are two prizes, therefore two winners, because I think nice things should come more than once. Up for grabs are two beautiful dolls made by... me. There is the long time favourite Sirene mermaid doll and the newly designed Avril fashion doll. One doll per winner.

    To go in the draw to win one of these adorable dolls, simply leave a comment below, telling me what sort of dolls you'd like to see me make in future. It's as easy as that. Really it is.

    This blog giveaway will run until… 28th April, 4PM. After that I will stick my hand in a fedora hat and pull out two names. Goodluck!

Postscript: Entries open to Australia, and internationally.

Made Mermaid

I had time on my hands this afternoon, so I made the paper doll mermaid… and here she is. I have one extremely pleased client.

© Melissa Gaggiano

© Melissa Gaggiano

Come Together

Melissa Gaggiano doll design

    I have spent this week working on a collection of handmade dolls. If the fish tail is not a giveaway I can tell you it is a collection of mermaids that I am making. And right now I am working on stuffing the arms and legs - all 32 limbs.

Doodling #8

    Notice the water theme...

Melissa Gaggiano illustration

Melissa Gaggiano illustration

Inside My Head

Illustrations by Melissa Gaggiano.

    Thought I'd share a little of what bouncing around in my head. This week I have been playing around with a completely different doll concept to what I am used to working with. I don't know if I'll go ahead with this. But I am giving it just a tiny bit of thought. I cannot see these being entirely cloth dolls. More like art dolls made of polymer clay. It all depends on the type of resources are involved, and that sort of thing.

Check out my mermaid dolls currently selling at Etsy:

www.etsy.com/shop/MelissaGaggiano

Newsflash Feature

Design by Melissa Gaggiano.

    It was a bit of a slow afternoon, but I got a real rocket up the bum when I discovered one of my favourite bloggers featuring my mermaid dolls on her Zesty Finds. Thank you Kellie!

Check out the feature at 74 Lime Lane.

Check out the mermaid dolls selling at Etsy.

The Latest Three

    I have been snuffling and shuffling my way through this week. I hate being sick. Thankfully though I appear to be coming clear before the weekend arrives. Who wants to be sick on the weekend, really?
    Anyway, my main project for the week had been to finish making these three Sirene dolls and sure enough I got it done yesterday. Very soon these dolls will be available for sale. So stay tuned for further details.

Sirene dolls by Melissa Gaggiano.

Sirène

    Normally I like to share a 'work in progress' of my craft projects. But with this one I just wanted to get stuck into it and not stop till it was done. So here we have it - my completed weekend project - a mermaid with detachable fishtail.

    I have wanted to make a mermaid for a while. And so it finally happened when my eldest suggest I make one.

Doll design by Melissa Gaggiano.

Doll design by Melissa Gaggiano.

Mermaid doodle

Here is a little doodle from yesterday morning. I like mermaids. What about you?

Illustration by Melissa Gaggiano.

Sirene

    Sirene! Don't you just love that word. Well, I certainly do. Anyway here is a drawing that I spent a bit of yesterday and today working on, both hand drawn and in Photoshop. And yes, it is a mermaid [sirene].

Illustration by Melissa Gaggiano.