Meet Autumn Fairy

The Be Creative design team have been working with Art Caps (bottle caps) and self adhesive Art Cap images from Once Upon A Stamp. I sat looking at mine for a while, waiting for inspiration to strike, then suddenly realised that they were saying to me "Art Doll".

Now, I've never made an art doll before, and I have to say it's not something I've ever previously felt an inclination to make. However, since that's what I was hearing in my head, I thought I'd better have a go, and so I'd like to introduce you to Autumn Fairy.

I didn't really know where to start, and with no clear plan in mind, she just evolved as I went along. I punched out the art nouveau image and stuck it into the bottle cap, and there was her face. Gradually her personality began to emerge. I made a wire frame and covered the torso area with some wadding to fill her out a bit. A rummage through my fabric scrap box produced some burgundy velvet, a piece of white silk, and some gorgeous leaf printed fabric which I bought in the USA in 1995, the remnants of which I've been hoarding ever since. It was the beautiful autumn colours in the fabric which had attracted me to it, and so what else could I name my lady but Autumn Fairy?

I coloured the white silk with Be Creative alcohol markers to match the leaf fabric and made it into a blouse for her. The red velvet became her skirt, with an overskirt of green irridescent ribbon which had once tied up a bouquet of flowers. I cut out some of the leaves and berries and stuck them to her blouse and skirt. She needed some wings, of course, and a Prickley Pear butterfly stamp with a design of leaves and wheat on it couldn't have been more perfect for them. I stamped it on to acetate, coloured it with Be Creative alcohol markers and cut it out.

To help her stand, I drilled a couple of holes into a block of wood which once held an old set of Judikins stamps which I had unmounted several years ago. I had kept the wooden cube as I just knew it would come in handy one day. I painted the cube with metallic acrylic paint and lightly distressed it with sandpaper. A few leaves, an acorn and a ladybird were added to give a hint of her woodland environment. Finally her legs were glued into the block, and thus Autumn Fairy was born!

Hmm. I think she doesn't look very happy. Maybe she needs a friend...............