Another Starving Artist way of doing things ;)

After spending a few days on Santa's body......so he can't sit and look at me and sing..."Iiiiii ain't got no body".....LOL.....I finally finished with it. I do my soft bodies a bit different than most doll artist....I think. I don't use a body glove...which is a wonderful item to use when doing the soft bodies....I have used them....but having to save pennies these days I just don't have the fabric to make any so I use what I have. For some reason I always seem to have batting laying around..LOL!!! So that's what I use. Wait...wait.....let me explain.....please stop that laughing...listen now...you use what you have on hand....ROFL!!!!!!!!! I make my wire armature first....then I take loose batting fibers and place them on the armature. I usually start with the torso. After I have all the batting in place I stitch it in just a few places to hold it on there. I then take a whole piece of batting (like you would use for a quilt backing) and place it over all the loose batting. I then stitch a few places to hold it in place....now...here is the tricky part (or maybe I should say...sticky part if not careful) I needle felt the full batting to the loose batting. Yeah...I know..it's a bit weird and unusual but then again I am weird and unusual ;) It makes for a really strong soft body when you finish the needle felting. Just for me as you can see in the photos I try and do some detail work. No one will ever see it but I know it's there and it makes the clothes fit better....well to me...but then there comes in the weird and unusual thing again...LOL!! After I finish with the torso I work on the legs...doing the same thing. After the legs are complete then it's on to the arms. I needle felt a bit more loose fibers on the shoulders so that any shirt or sweater that I make will fit like it is suppose to. Just thought I would pass on another starving artist's way of doing things!!!!!

Look Santa has a four pack and a tummy....now where else can you find a MAN like that to love.

In this next photo he looks like he is waving at you but he isn't...well...I guess he could be BUT he isn't...LOL!!!!! I have his hand placed where it will be when he is completed. He will be holding Chester up. Chester was designed by the elves for a little boy that asked for a playmate. Chester is almost as tall as the little boy he will be going to stay with. So Santa will be holding him up and Chester will be sitting on the arm of the chair.

OMGOSH....Santa is trying to climb over the chair....I don't think he likes me showing him to all the world.........NEKKID!!!!!! Really I just wanted to show you his cute lil hiney....HEY...he needs that hiney to make his pants fit right ya know.

I hope my little notes on how I do some of my doll making is helping others. I love to share my knowledge and yes of course my weird, unusual and quirky ways. I think that's one thing that makes the artist community so wonderful. From the starving artist to the famous ones....we all believe in sharing our gifts with one another. That's a good thing.....you never know what that sharing might just spark our muses to start whispering about. Just the simplest thing can spring a new idea into forming.....from a few words that had no idea that it was hidden amongst them.

Happy Doll making....I'm off to dress this poor nekkid man!!!!!!!