This month the Kraft-tex color of the month is called "Greenery" for the August birthstone Peridot and I knew immediately that my Ambassador project would be sea related. I made several uniquely colorful paper dolls both human and mermaids but only featuring my Mermaid with a peridot fin and face in this post. Kraft-Tex is the perfect substrate for as it is paper based to begin with but enhanced to imitate leather and is just as durable. It’s paintable, markable, stampable, embossable, sewable, glueable and so much more. I made mine double sided, using a variety of different colors because after all, us humans come in a rainbow of colors and I have it on good authority that mermaids and other mythical creatures do too. :-) Kraft-tex is available in a plethora of colors from C&T Publishing at: https://www.ctpub.com/
This project is an opportunity to share your talents with a young one and enroll them in the love of all things crafty and artsy. I encourage you and your little crafters to give these dolls a drawn face or perhaps glue a photo of their face to the head to personalize it. Dress them with paper or fabric scrap clothing like our mothers and grandmothers once did. I’ve included a link for a free doll pattern from Kimberly Crick. If you use it please drop her an email and thank her. Consider alternative life forms for your dolls, beside human and mermaids perhaps angels, fairies and aliens would make fun Kraft-tex dolls too. And last but certainly not least is to create them in ALL colors and embrace the uniqueness in all of us. Yes these are unique times that we live in but we also have many of the familiar attitudes and bias of the past. These little dolls should serve as a reminder for us to celebrate our uniqueness and play well with others regardless of skin tone.
You will need:
A doll or mermaid pattern - The patterns that I used was a generous free download from Kimberly Crick at: https://www.kimcrick.com/pages/how-to-make-paper-art-dolls-tutorial
(Download a copy from there website or search the internet for paper doll patterns.)
Kraft-Tex You will be making these double thickness for added strength and you can use two different colors if you want to make a unique double sided doll.
Permanent glue or gel medium to adhere two sides of dolls together (I used Goldern Matt Gel brand.)
Small brads to make the limbs jointed.
Repositionable glue dots are strongly recommended to either place on the doll or clothing so that paper tabs are not necessary to hold the clothing to the doll. If you use the dots on the clothing the clothing can easily be stored on or in sheet protectors
You may find the following supplies helpful depending on the style of your doll…
Yarn, beads, string or Kraft-Tex scraps to make hair.
Kraft-tex scraps, fabric bits or paper to make clothing and shoes also leftover scrapbook paper or your original printed art paper is great to make clothing with.
Instructions: Your doll, your rules
Make these as simple or as elaborate as you like. Give them a face, (I used a stamp created by Jane Davenport for the one pictured here) but if you really want to personalize it, glue a photo of yourself or perhaps the recipient. Give them a personality, an attitude, a punk look, a unique skin color (any color) and dress them in any style. Look at magazines or the internet for fashion ideas or make up your own. These are YOUR creations and an opportunity to step back in time and enjoy the freedom of creativity with a new substrate. Give them a name. Make tiny ones and turn them into a pin, a necklace, a purse dangle, or make lots and create a paper doll chain banner! Share them with family, friends and relatives. Take them with you and photograph yourself with them in different places like “Flat Stanley” (go to www.FlatStanley.com or google Flat Stanley). Collect them, trade them, post them on social media! OK, I think that you get the idea, the main thing is to have fun. Youngsters and oldsters alike will enjoy the artsy experience with paper dolls made with Kraft-tex.
Special note on cutting: If you are going to make these double layers or double sided it’s easier to glue your sheets of Kraft-tex together before cutting them out. Glue wrong sides of Kraft-tex together, clip and allow to dry. Or if you are lucky enough to have an electronic cutter to scan your pieces and cut them out then only do one layer at a time then glue.
