Beading dolls again.

It has been a long time since I worked on a beaded doll project that was bigger than my palm.  I was cleaning up the studio after Fiona passed away and found several UFO projects in a box that I'd put away not being happy with the progress.  The project was a big beaded dragonfly where I'd started with a peyote tail and netted body.  It just went no where for me.  I loved the head and the eyes of the dragonfly, but it was just stagnate.  I actually ripped it all out and pooled the turquoise colored beads in a pile.  I wanted to use these beads but first off, I did not have enough of this one color to complete the project and second it just looked too stale.  So I grabbed some browns, blacks, and greens to use to work on the dragonfly.  Dragonflies are different colored dependent on locale.  In my garden in Central Ohio, the dragonfly is a more iridescent greenish/blue insect.  Meanwhile, on a trip through the Grand Canyon in Arizona, I saw reddish/brown dragonflies.  I'm sure there are different colors other places in this world.  I've borrowed this picture of a dragonfly from a blog to show you what colors I've chosen, but go to this link to see what I mean by other colors. 

I also looked up and saw a little jointed doll I'd made a year ago when experimenting with gluing fabric onto resin faces.  I'd actually taken the cloth overlay off this resin face, and liked the impression it had made on the cloth.  I made a cute little doll with yarn hair and socks for clothing, but was never really happy so I never finished her.  So I took her down and after a little posing realized, realized she'd fit very well onto the back of the dragonfly.  So I stripped her of the yarn and socks and took her apart as I wanted to position the legs so she'd be able to mount the dragonfly.  With a little stitching here and there, I was able to get her to look as if she was ready to go to battle on the back of her mount.  I wanted her to not be so flat looking so I decided to make her a little more feminine looking by giving her breast.  I had a candy jar filled with different colored felted balls, so with a pair of shears and more sewing I gave her a pleasing form.  Then the beading began on her.  It is coming along very well, and I thought I'd give you a little preview of the project.

Dragonfly body is a wire armature wrapped with fabric and secured with wire

Hopefully I'll be able to get it all done to display at AFIC&C in April.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to attend the whole 3 1/2 day conference, but Cyndy does allow people to day day classes.  I'm pretty sure I have the weekend off, but am still waiting to make double sure I'll be able to attend if not for the whole thing because I won't have enough vacation time from my new job. 

I still have more of the body to complete and try to decide what type of wings I want to make for the dragonfly.  I've thought of wings made of chiffon, or liquid poly clay, or
Angelina film.  Still all undecided, but I'm closing in on finishing.  For the doll's hair, I've found some mat silver I was going to use but not sure still if she's to have curly or looping hair.  Experimenting still going on.

And if you wonder, yes I love watching British dramas on NetFlix while beading.  I've been watching Foyle's War while working on this project.