My Marilyn

I have been thinking about what kind of doll I want to make for the Dimensions in Dollmaking 2009 event. I've never entered before, but really want to this year. The theme for 2009 is "Make Me Laugh." So, yesterday I pulled out my DVD of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" to see if I could get any costume ideas for another Marilyn doll. I wanted something funny. Actually the costumes on the front of the DVD cover would be excellent, but I have no idea if I could pull off those roses. Maybe I could get Stella Pesci to help :)



I like this one, too. The red is quite fab:



A couple months back, if you know me very well, you probably know I made a Marilyn Monroe doll. I drew up my version of her face on a flat-faced statue doll and designed my own costume. Nothing exactly like she had ever worn, but I wanted something green and couldn't find anything on the internet in that color. Apparently she was buried in green, but I didn't really want to copy that...

So anyway, I want to show you my Marilyn doll, if you haven't already seen her. I'm really happy with her.



My lovely sister-in-law said I made her look ambivalent. I think that's right. She really was, wasn't she.

The costume is green silk charmeuse. I dyed it to a color I particularly like, and also which I think would have been an appropriate color for the times. It's a medium to deep green that is slightly drabbed. I machine-brocaded it with gold thread and added seed beads throughout the dip of the skirt. It has a halter-style neck and a low back.



The cape is deep green velvet with marabou feather edging. I really like how that turned out. Very sumptuous indeed!



Her hair is made from fabulous mohair locks that I got from my friend, another lovely dollmaker extraordinaire, Colleen Athens. You can see some of her work on her blog (http://dolljourney.blogspot.com)



This is one of her dolls.

The hair she sold me was just the right shade of platinum blond. I discussed it with her previously and she assured me it was the correct color and consistency. She was spot on! Having not a clue how to deal with mohair, I emailed Colleen back and forth quite a few times and finally determined that a doll curling iron and quite a number of hair products would be just the thing to use. I combed the hair out as best I could, sprayed it endlessly with a Paul Mitchell working spray she recommended and set to work with this mini curling iron. I wish I had photos of me trying to pull this off! It was quite ridiculous, actually. I am decidely NOT a hair stylist. In fact, at the moment I could really use one myself! I think the Marilyn hair turned out pretty well, though my own is still a mess :), but I have to tell you, I am such a klutz, I pretty much could have torn my own hair out by the time I was finished. If you look at Colleen's blog, you will see that she can style her own hair and that of her dolls quite well. I, on the other hand, am not so talented. But, in the end, I think it turned out pretty well and I still have my hair! Thanks Colleen, You Are a Doll!



Keep on cranking it out people! Be inspired, do what you do and please visit Colleen's site so you can see just how talented she is!