Warning: Artists at Work! Old Antique Dress Form Punked Out!

My Little Corner of The World, Two Hide Dresses I Working on, Plus Shell Jewelry to match!

Doyle Hand Carving more Conch Shell Jewelry For Our Projects!

 Just in case I don't have enough to do besides finishing 2 Two Hide Strap Dresses complete with leggings, sleeves and Headdresses, I am also refurbishing a small dress form I picked up a couple months ago in Florida.

I was going to just strip her for parts because she is so tiny, (maybe a size 2 or 3), but she grew on me so I striped her naked, (her covering was rotting off), and am going to paint her up and use her as a jewelry model.

This is a project best done outside with a stiff breeze because she was full of dust and mildew. I started by removing the cover by tearing it off piece by piece, then scrubbing her with a fingernail brush to remove the dirt inside and out.

She is made of pressed cardboard so washing was not an option.

Now she is sitting in the sun for a day or two to kill of the residual mold and mildew, while I try to decide how she's going to be painted!

I will probably seal her first with a little spray kilz and then spray paint her a beach themed neutral color that wont clash with the shell jewelry.

I am tempted to try some of those new stone textured paints but I'm afraid that as much as she is moved about and shoved odd places to be stored the texture would flake off.

Well, we'll see once I get to the store. We have an Ace Hardware in town so I am in Hardware heaven, I used to work at one years ago and I love all the neat things they carry for us DIY folks, plus their staff is very educated and helpful, (if I must brag so myself, Ace was my favorite pre College job!).

Update...I have finished Matilda's makeover and she looks Grand!

now I have to gather and reshoot just about every piece of jewelry I have made.

I am going down to the beach for a photo shoot, there is a great river here with a nice sandy stretch to stage things on.

If you want to see the makeover you can click on this link to read all about it!