Art Dolls by Du Buh Du Designs

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home..

Andres after releasing a stash full of ladybugs in our garden last night

We've had a busy week full of usual summer activities (swim lessons, farmers markets , events at the park, bike races tomorrow, etc.) as well as a nice albeit short visit with family in town. Now it's time to get back to work!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and emails regarding my doll for the Four Elements Challenge :) I've had several inquiries if Brighid is available for sale, and at this time she is not. I would like to build a shadow box/alter for her and then perhaps submit her for a showing. In the meantime I plan to make more dolls with decorative paper dresses embellished with dragonflies, butterflies, blossoms,etc. (I have years worth of saved specialty papers that are begging to be used).  Hope that answers some questions for you~

My next update should include a few Day of the Dead dolls/Frida(s) as well. Just be patient with me as we still have summer plans and I have one more side project to complete for a deadline next week...my absence from blogging just means I'm conjuring up some new dolls and ideas or busy with family :)

 And as you might have guessed we've been spending a lot of time in the garden. We released ladybugs in hopes that they will take care of those nasty aphids and I was reminded of the movie Microcosmos (made by the same director of Winged Migration~one of my favorite films). I highly recommend this one if you have kids who are into insects and bugs~this video is probably not for adults who easily get the heebie-jeebies~consider yourself warned :)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Art Dolls Only Challenge: The Four Elements

"Brighid, the Wind's Bride" is wearing a veil of paper dragonflies and a dress made of embossed decorative paper embellished with paper dragonflies, butterflies, leaves and blossoms 

 

Welcome! As part of the Art Doll Elements Challenge, I chose to create "Brighid the Wind's bride" representing the element of air . I decided to make her the object of affection of the wind, as if the wind were an "entity" itself, unseen but whose presence could be felt as it wraps around her.

Brighid's body is made of polymer clay and her wavy bobbed hair is made of dark brown mohair. Her dress is made entirely of an embossed decorative paper (sewn and glued on) with off white and cream colored blossoms, butterflies, leaves and dragonflies adorning her dress. Her veil of dragonflies and bouquet are made from water color paper and are embellished with tiny swarovski crystals and silver dipped head pins. I added the tiniest bit of ultra fine crystal glitter to each of the dragonflies wings her veil (unfortunately you can't really see it in the photos). I still have plans to add onto her dress and when she is finished she will be making her way into a shadow box /alter piece for display purposes :)

 

 
Mixed media Art Doll~ Image Image © Christine Alvarado, 2009
 

 

 

In my sky at twilight you  are like a cloud
and your form and color are the way I love them.
 You are  mine, mine, woman with sweet lips
and in your life my infinite dreams live..

~R.Tagore
 

 

 

 

 
Floral bouquet with two streams of cascading butterflies


 Mixed media Art Doll~ Image Image © Christine Alvarado, 2009

 

"Brighid, the Wind's Bride" Art Doll, 2009

 

Inspiration for the Gyspy Caravan

Book by Jeanne Bayol from 2005

It's been a few weeks since my Gypsy Caravan post but before I moved on I wanted to share the source of inspiration for it. For some time I've been admiring the work of Jeane Bayol, a French interior designer (fashion/bag designer as well). She and her husband Jean-Marie restore gypsy caravans as homes, dwelling places,etc., giving them a beautiful and eclectic new look.
The caravan above was one the images that inspired the doll caravan. We used a variety of pictures from multiple sources to ge ideas about construction. I added my own touches such as aged pink adobe walls inside instead of wood paneling . I prefer colors in smaller doses and so I kept the interior colorful but slightly subdued in it's contents.

My new copy of Jeanne Bayol's latest book

 If you have not seen Jeanne's work before  (I'm sure many of you have) check out her gorgeous website.  Her latest book was just released last month and is not available here in the States yet but you can order directly it from  Amazon France as I did. (click here for English translation).

Below are images that I scanned from the book. Please credit sources as © 2009 Bruno Suet /Jeanne Bayol.

 

 

(above images c. 2009 Bruno Suet /Jeanne Bayol )

 

Speaking of life size caravans, I thought this was a wonderful addition to a child's world. Ericka from Miko Design (Holland) and her husband built this wonderful la Roulotte playhouse in time for their daughter's eighth birthday party, a Frida themed party at that! A painting party full of color, flowers and even a Frida piñata. For more pictures, visit her blog here and for images of the Frida party you can drop by her Flickr site.

Enjoy your week!

 

 

 Images above and below © Miko Design 2009