Craaazy Mannequin Decoupage Project

This is an exciting day! Not quite as exciting as  Mueller indictment, but still . . . It's pretty up there. Today is exciting in the way you remember anticipating a fun sixth grade art project coming up later in the day. Probably even more exciting than that.

Today is the day I start decoupaging my mannequin!!!

Why am I decoupaging a mannequin, you ask? It is a logical question. Well, clearly, it is because I need a place to put my headset when I'm not using it. What? That isn't clear? Well . . I did say it was a craaaaazy project!

So, here is the deal. High-level . . . I'm redoing my office area in a French Country "Rustic Elegance" style. My office area is my living room, at a desk behind my love seat.

There are many challenges with this project, starting with the fact that it is hard to make a sit-stand desk fit into "Elegant" anything decor. But, I figured it out. I'll be sharing more about that later. For now, lets focus on the problem at hand.

I needed as few techy modern things as possible on my desk. I must have a keyboard, mouse, computer, phone, and headset to work. These are essentials. The rest can all be modified and disguised and dressed-up. I also try to practice the motto "A place for everything and everything in its place." I may have messed that motto up. I'm famous for mixed metaphors and such. But you get the picture. I'm a "less is more" girl and the things I do have are carefully planned.

It bothers me to have my headset just sitting there, looking all ugly and modern, on the desk. First, I thought of getting a wood bust and putting the headset on that. But I couldn't find a good wood bust without breaking the bank and I'm picky about art. Having a poor quality bust wouldn't do. I wouldn't mind paying a good sum for a good quality bust that is intended to be displayed as a piece of art. But to just use it as a headset holder? I couldn't do that. My pragmatic side ruled that out.

So, then I thought about something fun, like bust of a pig. But would you believe that pig head statues are not commonly found? I thought of an antique milliners block. These are available, but I couldn't find one on a stand and that was a long enough block to hold the ear phones.

Finally, I settled on the bust of a mannequin, from the shoulders up. But I couldn't have a realistic girl staring at me all day. That would be too weird. Plus, mannequins are made up, all modern. Again "Rustic Elegance." I needed a vintage girl.

Would you believe vintage girl bust mannequins from the shoulders on up, that match my colors are not readily available to buy? Shocking. I know. So, off I went to Joann Fabrics and I made a selection.

I then waited patiently for my mannequin to arrive. I'm kidding. What I mean is, I then obsessively checked the shipping tracking on my Amazon order, once an hour, and cut up all the little squares, and fretted it would not arrive until Monday, in which case I would DIE of anticipation. Because I'm decoupaging!!!!

So here is what I bought for accessories:

1. A cute little blue hat with a bow.
2. A brown summer weight scarf.
3. A bluish green necklace.

 

These are the fabrics I selected: 

Here is a picture of how I laid them out, in between obsessively checking Amazon for shipping delivery time.

Now, the final packages have arrived and I must go back to work, and wait until the end of the day. I'm dying! DYING!!!!! 

I'll update this post with the end result, so be sure to follow if you want to see what she turns into! It is entirely possible I'll make a disaster and she will look awful. But I have plans, my friends. I have plans.

The only thing that could be better is if Mueller was announcing indictments on TV as I worked on the decoupage project. But, we can't have everything, can we?

Let's revisit the joyful photo of everything having arrived, and being arranged, and waiting.  

Ohh, what beauty! Watch out world. A new star will be born tonight! Hopefully!

Update 1!
I worked from five o'clock p.m. last until midnight without stopping and totally forgot about dinner. (I have ideas for a new diet plan now.) Sadly, there were no new Mueller indictments, but there was a new guilty plea!

So, the lady of the hour was completely covered with fabric, except for the bottom that will sit on the desk, by the end of last night. It was hard for me to tell if I liked her because of all the globs of glue all over her. Still, I consider this completion of Phase 1.

This morning I woke up and she was almost 100% dry. So I cut a piece to fit the bottom and glued that on. Now, she is on her back and I need to wait for the base to dry. This will be completion of Phase 2. 

Phase 3
This phase will be going over her and perfecting details like her eyes and lips. Her eyebrows are too heavy. Her smile sucks. I need to touch up her hair as well. Basically, it is about getting her JUST right. Hopefully one more session tonight will do it.

Phase 4

After Phase 3, I'll have to wait for her to dry again. This KILLS me. Patience is not a strength of mine. But once she is totally dry, I can accessorize her! 

Update 2!
Okay I'm done!!!! She got an eyebrow trim, new eye shadow, a new hair do, and a new lip shade. Much better . . . She still needs some drying time, but she is done enough to wear her accessories temporarily and to take photos. So here you go!

Finals

This is a set of photos rotating all around her:

This last set, is a set of miscellaneous details that caught my eye.

That is it! Now all she needs is for me to finish the desk so I can put her in her proper place. Oh, and she needs a name! I shall consult with my Facebook friends on a name.

Don't forget to call your Congress members about anything that makes you unhappy. Be politically active. Politics are about public policy decisions that have the most impact on our lives. The decisions are literally life and death for some people. It is important to be involved.

Have a great day!

Lisanne