Celebrate Spring Series - How to make an upcycled dressform +video

Well here it is folks, WEDNESDAY! I thought I had this scheduled on Monday, but truth is, I've been out with the flu, and well, it affected my brain! But in this case better late than never.

The UPS man has delivered his share of stuff in boxes to the Peterson household and being the upcycler, repurposer and for all intents and purposes, though I deny it with the greatest of all denials, a craft hoarder, I turn to my stash to find cheap materials in which to repurpose into divine art.......

There is something special about the dress form.   I love the shape, the versatility; really, I love everything about the dress form itself.   In this video, I share with you a technique on how to create additional textures on cardboard and then finish by collaging all sorts of elements to the front.  Mixed Media is super easy – It’s just about adding together a bunch of stuff you love!  You could use this form in a variety of ways; such as making this the cover of an art journal.  I think I’ll display mine with my favorite vintage style jewelry – how will you display yours?  Leave us a comment and let us know!

Watch the video on youtube - click here

The Upcycled Vintage Cardboard Dressform

GC-001 Grand Calibur® machine

GC-003 Raspberry Spacer Plate

S5-033 Spellbinders® Shapeabilities® Bird Sanctuary

EL-009 Spellbinders® M-Bossabilities™ Flora (or one of choice)

GLLD-001 Petite Monarch by A Gilded Life

Swirls, Pearls – White #7504 self adhesive pearls by Want2Scrap

Dictionary paper

Acrylic Paint – white

Paper Doilies

Twine

X-acto Knife

Hot glue

Scissors

Paint brush

For the base: (optional)

Up cycled vegetable can – painted and decorated

Foam

Skewer

Spanish moss

Optional supplies:  buttons, broken jewelry, charms, lace, flowers, cheese cloth, paper doilies etc.

Optional Dies to use:

S4-326 Spellbinders® Shapeabilities®  Bird Flourishes

S4-378 Spellbinders® Shapeabilities® Cherry Blossoms

Cut out Bird and Bird cage from cardboard from Spellbinders® Shapeabilities® Bird Sanctuary die and two crowns from the Petite Monarch die by A Guilded Life.

Glue dictionary paper to the back of the bird cage and away excess paper.

Cut out dress form shape from cardboard using craft knife and peel away some of the paper to expose the inside and add texture.

Slip one corner of the dress inside the M-Bossabilities folder.  Sandwich the folder between the embossing plate and raspberry spacer plate.  Place into the Grand Calibur machine and roll just enough to emboss the edge and then reverse to back out. 

Dry Brush with white paint to highlight raised areas on dress form.  Distress paint bird cage and bird.

Attach crown to the bottom of dress with hot glue. 

Arrange additional embellishments (cheese cloth, paper doily, fabric flowers, etc.)  using the photo for reference.  When satisfied with the collage, adhere all elements with glue.

To attach dress form to the base, glue a bamboo skewers to the back side.  Insert foam inside the decorated can and finish with Spanish moss and flowers.  Insert pointed tip of skewer into foam.  

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