Art Doll ~ Lance

Lance said that when he grows up he's going to be a doctor, a fireman, a musician, a teacher and after that, he really really wants to be an astronaut. He runs around the house all day wearing his space helmet and discovering new planets from his rocket ship.

Lances' grandpa made his rocket ship using cardboard for the wings, a large sheet of thick paper for the cone top and a 75 gallon fiber drum. His helmet is made using a paper plate with the center cut out to form the rim. Then he covered a balloon with paper mache and cut it in half to make the back of the helmet; with silver pipe cleaner accents. The "glass" on the helmet is made using transparent paper which can move up and down for when Lance is on a planet that has normal levels of oxygen.

Lance wears a yellow polo shirt, blue denim shorts and a pair of converse sneakers. Lance and his clothes are made of paper. He measures about 7" tall and his rocket ship is about 8" tall. He can be posed sitting or standing with assistance of an included doll stand (not shown).

Available for sale in Summer 2012.

Here is my son Justin with his helmet that's just like Lance's. A 75 gallon drum can be found for just $25 at some stores in most Caribbean communities. These drums are an economical way to ship clothing, accessories and food overseas. You can also find shipping drums online at sites such as Uline. The window and door can easily be cut using a jigsaw or an electric serrated carving knife.

Art Doll ~ Melvin

Melvin is a happily quiet boy who can sit for hours by himself and just a couple of toys and still have a great time. His imagination takes him to places far and wide as he creates his own little worlds of pirates and jungles with scissors, paper and crayons.

Melvin helped his dad make this boat for him using a T.V. screen cardboard box and some old sheets for sails. The mast is made of a shipping tube with a Styrofoam ball on top. Attached ropes and eye hooks let Melvin maneuver the sails into any kind of rough waves and winds that may come his way.

Melvin wears navy blue overalls, a white t-shirt, brown shoes and a sailors hat. Melvin and his clothes, hat and boat are made of paper. He measures about 6 1/2" tall and the boat is about 8"high. He can be posed sitting or standing with the assistance of an included doll stand.

Available for sale on Etsy in Summer, 2012.

The Melaluka Gang

When I was in elementary school, I was part of a small group of best friends. We called ourselves the Melaluka Gang. This name was supposed to be a combination of all of our names put together; although I think only MY name was really part of it - the other girls (club/gang members) were Porsha, Kimberley, Reena and Jasmine. So to this day, I don't know why we settled on the name "Melaluka" but everyone agreed it was the best fit.

Little stories and experiences like this are only part of what may inspire one of my art projects. For example, (here is a babbling peak into what goes on in my head).... before I even began the dolls I thought it would be cool to make dolls based on my children...or any children....with the cardboard structures like I made my kids....someone gave my boss a Charlie Brown Christmas tree... I've always liked the Charlie Brown illustrations....so maybe the dolls could look something like Charlie Brown....The Little Rascals came on TV the other day which reminded me of my gang of friends in elementary school....so maybe I could make a little gang of dolls....and they would wear some kind of "timeless" but classic outfits like in The Little Rascals....one would have pigtails like I always had as a kid...I looove overalls....those Shirley Temple dresses are so cute....etc....etc... And that is how the dolls came to fruition.

Here are Melvin, Lance, Lucy, and Katrina - The Melaluka Gang.

I will post more pictures for each doll separately later this month. Each doll comes with their own cardboard play structure and hat; all of which can be made by yourself for your own children at home. I will tell you how I made them and how you can too.

I've had a lot of fun making this little group of friends and I already have in mind the theme of my next set. I can't wait to get started!