Visual Creations November GDT Project # 2 - Tin Soldier's Ballerina

The 2nd project I made for Visual Creations is the ballet tutu on the CI dress form. This was so much fun to make! I've always wanted to be a dancer and making my own tutu using paper is one vicarious way of reliving my passion for the performing arts.

To bring out the shape of the dress form, I painted it black with acrylic first. I used predominantly paper so I had to figure out how to make the cuts, nips and tucks on paper, just like I would have done to cut cloth for a dress. I had to make sure there were overlaps to make sure there were no holes in the dress. I traced the "seams" with the lace to cover them up, then further covered the overlaps with glitter.

To make the tutu skirt, I hand-folded the paper like an accordion fan. Of course, the folds were not too neat and of the same width, then I glued them to the sides of the bodice. To make sure that the tutu doesn't fall off, I also glued the same lace underneath the top layer, just to prop it up. I did the same for the 2nd and the 3rd layers, but also cut them shorter, once they were glued all together. To finish it off, I adhered a pink satin ribbon, and attached a rose cufflink in sterling silver. The latter came from the Nevermore Kit I got from Gauche Alchemy. I actually used that for an altered eyeglass case, but had to reuse it here because it seemed to be more apt. The rose cufflink reminded me of the Tin Soldier's story, so I named the piece the Tin Soldier's Ballerina.

Do check it out as http://www.visualcreationsonline.net/gallery/index.html where it is being shown together with Visual Creations' Design Team Member, Cabbie Lopez, the queen of altered art. Also, do check out the many new and different items Visual Creations offers. I'm sure they'll make you drool!!!

Materials: CI dress form, Lefranc & Bourgeois Fine Acrylic Mars Black, Michael's seed pearls, Leeho Glitter Glue, 7 Gypsies Vale, remaining scrap pps: IOD Steel Toe Mary Jane Collection, Foof-ala AL.