March has been a good month to catch up on making paper dolls for my Etsy shop! I was able to make a handful of Mermaid Paper Dolls, a couple of Bebe Paper Dolls, and several Menagerie Paper Dolls for this latest group. Each and every paper doll was a pleasure to create and as always I wish I could keep them all!
I have also decided that all paper doll sales through the month of June will go towards my husband's latest fundraising efforts with Team-In-Training (TNT) for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Carlos is currently training with TNT for the 2015 San Diego International Triathlon and, in addition to training, he will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease, and myeloma. Also, if you would like to make a personal donation in support of Carlos's efforts with TNT, please follow the link below (all donations are 100% tax deductible and any amount is very much appreciated!):
And here are my latest paper dolls and their inspirations! Enjoy!
BEBE PAPER DOLLS
Bebe Paper Doll #29 "Baby Doll" is an ode to the vintage paper doll cut-outs. I thought it would be fun to create a Bebe Paper Doll inspired by the cutesy, Golden Age paper dolls of the 1950s - think of Mad Men's little Sally Draper lovingly playing with her paper dolls just as her mother, Betty, had before her!
Bebe Paper Doll #30 "Selfie" is actually based on me! I've always wanted to be this fantastic artist and paint a fantastic self-portrait but I'm not a very a good painter! I do, however, think I am a pretty good paper doll artist and decided why not make a paper doll self-portrait?!? I happen to love jumpsuits (one of my favorites is this blue jumpsuit from Anthropologie, above) and have a deep fondness for wearing animal headwear (my latest wolf hat/scarf, above)! So this Bebe doll is also wearing a jumpsuit complete with eyeglasses, strappy sandals, and funky animal accessories (bunny barrette and deer bag). Oh, I also had this Bebe doll sporting a wrist watch because in reality I should wear one more often!
MERMAID PAPER DOLLS
After seeing actress Lupita Nyong'o wearing her gorgeous custom pearl gown at the 2015 Academy Awards, I knew I had to create a mermaid paper doll version. Even Lupita herself, said she wanted this pearl dress to be "an homage to the sea"! Mermaid Paper Doll #111, is my third Lupita-inspired mermaid doll and this one is multi-jointed at the arms and her mermaid tail.
I couldn't resist making another Lupita-inspired mermaid paper doll! This next mermaid doll is based on her 2015 Golden Globes lilac-hued gown by Giambattista Valli. I loved how the dress flowed like a waterfall made from purple flower petals!
Mermaid Paper Doll #113 "Fleur de Papier" or "Paper Flower" was inspired by the French outdoor flower shops. Also, I wanted to make a mermaid paper doll that felt like Springtime and flowers always reminds me of this new season.
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My "Madame M" (M stands for Mermaid!) mermaid paper doll is a tribute to John Singer Sargent's painting "Portrait of Madame X". Sargent's portrait of a young socialite named Virginie Gautreau has always been a memorable painting from my youth with Madame X's pale skin contrasted against her dark colored dress. This painting was actually quite scandalous back in its days in France.
Mermaid Paper Doll #115 "Mermaid in Blue Floral Dress" is inspired by a recent exhibit called "Black Dolls" at Balboa Park's Mingei International Museum. The exhibition showcased unique handmade African-American dolls made between 1850 and 1940. I was especially fond of the small details embroidered or sewn onto each dolls, like, the stitching of red thread or red accessories and how it beautifully contrasts against the doll's dark skin. In addition, many of the dolls wore pretty blue or denim-colored dresses that I totally fell in love with!
Mermaid Paper Doll #116 "Raven" is based on the intriguing bird, the raven. With its striking black plumage, the raven gives off such a dark and romantic presence, and I wanted my mermaid paper doll to have a similar look as well! In addition, I wanted her to appear like she was gliding or flying through the waters as effortlessly as birds appear in the sky.
MENAGERIE PAPER DOLLS
Menagerie Paper Doll "Vida y Muerte" or "Life and Death" represents this union of opposites and just how life and death are beautifully intertwined. Death is a part of life even for mermaids!
Menagerie Paper Doll "Steampunk Ariel" is my version of Ariel the Mermaid dressed in her best Steampunk wardrobe. Above are a couple of other artists' versions of Steampunk Ariel (one by Mecanique Fairy and the other by Steam Ingenious). I liked to think my Steampunk Ariel would sport a more modern hair style with her short bob and still fiery red hair!
Menagerie Paper Doll "Sea Maiden & her Sea Horse" is my version of a mermaid riding a seahorse. Of course, this concept is not a new one but I thought I would make my seahorse with a real horse head and all dressed up and ready to hit the underwater scene!
Thanks for being here!
