The Creation of a Fairy for the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse Silent Auction

Several times a year, I get asked to donate one of my fantasy creations for worthwhile causes. My current project is to design and create a special "fairy" for an event that is being sponsored by the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse in Shorewood, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse was founded in 1998 as an all-volunteer charitable oranization. Its mission is to support breast and prostate cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The organization has donated over $3 million to fund research at the college.

I thought I'd show you how this special fairy will develop into a "one-of-a-kind" creation for their "Luck of the Irish" party being held on June 13, 2008.

I'm also giving you a glimpse of my work spaces....don't mind the mess! Actually it is a bit cleaner than they normally are:
Here is my room where I stash all my fabrics and yarns...! There are a lot more fabrics in the white cabinet on the right, and drawers full of all kinds of gorgeous yarns.
Of course, when I am starting a new creation...I just don't seem to have the right color of fabric, or yarn, so that definitely means a few trips to look for "just the right" fabric. I just can't imagine why my husband doesn't understand that I need more fabric!! He is really very good about going with me at times, and waiting patiently in the car, while I search for the perfect piece.
Here at my sewing machine is where all the bodies and wings get stitched up, while I have a nice view of the birds in the trees.

For this particular donation I have decided to design a laying fairy, in colors of pink and light greens. She will be laying on a long silk leaf, which I will hand dye using silk fabric dyes. More about her leaf design in another post.

Her body has already been sewn and stuffed, and sculpted into her laying position, through the use of inner wire armatures. I use 100% acrylic fiberfill when stuffing the bodies, and heads. My first step is to sew the body, using the tiniest stitches that my machine will allow. Next, I position the body into whatever pose I want. After that, I sew on the head. I have already added her waist accent, and will be accenting that with Swarovski crystals and tiny seed beads. I usually decide on the hairstyle next, and place it on the figure's head to get an idea of how the style will look, as shown in the photo below.

I do the face next, before any accents are attached to the figure. I draw the features on the face using a Micron pen .005. , and then to the needle sculpting Here she is with features drawn and face needle-sculpted.

Next I start to paint in the eyes and lips using a VERY fine brush.

After the face is entirely painted in, and blush applied to her cheeks, I add a coat of crystal clear lacquer to give the eyes and the lips a 3-dimensional look and shine. The photo above also shows her wings, which I have just sewn, top-stitched into a pattern, and will now be adding the wire armatures, which are fabric coated floral wire. She is just in the beginning stages, and I will be adding a post out here so that you can see how she looks when completely finished, along with her silk leaf.

This is the room where I do almost all of my creating, doing the faces, adding the accents, and taking photos when they are finished. It is actually supposed to be our dining room!

I have a few other little creatures waiting in line to be finished off for my next art show.

Be sure to stop back to see her when she is finished! I'm off to work on her right now!