Almost Every Culture Around The World
Believes in Fairies, Elves, and Gnomes...

...You will too when you follow award-winning artisan Lee Feickert's instructions in Volume 10 of The Master Dollmakers Video Instructional Series, "Making Flower Fairies and Elves." The fairies and elves you'll create will be so realistic, they'll turn skeptics into believers faster than the flutter of a fairy's wings.

This 90 minute video contains five projects ranging from beginner to advanced. There's even one that a child could create! Once you've mastered the techniques, you'll have hours of enjoyment transforming porcelain dolls and animals into fairies, using silk flowers and wings.

A detailed discussion of the tools and materials you'll need starts off the step-by-step instructions. The tools include bisque ware, paint, a series of brushes, and other common items with which all dollmakers will be familiar.

Once your tools are in place, you'll learn two steps to painting your dolls. When mixing paints it's important for it to be the right consistency so that it will flow from the paintbrush. This is especially important when you're making small, detailed lines on your doll's face. But after watching this video, you'll never make a mistake, because Lee shows you a method of mixing paints that insure the right consistency every time.

The first painting step will guide you to painting the eyes, lips, and eyebrows. Camera close-ups let you see exactly how it's done. You'll also learn the value of a blue eraser, and why it's important to keep one on hand while you're painting.

When you've completed and your doll has been fired, you're ready for step two: adding the iris to the doll's eyes, eye shadow, accents on the lips, and blushing the cheeks, hands, and feet. It's here that you'll see the doll come to life right before your very eyes. Throughout the process, Lee reviews each step, tells you what colors she's using, which brush to use, and the exact procedure she follows.

When you've finished painting the face, you'll learn how to assemble the rest of the doll. In addition to showing you how to assemble the fairy, Lee also demonstrates how to assemble a packaged doll you buy in a craft store. It's amazing to watch as pipe cleaner and cotton batting add contours and shape to your dolls. "When making fairies with the pipe cleaner," says Lee, "you're able to vary the pose of your fairy." And you'll get it right every time because she reveals a technique that insures your doll's limbs will always be in proportion to the rest of the body.

Once you're through with assembly and wrapping, the fun part really begins... dressing your dolls. You'll learn how to take apart a purchased silk flower, cut it, glue it, and turn it into a beautiful garment for your dolls. You'll also add a touch of fairy glamour using glitter, and finish off by giving it wings.

But you're not done yet! Your doll still needs hair. Here Lee recommends using braided mohair. "This allows the hair to be curly and wavy like most fairies have," she says. Once the hair is in place, styling is up to you. But Lee shows you a couple of techniques you might try, from simply wrapping the hair on top of the doll's head, to separating the mohair to give it a more flowing look. Then Lee shows you how to cut and tie ribbons for a finishing touch that really sparkles.

When your fairies are done, you'll learn how to apply the same techniques to creating elves, bears, and angel bunnies. You'll use discards from the silk flowers that were used for the fairies, to make pants for an elf. You'll also make a vest from a single leaf, and a collar from a small flower. A bow tie and acorn cap finish off the elf ensemble. "Now he's ready to go play in the woods," Lee says. You'll then use metallic lace and flowers to dress bunnies and bears and give them wings to fly.

Finally, Lee reveals a neat project you can do for a children's party. This project requires only a tiny plastic or flocked bear, fabric, glue, and a few of the materials you've used up until now. "Make it as simple as possible for the children," she says. "Take the flowers apart for the children, and let them decorate the bear however they want."

The video ends with a series of decorating ideas and variations for decorating every room in your home with your creations.