I was a tomboy growing up.  In fact, I was well into my thirties before my parents stopped asking me if I was acting like a lady.  I was a wife and a mother of three by then.  Sigh.

One of my favorite toys was a Matchbox race car.  It was green.  (I like red sports cars now.  Red ones that go fast.)  So that’s why I’m rather surprised about my interest in dolls lately.

Dolls, dolls, dolls.

Maybe my interest is because these dolls aren’t your normal cuddy-mama-put-a-diaper-on-baby dolls.  (Although if you want to cuddle and snuggle with these dolls, I guess that’s okay.  I just might shake my head,  look at you with askance, and roll my eyes like I am often wont to do at times . . . )

These dolls are not dolls per se.  The delightful creator of this fascinating dolls calls them mannequins.  (Ever thought of snuggling with a mannequin as a child?  Trying to pin a diaper on it?  Give it a bottle of milk?  No?  I don’t understand . . .)

These mannequins are not made out of hard plastic.  They are not expensive.  These mannequins are made out of cardboard.  They are rather quirky.  Adorable quirky.  That’s why I like them.  Quirky is my middle name.

There’s no real expense if you have some cardboard boxes laying around the house.  You probably have crayons or marking pens already so the only expense would be the googley eyes.  But, hey.  If you are into crafts (like many of you are), you might have some of these tucked away in some crafty corner.

Check them out at ikatbag.com. You can see more pictures and get her directions.  (As usual, I have used her picture with her permission.)

I think it would be a hoot to have a whole flock of these mannequins — mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins.  It would be fun to have a gaggle more of friends, pets, neighbors, chickens, elephants, the local clerk at the grocery store.

I can see where you could spend a whole afternoon making these mannequins — and then playing with them!  Don’t you think it would be great fun to do with your grandchildren?

Now let’s expand this thought.  Instead of making these cardboard mannequins, why not make some out of plain white card stock?  I can see it now — funky drawn stick figures.  At least that’s what mine would be.

Then, you can dress them by snipping scraps of material and gluing on shirts, Levis, dresses, pajamas, winter hats and scarves, formals and tuxedos — whatever.  Then, rough cut around them and glue them on  popsicle sticks for paper dolls on a stick.

What if your grandchildren live far, far away?  Maybe you could make a kit with cardboard, markers, fabric scraps, and googly eyes and send it to them to create their mannequins.  You might want to make one up (as you??) to include so they can get an idea of what to do.  Then, have them take a picture of them with their mannequins and e-mail the picture to you.

If you think your artistic abilities are lacking and can’t draw out a paper doll pattern, see what you can find on the Internet or in simple coloring books.  However, I think if you hand draw them, your grandchildren will love them.  And, you’ll be able to personalize them to make them look like the person they are modeled after.

Have fun making and playing with your mannequins!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.