A Miniature Fairy Dress

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One of the fairies who frequents my garden studio asked me to make her a pretty party dress.

foreverlovemini paper dress by Janell Mithani

I think both of our inner girlie-ness is what attracted her to my studio, in the first place.Forever love fairy dress by Janell MithaniForeverLoveDressbyJanellMithani7W
Since she has admired the painting I created that hangs over the window, I decided to make the bodice with paper made from prints of the painting.

PaintingandDressinStudioW  Here is a picture of the painting.

mixed media painting by Janell mithani

Forever Love, Acrylic on canvas, 20″ x 24″

To make the bodice, I shrunk a print of the painting in Photoshop to a couple of different sizes (2 to 5 inches in length) and printed out a sheet of them. Then I tore the pictures into a bunch of tiny pieces of paper that I modge-podged together to form the bodice.  (I used a $1 store doll covered in plastic wrap as a “pattern.”)  I glued about 3-4 layers, letting then dry completely in between and then added glitter to the last layer before it dried.

Bodice close up of mini fairy paper dress by Janell Mithani

 

To get my bodice off the doll, I simply cut it in half up the back.  Then I did some trimming until I had the shape I wanted for the bodice.  I used one of my beading tools with a sharp point to punch holes along each side of the back opening so I could lace it up like a typical corset.  I then sewed all of the trim to the bodice with embroidery thread.

ForeverLoveDressbyJanellMithaniBack2W

For the skirt, I dug around my fabric stash and found some sage green tulle and sewed it to the bodice as well.  Then I painted the tulle with some green and pink acrylics that I watered down a bit.  On the last layer of paint, I added in some glitter and some of the printed flowers from the painting.

Forever love back view of dress by Janell Mithani

To display the mini dress, I created a little stand by drilling a hole in a block of wood and gluing a small round wooden dowel into the hole.  I used wood glue to adhere the dowel to the block since it was wood to wood, but I used my trusty E6000 glue to adhere the top of the dowel to the inside of the dress.

For a finishing touch, I glued the block of wood to an inverted votive candle holder.  Then I glued some gold rhinestone strips as well as three of the flowers from my prints to the candle holder so it matched the dress.

glass stand for mixed media mini fairy paper dress

I believe my little fairy friend is happy with the results…

Have a wonderful, creative, day, Janell

 

 

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18 thoughts on “A Miniature Fairy Dress”

  2. Thanks, Trini. It was so much fun to make, although it took a couple weeks for the entire project as I had to let layers dry in between and I did a bit of :fussing: with it. I am definitely making more, and expect them to take less time now that I have the process figured out. 🙂

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  6. It’s really gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing your process, too! It’s very generous of you! I think you could definitely have something going here–I bet there are lots more gorgeous dresses in your creative mind!

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  10. Ohhhhhhh this is just SO gorgeous!! Absolutely beautiful! I really wish I had the time to work with my hands like this. I used to, but not lately. I really just love what you created. I encourage you to keep on creating!! ❤

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  12. Not only is this such a divine creation, it is so enchanting and brimming with sweet details. That beautiful translucency and shimmer is an absolute delight, it speaks of fairy dust and magical moments and I so love those those wings and the bodice.
    An absolute triumph!
    Wishes
    Lynne

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