Meet "Darbie" the Distressed Barbie

I wanted to start off with my creation for Tim Holtz's distress challenge. I wanted to do something different. I thought, "Hey self, what could I distress?" A phone... a camera ... some wooden fruit? Ugh, I couldn't think of anything and I had ALL those lovely new Distress Inks from Mario. Then Halle, my 4 year old daughter walks in, and asks me if I've seen her "Darbie Doll." (She can't quite pronounce, "Barbie") There was almost an audible *ding* in the room. So I hauled my cookies off to WalMart and picked up a $5 surfer Barbie and Darbie the Distressed Barbie was born. I mean, seriously, who NEEDS to learn how to "Embrace Imperfection" as Tim would say, more than Barbie? I ran pieces of her hair straight over distress ink pads and then had computer paper "foils" to absorb any extra ink. I then focused on her clothing. I quickly eye-balled a pattern for her shirt and cut it out of muslin and hand-sewed it together. I then used dark brown re-inker, glimmer mist and a mini mister to color the shirt. The apron (inspired by Tim's Ranger Apron) and capris are made out of grungepaper and distress inked.

Next were Darbie's shoes. Hmmm... I thought, she couldn't wear high heels in a studio. So she traded in her stilletos for birkenstocks. The soles are made out of grungeboard and the top straps are made out of grungepaper.

Now, just because Darbie might be a little rough around the edges, doesn't mean she can't accessorize. And accessorize she does with Tim's idea-ology line. She has the flower in her hair, the mini-washer/brad ring (Do you remember ALWAYS losing that ring as a kid? Well, they have removed the ring, but as an homage to Barbie's of the 80's I drilled one through her hand), she also has jump ring bangles and a ball and chain necklace. Did I miss anything? Oh, yes...

Inky Fingers!!!! If you've worked with anything Tim Holtz, you know you come away from your craft desk with VERY inky fingers. I mean seriously, don't even bother getting a manicure before you take a class of his. I often say it looks like I murdered Rainbow Bright with my bare hands when I finish a project. I actually had to use alcohol inks for Barbies hands and face, because the distress wouldn't work since her skin is non-porous. Gotta love the whole line of Ranger products.


Now the Time Has Come.....




For the sake of Crazy I'm going to just start another post for the next project... Two posts in one day? Someone must have slipped me some crack!