Thread: How can I make her into a Corpse Bride?

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I found this Bride doll on a recent Amvets trip. When I first saw her I didn't immediately think of Halloween or turning her into something festive, but I was struck by how creepy she does look. The fact that her music box base still works and plays the wedding march was a big selling point for me, as were her weird hands. I am convinced that she will make a wonderful corpse bride.

I did a bit of Googling, and found out that she is a Bradley doll (made anywhere from the 50's-80's) and they are popular but there's really no market for them. So, I feel safe in "modifying" her...

My first ideas were to give her dead/black flowers for a bouquet, age her dress and veil (somehow?), and paint her cloth face, somehow into something skeletal and very corpse-like. Also, draping cobwebs from her.

So, I'm asking anyone interested, does anyone else have any good ideas? Has anyone done anything like this before?

I wrote about her on my blog and have pictures of her creepy hands there.

Also, here is the video I took, and what happens at the end is a segue to how she will soon look, and not just me being crazy. ;-)

Thanks!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqx69IDO8JI&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqx69IDO8JI&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

For the record: that is one CREEPY doll!

You can probably tea-stain her clothes. As far as her skin, I think she'd look quite fetching in blue Maybe some blood drips from the corners of her mouth?

OMG, I had that doll growing up! My Mom had gotten her for me.....holy crap! Same doll... but mind had a different dress!

First, see if you can remove the doll from the music box. You can try tea staining the dress, or diluting acrylic paints into "washes" for a variety of colors. Try using a disposable spray/mist bottle for dress dye application: Maybe black deep within the gown fading to grayish-brown?

I would recommend 'sealing' her face/hands with matte finish to make painting on details easier (as fabric dolls tend to bleed colors and take a long time to dry/cure without sealer first.)

You can use latex caulk and painter's palette knives to sculpt on more gnarly details, like rotten draping skin.

If you want to change the hair color, try combing in small amounts of acrylic paint mixed with fabric/textile medium and heat setting with a blow dryer.

For another layer of disturbing, maybe stick a little battery operated flickering LED candle or puck-light under her lacy gown?

And I agree with BlueFrog: SERIOUSLY CREEPY. Nice Find!

You might check the wedding section of Hobby Lobby for tiny black flowers. That seems to be where they keep the small ones, more suitable for her scale.

Nice find!! Tea stain the dress and dye her hair. I agree with a light blue skin tone. whatever the choices it will be very creepy with the music going and her spinning like that.

sniff, i collect dolls and i think she is very pretty. not creepy at all. i bought one at a flea market for 50 cents and resold her on ebay for $15.00. i have 5 or 6 of these dolls. they are made by the same company that makes monopoly games. you can find them for sale on ebay listed as boudoir dolls. doll collectors love them. beauty is in the eye of the beholder i guess. i will say no more.

Originally Posted by Raven & the Wren Studios

First, see if you can remove the doll from the music box. You can try tea staining the dress, or diluting acrylic paints into "washes" for a variety of colors. Try using a disposable spray/mist bottle for dress dye application: Maybe black deep within the gown fading to grayish-brown?

I would recommend 'sealing' her face/hands with matte finish to make painting on details easier (as fabric dolls tend to bleed colors and take a long time to dry/cure without sealer first.)

You can use latex caulk and painter's palette knives to sculpt on more gnarly details, like rotten draping skin.

If you want to change the hair color, try combing in small amounts of acrylic paint mixed with fabric/textile medium and heat setting with a blow dryer.

For another layer of disturbing, maybe stick a little battery operated flickering LED candle or puck-light under her lacy gown?

And I agree with BlueFrog: SERIOUSLY CREEPY. Nice Find!

Thank you all, and thank you for those ideas! I am going to try and start some of that work on her soon.

Originally Posted by Raven & the Wren Studios

First, see if you can remove the doll from the music box. You can try tea staining the dress, or diluting acrylic paints into "washes" for a variety of colors. Try using a disposable spray/mist bottle for dress dye application: Maybe black deep within the gown fading to grayish-brown?

I would recommend 'sealing' her face/hands with matte finish to make painting on details easier (as fabric dolls tend to bleed colors and take a long time to dry/cure without sealer first.)

You can use latex caulk and painter's palette knives to sculpt on more gnarly details, like rotten draping skin.

If you want to change the hair color, try combing in small amounts of acrylic paint mixed with fabric/textile medium and heat setting with a blow dryer.

For another layer of disturbing, maybe stick a little battery operated flickering LED candle or puck-light under her lacy gown?

And I agree with BlueFrog: SERIOUSLY CREEPY. Nice Find!

Thank you all, and thank you for those ideas! I am going to try and start some of that work on her soon.

hallorenescene, I do apologize- initially I did feel very badly about buying her and turning her into something else, that I should leave her there for someone who will appreciate her for what she was intended for... but... I just really love her and want to make her into something I'd love even more? If that makes sense?

Creepy!!!!!!!!!