Maj – my third art doll

My third art doll is called Maj, because she has a yellow may flower in her purple yarn hair. This flower is a symbol of spring in Sweden, and children sell them all over the country in the spring, visiting apartments and houses. Everyone who buys them show it off by decorate their clothes or scarves or bags with these small pins – and the money goes to good causes of course. They look different every year.

Maj is wearing a dress out of a doily sent to me by Mimi, and her body is painted with lilac acrylic paint on fabric and decorated with lace, beads and vintage magazine clippings.

Her face is painted and the eyes and mouth comes from a fashion magazine, and her pink nose, that makes her look like she has the spring flue, is made out of a felted wool sweater. She has a big orange heart full of creativity and a lace veil decorated with mini-pearls and bigger pearls on top of her head.

I want to do more art dolls, but these dolls could never be mass-produced. They take lots of time sitting on my desk, looking at me with their paper eyes, making me wonder what bead or embellishment I will add next to them.

I get such a kick out of making art dolls, I can’t even describe it. It’s something magic about it, and when I finished Maj I was floating on clouds, feeling I had made such a great thing!

I guess it’s because I love their individuality and personality so much, and when I look at the finished doll I can’t believe it’s me who has made her. Delivered her to the world. It’s really a cool thing, a satisfaction and a continuing inspiration.