Framed Doll Faces

$25 - $30 (based on 2018 prices)

Makes three frames

In addition to the witch den for my office’s annual decorating contest, we also selected a ghost motif, complete with hanging phantoms and haunted portraits. I saw this concept on several crafting sites and decided to give the project a scarier look and incorporate it into the theme. Although I made each face unique, you can stick with a more uniformed design to provide consistency.

• Three ornate picture frames (roughly 13” x 9”)
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat brown*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in cherry cobbler*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat gray*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat white*
• Three twelve-inch vinyl dolls
• One yard of white fabric
• At least four tablespoons of dark roasted coffee grounds
• One pan large enough to soak the fabric
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• Ten plastic spiders

1. Remove the backings and any glass from the frames and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, apply an even coat of black spray paint. Although I only used one coat, you may want more depending on your desired coverage. Keep in mind, though, that this is the base coat and much of the black paint will be covered up by lighter colors.

2. Dry brush the frames with a layer of white paint and, once that has dried, a layer of gray. Concentrate your application on the raised surfaces and leave the deep lines black to give the illusion of grime. If you want to enhance the distressed finish even further, smudge brown paint in random places to mimic dirt.

3. Remove the dolls’ clothing and dismember them. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give their heads and limbs an even coat of black spray paint (you will only use the heads for this project; the limbs will be utilized for a different prop). Since the heads will be covered, this step is entirely optional; however, it unifies the prop and prevents bright tones from appearing through the fabric.

4. Once the paint has dried, center the heads on the backings and glue them in place. For a sturdier hold, us superglue. As with step three, you can elect to apply a coat of black paint to the backings to create unity and avoid any unnecessary colors from showing.

5. Boil enough water to completely submerge the fabric and pour it into the pan. Add the coffee. The longer you allow the coffee to brew, the darker the stain will become. Likewise, greater amounts of coffee will produce a richer stain. Submerge the fabric in the coffee mixture and soak it until it reaches the color you desire. I soaked mine for four days and scattered the coffee grounds over the top to add spots. Remove the cloth from the water and allow it to dry.

6. Cut the fabric into squares large enough to thoroughly cover the heads and backing (I cut mine into 12” x 12” sections). Center the cloth on the prop and, starting at the face, glue it in place. I found that this step works best if you move in stages: apply a layer of glue to one section, hold the fabric down until it sticks, and then repeat the process. You may need to apply ample amounts of glue in the eye sockets and nasal cavities to get the fabric to hold their forms. Once this is done, fan the fabric out along the edges of the backing and glue it down.

7. Detail the faces with various materials. For one face, I used cherry cobbler paint to give the illusion of blood seeping from the eyes and mouth (a coat of clear nail polish makes the paint appear wet). For another, I adhered eight plastic spiders and accented the face’s features with a dry brushing of brown paint. And, for the third face, I cut out the eyes and mouth and darkened their openings with black paint (apply a heavy amount of paint along the edges and quickly swipe the brush outward).

8. Attach the backings to the frames and, if you would like, finish the props with additional elements, such as spiders crawling along the surfaces, a few blood splatters, or some clusters of aged bones.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.