Shoebox: Glove Dolls, Bar Soap Crafts

Today's Shoebox segment was devoted entirely to showing the imaginative, clever and beautifully done projects sent in by viewer Yvonne Hernandez of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

First up were the cute-as-can be dolls that Yvonne refers to as her Tender Hands dolls made from...would you believe...medical gloves! These are the gloves that doctors and nurses wear that are readily available at pharmacies and most drug stores. There is a bit of a difference in the color and thickness of some of the gloves. The ones Yvonne used were off-white, almost cream colored. These seem to be of a bit heavier vinyl than the white ones I found in my drug store. The only difference it might make would be that the plastic foam ball and the rice filling would be more obvious. Yvonne very generously sent in the steps used in making the basic doll.

Materials:

7 oz. rice
2" plastic foam ball
1 vinyl medical glove
small piece of tape

Steps:

1. Pour the rice into the glove. Try to avoid getting any into the thumb, but if it does sneak in, just ease it out.

2. When the rice fills the fingers and the "body" (palm), stretch out the thumb and wind it around the glove above the rice to form the neck. Secure with a small piece of tape.

3. Insert the plastic foam ball into the glove above the neck, stretch the remaining portion of the glove up around it, and tie it into a knot.

4. If you notice a discrepancy in the length of the arms (one is the first finger and the other is the little finger), do not be concerned. When the doll is dressed, simply place the longer finger across the body and nobody will notice.

Yvonne then painted faces on her dolls and shoes on their feet. The hair was made of craft store hair (there are many choices). In most cases, she made tiny doll clothes for them. The little boy was wearing a suit complete with shirt and tie.

One of the girls was a ballerina, and the third was dressed in a baby sock!

All were extremely well done and very, very cute.

Yvonne also sent in several items made using a bar of soap as the base. They all featured many pearl-headed pins that had been inserted into the soap and around which embroidery floss, yarn or even twine was wrapped.

One was made to resemble a basket, and another held a bunch of fruit.

Another basket was a gathering of sewing items: needles, pins, spools of thread, etc. They were all very imaginative and creative--and hopefully might inspire you to give the idea a try using your own creativity and imagination.