Nelson, the Polymer Clay Pumpkin Doll

Every month at The Blue Bottle Tree Insiders, we are challenged to do something with polymer clay. The challenge topic is chosen by Ginger and every month it is different from covering an object, to nail powders and even color mixing. This month, however, it is to sculpt a pumpkin head. [Get face-making stuff here] Yay!

I do seasonal door knockers and dolls to place around my home. The door knockers I place on my front door year round and change them out seasonally, or whenever I feel like it. So because of this month’s challenge, I decided to do a pumpkin doll. I’ve done numerous pumpkin designs to place around my home, even in color schemes to compliment the decor. One of the most fun pumpkin designs was the Pumpkin Garden Tower. But without further ado, let’s meet Nelson, my pumpkin doll made for the Insiders challenge.

Nelson began just like any other doll. It was a slow process, not only of discovery but of coming into being. I wanted him to look a slight bit more “grotesque” than some of my other faces. [After all, he is a pumpkin head.] So slowly and surely, Nelson took shape. From his blue pumpkin form (yep – blue pumpkins are actually a thing – check out this blog post) to his leafy green shoes.

Nelson was a difficult doll to dress. I actually had two different outfits for him. I wanted him to match the personality of both my home and my husband and me, but also to look like “fall.” This proved to be quite the challenge. Overall, however, I was quite pleased with how the second look for my pumpkin doll came out. He’s a little plumper around the midsection, just like a good pumpkin doll should be, not to mention that matches our house and personalities better.

Sculpting Blessings,