<p>About two or three years ago a friend asked me if I wanted this 1/2 bust form (she was ready to throw it away).  I said, yes!  Of course I want it.... (it's free!).  So I took it home and started playing with it and all my garment samples.  Then I decided that the 1/2 bust was just hideous.  It really was.  Here is a photo, you can judge for yourself!</p>
<p><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=899" rel="attachment wp-att-899"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-899" title="DSC_0216" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0216-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>
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<p>Here you can see all her imperfections and the chips in the paint.  She reminds me of Goldie Hawn &amp; Meryl Streep in <em>Death Becom</em>es <em>Her:</em></p>
<p><em>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=901" rel="attachment wp-att-901"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-901" title="DSC_0225" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0225-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="180" /></a></em>     <a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=900" rel="attachment wp-att-900"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-900" title="DSC_0221" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0221-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="180" />     </a><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=899" rel="attachment wp-att-899"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-899" title="DSC_0216" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0216-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="180" /></a></p>
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<p>So I had this brilliant idea.  I'll decoupage her in her vintage sheet music!!! I drove all over town looking for vintage sheet music, only to find none.  I thought, okay I'll settle for old sheet music.  So I took myself to thrift stores everywhere, but nope, no sheet music.  Then I got desperate, so I remembered that I drive by a piano store every day on my way home from work, so I headed over there.  They had LOTS of sheet music.  When I asked the guy if he had any sheet music that was inexpensive that I could tear up.... the look he gave me:  did not compute, ask again.  Finally he understands that all I want it something that looks like sheet music and I don't really care about what kind of music is on it.  So he sold me a few copies of books of music that were defective in their binding.  Great!  I'm going to tear it up anyway.</p>
<p>So I headed home and started tearing up this music and I realized I could still give it that vintage look by dying the paper with tea!  I did this once in second grade and I remember that the paper looked a little worn, older, and brownier.  So over the course of the next week or so I dyed and dried the sheet music.  Here it is dying:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=905" rel="attachment wp-att-905"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-905 aligncenter" title="DSC_0168" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0168-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Here is a photo of all my dried strips.  I ran out of one tea and started using another, you can see the difference in the color of the strips. It's more apparent in the finished piece.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=906" rel="attachment wp-att-906"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-906" title="DSC_0234" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0234-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=906" rel="attachment wp-att-906"><br />
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<p style="text-align: left;">Now when starting a project like this make sure you set up a work station for easy clean-up.  When I was drying my dyed sheets of music, I set them on an old towel.  I used the same towel underneath the decoupage project and jumped right in!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=907" rel="attachment wp-att-907"><img class="size-medium wp-image-907 aligncenter" title="DSC_0241" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0241-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="234" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=908" rel="attachment wp-att-908"><img class="size-medium wp-image-908 aligncenter" title="DSC_0244" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0244-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="348" height="521" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">After almost 7 hours of decoupaging she was complete!!!  Here she is, no name 1/2 bust.  As you can see I used the matte finish for a more vintage feel and different shades of strips worked quite well.  Now if there is only something I can do about her poor posture.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=909" rel="attachment wp-att-909"><img class="size-medium wp-image-909 aligncenter" title="DSC_0330" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0330-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I am so proud of this project, I have to show off just a few more photos!  The nipples and the corners were the hardest points to do, but the key is to use smaller pieces.</p>
<p><a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=912" rel="attachment wp-att-912"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-912" title="DSC_0336" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0336-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="225" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=910" rel="attachment wp-att-910"><img title="DSC_0319" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0319-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="225" /></a>  <a href="http://graceakhrem.com//?attachment_id=913" rel="attachment wp-att-913"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-913" title="DSC_0339" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0339-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="225" /></a></p>
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<p>I thoroughly enjoyed this project!  I have so much extra sheet music that I am now looking for other things around the house to decoupage.  So far I have only found one small tin to decoupage, but do worry I will find other things!  Now - back to my needles!</p>
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<p>Oh!  And one more thing.  I am going to have a give-a-way withing the next week.  This might (or might not) involve yarn and a pattern, but I'm not giving away any clues.  So make sure that you subscribe or check in regularly!</p>
