Make A Bead-Bottle Lupita Doll

Left, see the interior of the bottle doll holds small beads for stringing. There is also twine for this 
jewelry kit craft wrapped around the bottle neck. Center, the stopper when inserted in the bootle 
neck makes the container look like a Lupita market doll. Right, the head of the doll among the 
flower bouquets displayed in her arms. Our flowers are vintage corsages once worn by family
members for Mother's Day.

        This little doll holds beads to string and also floral bouquets to sell in the market place; she is a novelty craft doll made after the fashions and methods of Lupita dolls. Her head acts as a stopper for the bottle, her neck a place to store twine for beading jewelry and her interior a place to collect and store those beads. A craft like this one makes a charming gift for a child's birthday or for any occasion.

This bottle stopper is made to look like a doll's
head. Her painted features are acrylic, her hair
yarn and the flowers in her hair tiny silk roses.

Supply List:

• an attractive plastic bottle
• one large wooden bead for the dolls head
• scrap cardboard
• masking tape
• beads for stringing
• twine for stringing the beads
• decorative papers and/or tissue papers for the decoupage process 
• Mod Podge for sealing the layers of tissue paper
• acrylic for painting the face
• silk or velvet flowers for the Lupita flower seller to hold
• chenille stems (2)
• yarn for hair
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• rosebuds for the doll's hair

Left and left center, the bottle filled with beads, a simple stopper with a wooden bead on top. This
will become the head of the doll. Right and right center, the doll is given arms to hold artificial
flowers. These arms are bent chenille stems taped onto the bottle and then decoupaged in place.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Clean the acrylic bottle thoroughly before use. Toss the lid. The more interesting the bottle, the more interesting the doll's dress. The larger the bottle the larger the collection of beads. The acrylic bottle is best for this craft because it will not shatter during play.
2. Select a wooden bead for the doll's head that is large enough to 'stop' up the hole in the top of the bottle.
3. Roll cardboard into a solid tube, tape it shut, then hot glue to it one end of the wooden 'head' bead. This will be the neck piece to fit the head of the doll into the bottle of beads. The neck piece should be several inches long.
4. The cap end piece of the bottle should be left alone and used for the place to wrap twine about. This twine will be used to string the beads for necklaces and bracelets. 
5. Twist a simple yarn 'wig' about the back of the doll head using white school glue. Let the glue set and dry.
6. Hot glue silk flowers into the doll's yarn hair.
7. Apply the facial features using acrylic paints. Seal the face with Mod Podge.
8. Cover the plastic bottle on the outside surface with masking tape.
9. Shape and twist the arms of the doll into a holding position using several chenille stems, taping them into place just below the doll's neck and shoulders.
10. Cut and paste decorative papers on the bottle to decorate the doll's gown. Seal every layer with Mod Podge. 
11. Cover the doll's arms with paper sleeves also and Mod Podge the surface. 
    
12. Cut, shape and glue on a apron if you wish.

 

Our bead bottle doll seen from five different angles. Her flowers are made from silk and velvet.

More About Lupita Dolls:

• Where do lupita dolls come from?
• Making traditional pottery Lupita dolls