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  • Metal Gal-Pals, Part 2
  • Build some burnished beauties for your home.
    From "B. Original"
    episode DBOR-124


    In this second part of the Metal Gal-Pals project, Michele Beschen turns the bare-bones metal frameworks into glamour girls. Scroll down to see how.

    Photo

    Take your gal-pals from
    plain metal...

    Photo

    To just plain marvelous!


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    PHOTO

    Figure A
    PHOTO
    With your ladies built, it's time to make them beautiful. Add jewelry, handbags, whatever gets your imagination stirred up.

    Note: To paint on the metal, be sure to clean it with some rubbing alcohol and use a paint suptable for use on metals. You also can mix a metal-paint medium with acrylic paints. After painting, spray with a couple of coats of polyurethane to protect the paint job and help maintain some of the cobber tubing's sheen.

    Hair

    • Michele Beschen used electrical wire and aluminum flashing for hair. If you use electrical wire, just drill holes around the hairline and run the wire through (figure A). She also finished off all her ladies with hats; if you plan to do the same, keep that fact in mind as you plan the project.

    • If you use aluminum flashing for hair, take a small section and start cutting it in thin strips without going all the way to the end of the piece. The resulting silvery locks curl beautifully and make great false hair (figure B).

    Put on a Happy Face

    Prepare the surface and paint the face on your ladies. Don't just paint on features, give them the benefit of makeup at the same time. You can even wire big beads to the ear or neck area for the full effect.

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    There's nothing like
    fabulous makeup...

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    And snappy accessories
    to complete your look.


    Shoes and Accessories

    Go to town with your ladies' shoes, handbags and even robes. Remember, the only rule is "Anything Goes" in your design. Doll up your ladies with paint and wire, but keep your eyes out for other embellishments such as bottle caps and beads.

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    They've got it all, from
    their snappy hats...

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    To sassy shoes, and
    everything in between!


    Once your metal beauties are all dolled up, take them out. Michele Beschen hung hers on the side of the house—where would yours like to go?


  • ALSO IN THIS EPISODE: