Loreta
This is the lovely Loreta.
She is a glamorous little lady. She has lovely big blue eyes, orange hair, a glittery blue hat and deep purple floral outfit.
She is a Mexican muñeca de cartón, a traditional and beloved Mexican Folk toy. Loreta is part of a small collection of paper mache dolls that I sourced from Mexico and handmade by Mexican artisans.
Paper mache dolls otherwise known in Spanish as “muñecas de cartón” are made with a technique called “cartonería” in Mexico.
To make “muñecas de cartón” artisans use layers of paper are bonded and molded together with a homemade glue called engrudo. The surface of this technique becomes very hard when it dries, and as a result, it is incredibly durable. Then, they are painted and decorated with acrylic paints, sequins and glitter.
This technique has been used to make a variety of crafts for many years. Although there is no certainty of the origins of this toy, it is believed that the paper mache doll was born in the late colonial to early Mexican Independence period, created by poorer families to imitate more expensive porcelain dolls from Spain.
Materials: Paper Mache, glitter and love.
Dimensions: 25 cm length approximately
Author: Unknown.
Please note that this doll is a work of art, handmade with love and perfectly imperfect. Please allow variations on the painted surface.
