My Vintage Mannequin Makeover

After being banished from my husband's shop and recently acquiring my own, I decided to work on my first official project in my new digs this weekend.

Our friends Kenny and Christine, have a warehouse collection full of amazing collectables they've acquired over a span of 30 years and they're kind enough to let Perry and I explore and plunder.

A month or so ago, I came across an old mannequin that Kenny had purchased upon the closing of Cotton's Department Store in Ensley, Alabama. Even though she bore a few marks from her 75+ years of featuring many decades of dress trends, I instantly fell in love with the plaster dress form.

I was content with the mannequin in it's current state, but after seeing a box of leftover tile from my recent kitchen remodel, I was inspired to give her a makeover.

First, I used a cement epoxy to attach the tiles which came in 12 x 12 sheets. Of course, I tried to glue the entire sheet but the weight caused the tiles to slide down. I was forced to cut the sheets into strips containing one row of twelve then cut down again into clusters containing no more than four or five tiles. I then used industrial-strength cement epoxy and spent the next two and a half days gluing the tiles.

After gluing my last tile, I let the adhesive cure over the next 12 hours. The final step involved grouting (something I know NOTHING about), but thankfully my sister-in-law Ashley stopped by and helped me spread it before it dried. We had just enough to cover the front but I would have been happy with another handful of grout.

I've still got to clean up and wipe down the tiles but I'm still pretty happy with the final result!