My name is J’pia Brickhouse-Isbell and this is the first year I created my own ManneqArt piece.

 

I started by both purchasing the necessary material and using what I already had in my possession. Most of the items I bought were from Dollar tree, like the tiny bugs, leaves, butterfly catcher, and flowers. The other materials I got from stores like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and even Home Depot. I also went to Lee Andersen for insight and wisdom. It took me a few days to finalize my vision and then I started to work. Since both my grandmother and mother are seamstresses, they helped with the sewing, and I accepted eager offers of help from a couple of kids from my church and family to help paint bugs and cut fabric. Once everything was painted, I sewed on the bugs, leaves, and flowers. That was the easy part. The hardest thing to command was the wires. It took me a while to get specific details just right, but with my mom’s help, I was able to get the spider web-like look I wanted. Naming the piece was the final challenge. A movie about a girl who turns her bullying big brother into a bug, provided the perfect title: Bug Off!