Thanks. I started with the skirt by cutting two large tomato cages and wiring them together to form a large skirt hoop. I then covered the cages with chicken wire.
I covered the chicken wire from the inside with wet spaghnum moss. I then cut out a circle of chicken wire for the bottom and of the skirt and put some sphagnum moss on it and attached it to the bottom of the skirt. I placed the skirt where I was going to put the topiary permanently and emptied bags of top soil with some potting soil inside the skirt until I filled it up to the top ring of the tomato cages. I then bent the prongs of the tomato cages to form a teepee and wired the ends. The torso was made with chicken wire that I had molded unto a dress form that I have and then removed and seamed in the back with wire. I also placed wet spaghnum moss in the inside to adhere to the chicken wire. And placed the torso on top of the tomato cages teepee. I put some more soil inside the torso from the neck in. The arms were long rectangles of chicken wire rolled into a tube and then stuffed completely with spaghnum moss and each arm was attached by wire to the shoulders of the torso. It was kind of sewing a sleeve on. The head is just one of those styrofoam wig heads that have necks and a little bit of shoulder. I glued moss all over the head and inserted the shoulder part into the torso. Although I have temporarily anchored it. I think I am going to have to remove the torso and run a stake through the skirt to anchor it securely. She is right by the hillside and wouldn't want it to tumble down the cliff. Since I was using her for a Red Hat Society Luncheon, I planted her skirt with wandering jew. Her torso is planted with hens and chicks. Eventually I will plant her skirt with something permanent that will survive the winter such as sedum. Her head and arms will not be planted. I still may play with her a little to give her more character. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am waiting to find just the right large garden hat to get for her. I hope this all makes sense. It's one of those things that you kind of figure out as you go along. I do show another topiary lady in my Webshots folder above as well as a turtle one. Maggie | 
