Tattered Fairies

These are my Tattered Fairy dolls. I use 14 inch bendi-type bodies that I paint with craft paint. Then I add seed beads for the eyes. They don't have noses or mouths because I can't draw. I call them tattered because their clothes are shredded and distressed. This is because I like the effect and I don't like to sew.
I make really big pom-poms for the hair out of whatever kind of yarn strikes my fancy. The wings are made from those sheets of copper mesh you get at Hobby Lobby the most fun place on earth. They are trimmed with glitter glue.
They will have ankle bracelets and tags giving their name. The green one is 'Earrach' which is Celtic for Springtime. The pink is 'Athas' which is Celtic for Joy.

Happy Easter to all

Peace

Blue Jay

This was a really fun piece to do. It just kind of created itself. I found these feathers last summer. They were just sitting in their box marked Blue Jay feathers. And I was poking around in my stuff and I saw that I had some blue teddy bear eyes. And the next thing I knew this was happening.

The canvas is a small one. Just 6x6. I painted the background with metallic craft paint. Then I took some of that really big sort of metal ribbon that they sell by the spool at Xmas time. I guess you could use it to make really big bows for a wreath or something. I had a spool 'cause...well I don't know why I have it. Anyway I painted one side of it black metallic and pressed it paint side down on the canvas.

I mounted the eye in paper clay. Then I painted it. Then I ran a bead of glue around it and added some seed beads. Then I added feathers and more beads and so on.


So this is my homage to the Blue Jay who so generously donated his feathers to me. Even tho I'll bet he didn't do it willingly!

Peace

Basket Weaving

Since the weather has been making my mood so crappy lately, I thought I'd do a little basket weaving. Supposed to be soothing right? I saw all these colored wires at Hobby Lobby and they made me think of peacock feathers and well, one thing led to another and there you go.

I stripped some 12g solid copper wire for the base. Then I soldered it and wirewrapped over the solder. I did this for stability and because quite frankly my soldering sucks. I've tried to do it. I know how to do it. I like to do it. But it just isn't one of my best things. Then I spread the wires out in the form I wanted.

Then I took 20g purple, blue, green and burgundy wire and just wove. And ya know what? It is soothing.

Then I curled the 12 g tops down and wove peacock feathers thru. It is surprisingly stable. And it feels good to hold. I think maybe I should have used a colored background. But you get the idea.

Peace

Shoes Shoes Glorious Shoes

The first pair of shoes that I coveted, that made my little heart go pitty pat were black leather low boot types. They came just below the ankle and had a folded flap around the top. They zipped up the back and had a low heel. I was in high school and wanted these shoes more than I ever wanted anything. I served a lot of burgers to get those shoes.

Then when I was older I was head waitress in a Disco and also did exhibition dancing and some teaching. So I spent the better part of my time in heels.

Now I go for comfort. But I still love shoes. I have a favorite pair of purple velvet MaryJanes. And during the summer I love sparkly flip flops. And my pink Converse knock-offs. I don't even own a pair of heels anymore. Unless you count the lowheeled cowboy boots I use to walk around our property.

So here is my shrine to shoes. It was going to have a lot of quotes on it. And the wonderful Ladies in Artists Circle came up with a bunch of good ones they shared. But as I built this it seemed to need simplicity to show off the shoe and the pearls and the beads, So the quotes are in a file waiting for another project.

I painted a Milkweed pod and filled it with pearls. A fun look I thought. And dribbled glue here and there and scattered tiny beads. A simple shrine, but I wanted the shoe and the Milkweed to be the focal point.
What's your favorite shoe?

Peace

Re-done Skull Done

After the drama and trauma of washing off my initial work, it's finally done! Yay!! I really enjoy doing the dot painting. Very soothing, if it's going well. But definitely something that should only be done when the eyes are fresh and the hand is steady. I decided against covering the whole skull. It has such interesting crevices that I wanted them highlighted, not covered. It doesn't show in these pics, but where the bones knit together, it almost looks like they were sewn with a wonky zig zag stitch.
I sealed it with a matte finish sealer. And now I am temporarily out of skulls.
At least until warm weather. Then I can boil and clean the ones that are waiting in my freezer. I don't know if I told you all, but I have a hog, a bunny, a squirell and 3 turkey heads waiting. The meat processor a couple of towns over saves skulls for me in exchange for brownies or pumpkin bread. I told him I would like one of whatever he gets in and he said ok. I'm very excited.

I know a lot of you are going EEEUUWWW right about now. But I think of it as a way of honoring the animal. When an animal is killed for meat, I think all parts that can be used should be used. The Native Americans had it right. Waste nothing.

Peace

A Goddess For A Friend

I made this Goddess to send to my friend Moonwillow. Check out her blog 'The Starving Artist'. She will be going to Moon along with the other 3 I posted on an earlier date.
Her color is pink. Her word is COURAGE. I made her headress to resemble the Pink Ribbon.

Here is a closer view. All 4 will have stands like the one pictured here. That way they can go on desks or altars or tables or wherever. I hope they bring joy to the people who choose them.
Peace

More Shrines

I really enjoy making shrines. These came about becuase of my friend Rose.Check out her site 'Altered Rose'. We send each other stuff in the mail. And she sent me some cigar boxes. These reminded me of building blocks because they are so square. So I thought of piling them on top of each other and doing a multi-level shrine. I may still do that. I have one more I haven't used yet.

Anyway, building blocks made me think of kids. And kids make me think of fairies. So here are my fairy kid shrines.
I crackled the outside and papered the insides. I aged the blocks with ink. I mounted the images to cardstock. Then I cut them out and made stands for them with 16g copper wire which I glues to their little backs using E6000.
The wings are from cicadas. I took them off the dead bugs then preserved them with gel medium. I was going to use butterfly wings, but these were more interesting.

The little chick figurine is the match to the one on top of the branch on 'A Leg Up.'
Shrines are so much fun to make..have you tried yet?
Peace
Mary