The Gift of Spring

I have been incredibly lax in getting on here and posting. So many things in my life are demanding attention right now.One of my jobs--I work with teen moms in an art and literacy program--has gotten more complex and that has demanded alot more of my time. I have been trying in every spare minute to paint or sew or sculpt or something... Here are two recently finished poppets...they will be going into The Sundial Sisters Etsy shop very soon.

It's the same every Spring...I find a renewed sense of creativity and just need to keep moving and working and getting it out... It's as if my muse spends her winter in a half-slumber and at the first inkling of Spring she stretches and fully awakes.

This little lady is The Duchess of Agony. I began her in the week following the snowstorm... She took alot of concentrated effort. She's sculpted from polymer clay and handpainted; her limbs are attached with satin ribbons. She's painted with acrylics and inks. I hand sewed and trimmed her dress and her headdress. Her hair is washed lambs fleece from a friends farm. She has a black tulle boa and a tulle bustle to her dress. I kind of think she might be a little inspired by Lady Gaga. She has a handpainted corset and stockings too! She's going into the Sundials' shop as well. She has several sisters in various stages of work... One--a Mardi Gras Queen named Talulah-- will be finished in a few days. I'm having so much fun with these new little dolls... I've been doing tons of research on 1920s silent film stars and things like that.

This little jennywren nest was woven into one of the floral wreaths that I hang on my door each Spring. I must have put it away in the attic last fall and never saw the nest. This morning when I went up to get my Spring decorations...there it was. It has a wee little bird skeleton in it...which I find so delicate and beautiful....but also sad. Poor lost baby of last spring or summer. I'm keeping the nest in a pretty little robin-egg blue pot.... I think it's my Gift of this Spring.