Friday, October 23, 2009

A Velvet Bird and Saskii...for Karin

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Please meet little baby Saskii who hales from the far shores of the Baltic Sea.


Her face is fair and her skin is soft as velvet.







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Baby Saskii, as sweet as she is, gave her nursemaid fits as she unsuccessfully tried to convince the baby to nap.
How can a baby grow, her family worried, if she will not sleep soundly?
They sought far and wide to find someone to help.




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Their search ended when they came upon Sasuke, a rare bird from the Orient with a reputation of resolve that was firm....but gentle.
Sasuke assured them she could help the child find her rest.


Immediately she took to Saskii...





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And Saskii to her.





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Securing her with a silken scarf onto her her soft feathered back, Sasuke took Saskii on gentle flights wafting across the clouds to the far reaches of the earth...during long nap times.


As they flew along, the Wind whistled a timeless lullaby through Sasuke's feathers as the blissful wee babe slept ever so soundly.




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The Velvet Bird is my first fully fabric sculpture. She is built over a wire armature and wears very soft pink velvet as her fine clothing. Real feathers are her tail. Glittered and pearl lace serve as her wings. Glass eyes inset in polymer rims, are beneath a handmade golden crown. Large and small pearls are sewn into her tail dotted with pretty little flowers.



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Her poseable toes are gold lacquered wire.




Saskii is puresculpted from Cernit, texture painted and finished with earth powders. Her nightcap is silk, lace and pearls. Stretchd out she would be a 5 inch scale baby.


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Thank you dear Karin for graciously giving me the happy opportunity to create this sweet companion set. It was thrilling to actually make my first ever velvet bird sculpture...I am so glad you asked!!

Saskii and Sasuke will be flying home to you very soon...always love, Rose

Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Ghost of Christmas Present


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Retelling the story of Charles Dickens' Scrooge is a rich part of our annual family
Christmas tradition.



The tale is a brilliant, vibrant, and emotional reminder of what our attitudes should reflect, (not just during, but then again, especially) during the holidays. Giving, as Scrooge agonizingly...then joyously discovered, can help warm the cold dankness of melancholy...a blunt visual reminder of the smallness of selfishness and the largeness of giving.




With the news of a NEW Scrooge movie coming this winter, this sculpture will be a personal interpretation of the Ghost of Christmas Present who visited him in his lonely bed chamber. The picture above is a *vision* of what I hope her to be.
So far, her head, face and body are almost done. She is wearing a bit of temporary draping as I figure out what her dramatic cloak will actually be. The two street urchins Ignorance and Want will be draped within the folds of her gown sheltered under her black cape. She will a larger sculpture, almost 12 inches! Hopefully the set will be completed by the middle of November.



I have stopped progress on Christmas Present as I devote all my time to work on two very lovely custom pieces. Next weekend I hope to post pictures of one of them. A soft, and very whimsical, velvet bird with a wee royal baby nestled happily on her back. Thus far, I am so pleased with their outcome!



My hope is that this short note finds you well and content, my friends. And That you are thoroughly enjoying the changing of seasons as we head into a most wonderful time of year. May your hearts be inspired
by the Wonder of it!



love, Rose