Feathered Friends

The theme this week seems to be Love Birds. My little fellow Papageno is pictured here. It's the first time I've combined my love of primitive art and opera (Mozart's Magic Flute)-- which proves that nothing is impossible in art. I wanted to make a little music box for his magic chimes, like the one I saw in live performance, but I didn't have time to find the proper inspiration. So he has a birdcage and rusty bell instead.

Rose Mary's lovely little lady holds two love birds in her arms...they sort of inspired me with Papageno. I love their soft colors in pale green and pink. They seem on the verge of kissing (very romantic)....

This is also the week for Alice in Yellow (the looking glass version) and the Mad Hatter -- he was so complicated to finish, I almost willed him into being. Somehow Tenniel's sketches seemed harder to match than usual, trying to paint all those little checks and sculpt his broad nose on a flat doll's face. But I'm quite proud of his finished expression, his heavy top hat and perfect little pocketwatch. Pictures of the tea party will be posted soon.

The workshop has been covered in sawdust lately (literally abuzz, if you'll excuse the pun), since we're trying a new wood pattern for the shop and auctions. Poppy-the-cat wanders around in the wood shop, even when the saw is running. His profile makes me want to sew Tuxedo cats, since he's white-chested with white paws and toes.

{-- Poppy squeezing through the gate and into the yard: neutral ground and haven to all cats and four-legged/two-legged creatures.