Creating and Crying!!

Well, today my face hurts and we are down a whole box of Klennex!! This OBAMA MAMA spent the entire day watching the Inauguration, the luncheon (thank god Ted Kennedy is ok- he used to be my senator) the parade and the Bushies leaving!!! HURRAY! HURRAY it is a brand new day in America!!!!! In preparation for the day I had laid out a whole bunch of projects to be working on as I watched. I did not get much done- it was way too momentous and I was far too emotional to do anything but absorb the wonder of it all!! Have you ever seen so many teeth??? My face hurts from smiling and laughing!! The Obama family has got to be one of the most handsome group of people I have ever seen and to have the more crucial characteristic of being brilliant, what joy!! We have certainly been in the DESERT on that score!! OH HAPPY DAY!!
I did manage to finish off one little project that has been nagging at me for a long time. Last summer I "met " a new blogging friend from Down Under. Tazmania to be exact. Her name is Belinda and she makes wonderful art dolls and has two beautiful little girls to chase around. She is a sweetie and you can visit her blog here. She loves meeting new folks! She and I had spoken of an art doll exchnage way back when. Well, after several delays and hold-ups, I have finished the project and I am ready to pop it in the mail for it's long trip!

I made the fabric for the doll over ayear ago when I ws first playing around with Setacolor dyes. On this particular piece I added some rocksalt for added texture. I love the salt effect!

I also made the faces from polymer clay and got so far as to encircle the larger face with a peyote stitched bezel. htne the project got put aside- this was long beofre Belinda and I had hatched our little plan for our trade.

The Mermaid is only about 7 inches long.

I enjoyed working on the beading and I did not feel that it was necessary to totally encrust her with beads. It is nice to leave a spot for the eyes to rest , as one does in a good painting.

I also did not want to hide my cool fabric texture and color!

I tried several different beaded solutions for the tail but none of them were pleasing till I hit upon this one. I think that the tail is my favorite part!!

I am planning on making another mermaid for my self someday- I will have to make sure that I still have some of these neat leaves on hand!!