Jive Turkey

I just finished up a very unique commission that took months longer than anticipated:My client wanted a pair of turkey legs from her brother's farm to be mounted and embellished with the intent of using the toes/talons to hang her jewelry from.

 Of course I was in love with the idea from the very start, but when she brought me the legs I was shocked.  While my turkey mount experience is limited at best, I have handled legs before.  They are usually large, but not much more meaty than a large rooster. This turkey was a monster!  The feet were big enough to wrap around a small child's arm and meaty enough to make for a meal on their own.  

I made slices along the side of each talon to access the meat so I could flesh it out.  For traditional standing mounts where the turkey would be standing on an environment, foot pad side down, this is an easy job, but I had to keep in mind that the underside of these feet would be one of the focal points of the finished piece and therefore the cuts had to be neat and ultimately concealed.

I filled the foot in with clay where I had removed the flesh, sculpted it back into shape and wired the cuts shut so it could dry a bit in the right position.  After the clay had firmed up I lined up the skin on either side of each cut and used superglue to seal them back up.  I left the pair out to dry and cure a bit more, and perhaps it was the humid end of Summer climate but it took two months for them to get to a point where I could begin the finishing work. I then blended an epoxy clay into the "scars" and textured & painted them.  When I was done, the cuts were blended in so well I can barely find them!

Next came mounting on a custom plaque and embellishing, my favorite part!

I fancy myself a bit of an alchemist when I'm taking vintage gems, some old jewelry of my own and marrying it with those either gifted to me or found on the street during my daily journeys, and giving them a new purpose.  They go from being dormant and underappreciated to vibrant pieces of interactive art!

Since they were designed to hold jewelry, I gave them a test run with some of my own pieces before hadning off to my client.

Turkey legs as jewelry holders.   I adore my clients!

LAMBAG

This is a little lamb baby that was gifted to me from my 4H enthusiast pal who raises goats. So I guess it's actually a little baby goat.  I still get them mixed up.  Anyway, I had it soft tanned with the intent on making a plush mount that could be cuddled, but once I got it bag I realised it would make an excellent bag. And voila!

I made a carcass cast of the head using a silicone mold, one that I can use again and again.  This is great because I have about 5 other babies tanned and ready to go be future bags.

His little legs are filled, and the torso cavity is left hollow, lined with fabric.

And tassels make everything better, right?

I debuted this bag at a local design event and he made quite a splash.  This piece is definitely a show stopper.  It's also so fun to carry, like a furry little pet you can just keep hugging all night and day.  Better than a purse puppy; you don't need to feed him or take him out to pee!

This is by far one of my favorite creations.  I'm eager to create more, sell them and see how my clients take them out into the world.  My new signature piece!

Some New SHeep Hoof Candle Holders

I just shot this fresh batch of sheep hoof candle holders yesterday; I'll be listing on etsy later this morning. 

I call this pair the dancers.  I experimented with posing and got as close to an on pointe stance as I could.  The bases and candle cups are pieces harvested from antique silver candle holders.

Evoking a ballet costume, I needed sequins or some sort of flash.  I used these hand beaded patches on the back to conceal what isn't the prettiest part of a sheep's hoof.  Kind of like a dancer's worn and beaten feet, I suppose.

 

This single piece is slated to be a gift for someone as part of my ongoing twenty4twenty project; I'll write more about it and its recipient after sending

I wanted something to suggest a beautiful woman, and for some reason this glass beaded fringe loosely wrapped and dripping me down the side reminded me of a goddess draped effortlessly in a flowing robe.

I wanted some of the beads to trail behind like a gown, which isn't necessarily safe for something with a flame on top of it but thankfully there will only be civilized adults where this piece is going-no children.

Here are my Moroccan Dancers.  I've never been to Morocco but it's on my list of dream visits, as I am endlessly inspired by the colors, dress, style, food, houses, everything I see from there. 

I used antique brass hand cups and bibeches with a pair of inverted antique glass bibeches with what appears to be hand made glass beading.  SO much provenance in these pieces.

 

I can practically see them shimmying.  Can you?

Here's my little Cossack hat candle holder.  He's a simple one, standing alone with his slim figure and poofy top.  He'll stand guard over your most intimate evenings, the ones where you spill all your guts onto the table.

Ciao Ciao

Arriving in my studio from Italy by way of Philadelphia import, this Borsalino hat is a classic.  I received it from a painter in my building and held onto it until inspiration struck.  I love men's hats, I love men IN hats, but I also find designing for them to be challenging.  Us gals can get away with anything, in my opinion.  Men still seem to be held up to certain gender expressive fashion standards and are subject to judgment in a sense that women just aren't.  Perhaps one of the only ways we aren't.
This is all simply to say that I proceed with caution with men's accessories.  Usually.  Who am I kidding, I've only made like three men's pieces in my life.  Who cares?
I grabbed this hat and wove my couture taxidermy wand over it to create something for the type of man (or woman) who would want exactly what I made. And voila:

 I felt inspired last week to dig a raccoon tail off a hide I'd skinned, fleshed and tanned months ago and sew it on.  I accented it with a burst of chicken feathers and a small vintage gem.

 While it is technically a men's hat, it's on the small side (size 7&1/8) so it fits a more petite noggin.  Of course ladies look good in these hats (see what I mean?  We can wear anything) as demonstrated by my lovely model here:

 And here's many more photos of this hat in case you didn't get a clear idea yet:

 Listing on etsy now!