As American as Chicken Hats

Voting is now open for the Martha Stewart American Made Competition.  You can find Diamond Tooth in the Style category, and to win would be such sweet bliss for this sometimes starving artist!  Read on please:

I've been bombarding my social media sites with pleas for votes, but my bases would all be covered unless I blogged it as well, right?  I am just about the epitome of hand made, over here at Diamond Tooth.  90% of what I use are raw materials sourced from a farm in New York, or local folks here in Philadelphia.  The embellishments and most structural elements I incorporate into my pieces are objects I have found and held onto for 20+ years (justified hoarding, anyone?).

 

I really, really, want to win this competition.  While I am always wary of these online voting based contests, (it just seems like someone can generate some sort of algorithm to have a spam bot army of voters but what do I know) I'd like to think the Martha Stewart name lends some credibility to this particular event. 

Initial registration is a small pain but once you fill out the itty bitty form (for your chance to win a trinkets as well!) you are free and clear for easy breezy voting every day, six times a day until September 14. Please VOTE!

Click here to vote

Let Dolly Help:

This is a chicken "trophy" mount I named Dolly, simply because that's the name that kept coming to mind when I looked at her.  The boys over at The Farmers' Husband actually passed on a treasured chicken of theirs named Dolly in life; she became a wedding headpiece.  This black Silkie was not named anything in life, to my knowledge, but I digress:

She's a regal gal, her soft fur-like texture contrasted by her vintage diamonds.  I gave her pheasant eyes for no reason other than I think pheasant eyes look best.

This piece was a commission for a very sweet woman who wanted to give it to her niece, who is/was having some issues with toilet training.  Ugh, even that term makes me cringe, and I already typed the p-word and deleted it.  She is having difficulty being comfortable in the bathroom.
Why am I telling you this, you may be wondering.  Here you are then- when the young lady is at her aunt's house, she seems to be just fine and it is attributed to a taxidermy chicken the aunt keeps in her bathroom.  Apparently she likes to gaze upon it and it relaxes her.  I love this notion.

 The aunt figured, maybe if she had a taxidermy chicken of her own in her bathroom at home it would help.  As someone who had her own difficulties at that stage of life, I am so touched by this woman's gesture and was honored to take on this project.

 

I just hope it doesn't turn up 20 years from now when she sees my work in a museum and becomes so relaxed that she pees her pants.

Actually, that would be kind of magnificent.

Twenty for Twenty: #10, Amanda Palmer

I hadn't done a Twenty4wenty piece in so long that I had to go back in my blog and check how far along I was.  I am honestly kind of shocked to see I'm only up to 10!  In my mind I was up to 16. 
Oh well, the list changes as I evolve, so I suppose it's a gift to have more breathing room than I'd thought.
Which is fantastic because while I've always taken comfort and even refuge in the Dresdon Doll's album of the same name I can't genuinely say I'm a fan of Amanda Palmer because while I love her voice and to this day am still positively enchanted by the lyrics in The Jeep Song and Girl Anachronism, I never made the effort to explore any more of her body of work.
Then I heard her Ted Talk.  Like the uncannily precise lyrics I liked her for, this talk stabbed me in the heart.  Money is something I obsess over.  Do I have enough of it, how can I get more, where will I get enough to be able to do this, I hope my ankle isn't actually broken because that means I need to wrangle up more money. 
Sometimes I think, what if there was no money?  What if we all just did what felt right and provided our services and goods as needed or requested and trusted in the fact that it would come back to us?  The more I think of it, money is seems more like a middle man, an annoying wind that moves masses of itself from place to place but doesn't MEAN anything. 
These are just the thoughts that swirl about my head though, I'm not describing Amanda's talk in any way the does it justice.  See for yourself if you haven't already:

Imagine my surprise when the stars aligned and the universe presented me (OK, I cajoled a bit) with the opportunity to pass a gift onto Amanda Palmer with just one simple middleman. 
I think she's positively dripping with juju so it only seems fitting that she receive a Baculum Charm.  Also from what I gather she travels a shitload, and handing over a hatbox to someone about to take a bunch of planes and trains seems like a rude thing to do.
SO VOILA:

Thanks Kyle Cassidy.

 This is the charm, in all its glory.  I just ran out of steam but I think I said all I want to say. 

10 more to go?

Charming

Here's some Friday morning eye candy for you: I just listed all these little beauties on my Etsy page, along with the same descriptions you see below.  For prices or to order, just head over to Etsy or email me directly at diamondtoothtaxidermist@gmail.com.
And thanks!

 

Taxidermy chicken foot with feathers cascading down to the toes, clutching high end chandelier crystal beads. Great for gazing into and losing yourself in the refracted sparkling light the crystal casts from its many faceted surface. Hang it in your sun room and have the sweetest daydreams. 

 A pair of taxidermy chicken feet in an eternal embrace, clutching onto a salvaged hunk of antique chandelier crystal. Just imagine the dinner parties and life moments this crystal absorbed in its time as a magnificent light fixture. A great gift for newlyweds, eager to infuse a precious object with their own energy. Full of provenance, perfect for hanging in a window and casting spark0les about the room.

 

Taxidermy Fawn Hoof embellished with an iridescent Swarovski crystal dangles from a delicate chain. So tiny and precious; a great gift for tiny hands with taste beyond their years to channel their own magic into. A sweet and wonderful charm that can hang from a window, a book bag, a belt, dream-catcher, or necklace.
Or just place it under your pillow for sweet dreams. 

 There is no prying this metal backed mother of pearl fan charm out of these talons. A small taxidermy chicken hand holds on eternally, a reminder to keep your dreams and ideals within your grasp. Fan charm reflects a variety of colors as it moves; a great piece for hanging from a purse, rear-view mirror or necklace. Petite and easy to manage, but capable of starting mammoth conversation and ideas.

 

A taxidermy chicken foot hold onto a piece of beaded chain necklace as it it had just snatched it from the sidewalk and is bringing it to their nest. Perhaps as decor, or a gift for a loved one.
A small, understated and simple charm, this piece is easy to wear on the body as it's very lightweight. The beads are great for antsy fingers to play with, and the talon itself makes for a delightfully unconventional ice breaker.

 North meets South in this piece where a chicken from upstate NY clutches a dos peso coin from Cozumel Mexico. A small piece, great for hanging from a purse or rear view mirror to gaze at and remember we are all connected no matter where we are.

 

 Taxidermy chicken foot clutches a translucent piece of plastic in its talons, salvaged from a jeweler's studio. Still wearing its identity cuff, imagine the stories you can conjure of this bird's life as this charm hangs from your window and the sun shines through the charm.

 Taxidermy chicken foot with feathers cascading down to the toes, clutching high end red chandelier crystal beads. Great for gazing into and losing yourself in the warm heated glow of the deep red crystal. Almost like blood dripping from the talons, its a reminder of the magic that is flowing through us all.

 A taxidermy chicken foot clutching a genuine Sesame Place coin in its talons, sourced from a childhood trip to the park in the artist's own childhood. A wonderful regional souvenir or gift for someone who grew up in the area but may have moved away, this charm bridges the gaps of time and space.

Have a charmed day!

Another Bride in my Lipstick Case-

And Mother Too!



I adore bridal commissions.  I love ceremony, ritual, and acts if significance.  Being entrusted to help dress a woman as she carries herself through these rites is an honor I will never take lightly.

M got married today.  I can safely post these photos her commissioned piece.  She basically gave me carte blanche; the only parameters were keeping her hairstyle in mind (a low chignon on the right side) and adding a nautical flair.
I picked this bird with feathers that naturally curled up and away from its body, making a light and swirly shape that moved in the most fantastic way:

  The mount itself was anchored to a steel band which can be visible or masked by hair, depending on style.  I've yet to see how she wore it.

 

 

 Some silk knot work, a subtle nod to the nautical locale at which the ceremony was being held.  She was not interested in having a veil, per-se, but I snuck in some subtle antique netting.  Provenance, baby.

 Underside knot detail:

Inside lining.  It felt gauche to stick a big old leather tag with my name on it inside her piece so I opted for one of my more discreet tags.

But wait!  There's more!  What about the mother of the bride? 

 This piece is sort of a reincarnation of an original I made for the same woman a few years back, and it suffered irreparable damage at the paws/mouth of M's dog.  So behold Muriel Blingstar 2.0, this time in the form of a Polish Hen perched atop a felt wide brim hat.
I think the Polish are my favorite chickens to work with, next to Silkies of course:

 Of course she needs accessories.

 I provided a ribbon option for securing the hat to her head.  While its all attached quite nicely and discreetly, one can never predict how blustery those maritime afternoons can be.  Heaven forbid another hat fly off and out of our lives.

Three cheers for true love!