Tassels & Tiaras

The days are growing shorter as summer slowly draws to an end. Even though it's only mid-August, there has been a distinct chill in the night air for quite some time - we've noticed the falling of leaves for the past couple of weeks. All in all, it's been a productive summer and I'm glad to say that I actually accomplished a few things in my studio in addition to re-landscaping the backyard.

After my last project "The Goddess and the Green Man" or what I often refer to as the Beltane box, I was going through my craft supplies and found a few unpainted clay dolls that I had set aside months earlier. Having lost interest in the project for which they were originally intended, I contemplated tossing them out (albeit for a moment). I am glad to say that the 'waste not, want not' side of my brain took over and here are the results. Tassel dolls that are a combination of clay, fabric and other assorted items. The bodies are made of fabric and then decorated to look like elaborate tassels. Tassel dolls were first introduced in the Victorian period and are not commonly found these days.

I gave these dolls a Middle Eastern theme, a tribute to my bygone days as a dancer. It was also a handy way to make use of leftover costume materials and yard sale finds. I tried a new face-painting technique and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the results. More images are available in the Gallery.