Sheep Shots: Working in Miniature

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Working in Miniature

Every once in a while, I get the urge to downsize! Friday it was plantlife (I almost said "shrubbery," but those were honkin' big shrubs!); today it was jewelry.

I had this vision of Mrs. Claus in one of those cool Swedish shawls that wrap around and fasten in the front at the waist, sort of a wooly chest protector, and what it really needed was a drop-dead shawl pin, sort of like these Designs By Romi ones (note to family: any of them, thanks!) that seemed like just the thing to finish off the tiny Mrs. that I was working on for the fair (Mr. and Mrs. Claus-Pair, Other).

Yeh, we can miniaturize it! No problem!

It's a lot harder than it looks, dudes!

First off, Romi's is hammered! And she's got real tools that are meant for this sort of work (unlike moi who is working with wrenches and pliers and such from the 80s with rust and such). And it doesn't hurt that she knows what she's doing.

The first go-round was ugly, let me tell you. That which works so well on the real ones (light weight, doesn't pull, pretty, for lord's sake) just wasn't happening.

I did manage to fashion a pin, after a fashion. (Like that? That was an attempt at humor. Laughing through the tears.) Unfortunately, it fought me all the way. I finally got it in, got it fastened (thanks to the rusty needle-nose pliers, that sucker's permanent!), and quick took a picture before it could pop free again! I debated glue and decided against it.

Bottom line, leave the jewelry making to the pros.

The Clauses, however, are now ready for their grand entrance at the fair.

Looking dapper in cotton (Patons Cotton DK), Mr. and Mrs. have stepped right from the pages of Jean Greenhowe's Knitted Toys. Mrs. Claus's coiffure is some sort of spoingy stuff from the Elann samples that I was commenting on in an earlier post.

I seem to have discarded the little tag (and I'm not digging through the nasty wet stuff in this trash can to find it, sorry, dudes!) and I used it all, but like much Elann stuff, it's discontinued, so don't set your heart on getting your own unless you hang out on ebay and can figure out what it is from that lame description.

But I digress.

:again:

Still to be accomplished: 2 more snow people and a Christmas tree ornament, Santa, and maybe a wreath (but probably not).

It's not even August and I am nearly finished. I am not panicking! What is this world coming to?

// posted by Ann @ 7/16/2006 11:35:00 PM