When I went to the classes in Portland, I took some paper clay with me for idle moments. It turned out that there weren't many since I was sick pretty much the whole time I was there. But I did manage to make this little owl.
When I took my first class, the little crown by A Gilded Life, I saw that the tiny rhinestones would look fabulous around the owl's neck. So when I came home, I finished her by painting the markings and adding the rusted wire feet. Then I glued the rhinestone cup chain in place. But what to do with her?
A few days later I was working in the shop cutting tiny doors from scrap weathered wood for my fairy houses. I began by cutting the pointed end off of an old garden stake so I could use the rest of the stake to cut the doors. As I put the point aside, I saw that it looked like a cute little house. But my sister said, "no, with that sharply pointed top, it's morre like a church." I brought it up to the house to contemplate and set it on the counter beside the little owl.
Over the next few days, the vision came together in my mind. It was actually a bit more than a church. It was the tip of a spire. So I cut a few more pieces, providing a place for the owl to alight, and added the crystals to integrate the look with the bejeweled owl. The crystals on the spires are from an old rock crystal necklace that I got somewhere. (I hope it wasn't my grandmother's!)
The whole time I was working on the wood part of this project I was thinking sadly of all the old wood being destroyed in burn piles or dumps. Those old pieces of wood are such a treasure for some craftspeople and artists. But, then, we can't save everything, can we?
I really like the result and may make more, including a more elaborate one that will provide perches and perhaps nesting sites for multiple owls - fun!
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