Thursday, August 13, 2009

The Mermaid



My good friend and very, very talented artist, Kim Skeen, gave me a wonderful idea on how to finish my Mermaid which I started many weeks ago. I wanted to add sequins to her tail, but I could not decide on the best technique. I was at Kim's house and she had some antique sequin pinned fruit she gave me since she knows how much I love antiques. When I saw them, I immediately knew it was the final inspiration I needed to complete my Mermaid doll!

The Mermaid Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Who would be A mermaid fair, Singing alone, Combing her hair Under the sea, In a golden curl With a comb of pearl, On a throne?
I would be a mermaid fair; I would sing to myself the whole of the day; With a comb of pearl I would comb my hair; And still as I comb'd I would sing and say, 'Who is it loves me? who loves not me?' I would comb my hair till my ringlets would fall Low adown, low adown, From under my starry sea-bud crown Low adown and around, And I should look like a fountain of gold Springing alone With a shrill inner sound Over the throne In the midst of the hall; Till that great sea-snake under the sea From his coiled sleeps in the central deeps Would slowly trail himself sevenfold Round the hall where I sate, and look in at the gate With his large calm eyes for the love of me. And all the mermen under the sea Would feel their immortality Die in their hearts for the love of me.
But at night I would wander away, away, I would fling on each side my low-flowing locks, And lightly vault from the throne and play With the mermen in and out of the rocks; We would run to and fro, and hide and seek, On the broad sea-wolds in the crimson shells, Whose silvery spikes are nighest the sea. But if any came near I would call and shriek, And adown the steep like a wave I would leap From the diamond-ledges that jut from the dells; For I would not be kiss'd by all who would list Of the bold merry mermen under the sea. They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me, In the purple twilights under the sea; But the king of them all would carry me, Woo me, and win me, and marry me, In the branching jaspers under the sea. Then all the dry-pied things that be In the hueless mosses under the sea Would curl round my silver feet silently, All looking up for the love of me. And if I should carol aloud, from aloft All things that are forked, and horned, and soft Would lean out from the hollow sphere of the sea, All looking down for the love of me.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Hannah and Humphrey have a new home & friend, Phoebe!


I was the lucky winner on eBay of Tonya Renee's (Back Porch Pickins) first fully detailed dollie for Halloween, Hannah and her friend, Humphrey. I also ordered a little white pumpkin doll from Kaf at Olde Cape Primitives. They all seem to be getting along nicely and are looking forward to seeing their new friend, Newcomb Hollow!

Lil gets upset if she doesn't make my blog post, so she gave me her ususal pose in my bent willow apple basket!

We just got back from a great Virginia Highlands Antique Festival weekend in Abingdon, VA with some very good friends, Shawn and Kelly. I will post a few pictures of our recent finds in the coming days!