Thursday, May 26, 2016

My Flat Top Casket

Slithering along at a snails pace.....
  There are snails everywhere on my casket, I love them! Each frieze, and in just about every panel they can be found....it was really hard for me to not design an entire frieze of sword wielding snails, battling the iconic evil knight and winning.....but alas, my casket is a violence free zone.....there will be no severed heads dripping with blood....no dismembered bodies floating in the sea!  It is amazing how s.l.o.w. it can go tho....even for me, who enjoys not rushing! Its ridiculous to even think about how long the two snails took me on the front frieze...forget 'a snail's pace' ...I was traveling at a negative snail's pace for quite some time....I worked several partial shells for color study....it was terrifically hard to pick colors that I liked....or I liked the colors, but then they didn't look good worked up. I had a vision in my mind of how I wanted the shells to look....and Oh. My. Golly! they just would not cooperate. They thought they could get away with being cheeky and I wouldn't unpick them....but alas, I spent 3 and half hours one afternoon unpicking a hideous shell. Added padding.....worked a shell....nope, still not right! To say I was absolutely aggravated was an immense understatement. These little blasted shells were not going to defeat me....( and yes, sailor in me came out on more than one occasion! ...^#^$@)*#&$^*&$(@*&#!!!!!)
 Perhaps its a sign from above....or maybe a warning...that the entire casket will resume at a snails pace...or maybe even slower...but that's O.K. I suppose...they were really a challenge for my mind to comprehend how each little spiral and swirl was formed, and now that I have them finished....my dapper fellows.....I don't think the other ones will be as cheeky....at least I hope not....and since I used up all my pretty blue beads on these shells, I wont have to try and figure out what color goes with this blue! Victory!!

5 comments:

Barbara Brown said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your snails!!! Have they got names?? How about "Slow" and "Pokey"!! Ha! Ha!
LY, Mom

Unknown said...

Ha! Looks that we've both been working away at very small things - items that take what seems like forever and make one want to rip out their own hair as well as the hair of anyone else who dares to enter the studio... but oh so satisfying when things mostly work out as planned. And then 'somebody' dares to say, 'Is that all you've gotten done this week?' LOL.Arrrgh!
I'm happy to see you're happy with your accomplishment - the snails look adorable (and where ever did you get that skateboard image?) ...I am also happy with how my smalls project is going...it's finally coming together at last! Of course, there are the little things I don't like, and all the natural dissatisfaction one feels on experiencing the gap between the perfect concept and the real thing in itself...but on the whole, it's coming along...good to see yours is too!

Unknown said...

I love, love, LOVE those snails! And in the privacy of our own studios, the sailor is allowed free reign. That photo with the skateboards is priceless!

Jo Glover said...

Congratulations Rachael - these snails are just gorgeous!!!! Do hope that you now feel that the angst of reverse stitching was worth it!!! Must confess to having to live life vicariously at the moment - I am loving your progress all the more as mine is almost non-existent. Am trying to find a minimum of ten mins a day - full time work and homework demands of my boys makes it a challenge however I certainly have a stash and a half for my retirement!!!

Patricia said...

Love the snails!!