Guns and Dolls

I’ve been travelling quite a bit in the plains states of the Midwest lately and I’ve noticed something. Go into any Interstate gas station/restaurant/store combo and there are dolls. There are fancy dolls under glass in frilly frocks and fancy bonnets. There are whole shops within a shop devoted to dolls. And then I found these:

Yes, darling, you can have your very own cloth “mini-me.” She’s already been stuffed and hung from the ceiling with care. She’s just waiting for you! Would you like “Suicide Sally” or maybe “Noosy Nellie?” Why are you crying, dear?

Seriously, this has to be the creepiest way to display a doll I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure I understand the underground doll culture that seems to exist here. But I do remember, having grown up in Wisconsin, that “Gun and Doll” shows were quite popular. I don’t really get the connection, but I suppose if the hubby likes guns, the missus must like dolls, right? Uh, maybe. Maybe the doll culture is just as strong as the gun culture and you have to be a member to understand it. In fact, maybe the NRA shot these poor rag dolls before they were stuffed and strung up for public viewing. Maybe.

One of my favorite things

Pillows of Kambaba Jasper hang from hammered silver hoops in these elegant earrings. The swirling greens of these stones would compliment any Christmas outfit as the silver catches the light. Check out these earrings and the matching bracelet in my Etsy store!

Inspiration

I have to admit I’ve been fairly uninspired lately. It’s partly because I’ve been traveling up to two weeks a month for work. Weekends are about relaxing and laundry and catching up on household chores. On one of my trips I bought a green ceramic pendant and brought it home. Every so often I’d pick it up and try to picture it in a finished piece. Nothing. Nothing good, anyway. (I wish I had a photo to insert here, but I’m writing this on the road!).

Finally, inspiration came in the form of a 40th birthday party invitation. This friend had purchased several pieces from me in the past so I knew her taste and wanted to create a necklace just for her. This woman has a natural style so I used a dark brown suede cord as stringing material. I accented the pendant with antiqued silver beads, dark brown glass beads, and some knots to hold it in place. I have to say I liked the result! I left the length unfinished so she could choose how long she wanted it. The reward? She absolutely loves it! And she doesn’t want me to finish the length – she likes being able to knot it at any length she wants.

Inspiration followed by the instant gratification of seeing the piece in the hands of a happy friend if hard to beat! It makes me wonder if I should only do custom pieces from now on. I like the creative challenge of matching the piece with the person, and I certainly like delivering it directly into the hands of a grateful recipient.