Hearts and Flowers

The holiday rush is over and I'm grateful to have had some time to breathe.  I've spent a good amount of time doing things that I enjoy, like playing board games with my kids and taking them to the bouldering gym, but I've also taken some moments to think about the year that was and look to the new year that is just beginning.  As with anyone who makes items for personal adornment, I don't have to look too far ahead to spot February on the horizon.  The weather gets colder as the heart warms for Valentines.  More often than not, this can mean hearts and flowers.  This year I have both, along with an assortment of little animals to frolic with the hearts and enjoy the flowers.

I've used a few different materials to frame my lovely scenes: bone, wood and antler.  First, I cut out a silhouette of the main actor (the little animal) with my scroll saw and fret saw. When I've completed that and cleaned it up with some sand paper, I accent the space with a branch of cherry blossoms on one side (cochineal dye and walnut husk wash) and hearts (red coloured resin) on the other.  The blossoms are my standard, a single branch laden with flowers.  The hearts defy gravity by floating, singing or feeding their little friend.  It's always a challenge to come up with new variations, but one I'm always keen to accept.