clarice is finished!

the whole sparkley effect doesn't really show up for lack of sunshine, but this tail shrieks when the bright lights hit it. a friend tells me she is elegantly overstated.

the golden circle hook was too fun to make. i wonder if it would really work.

i love the pale back side, again the sparkles don't show, but they are there. this fabric turned out perfect for this. while dying it, i threw in some of thea's white socks & tank tops, so she's set too.

i finished clarice very late last night, everyone was asleep so i celebrated with duffy. this morning was overcast, but no wind or rain, so i decided to take photos of her down by oscar's dock for atmosphere (trying to make up for lack of photo skills.) it was a big risk, as the seagulls were out full force, but i had cullan along to warn me in case of incoming...you know. just one close call so all was fine. and the whole time there were a couple of sea lions playing behind us, i'm sad they didn't show up in the photos, just their ripples.

so, i turned her in to KICVB right after. they will be displaying the tails at various businesses around town until may 16, when they will be auctioned off at the annual chocolate lover's fling. it will be fun to see them all.

the tail becomes clarice...

i can't even say how excited i am to be at this stage with my halibut tail. all the fretting over fabrics and seams is over, i know it is going to fit on the form, and now i can relax and have fun with her. the tail has become clarice over the past couple days. she's getting so lovely, she couldn't remain "the tail." i have been hoarding my precious pearls for a long time. i decided if any project deserves them, it is clarice.

for some reason a couple days ago a wild hair hit me telling me to stop everything and clean out my work room. i resisted as long as i could, knowing i need to finish this project...but the hair won and i was up until 4 a.m. wednesday night moving shelves on walls, dragging totes out and purging, hauling tables, dusting and scrubbing. too weird. but i got it done, and when i woke up yesterday morning and headed out to get my coffee, there was my spanking clean studio, all organized and ready for me to sit and sew on clarice with a clear head. funny how those wild hairs work. i got a whole new perspective on my project, and found my favorite missing xacto knife to boot.

as a really over the top bonus, the clouds parted and the sunshine appeared. it was so bright you could almost hear it. the dogs went nuts outside, and i sat in the porch swing for the first time in months. it was wonderful. my poor rhododendron is less than thrilled with the amount of snow it is still buried in, but i see tiny buds on it...

The Tip of the Tail...

i've been doing nothing but re-dying fabrics, deciding on fabrics, sewing, ripping apart, sewing more...i don't remember ever ripping apart so much, i'm blaming indecisiveness on the hot flashes...i finally have the top of the tail pieced & sandwiched, ready for quilting & beading. the bottom will be whole cloth as the dyes blessed me with the perfect halibut belly fabric. i will just quilt the heck out of it.

a reporter from the daily mirror called today to talk about my mermaids. wow, i was surprised. it was a bit confusing as he thought he was talking to a different person and my descriptions weren't going with his photos...a regular laurel & hardey thing was happening. who know what will end up being printed in the article...

well, Low Tide Lunch Date didn't make the CPS challenge.
i've allowed myself today, a lovely grey cold snraining day, to stay inside, pout, drink an extra pot of coffee and do nothing but look at everyone else's incredibly beautiful and inspiring blogs. as an added bonus, i am not cooking dinner, instead ordering pizza. and i believe a piping hot banya will cap off the evening. tommorow back to work on the halibut tail.
viewing all these wonderful blogs has made me realize two things. 1) i am not the only one in the country who sees things the way i do and 2) it is spring everywhere but this little island. what fun to see what other folks are doing with paper & glue, ribbons and glitter, and of course, the mermaid. i'm refreshed, and even if my version of a beach doesn't fit in with everyone else's version, it's still my beach, and i wouldn't trade it for anywhere else in the world. okay, maybe a caymen island beach, but only for a little while.
time to order the pizza. ;~)