Angels

 Hello!  Hurricane angels....

We can all use an angel or two--or three?, can't we? Especially when times are stressful, or just very dark in December....or to share our happiness when the holidays and family fill our lives with joy.....  

I collect the ''makings'' for my angels all year, I search for special antique baby dresses, old glitter trims, tiny shoes, mittens, stockings.

I guess most artists would make these Christmas dolls in June, so efficient! But I begin my dolls in late October or in November when the holiday season suddenly looms and inspires me.

angels' wings , with fabric stiffener,
drying in the winter sun

But this year of course I was not home to create my little people.....and so, despite being too late really to sell them this year, I am so thrilled that this year's little ''family'' is almost complete, and either listed for sale or wrapped up as a hopefully treasured gift.

This is Peaceful, in her amazing Victorian baby dress....above also.

... with the fun surprise of wrinkly candy striped stockings under her fine gown. She refused to wear her shoes!

And here is Cassandra, one of my very special Hurricane Sandy dolls.

She is a snow angel, and is wearing a vintage red fine wale corduroy smocked baby dress, with an antique French ticking petticoat with hand knit lace trim.
And best of all, her stockings were made from beachcombed striped fabric!

A t-shirt scrap that washed ashore after the storm.
And! on her toes are the tiny rusty jingle bells also found in the midst of the driftwood on the day I came back to the beach after the storm.

Imagine finding something so tiny? And they still jingle!

This is Cherish, a half doll or shelf sitter...her wings are driftwood, a wire spool section, also found in the flotsam and jetsam of the storm's high tide.

A thrift shop rescue, below! I love her dress and garland, promised her she'd have legs and new hair. I named her Anneke, she looks Swedish...

 I washed her, re-stuffed her, redid her face,[okay, a little demented, she was sad!] with old shoe button eyes. She'll stay here with me for a year or two, I think she deserves a home. She loves having pretty legs and ballerina feet now.

Some tiny snow babies...

including this snow angel, snow girl,

 who is finally in her lantern home. This old thrifted candle lantern has pierced star and more stars etched on the glass...love it.

A couple more, can't show them yet. Shhh...no peeking!

One of my most cherished family traditions is making, baking , or hand crafting, holiday gifts. My dad made  me something special almost every year...and though I miss him and my mom, their joy in holidays, that annual huge box of Cape Cod greenery!..I set out the Noah's Ark my parents made me, under the wreath from my brother..and I remember...

Happy Holidays!


love

     lizzy

..... gone to  the beach