Miss Maple's Seeds

I've been on a serious holiday brake from blogging, but, I am back now. I 'm wishing everyone a wonderful 2014, and I want to ring in the year by sharing one of my very favorite books of 2013, and that is:

Miss Maple's Seeds

by Eliza Wheeler

Miss Maple, a sweet older lady, takes in orphan seeds of all kinds, and tucks them in cozy beds for the cold winter. She reads flower tales to them by firefly light! When spring finally comes around, she carefully helps the seeds find a good place for each them to grow. Miss Maple has given them guidance and love, and now her part in their story comes to an end. Then in the fall the cycle starts again.

Not only is the art more than gorgeous, see for yourself.

But, the story is beautiful and very sweet. This book is ideal for telling little ones about the seasons, the cycles of live, and to teach reverence for nature around us.

If I had anything to say, everyone should have the privilege to own a copy of Miss Maple's Seeds.
Congratulations Eliza, you made a masterpiece.

Making Mobiles

I just had a 'mobile month'.
Making mobiles at home, making mobiles at the Westside Waldorf School for the Woodland Faire, and still going. Here are some of the completed projects.

Winter Sculpture

I am in the very early development stages of a series of sculptures based on the seasons. 

For some cold  reason, it made sense for me right now to start with winter. This might evolve into a book, it might not. We will see.

The initial research and sketches for the first sculpture are mostly done.

 

I made and armature and filed it up with aluminum foil, next I took wood paste and started sculpting. 

I still have a lot of sculpting to do and the wood paste is much harder to manipulate than I imagined. I am worried about the hands because I want them very long and slender, almost skeleton like. And the face!? Another concern is if the armature is strong enough to hold up the weight of the entire sculpture. I guess I will find out soon!

Stay warm.

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