The other day I shared a few in-process pics of a new mushroom terrarium I've been working on. I can finally call it completed and wanted to share its story.
Mothers aren't supposed to pick favorites, but...(and don't tell the other mushrooms I've made) this one could possibly be my new favorite.
Every bit of fiber and thread in this piece has been dyed using plants, roots, and nuts that I gathered from the woods. By hand. Me and my dye pot. There are black walnuts, goldenrod, tansy, lobster mushrooms, wormwood, and more. Tans, pale greens, yellows, pinks... That patch of moss is a grey-green given to me by an unusual mushroom called Peridoxylon petersii, and I've yet to find another.
There are blades of grass, and tiny flowers, and a caterpillar.
Even some sporophytes are hiding in there.
I made the wood base from a piece of Osage Orange, a wood hard enough to make my saw spit blue smoke when I cut it, that came from my hometown in Illinois. I left a bit of the bark on the piece as well as checks (small cracks) and imperfections because they made the piece feel even more natural to me.
/
From the bottom of the base to the top of the glass, the piece measures about 8 1/2" tall.
I'm sort of taken with it.
I've also managed to finish up a couple of teeny scenes too.
These little cuties are also hand-dyed, but not exclusively with natural dyes. They are heavy metal-free, though, and crafted with love.
The wood bases on these are made from Alder, a wood that has a beautiful smooth grain. I've left some character in the wood on these too.
I'll be having a little shop update on Tuesday the 16th at noon, central time, if you'd like to stop by and give one of these guys a good home.
15 comments:
These are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing your artwork with us : )
Oh my word, dear friend, these pieces are to die for !! I hope they will find loving homes as soon as possible !
Of course you imagine how much I love the fact that it was 100% naturally dyed by you & that the wood comes from your hometown.
You rock, lady !
xoxoxo
Beautiful. ALWAYS beautiful. Every element is so carefully considered and executed. Beautiful. : D
You do realize, I hope, that you are a magician. Very special, very beautiful and magic!
Love all of them... Can't wait until Tuesday.
It's your new favorite because it took alot of effort and love to collect, gather, bleed out the colors and then felt it all together. I think it's all the care you took in putting it together.
It's super cute though and I love the tiny spores, those are amazing.
Such beautiful work (as always)! I love that you've dyed all the wool on the larger piece yourself. What a work of love.
Thank you so much, everyone!
Sally, no, I grew up in a tiny town in northern Illinois called Ringwood. Just a few miles from the Wisconsin border.
Those are just delightful.
thanks for sharing
martine
As usual, you AMAZE me!!! And, I also think you are a Magic Woman!! 8*)
That is so gorgeous! Just lovely, really lovely.
They are quite exquisite!
osage is one of my very favourite woods
and you are my absolute favourite magic maker
I LOVE IT ALL!!!!
The one with the caterpillar is just breathtaking! The details are just amazing. All your work is so impressive!
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