These
dolls express Autumn to me... with thanks and an invoking of the threads of
abundance. Clicking on any of the photos will open a new window with a full-size
image.
The image at the left show them laying on my solar cycle altar, along with the
wheat that I will braid into a wreath next weekend.
I did not use a pattern or instructions for their construction, but was prompted/inspired by the corn as I was husking it. I pulled back the husks and broke the ear off the bit of stalk in one motion, and realized I had the original beginnings of a doll in my hands. Modern instructions use a styrafoam ball to form the head, but pulling the green husks back around the nub of stem and securing them with twine while the husks dry makes a head and is what I was shown to do.
I let the husks and silk dry until prompted to begin work on the dolls last
week, when I soaked them and formed arms out of several husks -- slipped between
the strands forming the body, and up under the neck -- and tied at "wrists"
and elbows. I selected husks that curled on the ends to place at the ends of
this bunch, forming hands. I also slipped additional strands of husk up the
body, under the outside husks, with the arms, before I tied off the body below
the arms. This gave each of the ladies longer and fuller "skirts."
After a bit of thought, bent the arms at the elbows and tied them into position
to hold things, and allowed the dolls to dry thusly for a couple of weeks.
This past week, I began working the cornsilk into hair... separating the "blonde" from the brunette and gently untangling it a bit. I retied the dolls more neatly with sisal twine and used hotglue to afix their hair.
I had been seeing them
over the week, carrying a baskets or cornucopias overflowing with the bounty
of
the land as well and their spindles on which they spin... making both yarn to
clothe their household and the threads of the future, but I did not have anything
from which to fashion their baskets. Yesterday insisted on a trip to Jacksonville
and the closest Michaels, where I found the basket-fodder (they started life
as something manufactured in China from gourd and wire, destined to go in a
fall flower arrangement!) and beads to which I affixed wire stems and painted
as squashes, apples, grapes and a pumpkin.
The
spindles were made of a toothpick, cardboard and poly batting standing in for
wool.
I
have to share, as well, a photo of my workspace. It is very much a part of my
witchey work, very much a portrait of my witchCraft in action.
--Starwalker, September 17, 2006