You have been so patient waiting for the full shot of the doll.
BUT first, I would like to share with you the symbolism of this doll. For the Charm Girls, I usually let the charm come to me as I am working on the doll...what you ask?
When
in the midst of the process of creating the costume for the doll and I
have the basic idea of what the costume will be, I find that if I just
let it flow in faith that it is happening in the right direction.
I
let each step be completed and just let the next one happen...some of
my best ideas will emerge...which includes who will this doll be...what
Charm depicts the spirit of this doll? Are you with me on this concept??
AND that is what happened with this doll...she was just about complete and Turtle Charm came to me!
Since the hand is armatured it can be formed to hold the gourd.
So now the doll! ...I can hear you...finally...
Close ups:
As I stated in last week's post, I love to mix the some earthiness in with the silks. One way I balance the enamel of the Charm is to place it within a gourd (earth).The Turtle’s shell is a symbol of heaven, and the square underside is a symbol of earth. The Turtle is an animal whose magic unites heaven and earth. The Turtle is a creation of nature that carries its round shell over the ground, like heaven, and has a flat bottom, like earth. With a profile resembling a mountain and the turning motion of its toes, it seemed to be a depiction of heaven and earth changing constantly through the seasons.Turtles seem to possess an enviable and "god-like" resistance to aging, and so they came to symbolize longevity. Turtles are also symbols of immortality and are considered temporary dwelling places for souls making their way through a series of lives on the path to Nirvana or Heaven.
These above are the unfinished gourds that I purchase from various people. They are small just about Roma Tomato sized. I cut open the top with a Dremel using a dry wall bit and smooth the edges with a round stone bit. The seeds are removed (and saved for someone-someday) and the gourd is washed. I am careful with the washing not to remove any of the patina.
photos Mark Mortensen
I paint the inside with a gold metallic and lacquer the enitire piece inside and out- several times. I love how it brings out the beautiful patina that the gourd picked up while growing.
The small enameled charm is secured inside and final touch is adding banded of linen floss around the edge.
I hope you enjoyed this series of Chloe's Doll ~ Turtle Charm Girl!
