It's a Wing Thing

No . . . not wing ding . . . Wing Thing.  As in, a fascination with, or having issues with . . . that kind of Thing!

Lately I have been dealing with a lot of angels in my creative work.  It wasn't on purpose.  And some of it had to do with Christmas - which brings out the angels in everyone, eh?  But, my creative ideas keep coming around to angels.  Nothing wrong with that.  Well, except for the wings, of course.

The wings, you see, won't cooperate!  Or maybe it is because angels are very particular about their wings.  They will not accept just any set of wings!  Perhaps they really do have to work hard to earn them.  That would explain it.

Anyway, let me show you:

I made this angel for a Christmas doll swap on Stitchin' Fingers.  She is made from a pattern by Pamela Hastings.  We got along just fine until she saw the wings I had picked out!  They are purchased wings- very simple.  Just wire with a white mesh stretched over.  She wasn't at all happy!  Insisted I find just the right trim to stitch around the edges.  Since both trim and wings are mostly transparent, she would not accept anything but perfect, tiny, delicate stitches.  Not my best area!  BUT, at least this angel got finished and sent off to her new home.

This lovely lady is from Deanna Hogan's "Serafina" pattern.  Her problem with her wings is that they cannot be seen!  

 

Here is a side view with the wing pattern piece pinned on.  Clearly they are too small. . . or she is too wide?  OK, not something to discuss with an angel!  Anyway, I resisted drawing new wings.  Deanna did such a wonderful job with this pattern, I hate to fiddle with it.  So, we have had a time out, while we both think over the wing issue.  Perhaps we can come up with a compromise?

 

So I started working on another piece.  Guess what?  Another angel!!  What was I thinking?

Well, to be fair, I started this before Serafina's wings became a problem.  This is for my December Take It Further piece and the picture was taken when I thought she might be finished.  I tacked her up on the wall and let the notion "process."

This is one of those rare cases when the photograph actually looks better than the piece in person.  The trouble with this angel's wings is that they have disappeared into the background!  From even a medium distance, those wings just faded away.  I was so concerned about ensuring there was sufficient contrast between the angel's dress and the background - those beautiful wings are lost among the stars!  Literally!!

Well, so Serafina and the TIF angel have been on my mind a lot.  I even dreamed about them!  You know things are getting bad when that happens!  I have been working quite a bit on the TIF angel and I think I may have finished her today.  I've learned my lesson, though.  She will hang on the wall again before I declare her complete.  I've worked on a couple of other items - while the ideas were simmering - so I will have some things to blog about over the next few days.

I'm thinking I've had enough of angels for awhile.