We are the ones we have been waiting for. -- June Jordan

 June 8 is World Oceans Day!  Read more about our imperiled oceans here: http://worldoceansday.org/



Plastics are a huge part of water pollution, so here are a few quick facts to get you thinking:

In November 2008, in Australia, a 11 1/2 foot (3.5 meter) long crocodile, which had been tagged as part of a government wildlife tracking program, was found dead.  It had consumed 25 plastic shopping and garbage bags.  This is a common fate for many wild animals.

The desert and its inhabitants have also suffered from plastic pollution.  Animals are eating the plastic left behind by visitors and tourists. They then choke on it or starve to death because the plastic blocks their intestines.  Just like seabirds in the ocean, camels, sheep, goats and cattle, as well as the protected Arabian oryx, sand gazelles and other wildlife, are dying after ingesting plastic.  From ocean to desert, there is no escape from plastic pollution.

 90% of litter floating in the oceans is plastic. 70% of this will eventually sink.

Plastics that might biodegrade over time on land will not do so in sea water, as the micro-organisms that degrade plastics cannot survive in the ocean.

--from the book "Plastic Pollution" by Geof Knight

Yes, this seabird is so full of plastic it's hard to belief but sadly many water animals, as well as land animals, ingest plastic thinking its food and die with this stuff stuck in their guts.  You can see more Midway seabirds here.

Okay, enough depressing news, I'm going to temper these sad statistics and facts with some mermaid fun.  Just remember, you are powerful and you can create change, one small step at a time.



Darwin may have been quite correct in his theory that man descended from the apes of the forest, but surely woman rose from the frothy sea, as resplendent as Aphrodite on her scalloped chariot. 

-- Margot Datz, A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids

I am a siren, and for my adoration of

mankind, have been caught in fishing nets

one time too many. And in those fishing

nets I have learned too many unfavorable

things about human intentions and the

lack of trust and goodwill; I'm not going

to allow myself to be caught, anymore.

Sirens do well at singing the sirens' song

and dragging vile people to their deaths,

and for good reason!"

-- C. Joybell C.

The girl cocked her head the other way. I caught a glimpse of pink gills under her chin. "My sisters told me stories of humans. They said they sometimes sing to them to lure them underwater." She grinned, showing off her sharp needle-teeth. "I've been practicing. Want to hear?" -- Julie Kagawa, The Iron King

This incredible sculpture is by artist Forest Rogers.

Catfish on the menu

So this is how far the catfish is now:  I spent a long time sewing the feet on and doing her claws, same variegated blue/purple as her hands.  Before the claws could be done, I had to wire the legs and feet, so she can stand on her own, and the claw stitches hold the wire in place to some degree (the wire is pretty stiff, it doesn't need much help).

Then I started in on the mermaid head piece experiment:  the base is paper maché with the pins making holes for where the fin-shaped fabric will be attached.  I've never done this before so I have no idea if it will work but I need something very light-weight to which all the seaweed, shells, etc... can be attached.  It's drying now...

 

She hasn't named herself yet but Salina has come to mind, as has Felidae, Catia and Calica.  Any suggestions?

Busy weekend!

Since we're already into February, I decided I had to put the quilling away and get to some pieces for the doll show I hope to be doing in April.  But first I created a few different bat designs:

Three different bodies and wing shapes...

 

 

Then I pulled out a project I started last summer: the cat-fish.  This is a lady cat who originally was going to be transformable from a mermaid to a cat lady, with legs that could be interchanged with a tail.  While a neat idea, I don't think anyone would be willing to pay the price for the piece and store the body parts that weren't in use, so I scrapped it.  Instead, she's going to be a cat in a mermaid costume, inspired by Cher's mermaid costume from the movie "Mermaids".  I'm particularly looking forward to making the head-dress, which could incorporate some quilling elements and perhaps paper mache.  First, though, the cat and here are her two tattoos:  on one leg, near the heel, there's a multi-colored fish while on an inside wrist there is the same fish only now it's a skeleton!  Well, she is a cat! 

 

In other news, we made brioche today, using that super duper yeast!  Yes, it worked incredibly well again and these spinach-bacon-Vodka a la creme brioche are very yummy!  We accidentally forgot to include the cheese, so we ate it on the side.  This dough is so fluffy and tasty we're going to use it with apples, nuts and cinnamon to make a sweet treat.

My brioche don't look as tidy as these, more like volcanic brains!