Alchemy Success Part 2: Jackalope Taxidermy

Yesterday I reported on alchemy success from the consumer's perspective. It was about my new favorite raccoon shirt.

Today's episode deals with alchemy success from the maker's perspective. And that maker is me.


I couldn't resist bidding on the challenge to make a mounted jackalope "taxidermy" made of non-animal materials. I won the bid but didn't really have a plan other than ideas floating in my head.

Lucky for me the ideas in my head floated out pretty much exactly how I hoped they would. That's always nice. (Because believe me, most of the time it doesn't work out that way).





The process:
First I went to the hardware store and experienced the usual awkward situation of looking for unknown materials and not wanting to explain what I'm looking for... since I'm rarely quite sure. I bought chicken wire and screening. That was the base for the jackalope embryo:


This was built up with wire and screen and then covered with this foam carpet padding stuff. Then I made brown corduroy antlers. A lot of the sewing of padding and "skin/fur" was done using a curved needle. Actually, without the curved needle, it might have been impossible to get the "pelt" on the innards.


I like the profile.

The eyes were made using these glass globules I had for a long time. I had no idea what I was ever going to use these for, but now I know I can use them for jackalope eyes.



* * * *

Meanwhile, in unrelated news I must report, Patches is bemused by a camel cricket.

Alchemy Success part 1: Raccoon Shirt Transformed by Fisheye

Etsy recently reintroduced the Alchemy feature which is used for requesting custom items or bidding to be the person to make the custom items.

I decided to partake so I put out a call to have a shirt altered to fit. As many shirts as I have, I always wanted this shirt to fit, because the fabric is so awesome:



Yes, it is vintage fabric with raccoons. I imagine they are washing apples or some other treasure they scavenged from somewhere. Of course these raccoons remind me of Patches. I have had this shirt since 2002 when I attended the Art-o-Mat 5th Anniversary Swap Meet in Winston-Salem. I grabbed this shirt out of a giant clothing swap mountain at Mary's of Course! Cafe. Finally, some random thing I pick up and hold on to for half a decade has actually become usable.

And all thanks to Fisheye Accessories. fisheye is an etsy seller who makes one-of-a-kind accessories, primarily from recycled or repurposed materials.


One of my favorites is her Apple Tree Cross Stitch clutch, made out of an upcycled kitchen towel.

She did a great job on altering the shirt, which started out way too loose and slouchy on me.

Before:


and

After:


Next Episode: Alchemy Success Part 2: Wherein chicken wire is utilized.