Dragons And Phoenixes

What are they?
Darling soft sculpture dragons and phoenixes fit nicely in the palm of your hand, dangle cheerfully from your rear-view mirror, or decorate any little space that needs a Fantastical Creature. These are my own design and manufacture, each creature years in development before production. Phoenixes are new in 2021, and there are 2 tribes, distinguished by their coloring of deep red or bright red orange. The dragons come in various colors depending on their last molt: red, white, black, green, lavender, dark purple, royal blue, and turquoise. They have rhinestone eyes and are embroidered in metallic thread. A quilter at the Sandy Springs Museum once gave me a spool of sparkly fuchsia thread and I was hooked- now each one is topstitched in sparkly gold or silver.

Where did the dragons come from?
Well! Once upon a time, I bought a baby dragon in a walnut shell at the Maryland Renaissance Festival and tried to re-create it. I was unhappy with my results. When I tried to make a WHOLE dragon, however, I was fairly pleased. That was 30 years ago. The dragons have undergone minor adjustments, but the basic pattern was sound and I’m still using it.

Where did the phoenixes come from?
When I was selling dragons at BaltiCon (the Baltimore Science Fiction Convention), I was advised many times to make other creatures - and so the phoenix was conceived. I must tell you, the phoenix was troublesome in a number of ways, and I spent three years developing a pattern that I found satisfactory. The golden wire feet are still difficult to create.

What’s next?
I am trying to work out a unicorn but my friend insists my next creature needs wings too; otherwise, it may feel sad and envious. This could take a while.