Quilling Globe Trotters!

My first custom order was a large one: 50 quilled angel teddy bear christening invitations.  Those went half-way around the world to Australia.  I was absolutely tickled that 50 people were going to see my work.  I was even more tickled that the whole christening event was made around teddy bears to suit the invitations!  My item set the tone (blush).

Ensorcelled Minds has gone international again!  A lovely person from Italy, who said her english wasn't all that good, braved the language barrier and asked if I could make a quilled scorpion.  I have never made a quilled insect of any kind before (although my sister has quilled a butterly in my shop).  I paused for a moment to wonder if I could even do it.  But only for a moment.

I promptly got on the internet (I love Google!) and started looking at scorpion images.  I chose to look at tattoo images for scorpions.  Tattoos, especially the tribal art kind, often have stylized and block shapes - ones I think I could duplicate in quilling.  I sketched out five different scorpions, then narrowed it down to three and then chose my favourite of those.  (If it didn't work out, I had two back-ups!)

I am thrilled with the result.  I like robust looking creatures - my dragons have robust arms and a thick body instead of serpentine ones and and my scorpions have the same arms and a muscular tail.  I made this black scorpion as my test.  I was worried about how to make the legs, since the legs are indeed very thin.  I decided not to quill them at all, but to put them as flat paper.  Then I did the eyeball test - I showed it to my husband.  "Can you tell what this is?" I asked.  There was an immediate response, so I knew I had made something recognizable this time!  He even said it was a very good scorpion!

After I showed it to the client, she said she liked the shape and asked if I could do it in white with a black outline and put a heart on it somewhere.  So, here's the final, customized version.  My customer then promptly purchased it AND three other quilled items in my shop (one of which was my sister's butterfly)!!  Boy, I'm glad I only paused for but a moment when I considered this order!

I'm partial to this version with a quilled heart encircled by the tail.  I like my scorpion.  I think I will make more for the shop. :)

- Scrapninny