Diana, Goddess of the Hunt.

I just got back from an art teacher conference. I signed up for a workshop with fabric designer and fab mom of six, Anna Maria Horner. I took a workshop from her two years ago when the conference was in Nashville. This time around, I was able to plan ahead and bring fabrics from Lydia's first birthday dress. I also brought a picture of a statue of Diana, goddess of the hunt, that I took on the grounds of Biltmore Estates years ago. I have wanted to create something on that theme ever since we decided Lydia Diann would be named after her Grandmother Diann. I'm not ready to say that it is finished, but I am getting pretty fond of her. She is purple so she is neither human nor statue at this point. I feel like she is in a good place, she better be... I slaved away on her details for two solid days! The background was a little harder to bring together. I originally glued down a piece of paper from Lydia's birthday invitations, but the paint didn't want to stick to it, so off it went. I got just a small snippet of fabric that Anna Maria designed with deer and small houses that just seemed perfect for the land in front of Dianna. It was just too bright and kept coming to the foreground. I finally settled on picking up the diamond pattern in the Lydia dress fabric and used it like a chain link fence to separate the goddess and the animals. Maybe she has herded them into the fence.....maybe they are being protected from her? I'm not sure but I like the idea that the butterflies are breaking free at the top!

Now, like Dianna I too feel the need to hunt ....... for that adorable Anna Maria fabric with the deer and houses that I used in the background. Maybe I can make Lydia a new dress from it. I'll keep you posted.