(no subject)

[dreamflower]

A few days ago, pegkerr tagged me for that icon meme, so here is my answer to it...

All of the icons you picked were made especially for me by my friend danachan, who is quite talented that way. In fact, almost all of them were made for me by her, except for my Challenge icons, and two others.

My default icon (and up to recently also my wallpaper) I just love this picture of Bag End--the soft greens, and Gandalf standing there--I can just imagine that he's laughing to himself over the secret mark he's just made on that green door. It seems to me to symbolize the Shire and Bag End just before Adventure first came beckoning. I believe this picture originally came from one of the old LOTR calendars...

I love all four hobbits. My favorite fics always feature all of them. I sent Dana a bunch of pics I loved that showed all four of them, but not all of them were easy for her to "iconize". I really loved the picture I had of them all at the Green Dragon, and as a bonus, Dana made this one animated, so that I could have *all* of them in the picture! While this moment in the film was not canon, it was a lovely one. And I can imagine it taking place perhaps later on, after the Scouring, when the Green Dragon finally reopened...

One of my hobbies is making historical doll costumes. I use Thrift Store Barbie and Ken dolls, and design the patterns myself. These were all made quite some time before we moved away from Mississippi, and are about half the ones I have made. The emerald green Tudor, second from the left, was one of my published designs, back in the mid-90s. I had several patterns published at that time in Doll Designs Magazine. (The magazine is now extinct, alas!)

This is one of my "fancy hats" for SCA. It's based on fifteenth century designs, and is of the type called an "escoffion". I made a wire and buckram framework for it. It's quite pretty to look at, but darned uncomfortable to wear--so I usually only wear it for very special events.

This was "my" Bag End--a model I made a few years ago. I had great fun making it, using styrofoam, moss, wire, polymer clay, acrylic paint, silk flowers, and lots of hot glue. Unfortunately, it got crushed and broken in the move to Oklahoma. So I'm very glad I have pictures of it. Someday I'll make a new one!

The bunny hutch! About three Christmases ago, I made several of these polymer clay "plot bunnies" as gifts to people on my flist. Each one, when sent out, had a little scroll between his paws, with a bunny for a fic I'd like to see written. The purple one in the top row I sent to gamgeefest. She named him "Squiggy", and he has his *own* icon on *her* LJ!

A while back, I was writing some fics about the "older generation" of hobbits, and told danachan that I wished I had some appropriate icons. The mothers were easy: flowers and jewels; Saradoc Brandybuck was "Scattergold", so that wasn't too hard, and for Drogo Baggins, I found an illuminated initial from a "Drogo" manuscript! Paladin Took was a bit harder--but "paladin" is another word for knight... Unfortunately, I *still* haven't come up with anything for "Hamfast"...


Now, if someone else wants, I'll pick some of yours if you comment here--but I won't be able to paste the pictures in--I need Dana for that! LOL!

Comments

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

You got a bunny hutch! *pulls her legs up immediately* I love your default icon, it's John Howe right? I'm game btw: I hace my icons labelled, so no worries. :)

[dreamflower]

Yes, it is John Howe!

Icons:
Dance
Jayne Quote
Elua
Kevin Mischief
Bard
Silm Geek

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

I love your older generation icons. I'm growing increasingly fond of them as you know - almost to an extend where I feel like neglecting "my" hobbits... if not for the German story.

Awww... the bunny hutch!! What a great idea is this?! *would love to have her own plot bunny*

[dreamflower]

Well, feel free to steal any of them you like--just give Dana credit for them!

Plot bunnies are very devious!

Now for *your* icons:
Tumnus
Merimac Serious
Scholarly Lily
Frodo Dancing

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

Will do that later, thanks!

Thanks for allowing me to steal the older generation icons (I need more than 15 :p). I've been thinking about Hamfast last night and I thought I remember that it said, either in the LotR appendix or in one of the HoMe books that his name, in their own language, means "Stay at Home". So... a nice cosy smial might be an idea. Or taters and gardening tools ;)

[danachan.livejournal.com]

:) *hugs* I like making icons, so I've enjoyed making the ones for you I have (and I like being useful, so helping out whenever I can, I like doing that, too).

If you like, you can pick seven of mine (http://www.livejournal.com/allpics.bml?user=danachan).

[dreamflower]

You are made of awesome, actually! ♥ Dana!

Icons:
Pile of love
A cat & his girl
kt3 take 1
danae
kingdom of cats
dalmasca

[danachan.livejournal.com]

Ta da! (http://danachan.livejournal.com/684436.html)

[slightlytookish]

I like all the crafty icons, and I also like the explanation between the Paladin one. As for Hamfast...maybe something with trees/plants/gardening?

Oh and I'll play the icon meme too :)

[dreamflower]

I'm still trying to figure it out--thought about using the Gaffer from the movie, but none of the other parents were in it...*sigh*

Icons (I can't do the paste thing, so here's the keywords):
Last march of the ducks
Unicorn
Jeeves and Wooster: Bertie dubious
Author writing
Pippin=Awesome
Pippin the Wizard
Rosencrantz: R & G

[shirebound]

I made several of these polymer clay "plot bunnies" as gifts to people on my flist

I still have my adorable green one! :)

[dreamflower]

I'm so glad you still have him!

Now, if you want to play, here are the keywords:

BlahBlahBlah
Animap
Thinker
Piglet in Blanket
Frodo and Scamp
Write Me
Sing Me Home

[shirebound]

I'm afraid I can't concentrate on anything right now. Maybe at a later time!

[dreamflower]

(((hugs)))

I can certainly understand that! I hope things settle down soon. This is just horrible!

[poppymuddyfoot.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you made doll costumes. For years now, I've been buying those thrift shop dolls and dressing them. In the past few years, I've moved into collecting as well, but I still love the thrill of matching the before and after of some poor bedraggled doll. I finally got up the nerve to try re-rooting the hair and now I'm hooked on it. I'm trying to learn to repaint the faces as well, but I'm not doing very well on that. Oh well.
About your dolls, are the costumes historically accurate or are they more about creating the look than authenticity? I've not attempted anything really accurate myself, especially since most of my dolls end up being played with by nieces or the girls at church. I'd love to see some pictures of your work. I'm sure it's beautiful.

[lilybaggins.livejournal.com]

I would have DIED for your doll costumes when I was young, to put on my Barbies. Guh! Beautiful. Shoot, I'd die for them now... you could seriously sell them on ebay and make good money, I'm certain.

[periantari.livejournal.com]

All of your icons are really cool..i esp. liked the movie-verse animated pub scene though-- that music which accompanied that scene was just total Love and so appropriately melancholy...
You can choose some of my icons fro this meme too if you wish. :)