15/05/2008

Mermaid swap




Here are some photos for a Mermaid swap on Paper Whimsy. I used a chipboard book as my shadow box. The cover has been gessoed and then mahogany crackle paint over the top. Then I cut out a mermaid and added some scroll stamping.
Inside I painted and decorated with shells, beads, grungeboard and some lace (for coral). I added some bling for her decorative bra and as a mirror.
The glass vial has the words to a ditty written on it. The same words are on the score sheet on the inside cover.
Here are the words that tell the story of the mermaid...
"One Friday morn as we set sail
and our ship not far from land
we there did espy a fair pretty maid
with a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand
with a comb and a glass in her hand.
[chorus]
While the raging seas did roar
and the stormy winds did blow
and we jolly sailor boys were up, up aloft
and the landlubbers lying down below, below below

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship
who at once did our peril see
"I have married a wife in fair London town
and this night she a widow will be, will be, will be
and this night she a widow will be.

[chorus]
And then up spoke the little cabin boy
and a fair hair'd boy was he
"I've a father and mother in fair Portsmouth town
and this night they will weep for me, for me, for me
and this night they will weep for me
[chorus]

Then three times round went our gallant ship
and three times round went she
for the want of a lifeboat they both went down
as she sunk to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea
as she sunk to the bottom of the sea.
[chorus]

When I signed up to do this swap the 1st verse and chorus to this ditty popped into my head; I sang it at school with my class mates in an assembly when I was 9, we acted it out too, I really loved it and I suppose that is why I remembered it all these years later.
I put in the first verse into google and it found it for me much to my surprise and delight.
Thanks for looking x

7 comments:

Sarah said...

Dawn this is absolutely stunning!!!! Wonderful work as always. I love your mermaid!!!!

carylsrealm said...

Beautiful Mermaid Dawn!

Jeanie said...

Beautiful, Dawn. I love the look of the lace as the sea foam at the corner. Very creative! Isn't it wonderful how something from our childhood can return to help our muse fly?

Patricia Schweitzer said...

Wow, Dawn, this is one cool piece of art and I absolutely LOVE the song which inspired it. Way to go!!
Hugs,
Patricia

mary schweitzer said...

This is wonderful! The little extras you put in your work makes each piece you do so special and so Dawn!!
Mary

Eastjewels said...

WOW Dawn...this is wonderful...your art work just gets better and better...you are so creative...I love the song you sang when you were 9...how perfect for the project...I really love the way you used the lace for the coral...awesome...
Luv Mum

Carol said...

What a fun project. Love how you combined such a variety of textures! Also love your fabric arches.