Grand Prize Winner

Janet Brandt's entry into the Casket Toy competition is the grand prize winner!  I think everyone who takes the time to look at all the pieces will agree that not only are they fully of whimsy but are inspired and unique in how they take the techniques and applied them to her concepts.  Janet has already shown us how many of her drawers contain items related to the storyline of her casket.  But now there are plenty of lovely little toys in the drawers as well.  Including a scene where you can move the little boat back and forth (see the video).  Janet is also starting today with posts on how she make the parts of her entry at her blog... so you can enjoy doubly!

Inspiration - by Janet Brandt

The theme of the competition and required materials/techniques were all the inspiration I needed! I knew I wanted the TOYS to be something that could actually be played with. I also knew I wanted them to fit the story-line of my casket.  I was able to bring figures and images that exist (or will very soon) on the exterior of the casket, to life as 3D toys and to store them inside.The gardens I created to store inside of the casket are now stitched into the door compositions on the outside. I had fun making the Peacock Casket toy and wanted the chance to use those techniques for the new dolls and their costumes. The wrapped bullion technique quickly inspired gardens and a gardening tool.

How They Were Made - by Janet Brandt

The wrapped snake technique became a watering can; the tongue became a sprinkling of water and the coiling was tweaked enough to go from snake to can. After that I had so much fun creating and wrapping flowers, trees and trellises with masses of gilt, purl and bullion. Eventually I lost track of what material I used where except that vast quantities of shiny things kept disappearing. The top garden has wrapped bullion trees and trellises and flowers and a golden ship. The ship can be moved back and forth in front of a lacet tent. 'Once' the little girl in green and 'Time' the friendly red dog with wings (Time Flies) are my lacet techniques showcases.(They have also been created in a more 2D version for the top of the casket.) Once and other casket dolls now have lacet jackets, hats, an apron and a flower gathering basket. In addition to the lacet techniques used to create the peacock I used the lacet as a base with needlelace stitching inside each 'feather' and I created the doll jackets with a lacet base infilled with needlelace stitches. Time's body is covered with lacet stitched directly to the body's base.
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I think that everyone can agree that Janet's whimsical interior to her casket with its large inserts, moveable pieces and toys in every cavity deserved the Grand Prize.  Let's hope she does something equally as yummy with the second casket as this one!

Thank you to all the entrants into the contest, it has been so amazing to get the photos in my in-box, to take the time to read and look closely at the details and ask questions to see more at how they were put together.

I know that Janet will be blogging about her pieces after this post, so please check out her blog and you will see more and hear more about the inspiration behind her works and hopefully be inspired to do something yourself for your piece!

Tricia

Shows the figures for the top that are attached on the left and the toy versions of them on the right (detached and fully
three-dimensional)

Doll Interior

Dolly's Lacet Clothes and Jackets

Back of Dolly's Lacet Jackets

Cottage Garden

Watering Can, Flower Basket and Hat made of Lacet and little dog

Lid Interior

Detail of the Garden

"Once" and "Time" 

Peacock from class, added to the menagerie

Garden in the lid, sparkling

Tent close up, see the striped gimp in knots and smooched trims, purls, soutashe and lacets.  The boat
that moves is in the foreground out of purls and checks.

"Time" in three dimensions as a toy and in 2-dimentions for attachment to the top.

Under the garden tray