Me Momma So Crafty

I got my belated birthday present from my mom today and had to show off how crafty and talented my mom is. I knew she was working on something for me and she had a little delay, which wasn't a problem at all. As I knew she was making this item for me, I told her to take her time, as I wanted something she was happy with, because then I knew the end result was what she wanted as well, and not just something she slapped together.

So check out this coolness....

So what is it you may be asking? It's a two-dimensional framed artwork handmade by my mom of her interpretation of two Kabuki actors in the traditional shishi (a mythical lion creature) costume found in a famous Kabuki play called "Renjishi". The basic storyline of this play is of a parent lion training its young cub. The parent shishi is the one with the white hair,

the young cub with the red.

I found a little more information here and here. This site also had good information as far as how these shishimono dance in this play. They have a distinct way they move their head and hair to personify the shishi. Shishi Kabuki dolls can be found with the figures holding their long mane of hair, like the red haired one you see above.

My mom used both origami and actual fabric to put their costumes together. their hair is made out of embroidery thread and she drew and painted the traditional Kabuki makeup on the faces. She really has an eye for detail, including the pleating in the costume like this:

Definitely a one-of-a-kind gift from anyone ever. My mom does just about everything crafty: she sews, knits, draws, paints, and her current craft obsession is making Japanese craft items, like these origami kusudama. Aren't these gorgeous? I love how all the colours work together and there are so many ways you can make these things.

Well enough gushing about my mom. But she rocks - I wish I can be half as crafty as she is when I grow up :)