The Protector

Lisa joined in the Assemblage Challenge in the Spring, sending these yummy goodies for me to create with:

SO many lovely things ... but it was the treasures in the little box that immediately grabbed my attention. Their juju was unmistakeably saying, "Us! Us! Use us!"

I do not look vibrant juju in the mouth. Yah. Okay. HORRIBLE paraphrase.
How about ... when the Universe sends me a strong sign? I listen.

I also fell completely in love with the little doll at the top ... something about that face, that missing foot spoke to me. And so I started playing around with this:

I glued on the wing-like sea glass to her back and removed her arms and legs. Surrounded the upper bits of sea pottery with copper tape and solder and the lower pieces I wrapped in gold. Found just the right chain and.... voila... the necklace emerged!

Now to create something that would hold the necklace ...hmmm... I moved things around, grabbed containers, laid this on that. It just wasn't gelling. Nothing was speaking to me.

And then I happened upon an old assemblage of mine called Firebird:

... and the pieces fit into place. I grabbed a box that could hold the skull as head but large enough inside for the little frozen charlotte. I contemplated which items would adorn the outside ... certainly some of those MS medallions and maybe I could figure out a way to incorporate the clicker too!

Only. The piece had other things in mind.
Try as I might, that frozen charlotte baby just did NOT want to be part of this assemblage.
But. His little suit? Yep!

And those removed arms and legs screamed to be a part as well.
Again. Who am I to argue?!?

I covered the box in aluminum tape (to ward off bad juju dontchaknow?!) and the body took shape inside.

Something was missing though and I tried all the items presented to me but it felt too open and I realized at that moment that the piece was called The Protector.

Found some screening and attached with handmade staples fortified with old tacks.
And a crown of dangerously sharp brass tacks.

The Protector:

The Protector holding the necklace:

This might have been the fewest contributed items I've used in one of my Assemblage Challenges and I hope Lisa doesn't mind TOO much. It sure wasn't for not trying however. And in the end, I think it turned out just as it needed to!