Gertrude Gets Glam!

 Some of you have seen my original 'Junk Queen Crowns' at shows over the past few years.

This tiny little crown, which I ended up calling the 'Junk Princess', 

was the very FIRST one I EVER made -

Even before I made my big honkin' heavy crystal-embellished one.

I kept it 'cause it was the first, and cute, and yes, I've worn it once or twice!

But this holiday season, I'm letting someone else wear it.

Gertrude Gets Glam.

Yup. Gertrude.

Blinged up beyond belief!

Here's The Story:

Gertrude was a deer mount that we found at a garage sale in Truckee, California back in the late 80's when we lived there. Bob doesn't hunt, but he wanted that whole 'Mountain Man Cabin' look in our house, so we got it for ten bucks. [We also got a moose antler mount at another sale, but that's another story.]

Gertrude was a boy - we know that, because A) you can't shoot and mount females and b) this guy has antlers. But for some Godforsaken reason, everyone in the family started calling it Gertrude. The name stuck. And every Christmas, poor ol' Gert would suffer the indignities of being trussed... no, wait.... dressed up in some kind of ridiculously corny Holiday getup: Split a hollow red plastic ball in half and pop it over the nose - VOILA! It's Rudolph! A clown hat and 'big nose glasses', a Santa hat and a red & white scarf, a rainbow wig and garish necktie....you name it, Gert's worn it. I can only imagine if the poor thing could speak, what tales of woe and humiliation it would share....

Well,. last summer, poor Gertrude was hanging in Bob's workshop. Getting horribly covered with sawdust and grime. I had had it, and was about to pitch her/him into the trash. Then I got an idea: It was time for a MAKEOVER for Gert.

I spent two days stripping off the deer hide (eeeeeeeeeew - Bob ended up doing most of that, actually) and giving the remaining papier mache' head form and real antlers a good brushing. Then I gathered up bags and bags of the broken-shell kind of sand that we had over at Utsalady Beach. I smeared tile mastic all over poor Gert and pressed the sand into the mastic. I artfully placed a few small shells on the nose and at the crown of her/his head. When it all dried, I sprayed it with clear acrylic spray. 

 Gert at BarnHouse in July

Gert looked SO very stylish and modern and hip that I took her/him to the BarnHouse show, absolutely certain that she/he would sell in a snap. No such luck - although there were many admirers and a million comments about how COOL that idea was, no one forked over the bucks. So, I brought Gertrude back home and hung her/him in the family room. She/he was cool.... too cool to go back to the shop. 

Then during our recent move, I looked up at Gert hanging on that wall and decided that she/he has been such a big part of the Holidays for so long that I just couldn't let her/him end up at the thrift store. So, I brought Gert here to the new place and found the perfect spot on a wall in the little living room. I knew I'd find something to liven her/him up for Christmas.

When I was going through the bins of selected ornaments & decor, I found the strands of antique German glass bead garland. And some white floral picks, to match the white tree. Then I went to my jewelry box to grab a strand of silver beads I have - and found the Princess crown. I just went overboard and put it ALL on Gertrude. 

And I have to say, this year there is no doubt that Gertrude is a GIRL. 

SHE's never looked so good as in all this bling! 

 And she's here to stay... even though the crown and bling may not be.
Merry Christmas, my DEERS ;0)