Rare As Hen's Teeth

I doesn't happen often.  Some people are as rare as hen's teeth and I have to share this modern day Tasha Tudor with you.  Jeri Landers is a true renaissance woman; she can do most anything.  On her farm, along with her animals and keen observations of creatures great and small, Jeri creates, paints, writes and designs her own books and animals and so much more.  She is also an expert at scherenschnitte, the lost art of paper cutting.  Jeri also sews, gardens and designs such beautiful tableaux, well, you will just have to go to her blog hopalonghollowgazette.blogspot.com to see, read, and be inspired by her creativity. 

Above is Esther, a starling Jeri raised.  I was so moved by the story of Esther, I just had to buy her when I saw her at Jeri's site.  Esther is a pinkeep and here, she sits at my desk in my city house watching the birds come and go at my bird feeders. 

Pippity Squeaky is a caroling mouse.  You must know that mice do sing.  Jeri designs and makes the animals all herself, with lace and bonnets and little vests and capes...  Pippity is singing on my shelves of whites and creams.  I just treasure her.

All Jeri's creatures come from her award winning books.  She cards and uses her own wool from her own flock, I could go on and on. I can't do Jeri justice.  You will just have to go visit her site and spend time reading posts old and new.  Jeri is the real deal; she's one of a kind.

Is there anything Jeri can't do?  She told me recently, she can't cook.  With all her work, artwork and shows around the country, I bet she just doesn't have the time. Go have fun and see what all this superwoman does.  See the most beautiful Christmas tree I've ever seen with all her creations. Go.

And, I forget to tell you about her exquisite paper gardens under glass domes.  Just another of her beautiful creations.