"Lace Garden" mini collection

As you may or may not know, as well as selling through Etsy, I have my hats in a local bricks-and-mortar shop, called The Blackheath Hub, which stocks the work of over 100 artisans from the Blue Mountains. They've recently started doing themed exhibitions as well. I wouldn't have thought I would have time to contribute, but when I heard the theme was flowers, and I had just finished the my first lace flower headpiece and the lace halo crown, and was starting a few more pieces, I thought I might actually be able to do it!

And I did! There were a few late nights at the end, but I completed the remaining three pieces I hoped to make.

Two were smaller simpler pieces (although with four flowers each that's still 20 wired lace pieces and at least 5 hours work!) that I felt would help round out the collection. (If anyone's keeping a list of "things that are hard to photograph", you can go ahead and add black lace and white lace to it.)

The fifth was a bit more of a...statement piece. I sketched this in hospital, or perhaps shortly afterwards in my long periods of lying around and drinking coke on doctor's orders, and I've been excited for it ever since.

I had long periods of doubt during the making process, particularly when I was making the bird, asked my husband how he thought it looked so far, and he replied "What's it supposed to be?" In the end though, I'm pleased with the result.

Having heard the next couple of planned themes, I'm keen to participate in more of the Hub's exhibitions. I love a good theme, and although I don't love a deadline, they do help me get things done. I doubt that the gold and black one would actually have gotten done this year, if at all, otherwise, and I'm really proud of it, so the odd deadline must be good for me.

Which do you prefer: over-the-top statement piece or delicate (relatively) subtle crown?

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