for Marian: adobe oven

On the way out of Marian's room after kisses last night, I realized I had not yet photographed/posted one of the gifts I made for her for Christmas. She is American Girl crazy, and her little honey is Josefina, a historical character from 1830s New Mexico. I shamelessly copied the AG bread oven.

I made the oven dome and mano and metate from stoneware, corn ears from polymer clay, "baked" and "raw" loaves from salt dough, paddle and door from wood (Dremel and wood burner), and cut the door "hide" from some of the leather I used for wool slipper soles. I threw in some bird seed to "grind" and mohair curls for flames, and packed them in a muslin drawstring bag.
It was very fun. Marian got the lion's share of my Santa's workshopping this year, which might not seem fair, but she's the one who wants the sort of thing I love to make. Although, somewhat to my surprise, my oldest's note to me in our love advent today thanked me for all of the handmade surprises I offer them at holidays and other special occasions. She takes a moral stand of sorts against crafting herself, so it meant a lot to me that she feels the love when I shoot it her way :).