Lucky finds at the miniature show

One of the artifacts that I hoped to make for my Hawaiian Culture museum was a miniature replica of a feathered cloak that for years was displayed in the Penn Museum. Here is what the cape (called ‘ahu ‘ula) looked like when it was displayed (see the museum website).

Sadly, the entire Polynesia display has been permanently removed but I was able to see the cloak in a drawer in storage, thanks to Adria Katz, the keeper in charge of the collection.

But I was never able to find small scale feathers that I would nee to make the cloak look accurate so I was planning to simply print the design on silk. But then I found miniature feathers and now my life will be filled with the eye-straining adventure of gluing little feathers to make the cape. I am making this public so I don’t chicken out.

Mini feathers found at JoAnne Roberts’ booth will do the trick:

Other finds include some rough mini pots that I may paint or design, found at “Small Time Creations”:

A couple of surfboards that I will try to make look like original Hawaiian boards were found at a shop called “Small Talk.”  And some tropical wallpaper at “Designing Ways”:

I do not have links to these last four shops.