I adore himmeli … perhaps it is my Scandinavian ancestry … or my deep love of geometry … or my love of sculpture and simply making things … or a combination of all of those! To say I have been completely in my element is an understatement!
I have had boundless fun constructing several himmeli pieces: wreaths, a ‘sun’ and a ‘moon’ and a giant star to top my Christmas tree.
So ... a bit more about my beloved himmeli ... the making of them is a tradition in Scandinavia/Baltic Sea region. The etymology of the word is swedish/germanic ‘himmel’ meaning sky or heaven. Himmelis were made for Christmas, Easter, weddings, other celebrations as they were believed to be symbols of luck.
I used hollow ‘phragmites australis’ reed straws to make the wreaths, sun and moon shapes: the wreaths are repeating pentagonal prisms; the sun has at its core an icosahedron and then lots of triangles and then, the moon is made up of 12 pentagons ... based on a do ... do ... do ... do ... dodecahedron! The star is based on an octagonal prism. I finished these with beautiful LEDs, mini baubles and circular tinsel (my main wreath); teeny copper ‘warm’ lights (the sun and moon) and pastel LED lights (the star), respectively! Again, the reflections are so very special!
They are very festive but I have a feeling these sculptures will remain in situ forevermore!
They are very much, in so many ways, a Christmas present to ... me! ✨
The wreath base: the reeds are stitched together using thin cotton.
If you look carefully, you can even see the reflection of more of my Christmas lights in the centre (in the glass panels).
Illuminated ‘sun’ and ‘moon’.
My star.