My boy builds coffins he makes them all day; But it's not just for work and it isn't for play; He's made one for himself; One for me too; One of these days he'll make one for you.

ahh I'm having fun with these!

I like these...

I apologize for the terrible quality and proportions of these paper dolls. I have a significant new-found respect for skilled paper doll makers. Sigh. Here's the info I came up with for this creature of mine for a mythology project, as well as my "true" mythological inspirations.
 
The Curela starts out as a normal human girl, except that she always feels estranged from others. She is plain and meek; she is often either ignored or made fun of—either way, she is deeply unhappy. As she passes through puberty, she forms a connection with a bird—whether it is one she sees regularly in the sky (which could in fact be a fully-developed Curela) or one she mends back to health or some other bird, it helps her learn of her own hidden strength and beauty. One day, she feels the urge to try to fly, and it works. She shape-shifts into a bird without even realizing it at first. Her newfound freedom thrills her, but eventually she has to return to human form. She needs sustenance, but she finds that normal human food does not satisfy her anymore. Almost by accident, she lures someone into a private place with her, and there, primal instincts take over. Her physical strength and mesmerizing beauty keep her victim immobile as she devours him or her. Then, satisfied, she returns to bird form. However, she has to transform back regularly to remain alive, but each time she transforms, she loses some of her beauty. She soon allies with the other Curela in the region (of which there are many, as they all flock there), and she falls into the same transformation pattern as the others. The people of the region have the theory that the stunning black birds in the sky are good omens, and when they all disappear, it is a bad sign, because this seems to be when most of the murders and “tragic accidents” happen.
 
(Can you tell I've spent some time on Tumblr? Heh.)
 
Inspiration for the Curela comes from three mythological monsters of different cultures. The Harpies of Greek mythology are winged monsters with characteristics of both bird and woman. They are fierce and foul. The Aswangs of Filipino culture are shape-shifters and some variations are described as becoming hulking black birds at night. They are bloodthirsty and murderous. Baba Yaga of Russian mythology is a single woman who can influence animals, especially birds, to do her bidding. The Curela have a similar ability to manipulate and seduce people.

name: Emily Fitch
age: 16
fashion sense: cute, quirky, modest but stylish
favorite music: dance music (techno, electronica, etc.)
likes: gardening, her goggles from Naomi, drinking, girls, parties
dislikes: her mom, being second to her sister, personal mottos, homophobes
personality: compassionate; smart; honest; independent; down-to-earth
short bio: She's in love with Naomi, but sometimes this can be difficult. Naomi is still coming to terms with her own homosexuality. She and her twin, Katie, used to be very close, but now they struggle because Emily is tired of never being in the limelight and she doesn't like being expected to be just like her sister. Her parents are struggling financially and her mother won't accept that Emily's gay. Her brother is crazy. She does well in school but her personal life can be distracting.
model: Kathryn Prescott

I still love her, but Florence is a very close second ;)