Pain

Are you feeling the pain of the Haitian people? it is so raw it's palpable, a throb of pain and need. It is hard for many of us to part with cash but we can all keep these people in our thoughts and send positive wishes and strength and a vision of recovery and hope.
It must be very difficult to muster up hope when you are living with hunger and thirst among rubble and sewage, struggling to survive when all you knew is lost. Your family is split or gone, your love is torn and divided and you are feeling pains of so many kinds. You wonder if there is any way you can muster up the strength to face the night, to wake to another day. You wonder why?
Send strength to these lost ones. All you can. It could be you.

Befana an annual pleasure

Befana! fun and heartwarming. For twenty women drawn together by fate and the love of our similarities and differences, it is one of the best days of the year.
The original Befana? A generous old Italian woman who rode her broom around the countryside on the eve of January 4th leaving gifts and sweet treats for  the children. Sound familiar somehow?
Origins are interesting Often what you think you kknow is not that way at all. Try a challenge. Take one thing you assume, take for granted and research it's origin. you may be surprised.

new year choices

A new year, new beginnings. Sometimes starting over sounds so positive.

I will be healthy if at all possible by taking special care and not taking anything for
granted.

I'll continue to eat less meat, and dairy, more fresh vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts.
I will be meticulous in my crafting too, remembering to be careful about ventilation when there is even the slightest thought there might be harmful fumes. I will remember protective gloves and masks, and will use them like it or not. I can learn to get used to them right?

I will remember the fear and discomfort of being unable to get a full breath and I will appreciate the air I breathe and give thanks.

Finger bones! What a fun pendant for Halloween. Hang it on a black cord and you are set! It is life size and articulated so you can shape it if you like.
Polymer clay, beads and wire.

Dragonfly necklace

Made of polymer clay beads and wire, this is the (first) result of a necklace project that was taught by Christi Friesen at her workshop in Edmonds  Washington in August. I've played with it off and on in between working on other projects and decided today to call it done.
It isn't exactly what I planned but my stuff usually surprises me. I'd do some things differently and will, as this is just the first!!
The firefly was first too small and now is too big, and although it lays fairly nicely I would organize the main pieces differently. In fact I did but.... didn't prepare some of the connecting factors well enough. It is finished with a satin finish to which I added some iterference green, blue and gold.

Phoenix

Phoenix soon

Phoenix is done! I will get pictures today.
I think I've worked at this for months!
I love working with seed beads. It reminds me of coloring with crayons but using beads instead. I just sit and fill in the blanks!

I Live

This neck piece was done in honor and appreciation for Life, this Earth, Her beauty and generosity, and with love for Her and for all Life.
It was first painted, then beaded.

Christi's Steampunk fish

The two day workshop with Christi Friesen was a blast! Whether or not you are interested in polymer clay you would have loved this.
Christie's personality and ability to spread fun is contagious.

But then if you are in to polymer clay at all, you are bound to learn a scad of new ideas and tricks to make your own work better. Christie is thorough and patient, you couldn't ask for a better teacher!

She who would be who she would be

Except for the garden she stands in "She who would be..." is finished.
I wanted a beach comber doll. She refused. I decided with her uptilted head she could be a bird watcher. She refused. She even attempted to self destruct! She upped the heat on the oven and scorched her fingers. (What you see now are prosthesis of sorts.) Before I agreed to the necessary surgery I had my own little tizzy and threw her under the table and tried to ignore her. She pulled on my pants leg, mumbled and grumbled and generally caused so much havoc in the studio I was forced to pull her back up and see what I could do. None of this changed her haughty attitude at all. She thinks she is an aristocrat at least and maybe royalty!
I quit arguing. This is She. She who would be what she would be.

Green Goddess Doll

This is the Green Goddess doll done in Christie Friesen's class. I was great fun to take this class and learn how she does her amazing work and meet fellow classmates who are interested in making similar creations. There are definitely some things I will do differently on the next one, but all and all I am not too dissatisfied.

Great Horned Owl neckpiece

He is somewhat crowded onto the scanner. I will take a good photo once I have the chain connected that will put him around the neck.

He has been a joy to bead. One of my strongest most beloved totem.

Out the front window:

The Gaia group's question of the day was "where in your life were you happiest?"
When I was a child I sketched many a picture of a cabin in the woods with deer in the front yard. It was a persistant dream to live in the woods near a creek in a green world.

Later while raising young children and moving often due to being a military family we often found homes in the country on water, so the striving and learning continued.

When the children were grown Bill and I were still young enough to follow our dream, (he now also wanted to try this quiet natural life) we searched and found the perfect place.

I was never happier than when we were on the mountain property, building our home, developing the water and power systems, (we were miles from "conveniences") and living the life. Every summer for 19 years and full time for 7 years we lived an enchanted life.

Now, back in civilization, I cherish those years, the memories of the joys I felt there.

My dream materialized.

Beaded ribbon bracelet. That nasty doll isn't getting all my attention.