Sweet face, books and day off!

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My day off was a combination of things....found this book, which I had so long ago. I remember
it was sort of sad but Mayas strength is inspiring. It is about her confronting her own life with strength and dignity. Her tragedies and strengths.

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This book is hilarious! It is like your best friend being, lets say blunt and honest about what you should eat. She does not hold anything back including swear words. lol!  Overall I can say I agree with what the book espouses, but there are some things that I think can be balanced. They recommend being complete vegetarian and at one point in my life I was an extreme vegetarian. I know it was easier to win the weight battle, but there has to be a balance because each person is unique. I will take the "hay and leave the sticks." Meaning what I feel works best for me.

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A fun book to dream of beautiful rooms.....

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I finished this little dolls sweet face... I am pleased.....

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 I sketched in my little journal and dreamed up new creations and ideas.....

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chatted with daughter #1 on line, ate way too much chocolate (but I bought the one the Skinny Girls book recommended so I do not feel too guilty..lol!)http://danareva.hubpages.com/hub/Organic-Chocolate-VS-Regular-Chocolate I paired my lovely chocolate with bunches of

 of hot tea.

Have a lovely day <3

Cloth and falling light

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Stitching together cloth today and going with what the cloth has to offer.  There are African fabrics and hand dyed fabrics included in this piece.The small hole was already there. It is part of a pillow case that belonged to my late grandmother. (I have mentioned this fabric before in another project.) The fabric is like butter when I touch it. So soft and willing to go in whatever direction I stitch.

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After I took this picture I looked at the cloth and noticed how just a spot of sunshine fell on
the fabric and the words, "light falling" came to me.....

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When I examined the cloth I had stitched I began to think about how the fabrics all come
together and how each piece has its own personality, so to speak : )

<3

Elusive Valentines Cards

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Valentines is one of my favorite Holidays because to me it is a no pressure kind of event. I love remembering friends and special ones on this day.
I was out yesterday in search of the ultimate Valentines cards and could not find any.......no not one!
The one above is from a package I found last year at one of my favorite discount home stores,
Home Goods. But, nothing to be found this year...no where! Usually I find something in one of many of my favorite spots. But zero...nothing : (

This year I am going to have to be creative....

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This is me on my day off wearing my favorite outfit (running around looking for those Valentines cards!)....hair in two braids, little make up , my warm scarf and my LIFE IS GOOD t-shirt!

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this is me all ready to go to work the previous day....

and this is what I worked on after I got back from running around looking for those elusive cards and misc. errands......stitching stars!

Have a great day!

<3

Paying attention

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I have cloth hanging on my walls and this piece keeps standing out to me....
When something keeps grabbing my attention it is time to take a closer look....pay attention. *
Maybe it is about waking up to the fact that each day is a gift and that the desire to be cared for is something that happens automatically from spirit. Perhaps my definition of  feeling nurtured and safe needs to be redefined so I find more gratitude in each day. It is about accepting the divine feminine within and the strength that comes with that....
Maybe it is about me being kinder to myself. Be the nurturer to me. 

It is about acknowledging the mother in me and that I am so busy running around trying to be the best I can for everyone else. Maybe she is saying "Hey you!"

"Pay attention to you!" 

or

Perhaps another reason it keeps "jumping out at me" is because it is part of my original quilt pieces that needs to be finished!

 : )

I must have it finished by April...more to come about that later.

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This cloth continues with lots of words.....

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another view of this cloth....

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This is a new picture of daughter #1....
I am grateful she is strong and wise beyond her years....

I am missing her because she lives far away, but she is always in my heart <3


* addendum: Perhaps the goddess figure stands out because I am traveling through menopause. Waking at night soaked and then  freezing! sometimes during the day turning so hot while trying to work :/. It seemed turning 51 was like going around a corner and realizing that you must change your ways and care for yourself. That extra 10 pounds that literally came out of nowhere....fast! Knowing exercise and eating good things are the only way through this. Changing my thoughts too! 
just thinking.....
: )

adding

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As I have tried to be more disciplined about stitching I have realized that each moment that we stitch we are "adding" to and building the blocks of the quilt...Each stitch makes a difference. The piece grows ever so slowly. I see life is that way. The little things we do each day add up. Good or bad. 

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back to stitching.....

<3

she's back .....

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to her stitching ways.....

: )

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Have a great weekend!

<3

A beautiful day

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This is my day....driving by a small barn at a local apple orchard. (It was such a gorgeous day and I always
love seeing this little place.) At night the Christmas wreath is lit by a single up-light and it is quite beautiful. See the very old apple tree to the right? There is a whole orchard of trees to the right of this
picture.

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This is a local park that sits at the lake edge. Just beyond the sign is the lake which is partially frozen
over. I decided to take a drive to my favorite little quilt shop which takes me through the country side and this little park is along the way. It is my way of getting away from it all.

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I stocked up on some of my favorite bits of fabrics: 1930's replica flour sack cloths and replica Civil War fabric. 

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It is not like I needed more fabric....it is more like a diversion for me. A way to get away from it all.
I stopped in at a local grocery store grabbed a hot cup of coffee and a gingerbread man with a peace sign on it! Fun times for moi". 

<3

results :/

Obviously the girl does not know what she is doing! lol! I boiled my pomegranate skin
and seeds. Threw my fabric in, let it sit for a while, added a bit of salt to pull the color
out of the seeds and skin. I let the fabric sit ALL DAY. When I came home it was a lovely pinkish color.
I added a bit of white vinegar. Rinsed the fabric with cold water. Still a bit pink. Washed with soap (probably a bad idea) Still a nice bit of pink. Let dry overnight....

: /

(the result!)

This is not a great photo of the fabric because it is dark this early morning....

Don't let the picture fool you. It looks pinkish but the fabric really looks a shade 

more beige yellow. When I first hung it to dry it was a slight pinkish color with a few

deepened spots. But they disappeared! Obviously, I have a lot to learn. I think linen would

have worked better then Kona cotton.....

Now I am determined to learn about this process. I have read India Flint has a fabulous book.

Will have to look into that.

I found this blog that is no longer posting but thought it was interesting and worth sharing:

http://simmy.typepad.com/echoesofadream/2006/08/natural_dyeing_.html

Pomegranate

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THIS +THIS =????

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This is my quick project for today....

My son ate a pomegranate for breakfast and I asked him to save me his leftover bits.

(Many of you are pros at this but for me it is a new adventure.) 

wish me luck!

<3

Progress

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Old cloth being revisited......

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Gathering fun photos for a miniature book for daughter #1 that I have been working on for at least 2 years. The little tiny book has pictures of family and just random things that are meaningful to my daughter and myself.

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Still stitching on dolls and working on new ideas for this coming year....
<3

words and dolls

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So, I have begun this new year with keeping a journal of thoughts, words, new creative drawings of things I want to make, and poetry I find that resonates with me. My own poetry and poetry of others...

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My open journal.....

Keeping a journal is not new to me as I have other smaller ones. The difference now is I want to add consistency to my journaling. Trying to do something every day.

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I have been stitching away on some new little doll faces. The one in the center turned out too somber, so a new one was begun on the right. Funny how each little face "becomes" what it wishes. No matter how hard I try to control the outcome...it just becomes the face it wants to. I took apart and re-stitched the doll in the centers face 3 times and no matter what...it was somber!

I have found a new book by Alice Walker. I could not photograph it because of the glare on the cover of the book.

http://alicewalkersgarden.com/2010/11/hard-times-require-furious-dancing/

It is a lovely book of poetry.

I particularly enjoyed "My Teacher" 

(about Marley Mu)

and 

"Calling all Grand Mothers"


This is good:
http://alicewalkersgarden.com/2012/01/democratic-womanism-
2/




p.s. regarding goals check out this: 
http://www.gaiansoul.com/2012/01/my-non-goals-for-2012/
LOVE IT!