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.....
: )

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

Reflections

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I am making a list of things I want to accomplish this coming year. A new beginning....

Really it is an illusory beginning. Each new day that we rise up and go is a "new beginning." I have pulled out a sketch book that I bought to sketch in and I want to begin a journal again of thoughts, words, ideas, dreams. I have put a poster board of goals in front of my desk.

I have found inspiration these last few days. Inspiration that I consider a gift. A phone call from a dear artist friend whom I treasure.

A phone call that has inspired me to get along in my creative endeavors. Something that can lead to some very exciting possibilities for me in the future. 

I have found an artist that has inspired me to rise above limitations

and do better with what I have.

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I am thinking about although life has been more difficult then I ever dreamed what I treasure most are

the moments I share with my family.
Each time my children share some insight or we laugh together,

having good food and a roof over our head and being healthy...these are the things I am grateful for.

I am also grateful for the circle of women who visit here and always leave me with a sense of gratitude and a smile.

Finally, for those of you following along this (pictures above) is what I made with the woven red fabrics...a little shirt for this elfin fellow that is a gift.


I will raise my cup of tea to you and....

I am wishing you and your families a Happy New Year !

<3

I really like this blog: http://urban-patchwork.com/?cat=11

http://digsandbean.blogspot.com/

http://skunkboycreatures.blogspot.com/

Merry making

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Stitched up this.....I am a little slow this year...

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This is a picture of the family dessert competition. My eggnog cake is missing in the picture. It was tasty and the judges liked it, but it did not win : (

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This is one of the winners along with the cake in the jar! It was a lot of fun!

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So after all the food and fun... time for a more nutritional way of eating. I found these at the library.

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This book is beautifully illustrated and is family friendly. Enchiladas, breakfast potatoes, Sherried tomato soup, skillet cornbread just to name a few recipes....mmmm!

<3

a little bit "risky"

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I have been restless for the last few nights as I have not felt 100% so while laying in bed awake I began
to think of my little Christmas project and I decided  to transform the quilt pieces into a woven piece...
a little bit risky, but I think once it all comes together into what it is meant to be it will be perfect.

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yesterday morning before work daughter #2 and I took a quick picture together. I love these

little moments we share. We giggle and have fun and it makes my day before work brighter.

: )

Comfort

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Today was all about "comfort"....I made my homemade pumpkin soup...Nothing says warmth and comfort like a bowl of soup...mmmm.


This is my homemade recipe:

~fresh pumpkin cooked and pureed~ready to put in a soup.

or I used ~1 can of pumpkin puree

~1 fresh onion
~enough olive oil to saute' onion

~ approx 2 cups chicken broth or vege broth (I used chicken broth)

~ approx 1 cup cream (I used half and half)

~salt

~pepper

~curry or cumin

~tamari pepitos (pumpkin seed)

~smoked gouda cheese

~saute` onions in olive oil until they become clear. Add spices to the onion. Add pumpkin  puree` and chicken broth. Stir on low heat until hot. Add cream and stir. Remove from heat and garnish with  shredded smoked gouda cheese and pepitos or your favorite topping.

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This came in the mail a few days ago and is such a comfort.
2 beautiful handmade quilts from a dear friend. They are made from scraps of recycled denim and have hearts (my favorite) in some of the squares. 
                                   Thank you <3

Remembering

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This is what I call my 5 minute altar. I planned on really taking my time and preparing but.......life happens and calls one in too many directions. So I accept with gratitude a few moments to remember those I love.

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Hoping your day was special!

<3

Jonathon Livingston Seagull kinda day

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When I saw this picture my daughter took I thought of this book:

Does anyone remember this book?

I remember it had such a profound impact on me in the early late 70's early 80's.




"I want to fly where no seagull has flow before. I want to know what there is to know about life!"


"Heaven isn't a place; heaven is perfection." 

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a heart in the sand....

Daughter #2 and I were able to get away to the beach for about an hour and 1/2 

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I was able to stitch a little.....

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Me...working on Frida Kahlo at the beach...

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a train passing by the beach....

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Seeing children playing on the beach is so heart-warming to 
me. I love their little imaginations....sweet.

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a little visitor wanders casually by....


<3

Alike and Yet Not!

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I am participating in Jude's Magic Feather Project.

http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/spirit_cloth/the-magic-feather-project.html

I thought it would be fun to start with Jude's black and white feather.

I plan on stitching a few of these little feathers and of course doing a few feathers in my own interpretation.

The feathers that are gathered will go toward a charitable purpose for children. I like that!

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This is a wip. The fabrics I am using are sooo special because they were given to me.

The colorful fabrics in the background came from a dear friend in Switzerland. 

The fabrics are Japanese and are being made into a quilt for victims of the recent Tsunami in Japan.

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Some hand dyed lovely bits of fabric sent from

http://gerdiary.blogspot.com/

Thank you Gerdiary! <3

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This is daughter #1 on the far right in Russia. She went with her school.

What a beautiful building...http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf7nc9_the-st-basil-s-cathedral-in-moscow_travel

I can not wait to hear about all the stories she has to tell : )
<3

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A little day time moon....

Summer has flown by in a blink of an eye!

I am trying to relish every moment I can.
Have a lovely day!

Shadow of self and Grandmother

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I have been working on a series of hearts and this one is called "Shadow of Self "

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I have the basic pieces sewn down and now I need to embellish it. Not sure what direction I will go with
the embellishment. hmmm?

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Some fabric weaving with an old Linen calendar....

My grandmother had passed away and I was given some of her linen calendars. I remember she purchased them from me for a school fund raiser. You can imagine how old they are! They look brand new,
but it had to be at least 35 years ago! I am considering combining some of her fabrics with my
Spring quilt:

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Spring Quilt

I think she would be pleased....as I have said before she was a Cotton Farmer when she was younger and she always loved roses. I will have to see if I can combine it all into one quilt. (in a color sense)???

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Remember the sweet little kitty we took last October/November? We named her "Luna".
She is still adorable but, over the winter she took a liking to clawing my chairs I had recovered with fabric. So today, I recovered/repaired all the damage and Kitty is happily living outside.
I would prefer she stay inside but she was not happy to live inside and would run out the door every time we opened it. So, in complete exasperation we let her go outside. 

Lastly, two of my sweet girls playing around...

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Have a great weekend <3

Good News

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Just a quick post to say:
 I hear the birds again....that is a good sign that Spring is not too
far away. That makes me smile. I have also heard a large woodpecker.
 The woodpecker is black with red spots and ver-r-ry large.

  Also, I will be "swinging back around"
to the quilt piece (above), and do some stitching on it, in celebration
of the coming of Spring.

This makes me happy:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/house-tours/stevens-800-square-foot-relocated-beach-cottagehouse-tour-140848


The home is in Venice Beach California. I am not usually an orange person, but there is something so happy about this place!

This makes me happy too:

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a sweet picture of daughter #3

(don't let the picture fool you, she is one strong girl)

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daughter #2 and #3

and this is the "bathroom chronicles" lol!

Where ever we go, the girls dash into the bathroom and take a picture.

Why? who knows! Just for the fun of it.

Lastly,

I am sooo touched that I am mentioned in a new blog:

http://Jeanne-inoneplace.blogspot.com/2011/03/ancient-cloth-lifelines-annd-wisley.html

Jeanne has several other fabulous blogs you will not want to miss seeing...check it out

: )

Thank you Jeanne!

<3

notey: I guess my word of the day is happy!

(smiles!)

dreaming of Summer

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The sun!

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I am dreaming of the beach, and warmth. After all I was born in the Summer,
and even though I can not stand intense prolonged heat a nice pleasant 75 degrees
or 80 degrees would be fine with me.

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Sweet words written in the sand to me by #2 and #3 daughters

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 A red heart always seems "warming"....

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The brilliant colors that are in nature and flowers. It never

ceases to amaze me. They almost seem surreal.

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Cheerful fabric from 1930's, that seems "sunny" and makes me smile!

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This has been a nice little "dream", now time for me to go

shovel snow.....

: )