Fox

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It is funny how life works...I did not plan on sharing this story, but the way the events happened left me
with such amazement that I thought you might appreciate hearing about it.....


Over a week ago I was at my favorite thrift store and came across this beautiful matted fox picture.
It is rather large and it is an actual photo someone took. The picture was so striking and I immediately thought of my daughter who loves wolves. So, for a small price I took my prize home and gave it to daughter number 3.

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daughter # 3 and wolf friend (edited in)....

Fast forward to this past Friday 6, 2012....

My son and I are driving early in the morning and out of the woods dashes the most beautiful Red Fox I have ever seen. It ran right in front of us and leapt safely into the woods on the other side.

It was rather majestic and large and strong for a fox. It looked like the picture of the fox  above except it had a black and white band toward the tip of its tail.

On Saturday 7, 2012 I go to my favorite New Age type shop and I walk around slowly

looking at each thing and I get to the back of the store and find a parchment with a Fox Prayer

written on it.

It calls upon creator to allow the essence of what fox represents to become
a part of who is praying.
sample:
...........
"Gift me your keen senses
That I might see more of what is around me and use it to accomplish my goals.
To bring discernment into my life.".....


I quickly bought the parchment and brought it home.

Also early Saturday morning I was looking through some of my favorite art and saw a FOX!

(it is at the bottom of the picture.)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenwaller/1374996928/

I decided I would honor fox by creating a quilt piece:

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The fabrics surrounding fox are African, but remind me of Native American symbols.

The flute player to the left reminds me of the Kokopelli.

Among the Hopi, Kokopelli carries unborn children on his back and distributes them to women; for this reason, young girls often fear him. He often takes part in rituals relating to marriage, and Kokopelli himself is sometimes depicted with aconsort, a woman called Kokopelmana by the Hopi.^[1] It is said that Kokopelli can be seen on the full and waning moon, much like the "rabbit on the moon".

The fellow on the right reminds me of the Anasazi Tribe.

A very ancient Native American Culture.

I have been listening to this earlier in the day before I began the Fox piece:

R. Carlos Nakai - Canyon People (Canyon Trilogy Track 7):http://youtu.be/xmon0j14gbc via @youtube

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I continue to work on the corn.....

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The leather for the rattle hung in the full moon.

I wet the leather and filled it with sand.

It is in the house now because it is suppose to rain and it needs to dry and stiffen.

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I brought a cup of tea to my desk and at one point stopped stitching and looked at my cup and realized there were words on the tea back paper!

Another fun surprise/message to me...

Love it!

Have a great week!

<3

Stitching corn and Spring thread

My recent thread and fabric acquisition. The colors are "springy" and I am loving

that orange-y color! We have had Spring-like weather recently and lots of sunshine so I 

am thinking about this:

Remember Grandmother's quilt? Time to pull it out and begin stitching on it again. Spring

will always be my reminder for my Grandmother. She loved gardening and being outdoors.

Lastly, I have been stitching up some corn....

Have a great week!

<3

symbols and communication

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So....I finished the new Kachina face. (old design, but new stitching)

I have been busy, busy but have had lots

on my mind.

I have been thinking about symbols and communication and how each of us is so unique.

I have been thinking about how symbols mean different things to different people.

We each understand our world around us through words, symbols, sounds, gestures, etc.

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We each send out signals whether we know it or not.

Look at my hands...heart shaped : )

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I can look at this and it evokes one thought and feeling and perhaps for you another thought and feeling.

Maybe it is a reminder about something or maybe it carries a different meaning for you...

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more items that can be symbols....

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a glyph....a symbol....

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This is a crop circle I have stitched....

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And another crop circle I stitched...this one is part of a heart shape.

You see these symbols mean something to me.

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I see many things as symbols...

One day as I was driving to work along a tree lined road a large deer ran out in front of me. At first, I could not see her because she blended with the road and the trees. Suddenly, I realized she had stopped in the middle of the road and I was going the speed limit, which was 50 mph, so I quickly slowed down and she leapt across the road out of my way.  I knew if there was one deer there would be more and as soon as I passed her there were three more deer that ran across the road literally right behind my car!

To me that was a symbolic event.

I think there are Signs and symbols everywhere.
I think the signs and symbols are a communication to and from each of us.

Ok, that is where I am today....

Have a great week!

<3

This and that!

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This is a piece of embroidery I completed today. I have been working on it for a while. It is a gift, so I am not showing the whole thing. It is not that it is so complicated it was just a matter of finding the time to focus. (My word for the year!)

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A closeup of "weathered heart".

I wanted to add beading but did not have the right color beads so I did what any penny saving girl would do....I made up my own "beads" by doing french knots in the color I wanted : )

There is always a way around things when you are creating. That is what I love about stitching, embroidery, etc. You can make do with what you have.

<3


Loving this house:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/david-cats-eclectic-scandinavian-hideaway-house-tour-165915
<3

weathered heart

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a weathered heart.......

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a (wip) work in progress...

<3

Full moon, postcards and fabrics

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Gift arrives...

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gorgeous silks and wool...

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and this lovely postcard which is: Portrait De Jeune Fille by Van Dongen Kees

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and this postcard which is: Woman sewing by lamplight, 1870-72

Jean-Francois Miller (1814-1875) The Frick Collection, New York.

These were sent by my dear friend Isabelle:

http://isathreadsoflife.wordpress.com/

merci' dear Isabelle <3

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This afternoon/evening I have worked on a few things that I can not share because they are gifts, but this one I can share because i wanted to participate in creating full moon art:
http://womanwithwingsblog.blogspot.com/
This piece is called "she moon"

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the front of "she moon"
The fabric under the moon is a piece of wool from Isabelle...thank you again Isabelle : )

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Lastly, this is another wonderful postcard I received from Marrakech this week from: 
http://collageoflife-henrqs.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much Jeanne <3

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I feel like I have traveled to far away lands when I receive these lovely cards and it makes me feel deep gratitude for each of you.
I treasure each postcard.
A heartfelt thanks!
<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

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/

a gift of roses

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(a felt snowflake)

Quietly and gently this beautiful gift came to me....

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You see I was not expecting such a lovely gift to arrive.

With great surprise I opened the package...

and I found this lovely hand stitched quilt of roses.

I love the spiral of beading around the roses and seeing each lovingly stitched bit of thread...gorgeous!

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There are bits of fabric from France, England, Holland and even India all stitched with love from Isabelle in Switzerland:

http://isathreadsoflife.wordpress.com/

This is a treasure and my heart is full...

with deep gratitude "thank you from my heart."

<3

Frida and Chickens

I have always appreciated the art of Frida Kahlo. I see how the bridge of her suffering
became her art and the two were intertwined. Her birthday was July 6, 1907. (my birthday
is July 6 too!)
A few facts about her are:
A streetcar accident in 1925 forever changed her life. She began painting while she was recovering.
She married Diego Rivera, a famous Mexican artist in 1928. She passed away in 1954.
There are many excellent books about her and a fabulous movie by Selma Hayek, portraying
Frida.

I have wanted to create an embroidery piece in honor of her for the longest:

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http://alicewalkersgarden.com/

I read this delightful book by Alice Walker (The Color Purple). It is a quick read, which for me is a good thing.
She beautifully weaves her everyday life with her chickens and shares heartwarming/touching
stories you will not forget. A must read.

Another delightful library find was:

http://theblackapple.typepad.com/

To my surprise Emily created two of her favorite historical heroes! One is Frida. This book is chock
full of the most creative and fun paper dolls I have ever seen. She gives you sooo much in this book.
She shows you how to create your own paper dolls, flip book, etc. etc.  This is a must for those who love paper dolls, or moms with small children, or anyone who wants to learn a thing a two about painting/drawing.

Have a great week!

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