Any excuse to look back..............

We are deep in the doldrums of a city winter here...........

Someone I know is buying a car............and one of the colors he is considering is "Camellia Red"......

and that made me think of...........

This.................

I had never seen or heard of a 'red' camellia before a Melbourne picnic.........

And then my thoughts went to the other sightings of spring in the south of OZ.........

And all I can think of is that saying "think Spring....." and I keep hoping to have more gratitude for Winter............

Mending.........

I've been washing my sheets more than usual lately........mostly because I love the smell and feel of clean sheets on my skin......

And as I made my bed the other day...........I heard a rippppppp............gosh.......I've washed the life out of this poor cotton fabric..........

And as I washed the sheets again today.......I was reminded of that tear........

And instead of buying new sheets........as would be the norm for the old me..........

I decided...........to........

repair..............







with a needle and beautiful silk thread...
from here.........



And I feel just a little bit better by doing this...........stitching meditation.........

Gratitude for Grey............

It has been very grey here......for days........perhaps contributing to my blue mood..........

So today I'm attempting to turn it around .....

And find the good in Grey.........

Actually I LOVE the color..........it looks good on ME........and what else?

it really looks good with yellow.........mmmmm lemon yellow?

And pops the orange.......

when laced with purple......


















And is a good excuse to go back and look at some drawings I made a while ago..........


view cc license

Kind of Blue............

Courtesy of ms. r...............

a little 'blue'..............

This weekend I was a little 'blue'...........

and I set out to 'make it better'...........

so I treated mySelf to these from HERE.........


and now washing my face is like aromatherapy............and








Fun..................




then I slathered up .......

.....with an old friend....


........ from HERE













and then purchased my new favorite APP........

Called ZEN TIMER....................from HERE.......(also available for other smart phones)..........

and that.....

made it.......

a little......

bit.....

better........

My Meditation...............

I'm back to work.........

......making these.............





And counting to 100.............

Another Gift.............

My friend is moving from one life to Her New One........and today she brought me....

this.........











It was love at first sight.....a year ago......when I first caught a glimpse of her......She reminded me of an Ecstatic Posture....... and Marilyn said she should be with 'me' now.......if I would have her.

I feel I have a new companion here.........who seems to fit in quite well........

Thank You Marilyn! from both of US........

Longing.............

While going through my photos from Melbourne...........

I ran across this............

And I wonder...........why the heck is it not with ME now.....?


I coveted it when I saw it.......photographed it from every angle.........

Am deeply Spiritual.....work with Metal and Stitch......Love to travel.......



And yet I left it there for the next person to covet.........





Another lesson in detachment..............?

Or am I just detached from what is important to me...............

Zokin & Things Japanese..........

While twirling around my studio........trying to order and being inspired by every turn........I ran across

this.....

Which I found at the fabulous Textile Museum of Canada when I lived in Toronto a few years back...


And it was all I could do

...........to not undo......








....the stitching..... to see what was inside...........




And thinking of things Japanese.....reminded me.......

of these things.......

 I brought back from this place.........










Ziguzagu................In Melbourne


A Candy Store for Fiber Folk!

Prayers for Queensland...............

It was my great privilege to call Brisbane my home port while I was in Australia a few short months ago......and while I was there I experienced the beginning of this trend of the wet season........one day while out for lunch........we were drenched to our knees in the water that rivered in the city streets........so this report of flooding is devastating..........

There is a gentle river that winds gracefully through the city............a beautiful bridge and a riverwalk had been recently built........Roz and I walked that path my last day in Australia.........reports are that portions of the walk have broken loose and torpedoed down the river........causing devastation in it's path.......

I found this bit of technology in searching for something to illustrate what Brisbane with it's river looks like..............














OK that was a little too scary!

The river peaked at 4.46 meters............not as bad as was predicted.............and not nearly the 7 meters in this illustration.............but you can see how the river meanders............

The last I heard from Roz was on January 7th........they were pretty waterlogged.........and talking about heading south for a getaway........I have not heard from her since........

They live on a hill.........with family near by.........I am trusting they are High and well not Dry, but Safe........and am sending my prayers to Roz and Mal and their family and to Queensland.........may they all be Safe and Sound..........and the doggone rain stops!

Please join me...................

Addendum: My friend has since contacted me...."many homes are a stinking mess or washed away......confirmed 14 dead, 17 missing......."  She and her family are enduring great personal sadness on an unrelated front........so prayers still appreciated.......thank you

Good Grief.............!

I was asked recently what my studio was 'like'....... and as I described it,  he deduced it as 'bleak'.............I could not object........

I've been struggling since I've been home from my 'far down yonder' journey.........

A friend suggested it would take as long as I was gone to recover from it...............I think she is right.....

So that is what I've been doing...............recovering.......and assimilating......and loving......and avoiding......

going to this place.............

and opening the door to.........

this...........

my throw away place.............



I guess it won't make it into this issue of  Where Women Create...................unless it's the 'before' picture!

Moving and traveling have taken it's toll..........so this is where I'll be today.......with my leaf blower.......trying to figure this out.  I've had this place for two years and still feel like I'm camping there.....

And it's not lost on me how lucky I am to have a 'PLACE'..............to be........an Urban Maker.......

And it is also not lost on me that this is NOT a pretty picture given all the other pretty pictures on this blog so far..............

A Total Eclipse of the Sun.........

Well, I don't know if it's really gonna be a "Total" eclipse of the Sun..........but they tell me today is a power filled day..............I'm guessing the closing of the portal of some kind........last days for your Intentions to be  heard the loudest.........

And on a lighter note.........since I don't have any photos of an eclipse...........I recall a song..........or something like a song......

OK......perhaps that wasn't it............perhaps it was THIS?.............

Warning.....you can't take your eyes off it.......






or this gentler song (not).......really about loving our Earth.......or a 'snuggly one'?





OK, 'nuff of that.............Back to the Eclipse............

I prefer this version........







or if you REALLY want to see it........it may look like this........yawn......or Spectacular............The Eye is in the Beholder...........












OK, I'm watching it with you...........minus the crappy advertising stuff at the end.........just to remind...

It's a very powerful day.............KNOW YOUR POWER..............

and also know I'm pretty sure none of these songs were what I was thinking of when I started this post...............but weren't they fun?

1/1/11...............................

I just checked my phone and saw the date......here in the northern hemisphere.....North America........it is 1/1/11..............That is as good as the 11/11/11 I am looking forward to later this year! Numbers in sequences is a message from a higher Source.....if one sees them (or so I'm told).......from the 'Dogs' as my friend would say.........I am captivated by this phenomena.  Angel numbers some call them...........

Anywho.......I have spent this morning in deep celebration and ceremony for welcoming in this new year....Candles lit, soothing music, bells and bowls tinkling......inscense lit.....'inspiration and air'........a smudging for my Space and mySelf and things I hold dear........Oracle cards pulled........all is well and on its way........Intentions set..........Here we go!

It is my hope, that each of you can set aside a moment to set your Intention for this year and hold yourSelf and your Space......Sacred..........just for a moment.......

That is my Hope.



Happy New Year