What Kind of Friend Am I

What Kind of Friend am I to Me

I had a thought this morning as I got up and going. I must admit that I don't have very kind feelings about my looks and physical abilities. Then the thought came to me. Why are you so concerned at how you look? Wouldn't it be better if you payed attention to the things you can do and taking care of the body that you have?

Then this morning I saw a picture of our new granddaughter, and I saw the peace and contentment in her sweet countenance and wondered when did my focus change? Children are not so hard on themselves. They are able to embrace the beauty that is theirs. Their thoughts are not judgmental and unkind but full of hope and kindness. How do I re-embrace that joy and contentment that I came here with? Drop the negative unkind hurtful thoughts and rediscover the joy I felt as a child unaware of my imperfections and perceived flaws? I just found joy in doing and discovering.

One thing I came up with as I was about to get dressed was I need to learn to work with what I have and not keep mourning about what I don't have. The world is so focused on beauty. Why do they have to put labels on it and try to merchandise it? It should be free and unfettered with outside ideals. What right do we have to classify each other and not celebrate the differences?

We need to take care of ourselves and treat us as honored guests worthy of honor and reverence. Treat me as the Temple that I Am. Ooh can I use such a great phrase to describe ME? Another has used that phrase and said “I AM.” Haven't I taken his name upon ME and said I would Love my neighbor as myself? Yes I can. I AM. How can I take care of Me and My Neighbor? Who is a closer neighbor than MYSELF?

Politically Correct

What is Politically Correct?

I'm not sure I like it if I understand what it is saying.

Is it saying “Oh we have to be careful to not step on anyone's toes”

We don't want to offend anyone.

If we can't stand up for what we believe aren't our toes being stepped on.

Why is that OK?

I wonder if it is a Wolf in Sheep's clothing. Pretending to be nice but inwardly just trying to

get the sheep to be quiet.

So the wolf can have his way.

Passions

Not the kind between people, but the kind to do something.

Where does it come from?

With me some passions seem to have always been

without beginning and without end.

We are told to “ ...bridle all your passions that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness”

Passions are like:

Flames

They can warm you and others

or burn you up so there is nothing left.

How do you kindle them to warm and to light?

Not to furnace strength which leaves you with only ashes,

But to give light and hope.

Seeds

Plant it.

see if it grows.

if it does, how do I nurture it

so that I can reap the fruit of my labors

and not waste my strength, to have harvest, not ruin.

When does it become a weed?

Choking out all else, sleep, eating, thinking, reason, time, usefulness.

Hunger

needs to be satisfied, give nourishment not fat, energy not lethargy

Water

Life

health

not flood and over flowing to drown and lay waste and take away life

Sight

to give

vision not blindness.

Matters of the Heart

Matters of the Heart

How do I know my heart?

It's at the center

where truth lies,

Home.

My mind bids me wander

off the narrow way

like a laser with no focus,

scattering bits in all directions,

sparkling crystal.

Bright and beautiful it seems

until the pieces fall in disarray.

The heart is focused and gathered

where light finds it's home.

Who else dwells there?

God, Love, Freedom, Vision.

The heart is pure,

The mind cluttered and changing.

Home is the pinnacle of the Universe where God and Man are one.

I Saw something new Today

I saw something new today, new to me at least,

a tree house.

I wondered why had I not noticed it before?

I guess in other seasons it was

concealed with leaves.

I wondered why do people build tree houses?

Maybe they want to get up away

from worldly cares

The things of the earth surly look smaller up there.

We have a better vantage point.

Life might still come barking and growling at the base,

but we can rest safely in the arms

of the tree.

Apart but not totally removed from

the fray of life.

The tree house I saw was more than two

stories high.

It also had many stories of life

shared in it's embrace

high above the fray.

I Saw a Tree

I saw a tree lose it's leaves

Merrily falling in it's brief dance to earth.

Down in a blaze of glory.

I thought I too have things falling away.

Ridding myself of clutter and work.

Have I enjoyed the brief dance?

Why must this be?

Losing part and clutter?

Preparation.

Soon down to the bare

What then?

Others will see what is really there.

Time of contemplation

Loss of care.

There is beauty in the bare.

Stand back and see the real tree.

Time to see and be seen.

Time to rest and reflect.

At first glance

You might think we are dead

Just shedding pain and clutter.

There is still life

though not as apparent.

Stillness and anticipation.

Soon the clothes

from Heaven will appear.

Fresh and clean.

Full of glory

fresh and clean

sometimes even a crown of glory can be seen.

Water from heaven gives us this crown

now I see why the cold,

Helps us to hold this crown.

Then after this season of rest

This too will melt away

Only to bring new life.

MEANDERING PATH LEARNING

 “Let your thoughts meander towards a sea of Ideas"

                                         Leo D. Minnigh quotes

Well, here I am again. This time was full of practice and learning. I worked the longest on a little bag.  The picture to the left is the front of the bag. Here is how I did it: I made it with some grey & brown cotton thread. I added  stone and glass beads and  bone and wire to make the wings of the dragonfly on the front.   I started with the colors evenly divided, so it made vertical stripes. I worked the first inch or so in a half hitch in stripes and put alternating beads cream and blue-grey .

After the beads addition, I tied a few square knots.
Next, I tied more half hitches in a sort of leaf form.  I added the triangle stone and then tied alternating square knots. 

Next I migrated the colors inside of the half hitches, moving all of the blue cords to the outside. 

I also formulated the dragonfly. 

It took awhile to figure out how to reinforce the wings; I ended up putting  more wire in the center of the wings. They started out just outlines.

Then after moving all the grey threads to the sides, I tied  square knot pillars, and did some alternating half square knots into a twirling pattern. Last I tied some more square knots and a small bead center. I tied these knots into a point. 

This is where I tried to turn corners and go around to the back of the bag. It worked pretty well. 

Last of all I put on the fringe. Then, I made a handle  Also, I made a lining with a piece of my husbands old shirt. To cover the raw edges, I beaded it with  small seed beads. I also covered a buckle with some more of the shirt to match and attached it to the two ends of the strap so it could be shortened or lengthened. This started out to be a miser purse but it sort of morphed into something else. 

This necklace is made with needle tatting and a dark green jute-like cord. I added  chalk turquoise,
glass beads and  green crystals. I also added square ceramic beads.  The pendant is made with a  green and brown sea sediment jasper. 








Then I made another miser bag.With daisy drop beads on the bottom fringe.  I put glass beads with a small flower motif on the flap.

  I'm going to try to post a short video of how to open a miser bag. 
 I uploaded my video to YouTube; So I need to wait until they process it.  

Next I made a necklace with  Chinese knots. I beaded the necklace part with some adventurine beads in the center of the two cords. To hold them in place, I beaded  seed beads in an alternating pattern. 
I made a button and loop closure. The pendant part is made with a large dragon vein stone and a carved stone of unknown origin that looks like agate.  I attached a teardrop stone in the center.  I added some other glass and stone beads. The nylon cord I used in this project was really nice to work with because it held the knots.  It was a fun project. 

This next necklace gave me some grief. The Chinese knot will not lay the way I would like. The cord I used was hard to work with. This one is called Beads, Bones and Buttons. The two rose beads are of unknown age. I bought them in a little antique store on Center Street downtown. The bottom diamond shaped bead came from some vintage beads I bought on ebay. The stain I used on the bone came out more red than I envisioned.




One more necklace: this one is blue and white with an oriental touch, made with some ceramic and glass beads. I think the round bulls eye beads are eye beads to ward off evil.This one was tricky to make. The cord was really slippery.

Hope you had an enjoyable time meandering with me. Hope to see you here again. Thanks!


 

LIFE MAKES SENSE WHEN...

"Life makes sense when we are centered in our hearts and embrace our unique journey"

I have a problem in finding balance. If I could learn to be more centered, and work out from there, maybe that would come. I was thinking that blogs seem to be a bit of rambling, and I'm pretty good at that. As I have been working with this blog it is so easy to get off onto different paths. I have a rambling spirit and love to search and learn. My problem comes when I have to document where I have been and how I got there. I need to focus.
     As I was searching online, I found a skill I would like to develop, called marbling. I found that the Turkish do some superior marbling called ebru. I went on YouTube and discovered some astounding videos of  masters of ebru.  I have done a bit of marbling in the past, in school and on my own. I also have a book I picked up along the way.  A few years ago Brad (my husband) and I did a little marbling on paper with spray paint, but it did not stick to the paper well enough. 
       As I learned this time, you have to treat the paper or cloth you want to marble on with a solution of alum and water. Then after you treat the cloth with the alum mixture you have to use it within 24 hours or the alum starts to eat away at the cloth. But when you put it on paper it does not have to be used right away.  I also learned how you get the paint or ink to do what it does when you put it on the surface of the water. For some mediums of paint you need to add some ox gall. It has something to do with the surface tension. Also you have to add something to the water to thicken it.       Some of the different things you can thicken it with are starch, carrageenan or methocel. It gives a surface for the ink or paint to float on. 
    Some of the other tools necessary, are rakes, brushes, or whisks. You apply the paint or ink with brushes, whisks, eyedroppers or various small sticks. Some people use small screwdrivers dipped into the paint or ink and dropped onto the surface of the treated water. The rakes are for drawing through the paint to make different patterns. The first paint applied is called putting down stones. It is so wonderful to see how the different mediums react together to make endless patterns and designs. You also need is a tray to hold the water and paint mixture,for whatever you  want to marble.  If you want to try, there is a lot of information out there.  The book I have is called Marbling Paper & Fabric by Carol Taylor. This seems to be a great book  from what I have looked at to get you started on your way to learning this beautiful technique.   I have gathered some supplies and am looking forward to taking a journey of marbling. Here is another task ahead. 

     As I have thought about how to find my center in my journey, I have learned I really feel part of that center is tied up in knots. I like tying knots.  I also, love using stones and beads. Part of my journey to my center will include string , thread, cord, beads and stones.
      I have quite a varied background in knots, and lace making, and bead work. I also like paper and clay, so don't be surprised if some of those show up too. 

      Here are some of my works from the past two weeks.  First I knotted a little lampshade for a light that did not have one. 

      On this little shade I used a metal frame that was for holding a votive candle and a little dish to heat up oils to scent the air. It had a ring so I could attach it to the lamp.  I knotted cotton string to make a shade. I also did some simple wrapping of the cord around the frame. It turned out looking like a quaint little wildflower.  I think it will do the job. 

    Second, I made a necklace and bracelet set, using  a poker chip with an added embossed paper added to it for the pendant. Then I tatted a little back for it and beaded  around that to hold it all together. Then on the necklace part I did some macrame knots and beading. The bracelet was made in a similar fashion. 




   

Then I made a little card for a friend using tatting , and tenriffe lace, and a few beads. 

  



   I next finished a bracelet that I had started awhile ago. I finished the needlework then I did some beading around that and then attached a button and loop to hold it all together. 

   


  Last of all I made a necklace with a favorite stone donut and some stones and beads made of wood jasper from my stash, also I used a really old bead that I bought on ebay on top of the donut.  It turned out to be a bit off center. I need some practice with that. 


     












      I hope you enjoyed this little side trip. See ya next time.
Enjoy the journey wherever it may lead. 
       Check out YouTube and search for Ebru or marbling and be amazed as I was.  I always marvel at how some simple shapes, knots or dots of paint can turn into a 
composition of beauty and unsurpassed detail.