Lockets

I was recently commissioned to do a necklace that was more  like a family memory piece.  I was given several lockets and asked to assemble them with small images of the family inclosed in each of the lockets.  It was a 50 year Birthday present from the Mother to her beloved daughter.

I used a strand of antique jet black beads that I had bought years ago. I  have always been fond of jet beads,  the deep dark facets are modest  but still carry and understated elegance,  I have heard that jet beads are also called mourning beads.  I guess I held on to them all these years because I was waiting for that perfect project.  I kept visualizing this piece with a vintage look, something that held the history of other women who walked the paths that  lead us up to today.

Small photos were placed carefully inside the lockets with accents of Forget Me Nots.  A small gold pendant of Mary about the size of my pinky finger nail dangles from the silver heart shape locket.  It was given to the Mother after she gave birth to her child 50 years ago from St. Mary's Hospital.

I was happy to have assisted in making these memories into a wearable necklace that is hopefully something special to cherish and hand down to future memory makers to come.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

There's something about the phrase Hunter Gatherer that harkens me back to a simpler time.  As women we go out and hunt and gather, we are natural forager. Perhaps, sadly now the Hunter Gatherer in us has been reduced to shopping.  As artists we collect what makes us whole and feeds our soul -all kinds of stuff. Corks, bottle caps, beads, shells, papers, photos, yarns, plants, sticks, feathers and stones you name it. They are the colors and textures that titillate our senses and fluffs our  nest.  It can be a beautiful world out there once you begin to look, dig and search. There tucked under a blade of grass or sitting on a stump, along a stone wall,  packed away deep and dusty a  forgotten treasure can be brand new once re-purposed again.

My sister and I went on an adventure a few days  ago.  Some where on the outskirts of Boulder Colorado we found ourselves  in the mountains along a winding road.  Sage colored wind swept grasses  hugged the earth while the trees towered above us reaching towards the sun. Along the road we came upon a vacant house that was for sale.  In the shade of the Evergreens the house sat dappled in sun light holding the memories of another lifetime,  of a family that picked up there things and left, moved on....  The picnic tables lay bare, crumbs long gone by the wind, bird or insect.  Stone paths remained,  passages made with good intentions we followed them around the house and peeked into the windows imagining what it would be like to have life once again running, humming, cooking and whistling in this house again.

The sounds of nature still remained with a constant drone the cycles of life continued.  The perpetual motion of the planets, birds and insects around us hummed on while the house stood stoic and still aging gracefully.  We had done a full lap around the house now and inspected the grounds.  We hypothesized about what was and what could be, we needed to get moving there was much more to do that day.  I looked over at my sister and her mouth was gaping with an expression of sheer awe.  I walked over to her and there along the stone wall by the house was a collection.  Some one or maybe the family had hunted and gathered up all different kinds of heart shaped rocks, there were hundreds of them.  Over the years, out of sentiment, respect or  love they were found and lovingly placed in a group. They silently laid there speckled in moss waiting to be discovered.

We had discovered them, we were elated we giggled in delight while a rush of love coursed through our senses.  It was a magical moment  indeed yet  touched with a tinge of sadness.  Why was this home left empty?   Why were these hearts left behind?  What ever the intention was it left an impression on me that there was love here and this is what was left behind as a reminder of home is where the heart is.

Look What I Found

While eating Pesto Genovese for lunch the other day I noticed  a penne pasta noodle snuck into my rotini pasta,  I believe it to be an IMPASTA!

What's your Joie de Vivre?

In response to my good friend's  blog Prairie Thistle and what I can truly say we share together from the moment we meet each other is  our Joie de Vivre.  Julie this one is for you!

As a small child I found miracles in certain trees.  They carry  magic in their roots and limbs of untold stories from years gone by.  Trees speak to me by the whispering of their leaves in the wind.  There in the yard standing small I looked up to the trees and listened, I saw the moon rest in  it's branches, while the wise owl hoots to me,  I've seen ghost walk through them.  Here in my heart is where I keep my  love and respect for these huge plants of the earth, the trees of many.

I love the smell of dirt to me it's healing and good for the soul.  When I breath in it's goodness I become one with the earth however cliche' it's true.  The musty woody scent that is so sensual triggers an olfactory moment, where there is no denying the power of dirt. The cool touch and earthy aroma of good dirt is a  key ingredient to my path in life.

The ephemeral lives of flowers, is my Joie de Vivre so much that I have dedicated years of my life to the floral  and garden industry. It has been a privilege to handle such fragrant colorful gems like Hyacinth, Freesia,  Japonica, Peonies, Passion Flower,  Mimosa and Ranunculus all steeped in lore, one cant' help but be enchanted and slightly intoxicated by their beauty.    I find comfort in  knowing I can always return to happiness when spring brings me Lilly of the Valley.  Flowers are truly one of the most incredible and beautiful living things on this earth.  An exquisite explosion the anemone flower with it's deep and darkest velvet like button center and crape like petals in the richest most vibrant blues and reds is more gorgeous  then anything I could ever imagine to make or create myself.  I am content and reside to be inspired by flowers.

Butterflies, hummingbird and bees these are my winged friends that without their busy bodies there would be no flowers.  It's an amazing cycle where trees, plants and flowers are fertilized by a highly social network of  winged friends.  It's something that works and continues to amaze me making my life a joy to witness natures little helpers doing what they do best.  To look a hummingbird square in the eye and hear it's dutiful tiny chirp makes my heart flutter.  To see the golden yellow clumps of pollen stuck to the back of a honey bees legs is a wonderful thing, if I could only have the energy of a bee.  Lastly the metamorphous  of butterflies  an incredible transformation and journey from caterpillar to cocoon then butterfly.   The butterfly is the symbol of change - which is ineffable. I think of the butterfly in my quest for change when I want  to better myself or know things are changing butterflies represent the constant journey  along the road of life.

I went to bed last night thinking about Joie de Vivre and there was a lot of things that ran through my mind, the perfect out fit, a great pair of boots but in the end none of that material stuff really matters.  A friend once told me she liked to shop to fill a void.

My Joie de Vivre is about a smile or a good laugh with  friends and having food on the table.  Hugging and smooching on my cats. The family bond and finding true love....  Living with nature in all her beauty and glory that's what inspires me and in turn gives me my gift of creativity.

The Lost and Found

I almost feel guilty in saying this but, when the temperatures dipped down below 0 degrees this January I was blessed to be far, far away from it all.  My husband and I along with another couple booked a trip  to an exotic island.  Surrounded by palm trees and the clear, blue ocean  I immersed myself, letting the salty waters of life bob me around like a little, lost duck.  My skin went into shock and broke out into full blown body rash. Despite my skins unwillingness to acclimate,  we made the most out of every day, going from one end of the island and back again.  Beach combing and uncovering rocks this would be our get-away to see what we could find. 

One day we decided to go visit the island's light house,  off in the distance we could see it standing like a  beacon on the hill.  As we got closer the tower  grew larger then finally upon arrival it loomed over us like a friendly giant.  I stepped up to the massive shaft and there on it's door was a rusty corroded lock that surely hadn't been opened in a long, long time. I wondered who kept the keys to this light house . Up on the hill  now with all the other tourist of the world snapping photos and running around we converged for a small random moment- or was it?  The wind kicked up dust and blew my coral colored skirt up and around. I struggled to adjust to the unruliness of my situation. While looking down to keep the wind out of my eyes, there on the ground reflecting brightly, against the grit of the earth, lay a shiny silver heart pendant.  Elated I picked it up and let it rest in the palm of my hand.  I looked around to see if any one was looking for it.  I thought how sad for someone to have lost their heart at this light house, probably another tourist, who will most likely never be back.  Maybe a young girl, tan and happy had received it from an admirer.  I will never know. 

What I do know is what it feels like to have lost something.  There's a void there and for me it's hard to move on.  I've lost my heart to someone and had the overwhelming feeling of being lost myself.  Once I lost  two silver bangle bracelets while taking a walk in a park on a cold day. I think I had taken my gloves off and they slipped off onto the ground and lay there in the woods upon the soft, leafy path .  When I found out I had lost them it was too late to go back.  I found comfort in knowing that maybe some other person  would find them and have that same elated feeling of having found something special, personal and shiny.  Once, years ago I was going to have lunch at  a club with a friend.  While walking up to the entrance  I looked down on the asphalt  and to my surprise on the ground lay not one but two heavily encrusted diamond and emerald rings.  I picked them up and was astonished at what I had just found.  My friend was trying to convince me that I should keep them, that they were worth a lot of money.  I could tell by the settings that they were older and probably belonged to an older women.  When I went into the club I mentioned to the help there that if anyone called about having lost two diamond rings, to give them my number.  The person I talked to suggested I give him the rings and he would take care of it.  I declined and waited at home to see if I would get a call.  Sure enough in a day or so an older women called and exclaimed she had put the rings in a skirt pocket that had a hole in it.  She described the rings and then told me if I returned them she would reward me.  I returned them to her that day and received something like 25.00 as a reward.  The real reward was seeing how happy she was to be reunited with the rings she rightfully owned.

As for the heart pendant I confess I took it home and made a necklace out of it.  Strung with turquoise beads and pearls accented with little silver  flowers.  At the clasp on the end of a chain there is a tiny butterfly, it's new  life still lives on.  It's hard to lose things but in turn it's also really fun to find things, such is life.  As for losing your real heart, hopefully you never really lose it. The heart is an amazing thing, like a plant it wilts and sinks to despair, but with good love out of the cold cold ground it comes up to bloom for you again.  

Happy Things

Typically this is the time of year I get the blues.  When the days are short and colorless.  The darkness creeps into my soul - cold and foreboding.  There's so much to do but unfortunately the motivation is just not there.  Dry chapped hands  long for spring, to touch and smell the dirt again. Out in the yard is where I want to be hearing the birds sing their happy songs sounds good to me.

Never fear I have chosen to fill my heart, my stomach, my eyes, my camera, my lap and pockets with shiny happy things today and this is what I have to show and tell.

Here's a place to stop and wonder ..... where whimsy wins if you let it in.

A cat named Diego will be your friend.

He'll tickle you with his whiskers and most likely make you grin!

With a little bit of dusting off, old things seem new again.

DooDas! will make you smile.

Don't forget the Portobello mushrooms  down the isle.

Now I am in the mood to spice things up!

 How boring our lives would be with out the many flavors that season our world with diversity.

All of this fun and mischief makes for a good nap during  the  dead of winter,  on a colorful Saturday in Kansas City.





All of these pictures except the last one were taken today out and about and at home.  The DooDa! is handmade by Leah S. DeCapio and was given to me for an art exchange.  I love it ~ Thank you!

Paths

It has snowed here a lot  lately,  more than I can remember in a long time.  As I make my way around town running errands,  trudging through the ice and the muck I've looked down at the various foot prints left  in the snow. It got me to thinking about paths.

Life really is about carving out your own path and who you choose to go with you along the way. It's about discovering and making decisions, being aware of the journey.  It's about the people you  hang out with and if they really have your best interest in mind. As you grow you learn to take charge instead of letting your surroundings take charge of you. It's about planning, looking ahead and forging through. Sometimes it's about learning from your mistakes and looking back behind you at the suffering and pain, stepping up to the plate of honesty and being accountable for your own actions.  What can you gain from this and where will it take you, these paths that you have chosen to take?

Make the best of what you got, attitude is everything.  Wandering is part of the learning process but as they say "don't wander too far off the beaten path" it's lonely out there and there's a lot of people  who care about you and hurt when you hurt and want you close to their hearts .

As long as you live, there will always be a great big scary world out there waiting for you to march triumphantly into it's canyons or teeter precariously on it's edges.  It's all up to you and your better judgement.

 As you wander and ponder imagine this the path that you have carved out for yourself and may it embrace you lovingly and fill your heart with satisfaction.  May you walk along your path purposely with tenacious grace discovering the wonder of all things large and small.  Keep yourself grounded, secure and surrounded by people who really care about you.  If you should fall, we all fall ~pick yourself up and take that new path.