Halloween!

Its that time of the year - that last days of October when the ghosties and ghoulies come out to play.  When pumpkins cheer us with their light from within.

When a visit to the graveyard makes me think of the hauntings that could go on there if I were to remain into the night - which of course I won't, not being a fan of those ghosties and ghoulies!

Here's to a Happy Halloween for everyone.

HALLOWEEN

A gentle breeze rustling the dry cornstalks.

A sound is heard, a goblin walks.

A harvest moon suffers a black cat's cry.

Oh' do the witches fly!

Bonfire catches a pumpkins gleem.

Rejoice, it's Halloween!

-Richard Anderson

I've Been Playing

I've been playing, as you can see.  Playing with mixing fabric on a base to create a foundation for this art doll. 

Playing with stitches - this one and that one - running stitch, French knots, seed stitch, buttonhole stitch. 

I have been threading my needle with all manner of threads - wool, silk, cotton - taking the time to savor each and every one of them.

"Remember, this layer of fabrics is only the first layer of color. Various needlework techniques will be laid over the layers to create visual interest". - Judith Baker Montano

On a Roll!

After much trying, pushing, frustration, challenge -- I'm finally 'on a roll'.  I've been going through a lot of frustration as I wanted to create art dolls in a new-to-me fashion.  I had several ideas for faces, but most of them didn't work out (after much expenditure of energy and patience - well maybe not that much patience)!

But I finally settled on a face of my own design using the reverse side of punchneedle.  It took a lot of trial and error (error being the key word here)  but I came out of it full of excitement and anticipation.

I've now created five new art doll patterns - designed them and made my templates and I'm ready to go.  The only problem I'll have now - is deciding which one I want to try first - oh and of course what fabric and what embellishments and how I'll put it all together and...  You get the picture -- because I know that each of you often goes through the same thing.  Sometimes the excitement of trying something new pales when you get right down to the long hours of work its going to take to bring it to life.  But in the end, its worth it.

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark". - Charles Spurgeon

Written in Stone

While out in Nevada we visited a site called Grimes Point.  Thousands of years ago there was a huge lake in this part of the desert.  Along the shores of that lake lived a group of people who made markings on the rocks (petroglyphs).  

Usually, when petroglyphs are found they are representational.  They show pictures that are easily recognized - such as deer or horses or people hunting.  These at Grimes Point are more abstract.  To this day it is not known what these markings mean. They are symbolic of something but we will probably never know what the people who made these marks were saying. 

To stand and look at these rocks, to know that people lived there thousands of years ago, they were born, raised their families, contributed to the community and communicated in a way that we can't understand is awe inspiring to me.  There is no lake there now, and hasn't been for centuries, the landscape seems so unlivable and yet here we have evidence that there was a society there at one time.  I would love to transport myself back in time just to take a peek at this long gone group of people, to put myself in their space and time, wouldn't you? 

"History is a vision of God's creation on the move". - Arnold J. Toynbee

Absorbing the Light

Imagine the most wonderful light in the world.  Imagine that light surrounding you, lighting up all the corners and then creating shadows.

Imagine looking across a valley, as far as the eye can see with the golden light of fall filling your soul.

Imagine ancient rocks outlined before a sunlit sky.

Imagine a sky so blue it takes your breath away.

These are some of the desert sights I've had over the past week.  It was very hard to come home!

"Wander where there is no path". - Chuang Tzu

Desert Haunting

We are off today on a trip back to the Nevada desert.  After being shaded in (and I do mean shaded) by trees and shrubs and plants I am looking forward to having open space surrounding me.  I want to spread my arms, much like an angel would spread her wings and savor the endless sky, the long vistas and the shapes and shadows of the desert.

Not to be denied is also the draw of family.  To be able to spend hours and days visiting, laughing, hugging and loving is a gift that I treasure beyond anything else. 

During this visit we shall attend football practice and a football game, a school carnival is on the agenda and a birthday party.  There will be meals shared and walks/hikes taken.  There will be visits with friends from long ago and extended family that we only see once in awhile.

During this visit there will be joy - and I'm packed and ready for any and all of it!!

"This is the sense of the desert hills, that there is room enough and time enough". - Mary Austin

October BJP - "Whimsy"

My October BJP word is "whimsy" - whimsy n. an odd or fanciful notion.  What a lovely word this is -- its a feeling that beckons me as I deal with my everyday work and worry.  Sometimes its right at my finger tips as I blow bubbles on a sunny day, other times it seems far away and I long to laugh out loud, tromp through puddles and create something in the most outlandish color combination I can imagine.

This 'whimsy' bookmark uses one of my personal favorite colors - turquoise.  I have added a touch of pink.  Pink is not a color that I've ever been drawn to - but lately it has been calling out to me.  And don't these two colors work together to create a little 'whimsy'. 

I used a combination of beading stitches - chain stitch, brick stitch, moss stitch and backstitch.  Truly a fun project!

"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game". -- Michael Jordan