Sometimes you just have to miss it

I'm working on a bridal veil. I'm stitching a rope of tiny pearls to its edge. There's a stitch between every 2 little pearls..stitch, stitch, hundreds of stitches. It becomes a meditation, the repetition of a mantra. The edge gently undulates, as the tulle and pearls are married. I'm dying to finish it; it's a labor of love.  There's a remnant of vintage lace, waiting for me to cut it and applique motifs onto the train.

This morning I went shopping and walking with my husband. (We will be married 38 years tomorrow.) Last night I went with my daughter to feed the kitties at a cat rescue shelter. So many kitties, abused and abandoned but now in a better place, a no-kill place, a warm friendly place where they are safe and fed. My daughter is going through a divorce and well, she just needs her mama.

The veil is calling to me. For that matter, papers and a glue stick are also calling to me. But, there has to be a balance. I can't perpetually sit at my table stitching. There are other living beings, needing some of my energy.

So, sometimes you just have to miss it..miss the veil..miss the glue and colors....so as not to miss the rest of life.

Shaman Stones

I've been drawing these for years. I had a pile of them, and have discovered that I've sold all but these 3. So, now I get to walk along the sand of the Chesapeake bay and pick up more smooth beach stones. Then, I let them tell me what image they'd like on their faces......

                                                                    

Patterns

It's bitter outside this morning. The temperature dropped 40 degrees overnight, and the wind is wicked. The birds continue to sing as though it's spring. They are either acting as if, or perhaps they know something that we don't.

Despite the fact that winter has repeatedly teased us with false hope, there is still beauty to be seen. I really like the shadows co-created by the bare trees and the rising sun and thrown across the yard:

I experimented a little with my Picasa program, and discovered that they offer a lot of artistic options: (You might want to enlarge the first one to see the whole effect.)

I'm glad I was able to capture these before the trees leaf out.

Book of Secrets

I recently saw a post about different versions of the theme, "Book of Secrets." It made me remember that when I was (much) younger, I had a few books of my own (well, a few secrets too.)  I don't recall what happened to them; perhaps they were lost or stored over years of living. I decided to make a current one, with my today secrets in it. I had originally decided to have neutral backgrounds, like cave walls, and then draw, scribble and write over them.

I did manage to get my water soluble wax pastels and start with a few, but the colors kept calling me.

I do like art with a neutral palette, but I can't seem to stick with that. I just can't do it. So one of my "secrets" is, that I must have bright color in my art, if not always in my life.

Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis MD

My husband Russ and I took advantage of a semi-warm day to walk in a local park.

There is a crack in this hollow tree. Russ says that it will fall within the next 5 years.

The same tree. It's a faerie tree. If you look through a hole in a natural object, folklore has it that you can see the faeries. Do you see them?

We looked for signs of spring, and this lone tree was in bloom. Russ thinks it's a wild plum tree. I enjoyed seeing it defy the winter.

There is a straight line of these old sycamore trees, which were probably planted along an old farm lane.

I love their texture and character.

So, tonight the temperature is forecast to drop 40 degrees. I'm grateful for today's respite.

Doing My Bridal Again

I had a bridal shop on Etsy for a few years. I stopped for awhile, because when making a bridal veil it's important to be almost obsessive about perfection and fine detail. Also, I hand sew my laces because I've seen too many veils with glue that shows up when the bride stands in sunlight. So, it takes hours to make one veil.

I happened to stop by the Etsy bridal page and was appalled at the number of mass-produced veils that used to be banned but are now welcomed with open arms on that site. One of the product listings actually had as its title, "Cheap Bridal Veil."  (for a cheap bride?)

Well, something clicked inside me and I decided to pick up a needle and thread and get back to it. Here's my first of many, trimmed in vintage Venise lace. Oh, I'm now showing them on Zibbet, which believes in REALLY  handmade items, made with integrity and love. It will take a while to restock, but it's worth it.

If you know a bride who isn't cheap, please let her know that heirloom quality items are still available.

 http://www.zibbet.com/CustomVeilsbyVeronica