Maurice

Wow, I just finished reading Maurice by E.M. Forster in two days..what a feversih love story!!

I have seen the movie of course and am a big Forster fan, but must never had read this one.  I came upon a nice copy with thick watercolor-esque paper that felt lovely to hold. 

The main thing I did not know and maybe you don't know either, is that Maurice was published posthumously....sixty years after he wrote it!!  Can you imagine?  One piece I read quoted him saying that it was the happy ending that proved illegal..if these young men would've hung themselves, the world could've read Maurice 60 years earlier...

Of course as I was reading I was remembering Hugh Grant who looks amazing, but Rupert Graves..le sigh!!  Must see more of him, even if it has been twenty years. He is kindof giving me a Keifer Sutherland vibe.   Anyone have any suggestions?

Sixth Anniversary

Labor Day weekend brought us memories of
six years ago when we tied the knot to the loud chorus of cicadas!


Beautiful flowers from the farmer's market made my day!

A Visit to the Heard Museum

Wow, if you have never made it to the Heard Museum in Downtown Phoenix, I would absolutely urge you to go! We were there on a rainy afternoon recently and of course didn't have enough time to spend, but here are some favorites:

I was really affected by the amazing cradle boards that all different tribes made for their babies. So many hours of work went into each piece, you can imagine the maker thinking of the baby throughout the process and the intention that comes with that.

Of course all the jewelry was out of control amazing blow your mind! One thing I noticed that was of interest is that many times you cannot tell by looking if a piece was made in 1910, or 2010. Many of the old pieces are very modern in design and perhaps ahead of their time.

These long earrings from Ecuador made my day! I even took a picture of the description to remember what it said.

The Heard has multiple museums in the valley and I would urge anyone interested to attend. Beautiful building and grounds as well.

Enjoyment, Appreciation and Privilege

As summer ebbs and autumn is on its way these are words that keep coming up for me.
Enjoyment: Having a baby leads us to hopefully fully engage and enjoy the snatches of moments we get to ourselves; morning coffee, a bath, reading.
I just finished Elizabeth Gilbert's recent book "Committed" which I read in a week and laughed out loud quite a few times. One of my favorite parts is her describing her partner Felipe's habit of never getting right American celebrities names such as "George Pitt" and "Brad Cruise"!!
(seriously, i thought this was the funniest thing ever)

Appreciation: Even when we know we can surely count our blessings, how often to we truly take a moment and recognize our lovely,full, bountiful lives?
If you haven't lately, I invite you to do so.

Privilege: This has been coming up for me in terms of my daughter and what a privilege it is to see someone's first anything, (let alone everything) and to see recognition, cognition and kindness develop in such a gorgeously sweet package.

All of these words are a positive way to view our crazy world, look for the silver lining so they say. Because, really, what is our other option? As my father says " I choose hope".

Did you know I do Repairs?

It's true! I can restring broken necklaces , bracelets and anklets on the highest quality bead wire.

I can drill shells for you and make them into jewelry.

I can wire wrap and chain link your prized jewelry as well as make earrings to match .

First Draft

My friends asked me to make a piece incorporating the phrase "Cultivate Gratitude"
A great reminder for all of us.
This is my first draft drawing. I like the majority of it, just need to change a few things.

I have had this drawing on my to do list for weeks. Why is it so hard to begin?
Once drawing I had a great time, what's more fun then drawing pretty flowers and contemplating all of my blessings?



Will post the finished project when it's finished!

Daily Drawing

I am starting a new art/yoga book called The Painting Path and the first "assignment" was to use oil pastels and just have fun with the medium. This is the result.
Here is what i thought of some of it: It seems the large arm is a "strong-arm" metaphor , perhaps me trying to control my uncontrollable life with my new baby.
The glowing golden figure is my beautiful daughter. I notice the stripes on my shirt remind me of a referree outfit.

Hmmm.... well, it was fun and finished in the ten minutes she gave me between wanting to eat!
After crying at the drop of a hat today, I realize how tired I am and how I can't control this process, her process of growing and needing me in order to do that.
How do I move from a referee to a facilitator?

Let it go..................

Courage

Two posts ago I was commenting on how you can have it all, it's just really hard work... imagine my surprise when I read last Wednesday's horoscope:

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): This would be an excellent time for you to do
a lot less of everything. You're entering a phase when you can actually
help your long-term goals by being less ambitious. The point is not to give
up your drive to succeed, but rather just put it to sleep for a while. Let it
recharge. Allow it to draw energy from the deeper psychic sources that it
tends to get cut off from when it's enmeshed in the frenzy of the daily
rhythm. Do you have the courage to not work so much, not try so hard,
and not push so relentlessly?




Seriously? This is the hardest thing for me to hear. I've had recently the best excuses to slow down, (pregnancy, giving birth, now the baby) and have instead pushed onward, upward..further, next. I realized I didn't take one nap while pregnant.
Nor have I since Edythe's birth..the days are already too short!!
So can I listen to some of this advice?
I'm not sure how to take it or how to apply "less ambition".
I am the sort of person that feels awkward watching a movie and not doing some accompanying task such as making jewelry, making lists, or at least looking at a magazine for ideas for future lists!!
I am a fan of reflection and repose, perhaps I can try to practice more of these concepts.

Heart Thoughts

Beginning to think of Valentine's Day coming up...
lots of red and pink jewelry on the horizon.
Time for us to contemplate all the people we love.

Wordless(ish) Wednesday

seeking circles


also...big shoutouts and mad love to all the new souls of the holiday season;
Edythe Estelle Maxine
Campbell Soren
Holden Theodore

***********all born to Redheads, watch out world!!!!!!!************

Thirty-Three

I turned thirty-three on Thursday. Sounds like a pretty good number, double the fun!
Some thirty-three facts, according to wikipedia:

• The atomic number of arsenic
• A normal human spine has 33 vertebrae when the bones that form the coccyx are counted individually
• 33 is according to the Newton Scale, the temperature when water boils.

• A significant number in modern numerology, one of the master numbers along with 11 and 22

33 is the coming of age of a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

Well, I do feel I am coming of age, at least a new age. Wednesday is my last day of work at the coffee shop. The Jerome gallery is wrapping up at the end of December.
I am cleaning the slate, clearing a path for my daughter to join me here.
Wish me luck.

Bisbee Butter

Bisbee is known for its Bisbee Blue turquoise, and now it might be known for another alliterative title- "Bisbee Butter".

Apple Butter that is! The great place we stayed at had some amazing apple trees that we were told we could help ourselves to. Well you don't have to tell me twice!!

I am a big fan of free fruit, urban harvesting , etc.. AND these apples were deliciously tart and gorgeous as well. Hardly a worm was found!

All I've been doing for apple butter is cutting up the apples, (peels on) and putting them in the slow cooker with nutmeg and cinnamon- not even any sugar!
This batch turned out delicious and a very charming shade of burgundy.
I cooked the apples on low for about 7-10 hours.
And walla! Awesome Bisbee Butter!

......Bonus round... the first person to comment on this post receives a jar of the aforementioned butter...send me your address.....! fun!

Okay, Crazy....

So let me introduce you to my Tomatillo plant.
Planted in May along with everyone else, she grew very big, but no blooms.

I think she thought she was a house plant because she was hanging out with all the other house plants. Then... last month, right as we're about to pull all the plants up in the garden and put the houseplants inside,etc...
She blooms.

Lots of blooms!

And now little tomatillo husks and fruit are appearing!
On their own time line I guess!
So should I leave her outside and hope she doesn't get frozen...

.....or bring her in and try to coax the little husks along?
Life isn't crazy enough evidently!!!!!!!!

Happy Equinox!

Well, yes I know I am a day late, but I thought this too nice not to share.


Hope you all head a lovely day yesterday and more lovely (cooler) days to come!

Mar and Lar Make it to 36!!!

This past week my parents celebrated their thirty-sixth wedding anniversary!

They are truly an inspiration to me and everyone who knows them.
I think they still like each other!!
They still have a good time together!




Maybe it's because Mar's so cute! (and keeps us laughing)



Matthew and I are are so lucky to see them at least once a week and to share this life together.




We wish them many more years of the good life
and we love you!!

Matthew and I will celebrate our 4th anniversary in two weeks!

My New Mantra

"She's got everything she needs, she's an artist. She don't look back."
Bob Dylan





Came across this Bob Dylan song again recently and remembered how much I liked it.

We really have everything at this exact moment that we need to take us to the next moment. We're exactly where we need to be right now.

After a trying couple of weeks, I am ready to have a good time, anticipate the change of seasons and get busy being positive and kicking ass!
Printmaking is on again and after a full summer of jewels, jewels and more jewels I am ready for a shift.
I made my goal of having at least a hundred items in my shop and now I suppose I'll just keep going!! The shop is brimming with cool stuff so please check it out!

Yes We Can!

Paul Hawken's commencement speech:

"There is invisible writing on the back of the diploma you will receive, and
in case you didn't bring lemon juice to decode it, I can tell you what it
says: YOU ARE BRILLIANT, AND THE EARTH IS HIRING. The earth couldn't
afford to send any recruiters or limos to your school. It sent you rain,
sunsets, ripe cherries, night blooming jasmine, and that unbelievably cute
person you are dating. Take the hint. And here's the deal: Forget that this
task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don't be put off
by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and
check to see if it was impossible only after you are done."

Saturday June 6th is our annual group show opening in Jerome at the Cooperative Gallery.
Our theme this year is "Yes We Can".
It's so easy to get overwhelmed and negative these days, I enjoyed the opportunity to make a new piece ( a close up of my Rosie the Riveter is above) and also to be reminded that against all odds, we are capable. Perhaps we are expecting outcomes and privileges instead of counting our limbs and our blessings.
I loved the above excerpt of the commencement address! Appreciation is key ya'll!
If anyone is interested in attending the opening with me, let me know!

Rainwater Harvesting Workshop

This weekend my mother in law Connie and I attended a workshop on rainwater harvesting at Manzanita Village, a co-housing community here in town. Supercool! We ate really good food and shoveled LOTS of dirt. We learned about tanks for holding water as well as basins and berms that you make with dirt to hold water.

We received books written by Brad Lancaster from Tucson and the workshop was taught by Andy Millison.

Some of the co-housing guys playing drums!
Everyone from Manzanita Village was so nice it was crazy!

This is where the cistern will go.

I encourage everyone to look into some type of water harvesting- it makes sense ya'll!