Lovely World

new work

I have been doing a lot of stitching (tiny stitches!) these last couple of weeks. I wanted to post these photos a few days ago, but both my desk top and lap top were in the shop for repair. I was amazed at how often I had the impulse to use a computer. I had to make due primarily with my iphone, which is really not as easy to view things on as a full screen.

I plan to put some of these figures in my etsy shop. I recently added a number of other things, animals and mushrooms.

I'm sure the rest of you have been thinking about Nelson Mandela this week. He was such a courageous man who truly changed history. I think about his prolonged imprisonment and wonder what that must have felt like. Did he know the impact his life would have on the other side of it all? We just don't know how things will play out in the future. We must simply do our best, and make the best choices we can, in this moment. It is all we have. Obama and all of our living former heads of state are headed for South Africa. I love the image of them all together, but wish that the rest of our leaders could come together in common purpose as well.

Thank you for reading, and looking at my work.

❀ Maribeth

i am here

I have been so busy, here and there. Here is a brief glimpse of me, look quick before I'm off to something else!

I keep looking at my feet in this photo. I have been attending yoga class regularly and often find myself focused on the contact between my feet and the floor. I really like this grounding. It is a point of mindfulness.

I put a few birds in my etsy shop earlier today. Please take a look if you like. Lovely World Handmade.

Hope all is well. ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

wading bird

Thank you all for your nice comments about the birds I posted earlier this week.

I just finished this bird. It is a wading bird. Long legs, long neck, long beak. I am very happy with its sturdy elegance.

I will be listing some new things, including birds, in my etsy shop. I will let you know in this space when that happens. Also, if anyone would like me to make a bird in a particular color, I can do a special order for you. Just let me know. I have many colors of hand-dyed wool just waiting to be turned into a lovely creature.

crafting for courage

 

 

I have joined with a number of talented, open-hearted women I have met through blogging in order to raise money in support of earthquake relief efforts in Japan.

We will be making and selling our works of art and craft, donating 100% of the proceeds to Save the Children, a well-respected organization that is doing important work in the devastated northeastern Japan. This organization is providing critical assistance to children and their families during this time of chaos and heartbreak. I know that one of their goals is to provide as normal as possible environments for children to recover in, in order to lessen trauma.

Here is how the fundraising sale will work:

The sale will run from March 24-28. A collective blog, Crafting for Courage, will showcase all of the items for sale, with links to the particular etsy shops where you can purchase the item or items that catch your eye. I will link to the Crafting for Courage blog just as soon as everything is uploaded - so please check back over the next day or so. Also, if you go directly to my etsy shop, you will find the items that I am donating to this cause clearly labeled by tomorrow evening.

Please consider making a purchase from the sale. You could treat yourself to something special, or perhaps find a thoughtful gift for Mother's Day, a birthday celebration, or for your children's teacher as an end-of-the-year thank you.

Another way you can help is to write about and link to this sale on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter. Further, if you would like to participate in selling an item or items from your etsy shop, please leave a comment here and I can get further information to you. I thank you so much for opening your heart to lend a hand to those in need.

Participants:

Joanie, Sonia, Margie, Lisa, Pat, Jill, Nanou. I'm sure there are more out there I am unaware of as I write this - so check back over the next day for the link to the sale!

I also want you to know that the lovely logo you see above was made by Joanie, incorporating the beautiful hand-carved dragonfly stamp made by Margie. In Japanese culture the dragonfly symbolizes courage, strength, and happiness.

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The only way to end the danger is for each of us to do so, and to say to others, I am your brother. I am your sister. We are all humankind, and our life is one. Thich Nhat Hanh

little bit of love

♥ A pink package in the mail.

♥ Inside the package is a beautiful heart embroidery from Barbara of Indiana Blue (she has more - go see!).

♥ Old photos of my sister and me as small children. Could our dresses be any shorter? That is me getting kissed by one of our horses.

♥ My painting of friends walking a tightrope. They look pretty secure in their journey. Probably because they are together.

cabin fever continues

More snow today. School delayed by two hours. At least the sun is shining in the window right now.

Finished up this little squirrel for a special order in my etsy shop. I was excited to use some of the German mohair I bought a while back. I think it makes a spectacular tail.

As I was tidying up my desk top, I collected these papers that I have used for blotting while painting. I enjoyed looking at them. You can see where I cut out a pattern for squirrel legs from one of the papers.

The bottom photo shows a painting exercise I did from Heather Smith Jones' book. I really like this book and look forward to trying more of the exercises.

I want to do some yoga. I read this and it makes sense to me right now:

Twist and become whole. Bend and become straight. Empty out and become full. Expend energy and be renewed.

weekend work

I spent the weekend finishing up some dolls that I started a while back. It feels good to finish things that have been hanging around the sewing room. I'll be posting some dolls in my etsy shop this week, if anyone is interested.

It has been an absolutely glorious sunny and warm weekend here in Western Massachusetts. Over the two days we have gone for walks, ridden bikes, thrown basketballs in the hoop, followed a brook downstream with cousins (all kids in their underwear!), played in mud (at one point my son was totally covered from the neck down), sat on the stoop and knitted (my sister-in-law and me), picked up sticks and pinecones from the lawn, washed the car, and got a little sunburned. All the things that can't be done in winter (except for taking walks - I do that on even the coldest of days). I hope you had a relaxing weekend as well.

XO Maribeth

mushrooms again

I just wanted folks to know that I have put a couple of my woodland mushrooms in my etsy shop. I have a few others as well. If anyone wants to take a look at those, leave me a comment and I can email you a photo.

Many thanks for taking a look. XO Maribeth