it began with a pouch

fragile strength talisman - mjd 2013

it began with the making of a pouch - 

thoughts of being able to keep that which you treasure close... but with the option of changing it, as our needs do not remain the same.

spiral carved into stone

the other side got a mandala.

to offer support on your way

i offer

wisdom (pearl)

clarity (crystal)

healing (ancient baltic amber)

balance - finding connection to earth and the infinite (stone)

connection to your inner voice (grey moonstone)

stitching and knotting and braiding - the necklace is made of linen, silk, cotton, muslin, with antique venetian glass beads and a few vesuvianite stones. 

a very meditative piece to make - 

circling

when i do something new-ish, it can almost be assumed that i have a project i need to begin the physical work on but am at that point where i need to push through to begin... it's that moment when you are half excited/half terrified... 

so naturally, i do something completely unrelated... 

like make my first stamp - 

the flags for peace project has a natural deadline of sept. 21st - international peace day... i had wanted to be able to carve stamps to apply the paint/ink to the material... and i just got the supplies in this morning... 

i wanted my first stamp to be a lotus and i found this image in my book by robert beer... 

it had been suggested that i practice on erasers (though i am wondering if i got the right kind, i know i got the right tools... they didn't go through 'like butter'... so i am either holding the cutting edge incorrectly, or i got the wrong eraser!) thank you, barbara, for giving me a list of the supplies i needed...

as i sat carving - which i rather liked - my daughter came in from a photography workshop she worked at the grounds for sculpture,

and she handed me this - 

a real lotus petal... i hadn't asked for it, nor did she know what i was doing as she had left before the delivery arrived!

i am really happy with it - i wanted a rough woodcut type effect... i know there is practice to be done... but at least i can get going on the peace/prayer flags now...