a giveaway in the name of gratitude

be still necklace - mjd 2014

porcelain jiz0 - matt leavitt

the universe exists in a drop of water.

the universe exists in a fluttering green leaf.

the universe exists in you.

be still 

and know.

in appreciation for the support and care that comes from this community, i offer a giveaway of this necklace (made by me) and this beautiful jizo (made by matt leavitt). i will choose a name on april 15th, not for tax day but for the spectacular lunar eclipse that will occur that night. you don't have to post in other places, nor do you have to visit my fb or instagram pages. just leave a message here on this post. 

in thanks, 

mary jane

evening approaches

woven leaf - mjd 2013

the day draws to a close. 

a good day

fingers aching

from small needles

small pins

 & tweezers

used to coax fine threads 

in and out

in and out 

through

curving edges of warp.

i offer suggestions

as to how this form might take shape.

but in the end,

i am the one who accepts 

with appreciation

the beautiful curves 

that become

from the pact that is made

by the threads 

and my fingers.

an agreement that leaves

my will out of the process

altogether. 

it is good,

this learning of acceptance.

it can yield the most beautiful 

and unexpected of things.

loose ends

various fibers, hemp and linen paper

we are connected to others

through a tapestry of place and time.

before us are the ancestors - of all living things

and earth forms.

beside us are family, friends, the global community

and all that grows and exists.

after us is the future we help to (hope to) honor, create and preserve.

mjd - 2013

loose ends are not things left unaccounted for -

at least, they don't have to be.

give them purpose.

like hands reaching out

or a rope thrown to a drowning person,

they are available and willing

to any being who needs them.

creating ties where none existed before. 

the cool grey skies
of late november
are no match 
for the final
flickering
flames 
of autumn...

but this is no contest... 

the sky's job is to be the sky
the leaves' job is to be the leaves

and by the simple presence 
of the other
each becomes more...

completeness in balance

even in the midst of the darkest forest,
glimpses of sky will appear
and fingers of light will reach down
to delicately brush its loamy floor.
surrounded by light and shadow,
feet firmly planted in the earth,
spirit soaring toward the heavens -
with every breath 
you know completeness.

on ahimsa

exercise kindness 

or at least do no harm... 

as we are all connected,

connected,

connected... 

february 31st - yeah, that's the ticket!

{please tell me that someone remembers jon lovitz as 'tommy the liar' on snl...}

i am a (very) proud member of the earthenwood studio design team... the talented melanie brooks sends us beautiful pieces to work with each month... i get ideas, and then want to alter them - and as anything with metal requires patina and sealing, i sometimes end up adding days to a project... 


so here is my february project - 'liebe ist für alle da'... i have been using this phrase for a number of reasons... but it has to do with love being available to everyone... 

her very dark brown metallic-y finished pieces are really incredible... and the delicacy on the ivory link with the heart is a great contrast... 

i used old padre beads from the 1800s... they have a history and life of their own... like our hearts - touched by many... i wanted to pick up on the linear pattern of the  link on the right by wrapping suede with silk fiber... still rustic and 'rugged', but feminine... 


if you would like to see more of melanie's work, please follow this link ... 


and thank you melanie, for sharing your beautiful work and for your patience!

RAW - marker

'no one saves us but ourselves.

no one can and no one may.

we ourselves must walk the path.'

~ buddha

there are (often) times along the path when the terrain becomes rugged or confusing... challenging us fully to stay true... if we keep moving forward, we get past it... 

leave a stone on top of a fence post or on the slope of the mountain, to remember where you have been, the lessons you learned...

expanding the connections

'when we discover that the truth is already in us,

we are all at once our original selves.'

~ dogen

i had an idea to open up a components shop... i like the idea of people being able to create things that speak to them, of their thoughts and feelings... i personally believe that our current environment overwhelms us with visual and auditory stimuli (it definitely overwhelms me)... for every upside to the modern world, there is a downside... once again, it is about balance... having small reminders of what is important to you or what keeps you centered can be key to staying present... 

so i opened up speaking your truth last night... i had meant to open it with at least 10 items listed; but in order to work on it, i had to list something... so there are only 2 items right now... as we speak i have resin curing... and will be doing etching today... categorizing is a bit of a challenge - because some items use 2 techniques... perhaps i should list by component shape... i will be offering: resin paddles, etching, etched and enameled pieces, shibuichi and enameled pieces, maybe some simple ring forms, bezels... 

if there is anything you might like to see, please let me know... i am open to input...

to each her own - part 3

there are a number of round robins going on at the time... i am involved in one with lorelei, kerry & barbe...


this was such a fun experience... and powerful... i swear, my head would get light sometimes - i don't know if it was all of that creative energy i was touching or what... between 'assessments' i would hit the fridge for my palette cleanser - a swig of chocolate soy milk - and then go back... yes, my weakness, chocolate soy... and i stand at the fridge, door open, drinking out of the carton - good thing i am the only one who really likes it!


i was a bit inconsistent with my before pics - meaning i sometimes forgot in the excitement... so i will be borrowing from kerry...


first up - lorelei

lorelei's pendant and kerry's glass really set the stage for a feminine necklace... i liked the way kerry introduced purple to the design... 

i added some lampwork glass from mika at pinocean, mary ann at linden avenue designs... made a copper bird charm & flattened a vintaj bead cap to make a small flower... i also extended the chain with some antiqued copper chain to pick up the bezel... added a porcelain bead at the clasp with a dangling melon seed bead... and STOPPED - it's hard to keep reminding yourself that there are others who will be adding... 

next up - barbe  (i had to borrow kerry's pic)

her theme was simply red -

since i was last up for barbe i kind of let loose... starting with the pendant, i added a red soocho jade cube and a czech glass bead in deep red with silvered edging... i paralleled the right side on the left by adding a second strand of beads... glass, crystal & porcelain... above kerry's awesome red ring, i added a red raku bead by keith o'connor... when i look at the pendant, i see a woman glancing at herself askance, not head on with confidence, a bit unsure... the back of the pendant has words on it like 'develop' and 'come into being' ... so i etched a copper charm with a heart to remind her to love herself... lastly i extended the chain, added a raku red lampwork bead by blue seraphim to a copper hook clasp... left an opening in the chain in case she wanted to get the length just right for her now that the pendant is so long... 

kerry - 

to me, kerry is about color and a clean, modern edge... barbe has promised her an awesome pendant - so keeping that in mind, i moved to other parts of her necklace... decided to try to create some weight on the sides to balance a nice pendant... 

i made 2 sterling charms - 'find joy' and a butterfly... even though things can be tough, kerry's joy seems to emanate from her creations... i had a 4 point floral link that i added and then played upon the blues that are present... a teal-ish mykonos ceramic round, 2 lampwork glass beads from mika - the brown one is edged in a light blue that makes it really interesting... and a glass bead made from a recycled (rum?) bottle by bronwen heilman of ghostcow ... used handforged headpins and brushed them lightly so they have a soft silver finish that puts them between the shiny silver and gunmetal grey... 

mine - 

i love how mine is coming along... 

i just added an etched ivory bead from mary ann... 

off these will go on tuesday to barbe - i really hope she likes hers as it is now finished...