peace on earth

fitting in

Sometimes I know exactly what I'm thinking but don't have the words.

In times like that,

 be careful of letting others say it for you.

But on occasion, 

someone will have said it perfectly.

This above all: 

to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, 

as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

-Shakespeare 

viewfinder

I have an old Nikon F (c. 1966)

How it became mine is another story.

Last night my daughter was experimenting with her iPhone by shooting through this old camera's viewfinder and I was inspired.

Inspiration flows freely and abundantly through our precious young people. Never forget that.

But that's another story.

These are pictures I took this morning:

print

The lovely people at Stampington & Co contacted me about submitting my stitched art for their Sew Somerset magazine.

It's really fun to see my art on the printed page.

I have something to show friends and family (and you) that in a weird way validates my work. I'm beyond needing validation - but I won't turn it away either.

This is one of my more recent of this series:

I named him Russell.

He has big plans and he has a ticket.

Before you know it, 

he'll be all grown up and rarely at home anymore. 

But that's a good thing. 

*

These photos were all found in a flea market suitcase. 

They're someone's relatives. 

Abandoned for $1 a piece. 

One by one, I'm giving them each a story and hopefully, some self respect.

distracted

"excuse me if I seem distracted"

This is part of a new series I'm working on.

Creating faces is a comfort to me. 

I'm able to explain something in a face that is hard to explain. 

Then of course I can't help myself and must add a few words at the end. 

I'm not one for paragraphs when just a sentence will do.

Ingredients:

Teabag paper

Watercolor paint

Oil pastel

Watercolor paper

Wood block

Gel medium

3.5 x 5.5 "

As I'm creating these,

I'm listing them in my etsy shop. 

(this one is not listed yet, however )

safety

I am wearing a safety pin everywhere I go.

I keep a dish of them by the front door.

You can follow this link for the origins and how wearing a safety pin has become a symbol of peace in troubled times (or read on for my simplistic version):

https://www.good.is/articles/safety-pin-america-trump-brexit

The wearing of a safety pin signifies that you are a safe person and will stand with and welcome anyone no matter what they look like, who they love, where the originate, or how they worship. It has the potential to secretly encourage the discouraged or be a beacon of friendship to one who is in a threatening situation. It can also serve as a constant reminder to the wearer that love and kindness truly matters.

kindness

kindnesses in my life this week:

a kind etsy conversation with someone in Massachusetts 

a kind email from Hillary Rodham Awesome

a kind text from a friend in Calif who is sick at heart

a kind poem written by my daughter for her Dad

a kind game of scrabble on my bed to distract me from my tears

a kind laugh and smile from Kris when I keep forgetting her name and call her Lisa

a kind conversation on a park bench about the honeybees

*

Just reeling myself in ....