NEW YEAR'S REVOLUTIONS

NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTIONS

Ideas for 2014

The time between Christmas and New Year’s is always an inspirational period for me. Visions of all the wonderful things I’ll create for the upcoming year pop into my head and before long find themselves in sketches on my desk. Getting them from the sketch stage to the finished product is the most rewarding though.

I like to add all the new inspirations to my New Year’s Revolutions list. Yes, I call resolution, revolution each year. I like to think what I plan to accomplish will be earth shaking..ha. Usually it doesn’t get close but at least I keep a lot out there to aim for.

Here is a list of the new craft projects I am planning on creating and blogging about for 2014.

Fairies: I have the urge to create “Philosophy Fairies” I don’t have a finished one to show you but here are some parts I have assembled. "There are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden."

Some components for new "Philosophy Fairies"

Small and extremely unique planters for next spring:

Very Small Planter

My new book:

Still in the fact searching stage but I am hoping you will enjoy reading my new book..title is a secret til I have a publisher..which may be a very long time!

I also plan on a 3rd edition of “She Who Whispers” which contains the stories I assign to each of my sculptures.

She Who Whispers-2nd Edition. Third Edition out this year

Cards: I am copying pictures of each of my sculptures and paintings for the cover of my hand made cards. I include a story for each inside. I tested these on the market for Christmas and they were a hit at $5. each. Sounds pricey but they are actually worth every penny.

Gift Cards-Can Also Be Framed

Gypsies: I’ve long been a fan of gypsies and their carefree lifestyles. When I hear gypsy music, I can visualize myself dancing around a campfire in some far off place. My gypsies will be tall standing sculptures and I am painting canvases to match. This last fall, I started to paint each one of two and sold the sculptures which made me have to paint from the picture of them instead of the real thing. It’s more of a challenge but I am enjoying the experience.

Have any of you out there made any New Year’s Revolutions? I’d love to hear about them. My art revolutions seem to work out every year but the standard list, which is the same every single year, never gets done..i.e. loose weight and learn Italian!

Gypsy Painting of Gypsy Sculpture-Long Way to Go

Along with my art/craft items, I will be adding a new interest to my posts. Book reviews. I love to read. My critiques and reviews of books may be different than you have ever read before. I tell absolutely the truth about the books I have read in my reviews. Of course, my truth may be different from your truth. I'll also be posting a recipe or two along the way.

First book review will be of The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani.

Happy New Year Everyone!

ROLO PRETZEL DELIGHTS

ROLO PRETZEL DELIGHTS

EASY, EASY, EASY

Oooey Gooey Caramel Chocolate!

When I saw this recipe in our own Bella Magazine, which is published in Roanoke, Virginia, I knew I had to make them. They take only minutes and taste heavenly. The gooey caramel and chocolate drizzling through the salt covered pretzel and pecan send them over the top. Perfect for Christmas or anytime.

Different Toppings

Recipe:

Small pretzels

Rolo chewy caramels in milk chocolate (I used the mini)

Pecan halves (I used almonds as well)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place one pretzel for each cookie. Top each pretzel with one Rolo. Bake three to five minutes (my oven took 3 minutes) or until caramel piece begins to soften but not melt. Remove from oven; top with pecan halves and let cool completely. Yumm..

Ready for the Oven

LAST THREE GODDESS BURNING BOWLS FOR 2013

LAST THREE GODDESS BURNING BOWLS FOR 2013

Warrior Woman, Skylar and Amethyst Burning Bowls

My burning bowls have literally flown off the shelf this year. I love creating them and hopefully I’ll have one for myself sometime soon. I try not to become attached to any one in particular. This time was a bit difficult because I actually fell in love with Skylar, Warrior Woman and Amethyst.

Warrior Woman 10 h x 6"w x 6"deep

Sold

All the Goddesses feature one of my stoneware clay sculptures and beautiful stained glass base. Warrior Woman is accented with an old watch part in her headpiece and various other embellishments.

Back of Warrior Woman

Close-up detail

Skylar is a beautiful name for her don’t you think? She features a butterfly on her crown and an antique head piece. I adorned her neck with dolphins. She is 9" high x 5" deep x 5" wide.

Sold. Thank you Gloria!!!

Close-up

Amethyst features a beautiful amethyst glass bead and is perfect for someone who loves the color of purple. She is 11" h x 6" deep x 5"wide

Sold. Thank you Holly!

Hope you love them as I do..I may create one for myself for New Year’s Eve. I have a feeling we are in for an interesting year ahead and I want to get rid of all the bad energy I can before facing 2014!

For those of you who do not know the story of the burning bowls:

Unity Church has a special ceremony each New Year’s Eve. A large bowl is placed at the altar and each member of the church is asked to write down problems or vices they wish to annihilate from their lives.. It could be a wish to quit smoking or drinking. It might be a desire to loose weight or to quit any of a number of addictions. Each person places their list into the bowl and at midnight, the bowl is lit. Everyone watches as the fire burns away all the troubles.

I decided to create individual burning bowls that are smaller and feature one of my sculptures and they have been a hit.

You can purchase directly from me. Just e-mail and we will go from there. I take paypal or checks.

Thanks so much to all of you who have purchased my burning bowls this year-especially Gloria! Gloria has several of my bowls for her altars featured on her charming blog. You can see them here.

HOLIDAY SPECIAL SALE!

FIRST HOLIDAY SPECIAL SALE

Cosmic Light Was $89 now $58.00

Cosmic Light is approximately 2 1/2 " wide x 6" high and has a chain drop from neck to top of necklace of 13." I created her with one of my original clay faces and used antique jewlery for the base. You will be the center of attention when you wear her with any outfit since she can be dressed up or down.

Sold. Thank you Trish!

I have a few items that are still available from my studio work for 2013. Perhaps you are looking for a last minute gift or something for yourself at a real discount..well, here is your chance! You can contact me by e-mail if there is anything that strikes your fancy and I can ship out immediately.

Goddess Kartek-Burning Bowl Was $68 now $46.

Sold. Thank you Gloria!

In designing my own burning bowls, I knew I wanted to personalize them and make small enough to burn incense, sage leaves or a small votive candle when not in use for an actual burning ceremony. I decided that a female Goddess was in order. Kartek is approx 10” high x 5” wide x 6” deep. I used stained glass, which I fired in my kiln, for her base. I’m sure anyone receiving her as a gift will be delighted, if you can bear to part with her.

Goddess Face Jar Was $25 Now $15.

I hand sculpted each face, added all types of interesting finds from the year’s antique and flea market shopping. The apothecary jars are 3” in diameter and hold 10 oz. of whatever you choose to place into them. I think candles or creams would be sublime.

Hopi Indian Woman-Nampeyo Was $200 Now $145.00

Nampeyo is 10" H by 7"w and 7"xD. She is sculpted from stoneware clay which has been kiln fired and is an original.

Kimana Planter Was $54 Now $36.

Sold-Thank you Katharine!

"Kimama" Shoshone Native American Tribe Means "Butterfly" 6" round Features Turquoise

Ancient Herbalist Planter Was $78 Now $45.

Sold. Thank you Alicea!

"Ancient Herbalist" 7"w x 7" deep x 11" high Stoneware Clay

Egyptian Goddess Necklace Was $89 Now $58.

My Goddess necklace features one of my original stoneware clay faces. She is 6" high x 2 1/2 " wide with necklace extending 13" from the neck to top of necklace. She can be worn for ceremony or dressed up or down for any occasion and is perfect as wearable art.

Oceana Was $78. Now $46.00

I created Oceana with stoneware clay which I then kiln fired. I stained and embellished her with various sea shells from my collection. She has a sea horse on her forehead. Dimensions are 8" wide by 14" high by 4" deep.

Ocean Sea Fan Was $110 Now $79.

I created Oceana with stoneware clay which I kiln fired and then added beautiful sea shells that I collected during my travels. There is a small sea horse on her forehead and the sea fan is from the Carribean Ocean. She is 12 inches wide by 18" high from the bottom of the sea net to the top of the fan and about 3" deep.

Gentle Spirit Wall Hannging- Was $68. Now $45.

Gentle Spirit is 6” wide x 13” high

Goddess Magical Necklace Was $135.00 Now $74.

My necklace is an original-one of a kind. It is 4” w by 9” h and the chain hangs 8” from the neck. Gems are centered around one of my original clay faces.

Woman Whose Voice is Older Than the Stones Was $125. Now $65.00

Would make a nice wall piece as well as wearable art.

Gaia Earth Mother Was $235. Now $175.

She is 18x24x2"

Please let me know if you would like me to send you one of my special sale pieces. We can use paypal or checks if you prefer. You can contact me by E-mail

Thanks so much!

WITHIN THE WITHIN WALL HANGING

Front View

Red is usually not a color I work with much. I am not sure why because I do love to wear red. I guess I just don’t decorate with it. It’s amazing what a red wall can do for a room though. I heard somewhere that red is a wonderful backdrop and that everyone in the room will look vibrant and alive in a room painted with red. Might be worth trying.

Close-up

My Within the Within wall hanging certainly would go well with a red theme. She is pulsating with energy. Maybe it’s because of the very old basket I used as a backing. Surely some of the energy from the years of wear has worn itself into the very fibers. I also used several pairs of beautiful ancient looking necklaces, some have brass beads entwined. I used horsehair which has been cut from a horses tail, and sculpted her original face with stoneware clay. She is approx 9” wide by approx 27” long. She is priced at $85.

You can see better on the pictures on Etsy and purchase there or e-mail me directly. Thanks so much!

Here is the story I have written for her. It represents the Senaca tribe I studied with years ago.

Within the Within

At a very young age, she had learned to speak the language of the stones and the language of the trees. Her people, the Seneca, Keepers of the Western Door of the symbolic Longhouse, had taught her. They taught her of the foundation of truth which is called "within the within.'" She learned of the sanctity of the circle and how it symbolizes perfect truth and is considered the pathway of peace and harmony. But of all the many truths that she was taught, he sould knew a truth that her mind was just beginning to comprehend..HER truth. For there is no collective truth. The truth of one soul is not the same as that of another. She knew that truth's purpos is growth...soul growth. She would be open to all truths but true to her own. She knew that by being true to herself, therein she would find her withiness.

GRATITUDE/BURNING BOWL-FLY

GRATITUDE BOWL-FLY~

Full view

For those of you who are not familiar with my burning/gratitude bowls, here is a brief explanation.

Sold. Thank you Evelyn

Unity Church has a special ceremony each New Year’s Eve. A large bowl is placed at the altar and each member of the church is asked to write down problems or vices they wish to annihilate from their lives.. It could be a wish to quit smoking or drinking. It might be a desire to loose weight or to quit any of a number of addictions. Each person places their list into the bowl and at midnight, the bowl is lit. Everyone watches as the fire burns away all the troubles.

Close-up

I designed smaller bowls for personal use. Uses for the bowls are numerous. You could perform a ceremony and write problems, burn and watch them disappear in your mind and life. Blessings could be written on paper and placed into the bowl-chosen at random to remind you of your many blessings. When not in use for ceremony, the bowls can be used to burn a small candle, incense or used as a smudge bowl. One of my friends wrote to me of a blessing bowl ceremony whereby everyone gathered to welcome a new child into the world.

My blessing bowl features a beautiful filigree butterfly signifying flight - release. She is 5" wide x 5" deep x 12" high and I sculpted her from stoneware clay that I then kiln fired. She is priced at $68.00. If you would like to view more pictures and purchase please visit my etsy shop. You can also e-mail me directly.

Thank you!

Filigree Butterfly