It's a Fresh Start

Dear Ones-
The realization hit me today that I am giving too much anxious energy to this whole idea of blogging and am making no entries.  What is that about??  So I have decided to drop the whole "professionalism" thing and talk to you as I know you would want me to.  Since I have been journaling for more than 15 years, I think that I am pretty good at just writing down what is on my mind.  Those of you who really KNOW me and want to know more about what makes me tick will enjoy these posts.  If you have stumbled here and are wondering "What the heck?!?!", I simply say - - oops, sorry that I wasted your time.  And THANK YOU for stopping by.

Now then, since this is a new year and a fresh start for me, I will take a new approach to this blogging task and use it as I had intended, a place to update you, my dear ones, on my creative endeavors, my loves, and my dreams.  Hopefully, some of this will be inspiring to you as well. 

Uppermost on my mind today is Curling.  Ron & I will be attending a Mixed Bonspiel at the Alpine Curling Club in Monroe, WI this weekend.  That means laundry, preparing snacks and packing up our things. Now that curling has become an Olympic sport, I don't suppose that I need to explain to everyone what exactly it is that we do.  I will tell you that I am the Lead on our team, which means that I throw the first rocks.  These rocks are 40#'s each, so for a grandma my age it's a fun workout.  Three days of curling can either build you up or tire you out.  I'll let you know on Monday how we did.

Also on my mind to share with you, is the report on the Christmas gift mandala that we gave my parents last month.  Since they are living in Florida for the winter, I was not able to see their faces when they unwrapped the art work, but from the delight in mom's voice when she called, I could tell that it was deeply appreciated. This piece was on my design wall since before their 60th Anniversary celebration some 18 months ago.  I had every intention of finishing it to gift to them at that time but as my good friend Kathie tells me "Art takes as long as it takes."  No guilt here.  Apparently, it just wasn't ready to be 'born'.  After finishing Kevin's LoveLight, I was on a creative roll that kept me going to finish this piece.

As you can see, my dad's name is Jim and my mom is Colleen.  The colors that were used are colors that they picked years ago when I was tracing their hand prints for a 'future project'.  So I thought that if you mixed blue (dad's favorite) with red (mom's) you get purple (family).  That's how the design process went.  The yellow batik background was chosen because it represented sunshine (light).  Their hand prints were stitched into the design which was a total surprise to them since they couldn't remember when we traced them.  It's been about five years since I started collecting tracings from my dear ones;  do I have yours yet?

Here is a snapshot of the finished piece.  I guess that one of the most inspiring aspects of this LoveLight is the poem that came to me in the wee hours one morning.  I jotted it down and printed it on fabric along with a photo of our family at their celebration party and attached  it to the back of the piece.  Well, mom likes it so much that when she took it to be professionally framed, she insisted that it be matted so that both sides are visible.  I'll be anxious to see what the professional framer came up with for that challenge.  Glass on both sides?

Here is the poem:

Jim & Colleen ~

You started out separate, but along the way,

Love brought you together and taught you to pray.

The family that grew out of your faiths

is encircled in Love, the Light of God's Grace.

The years have been many, the blessings are great.

Your little family has grown well past the first eight.

The Love that encircles this family today,

is the same Love that lights the path on your way.

Thank you for the memories Mom & Dad ~

God bless you with Love & Light ~

Kasia

 So, what do you think?

Well, that's about all that I have time for today.  The laundry is calling and I want to spend a few precious hours in the Studio where I am currently working on a MArQ Challenge piece.  More about that next time ~~

Be Well -

Kasia