Cattail book

It's always a wave of emotions when a project is completed.

 

Questions surface. Answers are incomplete or nonexistent.

 

For example:

 Why was it necessary to make a book - the cover, the pages, the print and story about the cattail?

 

Hummm... gee...

Well, I can tell you the story of it -

It started off with making some cattail paper... and then the
book maker in me wanted to figure out how to put single sheets into book
form without harming the deckle edges.

 Paper painter wanted to try a few things (always the recycler, 

she wanted to use a Trader Joe's bag, for the environmental touch).

Printer figured it needed a print (which she now knows is tricky with acrylics).

The last piece was the story. For this there was no in-house resident muse, or at least one who was willing to step forward to do the job
(we are going to have to work on that!).

But you do have to love the Internet.

All you have to do is type in "cattail poem" and up pops all kinds of connections.

Like a moth drawn to a flame I found Jaime K. Reasor who penned a poem called Cattail.

Within the day I had permission from the author.

Add a simple closure and my book was complete.

 

I would highly recommend visiting Jaime's site:

www.talkingwaters-poetry.blogspot.com

 

and checking out her newest book: Sacred Reciprocity: Courting the Beloved in Everyday Life

Published by Hiraeth Press 2012

 

her talent and gifts will be immediately apparent.
Her words carefully chosen and used.

You will see why it was perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing to do now except to make paper.

The rest seems to flow along naturally... like water down a stream bed.

 

 

Monoprinting

I rushed out last night to catch the last of the leaves before the frost.

No.... I am not ready for bare trees yet!

I scuffled through the leaves on the ground, dried and brittle.

I jumped trying to reach the ones still on the trees.

There's so many things I wanted to try, I wailed!

Willow, big leaf maple, horsetail, tansy, silver leaf maples, nine bark, lilac,

with a little shelf liner and fun foam to spice it up.

Later I scanned them in and tried different filters in Photoshop.

It only makes me want to do more.

I guess there's always ivy, sword fern and cedar.

 

 

Amid the chaos

Amid the Chaos of life's tumult, the ups and downs and go-arounds... let us remember the only peace we may know personally is the one we make for ourselves. I remind myself to Be Calm so the space for peace opens up.

 

Rain

The first rains of the season started on Saturday just as I was leaving the Paper Trail sale. They have been so late this year, there can be no complaining about it. As I looked through the blur I spotted a rainbow. I took it to be a good sign.

Sunday arrived with clouds and a brisk breeze. It was walk weather, however by the time we made it to Flaming Geyser it was raining. Big blurpy rain drops.  No worries- we have extra large umbrellas.

 

Unfortunately it was too wet to go scuffling in the leaves.

So we continued on our way traveling down back roads past the pumpkin patch and corn maze to the farm stand for the autumn harvest foods. Who would have thought the best bargains would be the huge artichokes and fresh pinapples. Go figure!

 

It's my time of year!

 

Opportunities

Abounding opportunities!
It has been a busy month since I last wrote. Once a week there was rowing on the Verite and rowing in Tacoma's first Moon Festival.There was a hike to Burroughs Mtn. on the Sunrise side of Mt Rainier, kayaking twice, and we went to Port Townsend for a night on the town. And that was just in my spare time outside of work. In addition I have been to Seattle for, what I believe was a first time in Seattle, a project called "Zerolandfill." Yes, giggle, I brought home a box load of fabric samples and odd bits of this and that... but it was FREE! Wow! when architects clean out! I have already made something with one swatch. Okay, so I don't have any clue how I am going to use it all but then maybe I will trick or treat with it. You know, ring the door bell of someone who I know crafts, and then run like the dickens down the street. It could be dangerous - with bifocals and 2 left feet.

I also have been preparing for a sale called Paper Trails at King's Books in Tacoma on Oct 13. It started off with just desire to sell our Verite cards, then it grew into adding a few of my own things (a couple of books, some prints, and photographs). As you can see it morphed into something bigger. Next I needed a stand and now it is all about the display part. This is how it should look if all goes well. I have 3 feet in which to 'do my thing.' Regardless it is all about opportunity and zen. A perfect time to practice being in the moment of quiet surrender of what will be.

 

Verite is the gig I row on - she's a beauty.

Here's our blogspot telling all about her.

veritetacoma@blogspot.com

 

 

See the stack of fabric? Silks, wools, leatherettes - all the cast off's of Seattle's best.

 Add a little rusted paper and you have a book.

 

Check this out: www.zerolandfill.net

 

I don't know how the forces of metal, vinegar, salt and tea bags made that sweet little heart,

but I am taking it as a good sign.

International Day of Peace

Let there be Peace across the world.

Let it be soon, if it can't be now.

If it can't be soon, let us find out whats connects us and focus on that 

rather than what divides us and makes us different.

Take a breath,

Allow peace to flow into that space. 

Peace

unlike hate has to be grown.

Plant a seed.

Make a wish.

My wish is for peace.

Make a flag, hang it high.

Remind others peace is an option.

A choice.

 

The peacemakers of the world need all the helpers they can get. Mine is Miss Frizz.

Sweetpea book

The empty pods have given up their seeds, but the story flows out in a new form for there is much to say about the turning of the season.

 

Summer Fly Away

 

 

 

 

 

Like summer days, each seed takes wing and soon is gone leaving nothing but bare bones.

Thistledown

 

Launching day is not far away...

I might like to go along for the ride.

 

Mother Nature's Paint Brush

Walk with me up to Alta Vista Viewpoint on Mount Rainier.