New Project Continued

 The fourth page is titled "Baby's Home"

The fifth and Sixth pages are titled "Woodland Fairies"

I have drawn trees before as a template for my mosaics but these were the first that I have drawn that were so stark and eerie looking. Fairies live and frolic in beautiful forests also (FYI).

I have been having a fun time with this book and still have many pages to fill.

New Project Continued

 Here is the second page which started the theme "Baby Fairies".

The third page continues with the theme "Baby Fairies".

A New Project

 Once again I lost interest in my current mosaic and realized that I needed a new avenue in Art to pursue.  I have started drawing and doing collage. My daughter gave me a journal with a fairy on the front. It inspired me to start creating pages filled with drawings, stickers, ephemera, and assorted items used in journals and mixed media projects. I have found a new outlet to express myself creatively. Here is the first page.

Mosaic Progress Report

 I have been plugging along with this mosaic. To complete my new vision for this mosaic, I had to order some new mosaic tiles in different hues of blue. And I am so glad that I did. That original blue glass that surrounds the butterfly is very stark and doesn't work as a background for the whole piece. 

I am working on the top right now (light blue glass)so, it is presenting upside-down. The left side (inside the yellow millefiori border) is finished and will make sense once the right side is completed. When working with a mosaic that has so much going on in the middle area, it is necessary to have the sides soothing with a place for the eyes to rest and to frame the striking design or else it is too chaotic.

We are only ten days away from Christmas and I am happy to say that all the presents have been sent and the rest are here that are meant for here. Although, I do still have some gift wrapping yet to do. I love decorating the house for Christmas and baking goodies, but I also take pleasure in just kicking back and enjoying the fruits of my labor, right?

Even though it's the holidays, I will still be making time to work on my mosaic and I will post again when I have made more progress. Until then, I hope you and yours have a Magical Holiday!

Make Time for What You Love

 I picked up this mosaic (again) that I started years ago. Parts of it are lovely and others are merely pedestrian. It has made me realize that instead of forcing myself to continue to do uninspired work when I reach an impasse; it is time to stop and walk away until a worthy idea spurs me onward.

 From this place that I am now in my work, I am trying to save this depressing mess. Perhaps my empathy for this mosaic is driven by the way it reflects my mosaic journey. I started out creating mosaics from my heart. So much love and joy went into them. Then I thought I should make mosaics that other people might like and sell them on Etsy. Of course, I would get inspired and create a mosaic that I loved and could not sell. Then I would feel that I should make something to sell. I have now come to understand that my mosaic journey needs to be fueled by love and joy. I no longer will create a mosaic for the purpose of making a sale, but my mosaics are to be an expression of me through the medium of mosaic.

During the pandemic, I have had absolutely no luck in creating new mosaics. The fairy door is a hideous mess and I started a mosaic of a mermaid that failed miserably due to uninspired choices. As soon as I finish or set aside this twice abandoned mosaic, I am going to attempt a mosaic that has been haunting me for years,but one that I felt was beyond my abilities to properly execute. But then I figured if not now then when...

Here is the mosaic mess I am trying to save. The left side is amazing but the butterfly surrounded by blue glass does not fit, right. And the dragonfly at the top has ugly, boring wings. Stop laughing and saying it belongs in the trash. Okay, the challenge is great; I admit. However, I have been inspired and so I want to try and save it. I'll keep you updated and hopefully, surprise us both.

COVID HEARTBREAK

 Once again I am back after a serious amount of time has passed. The Fairy Door mosaic was a disaster in epic proportions (always wanted to use that phrase but not to describe my mosaic attempts). Thought I would deal with that before I jumped into the unfortunate reason for writing in my blog after all this time.

My older brother, Jim, died of Covid last Sunday. I was told that he went in to take a nap and passed in his sleep. He has battled MS for years, but he loved life, his family, and was a positive force (most of the time) in his world. He will be missed.

I am still wearing a mask when I go out for all the folks like my brother who would not survive having Covid. I really do not like wearing a mask but I feel it is a compassionate response to the fact that Covid is still with us and is life threatening. A lot of people are not wearing masks and unfortunately, that is their choice. 

Update from Sheltering in Place

I cannot believe that it has been over a year since I wrote in this blog! I have had to reinvent myself so many times in the last 20 years that you would think I was a pro at it, but I'll be honest; this time has been almost impossible.

When I broke my elbow, I became so fragile and dependent on others for everything for the first time in my life. I lost my identity, and was afraid that I had lost the ability to come back physically from this injury. Finally, I was doing yoga a couple times a week and working out for 45 minutes to 70 minutes a couple times a week. Then the shelter-in-place order was given, I still do yoga but I cannot go to the gym (it's closed, of course) and I do a little walking but my allergies have been so bad that I end up coughing and sneezing which doesn't make me very popular with my neighbors.

I have been working on a mosaic of a fairy doorway, however; I have been trying to figure out the color of the actual door. I thought I had it and spent a lot of time cutting glass only to discover that I didn't like what I had chosen (thank goodness I had not glued any of it down yet) Now I believe I am on the right track. I just had to ask myself, "what is the color of your favorite fairy door?" So, I also think I am no longer stuck because I realized that I had the ability to do and be to the best of my ability whatever I choose. But realistically, the choosing has to be within the scope of  what I am capable of in this moment.

We are all limited in our choices by this pandemic and it makes for many challenges that we are not prepared for. These feelings of having little control over our lives, losing our identities, being held in limbo, and afraid that we or someone we love will become sick. These are all valid feelings and they all lead down the road to depression and sadness (they are two of closest friends). Think of all that you have done and overcome. When I do that, I resolve to do my best to create this new "me" and although, it is probably going to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do I am committed to staying the course.

From the time we are born, through all the socialization, and learning experiences we are searching for a purpose. With this new beginning, our purpose can be something that we always felt was too out of reach and the fear of failing was always holding us back. Everything is at a standstill because EVERYTHING  has failed to keep us safe and the status quo is nil.

This is our time to reevaluate our choices and do something that maybe we have forgotten to do. Let's determine how we want to live our lives with this clean slate. As I asked myself what my favorite fairy door color is; I believed that I would know. We can ask ourselves what will my life look like when this is over. What do I want it to look like? What steps do I take to make it happen or maybe just...what is the first step. And believe that I will know what I need to do and that I will be there to do this for me.

I don't know if this makes sense to anyone. I just felt compelled to write something from my heart. I will be posting a picture of the fairy door with the glass that was chosen for the door before and after to let you see the transition soon. Stay safe in hope and love (And if you are a believer in something greater than yourself) and prayer.