Night Whispering Willow Spider Dream Catcher

 A Very Old  Ojibway Legend

  A long long time ago elders of the Ojibway tribe crafted beautiful circles out of Night Whispering Willow with intricate netting filling the void space inside the circle leaving but one tiny hole in the middle of it. The belief was all bad Dreams would be caught in the web and the good Dreams would continue on through the hole, a Night Seeing Owl's Feather then would dangle from the circle catching and guiding the good Dreams.

It was seventh grade when M was in History class and her teacher had invited a Native to tell the Legend of the Dream Catcher. I'm not sure which one of the Native Legends she was taught but she explained to me it was something to do with dew drops and sun and a spider and so this is the one I chose to tell.

"A spider was quietly spinning his web in his own space. It was beside the sleeping space of Nokomis, the grandmother. 

Each day, Nokomis watched the spider at work, quietly spinning away. One day as she was watching him, her grandson came in. "Nokomis-iya!" he shouted, glancing at the spider. He stomped over to the spider, picked up a shoe and went to hit it. 

"No-keegwa," the old lady whispered, "don't hurt him." 

"Nokomis, why do you protect the spider?" asked the little boy. 

The old lady smiled, but did not answer. When the boy left, the spider went to the old woman and thanked her for saving his life. 

He said to her, "For many days you have watched me spin and weave my web. You have admired my work. In return for saving my life, I will give you a gift." He smiled his special spider smile and moved away, spinning as he went. 

Soon the moon glistened on a magical silvery web moving gently in the window. "See how I spin?" he said. "See and learn, for each web will snare bad dreams. Only good dreams will go through the small hole. This is my gift to you. Use it so that only good dreams will be remembered. The bad dreams will become hopelessly entangled in the web." 

>A_A<  Forgive me for the bad pictures...just took them tonight so I could place her ad on Etsy this evening.They'll have to do until morning....they really don't do any justice to her work....I'm a terribly photographer and need desperately to take a class....hint hint Stan, kids...haha! Morning light will definitely be better....until then look at these shots just to give you an idea.

Emma asked me if I would be interested in selling some of her work on my Etsy store and of course without hesitation said yes. I really love when my kids show some interest in art, I think it's wonderful and I adore helping out. I truly hope she succeeds for I do believe she has made a beautiful art piece that anyone would be happy to own. Silly me I never knew the legend, I liked Dream Catchers because they reminded me of the Spider's Web, well it goes without saying one more reason why now I really, really love them….I adore Spider's Webs and Dreams, Crystals and Feathers and all together…wow just amazing!

 So here is the rest of her ad for Etsy.....

Night Whispering Willow Spider Dream Catcher 

Wherever you hang a dream catcher be sure it is positioned near a space where there is light and air for it will whimsically sway  when caressed by the breeze and inevitably will bring you drops of golden sun beautifully reflected in the gorgeous crystals caught in it's delicate spider like web.

In the midnight muse of your sleepy slumber you are well protected by the watchful dream catcher for it catches all the dreams both bad and good but it has the magic powers to snare the bad and all the good dreams pretty well know the secret door and softly slip through the key->hole sliding down a downy feather so quietly even the mouse in the house wouldn't know he was dreaming. And like the dissolving of a vampire caught in the sun's rising so do the bad dreams caught in the web turn into nothingness leaving behind a fairy dusted sparkling spidery lace silhouette upon your wall.You wake from a deep restful sleep, maybe lucky to recall some of those intriguing dreams ,fuelling your imagination with the coming of day.

Although this Dream Catcher is made with copper wire Emma informs me that she doesn't enjoy working with the material too much for it happens to be very hard on the hands but hopefully I will entice her into making more of this sort, they are truly lovely! I adore the gorgeous Spider she made from solder and glass crystals and when she completed it I had to laugh for it reminded me of Eight Legged Freaks; you know, the Arachnophobia movie about Spiders...haha the large goggly eyes she created, you can't miss them and are perfectly suited ...very whimsical.

Presently M is now working on another beautiful design which I promise will be just as capturing. 

This Dream Catcher is approximately 4" in diameter and has a several dew drops of gorgeous grey crystals. All made with copper wire. 

Shabby Tattered Decayed Roses ~ Old Lovelies Rose Garland for Lamp Shade

Did you know Sir William Flinders Petrie, the English archaeologist, discovered dried roses plaited in a ring in the tombs of Hawara in Egypt; they had been picked in 170 B.C. 

A magnificent Obsession of mankind 's; undoubtedly confirmed by it's beautiful visage and scent, romantic allure  and it's medicinal and beautifying properties imprinted throughout the history of our civilization. It's no wonder we are constantly smitten by it's gorgeous lusciousness. And so it comes without any surprise to me that I am always  consistently surrounded by roses and lured by their magical power.

After creating a multitude of luscious shabby tattered decayed lacy worn roses and  reading Thespoena Mclaughlin's Workshop Tutorial on creating a Decayed Elegance Bracelet I wondered what I could do with my stash . Remembering back when I was a little kid reading Cinderella, a picture comes to mind of bluebirds swirling around Cinderella with needle and thread carrying in flight beautiful ribbons and roses creating a magical dress truly fitting a princess. 

Closest Walt Disney Cinderella picture I could find of the book I remember owning.

So with that vision in mind I set out to create a garland but not for my usual fireplace but for my lampshade; yes, my lampshade! A while back I had covered a  miniature shade with  tattered Chantilly wedding lace and attached three small organza roses to it. It turned out quite lovely and antique looking and so so Romantic; a larger version seemed fitting. 

So here you are a Vintage Shabby Tattered and Worn Luscious Rose garland for a lamp shade which just so happens works wonders in creating a beautiful Romantic mood in it's subtle light. What a perfect blend of creating a shabby tattered rose lamp shade and simultaneously making it a functional veil omitting strong light when one wishes to be in a serene dreamy romantic mood. All that's required are a few clips ( vintage antique jewellery rhinestone clips would be gorgeous) to adhere the garland to the light shade and when you want stronger light , just remove it ; it's even washable! Viola, I love this idea; do you?

Oh and I luv how my birdie turned out; it just needs a little sparkle to it's attire.

Thanks again  to Thespoena McLaughlin for the inspiration and tutorial for helping me create this garland and bird.

Sea of Roses ~ Art Waiting to be Completed

  

Top for a Shell Bottle

Ahhhhhhh.....so Romantic is the Rose! Their scent intoxicating and beauty captivating, no wonder throughout history they have endlessly been adored. My heart skipped a beat when I first created my very first fabric rose and since then I've been unstoppable!!!

I have a few ideas what to do with these lovely roses and two art pieces will be a bracelet and a garland; no doubt there will definitely be other ways to use these beauties made of Chantilly lace , old lace, and gorgeous cotton cream embossed fabric.

Elements for my .......

Victorian or Edwardian or Medieval or maybe Pre ~ Raphaelite Cuff Bracelet  ~ not sure what style yet.

And then there are the bird houses.This one is a very old pattern my stepdad had from his father dating back to the forties era I believe. I envisioned a enchanted cottage in the wood and thought of incorporating the secret door using an old vintage art deco jewellery box.So many things could be hidden behind the secret door, just imagine. I also thought a magical cottage wouldn't do without having magical powers , wisteria hanging from the eaves and Amethyst just seemed to fit perfectly. I had found these semi precious rocks at the thrift store and knew someday they make great adornments for my work. The exterior of the cottage is made up of crystallized fossils which I gathered on my nature walks in the wild wood.The other smaller bird houses are made of fabric, cartons and bark.

 Enchanted Cottage in the Wood Beyond the World

I forgot to take a pic of the open door........later

 And so as you can see just from this little glimpse of my work that's waiting patiently to be completed I have enough to keep me busy for a very long time.

 Until next time,

A Pirate's Treasure ~ Molly the Pirate

A Pirate's Treasure ~ Molly the Pirate


Hi Molly, here is your bottle ; the  prize in my Halloween Blog Contest you won ... a little late, more than a little. 
Anyway, here it is.

I placed some fine sand inside it with a few soft pink shells. Then I added a small crystal and pearl necklace around the neck of it. I also added some more crystals around the shell.

I know it's been a while coming but I think you totally understand why. I mailed it yesterday and it should arrive to you by next Thursday or Friday at the latest by air mail. Hope you like it. And again so sorry for such a long wait.

A Romantic Treasure Hunt

Love in a Treasure Keep

A while back I made this Treasure Chest with crystallized fossils I found during a walk in the woods. I really didn't know what to do with them being so small but I already had the chest and the heart nugget and then the idea of a Treasure in a chest gave me the thought of what could be more precious than life and love and so the Little Treasure Keep was born. Now I am back to creating these Little Treasure Keeps for my Etsy shop.

Giving your loved ones a special day hunting for love tokens throughout the house or garden doesn't seem to be such a bad idea......

Happy Valentines Day 

Petals 

Life is a stream
On which we strew
Petal by petal the flower of our heart;
The end lost in dream,
They float past our view
We only watch their glad, early start.
Freighted with hope,
Crimsoned with joy,
We scatter the leaves of our opening rose;
Their widening scope,
Their distant employ,
We never shall know. And the stream as it flows
Sweeps them away,
Each one is gone
Ever beyond into infinite ways.
We alone stay
While years hurry on,
The flower fared forth, though its fragrance still stays.

Amy Lowell

Etsy Shop Banner..." Tansy " A Place of FairyTales and Dandelion Dreams

New banner I made for my shop but needs some adjusting.

Shelter from the Storm

Picture by Nancy from Ottawa Ontario Canada.

Little Friends Dining Out in a Winter Storm

No matter the weather these little feathered fellows found time to get together and share some quality time , even in a snow storm!

Yesterday was my first class in Diabetes education at the Kemptville District Hospital.

Even in the storm over 20 people braved the weather and attended the 8 am class. I was lucky to have a chauffeur, my daughter who drove us safely there and back and was patient enough to stay there with me for the entire day just to support me.....love you M! Today is the second class that completes the course and after that I will get an individual appointment with the RD to follow a life plan in better eating.I hope I can make the changes for if I don't I am now realizing just how devastating this disease can become. So along with my other ailments this is the most recent one that has moved in the residence....haha! I should seriously make it less inviting, better get my house cleaned up!!!

So, needless to say the show of attendees was large , an indicator that this disease is far bigger than I thought and more serious than I previously knew. The educator giving the class Nancy Goetz RN, CDE gives a very informative class at the hospital along with Megan Blair the RD and Melanie Atkinson BScD.Pod.M Chiropodist. I'm thankful that here in Canada we have this kind of health assistance at our disposal , we are very fortunate indeed. I thank these gals immensely for their support.

Yesterday was a little like these birds, a group of strangers got together;sheltered from the storm, had a bite to eat, talked about the weather and their new grocery lists that would bring them a little sunshine into their world.

Until next time....God Bless

If you are reading this post Molly, I have a bottle for you that I made last week. .....ready to ship out this coming Friday....I haven't forgotten.

Love Hurts .......Truth is kinda of scary

* Probably one of the best teachers ever portrayed , and here he gave a real message:



Well, I... I don't know how to answer you, except to say that I teach you truths. My truths. Yeah, and it is kinda scary, dealing with the truth. Scary, and dangerous... Mark Thackeray ~ To Sir With Love



I seriously think humanity has always been in a period of questioning it's life here on Earth, it's purpose and reason for it's existence. It is only now that as we age and get closer to the other side that everything becomes more in perspective and gets examined under a magnifying glass with quite some zeal .


My life, our lives, have been turned upside down in the last month , and although I hate to be writing this all gloom and doom, I find it a must to relate my feelings openly in black and white, even if no one reads it. Relating a moment of life in diary ,a simple brief release of emotion written in ink but really written from the heart.


I have other means of elevating emotion and rendering my body and soul some space for healing but words today are my escape, more like , a temporary patch to remedy my problems. Writing is a form of art, an immediate way to express what one feels inside ; painting maybe it's parallel but I've chosen to use the keyboard.


So here is what has transpired and is transpiring at this time. It may make you feel sorry and sad for all affected and perhaps give you a clearer picture of your own life ; for better or worse, hopefully for the better.



There has been many health issues in our immediate family and extended families but 2010/2011 has got to be the worse! Looking back a few years ago I was hospitalized for endometriosis with entangled organs having to undergo a hysterectomy. Then knee surgery followed and was diagnosed with Rheumatic Arthritis , rampant cholesterol and diabetes not to mention dealing with a herniated disc which now I have learned my aunt who is three years younger than myself happens to have as well . Needless to say , in both our cases they are inoperable. Then last fall, after holidaying in the Dominican Republic my mom contracted an ecoli infection and suffered innumerable set backs and was hospitalized for quite some time. While all this was happening my husband was diagnosed with some form of heart ailment which to this day is still under investigation , possible ARVC , now both our kids and my husband's two sisters need to be tested .


In October my son suffered a concussion a day before hubby was going in for eye surgery. Thankfully he was okay. The following day my husband had a Pterygium removed from his retina ( a growth caused by uv radiation) but a week later suffered a retina detachment in the other eye . After gas bubbles didn't work he was admitted that same week for emergency surgery and both his eyes were operated on. He still needs cataract surgery, what he initially had gone in for in the first place. Then in November our friend and neighbour suffered an aneurysm and died leaving behind a wife and three boys; his boys lost their first mom 14 years ago. My dad was diagnosed with cancer on his nose and was also operated the same month but quickly fell ill a few days later with double pneumonia and water under his heart and lungs, remaining in hospital for over a month. And my sister and her partner both have had their share of troubles and tribulations.My sister's partner also had to have a partial hysterectomy , while my sister ,for some time now has been dealing with severe depression. But out of all these problems the big one hit us January 4 /2011. My stepdad was taken by paramedics to hospital when his speech and reasoning seemed incoherent, prognosis Glioblastoma. Needless to say after a lengthy operation to extract the tumour (6 hours) I was unaware that my blood pressure had surged to a very dangerous level and was told to stay home, rest and take medication to elevate the anxiety. So I have followed doctor's orders , you're no good to anyone if you yourself is incapacitated and at the moment there are so many more underlining issues that are also of concern but I must push them aside for now in my best interest, a little selfish I know, but I have no choice if I want to be here for my myself and my family.


And so , just being able to write this is a start to healing from the initial shock of what has transgressed in our lives and like I quoted Pasternack in my previous post "You must never, never despair, whatever the circumstances. To hope and to act are our duties in misfortune. To do nothing and to despair is to neglect our duty."


is something we all must always remember to do, even as hard as it gets. I promise that for myself and you the reader my next post will be one of positive nature and hopefully give inspiration and joy, until then God Bless.