unfold your wings

I have been lost in the little details of my life...
My artist doors have been closed, I have been stumbling in my studio the last few days trying to get back into the zone, The ideas try to come but nothing is quite right, My hands and my heart have been in two different places it seams. But in the back of my head I can hear Catharine cheering me on and saying "just play Ruth, do what makes YOU happy."

Over this last year I have been so blessed to have encountered much personal and professional growth, I am grateful that my life has slowed down a little now and over the last past month I have been very still within myself, trying to hear my own true voice once more, A few days ago I found this amazing section from Rumi, Masnavi III,1616-23
it has captivated me and I have been reflecting on it over and over:
Unfold your wings

Just as staying home is easy for some.
traveling comes easily to others.
Each of us was made for some particular kind of work,
and the desire for that work.
has been placed in our hearts.
How should hand and foot
be set in motion without desire?
If you see your desires leading towards the heavens,
unfold your wings and clam it;
but if you see your desire bends to the earth,
keep lamenting.
The wise weep at the beginning;
The foolish beat there heads at the end.
Discern the end from the beginning
so that you may not be repenting
when the day of reckoning arrives.
~ Rumi

Yesterday I got to meet up with two amazing art girls.
Kristen Robinson and Karen Cole

It was A perfect southern California day at the Huntington library and gardens .
We were all captivated by the 15th century books that were on view (my fingers were itching to pass over the pages!) Enjoyed a delicious English Afternoon Tea, followed by a walk around the grounds. Giggling all along the way!
Reflation is good and personal growth is necessary, but living life in the now is what it is truly about! so its time for me to open the doors and let life shine in!

Quilting Arts gift

I just got my issue of Quilting Arts gift (you can order a copy here)
The Cover art is the handy work of Beryl Taylor, who's inspiring work I just discovered! and who's book I just ordered! and can not wait to get my hands on!
(How have I never noticed her work!? I must be guilty of hiding under my own little mixed media rock!)



In this issue you will also find a article by me, on how I create fabric cones,
cheek out Quilting Arts Gifts Online Extras and you can see the back of this cone here.


and because this was a special Holiday issue they asked all the contributing authors to send in a hand made Holiday card, you can see all our cards here.

(My Holiday card)

art quotes
There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it.
::: Henry Moore :::

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.
::: Og Mandino :::

I dream a lot. I do more painting when I'm not painting. It's in the subconscious.
::: Andrew Wyeth :::

You're sitting there with your muse and your muse is telling you something and you’re following it, and you end up the next day looking at it and thinking "what the hell was the muse saying to me?"
::: Nathan Oliveira :::

change

“To receive everything, one must open one's hands and give”
~Taisen Deshimaru

I spent the better part of yesterday working on my website.... there are a few more things I need to add and tweak and add but for the most part I am done!


Sarah my daughter took this picture of my hands:


after she said "mom your hands look old!"
ouch! she was right! but they are my hands and I do love them so! They are so good to me!
so with old in mind I swiftly turned them sepia then I started to photo shop the heck out of the image.... now please keep in mind I know just enough photo shop to know that I need to learn more about it! But I was happy with how this turned out.

as you can see I took the dive and started to change the look of my blog.
I have wanted to get a 3 columns blog skin for some time now, but now that I have it I am not so sure I like it. but I did find this great site if you have blogger you need to take a peek here

I have been detached from my art studio for almost a month now... but next week I will start working again as I have a few projects that I need to get started on. I think this rest away has been good for me, new ideas have needed to take shape in my head now lest just see if I can work them out and into some new art from me.

Now when ever I think about hands and change... this song always comes to mind :)

My own two hands
By: Ben Harper

I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make it a better place
With my own two hands
Make it a kinder place
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a brighter place
With my own two hands
I'm going to make it a safer place
With my own two hands
I'm going to help the human race
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I can hold you
In my own two hands
I can comfort you
With my own two hands
But you've got to use
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
Use your own
Use your own two hands
With our own
Our own two hands
With our own
Our own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

The Art of Thankfulness

Its a good thing when you get to mix business and pleasure and that is just what I got to do this weekend in Reno with 12 fearless first time jewelry artist who gave it there all!

Nancy started the class by sharing how to create a mixed media angel pendent. once the girls altered the angels it was my turn to show them how to twist and coil wire.

(view slide show)

sore fingers aside they all had fun! and ever one in this class did one amazing job!
(“A project similar to this will be stepped out in "A Charming Exchange"
and can now be pre-ordered)

On Friday Night I went out with friends and was treated to a most amazing night, we had drinks and dinner at Charlie Palmer's followed by a performance by the stunning BB King and his band.

When this man walked onto the stage you felt his presence... the music filled the air but after each song he would take his hands cross and cover them over his heart
or take them up and place them in front of his head in graduate and thanks for all his gifts, for the music, then BB would talk and share the story's of his life ... AMAZING!

His Thankfulness of his art touched me so deep... for some times when I am trying to work things out in my head ... I find myself so thankful right before the creativity comes out, I some time will just bow my head down and rest it between my hands and give thanks for what is trying to come out of me.

If we focus on the good things in our life, even more good things will come.
We must always be thankful for all the beauty and grace in our life's.

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. —Meister Eckhardt

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

I just got back from a very self indulgent trip!
when 2 moms take off for 6 days and leave the kids at home it is a treat beyond words!


Nancy and I spent our days site seeing, shopping , eating and drinking pool side

and lets not forget the countless trips to the most amazing spa !
ever inch of our body's were scrubbed and massaged into a blissful submission!

(view as slide show)

Puerto Vallarta
is at the base of a rain forest and lets just say I never new that my knee cap could sweat!

But the charming cobble stone streets

The kind venders selling there street food

and the lush green follage made it all worth it.

The people of Mexico were all so friendly and lucky for us they all spoke English, because the only Spanish word I know is Margarita!

I came home to a few fun art treats
I got this great Banner from Jen Bowles
I put it up in my studio above my sewing table.
Jen had no idea what a nut job I am for old mother of pearl buttons but on my banner she used some from her mother in laws button box who's name was Ruth as well so it was a extra spacial treat for me! :)


(Dolls from left to right by: Sally Sal, Kara Klein and Tammie Moore)

these are the dolls that I received from the Tammie Moore
paper doll swap... I put them on my glass pantry door in my kitchen so please excuse the mess!


Tammie also included a little good bag filled with some of her resin charms! I can not wait to do something fun with the crow head!


Sewn atc's
These are ATC's from a monthly swap I do with a group of girls that Wendy Cooper (she does not have a blog) has put together, each month is a new theme. You can see my card that i made for the group here.

I have needed to a little break from art and creativity as my life has been so full with deadlines.
I now find my self in a creative cocoon , ideas have been swirling around in my head... but none are fully formed or ready to come out just yet.

Here are a few goals that I have for now:

1. I want to play with my house a little and move things around and regroup and nest.
2. I will get back to yoga (and to help inspire me I will make this Amy Buttler, nigella yoga bag )
3. update my blog and website
4. finish reading: Eat, Pray, Love that I started in Mexico.
5. allow my inner muse to dream a little more before she comes back out to play!
   

"Beauty is one of the rare things which does not lead to doubt of God." — Jean Anouilh

book is complete and art studio's

I had a really bad cold! and it may have taken me three boxes of tissue
(puffs with lotion) and 2 boxes of Tylenol cold medication and many cups of hot mint tea... but this past week Kelly and I feverishly completed "A Charming Exchange" and it is now in the hands of our #1 craft editor with 8 more piece of jewelry on there way to her. With the BIG part of this project behind us Kelly and I can now spend some much needed time with our family's that must believe that we have up and joined an art cult!

(this is are new, almost done outdoor fire place we had dinner outside the last 2 nights trying to decided what kid of table we want to get, we are leaning towards round)


As promised here are the 2 amazing art studio I got to visit when I was in Reno:

The first one belongs to mixed media artist Nancy Nelson and I must add that this studio was totally organized until I showed up and completely trashed it! Nancy is one amazing collector of all things vintage!

This is the weaving studio of Toni Lowden the driving force behind Artouring, Artouring offers a cultural “behind the scenes” look at the artistic community that makes its collective home in the Reno-Tahoe-Virginia City area. Tours take you into the artist’s studios that are not normally open to the public, to meet and talk with them and to see their work.

I will be heading back to Reno at the end of the mouth to teach a 2 day mixed media art jewelry work shop along with Nancy and Toni for the artouring group.

But for now I need to pack up for a little rest and relaxation trip to Puerto Vallarta, mexico, I leave this Saturday, I am a lucky girl! I can not wait to be inspired by all the local art and colors!

Winner

Congratulations Corrine you have won Je' Temie
(please email me your address so I can get it in the mail)

I have been busy working on the last little bits of "a charming exchange"
Kelly has done one fantastic job writing for our book! now its just up to me to finish up a few little things :)


These Dolls will be going out to Tammie today for her Halloween paper doll swap. I made them when I was in Reno for Nancy's Birthday! ( I will share with you 2 amazing art studio's I visited when I was there next week)