Friends and Sisters

A piece created for my "sister" and long standing friend, Joan Blake. ....her Christmas present, as it were. One doll was created from heart embroidered denim; the other doll created from floral embroidered linen. The denim-ed peacock is me; the more sophisticated linen represents Joan. We have had many years of wonderful friendship and sisterhood! About 45 years, I think. The seed beads were hand sewn on each doll; the pins are vintage pieces found and added. Coral and turquoise beads were added to provide stability for the standing dolls. Vintage lace was formed over a wooden block using a "porcelain" treatment product.

Contemplating the Year's End......

I have no idea if I have any words of wisdom for this entry. I've been finishing up projects and making a list of up-coming projects for 2010. A NEW decade; everyone is proclaiming! I wonder where this past decade went. LOL....I am retired for ten years now and the passage of time just seems so innocuous. I've tried to make great strides lately to recall parts of my life as to what ages I did what things, and what do I really remember? My husband is so great at remembering stuff; I just sit there and think, "No, I don't really remember that." "That really happened? When?" and I do not have dementia yet either. I've tried to control my emotions I guess, and not mark the things in life that I had no control over. I do have plenty of sad/bad things that I remember doing...sins that I committed that only God and I know about. Maybe that's why I don't remember the other stuff! I remember my old life and compare it to myself (sometimes) with this my new and happier life. I do know that I don't want the old life back!!

Another of the Old Guard died on Christmas Eve Day: Elva Buck. She was a LADY! I can only hope that her family truly appreciated her. She was one of my mother's friends....a great organist and piano-ist who played for my mother when she sang her "hard" songs that no one sings any more. This lady was always so gracious and made you think that you were the most important person in the world to her when you talked to her. I don't think I have that gift. My husband says that we are becoming the "Old Guard" now. Anyway, heaven is richer for this lady.

My friend posing up above is a jester piece that I created quite some time ago. I really need a great name for this bear! I'm going to post it on http//www.bearpile.com. I tried to keep it simple and have the attention go to the face area. The hat is created from vintage upholstery fabrics, decorated with glass pearls, and a vintage clip of wooden pearlized beads. The mohair is a soft orange color; the bear is fully jointed and filled with glass beads and fiberfill stuffing. Maybe she needs a friend to go with her??

A Title?? It's a Cold One Here Today.....

You know, as Winter stretches out before me, I always think I'm going to use my time wisely and get so many creative projects done. What happens actually, is that the darkness of winter over takes me and I "rest" like some of God's other critters. I have a couple of deadlines coming up June/August where I've committed to complex creations, so I have to determine not to succumb to the Winter "Blues". I miss Florida; it would energize me so during this time of year.

My favorite Christmas gift from my husband, has been the gift card from Barnes & Noble. I do enjoy reading; it exercises my imagination, and also I get to travel to places that I have not been to before. One book that had a few statements that impacted me was SUITE FRANCAISE by Irene Nemirovsky. I read this one LAST winter, but there were a couple of lines that made me sit up and notice. This book is about the occupation of France in the early 1940's, and how a small French town had to learn to live with the occupiers--German soldiers. Pages 177 and 178 contain a discussion by a couple whose fortunes have fallen on hard times because of the storm of this war.

"You mean you still don't understand that nobody cares about anybody?"
She looked at him. "You're strange, Maurice. You've seen people at their most cynical, their most disillusioned, and at the same time you're not unhappy, I mean, not really unhappy inside! Am I wrong?"
"No."
"So what makes it all right, then?"
"My certainty that deep down I'm a free man," he said, after thinking for a moment. "It's a constant, precious possession, and whether I keep it or lose it is up to me and no one else. I desperately want the insanity we're living through to end. I desperately want what has begun to finish. In a word, I desperately want this tragedy to be over and for us to try to survive it, that's all. What's important is to live:.....One day at a time. To survive, to wait, to hope."

There's another line that I believe goes along with this: "You shall know the truth, and the TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE." Truth is hard to come by, I think. My hope is for anyone reading this, (HAH!) that you are learning the TRUTH.....Truth is rather tenuous now days.

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a lovely day yesterday, with two family members missing. My DH found a paper on the meaning of Thanksgiving that my Mother had written; I had overlooked this when I went through her papers. (So many papers, so little time.) So here it is: I read this among some tears before we ate our feast.

"WHAT THANKSGIVING MEANS TO ME: WHO IS THANKSGIVING? You and me: for living in this wonderful country of America blessed with freedom to speak, worship, live, spend, earn as we please and are able. You and me for knowing and worshiping is a loving, organized, fair, compassionate, all-knowing GOD who cares for us in everything. All of us for having been given the financial means of obtaining this lovely building to worship our GOD in beauty and holiness. All of us for using our talents in building and decorating this lovely building for GOD'S service. All of us for being receipients of GOD'S grace and bounty.

WHEN IS THANKSGIVING? Our formal Thanksgiving comes at the end of a munificent season of growth and bounty from GOD'S earth. When all the crops are gathered in and we are free to gather together to sing our praises to GOD and give our thanks for showering such as HIS bounty on us. Our president has decreed such a day set aside for all our country to publicly thank GOD for all these blessings. We are GOD'S people. We know HIS WORD....are we content to thank HIM only one day a year? "In everything give thanks"....when does everything come? Every moment of the day, everyday of the week....all the time....forever. Thank you Lord for everything.

WHAT IS THANKSGIVING? Thanksgiving is giving thanks. Saying Thank You! I appreciate what you have done for me. This we learn from our childhood. Thank you is for everyday living. However, Thanksgiving is for a special purpose. Giving thanks to GOD for all the wonderful things HE has given. Not only food for this day, but home and family, jobs, and talents; sun and rain, day and night, things and feelings, sick and well, dark and light, love and caring.....ALL THINGS.

WHERE IS THANKSGIVING? Thanksgiving is here in our lovely building among our friends; at home at dinner with our family, in GOD'S world and HIS WORD. In our hearts full of gratitude to HIM who gives us all our needs and has more to give as we ask while loving HIM."

This may have been Mom's "piece" to read when Memphis Baptist Church had its dedication for the new church building. One man lost his life while building the roof for this building. (I forgot the date when this church was built....) I would encourage whoever reads this, if anyone, that you give thanks in EVERYTHING good or bad for there is a reason and purpose that you've had or experienced certain things in your life. Sometimes we go our own way not believing that there IS a greater force (GOD) out there directing our paths. Life is not meant to be an easy glide....we'd like that, but then we would not develop any CHARACTER. Life's trials and tribulations give us our needed character....our essence.

Just a few comments from a Politically Incorrect Gal

Well, I'd thought of quite a few things to write about this week, but didn't get to it, so of course, the "senior moment" took over and it all left me. On Facebook this am., there was a "survey" about political correctness in our language and whether it had "gone too far", etc. Of course, our language has changed so much lately, that the words we had specific meanings for has turned into something else! We listen to the politicians talk and we THINK we know what they are saying, only to find out that they didn't say what we thought they were saying. Take the newest member to get elected to the House of Rep. in Washington: he promised to not vote for the health care bill, but DID vote for the bill and promptly broke 4 of his campaign "promises" within one hour of being sworn in.

A friend of mine wrote about "common sense", but I believe that is now an "oxymoron." It is no longer common nor does it make sense. We are being manipulated by an elite system who believes they know more about what is the best for us instead of we ourselves. And, I find I feel I have to be discreet with my "liberal democrat friends" since I am now not moving in the "new" direction. I STILL believe in the INDIVIDUAL and the importance of freedom and the Constitution, but I can see that this is NOT the "NEW" way. I am to support others who I am NOT responsible for, who had nothing to do with raising me or giving me values, who did not support me when I was working my way through college, and who, seemingly, are not willing to be responsible for themselves!

So what happened to thinking for oneself? And using the brain the God (oops!) created for us? Are you still wanting to be spoon fed everything that is tossed out there? Or are you wanting to RESEARCH what's really happening to us in the country? Do you think you make a difference or are you willing to sit back and watch history repeat itself here in the "Good Ole USA"?

TOLERANCE: endurance; the disposition to tolerate beliefs, practices, or habits differing from one's own;

Peacocks??

I tried to find out some info on peacocks and their characteristics to see why I was fascinated by them. I found a lot on how to raise them, etc. but not much on behavior. LOL....all God's creatures have some behavioral qualities. We know these birds love to strut their stuff and show off their beauty. I did find one comment that stated that peacocks were "quarrelsome and does not mix well with other domestic animals." Uh-Oh...I didn't want to discover that, though I do admit to not needing a great amount of social contact among the human species.

Peacocks are members of the pheasant family, and pretty independent, from what I gathered in info collecting. I identified with them when I was in a college course and had to identify what animal I thought I was...we had to charade it! How can I say that I feel beautiful on the inside, when on the OUTSIDE I'm not so beautiful? But, I've always loved the idea of being beautiful; I think this came from the need to be desired, since all beautiful people are desirable, Right?

So, I create bling, art dolls, art bears, and "artist" handbags. I hope these express the "peacock look" that I'm after. Of course, I am always reminded that "man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." So, since I believe that I want to spend my eternity with The Lord, I am trying to find out more about having a heart like Jesus'. It ain't easy to be sure, since I'm just the human and do not have His supernatural qualities. But, I am a work in progress. At 65, I may not have much time left to work on this!

"It Don't Mean A Thing.....If It Ain't Got That Swing!"

The newest art bear creation using Duke Ellington's tune for the theme. This is my latest favorite...art bear creation, that is. Duke Ellington's tune has always summed it up for me music wise. I always loved the "devil's" music....blues, rock, torch songs, Big Band stuff, Michael Buble'...Queen with Freddie Mercury was my last rock band favorite. I felt that after his death, modern music was incomprehensible mostly, and does not deserve a "music" term. I'm sure "age" (Oh! There that is again!) may have something to do with it. I just feel sorry for this generation that has no melody, that's all. Anyway, we all were brought up on the classics, which AT THE TIME, I could not appreciate those either. But AGE changed that. Our mother was our culture expert, giving us a love for music and books. We were to experience all kinds and not just wallow in one type.

My brother wrote me today mentioning how his views of aging had changed. Our age legacy goes up into the nineties, and we both decided we felt pretty young for being in the sixties. So we're gonna get all the gusto we can from the "few remaining years left." HAH! If you know Jesus, you know that age is forever! Think of all that great music in heaven!! The Buttons (our family) will be singing "Jerusalem!" and "Hallelujah!" up there in whatever part harmony is given us.

October 17...Mom's Birthday!

Today Mom would have been 92. Sister & I are going to Friendly's to celebrate. Mom's favorite ice creams were Maple walnut-butter pecan. Well, I probably won't have either of these, since I am not a lover of any kind of nuts in my ice cream! The last year of Mom's life was hard for us; harder for my sister since she chose to care for her. Dementia is not a pretty thing to witness...think child-like only it's more than that. Roles are reversed and the mother becomes the child. We were reared to "honor thy father & thy mother" and so that meant we were to take care of her to the end. She was a music person, graduating from Syracuse University in piano and voice. She told me one time that she had wanted to be any opera singer; something that takes much practice, I'm sure. However, I cannot identify with the opera too much...but Mother sang in the church and hard stuff that one doesn't hear any more in church. I can only hope that she is singing these praises to our Lord Jesus in Heaven right now.

Mother was a willful person, ecpecting that her children would do the challenges that SHE desired for them. It has held me in good stead....standing in public singing with her as a child, memorizing church "pieces" and learning to enunciate and PROJECT so that she could hear me in the back row (that was the test), and not quitting on anything that I attempted to do. Figure out how to overcome the obstacles and complete the ideas. Now that ˆI call myself and art bear and art doll artist, I find myself laying awake at 2:30 am. trying to figure out the ways around the project so that it comes out looking "good" even if the piece takes on it's own personality. All of Mom's five kids had their own personalities; we all fooled her in that respect. And now I find my creations do the same thing to me. So as Risha & I go about our plans for today, we shall think of Mom and her many influences on us. Risha beads; she sings, too--all encouraged by Eleanor Elizabeth DeWaters Button!

October 9, 2009
This is "Whiskas" a nice little bear guy that is found on http://www.bearpile.com.

Apparently there are scam "artists" everywhere trying to get something for nothing, as bearpile.com is in an uproar over someone "ordering" all these unique and creative bears. I have learned that if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Of course, I'd love to have a sale for this little guy, but have had some hands-on education with fraud in this business. Here how it works to buy product from me: pay the $$ and I'll send you the item. Period. While "Whiskas" is looking for a new home, he is still safe with me for now.

On another note: all you doll or bear artists who wish to get your work seen online, you can list your bear items inexpensively on bearpile.com. Dolls can be listed for FREE on http://www.dollpile.com. I have two dolls listed there, and I have two more that I am going to list. Both sites are run by the same webmaster.

Wednesday, October 7,2009

Well, we're going to try this blogging for a bit; I had a blog page on my last website (http://mac.com/maggiescreations). But, I think this website is lost in outer space, since Mac.com is now something else. Isn't it amazing that one just gets used to creating things a certain way, and then POOF! something "new" comes along that is supposed to be bigger and better. LOL....anyway, I'm kind of a repressed writer....doesn't everyone have the desire to contribute something for posterity? The title of this blog was going to be the title of my first novel, but since I am now experiencing time restraints, (AGE!), we'll try this out. It's not really an ego thing....what wisdom do I have to offer?.....But more a journaling thing and another way to present my creative endeavors. Maggie