From Rob Brezny’s Horoscope of the week for Cancer:

    “I tell young people that the greatest paintings in museums are made with minerals mixed in oil smeared on cloth with the hair from the back of a pig’s ear,” says artist James Rosenquist. I hope that thought incites you to achieve pragmatic breakthroughs in the coming weeks, Cancerian. It’s time to play in the mud and risk making a mess, if necessary, in order to translate your beautiful visions into earthy realities.”

Amazing really. And spot on for my current mood.  I just want to create create create.  I’ve picked up the tools for three new media to work in.  Punchneedle Embroidery, Needlefelting, and Polymer Clay.  For some reason I am drawn to the clay the most right now.

I’ve decided that since I purchased a new car that I will pick up my old habit of making 90% of the Yule gifts I give this year.  I did that for many years until last year.  Last year there were various challenges in my relationship and I was newly in love and I just didn’t get a darned thing done. While I’m still very much in love and still pretty swoony at times over my lover, I am also able to focus on other things So.

This year folks will be getting simple presents made by hand.  Things that don’t take me too long. Always a challenge when making all your gifts.  I’m excited about the clay because I can make some pretty groovy things in a week or so.  There are 21 weeks until Yule and that feels doable. 

My mom comes to mind first when I think of making things. She’s very easy to buy or make for.  I carry a part of my mother with me all the time and I always just know what she will like.  I plan on making a couple bead collections for her.  Enough for a necklace and matching earrings, which she loves to put together.  I got my craftyness from my mother, at least I give her the credit for it.  She is the woman who had me tested at three and discovered that I have a “very sophisticated sense of color.”  Born with it I guess but she nurtured it and assisted it in every way.

Memories of Christmas when Mom brought out the big craft box, dogearred and rumpled, and we made things from paper, sequins, ribbon, paint, and glue. And potatoes!  Remember the potatoes?  I have one memory snapshot of a beautiful set of the three wise men in blues and purples and gold. I remember long autumn walks where we selected our favorite leaves and pine cones to decorate the house for fall.  Sitting in the sun by the pond at the cabin on Samish Island, blue and red dragonflies flitting around us as we played with beads.  Pussywillows, cat tails, acorns, and snowberries. Learning to sew at 8 and sewing a bathing suit 2 years later. I still remember that suit and wearing it to Madison Beach on Lake Washington.  The feel of the warm sun through the drops of cold water on my skin. Every season my mother brought nature into our lives and founds ways to make them even more beautiful. Dad got us places and Mom showed us what was there on the ground, on the trees, Dad showed us the mountains and sky.  How fitting really.

I know that my love of nature and my ability to sense the next season’s quiet approach by the smell of the air is God/dess given. I can smell snow coming, I know the first day the summer begins its turn to autumn in the Pacific Northwest by the feel of cool moisture on my skin in the evening hours.  My parents taught how to slow down, to stop and smell the roses.  They still do it and so do I.  Both literally and figuratively.

And I want to give these things back to my parents.  This year they will receive art based on nature.  They are 80 this next birthday, both of them, and while I could get them something more practical I think they will enjoy the art much more.  I can see their faces now.  It makes them so happy to receive things made from my hands that speak to them in other ways too.

I’ve made my very first polymer cane.  Black and white stripes in a roll. Very simple.  Getting used to the feel of the clay and how it behaves.  The canes turned out very nice.  I’ve downloaded some instructions on how to make clay look like ivory and bone and have some ideas for mom that have me very excited. Something for The Ex, something for Erika, my loved sponsor.  (Just had to tease you guys!) 

I love living in inspiration. I love living in creativity. I’m so glad to be alive.  And quitting time is only 4 hours away!  Whee!