Blog~Lifeweaving, A Creative Journey

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Thursday In the Studio–The Final Stages…

Several years ago, I found the books of author Joan Anderson. She described her life transition as her sons graduated from high school, she faced an empty nest, and her husband announced a new move. Not wanting to relocate again, she took a year to stay alone at her family’s beach house on Cape Cod. During this time, she met ninety year old Joan Erikson, wife of psychoanalysis Erik Erikson, on a walk on the beach. Together they made weavings on hand looms, using colored yarn to represent each stage of life they had lived. (See Wisdom and the Senses by Joan Erikson.)

I have played with these ideas for several years while studying human development. In Lifeweaving #3 , my interest in art and life transitions are merged. The final strips–silver and gold–representing the 8th and 9th stages of life are finally woven.

Final Life Stages

My next step will be to layer the top with a batting and backing-basting the woven strips in place and quilting to add more texture to the design.

After designing and beginning this piece, I found an interesting book, Plaited Patchwork by Shari Cole, in our local library. Shari describes her method of weaving fabric to make quilts that was based on the Pacific Islanders’ plaiting techniques for making woven mats. Interestingly, her method is very similar to what I was already doing for Lifeweavings #3.

While weaving the fabric strips, I wrote in a journal as I focused on each stage of life–What were the strengths I gained at that time? What experiences contributed positively to my development and creativity? What artistic designs, motifs, and techniques have been gathered over the years? I will use these writings as part of a workshop and book on our life’s creative journey…

So as this part of my project is finished, the quilting will begin…                                                                                                                   I will keep you posted on my progress–                                                                                                                                  that is…my lifeweaving!

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Life Is a Mystery…

Life is a Mystery…                                                                                                                                        We only have one time on earth to live and to…

Daylily

DO–activities, hobbies, work, and service;

Be–who we are, what we can be, and our spiritual self;

Experience–sights, tastes, smells, touch, sounds, and movement;

Love–self, family, and others…

Life is a Mystery…                                                                                                                                        May we live, do, be, experience, and love to make the most of our time–                                                                                                                                                                   Today!

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Family Fridays–“Challenges…Creative Solutions”

Families are being challenged these days in many ways. On virtually every level, we are being affected in ways that require creative solutions. For example, I think of buying groceries sometimes as a treasure hunt or an investment…some of the once inexpensive staples, such as shortening or powdered milk, have become expensive.

Foods via Wikipedia

Returning home to NC in the summer thrills me, in part, because I can find fresh vegetables and fruits earlier than where we live…and at good prices! Near my mother’s home is a garden/pick-your-own strawberries business. It was great getting to pick beautiful fruit to freeze now and eat in the cold of December! We also pick blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries at a farm near our home here in Virginia. Finding ways to gather and put up food for later in the year, reminds me of how people used to prepare for winter by harvesting, preserving, and storing foods. This website talks about How to get the most bang for your buck at a pick-your-own farm.

Picking Blueberries
Picking Blueberries

Many of us live where large home gardens and growing our own food is no longer possible. Finding local sources is not always easy or affordable but good quality food is important to the health of our families. Shopping the weekly specials and comparing prices at several stores helps me lower the overall cost of food. Weekly farmer’s markets are available in many towns and cities. Many local communities also share resources with people through programs such as community gardens, food banks, and churches. An example of this type of program can be seen at http://feedingamerica.org/.

On-line recipes and information about food, nutrition, and health inspire me. At no time before have we had such instant access to information, including educational material on nutritious foods to help guide our food choices. For example, the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for health and nutrition can be found at  http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/news/News/new-dietary-guidelinesfocus-on-balance-better-food-choices. The Mayo Clinic posts these guidelines to consider for healthy eating at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dietary-guidelines/MY01594.

Finding different ways of gathering and preparing food requires extra time that may create an additional challenge to an already hectic family schedule. But, I believe using creative solutions to obtain food for myself and my family to eat well is worth the investment of my time and one way to meet life’s challenges…

*Do you have any favorite creative solutions for families to share?!?*  [I’d love for you to leave a comment!]

Image Credit: Foods via Wikipedia, Public Domain, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.]  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vegetarian_diet.jpg

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