A Prayer Flag for Hershey

  I first came across The Prayer Flag Project  now hosted by Jane LaFazio a few months ago when I happened to see a post and a prayer flag on Facebook. It was "A Flag for Hanna"  beautifully made by Melissa Snyder in memory of the loss of her beloved dog. You can see and read more about this project by clicking any of the links. There is also a wonderful article about this along with more beautiful flags in Cloth Paper Scissors March/April 2012 issue.

 I knew I wanted to start making some flags eventually but what I didn't know was that the first flag I'd make would also be in loving memory of the loss of a pet. My friend Trina adopted Hershey, a gorgeous chocolate field spaniel, from a  couple who weren't able to care for her due to their busy schedules. Hershey was also a blessing to me because after losing my two cockers within 6 months of each other a few years earlier I was still grieving. We knew we weren't quite ready for another as we had been caregiving and homebound the last year of their lives but I so missed having a dog. I tried to fill the void by dog sitting and did so for several friends including Trina. We had Hershey for a week and not long after that we got our English Cocker Annie. Obviously having a spaniel in our home again was something we needed-on a permanent basis.

 Unfortunately Hershey's health began rapidly declining a few months ago, and anyone who has had to experience making the decision to end the pain and suffering can understand what a heart-wrenching decision it can be. Towards the end, Hershey spent time at the beach with Trina- a place they both love. I was able to spend one of the weekends along with them and Hershey truly looked and felt better tho we knew deep down she was still suffering. Trina made her peace with her decision and with her beloved dog and ended her suffering.  Here was my gift in memory of Hershey:

            This is the front. I stamped the words peace and good health at the top. A photo of Hershey was transfered to muslin and sewn below along with beads that say we "heart" you Hershey.

         And this is the back. I had asked Trina for a few words representing things Hershey loved most- my mommy, belly rubs, grass and dirt, food, and paper. Aaah the sweet and funny memories that come flooding back. Thank you Hershey, and thank you Trina for sharing her and for being such a dedicated mommy, loving and giving Hershey the best care possible.

"Through love, through friendship, a heart lives more than one life."

                                                                     Anais Nin

Button Necklace Giveaway Winner!

    First , I wish to thank you so very much for your comments and your support. It means so much to me. Since I don't know how the "automatic generator" thingy works, I'm doing it the old fashioned way....

   and the winner of the necklace is....

    Congrats Barbara!  Please contact me with your snail mail address so I can send the necklace out to you. Again, my thanks to all. I will have another giveaway sometime in June. Not sure what it will be-perhaps a grab bag from my personal stash as I'm "trying" to purge way too many things in my art room. Who knows?


                         " I wear a necklace cause I wanna know when I'm upside down."
                                                                                                          Mitch Hedberg

Sunrise At The Beach

  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Perhaps you were able to watch the Kentucky Derby Saturday or celebrate Cinco de Mayo or catch a glimpse of the "super moon".  Click on the link for a description of this occurrence.

  I was at the beach with friends Lynne and Chad over the weekend and was invited to a Kentucky Derby cocktail party and viewing of the event hosted by a really lovely couple (thank you Ray and Barb!) in the community. We were told to wear hats and fortunately Lynne had several beach hats we could use. Another couple (Larraine and Tom) were invited with us so off we went. And did we have FUN!!!

   This is a picture of Larraine and I taken by Lynne. As you can see, my hat is big enough that I felt like I was also celebrating Cinco de Mayo at the same time! We left a few hours later to have a wonderful dinner. Unfortunately the misty, cloudy night sky did not allow us to see the moon but we did get a great view of it Friday night. It had a beautiful, rainbow-like aura around it. Then on Sunday night we got another view of that beautiful moon surrounded by a starlit sky over the ocean. What more could one ask for? Ahh, but nature has a way of constantly aweing one with its masterpieces and I was blessed to experience this awe again with a gorgeous sunrise over the ocean before leaving for home Monday morning. Here are some of the photos I took, along with a haiku I was inspired to write upon watching this miracle of nature.

  

                                                   "Morning sun rises
                                                    Over a calm, vast ocean.
                                                    Nature's glory shines."


          Thank you my friends for another inspiring and fun weekend. I truly am blessed and grateful.


                             "Hope is like the sun, which as we journey towards it,
                               casts the shadow of our burden behind us." Smiles

Vintage Vogue

    I've just enough time for a quick post in order to be in time for this week's Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World.  I happen to really love vintage and lace so, again, I had to make the time to play.

    Here's the inspiration/trigger:

   Wouldn't you just love to be able to touch these or even wear them?



   Here's the card I made:

   I really had a difficult time photographing this due to the sheerness and shinyness of the organza window and this was the best I could do. First I created the window on the front. The clear  stamp I chose (Papertrey Ink-Mega Mixed Messages) was inked with Versafine Vintage Sepia and stamped onto a square of organza. It was placed behind the window and sewn on the front along the edges. I also sewed around the perimeter of the card. A newer bit of white lace was added at the top. The bottom piece is a vintage bit I had leftover in my stash and it was just the right size for the card. I added a length of silk ribbon over that. It was then embellished with two paper flowers(which almost look pink here but they're a tan color), some vellum flowers and white pearls.

  Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Thank you for your comments-much appreciated.

                       " See the good all around you, even if you have to squint."

Happy May Day!

     The first of May is an important holiday in France. It is celebrated with gathering sprigs of muguets (lily of the valley) and offering them to loved ones for good luck. Each year I receive beautiful cards (like the one above) from my relatives in France, and some have included a dried sprig or two. Porte bonheur means "a lucky charm". I actually receive more May Day cards than Easter cards from them.

     It's also time for me to upload my finished calendar spread for April and my calendar start up for May for The Kathryn Wheel challenge. You can read more about it and how I created my April pages on this post.


     Here is my finished April:

   And this is the background for May's pages:

   First I placed some Tim Holtz masks around the pages and then sprayed lilac and yellow spray inks. I still had my Higgins Black Magic ink on my table so I did some mark making with it.

   It is now  ready for recording my days. I used a scallop circle punch to represent flowers and sponged the edges with pastel ink pads.


   And now , my May Day wish for you:

                                            "Quelques brins de douceur,
                                              quelques brins de bonheur,
                                              pour apporter la chance
                                              et la joi
                                              tout au long de l'année."

   Some sprigs of sweetness, some sprigs for happiness, to bring luck and joy all year long.

   For more beautiful May Day inspiration visit my friend Patty's blog . You don't want to miss her gorgeous nature mandala and photos.