hope is the dream of a man awake - large enameled heart

thank you all for your kind notes to me. i always try to reply to everyone but sometimes i just can't. with my wrist on the war path and deadlines sliding past, i haven't been able to. and 'sorry to be away so long. i'll be posting when i am able. but with my body on the fritz, i'm trying to behave, which doesn't come easily for me.

i am busy working on my ornaments for the 12 Days of Christmas Exchange (which actually will have 13 days this year). but i can't show you those because they are always a surprise to be opened on their appointed day. i'm day number 10 this year so it will be a while before i can show you what i'm working on. i've had to enlist help due to my wrist. that makes me nuts. but, it is what it is and i'm trying to be patient (not an easy virtue either).

i have things to show you but the photos are either not taken or still in my camera. i'm not so much fun today, am i? oh, i can show you this 8" x 8" piece i made for kristen.

it is part of a group gift where several people made squares of the same size and ruth put them all together in a wall-hanging. kristen loves jane austen so each piece was to contain a quote from one of her books. mine says "the very first moment i beheld him my heart was irrevocably gone." it has vintage velvet ribbon and flowers from my husband's grandmother. it is pretty textural and then finished off with a thick coat of glossy medium so it super shiny. if you click here you can see photos from kristen's surprise tea party for her birthday.

Her New Home

acrylic on 9" x 12" wooden panel

The last couple days I've been making earrings. Only two pairs so far but I really do like the design of them and hope to make more as time allows. 

These are hammered brass with faceted iolite.

These have a secret handwritten love note etched on them.

the backs are fun, too.

They're both for sale in my Etsy store if you would like them for yourself.

i've been making rings.

I've been using brass and copper and silver.

and a variety of semi-precious gemstones.

Dark and shiny labradorite

Cherries Jubilee

The stones on this one will keep you entertained as you can spin them round and round. It can be your very own portable prayer wheel.

I've made another one (my favorite one) but I'm not sure where it is currently. I'm terrible about wearing my jewelry and taking it off to work, be it at the computer, jewelry bench or the kitchen. And then it sort of travels about until I find it again. As long as kitty doesn't get it, I'll find it soon enough.

Once a week my sweet mother-in-law picks the kids up at school and spends the day with them. This week my sister-in-law played along with them, too, and they made these creepy cool cupcakes.

There was a mummy, a cat, a black widow spider, frankenstein, and many other fun monsters. With cinnamon spice and red velvet under those mounds of frosting, these are sure to magically disappear.

She also gave me a ghostly spoon and a vampire spatula from Williams Sonoma along with Halloween themed silicon cupcake cups. She's such a sweetie.

I'm off to the second school Halloween party of the day. I hope you are having a great Friday!

I'm digging the enamel class I've been taking. I like having an appointed time and place  to work. It is easy to get lost in the flotsam and jetsam of life and not accomplish much. But with a plan and a purpose, I am happy.

Last week I made this...

All my life,
so far,
I have loved
more than one thing,

including the mossy hooves
of dreams, including'
the spongy litter
under the tall trees.

In spring
the moccasin flowers
reach for the crackling
lick of the sun

and burn down. Sometimes,
in the shadows,
I see the hazy eyes,
the lamb-lips

of oblivion,
its deep drowse,
and I can imagine a new nothing
in the universe,

the matted leaves splitting
open, revealing
the black planks 
of the stairs.

But all my life--sofar--
I have loved best
how the flowers rise
and open, how

the pink lungs of their bodies
enter the fore of the world
and stand there shining
and willing--the one

thing they can do before
they shuffle forward
into the floor of darkness, they
become the trees.

"It will be found, in fact, that the ingenious are always fanciful, and the truly imaginative never otherwise than analytic."

- Edgar Allan Poe

Day 13 draws to close our POEtic exchange. Miss Martha (aka Martha Brown) is waltzing in to be analytical, or in the eyes of Edgar, truly imaginative. See for yourself...

Washed ashore screaming Nevermore is lucky thirteen. What will be inside this wrapping? We can't wait. Let's see it...

It is a soft and black book made of fabric.

The spine is sewn up with jet black braid.

The back whispers Shadow Dreamer to lure you along.

"And all my days are trances
  And all my nightly dreams
Are where thy dark eye glances
  And where thy footstep gleams—
In what ethereal dances
  By what eternal streams."

- Poe, from, To One in Paradise

And finally inside there is a note from sweet Martha telling you that this is a book for keeping your pins and needles. How perfectly fitting! And how fabulous! As I never know where to find a pin or needle this little black book arrives right on time. Thank you, thank you, oh so much, Martha! I love it.

And, because Martha is so sweet, she's giving away one of these dear books at her blog. So go visit and get one for yourself!

So as we say goodbye to the POEtic celebration, I encourage you to start right now to gather up your friends for an exchange such as this. It is wonderful for Christmas or Hanukkah. The 12 Days of Christmas is a great exchange. I am in such a swap with Christmas ornaments each year. It is such a happy group and we have so much fun. Cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, friends...Gather them all. You can make your ornaments or buy your ornaments. You open one a day as we did in the Poe exchange. Only you open them in the 12 days leading up to Christmas day. I hope you will join in the game and spread some joy. Thank you for spending time with me during our darkly lovely POEtic exchange.

"Never to suffer would never to have been blessed. "

- Edgar Allan Poe

Day Eleven came all the way from the Netherlands. It is created by the effervescent Catherine van der Hoeff...

sigh...typepad will not let me center my images. it's going to be that kind of post...my apologies. but you can still see how beautiful catherine made her gift's wrapping. they are all sewn up in red fabric bags with lovely tags to make you happy.

And once the thread was pulled and snipped I found this pretty, pretty...

It's a lovely mixed media canvas complete with Raven...

 
Poe and a tiny, soft wire-wrapped egg. And I can hang it either way. So clever, so great. Thank you again, Catherine!

Onto Day 12 which comes from dear Liz Gale. I might have had way too much fun with the little Poe box Liz sent to me...

Poe, in hand

Poe, as crab

Poe, as mermaid

My kitten also enjoyed the little Poe box. I kept finding the box in the floor and under furniture. She would bat it off the table where I kept all the gifts and play soccer around the house. But, this seemed very agreeable to Mr. Poe box. I'm sure by the time Day 12 arrived I saw his smile peeping out. And then, inside the wee Poe box, there was this...

Can you see what it is, perched here on the lips, ready to be spoken?

It is my own little pocket Poe!

 

Inside is the poem, The Raven, every word, ready to be carried and read and loved wherever I may roam. It's so delightful! It is just fabulous! Thank you, thank you, Liz, for this tiny treasure. It is, unfortunately, being enjoyed by everyone...

Naughty Margo Polo ran off with Poe in her mouth! Luckily, my little book was fine.

Poppy gets lectured about how she cannot play with the book. But she looks rather hypnotized instead. Must be that Raven.
 
 I will have to tell you about the last gift tomorrow. I've been here far too long and it is late yet there is still much to do away from this glowing box. All God's blessings to you all. xo-k

When I left you last I believe I had just wrapped up (or unwrapped, as the case may be) Day 8 of the POEtic gift exchange. And I can attest that the gifts opened in your absence have been Fierce!

First up for your perusal and admiration is super fun Day 9 from my lovely friend, Julie Molina

the kids had quite the tug of war over that red pencil topper monster

but, lucky me, i didn't have to fight with anyone for the gorgeous gift inside!

it's a Raven-inspired fabric cuff!

And it is reversible with sweet red stitches on both sides!

It's all Treats for me! Thank you, thank you, Julie!! I love it!

And, if that weren't enough...there's much more!

Day 10 comes from my BFF Pilar Pollock...

Her gift was with me when I was almost swept out to sea. And inside was a new friend to guide me back to the beach through the darkness...

My Very Own Dark Tell Tale Hearted Bat!

Isn't it so fabulous?! I can't begin to imagine all the work Pilar put into this. She never does anything halfway. It is so wonderful! I can't thank you enough for your splendid spooky gift, Pip!

Okay, I'm off to celebrate the third birthday of the weekend (one son, one friend, one nephew). It's been busy but also very joyful. I'll catch you up on the last of the Poe gifts and new pieces of jewelry from me as soon as I can.

xoxo - kelly

Eight is one of those words that just looks completely wrong. E-I-G-H-T. How the heck can that spell eight? Can you tell that blogging every day is starting to take a toll on me? Bring on the snark! Bring on the funk! Bring on the eight!

Today is the eighth day of our POEtic gift exchange at The Altered Guild. And today's gift comes from the delightful Dawn Sellers.

I was very curious about this one. It was in a little box which, once opened revealed itself to be a box you keep slides in. I love those boxes so that's a bonus present for me right there. But the Real Present is fabulous! Check it out...

It is an awesome pin made of red leather, a metal zipper, and this very cool blue eye. It is so cool. I love it. It is definitely going to be next week as we are leading up to Halloween. I'll be working in my kids' classrooms for their holiday party. I'm sure it will be a big hit with everyone.

Thank you so much, Dawn! It's super!

And here's a POEm to keep you until tomorrow...

To the River

Fair river! in thy bright, clear flow
Of crystal, wandering water,
Thou art an emblem of the glow
Of beauty- the unhidden heart-
The playful maziness of art
In old Alberto's daughter;
But when within thy wave she looks-
Which glistens then, and trembles-
Why, then, the prettiest of brooks
Her worshipper resembles;
For in his heart, as in thy stream,
Her image deeply lies-
His heart which trembles at the beam
Of her soul-searching eyes.

- Edgar Allan Poe

Are ya'll getting tired of hearing me holler about Poe? Are you just in it for the presents? I'm onto you people. ;0)

Let's briefly journey back to last week or whenever it was that I reveled in the gray day spent in Corona del Mar. That will lead us to today's giftie, number Seven...

from head

to toe

i knew

lucky seven

would be

a hit.

Just look at how awesome it is...

But I do not know which of my marvelous friends made it. There is no name on the little red tag. Tsk, tsk. How can I scream Thank You when I don't who the You is? Well, I will tell you who it is when I found out. In the meantime, off to run some errands with Edgar in my pocket for company.

Happy Tuesday, people!

UPDATE: My fab, fab, super fab Poe was made by none other than the uber talented Michelle Remy. When I said I could guess who made it up above, my guess would have been Michelle. She has a great style and this little dude was singing her name.

THANKS, MICHELLE!!!

You knew I'd say that, didn't you? It's been a long, long day. I've blown my wrist out this past week and can't really keep up. So, this will have to be short and I'm sorry for that.

Day Four's gift is courtesy of the delightful Terrie Lightfoot. I first met Terrie online via Art Chix years ago. She's a sweetie and talented to boot. Be sure to check out her Etsy store for great mixed media supplies.

I confess that I was enamored of how Terrie wrapped her gift...

so I took several photos to display it

she must have printed the fabric herself

and then sewn this awesome ribbon-trimmed drawstring bag

with matching gift tag. can you tell i was having fun with my present?

And inside was something equally squeal-worthy...

It's a mini-shrine necklace which is decorated with the same cool raven image from  the  giftbag.

And on the back is Edgar! I love the vivid colors. I can't wait to wear it.

Thank you, Terrie!!

Tomorrow everyone opens my gift. I am not a wrapper like Terrie. Wrapping gifts is right up there with mailing packages. It's terrible but it's true. Hopefully everyone will like what they receive. I'm going to be on the road tomorrow so I may not be able to post until Monday. Until then, I leave you with another quote from Poe...

“I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."

Cheers to that.