Give Thanks:
For sweet hopes born
For sorrows dead,
For true songs sung
For fond words said,
For the ready cup
For the daily bread.
And from me a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me through another year of being Wistful.
Before the Wistful Grandma has the last craft show of 2018 we will be gathering for Thanksgiving. With that in mind I would like to share with you the words I found printed on an antique postcard. No author was cited but the short poem caught my eye. And the words, to me, seem timeless.
Give Thanks: For sweet hopes born For sorrows dead, For true songs sung For fond words said, For the ready cup For the daily bread. And from me a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me through another year of being Wistful.
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I didn’t decide to be a primitive artist. I just evolved that way. I am attracted to the asymmetrical, imperfect stitches and raw edges. Blurred borders and trailing threads don’t bother me. Quirky faces and messy hair lend character. Putting together found objects in odd ways pleases me. Not everyone understands it.
It is like the new hearts that have found their way into the product line for 2018. Last year my hearts were nicely shaped, stuffed and fit comfortably into the palm of the hand. They had words pertaining to love written on them. I liked them and they sold well but seemed a bit uninspired. This year the outline of the heart that came to me was way less than perfect. The rounded tops are not matched. My scissors lopped off the bottom. A piece of vintage fabric splits each heart like a healed scar. I apply them to tea dyed muslin with hand stitching and don’t worry about the length or spacing of the stitches. And I’m sewing them together on the wrong side and leaving them that way. My apologies to my Home Ec teacher! I feel much closer to these hearts. I feel like I’ve made something much more like myself. By the time we are entering old age the heart is no longer perfect. It’s been battered around by life. Been squished out of shape a bit. Carries scars. Maybe had a part or two lopped off. But it can still be recognized for what it is. And I, for one, find it more beautiful in this condition. So as I put these hearts out for sale, they are a gift for the buyers. Some will think they are pretty. Some will think they are unusual. And some will understand that they come from my imperfect heart. As a crafter I live a life continually out of sync. I have been lost among orange, gold and brown fabrics for weeks now. Halloween monsters have been haunting me and pumpkin spice latte thoughts have been swirling in my head for at least two months. My autumn projects are all done just as the season starts. If you are on the craft fair circuit I know you know what I'm saying. Summer is Autumn.
I am no longer as offended by stores putting holiday decorations out early. After all, I'm already needing those Halloween supplies in July and Christmas trinkets in August. And I can be out of sync in the opposite direction, too. I may be the only one shuffling through the 90% off bin of 4th of July decorations in November because, after all, summer crafting by then is right around the corner. So, I guess sometimes I'm really far ahead so I won't be late or so far behind so I can be early? It's a strange organizational way to live! So today's blog pictures are the result of living my past few months in my out-of-sync world. Hope you enjoy them.Come and visit me if you can. And wait...did I just hear the distant sound of Christmas music? And I think I just saw some awesome red heart fabric. Autumn is Winter. But now you understand why. I am a fan of the TV program Game of Thrones. Like a popular character in the show who feels her dragons are her children, I feel like some of my creations are my children too. Especially as I gear up for the upcoming show season.
This season I have been experimenting with some Halloween Grandma Dolls. There are Witch Grandmas, of course, with green hair, spiders and black hats. There are Zombie Grannies with strange faces and red eyes. Grand Mummies are wrapped in white cloth but still manage to be fashionably dressed. And even Dr Frankenstein had his Grandma Frankenstein! I have had hours of fun and creativity getting them ready to share. I am never quite sure what each face will look like and they certainly have some unique personalities. So consider visiting one of my shows. Or look for some of my Halloween Grandmas online if there are any left after show sales. For I am The Wistful Grandma, the first of her name, Maker of Primitive Dolls and Rugs, The Mother of Grandmas. |
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