Bio-Magnificence!

I know that I've posted a ton of animal photos lately, hope you don't mind! They are a big part of our lives around here, and even though you'd think we might get our fill my daughter and I took a field trip today to the Cincinnati Zoo. Zoo visits are a great way to reinforce reading, geography, map-reading, and of course biology, and are definitely not just for little kids. I have fond memories of going to the Cincinnati Zoo with my high school art class, sketchbooks in hand!

It was a beautiful day and something we'd been looking forward to doing for quite a while, and it was a time that won't be forgotten. I tried to remember my Word of the Year, Presence, and to enjoy each part of the day with this fun and lovely daughter that is growing up so quickly! I treasured each time she took my hand, knowing that these occasions are likely numbered and reminiscing with gratitude about the years of bonding that it took to get to this place.

The photos speak for themselves, there are so many magnificent creatures that we are lucky to experience here on God's green earth (and for most, only at the zoo).

Welcome, 2011!

I've been a bit more proactive this year than last in thinking of my Word of the Year in order to start on January 1. "ADAPT" was the word for 2009, and "EMBRACE" was quite fitting for 2010, with many of the intentions I expressed in this post fulfilled.

After reading this great post on photographer Kim Klassen's site and also this lovely site with thoughts about choosing your word, I had narrowed it down to three. They were Adventure (we have some awesome travels planned for this year), Patience (after all, we have two teenagers, LOL!), and Presence (to remember to breathe and stay in the moment). I was nearly sidetracked after a recent visit to Fallingwater and walking through the surroundings made me think of BEAUTY but then I decided that part of being in the present is observing the beauty all around.

I have a feeling that 2011 is going to bring some special times, and with greater awareness of the passing of time I want to stay present, to be in the moment and to not let my thoughts race ahead with busyness or dwell on past mistakes.

I mentioned the possibility of a giveaway a few weeks ago, and since so much of the country has had extremely cold weather already I am gifting a reader with pair of warm alpaca socks and two skeins of bulky weight alpaca yarn (your choice, either hand-dyed or natural. To win, leave a comment with your chosen Word of the Year or a resolution you've made for 2011. I'll pick a winner from those commenting by random generator on next Wednesday, January 5th at noon EST!

She Likes It!

I was given a commission request that I quickly embraced (see, that's my Word of the Year again, EMBRACE). A customer/friend who has purchased some nuno scarves from me saw some of the pillows I'd felted at Art in the Park, and you could see the wheels turning as she mentioned their 2nd home in Utah. "Hmmm, do you think you could make larger pillows for me in these colors? I would love to have them for our couch out there?" Sure, I said! "Hmmm, do you think you could put a petroglyph design on them?" I thought that sounded like a blast!No other guidance was given, so I did a little research on petroglyphs, specifically those in Utah. Since her husband is an equine vet, I felt that I definitely needed to include at least one equine. This particular famous petroglyph, Newspaper Rock, held several images that I liked.Here are some photos in process (I started with needle felting and finished with wet felting), and of the completed pillows, with cotton batik fabric backing. (It was hard to take them off my couch, they looked pretty good there and I might have gotten attached!)My mom has always insisted that I "sign" my work, so these got a name tag. I was satisfied with how they turned out, but more importantly what would the client think? She loved them!!!! I asked her to take some photos of them on her couch in Utah! What a fun project, I am so grateful for creative opportunities like this one...

EMBRACE

Embrace.... that's my new Word of the Year.  I'm not sure where I got this idea originally, but it seemed a good alternative, for me, to traditional New Year's Resolutions, which I normally keep for about 5 minutes!.  Last year my Word was ADAPT, and boy did that turn out to be a good one.  I had to constantly remind myself to adapt, as many changes took place here on the farm with a lot of turnover in help and some other challenges.  I remembered to adapt as we tightened our pocketbook.  And we adapted as our kids grew further into their teen years!  It became a positive little mantra in the back of my mind that helped me through a variety of challenging situations.

I've been thinking for a while now what my new word would be, and this one was spoken from a voice deep within.  What does it mean?  I've interepreted it, so far, to mean that I need to...

Embrace new opportunities that come our way, such as our llama treks and new property in Millville.
Embrace the things that make me happy... I've realized that using my hands, creating and crafting, are things   that I need regularly in my life, almost daily, and I'm going to make time for that.
Embrace new skills, always keep learning.  (I plan to take some classes at the Living Arts and Science Center this spring).
Embrace chances to volunteer, help and do some good... at home, in church, in the community.
Embrace the people that matter to me, which is everyone in our circles... family, friends, and acquaintances that I don't see often but whom I care about.  I'm going to choose not to be a handshaker, but a hugger... EMBRACE!