The Weeping Willow

Last night I dreamt of the ocean.

  

Standing high above on the edge of a cliff, I remember feeling with certainty that if I leaned into the wind and opened my arms out ever so wide, my feet would gently lift off of the ground and I would be soaring high above the crashing waves below.  

I felt exhilarated, weightless and free. 

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, the cool wind in my hair and fingertips..and as I closed my eyes and leaned a little bit further, I felt the ground disappear from under my feet.  I was soaring high with the clouds, then dipping down towards the water, skimming the surface and traveling so fast that I could feel the spray of sea water and hear the whistle of the wind in my ears.

I dream of the ocean often.  

I'm not sure why or what it all means but I remember getting a reading for fun, years ago from a gentle old woman.  She said that my soul was lingering by the sea, that there was a huge weeping willow on a cliffside that marked the spot.  I've spent many years secretly looking for that willow tree down by the sea..

I went down to my studio the first chance I got today,working quickly and quietly.  My mind was busy thinking about my dream, I could still feel the coolness of the wind, the lightness in my soul.  

It was no surprise that I reached for an aquamarine with its colour of the ocean and of the skies.  

Like the ocean, it gives and takes away..all a natural part of the circle of life as it is ever changing, 

never static.

Maybe it's the change in the wind I've felt the last few days.  

It's been blustery around here.  

Mother Nature's way of moving along the old and bringing in the new.

Have you felt the wind lately?  What did it have to say to you?

xo Blue Gnome

Has Spring Sprung?

Just another Friday here, feeling quite cheerful that spring has sprung early this year!  

We tore down our rickety old mudroom a few years ago, it was like a sagging, cancerous growth hanging off of our kitchen, held up by a stack of crumbling bricks and whatever else the previous owners found lying around.  It's really a miracle that the deteriorating shack didn't just collapse on its own..I'm not even going to mention the number of winter parties we've hosted where the smokers huddled inside of it, stamping their feet and jumping up and down in the teetering structure to try to stay warm. It blocked the sunshine out of the kitchen and became a storage space for clutter, those miscellaneous items that you don't want to deal with at that particular time..it's truly a great thing that it's gone.  

And so now there's sun!  

Bright, glorious sunshine streaming in the window and glass door, showing all the fingerprints (and nose prints courtesy of my fur baby..) on the stainless steel appliances and Sachi hair scattered all over the floor despite the daily vacuuming.   And while it's actually quite chilly outside today

it's sunny,

cozy

 and

 warm

 in here.

Our days lately have finally started making some sense.  Leo has thankfully, finally given into the fact that a wee little boy such as himself needs some sleep throughout the day and although he still fights a good fight, his naps have become more routine and restful.  It's truly been an eye opening experience having a baby around - I've discovered more things about myself in the last few months than I care to admit, does it sounds strange for me to say that for a while there I didn't feel like he was mine and mine to keep?  It's still baffling to me sometimes how much I'm needed, truly and honesty needed..it hit me like a slap in the face during one of our 3am feedings.  It must sound quite silly to you - I mean, it's obvious that a baby can't look after itself isn't it?  Didn't I know going into this that having a baby would require 100% of my attention and then some?  Yes..but it's one of those things that you truly have to experience first hand - when you find yourself picking your baby's nose because, well, they can't..and all of the millions of other things they simply cannot do themselves..a no brainer you might say, but to be in the presence of such a wee being has been both a pleasure and a displeasure all in one.  It's a damn good thing that babies are so gosh-darn cute, their demanding behavior would simply be unacceptable otherwise!

As for the shop downstairs, things have been quiet the last few days.  I was able to finish a few pieces last week and that seemed to have satisfied my obsessive creative urge for the time being.  

This necklace was inspired loosely by this poem written by an anonymous writer.

Sterling, Carnelian

                                                   Man found land found tree found apple
                                                 Woman found apple found tree found man

Snake found man found tree found apple

Apple bites manSnake so mad

Break

Man found tree found apple found land

Woman found man found apple found land

Snake found man found woman found land

Snake bites apple

Man so mad

Man hits snake

Woman goes mad

Woman eat apple

Man goes bad.

- Anonymous

And some other little trinkets, just because.

 Sterling, Moonstone

Sterling, Agate

This weekend is supposed to be chilly but gloriously sunny again.  Despite the fairly optimistic temperatures lately, I'm still hanging onto my winter tires for a little while longer.  It is the great white north after all and I think old man winter still has a few tricks up his sleeve..

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

xo Blue Gnome 

Out Of The Ashes

Sterling, Turquoise

On wings that fill the sky
Like a phoenix rising
Like a phoenix rising
Wings on fire, tearing into the night
Screaming into the light of another day
Carry me out the hurricane
Into the smoke and flame and we’ll fly away
And we’ll rise right before their eyes
On wings that fill the sky 

- Lyrics, Phoenix Rising

For those of you who have survived the fire and risen from its ashes, the Phoenix knows no limitations. 

A powerful representation of rebirth, survival and fight. 

Available in the shop.

xo Blue Gnome