TIED WITH A BOW

i like things

tied with bows

knots are stand-off-ish

tape is tear-the-paper-ish

bows are loops of intrigue

'rabbit ears' on surprises

bows tease

but they don't resist

if you approach them

in the right way

they allow you

entry

if you choose to ignore the way a bow works

the way it's best untied

if you ignore

 that

one

small

truth 

the bow will make you

work a bit harder

or

refuse to open at all

and simply knot itself

in resistance

but isn't that true of everything?

and of everyone?....

Copyright FDFerris April 2010

She Decided

Sometimes she wished she were a tree

So she could see into the distance

and hear the songs of the birds

note by note

all around her

If she were a tree

 high in the sky

 the perils of the ground

couldn't easily

reach her

Some days she longed to be

part of the leaves and moss

that covered the ground

below her

low lying and endless in number

so no one would even notice her

But each morning

she awoke to find she was

neither a tree

nor leaf or moss

She was not tall and safe

She was not short and invisible

She

Was

(in fact)

Yellow

Obvious

Delicate

 Embattled

She decided her best 

(and only)

choice

was

to be brave

to be cheeerful

and to look fiesty

(fiesty as hell)

for as long

as

she

possibly

could

~~~~

FDFerris

February '10

Copyright 2010 

Here's my order

*If this post makes no sense, read here first :-) *

 Here’s the order I chose!

Sox 
I love sox! 
Warm, sunggly, oddly colored, short, tall

Books       
For we who love books no explanation is needed eh?

Food
Ah yes (and may I add   'yum'!)

Blankets/throws   
Winter makes this a fav category

Pillows/Cushions    
Who ever heard of a new blanket without a neato pillow? 

House/Home    
 I wonder what they put in here category treasure hunt

Bathroom  
Mostly scanned for the pix to get ideas for a pretty bathroom

Bed linen  
Nothing changes up a bedroom  mood better than new linens

Kitchen
 I am a gadget-a-holic  lol. When I do cook I bake - gadgetfest!

Tableware              
Silver-ware-aholic  (just ask my husband)

Household             
Another I wonder what's been tucked there?  category

Rugs     
I love the look of rugs I HATE HATE DETEST keeping rugs swept

Nightware
I often (hate to admit) sleep in studio rejects (things with holes but are oh-so-comfy)
 
So there you have it!    Now isn't it reallly interesting how we all had  books and food as a priority, lol . Blankets and pillows  ranged  midline priority for all of us.... Hmmmmmmmmmmm
 
Sooz, lol what happened to rugs and household? Think I wouldn't notice eh? LOL
(do you hate rugs too? roflmao)  come on - tell where rugs go on your list  :-)  pullleeezzzzeeee (hug)
 
Jus,  I can see in your list the poet/cook/winemaker/baker you are shining thru  :-)  (hug)
 
Heather, roflmao I said EIGHT comments (trying to pull a fast on are we)? Gotta keep my running shoes on to keep up with you babe, lol  (hug)
 
Hey, this is a lot of fun guys - thanks to u,  my loyal readers!!!  -  and I'm so glad you shared.
Anyone else want to join in? If so you have a few weeks, so leave your list in the comments!

 I'll keep checking to see when I have 8 comments  (and no MINE does not count, lol).  We'll give it till the end of March and then I'll draw a name from however many comments there are  - how does that sound?!!?

TTYA soon!

I wonder why.....

An interesting question..... curious indeed .....

I just rec'd an online catalog with these page link categories listed.

House and Home

Bathroom

Bed linnen

Blankets & Throws

Books

Pillows & Cushions

Food

Household

Kitchen

Nightwear

Rugs

Slippers & Sox

Tableware

Choosing and rambling thru the sections out of order I suddenly wondered

WHY I chose to poke about in each offering in the order I did?

 Never thought of it before...

Why did I pick_____ before______?

Why did I look at _____next and ______ last?

I Don't think it makes a tiny bit of diff - but on the alternate hand,
kind of interesting to consider what order one views the pages - dontchathink?

So here's a bit of mid-winter wool-gathering
(if you'd like to play along, lol)

If you leave a comment sharing what order you'd go thru the list above then at this time next week
I'll post a comment sharing what order I went thru the list  :-)

(kind of a silly little blog game to pass a bit of time in this dreary part of the winter)

And to sweeten the game, I'll make it a contest/adventure of sorts!

Leave your 'what order' comment and when I have 8 comments I'll pick one totally at random
and choose a lampwork bead from my studio (with or cord or ribbon) to send to

who (or is it whom?) ever left the randomly chosen comment!

Sound like fun?

Good!
Comment away!

Hmmmmm......

Sometimes ideas, long before they become coherent in concept, simply simmer. Somewhere in the background or underground or on the ethereal plane they cogitate, marinate, and filter. They stretch, they fold. The expand and contract. Thicken and thin. They leap then they stand as still as a the moment between the beats of a heart. Ideas. Passions. Pathways. The warp and weave evolve direction long before the course can be perceived.

Still, somewhere, somehow, you sense it happening. You know something creative 'inside' your mind is pushing at the edges, scoping out the parameters, preparing to emerge in the form of a framed 'actionable' idea. It's a time, when if you were to try to assign it a physical equivalent, you'd be inclined to say it were an itch that can't be scratched. A vague ache. An unsettled stomach.

You know something vastly creatively significant ~ some alteration or addition or layered direction is coming. You know, you know it with sure certainly. Sometimes an edge of it surfaces in a passing thought, a color flashes, a word or phrase comes to mind. Alluring, intriguing, painfully tempting. You can almost touch it, feel it beneath your feet, smell it in the air. But you can't visualize it clearly.

Not-just-yet.

So you wait. You watch. You listen.
With intensity.

Something...... Something is on the wing....

When I Should Be....

I've been up to my knees in receipts, graphs, packing slips and invoices. End of the year bookwork dontchaknow.  Mind numbing. I am not a person who loves bookwork. I do it. I do it well. But I can not find a way to enjoy it (except for when it's complete, lol).  So inbetween studio work and bookwork this time of year I build in other productive breaks, distractions, sanity savers.

I found this oversized ottoman on the side of the road for free. Poor thing he'd apparently failed to keep his original home and worse still for him he'd failed to find a new owner at a yard sale as well (see the masking tape price tag on his right leg?) His fate found him upside down as you see here on the curb. He was awaiting his demise a la garbage day. Poor ottoman. Till I came along, lol......  It isn't the first (or likely last) time I've snatched a waif from the maw of the garbage truck crew. And after all this ottoman was solid, large surfaced (for extra seating or coffee-table duty as needed).  So home he came with me. I could feel his relief and happiness. Mine too. Recycling is good. Free recycling is faboo!

The only problem (aside from a bit of dirt and cobwebs) was that his material wasn't quite my style. But I'd rescued some heavy duty material a few weeks earlier as I loved the pattern. I draped a corner of the material over the sad little ottoman and voila - the two were perfect for each other!   I needed only to remove ottomans legs, and with a bit of cutting, tucking and a staple gun I was on my way to a really nice new (to me) piece of furniture..... 

More pictures of the process below

A few of my tools. Two of his legs removed alongside my trusty phillips head screwdriver and his price tag  (of a whopping $2.00) He really deserved another chance....

And here he is, after my re-do (with a before picture right next to it for comparison). I'm happy.  Stool is happy. Landfill is happy. I love it when a plan comes together lol                                                                       

What do you think?  :-)

Hypothetically speaking

Hypothetically speaking if you have an old fridge that doesn't self defrost you really may want to consider defrosting it -  you know before you (hypothetically) hear a loud crash and (hypothetically) run to the kitchen to find a slab of ice has flown out of the freezer door. And skidded across the floor. Then you could (hypothetically speaking) discover it is so cold you would have to get winter gloves to pick it up. And upon (in theory) picking it up finding it is almost as heavy as you are so you can't carry it to the door to pitch it outside (in fact you can barely get it to the sink). 

As it turns out you (hypothetically speaking) could have to put it in a little snow sled you use for pulling UPS parcels. But first you would have to place the sled on a towel and then put the ice in the sled and drag the towel/sled/ice thru the house to the outside to place the (hypothetical) iceberg out-of-doors. 

Yep, I'm just sayin....
hypothetically that is.

Hello 2010

 A new year reminds me of looking thru stained glass windows

Some aspects are clear and defined.
Geometric and reliable.

Others teasingly appear, yet cannot be seen in discernable fashion

Only vague colors and shapes reveal
a hint of what may be

Hopes, fears, dreams and goals in fuzzy conglomeration
defy specific assignment

You'll just have to wait and see - literally

Light streams thru the fixed and fuzzy framework of the year-yet-to-be-lived

Welcome 2010....
**

Merry Happy & Kindness

Be it towards humans or creatures, pass on

some good will and kindness

(on christmas and every and any other day you can.....)

Have a peek at this - and merry happy holidays!

In Surprising Places One Finds....

No matter where you live, I imagine you've heard tell that the NE has been tortured is enjoying astounding snow or remarkable cold. On top of my little hill amid the fields and trees we've been spared the snow. But oh my shiverin' kaboose, the cold has been what we normally only see in the depths of February (imagine the insides of your nose sticking together - I know, a horrid example, but true none the less, roflmao And it's one way to let you know how cold COLD is here) And there is no hope for you if you forgetfully lick your lips or go outside with damp hands or hair, lol

Yet still..... 
Amid the struggle with the wind, and the frightful chill there are bits of beauty. Art via nature. Stunning really. The reward, if you take the time to look, is often found in the harshest and most unlikely places. Below, I give you an example of such I noticed recently. This very old single pane window in our house ~ festooned with swirls and curls, flows and rivers, ferns and blossoms of ice that whisper "beauty"....

Water, ice, bitter cold ~ basic elements combined ~ and created this...  

Stunning isn't it?

Dear Santa

Those who know me are aware I spend a LOT of time mowing lawns in the non-snow-seasons (and those who didn't know that fascinating fact know now, lol). With that lawn-fact in mind, here's an admittedly clever item that I hope Santa does NOT bring to to me - ever, roflmao

In fact, the threat of this under the tree could even cause me to behave all year! (ok, that's a lie as nothing could cause me to behave) lol but if something could this would be it! And may I just add that I have a  new respect (and love) for my riding (but not pedal powered) lawn mower....

Some days are like that

Some days just go that way

(not down the toilet but.....)

There I was, you know, just doing the

typical cleaning - the blue scrub and swish...

My mind I admit on the next 20 things

 on the list needing to be done.

Absent-mindedly I began

Blue - check!

Scrub - check!

Swish - yep!

Flush & done!

But....

As I went to put the toilet brush back in the holder

I somehow managed to slide the bristles against the foldover

edge of my cute little bathroom trash can I had out for cleaning.

Do I even need to say it? Oh hell yes, next thing I know I feel

a gentle but oh so horrifying spray of piss water** from the toilet

brush all over my face. Oh please, no!

 Pppppppttttttt!

Numerous face washes, alchol wipe downs, gargles and naughty words later

here I  am tell you because, well, who else would I tell? lol

Not to mention that when you do something really stupid (but funny)

involving a toilet it just has to be shared, right?

I'd whine more, but right now I have to go check

webMD to see what horrid things I may catch, roflmao

(and note to self: next time don't leave the trash can near toilet brush holder)!
**Well, not really piss water, lol - it was clean water ~ but still... ick!

CUTE 'N Funny!

In an email from my mum today - isn't it the cutest! (thanks mum!)

http://www.house-mouse.com/

And from my all time fav housekeeper-babe Maxine...

And save all that money on stickey notes, lol

Have a good day everybody

A Holiday Confession

As a kid it was hard for me to let go of the idea of Santa. And the flying reindeer. A reality check that eventually had to be cashed.  Time goes by and perceptions change.

Now here I am letting go of another holiday fallacy idea. I'm admitting in writing that I don't adore complex, time intensive holiday preparation.   The look and outcome - yes! But the fiddley fussing, not so much.  I know... (insert image of me hanging my head for a micro moment) this admission is terribly un-matha (perhaps even un-female, lol).

I can't confess share all my shortcuts at once (I do have some estrogen based pride, lol) But I will admit to my first get the look without the fuss trick. Hold on to your pantyhose. Sit down perhaps. Ready? I NEVER undecorate my little fake alpine tree. Yes, fake tree. Never undecorated.  Just breathe. Honest it's not as horrible as it may at first seem.

On Jan 2 or so each year my little tree (which looks astoundingly similar to the one in the image) is loving, carefully draped and wrapped in a sheet of filmy plastic (the kind used as a drop cloth for  painting). Lights, tinsel, ornaments all intact. Away into storage he goes. Once or twice thru the year I see him, say hello to him as I pass by for other things that live in storage.  He doesn't seem to mind at all.

For my part it's wonderful not to have to find and upack all the lights, ornaments every year. I enjoy not having to place the lights on the tree from scratch each year. I do switch off an ornament or two as I like which is fun and veryyyy quick.  To me it looks just as pretty when it's done (outcome vs process remember, lol).

The bonus is that the time saved since I've approached the tree in this oh-so-un-martha-way is that I now have time to string lights on trees outside if I like. Or bake cookies (bad for my butt but wonderful for the holiday mood! :-)   

Embracing my short cut to holiday outcome self (like admitting there was no Santa) changed the hoilday a bit of course. But for the better. For me there's more enjoyment not less. All I had to do was get past the previous expectation(s)!

I wonder if I'm the only one with holiday short cut confessions I mean tips? lol

You Have To Love Maxine

LOL ain't it the truth!
Personally, I anxiously await the days being back on the path of growing longer!

"WITHIN"

WITHIN A BOOK ~ WITHIN A SKY ~
WITHIN A SONG ~ OR PIECE OF PIE....


AMID A WOODS ~ AMID A WAVE ~
AMID A HUG ~ OR LETTER SAVED


BENEATH A LOOK ~ BENEATH A SIGH ~
BENEATH A HOPE ~ THAT NEVER DIES


SOMEWHERE WITHIN ~ SOMEWHERE WITHOUT ~
SOME BIT OF STRENGTH ~ IS 'HIDING OUT'


SEEK IT FIND IT ~ WHERE YOU MAY ~
RENEW 'WITHIN' ~ STRENGTH USED EACH DAY...

Verse and Images by FDFerris Copyright 2009

WEAKNESSES

I know, intellectually at least, that there should come a time when adults cease collecting 'stuffies'. Intellectually. Yes. I know. But what's one to do when they look at you with their pleading little eyes (or eye)? And their limp little bodies?

Well in my case what I do is bring them home. And (can I believe I am admitting this) once home I name them. Each-and-every-one....

My latest fall from non-stuffie-buying-grace has taken the form of 'UGLY DOLLS'. These bizarre little creatures just NEED protection, asylum, affection, adoption. After all they strike me as an acquired taste, lol even for the stuffie-afflicted.

Above (with piglet) are seen merga-tool and poe (don't ask, I'm really not going to confess to the stories of the names, lol. After all I have to try to keep some shred of appearing vaguely normal :-)

So if any of you have any weakness for stuffies also, or other odd collecting habits I'd love it if you left a comment - insanity (or soft-hearted-ness) loves company don't-cha-know, roflmao

And just in case you need to know more about ugly dolls (I know, probably not, but I'm just sayin...) click on the title of this post and it'll take you to their website http://www.uglydolls.com/sitemap

Ok, I'm leaving now .... :-)

Inside The Studio

It's been ages since I've chatted about my studio glass work here - oddly - because it fills the majority of my days, nites and dreams LOL

My creative process tends to wander, to alter, in cycles. Not obvious cycles mind you such as seasons and holidays. No, my purely creative process is, as with most creative souls, a bit random, unexpected and inexplicable (if not downright bizarre) :-)

Recently I've been drawn again to create one of my oldest favorites - lizards


Lizards (modeled on actual or purely artistic) offer endless variation. Combinations of color, movement, expression, situation all factor into these cheerful little fellows and their platform bead base or collectible shelf/desk base surroundings (as you see in the images above and below).

Is it just me or do they make you smile too? Seems to me they're something about them that is cheerful, hopeful, and curiously comforting. But then again maybe I'm just odd, lol

This handsome (well he IS - just ask him!) fellow is of moretti glass and has already found a home, but there are others. If you'd like to know when I place them on the studio website contact me at glasschick at yahoo.com and I'll send you an email.

With lizards whispering to me, emerging from the flames you know (if you know me, lol) that frogs will not be far behind!

Tomatoes & Pumpkins - who knew?

That the simple act of growing edibles could be so warm, fuzzy and addictive?!

You'd be right if you though that one thread of my fascination came from my childhood. I was forutnate to have grandparents who farmed so it was always a part of my childhood. In my teens and 20's I was part of the foxfire generation. (if you don't know, the foxfire book(s) of the 70's were the good earth reference of a generation). In my early married years my husband and I cut and burned wood, did our own renovations, built two buildings amid full work schedules.

But life (and time) seldom move in straight lines and before long I found no time (or ceased to make time) for such pursuits until 30 some years had trickled by..... Now I find myself again drawn by the simple magic of such things. The diffrence now is that I posess the discipline to act vs dream ( a decided plus to mid life for me at least)!

This year my tomatoes went in as they have for the last several years. Six 'baby girl' tomaote plants - enough for my husband and I with extras for family and friends. Pumpkins and watermelons were the new adventure this year. Tho the rain caused them to fall prey to damping off fungus and did them in before fruiting they gave me a smile week after week. Watching them progress thru each step till just a few days ago fascinated me. Too bad that too much rain can be a bad thing. Still now I know they grow well I'll have another attempt next year!

The 'girls' (early girl tomatoes) are long and leggy from all the rain and limited sun, but the tomatoes I gather in a bowl (or in my shirt if loose enough to hold them - just as grandma used to) really do engender such an a amazing amount of contentment and accomplishment. Growing. Basically (weather and pests aside) so simple, so direct. Plant. Watch. Weed. Grow. Gather.

Food from inception to ingestion, lol.

Warm fuzzy fun.

Older than time but still inspiring.

Who'd have thought.....!

IF NOTHING YOU DO MATTERS THEN ALL THAT MATTERS IS...

WHAT YOU DO......

Yesterday, writing in response to the call Ronni Bennett put forward regarding HCR (health care reform) was good. Satisfying. Grounding. Empowering. I believe we made a difference.

Those feelings led me to recall a post I'd written almost exactly a year ago, oddly enough. The post can be found here:

http://mymusemutters.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-matters.html

Being a small part of many speaking out yesterday for the hope of a greater good without any surety of what the outcome will be caused me to realize what we each do matters. It matters, hopefully of course towards the outcome. It certainly matters to the overall understanding that sharing of ideas brings.

But most importantly perhaps, for me, was connecting the thought of a year past from that September 08 post to the action of posting yesterday. While a specific outcome is what I hope for, it was the 'taking what action I could, within my control' (thanks to the TIME GOES BY rally call) that mattered. In and of itself. The journey (my post) as well as the destination (hoped for outcome) both being equally relevant, with purpose found in each.

Perhaps it is true that we (I!) grow smarter with age :-)

Here's to each of us seeking, finding and acting on what we can, where we can, when we can. No matter what difference it makes, the effort itself makes a difference.
~
PS Thanks to NancyB and Lilalia for taking the time to share your comments on my post yesterday. Excellent points made by both within the comments and I'm looking forward to reading any posts/thoughts you wrote yesterday re: HCR!