Did you know?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK then....................

Got that off my chest.

 

Clootie Wells................

In Honor of St. Patricks Day......................

                                        CLOOTIES! ......
                                                              
                                   

 

(a piece of cloth tied to a branch of a tree that is usually growing at or near

a well or spring that is considered holy or sacred, for the purpose of having a prayer granted)

 

 

Found in areas of Scotland, Ireland, as well as parts of northern England, Some of these wells

predate Christian times.

 

 

Although the practices vary depending on local

tradition, in Scotland and Ireland pieces of cloth (clooties)

are dipped in the holy well or spring and then tied to a branch.

 

 

This offering is then accompanied by a prayer or wish to the "spirit

of the well", normally a saint or a goddess, or a nature deity in pre-christian

times.

 

 

At some wells the affected part of ones body is washed with a rag which is then tied

to a branch.

 

 

Offerings of rosaries, crosses and other religious symbols

may also be hung from branches.

 

 

Legend has it that the ailment is shed as the clootie disintegrates

over time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An internet search for "clooties"

will turn up lots more information on clooties, as well as

some videos.

(all photos found on internet search)

 

Happy St. Patricks Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              

Om Mani Padme Hum.......

 

 

The focal for this necklace is a little Tibetan

piece I found in a bead shop in Arizona a few years ago.

 

 

It's reversable, I like the back as well......

 

 

This necklace that I found once while on

vacation, also has an old Tibetan focal,

 

 

also reversable.

 

I got my tickets today to see

His Holiness The Dalai Lama

When he comes to Portland in May.......

 

.......................

 

"Irrespective of whether we are a

believer or an agnostic, whether

we believe in God or karma, moral

ethics is a code which everyone is

able to pursue."

 

His Holiness The

Dalai Lama

 

.............................

 

FREE TIBET

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I..........

Made These..........


                                                             

TINY TEXAS HOUSES........

 

I first heard about Tiny Texas Houses  through

 Sharon at Sweet Repose. Her true love for them was contagious.

I would read her posts on Facebook, and pretty soon started following

TTH on Facebook  myself.

Every time they would post pictures I was blown away.

Not just by the pictures, but also by the concept and vision

of  Tiny Texas Houses.

 

 

Each small house is built almost entirely from recycled

and repurposed materials.

Old beadboard, leaded glass windows, corbels and trim.......yum!

 

 

Each piece of this old hardware that they use is

a piece of art in itself.

 

 

I think another reason I am so taken with these small structures is

that one of my Great Grandmothers lived in a very tiny

house. I can still remember going to see her and

being amazed that anyone could live in such a tiny little space.

It seemed almost like a doll house to me.

Although as I remember her, she herself was not a lot bigger than a child.

 

 

Don't you love it!?

These tiny little houses are really amazing!

 

Check them out........................Tiny Texas Houses

 

"Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love"

Willie Nelson / sung by Waylon Jennings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DECLARE IT......

DONE..................
      
                                    In one of the floral shops I used to work in , when someone had an arrangement that they just couldn't quite be satisfied with, and  it seemed like they were          "working" it to death  .........finally one of us would say "you need to declare that piece done and walk away!!"
                                                                           
                                                                                                     
                                         That's been the story of this collage:

 

I hung this about 2 years ago, knowing it wasn't done.

Everytime I walked past it, I would look at it and tell it.....

"you aren't done".

 

 

This week after some adding.....some deleting,

some fiddling around......

I think I am finally ready to

"declare it done."

 

Moving on..........

                                                                        

MEMORY JUG....."PUT A BIRD ON IT"

I have had this memory jug for a while..........

 

10 1/2'' tall by 15" in diameter at it's largest

 

 

 

It has some items on it that are a bit different.

for instance...the pocket knife shaped

like a running dog...

 

 

 

doll, jack, spool of thread, snail shell, key

buttons, arrowhead, jewelry, round mirror

 

 

 

 

This is one of only two antique jugs I have that are

signed and dated.

 

("Maid" by Emma E. Shink     New(?) Danville      1881)