gathering spriggs

A Pretty Project

Thanks to my dear friend Iris of Irideeen who tweeted this amazing project this morning which captivated my heart. A hand drawn cross stitch from the amazing new to me blog The Odessa May Society.

This is what I wish I was doing and posting today... a pretty craft project styled to perfection by myself. But reality has set in and the honest to goodness truth is that I don't have all my ducks in a row just yet. I think there are too many irons in the fire this week. My head is buzzing with ideas, but the work on my new website (launching next week ... weee!) along with several other projects cooking has me more than a little distracted right now. 

So thanks for choosing to stop by and be with me here despite my imperfections, despite my lackluster fellowship. It is an honor to call you my friends . You all give me the grace I need and hope to offer it to myself. 

And if I don't post again until the new launch, I know you will be here with me in spirit. Thank you! 

Happy Easter and Happy Passover with all my heart,

Heather

fleurs from lyndie dourthe

this is my kind of garden. since i don't have a great track record with live plants, i've been thinking more and more about creating my own personal garden that never fades. 

hope these pretty fleurs delight you today. 

paper artistry from lyndie dourthe

Handle with Care

If only.... I handled my body with the care I take with my precious vintage items or fragile hair adornments. With a little more respect and nurturing. 

One of my doctor's orders this week was to listen to my body and respect its needs. Seems simple enough, eh? But the challenge has already begun this week with a taxing painting project, an artisan market approaching and more projects lined up waiting for my attention.  Even something as simple as getting at least 8 hours of consecutive sleep starting before midnight has been a stretch. This instruction came with helpful hint that our bodies begin their healing process at midnight and so its important to get into that REM sleep before then. 

It reminds me of a simple poem cross stitched on my grandmother's walls and etched in my brain:

Early to bed,

Early to rise,

Makes a man,

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

I always blew it off as an old wives tale but with age and learning things the hard way it seems pretty true. 

So I am taking baby steps. Since the illness I am experiencing now (as I learned this week) is stressed induced ... Its called Adrenal Fatigue.. then I am trying my best to take a lesson and begin to handle myself with care. 

Its a challenge believe it or not. (Especially as a people pleaser who doesn't like to use the word " No") I am taking it one day at a time. Baby steps. Towards health.

... and who knows.. maybe wealth and wisdom will follow!

 

Fragile Paper art by Ronald Ceuppens

My Week in Images

Spring abounds. 

Petals all around.

Some new, some old

All with a story to be told.

 

Here is to you and yours, 

May you find all that is in store

this weekend and forever more. 

 

* visit my shops to discover.... new hair adornments in gathering spriggs and fresh spring finds at gathering vintage (and next week there is more to come!) 

all images taken with my iphone by me for gathering spriggs

Can Art Heal?

 

Amidst all the chaos in the world, and reading the amazing responses from the art and design community to the Japanese tragedy, I found myself pondering the role of art in times of crisis over the weekend.

As an artist and strong believer in personal counseling, I returned to some of the research I collected while in art school on Art and Healing. A topic of great importance to my final body of work. It seems true that art making has long been thought of as a cathartic tool, but my questions come as an artist creating to impact the world. How can viewing art change (or heal) the world?? 

A book on my bookshelf helped open up my narrow view:  

"But the intent of art...is not to alter the individual but to speak to that which is common to all viewers. In doing so it can change any one of us, but in ways now common to all viewers. We the veiwers, own the work of art. We bring to it our desires, our needs, and our interests."

" You become the perfection of the fragmented, broken work of art we see and feel... we at the final moment must determine how." ---  

(Art, Healing, and History by Sander L. Gillman from the book Pulse: Art, Healing and Transformation )

This article suggests that WE become the change factor.. our actions (and reactions)  the missing link.  

And how about you? How are you coping with this crisis? What has pulled you through these times of sadness and unknown? 

Are you looking to art, design, beauty for a symbol of hope? 

Here are some artists who influenced me over the years:

images :ernesto neto, naomi kobayashi, kiki smith via brooklyn museum all fiber art: joetta maue 

Happy Pinning + A Photo Shoot

A few of my favorite pretty pins this week on Pinterest + I am excited about my very first styling gig!! On Sunday I have been invited by a fellow Etsy seller.. a local fashion designer who has worked diligently to put together an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party photo shoot. Complete with her custom fashion creations, hats, and a long table in the grass. Yours truly has been invited to provide the tea sets, tea pots, vintage linens and be the table stylist on this shoot!!! Squeal!! 

It is a huge dream of mine and I am simply over the moon!

Thank you dear friends for your love and support here at GS... I promise to share photos next week. Until then, hope your weekend is filled with sunshine and plentiful rest!

images: artwork, vintage hats, books, kitchen 

Mottos to Myself

Little reminders... 

After a long awaited dr.'s appt this week I am now entering into a month long  battery of tests to determine what my root health problem is. There is much still unknown. 

Tears came, sleeplessness came and went and now I am facing a new day. With sunshine at my helm today I have committed to go forth... one step at a time. 

Thanks to Kim Smith at Art=Happy for some blessed and beautiful reminders to keep me going.

And thank you for being such dear, supportive friends with me on this journey. You inspire me daily, so... tell me... 

What mottos do you live by ??

Playing Favorites

As I wield a paintbrush atop a 10' ladder this week, I am ponder how I've traded in my laptop for other tools for the time. Thus the less frequent posts and time online. Its just a bit difficult to tweet while 16 ft. in the air decorating a ceiling. But the time unplugged is good for me as I try to strike a balance between my two worlds of work. Online and on ladders. 

In the meantime, I have been trying to remain present when possible at the shops. And  made many new friends with new discoveries through Etsy's recent launch of Activity Feeds and Circles.  Thanks to them I can keep abreast and in touch with friends, favorites while making new ones along the way.  Here is my mini collection of such inspirations this week. 

Have you discovered Etsy's Activity Feed? What do you think? Is it helpful as a shop owner or shopper? 

images:  vintage statue- old ren hen; doily rug- ladies and gentlemen blouse- the white ribbon; necklace- isamo crochet; fabric bin- tuuni,  photo-slg designs

A View from my Room

After a dark couple of days last week, I paused in the glorious sunshine this weekend to take time for things that bring me joy. Here are some glimpses...  

new floral creations, (all flowers in these shots were hand crafted. Finally a garden I can maintain)

chocolate truffles from my sweetheart,

remnants from the great studio reorganization,

and finally the colors of spring on my sofa!  (Crazy to see the transformation my living room has seen in just a little over a year).

My heart is budding again. 

Thank you dear friends for spending time with me here each day! 

What is bringing you joy today? 

A Way With Walls

Decorative wall treatments have been on my mind lately. I started a little file on my desktop to store some favorite images when I first came across the ingenious work of Payton Turner's sticker wallpaper art installations. Then shortly after received word of Galbraith and Paul's Wallpaper debut collection. And this week I stenciled my sister's powder room in a shimmery Baroque style pattern. As a decorative painter by trade I love the idea of bringing art into the home via wallspace. Its my playground. Hopefully with being snowed in this week I can do something a bit experimental on my walls this weekend. 

If you are looking to introduce some pattern and want to customize your colors to a "tee" then here is a special wallpaper offer just for you, GS readers from Herisson!! You have to check out the customizable tool to pick your scale and palette. 

 

Code 1: WALLWARNING = 20% off for consumers at the Studio Herisson site and it can be used twice by each reader. The offer is good through April 30. 

So I wonder... how do you have your way with your walls? paint, paper, found objects...??

images: design is mine, purple area, herisson, payton turner, joanna goddard