I too have been covered with thorns~Rumi

Hand Heart and Thorns

I Too Have Been Covered With Thorns 

I am your moon and your moonlight too
I am your flower garden and your water too.
I have come all this way eager for you,
without shoes or shawl.
I want you to laugh, to kill all your worries, to love you, to nourish you.
Oh sweet bitterness, I will soothe you and heal you.
I will bring you roses. I too have been covered with thorns.
~Rumi

Desert Mermaid

It is said that Christopher Columbus spotted mermaids while exploring the Caribbean. They inhabit the dreams and myths of cultures all over the world. Here is a mermaid story that you might not have heard before...

In the Sonoran desert where water is scarce rare creatures emerge in the puddles and pools after a rainstorm. Their lifespans sometimes last just a few days. Once the water dries up they disappear as quickly as they came. Most common to appear in the temporary pools of water are the desert frogs and fish. Shown here is one of the rarest of the desert creatures-a Desert Mermaid.

Her head is an antique Tin Minerva doll with the original blue glass eyes, Her body is carved wood. The arms are articulated so they bend up and down at the elbow. The hands are made with antique porcelain doll parts. Each flower and thorn is delicately carved and painted. The antique doll face has been coated with a varnish to preserve the paint. The entire piece is finished with wax.

12"h x 7"w x 3"d

Desert Mermaid

My Funny Valentines

Blossoming Heart 

Hands and Hearts

Heart Series

On the Table

Here's what's on my work table now...
The weather has been cold and dry which can cause my wood to split. Just when I thought I'd finished building the tall figure at the top of this photo I drilled a hole in the hand to fit the bunny in and...Crack! Back to carving...

Looking out on the desert from Wupatki Ruins 

In 2013~

May you be touched by kindness

May you be moved by Beauty

May you be inspired by something new

May you be transported by something ancient

May you be surrounded by love

Happy New Year!

The Muse's Whisper

The muses call on me when I least expect them. And so it happened last weekend in a fallen down Spanish Mission called Tumacacori. The mission was built by Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century. It is one of a string of about 20 that span the border region between southern Arizona and Northern Sonora, Mexico. Some are still in use and others are now just a few crumbling walls. Tumacacori is only partially restored. There was a regional Fiesta there last weekend with traditional music, crafts and foods. The church was open for visitors to walk through.












The exterior walls of the church are  scratched with years of graffiti.

The interior walls are a combination of exposed adobe, remnants of plaster and hand painted designs.

The afternoon in Tumacacori was magical. Thank you muses for whispering in my ear.

Baby Birds

Baby Birds

I'm really excited about these new birdie guys  I've been making. They are carved from aspen with wings made from reclaimed wood. The Baby Birds are just the right size to use as a holiday ornament or they can hang in a window year round. The Skatebirds are much larger and have recycled caster wheels for feet and found glass knobs as crests.  I am on a hunt for more reclaimed wood with just the right patterns. Old yardsticks and vintage crates are my favorites right now...

Skatebirds