My Lord, What A Morning!

My Lord, What A Morning! - Red Dress --- detail below.

My Lord, What A Morning! - White Dress --- detail below.

Our latest figure - based on a Praise dancing position. Each is 21" tall, and each is one of a kind because hair and other details are made from yarn and other found objects. We are also making a medium sized wall piece with three smaller figures together with a colorful sun! Pictures soon. If you are in the Washington DC area this weekend, come to The Kennedy Center for a performance of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and the chance to buy these or other pieces before, during intermission, or after the performance --- Friday night, Saturday Matinee or Evening, or Sunday Matinee.

If you can't make it to The Kennedy Center, you can order from our Shopify site or our Etsy shop

Saturday rides with Mom

I don't have a picture to share with this one, but a great story.

Mom and I both really enjoy our rides around town while Dad does the grocery shopping. Mom's limited memory seems to be something quite distant as we just ride round the area checking out the scenery, back roads, odd places in behind the stuff we normally drive by, etc.

Last week we had returned to the Wegman's parking lot to wait for Dad to finish up. Mom recited the following:

"I'm a little old fashioned I know.
Some think I'm painfully slow.
When it comes to religion and show.
God's face has a home in my soul."

She didn't seem to know much about where it came from, and I with my "sophisticated" computer knowledge was sure I could just Google it, and figure out where it came from?

Well, the quote from Mom was not exactly right, and it turned out to be a very old hymn. Newer stuff seems to stand a lot better chance on Google!

Below is the text I finally found from a hymn from the late 1800's.

The Old Fashioned Faith

I am somewhat old fashioned, I know,
When it comes to religion and God;
Many think I am painfully slow,
Since I walk where my fathers have trod.
I believe in repentance from sin,
And that Jesus within us must dwell;
I believe that if heaven we win,
We must flee from the terrors of hell.
Chorus:

I'm a little old-fashioned, I know,
But God's peace has a home in my soul,
And I'll praise Him wherever I go
For cleansing and making me whole.

I believe that the Bible is true,
Though the critics have torn it apart;
All its warnings and miracles, too,
I do wholly accept with my heart.
I am telling the people each day
That the sinner forever is lost
Who has failed to accept the true way,
Which was opened at infinite cost.

Neal A. McAulay, D.D., was born in English Town, Nova Scotia, Mar. 24, 1854. He graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago in 1883. Called as a missionary, he was ordained in the Presbery of Iowa City on Oct. 5, 1886; He was pastor of the Presbyterian church in Wilton, Iowa, from 1886-1907, serving the Clinton County towns of Wilton, Wilton Jct., and Sugar Creek; and the Presbyterian church in Lyons, Iowa until at least 1917. Sometime between then and 1920 he retired to Tacoma, Washington, and was still living there as late as 1921.

I can't seem to figure out a way to get the original hymn to play here, but you can click below to download an MP3 of it to play for yourself? The Old Fashioned Faith

Budding Artist

A little while ago, Maya noted that the Obama 12 pin that Grandma Cheryl was wearing was not completely painted. The letters on this pin had been left the natural wood color, and Maya very much wanted to paint them! We told her we would bring her some parts that she could paint herself, and make her own Obama 12 pins! We knew better than to forget, and brought a few blank parts the next time we were there for "Grandkids Wednesday"!. Maya had a great time carefully painting the parts! She was a bit impatient with the idea of waiting for the paint to dry, but after lunch she declared them dry, and we glued them together. Above are two of them. Grandpa wears one all the time now!

Inspired, I have gone ahead and set up two places to buy "Obama 12" handmade wooden campaign buttons, and help contribute to the re-election of the best president ever.... oh I know .... you probably don't all agree, but that is one of the great things about this country! We don't all agree, but we usually manage to get along fairly well!

To get your handmade wooden "Obama 12" buttons, go here or here for some of our work.... 75% of the $ goes to the 2012 campaign - the balance offsets our cost of making them. We even have a pin promoting the re-election of Bo as "First Dog"!

Maya's work is not available to the public.

On our way to The Kennedy Center

Figures lined up in the hallway outside our studio - waiting for the paint to dry - before heading off to The Kennedy Center - first weekend in February - Friday night, Saturday (two shows) and Sunday Matinee!

Robin in January!

Not a great picture.
Borrowed Dad's camera.
But there it is.
A Robin on our back fence
On January 17, 2010
Early Spring?
Stupid Robin?
Dementia?
Global Warming?

Ellison Park

I love my weekly rides around the area with my Mom! Dad goes grocery shopping, and Mom and I take a ride to someplace, and get to talk, share stories, and enjoy each other's company! Mom's confusion about things prevents a lot of stuff, but on these rides, we become close, and get to set aside some of the problems, and just have fun. Sometimes quiet, sometimes chattering away about most anything, sometimes sharing stories from our past. Always feeling close. Yesterday we went to Ellison Park, and mostly just sat in the car watching nothing happen! The tree stump - above, and below - remnants of a very old willow tree. Past it's prime - a lot like Mom and me, but still with a wonderfully tangled and complicated beauty!

Thank you Mom!

Click on the pictures to embiggen!

More of our work in somebody's home!

Those are three of Cheryl's handmade paper flowers in the middle of this lovely arrangement. Picture sent to us by one of our satisfied customers!