REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

Sophia the Mannequin as Bride

It's a beautiful day in Southern California--a good day to marry, I'd say. Sophia, my art mannequin agreed and though she's been wearing her gown indoors since June 1, this afternoon we went on a field trip to my patio yard so I could photograph her in her special dress. 

Cookie acted as Sophia's maid of honor although she wouldn't come outdoors for the photo shoot. The guests were the wild green parrots of Redondo Beach and several rowdy squirrels. 

Sophia's dress was an incredible find at a Manhattan Beach estate sale a few months back. It's a size 6 Jessica McClintock, complete with veil and headpiece. Guess how much? 

$10! Such a deal! The dress is about 25 years old, I was told, although no one seemed to remember at the sale who had gotten married in it. I'm guessing it might have been a daughter's dress or a granddaughter's. I still have my mom's wedding dress (1918) and my own wedding dress (1958) and being the nostalgic pack rat that I am, I'll leave it to my kids to sell at my estate sale--hopefully many years in the future. I can't dress Sophia in either dress as they are both long-sleeved and her arms are rigid. She wants me to assure you, however, that her personality is not.

Speaking of estate sales, I managed to squeeze in two between a Saturday morning Mac Users Group meeting and my afternoon work assignment at school yesterday. The family at one of yesterday's sale agreed to donate all the books and media they hadn't sold to the Palos Verdes Library where I volunteer. But they wanted to donate them immediately. My little Honda Civic EX (also named Sophia) is filled to the brim with their donation; I'll deliver them all to the library tomorrow. 

But back to Sophia. Here is her lovely face and her blue iris bouquet. Blue iris were my own mom's favorite. At her feet are blue hydrangeas and sweet peas, my favorites. 

By the way, in both of these photos, please note the little silver dog bone in the upper right hand corner. That's part of Cookie's very own bird feeder. 

I am no longer filling any of my bird feeders, however, because the squirrels and the roof rats like bird seed, too. We didn't throw rice today; it would have caused a havoc with the local wild life.

How many of you remember your own wedding day, or days? When was it; what do you remember most about it or them? What did you wear and how did you feel? 

The Labor of Love website has this to say about marriage: "The meaning of marriage differs from one person to another, and from one time to another. In ancient times, for example, a marriage meant a condition in which a woman was given to a man almost as property, and often as part of a political, social, or business arrangement of some sort. For much of human history, marriage has been a permanent institution that, once entered into, cannot be dissolved except by the death of one of the spouses. In the modern world, however, marriage is a vastly different thing. On the up side, marriage is today more of a gathering of equals, rather than the subjugation of one to the other. On the down side, marriage often becomes much more temporary than it has been in years past."

I am, unfortunately, one of the temporary brides, if one could say 27 years is temporary. From a religious perspective, marriage is a sacrament, but my own marriage was annulled in the Catholic Church in 1988. I was so different then than I am now; I just assumed I would probably remarry in the Church within a few years and I wanted a clean slate. I feel ashamed, actually, that I went through the process. But, I wasn't as freethinking as I've become now. 

By the way, here is the detail on the back of Sophia's gown. Lovely isn't it? Who is Sophia's groom, you ask? She says to tell you it definitely isn't Ken, and his name isn't Bob. He's a Greek God and on the 20th of June, she flies to Greece to meet him for their honeymoon. Wanna go? 

Somewhere Over the Rainbow in Redondo Beach

I It rained yesterday, most of today, and rain is predicted for tomorrow. We need the rain badly and (knock on wood) so far this year my house has held tight without leaks. It should after all the fixes and upgrades I've done every time a leak would spring up. 

At sunset, the rain stopped for a while and I literally ran outside with the camera because I could see a rainbow out my bedroom window. When I was younger, it seemed like I saw rainbows often, but never as often in the city as I did out in the boonies. When you see all the phone and electric lines (we are not underground yet in my eclectic neighborhood), it takes a little (but only a little) of the rainbow magic away. 

I did manage to duck out to a close estate sale today  which had gotten hit so hard with the rain as they had about half of everything out on the back lawn and couldn't tarp it fast enough. I saw one lady buy a totally soaking wet 12 x 12' berber carpet, which it took two men to carry to her car. Such a deal! I got some arts and crafts odds and ends and felt my usual sadness knowing that his woman's life had ended or narrowed down. 

The rest of the day and evening I have spent researching and creating the February issue of my Macintosh user's group newsletter. 

Cookie, who is still perky, does not like rain and has had two accidents in the house today. And wouldn't you know that I'm hosting my Mac group's core group in the morning. After I hit post, I'm off to prepare the living room for company. It will be a good day to have a fire, however. As for Cookie, she will go out shortly for a walk, like it or not. 

So, above is my version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." And below is Doris Day's version at YouTube. I could have placed Judy Garland's really famous version, but I loved this one because of all the nostalgia photos. How in the heck does time pass so quickly?

os.

The Advent Before Valentine's Day

There is a magical, untainted-with-cynicism child deep inside who finds Valentine's Day a mystical experience, but the adult in me has long loathed this holiday because it oozes artificiality and commercialism. But, that child me has a valentine's box (written about a few years ago) and now I've dressed my mannequin for the holiday. We are in the advent before valentine's day and I've agreed to table my cynicism and remember that love comes in three flavors--eros, filial and agape. The eros part long ago dropped by the wayside (but don't ever think I've forgotten the peaks and valleys of those experiences) but the filial and agape are alive and well. By the way, when I looked back at my valentines entry at this blog, I ragged on this holiday all five years--which I had totally forgotten.) 

So, here is Sophia dressed for valentine's day. (Both my car and my mannequin are named Sophia.)

She is wearing a really lovely deep red taffeta dress with a hem I adore. Those of you who sew or know fashion can fill me in on the hem. The bottom of the skirt is attached to the lining inside making the skirt hang in a poofy way. The dress was $5.99 at the Salvation Army. Her felt hat trimmed with velvet and netting is vintage, something I've owned since those good old days when we had to go to Mass covering our heads. 

Her top is gossamer, see-through black trimmed with rhinestones (Salvation Army, $3.99). Around her neck she wears a beautiful set of red beads that my aunt brought me from Hong Kong, probably 35 years ago at least. Each bead is etched. The red bracelet I purchased from Bead for Life. 

The heart around Sophia's neck is my creation, made in layers and dotted with emphemera. Have I ever told you that my very favorite clothing color combination is red and black? 

When my friend Kathy came to visit this morning, I made a disparaging remark about older women who feel compelled to dress mannequins, but she said it was a great idea. Though, at our age, we rarely "dress" anymore, we can continue to enjoy dress-up clothing if we display it. My close friends "get me," that me who creates something out of nothing on a daily basis.

Here is a close up scan of the heart I made. 

If you click it, you can see it larger. 

As I've been saying, though, wait until you see Sophia dressed for Mardi Gras in a few weeks. 

So, this was one of my Creative Every Day creations for this month. 

The Pink Victorian Child

This is a piece I finished a few weeks ago I've called the Pink Victorian Child. There are several collage layers and several mediums in an 8 x 10" format, popped into an 11 x 14" lattice frame. The original sepia card of the child was in a box of cards for 25 cents each at a garage sale. I've scanned it so I can work with her in different mediums. The frame was 75 cents at another garage sale, and some of the ephemera was from garage sales, too. This piece wouldn't fit into my own decor, so I've placed her lovingly into my "gift" box to give to someone later. Maybe I need to start an Etsy shop although I still don't think my stuff is good enough to sell. So, though I've done a creative project of some sort almost every day in January, thanks to Leah at Creative Every Day, I thought I would share this one. 

Garage and Estate Sales an Adventure To Me

Yesterday I totally indulged myself for almost seven hours beginning with an estate sale in Redondo Beach, followed by visits to five thrift shops within an 8 mile radius of my house. This is my loot from yesterday, the total cost about $35.

In my journal today I explored why I love doing this so much; it is a guilty pleasure, to be sure. I do not really need “things,” but in my largely mundane daily life, I find it adventuresome. That’s the bottom line. It’s like being a kid and knowing that you are going to do something that is really, really fun. I plan my route and print out maps hoping something “magical” will turn up, but more often than not, I come home with nothing. I also have a rule that for every item I bring home, I have to get rid of another I don't need any more. By the way, that green satin dress and necklace are put of my mannequin's Mardi Gras oufit; her mask is in the center. 

My family shopped Goodwill and Salvation Army out of necessity when I was a kid; I felt ashamed back then. Somewhere in the 1970s I started having garage sales, but didn’t go to a thrift shop until my friend Carol, who partially makes her living by buying things and reselling them, taught me the ropes. That was probably 1985 and things were tight after my divorce. My townhouse I have lived in for 21 years as a divorced woman is largely decorated with used furniture and accessories. And now that I’m “doing art,” most of my current purchases relate to arts and crafts.

At this time I don’t really need to buy things used, but why should I give up something that I find so much fun? In the classifieds they call some sales “Estate Sales” which is a misnomer, but it’s what brings out the resellers and antiquers. It is where I have found my best bargains. It also brings out a lot of young families who usually speak little or no English, but the sales are how they make ends meet. We are an eclectic crowd!

I have noticed that the estate sales and most garage sales for the last six months often have lines where only so many people are let in at a time. The thrift shops are filled with people as well, and I’m convinced the trashed economy has a lot to do with it. I found this article in USA Today on Dec. 9, 2008 and it confirms what I’ve observed.

Yesterday’s estate sale was near my home and I found out after the fact that the contents of the house belonged to a woman in my art group whose work I greatly admire. (She is not deceased, but did move into a new home.) I got some great books, art ephemera, and “stuff” which I will incorporate into assemblage once I teach myself how to do it. There was a very heavy cement Celtic-looking face in the back yard, and I really “wanted” it, but her $10 price was more than I wanted to pay. I went back today toward the end of the sale and I’ll be darned, it was still there although there wasn’t a lot left compared to yesterday. But, it was available and I got it for $5. A really nice lady, who also happened to be in my art group, put it in the trunk of my car. That’s something else I really enjoy—the interaction between the sellers and the buyers. We swap so many stories. I guess these sales have also become a form of social networking for me. 

Here’s the Celtic face. Can one of you tell me who he is? 

My Whimsical Santa Goddess

Most my Christmas decorations are pretty traditional, but I separated one of my Triple Goddesses and she has now become the Santa Goddess. I bought the hat at a garage sale months ago for $1. 

The green glass candle sticks were my late Aunt Sylvia's so she is part of my personal Christmas season as are so many of my relatives and friends. I've been given ornaments that belonged to family members who died and friends often give me ornaments. 

Speaking of garage sales, today was an especially productive one for art supplies, trims, fabric and embellishments. I'm working on cleaning up a tin and copper hammered tryptych with 3 mirrors and doors that close and latch. $8. Whoopee. Anybody know where to buy inexpensive tin milagros versus silver? My Googling choices are coming up expensive. 

And, the Lucky Dawg Mobile Pet Grooming van came this afternoon and Cookie is all spruced up for Christmas. 

Now, what about presents? What about cards? What about procrastination? What about celebrating on Epiphany instead? Our family Christmas is next weekend and none of us know what to give each other. The bottom line is that I love handmade anythings, books, art and craft supplies. 

Thoughts While Waiting for Rain

Ever since I came down with a sinus infection almost two weeks ago, my creativity and curiosity about all things, including Internet, has tanked. I am no longer “ill” but I have a residual cough and some negative thoughts I’m trying to reverse. I’ve largely escaped into books and sleep. Knowing the economy is sliding and being in stores excessively decorated for Christmas, I’m working hard at happiness. I’m a big believer in happiness as choice, so I rarely dwell on the negative for long.

Now we are waiting for rain. This is a good thing for most of us and a scary thought for people in the recently burned areas. From my office window, I watch the clouds gathering over the L.A. basin. I’ve relocated umbrellas and put them into strategic places. Yesterday I stored all the patio furniture for the winter and I put away my summer and fall wardrobe and put my winter clothing in my bedroom closet. I’ve begun to write to my list of gratitudes I do this time of year and I’ve gone back to my Vision Board which has largely lain dormant for a month.

I reconnected with an old friend yesterday, Carol K. When both of us were newly divorced in the mid 1980s, we spent a lot of time together. She is the one who taught me how to find bargains at the thrifts and garage sales. For years she ran a clothing consignment shop and still works part-time in another. She supplements her income selling the things she buys. We both were in and out of relationships over the years and lost track of each other. A few weeks ago we serendipitiously reconnected—where? At a thrift shop! After lunch yesterday she introduced me to a new thrift in Carson called the Discount Center with 20% Monday senior discounts. I wasn’t in the market for clothing but got five articles of clothing for $10 and to my great surprise, all of them fit when I got them home. That means I have to recycle five articles of current clothing, but that will be easy.

At the request of an elderly friend who does not use the Internet, I have printed out pages of information from the local mortuaries about pricing, etc. Her husband, a long time friend, is in palliative care at a local long-term care facility and I’ve been bombarded with memories of better days. I remember my friend giving Tony a Big Wheel when he was four and now Tony is 41. Sigh!

Tonight another old friend is picking me up for a quick bite to eat and then we are going to the annual South Bay Interfaith Service. Tomorrow is my prep of the few dishes I am bringing to the family Thanksgiving at the home of my ex-husband and his wife. They say time moves more quickly as you age. Like a Japanese bullet train maybe.

Well, it hasn’t started raining yet but the wind is picking up and all the birds and bees who are usually in the trees outside my window have skeedaddled. Just some thoughts.

 

 

The Triple Goddess: Redondowriter Style

 

This is my version of what I'm calling the triple goddess. According to Wikipedia, a triple goddess is a term used to describe any goddess who appears as a triad. In ancient Indo-European mythologies, various goddesses or demi-goddesses appear as a triad, either as three separate beings who always appear as a group (the Greek Moirae, Charites, Erinyes and the NorseNorns) or as a single deity who is commonly depicted in three aspects (Greek Hecate and the cult image of Latin Diana Nemorensis, of whom Hecate is one part^[1]).

Often it is ambiguous whether a single being or three are represented, as is the case with the IrishBrighid and her two sisters, also called Brighid, or the Morrígan who is known by at least three or four different names. In most ancient portrayals of triple goddesses, the separate deities perform different yet related functions, and there is no obvious difference in their ages.

In Wicca and related Neopagan religions, the Triple Goddess is, along with the Horned God, held in particular reverence, and her three aspects are most often portrayed as being of different ages:Maiden, Mother and Crone.

It's not my intent to keep these funky ladies together. They will currently be in three separate rooms of the house and will probably ultimately be gifts. They are foam heads covered with a colored scarf, and then a net stocking over the face. Each has a necklace. I bought them this way at a garage sale for $4 each. I added my hats and then chopped up an old necklace I got in a garage sale free box to make their eyes. These are more examples of what I've started calling Fran's femmage. 

Creating Art on a Smoky So Cal Saturday

It is hot, dry, smoky and the big fires are 40 miles away, although there was one this morning in Palos Verdes. It was distinguished quickly, thank heavens, and no homes were involved. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be near Corona, Yorba Linda, Brea, Sylmar, Santa Clarita and Anaheim Hills. Many freeways are closed in Los Angeles so the fire fighters and police can do their best. All afternoon it was like dusk with the sun shining like an overripe orange behind grey netting. I did go out for a few hours but my cough kicked in and I decided to largely stay indoors and work on some art projects. The smell of smoke is sickening and ash is falling all over everything. Tonight I ventured out again for dinner with Tony, Gretchen and my grandsons and then to their house to watch Dr. Doolittle. You could barely see the moon. Then, at about 8 p.m. the offshore winds came up and the air is clearing at the beach. The moon looks clear and the smoke smell is gone.That probably doesn't bode well for the inland where all the fires are burning. My work table has a half dozen art projects in various stages of creation and I’ll share three that I did finish off today by forcing myself to stay indoors. It’s more of my femmage almost solely from garage sale and thrift shop finds. The background of Myth and Memories is an old tic-tac-toe board I painted bronze, collaged paper, an old chiffon butterfly overlaid with one of my feminine butterflies colored with Prismacolor pencils. The spirals are a rubber stamp and I put a black hair net over the whole piece. I’ve made this female butterfly in varying sizes in the computer and I’m trying several different color mediums for future ones.

This is another butterfly variation against a Victorian embroidery hoop gushing with flowers and some old earrings. The butterfly is colored with embossing pens. This piece I’m not sure about. The face is an old classic of Gloria Swanson I cut out from a newspaper and scanned. I tinted it with Marvy Markers and put her in this very old, antique frame that used to be a mirror. I’m not sure I like the dark face in the white frame and I don't like my splash of green on her face. We’ll see.

I suppose one could accuse me of fiddling while Rome was burning.

So, that’s how I spent Saturday. How did you spend yours?

Our Lady of Gratitude

This is a sign I picked up at Joann's a few weeks back and "Our Lady of Gratitude" has it dangling from her left hand. What, you say? Do you remember my excitement several weeks back when I managed to snag two mannequins for a song when a local vintage store was closing? It has always been my dream to make a mannequin into some kind of art piece--and now I have two to consider. This mannequin is dressed for Fall, or for the sacred season of Halloween, All Saints, All Souls Day and Thanksgiving. She is wearing real clothing I sometimes wear--a spangly red sequin top, a black and red velvet reversible cape with a hood, and a long black crepe skirt.

Of the two mannequins, this one is a little more haughty, I would say. She is in the living room right now. I have a journal group tomorrow night and I thought the folks might get a kick out of her. I also have my yearly Day of the Dead altar up now; I'll post photos of that later in the week. Upstairs, in my bedroom, the second mannequin is dressed as the Angel of Winter, also a post for a different time. I'm still working on her. I suppose these kinds of mannequins could freak some people out. My son and two little grandsons came by and looked at the Day of the Dead display and Our Lady of Gratitude and the little guys were speechless. Fortunately, I had given them my beloved Taco Bell bobble head chihuaha to take home, so they preoccupied themselves with their new toy. 

Tony, on the other hand, recognized most of the relatives and friends whose photos I display for Day of the Dead. He made some very poignant remarks. Turn, turn, turn. For every time there is a season--and for every person there is a way to express themselves. These are some of the ways I'm currently expressing myself.