REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

Haiku My Heart Friday: Grateful for Another Valentines Day

When you really think about it, the commercial celebration of Valentines Day is a silly tradition. Culture has set us up for romance which is bound to bring expectations, sometimes fulfillment, but often disappointments. Yet, we all know that love is given and received in so many different ways. Valentines Day reminds me of one of the reasons I like to go to church regularly. It's like going to the gas station and getting a fill-up. Maybe Valentines Day is a yearly fill-up of love, a reminder of how important love in all its flavors really is. As for me, the concept of three kinds of love (romantic, filial and agape) long ago sunk in. I do, however, celebrate all of you who are blessed with romantic love today and every day. I do have some lovely memories. So,I give you three ways I honored Valentines Day with my art--and with one haiku for Rebecca's Haiku My Heart Fridays. 

Not just on this day,

But every day, practice love

and the world will heal. 

This is an art journal page I made this week. 

And this is a page created on Polyvore. 

And here is Sophia the Art Mannikin who is celebrating quietly downstairs.

Sophia the Art Mannikin: Halloween 2013

Poor Sophia wore her fall dress and hat for seven weeks, but today I redressed her in prep for Halloween. Next weekend I'll put up the Dia de los Muertos altar in the living room, too. Not enough energy today. 

You know how we go in cycles of interest in life? I go like gang busters for all kinds of activities and projects and then I ultimately lose momentum and move to something else. My dressing Sophia days are waning, no doubt about it. But, we'll go through the end of the year at least. More than one person who comments at Sacred Ordinary, and a few others who visit the house, have honestly shared that Sophia freaks them out. As I've said before, I always meant for her and her sister mannikin to become collage art, but I just never got around to it. Here is Sophia full length. This is a vintage Carole Little dress that I so much wish I could fit into still. 

You know how I love bargains. Well, Sophia's scarf is from the 99 cent store, her hat was purchased at a garage sale about 20 years ago, and her mask? Well, it was in a free box at a crafts estate sale I went to this past weekend. 

Sophia the Art Mannikin Through the Summer

I'll admit that Sophia has been taken for granted this summer. She always stands in the same corner of the living room week after week. In June she was the perennial bride and in July she wore purple as she pretended she had attended numerous weddings and patio parties. And now, for the rest of August, she is Carmen Miranda. The Carmen Miranda outfit, complete with a fruit turban hat, came from a garage sale and cost $2. I sure like to think I'm doing my little part for the planet by recycling. Her outfit was made by the garage sale owner for her daughter for Halloween several years ago.

Who Should Sophia the Art Mannikin Marry This Year?

Sophia the art mannikin is dressed again (5th time?) for her June wedding. This year she has yet another vintage wedding gown, late 70s or early 80s if I were to guess. I got it at a thrift shop as the tags were still on it: $10. Such a deal! 

When Sophia finally leaves my house of mirth and madness (how many elders do you know who dress mannikins?), she says she will not marry again. Me, one of the larger cynics of happily-ever-after, is the one that magically holds on to the fairy tale wedding idea by dressing her each year. 

Counting my own wedding dress, which she has worn once, she has five of the symbol of the virgin maiden dresses; next year will be a 60 year old one I'm saving for last. Yes, six times married will be quite enough for Sophia, she says. She wants to settle down permanently. The question I always ask myself is why do wedding dresses end up in thrift shops and garage sales?  If I'm at a garage sale, I'll ask the seller and wow, sometimes I get some pretty angry accounts of why. At estate sales, it is usually grandma's gown and the family just doesn't collect like I do. What do you do with old wedding gowns? Bury them ceremonially like you would a flag? 

If I were better at PhotoShop, I'd layer a potential groom in the photo, but I'm not. Nor am I sure who that groom would be if I had my druthers. It's easy to choose a sexy actor or even a character from fiction or film. But, since I long ago gave up the notion of remarrying, I'm curious who you would choose if you could pick a groom for her? Just curious. By the way, she says looks are not important and neither is wealth, although if he comes with humor, intellect, gentleness, compassion, curiosity, and belief in something greater than himself, it would be OK. She would also like to be loved unconditionally, but doesn't mind a lively exchange of ideas. She says if the right man (or woman) comes along, she will also commit herself until death (or sale to a high-end retail store) parts them. 

Look at that high neck. My own wedding dress had a high neck but the beautiful fashions you see these days aren't afraid to show skin and décolletage. As often as not, they are form fitting. Because I do play around on Polyvore, I'm blown away by some of the gorgeous wedding dresses of today. 

So, who do you think Sophia should marry this year? 

What's Up With Sophia the Art Mannikin?

Sophia tells me that my choices for her lately have been boring. She says I dress her like a little old lady--and I suppose that I do since her dresser is one. How I wish, however, I had her size 4 size and remember those young years when I did. The last dress, however, is an old Carole Little of mine that does fit me still, but I know longer go anywhere to even wear it. 

Now that my daughter has moved in and my granddaughter (26) is visiting more often, maybe I can borrow some cooler stuff. Suggestions? 

 

Nostalgically Decorating a Little for Easter Week

Yes, I know. Easter isn't about bunnies and mannikins, but I do still have a pretty high level of inner kid in this 75-year-old body. Tomorrow we'll read the Passion at church, but my mind does snap back to when my own kids were little (now 50, 49 and 46) and after church we had the big egg hunt in the back yard. 

I have an extensive (50?) gorgeous stuffed rabbit collection, but I'm just too tired to put it out this year--and who will see it anyway? So, I'm putting out special memories instead. 

I call these Mae's rabbits. Many years ago my dear friend Mae brought over this little vase and four rabbits on a night when the journal group was meeting and I've cherished it ever since. Mae is 85 now and I was so delighted to get a phone call this week that she is coming to our journal group on Monday night. She has not been for a few years and we are so excited to see her. The journal group still meets monthly and we began in 1989. Our numbers have decreased but usually four people show up. Not bad for that length of time. This kind of sharing group is such a blessing and I am reminded of how we all measured our kids with a yard stick against a door frame, until we moved and someone painted over those memories. But, this group of women (and one man the last several years) has been like a measuring stick of life. What we have been through together!

Below you will see what I call Ruth's eggs. Ruth is also an old friend and was a housemate for four years. She gifted me with this little rabbit wagon more than 10 years ago. Inside are hand-carved eggs from Hungary that she brought back from a trip. Ruth now lives in Ojai, but still comes to L.A. at least once a week to see clients in her therapy practice--and she stays in her old room. 

And finally Sophia, the art mannikin, is prepared for Easter. She wore her St. Patrick's Day outfit most of March. She says that she is glad she lives in Southern California or she probably would have to wear Artic gear. I've watched the weather reports this evening and I know a lot of the U.S. is still deep in winter. 

 

Sophia the Art Mannikin: Rockin' at Mardi Gras

Sophia is all ready for Mardi Gras but compared to New Orleans, celebrating here at Sanctuary Center is probably pretty boring. But, here she is: 

Thanks, Leslie, for your recent comment about my big Barbie doll. My mom, as she grew older, had a baby doll that looked real. So, what do I end up with? An art mannikin. Yeah, sometimes I am like Steve Martin in Lonely Guy, but Mollie and Sophia keep me company when I do get down and out.

My friend Ray Whiting lived in New Orleans until the hurricane drove him out and I used to love hearing his stories about the revelry. Now I am too old, or maybe just too smart, to even want to go into a crowd like that. 

It was fun to visit Mardi Gras New Orleans site, however. There is a lot of information there. 

When I dressed Sophia this weekend, I had just finished reading about Jean Paul Sartre, Rudolph Bultmann, Martin Heidegger and other existentialists for a class I'm taking. After that heavy duty thinking I kept asking myself, is my somewhat frivilous life authentic or unauthentic? I'm a wanna-be scholar in the midst of all my art and writing, though. And I do love people--and I love them in the moment. Maybe Sophia and I are actually existentialists. 

My own Mardi Gras celebration will be at Christ Church's annual pancake dinner on Tuesday night in the church hall. I wish Sophia could go, too, but she's too bulky and heavy to drag the block down to the church. 

I do remember a trip my friends Kathy, Donna and I took for rodeo weekend in Bishop, CA one time--and we went to the local community hall to a Cajun dance. I was too shy to dance, but Kathy was out there among them. Remember that, Kathy? This is what the music sounded like: 

 

And here is Sophia's sweet face up close. I sure wish I had those lips.

Sophia the Art Mannikin: Partying Before Mardi Gras

My poor Sophia, so neglected, my dear fashion inspiration, an older woman's version of a giant doll. When I am old--I will dress an art mannikin! And believe me, I'm old. She finally got out of her Christmas outfit last week and here she is in a sparkly turquoise dress with a flapper headband. 

That's actually my own faux fur and my own vintage necklace and pin on her headband. In fact, the pin was my grandmother's and the necklace was given to me by a boyfriend when I was 18 years old. 

Sophia stands near the area that sprung a ceiling leak a few weeks back. It wasn't rain, but a copper pipe that got a significant leak. The plumber had to open a large chunk of the ceiling, repair the pipes, and then a contractor came in and repaired the ceiling--and a few other places in the house that had significant dings. 

Sopia said she was grateful she didn't get all wet. Wasn't there a witch in some story who disappeared when she got wet? Wizard of Oz witch? Damn, my memory is poor these days. 

Still in a very high learning curve with Polyvore but how fun that has been to become part of that community. I have discovered that I can use some of my collages in my regular art and in my art journals. Because I am concerned about copyright issues, I have also been using images that are public domain. 

And here's a close-up of beautiful Sophia. And yes, her arms do get tired. And what I wouldn't give to fit into her size 6 dress--and I did once fit into that size. 

Here's a close-up of her lovely face.

 

Sophia the Art Mannikin: Goodbye Christmas!

Poor Sophia, the art mannikin. She got dressed early for Christmas and has stayed in the same outfit ever since. Did you think I had forgotten about her? Not yet, but I am selling her sister soon. How bad is that?

She is wearing a long black and red Mexican folk art vest that I usually wear at Christmas myself, but I really had nowhere to wear it this year. My friend Linda, now in Colorado, and I bought these vests in San Diego's Old Town ages ago. I wonder if Linda still has hers? 

How I wish I had Sophia's big sexy lips and she says she has had no augmentation or work done. My youngest son and his family entertained for Christmas, so no one got to see her except for my gal pals who came over for cocktails. So--my adult grandson Anthony didn't have to throw a blanket over her. She freaks him out!

Sophia the Art Mannikin Welcomes the Autumnal Equinox

Southern California has been blazing hot for weeks, but today the marine layer was in and I slept last night with the curtains closed and without the overhead fan. 

People have their favorite seasons and summer is mine followed by fall. Winter is a hard season for me, even in Southern California, as I am emotionally affected by days without sun. 

This weekend I redressed Sophia the Art Mannikin for the autumnal equinox and since it was really hot that day, she asked to wear her hair shorter. The Salvation Army had a perfect "new/old" dress at half price, so here she is. 

If you didn't know, the autumnal equinox begins in the Northern Hemisphere on September 22, 10:49 A.M. EDT. Here’s more about the first day of fall—the autumnal equinox—plus, facts, folklore, and some fantastic fall photos! (Say that five times fast!) This is from the Old Farmers Almanac.  The Almanac has many, many interesting facts and folklore about this season, so check it out. 

It is the summer's great last heat,
It is the fall's first chill: They meet.
–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

Again, in case you didn't know, the word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night." The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the sun crosses the celestial equator. 

All I know is that this particular dress is in my own "larger" size and Sophia wears a size 4. The whole back is pinned in to show her svelte curves. But, if it gets hot again, I might ask her if I can borrow it. At my age I rarely wear sleeveless clothing in public, but I sure could wear this dress while writing and creating in my art journals.