MyLuckyChicken

Snail Mail is Worth the Wait.

I've been thinking about good old fashioned letter writing lately. On my recent travels I was lucky enough to receive some real-on-paper letters. It made me realize how much I miss getting them. So here is some inspiration, send someone a letter...

 

It's worth the wait.

 

 

Hurricane WIP

We are so fortunate that Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm before it came to us and so far we've kept dry and have only lost a few branches in the back yard. 

I've been watching the news and working on my latest project.

 

Sending thoughts and prayers to everyone dealing with this storm. 

 

My Most Recent Obsession

I've been really infatuated with dolls lately. Specifically, rather small dolls, like the kind you could fit in your pocket and carry around with you. A nice portable friend. I started by looking at the Blythe photos. The are all over the internet. I got my self a mini blythe, but then I moved on. I have a few vintage dolls. (I'll post a picture tomorrow when I have good light). They are sweet but delicate. Then I started thinking about fairies. I couldn't find one I liked so I thought I'd make some. 

She's my first. I was making them in Ireland and quickly realized that I didn't have what I needed to make tops, so they all got skirts. 

I'm working (rather slowly) on some new ones now. They are about 6 inches tall and only lightly stuffed. I think they are the perfect size to put in your pocket and take on an adventure. 

A Luxury Vacation

It seems like I run hot and cold with this blog of mine. I am either in a creating and posting frenzy or, well, not. 

So since I can't reasonable catch you all up with everything I've been up to, I thought I'd just jump right in where I'm at...

Ireland. We just got home. A huge 6 week vacation that included 4 weeks in what the Irish call a 'holiday cottage' but what could be more aptly be described as a time warp. 

This is it. (taken with the hipstamatic app, for the time travel effect)

It was beautiful. It was remote. It was mind numbingly boring. But in a good way. There was not television, no internet access, no phone, and one radio station.

But there was space, lots and lots of space. You know the kind of space where you have time to think? Nothing buzzing, nothing beeping. Nothing to update, no up-to-the-minute news that I couldn't miss. Just space. The kind of emptiness where your mind could wander and drift. Thoughts could come and go with out distraction or inundation. Remember that? 

It was a very simple place, 2 bedrooms, a stone floor, and a peat burning fireplace. A huge open landscape lead to views of the ocean out the back.

 

Cows came up to the stone wall and there were brand new calfs. We fed them the grass clippings when the lawn was mowed.

The wind there is constant and although it was fairly cold you could open the windows and let in fresh sea air. And there was time. Time to stand at the window and breathe. Time to let your eyes wander across the landscape and be inspired. Time to wonder what you would like to do next. 

And the boys played. real play. With sticks and rocks and imagination. And they were bored. Really bored. But the kind of bored that leads to making forts in the trees and imaging flying to far off places. Where you decide to draw the view out of your bedroom window because there is nothing else to do. 

It was rough for sure and remote. But all that space, all that calm quite time, is my idea of a luxury vacation.