One of a Kind Textiles from Oaxaca

                                       

I finally decided to cut loose and put all the textiles I brought back from Mexico out on the floor.  Round and square cushion covers, some handwoven, hand embroidered, huipiles (a kind of traditional shirt), and a runner or two. So for those textile lovers out there amongst you, it's worth a visit.  The hand crafts and needle arts are alive and well in Central America.

Getting Excited About the New Year

It's been a busy time for me......not so much in the store with customers but inside my  head.....I am planning the coming year, and going through all the myriad of new catalogues that are coming in contemplating how I'm going to put it all together in a Passionflower kind of way. I was particulary pleased to see that Phaidon is offering a book of Bryan Nash Gill's work.  He has been described as "an artist rooted in nature"  which makes him the perfect candidate for my imaginary art gallery.  And the coming book prompted me to share with you these amazing prints he makes of cross sections of wood.  Again it's one of those simple yet powerful ideas.  Click here to find out about the process. 

Thoughts for the New Year & How We Like to Party at Passionflower

The palm reader said I have the mark of Mars on my left hand....wielding a weapon.....which kind of reminded me of this collage I was playing around with  ( above).  I fully intend to claim and reframe this imagery as though I am carrying a growing staff fighting for truth and beauty in the world.......

    

 We had our annual holiday party last night, the one we always have in January, where we visited he of the neon palm reading sign fame, across from the tattoo parlor on 7th & Lincoln......His name is Charles David and he was great, great, great!!!  His card features a red hand with a blue flame in the center of the palm and his house is crazy, cool with a little kind of creepy/spooky but not too creepy, New Orleans, slightly swampy energy.  He'sbig picture and high on symbolism and imagery.  Plus he laughs a lot.  I cannot say enough good things...Call him at 541-343-5297 should you like to look at your hands with him....In the meantime, I will tell you he told us we are a mostly creative and very independent bunch of folk here at Passionflower......though we each seem to have our own  particular shape and movement :).

A New Year's Journal

I am generally an optimist at heart and always looking forward to what might be coming.  Even though the holidays are barely over, I can hardly contain myself as I anticipate the new set at the store....I am thinking lots of yellow and white, and bare branches, and big terrariums and raw wood..that's baby daffodils and white hyacinth, pussywillow, and acacia, filbert and alder..January is like a palate cleanser for December.  And in the meantime, the Happiest of New Year's to You & Yours.....

Best Calendar for 2012

One of my favorite new calendars for 2012 ......Mates for Life........from one of my favorite Passionflower paper goods vendors....Screech Owl Designs.....(see a previous post about Screech Owl by clicking here)....
Ms. Screech Owl herself (whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year at the gift show where we had a pretty interesting discussion about business ethics and loyalty and when it's OK to switch teams and how to best go about that) recently got married - which perhaps in part explains her choice of subject for the 2012 calendar.   Read all about her interesting and unconventional  wedding in this Sunday NYTimes post by clicking here.

Getting a Little Crafty with a Homemade Journal

Some holiday gifts I made for my nephew and his mom.....hope they like them.

Introducing the Chia Angel

 Look what I brought back from Mexico with me....the little angel of the chia,  distant relative of the famed chia pet which has spawned everything from chia mac to chia Mr T.... I couldn't wait to plant my little piece of folk pottery.

  I think it's fair to say, one can fall in love with inanimate objects.  Because I am completely smitten watching the chia angel grow.  She's been watching over the holiday table.