Usually I do not share my inner most feelings on my blog, but I found this story that really made me feel inspired and loved. I struggle with feelings of self worth as most everyone does. My biggest goal as of late is learning to like myself even when I am not making something "fabulous", when I am just "being" me.
This is a story of a young piano student. His mother, wishing to encourage him, “bought tickets for a performance of the great Polish pianist, Paderewski. The night of the concert arrived and the mother and son found their seats near the front of the concert hall. While the mother visited with friends, the boy slipped quietly away.
“Suddenly, it was time for the performance to begin and a single spotlight cut through the darkness of the concert hall to illuminate the grand piano on stage. Only then did the audience notice the little boy on the bench, innocently picking out ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’
“His mother gasped, but before she could move, Paderewski appeared on stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And then, leaning over, the master reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around the other side, encircling the child, to add a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized.
“In our lives, unpolished though we may be, it is the Master who surrounds us and whispers in our ear, time and time again, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And as we do, He augments and supplements until a work of amazing beauty is created. He is right there with all of us, telling us over and over, ‘Keep playing.’ ”
So I am trying to "keep playing", moving forward in my quest to be a better person and to be that girl that I was meant to be...
I bent wire hangers for the legs, tail and backbone. Then used some leftover Styrofoam for the head, chest and pelvic bone.
I added some newspaper for padding.
and then wrapped the cat in muslin strips. The legs are a little too skinny, but I wanted the mummy to look emaciated. Scary!!!!!
Mr. Fabulous and I just got back from vacationing in the beautiful Tuscan valley in Italy. A highlight was an opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon over the rolling hills and vineyards. There was only one available space left and I got to go! (thank you Dennis, you are always so generous...) Mr. Fab. did get a thrill to be able to help set up the balloon!
Here I am in the red hat, it was HOT on your head! I didn't think I would be scared, but about 5 stories from the ground I got a little frightened, but then I got used to it and had a wonderful time.
Below is the Tuscan valley. Even Dennis was awed at the magnificent landscape all around us. We stayed in the small town of Pienza and visited many other towns full of amazing architecture that was centuries old. And the art was out of this world!!!!!!!!!!!
We tried out hand at a self portrait and this was the best it got. FUN!!!!!
Now back to regular life.... (sigh)
I thought I'd make myself another mannequin head for my vintage hats and general decorating purposes while fulfilling a challenge for a magazine, here it is:
After all the cutting and sanding, I added paper mache...
Then I decoupaged the whole thing with craft tissue paper.
I think it will be fun to decorate it all up for the holidays too!
FYI: Do NOT store a glue stick and a tube of chap stick in the same junk drawer......yuck!!!!!!