Thursday, May 5, 2011

They Came From Stardust











I have always been fascinated with the world of mushrooms.
There are so many different kinds,
shapes, textures, colors.
Ones that grow on dead logs,
ones that grow on live trees,
near water,
on rocks,
out of dirt
and de-composting matter.

Amazing, truly.

When I was studying herbology,
one of the fields that I connected with most was the world of mushrooms as medicine.
There are kinds that are such powerful healers!


One of the things that fascinates me most is the symbiosis that occurs.
These really are living beings.
Complex creatures.
Like us all, coming from stardust and now living here,
evolving, growing, part of a modern and ever changing world.

These mushrooms were crafted using recycled cotton that I tea stained and then used vintage thread (from my treasure chest) to hand stitch them together and stuffed with wool.
I have been really focusing on really using my hands in my work.
To be part of the slow movement...

This is something that has always been a focus for me since I am extremely tactile,
but with sewing, it is too easy to just get the sewing machine plugged in and droning away.
All of the work that I do requires time and patience and really getting my hands into it.
I do as much of the process as possible from start to finish and using just my two hands.

What kind of things do you like to make?
Do you like doing things in a slow manner?






5 comments:

  1. well you know i love hand stitching - i use my machine less and less as i try to figure what can be done with just my hands. and i like all manner of hand crafts (knitting, etc). your mushrooms are so great - they remind me a little of some chanterelles i made last fall: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kvp/5037804818. i would like to make some more, but autumn really brings out my mushroom love (hunting and eating too!).

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  2. Your mushrooms are incredibly beautiful! I love that they look right at home with the ferns. I think mushrooms are fascinating, too. We have so many here in western Oregon, I love to go mushroom hunting when I get a chance.

    In my craft, I love hand typesetting as a way to slow down. Some people find it tedious, but I think it's meditative and satisfying. I also love baking bread, the kind that takes all day to knead and let rise, and knead again, and rise again.

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  3. i LOVE your outfit in the previous post,
    just looooove it! like your new banner :)

    i like knitting and making food.
    before i didn't like to do things slow but the last years i haven't had a choice because of an overtired body and now i can also see the gift there is in learning to slow down...to let go and just be in the moment...here and now...

    v

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  4. yes, it's me in the photo :)

    the shoes are heavenly to wear
    and the linendress is so comfortable!
    one of the (many)things i love about spring is that i can start wearing my linenclothes...

    thank you for lovely words (as always),
    sending lots of love and wishing you a nice weekend my dear,
    v

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  5. These are beautiful! I'm pretty obsessed with the quiet beauty of mushrooms too...

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