finished binding the crepe myrtle branch round and round in the electric blue leather on the weekend, it took nearly 3 months to stitch & my fingertips are thanking me this week for giving them a break!
sketch for the dreaming roughly to scale
this morning the weather was warm enough to open the window for ventilation so I made a mixture of Dorland’s Wax Medium and Schminke Ultramarine pigment and rubbed it into the mandala & the rusted dress form, this is the third coat of wax
will bind the mandala to the dress form with blue leather
the blue does improve the look of the old mandala, this photo was taken yesterday before I removed the palm inflorescence which will be painted with popcorn white chalk paint once the sun comes up and then bind the moon shape at the top of the inflorescence with tulle and wedding dress satin
when that is all ready I look forward to binding the branch to the iron dress form centred to the palm inflorescensce and then start weaving a bowl shape to hold the branch firmly in the centre of the upper iron ring
the tulle wedding dress train will need to be slipped over the form so I will have to slice the skirt and restitch it in place
working out how to manage all this without painting myself into a corner should keep me amused for the rest of winter, fortunately Old Man Crow has an engineering background and has helped work out many wild balancing acts over the years, like this Ariel walkway that he magically cantilevered with knotted joints 4 houses ago
The mighty Ariel P. Cat protecting the house from the evil birthday balloons tied to his walkway!
the branch for the talismans is all bound up in electric blue!
Posted: June 5, 2018 by Mo Crow in It's Crow Time, The GatheringTags: I dream of a world where love is the answer
Comments
It's Crow Time 
Coming along , if somewhat mind-bogglingly.
(((Di))) if you ever want to know the most ridiculously circuitous way possible of doing anything just ask!
I was just thinking about you when I saw your post! I love the electric blue!! It’s going to be wonderful with the flags. Still working on mine, so sorry I am slow but the constant pain in my hands is overwhelming most days. I’m not giving up though. Was it your birthday? If so happy belated birthday
(((Susan))) I hope the warmth of summer helps your hands feel better, that birthday balloon photo was taken back in 2001 when Ariel was 2, it’s Old Man Crow’s birthday on Thursday, he’ll be 71!
doesn’t time fly!!! Wish him a happy birthday from me. I have been out soaking up the sun and yes it does help. You gave me an idea, thank you. I’ll take my flag outside on my porch!!! Thank you! Sue
(((Susan))) yay for the healing warmth of the sun on your hands!
Whoa! There are so many elements to this piece…I am amazed by all the steps. Congratulations on finishing the branch wrapping, it looks great.
(((Dana))) it’s the armature for carrying the gathering of dreams so it has to be strong!
Mo-your ideas are just amazing! Such a job of work. It’s going to be wonderful!
(((Rene))) it’s nearly a year since the wedding dress first arrived and I wrote this post wondering what I would do with it, in all the amazing replies the castle of dreams for the gathering began & has grown so much since then!
Looking gorgeous Mo….ox
(((Margaret))) it’s taking shape slowly but surely, this morning I will start binding the mandala to the dress form!
The blue wrapping is amazing … as are your multilayered plans for bringing this piece into the world. Magic happens in real time …
(((Liz))) with the power of love!
Mo, your talisman branch holds our world from top to bottom., blue of the sky, blue of the ocean depths. In so doing, there is an expansiveness as well as an inclusiveness here that forms the depth of I Dream of a World Where Love is the Answer.
(((Marti))) a sturdy and stalwart vessel for our gathering of pennants and talismans dreaming love into the world, as Clarissa Pinkola Estes wrote in her Letter to a Young Activist During Troubled Times (2003);
“One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires … causes proper matters to catch fire.
To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these — to be fierce and to show mercy toward others, both, are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do.”
Beautiful words from Clarissa – thank you. I was simply going to say I can almost feel your fingers pulsating with the relief!
(((Fiona))) Clarissa’s words have sustained me through these troubled times in this 21st C , here’s a link to her letter in full
fierce mercy is a concept well worth considering these days! Your soul is certainly sparking through this piece — the blue wrapping is eye popping and grounding at the same time. Your knowledge of so many different media is serving you well, here.
(((Dee))) these are troubled times for sure, Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord sent these inspiring words by Susan Cooper for xmas in 2016 “The hope is always here, always alive but only your fierce caring can fan it into a fire to warm the world.”