Sundrip Journals
It came in the mail. I’m so happy to wear mine!
You are enough. The world is a better place with you in it.
Love, the person in front you.
I’ve gotten one person respond with a heartfelt thank you. I’ve gotten tears, a thanks from a boy who felt confident in his youth. One lady saw a way to make fast money, another said the world is a better place with me in it, too. Thank you for that!
I love this shirt.
Live Free. Create Well. Sundrip.
I found a jar of honey in an old supplies from the pandemic era. It had crystallized.
I didn’t want to go through the trouble of doing the double boiler thing to melt it down and shake it up but I do want it decrystallized. I can’t do the dishwasher method either. That’s where you place the honey in the dishwasher for three cycles and viola, no more crystals. However, I do have a coffee mug warmer, and time.
How it unfolded
The full process took about 30 minutes for six ounces of crystallized honey. The honey tastes just like I remember. 🙂 I know exactly why I buy from this particular beekeeper.
There are two beekeeping families with superior products who keep me coming back.
My wonderful full-time caregiver enjoyed the cinnamon and honey I made for her. Now for lavender and honey, lemon and honey, etc. I purchased a quart and the taste sizes are only one ounce so there’s enough to play with. 🙂
Well, I’m off to do end of the month tasks. Try not to worry they say. It’ll all work out they say. I’ve got evening care added on two days a week now, due to memory issues and others from long covid. They’re making sure I eat, too.
Faith
I added moss to small, up cycled glass containers to make small worlds.
This one has been up significantly longer than the globe. I love how the moss keeps reaching up. I also adore the child figurine.
In the background of her terrarium you might be able to see vertical driftwood with moss on it.
The glass lid is on but not permanently sealed. She has springtails.
These globes are perfect for moss! Total love!
I’m overly cautious when working with it because I’d be so irritated if I dropped it upside down. I can see the disaster in my head. Lol. No sudden jerks or bumps, please.
The globes are going to be fun to landscape with my supper tiny terrarium supplies.
Once the ecosystem is more stable I’ll add a small figurine, a boy this time, then close it up. It too will have springtails.
These are some of the art and creations offer locally, only.
Faith
I was searching through a catch-all art drawer. It’s got the stray button, string, cut paper, this, that and the other. Two days ago I was looking in that drawer, for who knows what, when I stumbled upon a split rock I’d written the word “hope” on. I put in on the table and kept looking. Then I stumbled on another split rock in a pear shape. When I put it next to the Hope rock my brain started ticking.
I abandoned the first search and concentrated on finishing the body to the figure. I used my own handmade beads for the hands. The 2 rocks are ones I picked up from the grounds of the nursing home back in 2018. I found 4 goose feathers I’ve had forever.
To top it all off I found a pop top that says, I am powerful.
I wrapped it with jute and glued it together with Mod Podge. I need to get a fine tooth comb so I can make the feathers neater.
This felt good especially since it was so spontaneous. I’m not the most spontaneous person in the world, I’m quite the opposite.
I hope I am regaining a little bit of trust. That’s the only thing that will allow art to flow from me again – trust. It never occurred to me to pray for trust but I have been recently.
Here’s what I was thinking – I firmly believe that when a person goes against nature that it hurts. At this point my lack of trust for anything at all prevents me from doing what is in my nature to do. I create stuff. I’m an artist from head to toe, however, I’ve not been able to do what comes naturally to me and it’s starting to hurt. I feel like a bird in a cage. Like the big cats at the zoo who pace back and forth at the bars. I feel that kind of anxiety since I’ve created so little.
Trust. I have to regain it. Courage is needed to trust. When it comes to art I need the courage to fail. I need self confidence so if an art piece doesn’t turn out I’ll keep it in perspective. The art piece didn’t turn out but it doesn’t mean I personally am a failure. All of those things changed during the hospitalization. The amputation is harder to accept and has affected my self esteem negatively.
I’ve commented that art was amputated too, but that’s not possible. But trust got shattered. I was walking my dog when my life forever changed without warning. How am I to trust “the moment” now? I don’t, not much.
I’ve been able to find relief from physical pain but my very core needs relief. The best way to sooth it is to create, trust and create. What is special about this sculpture is that its made from items I had before the hospitalization, during and after. The only part from this side of the hospitalization is the cap that says hope.
There’s so much work to do to regain my equilibrium. One step at a time, they say.
Faith
It’s been a year since I finished a painting or started on a new doll but I feel like I’m at a place in my physical and emotional health to get to sewing again.
I look tired and I’ve got dark circles under my eyes but today was still a good day. This is the feeling that I lost with CNAs. Peace. I feel a measure of peace in my home again. I’m not emotionally healthy but I’ve still regained the peaceful, welcoming feeling in my home.
I believe one of the major blocks I had that kept me from creating much was the way I began to view the apartment. It started to feel more felt like a hospital than my home. Instead of feeling able and capable, I ended up in patient mode like in the hospital when I had no control over anything.
Another issue that I’m correcting is my lack of privacy. This efficiency apartment displays everything I own. I don’t like that so I made some changes to my furniture to gain more privacy. I honestly think when I’m better able to feel less on display and gain more peace at home that I’ll have taken a big step towards trusting my environment. When I feel I can trust again that is when some sort of painting will take place. Who knows what style of painting I’ll have. One should not have any expectations as to style.
Several times this week I came close to grabbing my sketch book but I couldn’t do it. The wall separating me from painting is weaker but still stands. Well, between surviving 2018 followed by Trumpism, Coronavirus, the recession, war and monkeypox, my ability to trust the moment got shattered. I’m happy to say it feels like I’m close to rebuilding an atmosphere conducive to creativity which includes sewing and painting. I’ve been working hard on building blocks so art can feel safe enough to happen.
I plan to be full swing into sewing even before the next ten days of bedrest ends. This will total 30 days on bed rest which has been torture.
In-home care is going very well. I feel secure with it. I know I’ll be able to have reliable help when I make messes. I also have two people to assist with getting items mailed out on time. I feel like I’ve done a lot of preparation….. and procrastination. lol
I’ve even narrowed down which days of the week I’m going to concentrate on sewing and days I’ll use for writing letters to elderly people. Basically I’m making sure I have what I need to succeed.
I refuse to make dolls in bed. I won’t lie, I’m up all the time. I’m going to steal an hour or so a few days a week and just return to bed after I’m done.
I’ve got back issues and a muscle spasm that stretches from the middle of my back all the way around to my navel. It feels like a belt. It’s stressing the bowel and bladder.
I’m on some strong meds and muscle relaxers 3x a day which means I’ll be sewing by hand at first. I don’t want a OUI – operating machinery under the influence of meds. lol Really though, I could get hurt so I’ll sew by hand until it’s safe enough to get on the machine.
You know what? My memory foam mattress remembers too much 🙂 Bed rest and memory foam are not friends. I’ve put an outline of my body in my memory foam mattress because of staying in it so long. lol…. I had to have my friend I call Mary Poppins aka Mary to turn my mattress around so I can put a body outline in the other side. lol Thank goodness it’s just a twin bed. It’s not terribly heavy to turn to the other side.
Anyway… as far as the type of dolls I’ll create, I’ve already got an idea in mind that I’d like to develop. The dolls will be sad dolls and some others will have body irregularities. One should not expect happy, wide eyed little girls, cause I don’t do those. I could only paint what was in my heart, it’s the same with sewing. I can’t relate to a grinning, happy, bubbly doll, but I can relate to and create dolls like Shiloh. She is a little soulful girl, full of emotion in her big brown eyes.
I’m nervous about sewing “sad dolls” because I’m not certain how they’ll go over in my Etsy shop. I made 3 a year ago or so. I sold one and kept two for myself.
While going through and sorting doll clothes I found a doll I thought I’d sold. This is Sweet Pea hanging out in a tree.
I don’t know what I originally named her but she has a new name since she’s staying with me.
She makes me smile with her rosy cheeks and her little shoes. I just adore her. She and Shiloh are part of my private collection.
I will have another doll update soon. Hopefully I can report that I’ve got everything cut out and that I’m started on sewing.
My Etsy shop is still closed for the time being, but you can visit the galleries here on Sundrip and you can purchase prints from my Redbubble shop.
Until soon,
Faith
She’s just a little thing at 14 inches but she’s got big brown eyes full of hope and a sweet little smile.
I let her eyes, smile and hair do all the talking for this doll. Her hair is really long and soft. Her lips are soft and pink and turned up just a little bit. She looks up to the sky in hope and wonder…and she finds it.
Her name is Gillian and she’s currently in my Etsy shop waiting for her new home. You may also use PayPal, which ever is most convenient for you.
As you can see in the last photo in the gallery, I couldn’t help myself. I had to hug her a little bit…. just a small snuggle.
Faith Austin
I have a love affair with things that hang, drape and flower which is why I constantly make things that hang, drape and flower. I make little ornaments that hang from my planters, from the light on the ceiling fans and from the sides of the curtains. I love things that hang.
The 3 inch sea shell ornaments added to my Etsy shop are in beautiful, rich colors such as brown, gold and turquoise. The ornaments come together.
Orni 1
Orni 2
Faith
The Hope Tea Cat found a new home in Southern Indiana.
The person that adopted the kitty cat said her apartment complex doesn’t allow cats, so she adopted a stuffed cat with a pink heart nose and a little green checkered dress.
Safe travels little bear.
Kitty cat plush ornament, shelf sitter
Art by: Faith Magdalene Austin
Media: Naturally stained cotton tea bag, poly plush, fabric for arms, fabric paint, rope tail
Size: 6 x 3 inches
Finish: No sealants, heat dried, unscented
Style: Primitive Handmade, Ornament (Hope sign for display only. Hope sign has been sold.)
On sale now are all items in the shop and items in my Available Art Galleries displayed on my website.
Use coupon code ArtForArtSale17 for 25% off your total purchase until August 4th, 2017. You can purchase through PayPal or Etsy.
I return all international shipping above $1.
Etsy shop
Faith
Ohhhh I’ve been having fun.
I have dried leaves that I use in different art projects. The other day I decided to try to cut a butterfly out of the dried leave. It worked!!
Then I began cutting butterflies out of what I like to call, art gone wrong. It’s the art piece that didn’t make sense to keep working on but could be used in different ways. Sometimes I’ll use my exacto knife and remove parts of the art I want to keep like figures, flowers, shading, on and on. This week I decided to cut butterflies from pieces of art gone wrong. I like how they turned out.
Purple Royal
Butterflies are enchanting by nature, festive, cheerful and inspirational.
Continue reading “Butterfly Embellishments”
This is a part 2 of the Rooted Hearts Etsy treasury. The treasury showcases art, jewelry and vessels created by artists from around the world.
Some of the treasury tags you might notice hopefully shows that the treasury is a peaceful, international and uplifting arrangement. This particular arrangement focuses more on artifacts, vessels and jewelry. Artists around the globe have been included. The United States, Kenya, France, Russia, Ukraine. It is an international gathering of art to promote the beauty of our roots which ground us today and nurture our future.
Please visit part one of the Rooted Hearts treasuries by clicking the links.
Rooted Hearts 1 is here. Rooted Hearts 2 is here. You will also find it’s link listed under my Etsy profile.
Thank you for visiting SUNDRIP – Art for Life
Faith