DIY Friday- Milagros Cross Redo

I am a day late but I have a good reason....

I bought this cross on Ebay a few years ago.. 

It was $7....I couldn't pass it up 

especially when it was 16" by 24" and loaded with Milagros...

they can be pretty expensive buying them separately...

So I started to pull the pieces off..then remembered to take a picture...

 The color was horrible and the Milagros were coated with a thick black paint almost like tar.... Most of the them were actually silver!!!

After a good cleaning, I made a template &

 laid the milagros out 

similar to the way it was originally....

 I sanded the cross down just enough to remove the build-up & repainted it black with milk paint...

Then I started to reconstruct it...But something wasn't right...So I decided to go a different route....

 I took the large heavy Milagros pieces (in the pic above) & put them aside to do another project... I decided to use a large Mexican silver heart I bought years ago as the centerpiece... I threw the template out & placed the small Milagros where I wanted... 

Now it felt right.....

I think it came out beautifully...so did the hubby....

After I put it together I gave it a good coat of black Bee's Wax to help "glue" the pieces (along with the nails) a bit more permanently as well as to protect the piece... then buffed it out a few times as it dried.....

I love these crosses and have collected a few 

(my other crosses)

& have given them as gifts... this is so nice to add to my collection...especially considering how large this cross is...

Putting it together was a wonderful experience as well... 

I recommend it highly...

A Milagros Cross ( milagros meaning miracles) is designed so that as you add the tiny pieces to the cross you thank God for the blessings in your life. It focuses your mind on them...

Family, friends, animals, food...

overcoming diseases, even addictions.. 

The hubby wants to make me a wooden cross so I can make another one...that would make it very special to have his energy a part of the piece...So time to start gathering some tiny milagros for it...in the meantime on to the next project!!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Words of Wisdom...

more truths from the wise & anonymous...

soon....

Photo credits: pinterest.com

Wednesday Women- Alicia Sotherland

One thing I love about the blog world is all the amazing people you get to know....and to discover their amazing artistic talent...one lady I have gotten to know is Alicia Sotherland... Her paintings are so wonderful....she is a self-taught artist who began painting in 1999..

They are poignant

& surreal.....

colorful

strong & earthy... 

Her favorite subject- 

her soul mate & husband

Her paintings seem to reach in and expose the soul of the person.... refelecting who Alicia is as a person....

a bohemian yet grounded, very intelligent, 

full of life & color, 

with a inner strength gained from life experiences, 

She is one of the most interesting people to talked with...

I am happy to call her a friend...

These are just a taste of some her amazing work...I highly recommend you visit this site to see more...

http://www.aliciasotherland.com/

My favorite story she has shared is the one about Eddy Vedder...She is a huge fan....She painted this portrait of him 

& is now on a quest... 

She wants to personally give Eddy the portrait herself... 

I love this one...

So EDDY!!!!.... if you see this post...

Contact Alicia and go get this beautiful gift!!!

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Eddy waving to Alicia....

 He is just too adorable...isn't he,,,

This is Alicia & Lyle Lovett 

giving him the portrait she painted of him....

Her philosophic take on her art: 

“Although I paint other subjects, the portrait and figure have always been my passion. For me there is no better way to express emotion than with a face, or to tell a story through pose and gesture in a specific moment.  My paintings represent every part of me.  There is no difference in the way I live and the way I paint. My unconventional approach to painting echos my unconventional approach to the way I live. "

Alicia lives in California and gives private & semi-private classes...you can find the information here

I am also providing a link to her blog
http://www.paintingalifeworthframing.blogspot.com/

Thanks Alicia.....
for the use of your
beautiful paintings for this post
& for the beauty you bring to this world
as an artist & a person...

It finally rained....

"How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and heat, "

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Happy Birthday Will...

Today is Shakespeare's birthday....

If you haven't seen this movie, 

do so...

very interesting & plausible food for thought...

Anonymous

Violet Syrup

I made some Violet syrup this weekend........ I collected 2 cups of the flowers...

I used the recipe here...and the final result was a cup of this delicious syrup....and it is good...I had some in my peppermint tea...

Though initially it was done to serve as a treat during the summer, this is also quite a healer...
The leaves & flowers are used for colds, sore throats, lung inflammation, chest congestion.

The syrup can be used for coughs & colds & also has anti-septic, anti-inflamotory laxative & expectorant properties.

The flowers have sedative properties and can treat headaches insomnia, dizziness & exhaustion...

Recently it has been proven to be Anti HIV as well as a Cancer fighter because of it's blood cleasnsing properties....very good news!!

Viola Odorata is a flower associated with love....It is easy to see why as the leaves & flower petals are heart shaped....You can read some of the myths & stories associated with the Violet here

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Empress Josephine planted many on her French garden and it was said her wedding dress was embroidered with violets...
Napoleon died wearing a locket of violets from Josephine's grave.

Violets are also great ground cover..low-growing and dark green all summer....though some consider it a weed (I do not), it is a beautiful one...

I got my plants from my in-laws and it started with a couple of plants...a few years later & they are  everywhere.....each year I transplant the little flower somewhere new then it spreads.....It is nice to walk along & spot a color of blue-purple in the landscape..

A violet by a mossy stone
Half-hidden from the eye!-
Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky.

                           
William Wordsworth

Earth Day Rant

 A day to stop and make people aware or even remind them of the Earth but Wait!!!!! Aren't we reminded of our precious environment every minute of every day....the air we breathe, the nature we look upon.....

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the weather we experience, the trees that clean the air and shade us, the water that hydrates, the food that nourishes, the sun that warms or the moon that soothes....They are the parts that make our Mother whole...she nurtures us and cares for us no matter what....

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But we are taking a toll on her & she is hurting...badly....we take our ecological balance for granted...we take... take.... take & never give back....

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The consequences of our action and inaction are rearing their ugly heads....pollution, poisoned food, water & air, killer storms & so on....

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I liken it to cancer.... we can fight the cancer with an all out assault of medicine and lifestyle changes....we heal the body.... there are many people involved in that effort....But what if someone took that capability away...and you had no one & no way to fight it except with what ever small way you could...eventually that cancer would win out....

Many try the honor the Earth in a compassionate way living as close as we can to her and taking steps to eliminate toxins in our lives... though we could never completely eliminate everything that is toxic, we can use moderation, common sense and create balance...Yin & Yang....Each day we try to recycle, reuse, up-cycle & eliminate what we can...

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For each of us who take those steps, we find a sense of peace in our lives and rewards from Mother Nature..Yin & Yang.....and for each person that changes their way of living, the grid that heals the environment widens... 

But the Governments of the world, corporations and large farming giants like Monsanto need to step up to the plate...they need to stop their all out assault of poisoning our natural home.... From China with their horrendous lack of environmental laws to the Gulf of Mexico which today is still so incredibly polluted and deadly from the oil spill two years ago, (this one is for you, Lori )

"a backdrop of recently published scientific studies indicating sick and dying dolphins, coral and other sea life, and bacteria-laden tar balls washing onto beaches." 

to the destruction of Rain Forest that safeguard lifesaving medicinal remedies...

 Rachel Carson

It takes a village to raise a child...well it takes a world to save the Earth....The cry was sounded early on by Rachel Carson, an amazing woman,  and many others after that...but unfortunately, many today, scoff at those who try to sound the alarm... of Global Warming as Liberal BS...


 I am not going to list the things you can do because many who read my blog and who I follow already know what to do and there are millions of sites that can be visited....

My question for this day is more of an existentialist thought.... why are we not further along in our behavior towards the environment?

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I feel it is because we are not changing or eliminating other toxic aspects of our lives such as racism, abuse of children & animals, misogyny. Of looking down on different religions, marriage equality, ethnic diversity & the poor.... Of turning a blind eye to lies, deception, manipulation, and unethical behavior whether on personal or national levels...If this cancerous, dismissive attitude exists, it is no surprise that nature would be included....If we are not utilizing what is morally right ( and I include Christians in this) or paying attention to scientific data then where do we turn so everyone is on board???

Maybe it is just as simple as this.....Let us remember that this precious gift called Earth is on loan to us from our children....what will we leave them?

So that is my opinion & I appreciate you listening to it...I would love to hear what you think....