A New Year, A New...

Happy New Years, fibers friends!

I know I haven't been so up-to date about posting here lately- what with the Burrow Blog's regularity and my Lill St. duties. But that doesn't mean I haven't been making and thinking and pondering on my own. For those of you out there who are listening... I'm going to try to post more. A new year, a new commitment!

But before I share some of the stuff I've been making for myself around the studio, I'd like to highlight some art that's been up in my apartment(s) for the past few years. Recently, I've come to the realization that, in addition to being lovely images that bring beauty to my life, these three tarot cards by Corina Dross have become something of a daily meditation.

Protection From Heartbreak

Goodness knows the last few months haven't been my greatest where the heart is concerned. And despite my preternaturally mushy disposition, I now find myself identifying as a Nervous Romantic in stead of a Hopeless one. Or maybe... a Skittish Romantic. The Protection From Heartbreak card is a reminder to heal and to be open to new possibilities.

Protection From Those Who Love You

Some times it's the people that love you most are the ones who are able to hurt you the most- whether they mean to or not. I think it's something about making yourself vulnerable to the ones you're closest to. Instead of allowing myself to create barriers between myself and the people I love, I use this card to remind myself to be flexible and forgiving. And also to maintain kindness on the flip side of that: to remain mindful of my own ability to wound.

Protection From the Abyss

I would by lying if I didn't say that being unemployed hasn't been extremely hard on my self-confidence. I never thought of myself as the kind of person who identified themselves so heavily with their occupation. But that was until I had to consider the possibility of getting a job that had *shudder* nothing to do with textiles. (And as it turns out, not having any skills that aren't textiles related has prohibited me from getting any other jobs...) I make stuff, I make jokes, I make fun, I make myself happy, I make food, I make plants grow... but somehow I can't make enough money. And it hurts. I think it would be seductively easy to slip into the abyss of depression. This card reminds me to keep hoping.

Mantra, mantra, mantra. But somehow it helps.

Corina, a resident of West Philly, has been been working on creating a whole deck of tarot cards and although I would love to have the entire collection, some how I never saw my way to getting a hold on them. But these three images seemed to choose me. Maybe it's fate? Or maybe I'm just cheezy and sentimental. Either way, I have have become a daily part of my life and for that I am grateful.