dia de los muertos altar to my mother and son

in mexico it is called dia de los muertos, in south america dia de todos los santos.  it is a day when everybody visits their loved ones at the cemetry, carrying gifts and flowers.  so, unable to visit either my son's grave in santiago or my mother's resting place in isla negra (she opted to have her ashes scattered in the pacific ocean in front of pablo neruda's house)  i have made an altar to both of them in the mexican tradition with ofrendas and lots of color.  the arch symbolizes the passing from life to death, i assembled it with styrofoam cut in the shape of an arch and then pinning each flower around it.  ofcourse, lots and lots of lit up candles at night.

preparing the altar

preparing the altar

paper banner i printed out for above the altar

y el desafio de marcela de colorin colorado

cuando en chile vi unos cuadrados creados a crochet por ale
y le pedi que me ensenara como se hacian.  siempre habia querido hacer de estos cuadraditos.  pero inutil, me salian todos chuecos, malformados, deformes.  y ahi quedo el proyecto.  pero me acorde que tenia un libro fabuloso de reader's digest con fotos enormes e instrucciones re faciles de seguir.  apenas marcela nos propuso el desafio de terminar algo inconcluso y dificil me acorde de los famosos cuadraditos.  manos a la obra pero con muchos fracasos.  pero no desisti, si ella podia, yo tambien me repetia. como tan lerda?  muchas horas despues tenia un montoncitio de cuadrados.  me siento tan orgullosa de mis cuadraditos a crochet.  si se puede!

estos son los de ale y lo que hizo con ellas, que hermosura lo que se puede lograr con ellos.  cuando vaya a chile me traigo un saco de madejas de algodon ya que aca no le hacen mucho al algodon.

a resolution

background by "playing with brushes" on flickr

a few more stitches and a work in progress

shared at Faded Charm

Teacup Tuesday came upon me so fast this week and am rushing to post in the midst of halloween preparations and decorations, an altar for my mother and my son for the day of the dead celebration, runs to the fabric store to buy some batting and cooking for the loved ones, and getting my absentee ballot filled out and mailed before election day.  i call it excitement.
for this week i have chosen the daintiest of teacups made of the thinnest and most fragile porcelian and handpainted in japan.  isn't it the most beautiful teacup?  i love the detail of the blue on the rim of the cup and saucer.

speaking of teacups, i have noticed so many takes on teacups and hadn't realize what a popular theme they are until participating in these gatherings.  here are a few things i have found lately on teacups and tea.

i have my heart set on this set

in the meantime i leave you with a photo of my latest stitching.

 so much to do, so little time. hope this finds you all well and happy and sharing with family and friends.

my sewing machine has been working non stop this past week conjuring up new variations to my newest obsession: garlands.  i love taking a theme and making it my own.  loving denim, i thought i'd try something with that in blue and white, something a bit more modern and simple.  four more banner pieces arose.  then i combined them with the white ones on the ribbon and i just love how it looks.

but the week has had other amazing surprises in between of which i will put together a very special post in the days to follow. 

french enamelware teapot i eccentrically purchased from england. isn't this shade of blue just gorgeous?  and look at the little birdy admiring his surroundings. i fell instantly in love with this teapot and just had to have it.  well you see, aqua or calypso or turquoise is my favorite color. no cup to go with it though.  i'll have to look for an aqua enamel cup although i don't care much for drinking out or eating off enamel.  i like my tea in bone china or japanese pottery.  i don't even enjoy it out of ceramic cups; it just doesn't taste the same.
so here i am again at teacup tuesday since   i wanted to share, ok maybe brag a little too.  i so look forward to these tuesdays where i have found some lovely new friends and followers. so i'll hop over and also post on the etsy cottage style blog linky  since they are having a vintage alphabet party and the letters are s, t & u.

 
today i have a wellness doctors' appointment.  just want to make sure everything is "balanced" in my insides.  i never, ever go to the doctor but my friend richard insists yearly checkups are a must.
 

two little twists to our teacup soirees: person i'd most enjoy teaing with: Audrey Hepburn

there will never be another like her, ever.  no one comes even close really.

&

last and mostest

this beautiful quote i received from my friend veronica who just returned from a two week trip to china

God Bless the WHOLE world, no exceptions!

yes, it is still raining here, profusely today and i love it because it gives me an excuse to stay indoors and get cozy.  however, looking outside and walking down the pavement to pick up my mail i notice all the wonderful colors  that appear when Nature is washed.  i even remembered to put into practice "the moment" and observed every little thing along that walk.  i picked a few that caught my eye and made a little vignette like knitalatte a.k.a resurrection fern always does.  inside the house i have baked some blueberry muffins and finished a small recycled crown for my bastidor saint, i have sorted more things for selling, cleaned and mopped and written to a few of my neglected blog friends.  so rainy days are good too.  don't get me wrong, i much prefer the sun, light and long days but there is something about being indoors on a cold day that spells HOME.

Colorin Colorado  este cuento no se ha acabdo

 it's been so beautiful in my surroundings these past few days due to a light constant drizzle with a bit of rain at night.  i couldn't help but stand in it, take in the fresh air, observe nature's bliss at its cleansing.  being a bit outdoors and bit indoors a bit at a time, picking the last tomatoes, playing with Calico Cat, eating apple dumplings, watching a great oldie (Brief Encounter over which I sob and sob and sob every time), gathering kindling for the fire, lighting an apple cinnamon candle and then sewing way into the night.  this time i made an entirely handstitched small bird art quiltie in pastel colors and all natural fabrics (linen and cotton) and tried to use only natural embellishments, straying a bit with a plastic cab and a metal letter L which i pinched from my perfume bottle.  I love this new trend in quilties-naive and bright and spreading happiness. i keep rolling but fear when mental block will set in since i get very frustrated for weeks when that happens.  so enjoying every minute of creativity i can.

this family of mushrooms just blew me away as i got closer to my geraniums, look at the baby!

how could i not become inspired?

and the day just keeps on giving!