Gratitude

I can’t believe we’re already in December!  I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, spending considerable time with both my burner and my partner and her family.  As we move into the Christmas season, I realize anew how blessed I am to have such a great life – one filled with the love of family and friends…and a heart that is predominantly overflowing with peace, joy and laughter.  I have so much to be grateful for!  (Which, I should mention, is through no virtue of mine – but only through the grace of a loving God.)

 

My favorite gratitude prayer is this:

                   Thank You, God…

For all that You've given me...

For all that You’ve taken from me...

And for all that You’ve left me with.

God has given me so much!  I have had an amazing trip on this journey called life.  I have met many earth angels along the way - some of whom were just passing through, and others who seem to be here to stay.  I have a loving and fun extended family, a great job, a roof over my head, and a relationship with the God of my understanding that surpasses anything I believed possible.  God has given me a design for living that works no matter what life throws my way. 

I am grateful that God has taken away from me the bondage and incomprehensible demoralization of my alcohol addiction.  He has taken away the nameless fears, the broken relationships, and the myriad other manifestations of related insanity in my life related to my alcoholism. 

I am grateful that God has left me with my amazing family, allowing me to heal and build relationships with my parents and siblings.  I am thankful that the values of hard work, respect for all people, and helpfulness to others have remained and strengthened.  I am grateful that the light of the spirit that I recognized when I was a child sitting in a quiet church with my grandparents and which filled me with a sense of awe and wonder is always with me; all I need to do is remove the blinders I sometimes pull over my eyes to be in its presence.

I am also grateful that my passion for creativity has remained.  With the holidays approaching, I have been a busy little burner…slowly making my way through a fairly long list of Christmas-gift projects.  I don’t want any gift spoilers, so haven’t been posting much in the way of pyrography pictures lately.  However, here are a few pieces created for individuals who don’t read my blog.  :-)

This is the completed wedding plate created for a couple of dear friends.  This was custom-designed from the wedding invitation, personal photos, and royalty-free clipart.

This is for one of my nephews, who LOVES 4-wheeling!  This was designed loosely based upon an image from a coloring book.

This is for a niece who loves the beach.  I've drilled a hole and will be adding a clock movement before sending it her way.  A pattern by Cheryl Dow was used.

 May your days be filled with gratitude this holiday season!

Beginnings

I am a great planner…but I am not the greatest beginner. And, I am an even worse follower-through.

Let me see if I can explain. I am always coming up with ideas, but I don’t seem to actually start and finish things. For several years, I have made plans to start a business around my woodburning…to write a book…to pay off my debts. For even longer, I have planned to learn how to do stained glass, speak Spanish and take some photography classes. I could go on and on.  

Sometimes, I do get started on something I have planned. I don’t exactly have the greatest track record for following through on completing those things that have actually progressed from the planning to the beginning stage, however.  For example, I started a Doctoral program, completed half of the classes, and then dropped out. I was “planning” on going back to school after six months. That was two years ago.  And, this is not a new track record.  I even dropped out of kindergarten!

Tonight, I was listening to some friends sharing about self-reflection, prayer and meditation. When practiced separately, they are beneficial. When consciously practiced from an integrated approach, they are powerful. Self-reflection has made me aware that I am not the greatest beginner and that am not I consistent in follow-through. However, when I spend time in prayer and meditation, I am more assured that the exceptions – the times that I do follow-though and complete things – are more likely to be those that God has me doing for His purpose.

I plan to focus on this topic in my prayer and meditation over the next few weeks. When I have ideas and plans consistently reappear in my thoughts, is that God’s way of telling me to pay attention? To get started and do something about them?  I don’t know. However, I will be praying daily for the strength to get started – and follow-through – on what God would have me do in each day.

Recently, some friends of mine followed through on plans for a new beginning. They were married in a beautiful ceremony on the beach at Sea Island, GA. To commemorate the event, I decided to burn a plate for them. I finished burning today, but am contemplating adding some color before giving it to the newlyweds.

Commemorative Plate for the Newlyweds

I created the design using the wedding invitation, a picture I took of the pagoda on the beach, and a cute clipart picture of a “bride and groom.”  I'm wishing Noelle and Ben the greatest of new beginnings!

Skipping or Trudging…It’s All In the Journey

We’re all familiar with Aesop’s fable about the hare and the tortoise – the moral of which is “slow and steady wins the race.” It’s not a lesson that is well-received by the impatient, banging-bowl-on-high-chair, I-want-what-I-want-when-I-want-it, immature individual that I can often be. Yet, when I step back and look in my rearview mirror, I am grateful for the progress on this spiritual journey called life - and am often amazed how far down the road slow, steady, small steps can take me.

The author of one of my favorite books, Bill Wilson, speaks of “trudging the Road of Happy Destiny.” When asked, Bill explained that definition of trudging that he intended was “moving steadily forward with purpose.” Most of us, however, liken trudging with a slog down a muddy path or through a couple of feet of snow, which relates to Webster’s definition: “walking or marching steadily, and usually laboriously.” Notice the definition says usually laboriously…not always, not only…but usually. That tells me that this journey is not meant to be all work and struggle with no play and happiness…and that perhaps there are times when I will find myself joyously skipping down the path.

I find that the journey becomes most laborious when there are obstacles in my path. If I am honest, I would have to admit that the obstacles are often of my own making. I allow pride, petty jealousies, silly resentments, fear of things that never come to pass, and other ego-based barriers to stand in my way. The Road of Happy Destiny becomes dark with shadows rather than open to the Sunlight of the Spirit. Thankfully, God sends many guides to help me remove the obstacles.

A friend of mine recently shared a video of one turtle helping another. One of the turtles was belly-up, lying on his shell, his little legs flailing and going nowhere. The other turtle slowly came around and nudged the stranded turtle until he flipped it over onto its legs, and they “trudged” off together.  I often feel like the turtle on its back, and am so grateful for the many friends I have that nudge me back on my feet when I need it, and trudge along with me when the going is tough. I only hope that occasionally, I can be the “nudger” rather than the “nudgee,” and perhaps through my experience help others who need a hand along the path turn things around.

Of course, it’s not all trudging and flailing! I am so grateful for the days when I can skip joyously along the path. These days occur fairly frequently. If I am focused outward (on my fellow travelers and God’s will for me) rather than inward (on my wants and perceived needs), I am much more likely to discover myself skipping than I am to find myself flailing on my back or laboriously trudging.

No matter whether I am trudging or skipping, the most important thing for me to remember is that life is not a race. It is a journey – one that is sometimes scary and challenging and fraught with obstacles. But, most often, it is joyous, fun and exciting. And, always – the journey is is so much more meaningful when shared with family and friends.

I haven’t spent too much time in the craft area lately. Between work and some other recent weekend commitments, Barb and I also took a road trip to Southern Georgia for a friend’s wedding. What a fun and amazing journey it was! The wedding was fabulous, and we took a couple of days to explore Savannah on the way back. I can tell you, I was certainly skipping along the path for that part of this life journey!

I did, however, finish the plaque I was working on for one of my nieces. A couple of weeks ago, I got a new set of oil pencils that I had been anxiously awaiting before putting color to the turtle and butterfly. I finally found some time to try them out this weekend – and the results are below.

Turtle & Butterfly - pattern by Cheryl Dow

What a difference the quality of pencils makes! While I love my old set, these Derwent oil pencils are a testament to German engineering! The colors went on smoothly, and blended beautifully when I applied a little Turpenoid solution.

Happy trudging…and may you occasionally catch a ride on the journey!

Freedom

I recently reconnected with an old friend of mine – one who knew me quite well when I was…shall we say, a “wild child.”  We were stationed together in the Army for a period of time, and we did some pretty crazy and stupid things…not to mention some pretty embarrassing and immature ones, as well.  The great thing is we can laugh at them today.  There is a great freedom in not taking oneself too seriously!

While it’s great to be able to laugh at some of life’s foibles, there are times when my selfishness and self-centeredness is hurtful to others.  A couple of other friends I recently reconnected with and I have shared how we feel as though we are coming out from a cave, each of us having seemingly withdrawn from life for a period of time.  (One of my friends is a true spiritual mentor, and I sense his cave was more of the crystal variety, while mine was dark and dreary with a floor covered in bat dung!)  I believe that wallowing in the cave is one of the most selfish things I can do.

Fortunately, there is a way out of the cave and into the light.  When I ask God to “relieve me of the bondage of self” in my morning prayers – and sometimes throughout the day – He does.  To me, there is no greater freedom in the world.  I am, by nature, selfish and self-centered – at times to the extreme.  No matter what problems I perceive in my life, they are usually rooted in selfishness – based on decisions I’ve made when focused on what I want instead of what God wants for me.  When I turn things over to God, I can get out of myself and be available for others.   And, when I am focused on what I can to for others, I am free for that time of some of some of my bad habits, negative thinking, and other such things that stand between me and God.

As this is my pyrography site, I thought I’d share my most recently completed burning – that of an emblem of freedom throughout America.  Enjoy!

America Eagle - pattern by Lora S. Irish

 Have a wonderfully free day!

Colors of the Rainbow

A number of weeks ago, Maya taught me a new song…singing it repeatedly on the hour-long ride to Auntie Val’s.  I frequently find the little ditty running through my head…

“Maya…knows the colors of the…rainbow!

Auntie Val… knows the colors of the…rainbow!

There’s red….orange…yel-low…

Green….blue….and…pooooo-ple!”

When I hear little Maya sing about the colors of the rainbow, and we later see one appear over the house…or when I see the color in nature and the people around me...I know the Master’s hand is involved.

A rainbow Maya and I recently saw together

A few nights ago, I was in the midst of a conversation with a friend about spirituality and building a relationship with God.  She was asking me to explain how I “know” there is a God.  We were driving on a back road in Northern Virginia, and one of the most beautiful harvest moons I have ever seen was above us.   I pointed to it and said, “Look at that!  How can there NOT be a God?!”  

I believe that everyone’s relationship with God is personal.  It’s not something that can necessarily be explained in words, nor can I “prove” the existence of God in my life.  He just is; it is not something I “believe”…it is some I know.  Sometimes I feel that existence more strongly than at other times.  I cannot witness a rainbow…the fall foliage in Vermont…the little red fox who frequently crosses my path on trips to and from the house…the light in the eyes of my little buddies…a smile or kind word from a friend or family member…and not feel the presence of God.

There are some days when I seem to see nothing but gray.  Most days, however, I see the hand of God in the shades of color all around me.  My world is so colorful today!   My prayer is that God may use me as an instrument and allow me to bring some color to those whose paths I cross.  

  

In the meantime, I have added some color to the heretofore monochrome burnings I have been working on over the past couple of weeks.  In each of the plaques below, I used oil pencils, much as I have done in the past.  I recently read about various blending techniques, however, and used a light wash with a turpentine solution to smooth out the pencil marks.

Carousel for Grace - design by Lora S. Irish

Butterfly & Frog for Kaitlyn - design by Cheryl Dow

Thanks for reading!  May your day be as colorful as a rainbow!

Back to School

When the student is ready…the teacher will appear.

Apparently, I am ready. Like, Boy Scout ready. Or maybe even Eagle Scout ready. I must be, because it seems as though life has been sending an abundance of lessons my way lately. I am rarely a willing student while in the midst of a lesson – but, I am always so grateful once some learning has taken place.

I received an interesting lesson from the most unexpected teacher early this past week. I was at the dentist’s office (for the umpteenth time over the past couple of months…but that’s another story!) and sitting patiently in the waiting area with my iPad. There was a toddler who had just turned three (I overheard her mother telling someone) bouncing back and forth between her big brother and her book. The teenage daughter finished her appointment, and the family gathered to leave. As they were heading out the door, the three year old said, “Mommy, I need to get a life!” Her mother stopped and look at her incredulously, not sure she had heard her correctly. “What, sweetie?”

“I need to get a life, Mommy. Toby said I need to get a life. C’mon, let’s go get me one.”

While I sat in my chair, chuckling quietly behind my iPad, I realized that this adorable toddler had just given a name to the life lesson that I seem to be in the midst of. While my big brother hasn’t been telling me I need to get a life, I have been feeling a nudge (okay, maybe the swing of a 2x4!) from God urging me to do just that.

Over the past several years, I have spent an immense amount of time in a life valley, rarely climbing out to enjoy the beautiful view from the peaks. I have been living in isolation, coming out to play only for work, family get-togethers, and to spend time with my little buddies Maya and Nicky. Up until this time, I had always been active on a number of fronts. Somewhere along the way, I became a couch potato instead. And, for me, being a couch potato is not a good thing.  When instead I am actively involved with my fellow travelers on this journey called life, I have some protection against falling into unhealthy, self-centered thoughts and behaviors – which ultimately cut me off from the sunlight of the Spirit. Thus, I believe the "nudge" with the 2x4 is God’s way of saying, “Enough! Get out of yourself already!”

So, how does one go about “getting a life” in such a circumstance? Well, for me, it boils down to a single word: ACTION. Rather than spending the majority of my “free time” sitting in front of the TV and playing mind numbing games on my computer, I can get out to meetings with people in a fellowship I belong to, volunteer to do some service work, reach out to friends I haven’t contacted in eons, and a myriad of other healthier activities. When I do this, I find that I become a more ready student, and teachers frequently appear to help me identify exactly what it is I need to do to be of service to God and my fellow man.

I have been given so many wonderful and life-changing lessons from such an array of amazing (and often unexpected) teachers on my life journey. And, I have found that even when I put the dunce cap on myself and turned my face to stand in the corner for an extended time-out, the teachers wait patiently and greet me back into this school of life with open arms…making me one very grateful student!

Now…back to that topic of action.  Picking up the woodburner is another way for me to get into action. My creative juices have been flowing…and my list of project ideas has been expanding. I haven’t been able to spend quite as much time with the burner as I would like over the past few weeks.  (Getting back into action has led to quite a number of social commitments, and the ongoing dental saga has meant an immense amount distracting pain!)  I have, however, been making some progress. As a result, my not-so-long ago pristine work area is not so pristine!

A clean work area is a sign of an inactive pyrographer!

In addition to life lessons, I’ve been gearing up for a few pyrography lessons. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone locally – or even personally – who are pyrographers. I learn mostly through trial and error. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be experimenting with different ways to apply color to the plaques I have burned. For example, below is an almost-finished turtle and butterfly for one of my nieces. The butterfly wings just beg for some color!

Turtle and Butterfly - almost finished burning

 Have a happy day…and may your life lessons be ones of joy!

Music - So Good for the Soul!

I love music! If I could be anything I wanted to be when I grow up, I would choose to be a performing artist belting out heartfelt songs to the rhythm of the acoustic guitar in my hands. But, alas, I have not one iota of talent in the music arena. None. What. So. Ever. I accept that. But, there is nothing that is going to stop me from singing along with those that do have talent in the privacy of my home or car. It is so good for the soul!

There are three occasions in my life when I have total control over the music I listen to: 1) When I am exercising and have my iPod Shuffle earphones snuggly fitted around my earlobes; 2) when I am driving and am the sole occupant of the car; and 3) when I am down in the basement at my work table. When I am woodburning, I get a double dose of good things for the soul.

I have playlists I frequently update, and I am grateful to Steve Jobs and his team at Apple for making it so easy to access and queue up songs for any mood! While I like many genres of music, there are a number of songs that just seem to resonate within, whether it’s the lyrics, the beat – or a combination of both. Other songs just seem to take me back in time to a specific period or event, or bring to mind a special person.

Sometimes, a song will come along that I just can’t get enough of. Lately, I keep hitting “replay” on Jewel’s “Hands.” I love the lyrics. The song seems to reach inside and draw something out, as do so many songs I listen to that remind me that I am merely an instrument. I believe music can be a conduit for spiritual messages – whether the artist intends it to be or not. “Hands” reminds that we I am one of God’s servants here on earth…his hands, his eyes, his heart.

“My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own…
And I am never broken…
In the end only kindness matters…
…I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
…We are never broken
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind…
…God's heart
…We are God's eyes
…We are God's hands”

My hands are small…and they are my own. And, while I didn’t receive the gift of music, God did grace me with a talent that allows me to use my little hands to create some beauty in the world. I only pray that I may be a worthy servant!

Carousel for Grace

This week, I finished burning the carousel for one of my nieces and the frog and butterfly another niece requested. (I have A LOT of nieces and nephews, so you will be seeing some of their requests fulfilled over the coming weeks and months…)

Frog & Butterfly for Kaetlyn

I haven’t applied color yet as I haven’t decided what medium I am going to use. I may experiment with oil pencils in a way I haven’t before – putting down the color with the pencils and then blending with turpentine. Then again, I may just use watercolors. I am off to Michael’s and A.C. Moore with some 50%-off coupons. The success of the trip may determine the medium…

I wish you a Happy Labor Day!

Time Flies!

I am an advocate of living life one day at a time. Sometimes, those days accumulate and fly by so fast it leaves me asking questions like, “Where did the summer go?” “How did my niece just get her license and my nephew start high school? Weren’t we just changing their diapers yesterday?” I’m sure you can relate on some level!

It has been another whirlwind couple of weeks in Val Land. I had the wonderful gift of spending five days with my two little angels, Maya and Nicky, before starting my new job on Monday. Barb and I were grateful to be able to help out our friends and take the kids while they dealt with some childcare challenges that coincided with work travel. We had a blast with the little ones – even if it was a bit of a reminder that I am no longer the spring chicken I might once have been!

Auntie Val & her little angels

I have been especially aware of the passage of time through the recent reconnection with a couple of dear friends from my first couple of years in the Army. On the one hand, it seems as though it was just last week I was walking across post with Lisa at Fort Gordon, GA, or welcoming my roommate Lori back from a trip to Egypt at Fort Huachuca, AZ. As we have been catching up on what we’ve been up to over the past couple of decades, however, it becomes readily apparent that a significant number of one-day-at-a-times have piled up. But, the bond of friendship itself is timeless.

I believe God puts people in our life just when we need them to help us learn whatever lessons are in front of us. Such was the case with these two particular friends. I met them during the last couple years of my drinking (I am gratefully in recovery today!), and they certainly saw me at my worst. They also stuck by me and supported me when I was trying to get sober, teaching me that not all friends are of the fair-weather type…and that there are some with whom you can pick right back up after 10 or 15 or 20 years as if you had just seen each other last week. I am so grateful for those friends!

I am also thinking of a few other friends who have touched my life so significantly over the years, and with whom I have lost contact. I think I need to schedule some letter-writing time this weekend!

And now, for a brief “Pryo Plug” – since I did start this thing to talk about my pyrography…

My burning area

I took advantage of one or two of my last days off before I started the new job at the beginning of this week to set up an area for the craft in my basement. Previously, I worked in what I lovingly called the “dungeon” area – a back area of the basement where I had combined my “study” with my “studio.” I love the new area! I get actual sunlight…it’s spacey…I feel a little more organized. Now, if I can only get some time to actually use it! Between having the kids through the weekend and starting my job this week, I haven’t had time to fire up the burners much. I did, however, make a little progress on the carousel horse I am making for my niece, Grace. It is next in line in the growing list of requests I have for plaques, and I am hoping to finish it this weekend.

Grace's plaque in-progress with pattern by Lora Irish

Thanks for reading…and remember to reach out to some of those friends who have touched your life…just to say Hi, or to let them know they’re special to you!

A Whirlwind Week

Whew! As I mentioned in my last blog update, I was recently impacted by a downsizing at the company I’d been with for four years. After taking a few weeks to update my resume and spend an amazing week with family and friends in VT, I determined that I would put on a full-court press on the job search court beginning on Monday of this week. I think the job search put a full-court press on me, instead!

When I logged into my email account on Monday, I had messages from three different recruiters who had become aware that I was available. This resulted in a frenzied schedule of phone screenings and interviews on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday…and resulted in a job offer for the position I was most interested in on Friday. Was this a result of my direct actions? I think not!

While I have been on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster related to my employment status, I have held steadfast in the knowing that this is exactly where I am supposed to be in my life. God may have closed a door, but He sure opened a few windows. Rather than pray for what I THINK I want in this area of my life, I have prayed for God to put me where He needs me to be. It's amazing how quickly good things can come when we plan the plan, then get out of the way and leave the results to God! I am so very grateful!

It appears that God needs me somewhere a little sooner than my time line accounted for. I start my new job a week from Monday, which my wonderful partner Barb is very happy about. I, however, would have liked another month or so off! I am hoping to get out my burner and finish a project I started in VT and haven’t had time to get back to in the frenzy of the past week. In the meantime, let me tell you about a plaque I recently finished for my sister, Sambo.

Samantha asked me (several years ago!) to burn her wedding vows so she could give the plaque to her husband as a gift. Burning a lot of text can be a bit tedious, so I had put it off. Besides, I had to come up with an overall design, and it took me a while to visualize where I wanted to go. Finding myself with some time on my hands before I headed up to Vermont, I decided to tackle the task. I found a wedding pattern in one of my Walnut Hollow Farms books – a man slipping a ring on a woman’s finger with candles and roses in the background. I decided to “shadow” burn this image behind the vows, as well as add a decorative border and a little color.

This was quite an experiment! Overall, I am pretty happy with the results. If I were to do it again, I would use watercolors or thinned oil paint to add the color rather than the oil pencils, which show the grain in the wood more than I would like. Sam was happy with it, though…and that’s what truly matters!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

You know the saying.  When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!  As for me, I LOVE fresh-squeezed lemonade, and there's no time like the middle of summer to enjoy it. 

Life has tossed a few lemons my way lately, and I have been cranking out pitchers of lemonade.  I was laid off from my job several weeks ago.  Although the job provided some amazing experiences and growth, I had felt as though I needed to move on for some time.  It seems as though God often does for me that which I cannot or will not do for myself.  Thus, I am looking forward to a new opportunity that will give me a chance to further grow - both professionally and personally.

In the meantime, I have been making lemonade!  I was able to take the time to drive up to my native Vermont and spend a week with family and friends.  I had an aunt reach a milestone birthday, and all of my maternal aunts and uncles and many of my cousins, some of whom I have not seen for a couple of decades, arrived for a party.  I spent an evening tearing up the dance floor ...something I find great for both the body and soul...in between catching up with relatives.  I was able to spend some quality time with a few cousins, learning that we have a lot more in common than I had ever imagined.

I went four-wheeling with my sister Jessie and niece Courtney, an activity that I very much enjoy.  They took me on some trails up near their place, complete with lots of mud puddles.  What a blast!

It just so happens that while I was in VT, a very near and dear friend of mine who resides in Arizona was also visiting the Green Mountain State.  I was able to spend a wonderful evening in Middlebury with her.  A coincidence?  Or, an incident in which God just chooses to remain anonymous? Sometimes, those friends who double as spiritual teachers appear when we most need them - whether we are aware of the need or not.  I am so grateful for these "earth angels," as my Mom calls them.

I also had the opportunity for a little creativity.  My sister Samantha is an amazing crafter, and often tries to pull me into projects when I am in VT.  While I did help her with one project, I recommended that we have a craft night where we each followed our own passions.  I brought my burner over while she pulled out her card-making materials.  I didn't accomplish much as I had several nieces and nephews looking over my shoulder.  I have made a promise to a couple of them to bring some materials and give them some lessons on my next trip up.

I'm safely back in VA and preparing to make more lemonade!  I'll be putting on a full-court press on the job-search front, and taking advantage of some of the additional time that "working from home" affords me.  Several nieces, nephews, aunts and cousins have put in some pyrography requests - enough to keep me busy for a couple of years! 

Stayed tuned...and don't forget to enjoy a tall glass of lemonade every now and then!

A “Trifecta” Weekend…and the Dentist

Body. Mind. Soul. When I am doing something to take care of each, I am hitting the trifecta. And, when I am hitting the trifecta, I am generally much more centered and easy to live with than when I am not. This past weekend was great. I hit the trifecta.

Body. My wonderful partner Barb and I tend to do a little more talking about exercising than actually exercising, but the stars aligned on Saturday morning and we both donned workout clothes and hit the basement. Generally, Barb jumps on the treadmill, and I climb on the elliptical. We decided to mix it up, and I put a Jillian Michaels DVD into the player. Have you heard of Jillian Michaels? The self-proclaimed “World’s Toughest Trainer”…she who kicks booty with Biggest Loser contestants and just wrapped up her first season of Losing It? Well, I am here to tell you that her 45-minute workout was brutal! Two days later, I can barely get out of my chair and am still discovering muscles I didn’t know I had. But, hey! I may try it again today. Taking care of the body.


Mind. I spend a lot of time in my mind. It can be a bit of a scary place. Thus, I try to cultivate it with healthy things when I can. If it were up to me, I would be a full-time student…of just about anything. Since this is a “pyrography” blog, and I’m writing about my trifecta weekend, I am happy to report that I spent some time learning about the craft. I read a good portion of Jim Widess’ book on gourd pyrography and found it quite fascinating. When it came to burning on wood, I pretty much figured out on my own that the wood needed to be sanded smooth with a transferred pattern to be ready to go. Not so with gourds. Prepping and burning this medium is a little more entailed. Thus, I read about how to prepare the gourds, options for transferring patterns, and how to add color. I’m not quite ready to start on this medium, but will continue to prepare the mind about the craft. Next up, Carrie Dear’s “Woodburning on Gourds” DVD!

Soul. There are so many ways to care for the soul! In addition to prayer and meditation, I find there are a few things that tend to feed my soul like nothing else. One of those things is a child’s laughter. Barb and I spent several hours on Saturday with two little ones who never fail to make everything else in the world go away and connect me to the moment. Our friends, Brian and Wendy (aka “Brendy”), have a 7-month old son named Nicky Noo-Noo and a 2-year old daughter named Maya Moo-Moo. (Okay, this may be Auntie Val and Barb’s version of their given names…) Poor Nicky was feeling a bit under the weather, but spent most of the evening laughing and giggling in spite of it. Maya and I spent an hour with the new “Itsy Bitsy Spider” game we downloaded onto my iPad. The miracle of watching a caterpillar transition from a cocoon into a butterfly had us entertained for some time. And, the laughter and giggles and snuggles warmed my soul.

Another thing that is good for my soul is burning. That’s what I spent a few hours on Saturday and most of Sunday doing. I almost finished my sister’s wedding vows plaque, which I’ll be blogging about later. Which brings me to the dentist. There IS a connection here…so, please bear with me…

I hate going to the dentist. I mean, I really hate it! Alas, I broke a tooth last week and my insurance runs out in a few days, so I broke down and saw a new dentist on Tuesday. My problem with going to the dentist is that I have really weak teeth. Thus, they break easily and require lots of work, no matter how much I brush, floss and gargle. Each time I go, I know I am in store for some painful procedures. This trip was no exception. After a complete check-up several days ago, I have an appointment this afternoon for an extraction, bridge and two crowns. (All in one fell swoop. Did I mention that my insurance runs out in a few days???) While I was going over the treatment plan and costs with the office manager, my dentist popped into the office with a box of Kleenex for him…at which time he explained that the first thing Dr. Yu asked for when she started at the office was a box of tissues. Apparently, she likes to have one on her desk at all times.

Aha! A light bulb went off in my head, and I had a vision of a dentist-themed, woodburned Kleenex box. I came home, scoured the Internet for some royalty-free clip-art, and came up with a design. I pushed myself to finish this yesterday, and I plan on giving it to Dr. Yu before she begins extracting and drilling later to today. Kind, generous and altruistic? Not a chance! As soon as I hand it to her, I will be hinting that an extra shot or two of Novocain would be welcome! In all seriousness, instead of dreading the appointment, I now have something about it to look forward to.

On the front of the box, I burned a dentistry symbol with my dentist’s name. I’m a little curious as to what, exactly, the snake is wrapped around.

On the back side, I burned a cross-section of a tooth…just in case Dr. Yu needs to point out what she’ll be doing to what part of a tooth as a patient reaches for a tissue…

On one of the sides, I painted a silhouette of a patient in a dental chair. On the original clipart image, the dentist was male. In deference to Dr. Yu’s femininity, I took some artistic license.

On the other side, I burned a reminder of what many of us make the dreaded trip to the dentist for: a winning smile. This was fun, as I had to apply a technique I am not very good at: stippling. Also called pointillism, it’s the method of shading using dots…or points. I think this turned out okay, but think I need to work on my stippling skills more in the future.

This was a fun little pyrography project, and has the added soul-booster of allowing me to give someone who’s not expecting it a little surprise gift!

Have a trifecta kind of day!

Introduction

Hi!  My name is Val.  My hobby is pyrography, or woodburning.  I was introduced to woodburning when I received a woodburner kit for Christmas one year when I was around ten years old.  I created a couple of small projects from the kit...and then didn't touch a woodburner again for over a decade.  When I returned from the hiatus, I moved from woodburning outlines and painting to plaque to using shading techniques to create a finished "drawing" on the wood.  Today, I employ both shading and color techniques, depending on the project.

I have always enjoyed doodling, predominantly with pencil or pen and ink, but found that pyrography is really where my passion lies.  There is nothing like taking a blank piece of wood, transferring and burning a pattern...the scent of the burning wood filling my studio...to center and calm me.  It is when I feel closest to my Creator...knowing any talent I have is a gift I have done nothing to deserve.

Over the past several years, I have returned to the craft with a bit more frequency...as well as a desire to experiment with new mediums and tools.  I have purchased a couple of professional burners with variable temperature controls and interchangeable tips and nibs, and am hoping to explore burning on materials such as gourds, paper, tagua and leather in the future.

I have created a few pages to share some of my works, and will post new projects as I continue on this journey.  Currently, I have a few open requests from family and friends.  A sister has asked me to burn her wedding vows, and I have completed and transferred the design.  It is only waiting for a hot tool to touch it!  One of my nieces has requested a plaque with a carousel design, and my nine-year-old neighbor is still waiting on one with zebras.  (That's what happens when I take my pattern books out while "coloring" with the girls!) I hope to complete these projects in the next few weeks, and then hope to start experimenting with gourds.

For those of you who are interested in pyrography, I have posted links to some great websites that explain the art and provide images created by some true masters of the craft.  Enjoy!