Shine on, Shine on

As of late, i am making more  of what some  call flags of hope.
they are also known as prayer flags by some.  they can be a silent prayer, a wish, hopes, a  yearning for all to be healed and united in the future ahead of us  .
 and since we  cannot control  things, our hair being proof of that.... however i can channel my art onto the fabric with  paint  and some threads and some words .
 i have an abundance of each  to make  a small offering of hope, encouragement
. words, words, words...
and color and motion all offered as a grateful prayer, to be carried on the wind  to where they are needed.

i have also read they are called wind horses in Tibet
Windhorse Prayer Flags

Also known as Lung-ta in Tibetan, the Windhorse coupled with the “Wish Fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment” is an important symbol inscribed onto Tibetan prayer flags. Although they represent good fortune and luck, Tibetans believe they actually have the power to influence events in nature and society

John Cruz - Shine On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bkyjqF-PT0

                                 grateful for the tradewinds today !
                                                                  be well, sonja

Shine On !

Shine on! 

Here are a few more flags of hope that i made recently.

It is a wonderful process of sifting through pieces of painted fabrics and torn strips while the mind sorts words to stitch upon them, words that turn my mind to hopeful ideas and thoughts in this seemingly world gone nuts. This process is best for me  with classical music softly playing in the next room or bird song or the sound of wind in the trees or light rainfall are also wonderful 

as is silence.

Shine on .  "And we all shine on!" 

i can almost hear John Lennon singing this...

After words have been selected and embroidery threads selected from the nest they have become in colorful storage, i sit and stitch with a large eyed needle and all six strands of floss. Big stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, it has been awhile and i am rusty with the names so i just stitch over the light penciled letters. When words are done i add colorful torn strips of my painted fabric at bottom with a simple tacking . One of the strips will attach  with simple knots to the painted chop stick that i thread through the large sleeve at top of flag that i make before the words are stitched. one of the wonderful aspects of these flags is that there are no rules, only do what comes to mind  with what materials are handy and just see what results!

 BE Kind!

Let Love, Shine on, Grace and Kindness find their way to where needed.

So, how do you center yourself in this busy world?

And is art a part of your way?? 

be well, Sonja

.  "And we all shine on!" 

i can almost hear John Lennon singing this..

Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)

time out for a little art

Last week i had a few ladies up for a visit and had art supplies handy as they had  an interest in making from cloth some prayer flags, in the mood of some displayed in my studio,

 an assortment of flags I exchanged some time ago in a online art group.

The morning gave us a rainbow greeting!

i had tools for coloring, marking and hand stitching flags available.

As we sat around my painting table we shared stories and light refreshments.  

~Jan and Ilona dressed for fun and paint~

One lady had to leave early and left her flags to dry in the salty air!

A nice start I would say!

These flags, dedicated to loved ones, 

may not be done yet. Perhaps more contrast 

between thread and cloth, plus embellishment....i'll have to wait and see!

You must have rain to have rainbows!

be well, see well, sonja  

Prayer flags of August

 

Here are some of my latest flags made this August that are a  part of an exchange

 with a trading group I belong to

 http://heartisttradingcards.blogspot.com/
 

I continue to paint and hand stitch on humble pieces of cloth

and make  these small bits of art and hope
 in little bits of time.

  When I make art my world is centered and calm.
Because every  moment  counts.

A prayer flag for Boston

Aloha is the flag I sent to Boston after reading about a  request call from the

 North Jersey Modern Quilt Guild. 

I used fabric paints, finger tips and a big stitch to make one of my favorite and reoccurring themes,

Aloha.

this is a  one  word that has many levels and meanings, many.

 

 

below, a bit closer look .

 

 

a month or so ago

 I did an exchange of prayer flags with a group of artists I have traded with for years. we started with fabric postcard with " art2mail" in 2006 if  I recall, and  this arting  still goes on with an occasional  "something else"  challenge exchange . The half dozen  members remaining in contact is a manageable  amount to trade with .
And Getting original fabric art in your mail is a most wondermous thing.

 do you think this might just be a modern  form of pen pals ? 

 

above

  are 4 Flags I made and sent to Texas, Ohio, and England .

 

I kept the Grace one for my collection

 

                                   

  above are the flags  that came in my mailbox.

we each picked what ever words we wanted to reflect a sentiment

blowing in the breeze

and around the planet.

 Thank you Kate, Barb and Jo! 

 

prayer flag for June

Mahalo
is a word for ThankYou.
it is a one word prayer
of being grateful and aware of all beauty around you.

I took one of my prayer flags that had the word stitched on and collaged it with some of the pieces of fabric that i am thankful to find in a box,

colorful bits waiting to be useful.

after i decided upon an arrangement i free motion tacked them down , overlapping.

after a freemotion quilting session, i painted some parts
that wanted more color.

the addiiton of buttons and ties complete this project.

 

this is held up to the morning sunrise.

 

i have left the edges raw on purpose.

perhaps they shall join up at a later date.
As for now they are free.
Mahalo, Sonja

Love

i love this flag

 and the process of mixing paint and fabric and air and water and thoughts of love so this is my valentine this year.  sometimes i ad a chopsitck to the sleeve if i am hangng a single flag and still the colorful ripped selvages flutter in the light winds.

 big fat stitches with six strand floss pass quickly in my hands with the help of a large eyed needle.

 flag making a fine way to take a break from the fast paced world we live in ,

an invatation  to deep thoughts and quiet time we need  .

Peace and Light are also  recent flags catching the last rays of the late afternoon sun.

be well, Sonja

a part of   theprayerflagproject.blogspot.com

the prayer flag project

I read about this project on the prayer flag project blog

   last summer and I knew I wanted to make some after visiting.

  So  this is what I started on Sept. 11, 2011.

theprayerflagproject.blogspot.com

I continue to make them as time allows and have made them into a take along project after I paint the background fabric .
 they are 5 by 8  inches after hemming top sleeve.

I love to paint. fabric loves to receive it. paint to me is  like vitamin P and i never tire of experimenting with  it with intension or random marks of color.

I have filled in the words, with embroidery threads in a very primitive stitch,

drawn by writing with the blue school gel glue before paint goes on .when paint dries i rinse out glue .

the  finished flags are strung with torn selvages of my hand painted fabrics and knotted together . then hung in the air, over a doorway , along a garden fence, from a tree limb., and when i show them, i clip them onto my old wooden hangers.

hope seems to be the word that surfaces first for me.

 some friends have already stated they would like to make some, together.

a good" all skill level" project.  
what does prayer look like to you?

And what a great way to start a new year.