Thursday, October 6, 2011

Dreamweaver Free Challenge Week

Well, here it is, October. It is a glorious month here in Michigan, as the nights are cool, the days are warm and (usually) sunny, and the air is crisp and smells of apples and crackling bonfires. Personally, it was one of my favorites in childhood, being that it contained both my birthday and Halloween, which meant gifts, cake, costumes and candy. Later, it also held my husband's birthday and our anniversary. It was the king of months for me. The past few years, however, it has been a difficult month. It is breast cancer awareness month, and my mother passed due to complications of breast cancer. Now, October is often a month of as many tears as smiles for me. Not only do I miss my mom at the important events of my life, but I also get the "treat" of shopping at stores filled with pink ribbons on one side of the aisle and tombstones on the other. I have to wonder why no one ever foresaw this disturbing imagery when they chose October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
You may wonder what all of this has to do with this week's card. Well, this card symbolizes a lot for me, and I thought it wholly appropriate to include it as my first October post. First, the background, the beautiful Opto Checkerboard, LJ 915 which reminds me of MC Escher, art school and a lesson plan I once taught in a previous career. To me, it also relates to October, because it is an unexpected checkerboard. It is just a little "off", like all things in October, especially at the end of the month. I pasted this one with black paste.
The butterfly is absolutely one of my favorite new stencils. It is LJ 916. If you followed my Art Glitter blogs over the summer, you have seen this one before on a straw bag. I just love it. It looks its absolute best, I think, when it is double glittered, like it is here. In this case, I used the Double Sided adhesive paper and soaped the back of the stencil before I attached it. I then filled the holes with stunning autumnal (also Monarch colored) Art Institure Glitter, and black Stampendous Fun Flock (in the body). I removed the stencil and poured black glitter over the whole thing. This is a very large stencil, and it runs over the boundaries set forth by the card. I liked this. It seems like the butterfly's will to fly is so strong that it breaks away from its world. My mother and I used to go to butterfly houses where ever we could find them. She loved the idea and feeling of flight, so I imagine that she would have really loved this strong willed butterfly.
Finally, the Make a Wish sentiment. This one I did with Black Adirondack Pigment Ink and a stencil brush. It is from the Birthday Words stencil LG 704. I chose this one for many reasons. Most of all, it is because my mother and I went to Disneyworld after her cancer metastisized. We saw the fireworks display Wishes for the very first time. During the show, the narrator tells us to all "make a wish". Mom and I both started crying, because we both knew what we were wishing for. Anyway, that is what this phrase reminds me of.
So now, here it is, some years later. Sometimes, especially in October, it seems like yesterday, and I feel like an open wound. Most Octobers, I try to just "lay low" to escape all of those pink ribbons and tombstones in the stores. This year, I am opting to face it head on. That is what this posting really represents. While the butterfly reminds me of my mother, it also brings up the sayings that I have been so fond of lately, "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly" and, of course, "Without change, there would be no butterflies." I can't undo this change in my life, so I guess that it is time for me to try and become the butterfly. So, maybe this post was a little less lighthearted than others, and for that, I guess, I am sorry. Sometimes a card is just a card, but sometimes it is a catalyst for thought. I would love it if you could leave me a comment. Check out the other Dream Team designs for this week and play along if you are so inspired. Link it to the Dreamweaver Blog. I hope I didn't bring anyone down. Just remember, try to become the butterfly. It is never too late. Start now.

10 comments:

  1. I also lost my mother to breast cancer some 25 years ago and I still find myself missing her, my best friend. Your butterfly is beautiful and serves as a reminder of the transformations, miracles, and temporary nature of everything in life. Monarch butterflies are all over Illinois in the fall and add to the gold and orange colors of the season!

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  2. Laura... sometimes our blogs help start the healing process, not only for us but for others as well. This card is truly beautiful and inspirational, not only that but I love the colors. I here visiting with my mother who will turn 91 in about 10 days and thanking God for each and every day I get to spend with her.

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  3. I don't know why, but the picture of your card wouldn't load for me. Must be my connection. I'll check back later.
    Never thought about that pink ribbon/headstone thing. Kind of creepy. Definitely know how you feel about your mom, I lost mine twelve years ago and it's still hard.

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  4. This is so beautiful Laura! Butterflies are such a great symbol of change...nothing every seems to stay the same in our lives does it? Just a testimony to going forward for the next step in our life process. You are in my thoughts this month Laura...Happy Birthday too, whenever that is for you in October.

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  5. You are too cool Laura! Love the butterfly..well of course......GLITTER!! Love the way it goes into the optical background.

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  6. Thank you for sharing, Laura. Your words are truly inspirational and leave me with a lot of food for thought, as they say. Though delicate and fragile, the butterfly is a long stronger than we might imagine, and you've expressed that beautifully in your card.

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  7. Thank you Laura for the very heart tugging blog today. Your butterfly is a stunner -- I love it. Hugs for you.

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  8. Oh, Laura, please consider this a big, big hug. I lost my Mom in January to cancer and think of her everyday. Now, though, I'll think of her as your beautiful butterfly.

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  9. This is beautiful Laura!! I also love the new butterfly and just don't have time to get to it. I hope you are well!

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  10. Laura your card is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it and your personal journey of growth with us. You are an inspiration creatively and personally. I also send my best wishes for a Happy Birthday to yourself and your husband as well as Happy Anniversary! My husbands birthday is also this month and I am currently waiting to hear of the safe arrival of my first grandchild who will be born today or tomorrow. Talk about new beginnings, lol.

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