indigo pears

I have had a "thing" about mermaids for a couple of years! Not that I really even like the water.....but somehow it relates to that siren call to become your authentic self.

Today I found this fabric and ordered some to add to my collection of fabrics for the mermaid quilt I hope to create one day. I won't need lots of this yardage, just some to "sprinkle" in among other fabrics which call to me or remind me of the sea....

When my daughter was getting married...by the sea...she was describing her gown as "simple, with a sort of "mermaid effect" in the ruffles flowing down the slender skirt.

I have just visited Barb Kobe's website...Kobe Dolls...Art Dolls/Healing Dolls/Feeling Dolls. It is a site full of wonderful information and inspiration about mermaids and other embellished art.

There are just not enough lifetimes to do it all....nor should we!

My sister was here this morning and helped me to deal with the sad task of emptying dead and dying flowers from the pots in my "Secret Garden". I'm a great one for creative energy, starting new projects, etc. etc. etc. but maintenance and clean-up are not my strong suit....so, after that and an hour of raking leaves, I rewarded myself with the mermaid fabric order!

I remember seeing an article recently in New Zealand Quilter Magazine about a small group of women who created embellished mermaid self-portrait quilts. That too was quite inspiring....I would love to find the article again!

(Of course, I've read Sue Monk Kidd's novel, The Mermaid Chair. I think it deals with empty nest and "authenitic-self" issues...and is Southern, seaside and Gothic a bit too. I seem to remember that Sue had a newsletter/journal with her website....must go see!)