Gifts of the Full Harvest Moon

I got so many lovely and unexpected gifts this week - including the very kind comments from everyone on my last post. I think I replied to all the comments made here and to the private e-mails, but if I missed anyone, forgive me and know that I am very grateful for your support and generosity.

I got this beautiful handmade journal and tea from one of my authors:

At my job, I might spend a year, sometimes more, working on a book in all its various stages, so I'm almost as invested as the author by the time it's published. It's truly wonderful when the author is as appreciative and classy as this one was. 

I also received a hilarious postcard and elegant needle case from also-very-classy Meg in New Zealand. Her talent is incredible and she's as nice and smart and lovely as her weavings are subtle and beautiful. 

I got a surprise box of intriguing watercolor paints from multitalented and very wonderful Deb.

A couple of weeks ago, I got this set of quotation-mark buttons from the one and only, brilliant and wonderful Anne: 

Last week, I even had the most excellent and friendly customer service from a great local company, Third Street Chai. I called to complain about a bad batch of chai and they couldn't have been nicer, and sent me a box full of delicious products.

I know none of this has to do with textiles or art or craft or any of that, but I just wanted to share the fun after the last discouraging post. The haters haven't gone away, but they've been outnumbered and FAR outclassed by truly wonderful people.

I wish the same for you on this equinox and full moon. It's a strange time we're living in, when people feel far more able to express hate than love, to destroy instead of creating whatever they want to create and respecting others' rights to do the same. The whole world seems way off balance. I know some people intent on keeping their heads in the sand, others feeling helpless and hopeless, others just confused. I don't know the best way. I try to just keep doing the right thing every day, whatever it is, hoping that whatever wisdom and integrity I have outweighs my mistakes and failures. And there are plenty of those.

I've started exploring bookmaking, finally picked up my current bead and shisha-mirror piece again, and am taking an encaustic class later this week. My Slow Cloth group on Facebook remains an incredible -- and large -- group of artists, craftspeople, entrepreneurs, interested observers, writers, and creative thinkers. I'm working on a website to replace the Facebook page eventually. I'm also in the process of moving this blog to a new location with a new name, so more on that to come. I may be attending the Textile Society conference next month; we'll see. There's a lot to do on this Harvest Moon. 

Oh, and speaking of Slow Cloth, the very lovely people at Ashford Handicrafts in New Zealand included an article from me about Slow Cloth in their annual magazine. It's beautiful. I'll make a PDF and post it here this weekend. Elizabeth Ashford also sent me another generous gift - some amazing silk and merino slivers that I shared with a friend who is a spinner:

I think I include the lyrics to this song every September at the full moon, so why not again?

Come a little bit closer

Hear what I have to say

Just like children sleeping

We could dream this night away

But there's a full moon rising

Let's go dancing in the light

We know where the music's playing

Let's go out and feel the night

Because I'm still in love with you

I want to see you dance again

Because I'm still in love with you

On this harvest moon.

    -- Neil Young, Harvest Moon

Comments

[Meg]

That quotation mark buttons are perfect. I think you should see if you can turn it into earrings. That way, everything coming out of you is automatically in quotes attributed to you, and we can quote you easily. Gosh, I wished I could draw cartoons/caricatures of that.
:-) Have a good Friday.

[kaiteM]

How uplifting that you could share your Harvest Moon gifts with us. It's exciting to see what other people give and receive, especially talented and thoughtful people. It's good to hear that you have picked up your own textile/fiber/bead work again, are you also going to share pics of that? The encaustic sounds exciting.
I can empathise with you, i've had my own share of e-haters and destroyers, it comes with the territory of being outspoken. I've learnt that i had to become a dragon or a phoenix tho - fireproof, but it took a while to evolve.
I'm looking forward to your Slow Cloth website, i've quit Facebook, privacy concerns. kaite