I found these pieces in some of my draft posts so I thought I would put them up. The top two bead embroidered pieces were made for a seaquilt that was raffled off to raise money for cancer in a walk that a friend was doing. Her daughter had cancer and she wanted to contribute in a tangible way. The quilt was absolutely gorgeous and although I bought a lot of tickets I didn't win it.
Another square that I made.
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I don't believe I have posted this doll before, and I did find the photos in a draft post. This doll was made in memory of a friend of mine who killed herself about this time of year. She was a lovely and charming person, but she was haunted by growing up as a child of Holocaust survivors and suffered from anxiety and depression. A lot of people think that Christmas is the highest time of suicides, but in fact it is the beginning of spring. Just when winter starts to recede, when color starts popping up in the garden, when leaves start filling up trees, and a fresh and warm breeze blows, there are those who do not feel the joy of life re-emerging, of the energy of the season, of a lightness and laughter that comes with a sense of rejuvenation. They feel no hope, and without hope there is no reason to go on. What I write is simplistic, of course, but the captures the essence of why there is a higher suicide rate in spring. And for dear and gentle friend, the spring in which she found herself was too much for her to continue living. It was not a choice that she made, she did not wish her family to suffer from her death, for her children to grow up without her, for her husband to mourn his only love and to live out the rest of his life alone.
This doll reflects the joy that she spread in the world. The bright colors for when she was happy. The wings for how she protected and cared for others.
And here, remembering spring so as to never forget. And to remember, that when times were good, my friend's garden blossomed beautifully with a riot of colors.
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