Alma Benita - complete

I believe this doll to be one of very 

tender and quiet strength...wisdom.

So with in keeping of her spirit, 

there will be no narrative just images...

 

Alma Benita ~ Blessed Soul

all images: Mark Mortensen

 Marriage - Love 

 Amor

 

  

Details

 

 

Close ups

 

~Marriage ~ Love ~

God bless you and give you peace and love,

heart to heart and hand in hand

  

~Amor~

Dios te bendiga y te dan paz y amor, 

corazón a corazón y mano a mano

Pillows...

While we are waiting for the images of the completed Alma to come back from my fabulous photographer, Mark Mortensen...

I thought I would share a story about some special pillows that I have in my home. Be patient to read the story because it will be worth it!

Pillows??- special you ask...well here is my story.

A few years ago, I was invited for a brunch in a woman's home in the foothills (elevation of about 8,448 ft /2,575 m. For us Colorado people that means still low mountain area.)

This woman and her husband have done very well for themselves, owning homes and  restaurants around the US. She is also a talented interior decorator  and then very sweet on top of all that!

I fell in love with her style of decorating- a contemporary ethnic feel to it- comfortable and livable with special touches of interesting and creative pieces throughout her home. We came into the living room which had two facing linen slip covered couches. BUT there was one pillow in the center of each couch AND I was so struck by them and could not help but admire them immensely!

Later in the morning, I asked her about the pillows. They were made from Mayan women's dresses re purposed into these (gotta have) pillows.

ok... you know where this is going- especially since I sew! I came home and got on the internet to find this fabric- no luck...I was going to email her to find out where she got the fabric- the pillows- on a mission here.

In my mind, I was thinking that these have to be at least $400 a piece...and you know how it goes...then I am telling myself even IF they are $200 each, I will at least get ONE! So I email her and she calls me back. " I purchased them in Cabo and  I have TWO extra...would you like to do a trade?" 

Are you kidding me!?! What luck and so we did. She wanted one of my bunny pincushions...fabulous! (HA! Lucky rabbit pincushion- coincidence??) It took a few months for us to connect and we did...

I brought them home and put them on each of my couches and just stared at them. I just love them! My husband, Mark, asked what I was doing just sitting there staring at the pillows. I said I just feel so lucky to have them and I just love them!

So I made companion slip covers for the other pillow for Fall/Winter...

main living area couch

sitting area next living area

 In front of the couch in the living area is a glass coffee table with there is a set of these below chairs that flank the coffee table. I made this little lumbar pillow to coordinate with the others. The quilt is from India made of vintage sari fabric- for more see my pin board Kantha Quilts.

So now that is is Spring/ Summer I thought I better get on it and create a fresh new look.... I went to Fancy Tiger to buy my fabric, they have unique fabrics and it is a locally owned shop!

I wanted to bring out the yellow and aqua /turquoise...I switched the yellow and green pillows from living area and sitting area...

Now onto designing and sewing a special commission piece of one of my Black charm girls... I will share with you the process of creating her in blogs to come!

Alma Benita-Process of the Corazon

Note: I titled this posting Process of the Heart- not only the process of Alma's Corazon but the process of my own Heart!

When I design any doll...any project...it starts from my soul...to my heart...to my hands...to you.

 

 

As I have been creating now for over 20 years, I have noticed that not only is it important to have the techniques and know how, but equally if not more so, it is that you speak from your heart. You can see it...you can feel it in each piece that is created...it just speaks. You may not even know why but it reaches inside and brings forth an emotion...a touching of the souls.

In other words, a piece may be technically brilliant and flawless but if it has no soul...no love...it might as well be a mass produced piece. For it IS within our our experiences, good and challenging, we find our humanity, our grace, our love...the voice of our heart.

With this in mind, I found it most necessary to place a Corazon at the center of Alma.

Both made of silk velvet, imprinted silk, 

vintage metal cording,flames painted w/ gold leaf

 Heart from Alma-Blessed Love-Marriage

Heart from Alma-Blessed House

co· ra· zón 

[kaw-rah-sawn, -thawn] 

 noun, plural co· ra· zo· nes. Spanish.

1. the heart.

2. courage; spirit.

3. love; affection; compassion or sympathy.

  

In Spirituality:

The Immaculate Heart of Mary. Has been seen on countless statues and holy pictures, is one of the most fundamental symbols of pure Divinity by which Our Lady Mary is identified as Our Mother God. It depicts her endless love for us all.

 The Sacred Heart.  It was on December 27th, probably 1673, when a twenty-six year old nun, Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, in a monastery at Paray-le-Monial, France, received a vision. In much of her worship and prayer centered around the sacrament of communion, as did her visions. For about a year-and-a-half, Jesus appeared to her and revealed his actual heart, burning inside his chest, radiant with love.

 In Symbolism:

The Corazon is regarded as a symbol of deep compassion for humanity. The Sacred Heart is often depicted as a flaming heart shining with divine light.

 

May your heart find 
your courage; spirit 
to voice  love.