April showers...

Lots has happened this week...

First (and most important)- My mother got the news that her cancer has gone into remission!  She was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma almost a year ago and had to undergo some brutal chemotherapy.  Because the therapy was so intense- and her health was so compromised, she couldn't' travel... and because we had such a new baby, and we have been so afraid of illness too- we haven't traveled either.  Which means that my mother has not met my son.  (the pictures is of my mom with my daughter)  My brother is getting married this coming weekend- and we are packing up the family to go home to Texas.  I am beside myself with excitement about introducing Leo to everyone.  And I can't wait to hug my mom and feel her beautiful bald head:-)  I will have to create a retablo when I return!

I have also been very busy this week giving presentations and starting a new phase in my career doing mental health assessing and diagnosing for children who are having difficulty in school and are at risk of losing their school placement.  I am excited about the change- even though I am also a bit worried about how different it will be then doing treatment work.  I love knowing my clients for years... it will be hard to work with someone for only fifty days.

We are also getting new carpet in one of our bedrooms- which means everything in the bedroom is currently in the living room and dining room.  I really have a difficult time when my space is as chaotic as I am.  I am trying to just not pay attention.

Also important- the Oaxaca Street Children Auction has begun!  You can visit the site at http://recuerda-mi-corazon.com/.  The altars are so beautiful and creative.  What an amazing auction hosted by Rebecca Brooks!  Please visit and bid on one of the amazing altars!  How wonderful that you can get an incredible piece of artwork and also benefit a very worthy cause!

And lastly- I picked a winner using the handy dandy random number generator- and the lucky number was "5"- so congratulations to Faerie Moon Creation!  She sells beautiful jewelry on her etsy site.  I love this Alice in Wonderland inspired piece... - and I would urge everyone to pay her a visit here! 
Okay... I  am off to sleep.  I have so much to do this week to get ready for my trip!!!  
Love,

Me 

Una vida, muchas muertes - One life, many deaths

I have finally finished my cigar box altar for the Oaxaca Street Childrens Grassroots Auction!  The biggest changes I have made since the last time you saw it was I added some glitter (I love glitter) and put the birds and banner on the top.  I am happy with the way it turned out.  I could have kept going, but I am trying to learn how to stop.

This isn't my first altar.  I made one for my grandmother when she passed away.  It sits above my desk- next to her mocahete (grinding bowl).  It was one of the things I inherited from her tamale shop.  It is one of my treasures.  As an art therapist, I have made many altars with my clients.  I remember an altar I made with a young girl for her father.  It was so powerful.  It took us months to complete.
Anyway,  I call this piece- "una vida, muchas muertes".  I was thinking about the idea of losses as a form of death.  I thought it would be a great art intervention to make an altar around a loss- not of a person, but something else..  The loss of a relationship.  The loss of a friend.  The loss of a dog.   A life is a series of losses...  that sounded kind of melodramatic, but it is true.  From the cutting of the umbilical cord, we begin our lives losing the comfort of the womb.  As a mother, although the birth of my children is this amazing beginning- it is also a loss.  A loss of that incredibly intimacy that goes with carrying a child inside you.  One of my friends is currently dealing with the loss of having her son go away to school.  The losses never end.

These losses are no doubt small compared to the losses that many of the children that Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots provides for.  Even though I can complain and whine about my overwhelm, I understand how deeply blessed I am- and I have always felt that with blessings comes responsibility.  I hope the gift of this altar is helpful.   I will post a link to the official auction on April 16th.  The auction will be held from April 17th -April 24th.  The altars are beautiful!!!  For more information about this amazing project, visit Rebecca's blog at http://www.corazon.typepad.com/ or you can always click on the link in my sidebar.  And don't forget to sign up for my April give away!!!

April Give away

I wanted to be sure and post my give away for the month of April.  I wanted to include some new images- but it has been raining every time I have time to photograph (of course when I am completely busy the sun comes out).  Anyhow, I decided for this month that I would send a little care package.  I will include a couple of artist card prints inspired by my daughter and a glass tile necklace of one of my pieces.  All will come to you in my handy dandy Frida mailer:-)  So, if you are interested, please leave me a comment.  I will choose a winner on April 18th- so please leave a comment by April 17th.... now back to work on my altar for the auction to benefit the Oaxacan street children!  Check out the sidebar link for more information.  I am hoping to be finished in the next couple of days and have pictures posted!