Bed bug buddies

Finished the praying mantis and the grass hoppers. The bees were the hardest, I couldn't make them yellow enough, but I think their tones suit the rest of the insects. Managed to fit in a few dragonflies.

I focussed on green and brown fabrics for the contrast blocks. A very traditional quilt.
Polar fleece is on the back.

A long process but I am glad it is finished. It's his birthday next week, and he is looking forward to having his bug quilt.

Long time no post

So my life has been a little crazy, but now with the youngest out of the nest, I can get back to being creative.
Made this bargello for Gina, she picked the colour theme, and I have been looking for 2 years for the right colours to suit. It shimmers in the right light, and is quite addictive to watch.
Happy Birthday
On the back I have stenciled "Gina is Awesome" in purple and green. Just what a girl needs.
Have fun.

Ladybug for luck

I kept to something easy this time, so here is another ladybug for luck. I think I am going to need it, as I am going to start a praying mantis this week - his favourite.

Monarch Butterflies

I am not sure what I was thinking, but after creating 6 monarch butterflies, I think I will work on something a little easier this week. I have always found butterflies magical, even the white butterfly that hangs around the vegie garden. Butterflies symbolise:

· Transition
· Celebration
· Time
· Soul
· Transformation / Change
· Acceptance. Don't sweat the small stuff, be joyful and thankful for your blessings

Herein lies the deepest symbolic lesson of the butterfly. She asks us to accept the changes in our lives as casually as she does. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the changes of her environment and her body.
This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also symbolic of faith. Here the butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. She understands that our toiling, fretting and anger are useless against the turning tides of nature – she asks us to recognize the same.
Interestingly, in many cultures the butterfly is associated with the soul – further linking our animal symbolism of faith with the butterfly.
We can look to the grace and eloquence of the butterfly and realize that our journey is our only guarantee. Our responsibility to make our way in faith, accept the change that comes, and emerge from our transitions as brilliantly as the butterfly.

Weta

I discovered recently that wetas belong to the cricket family. I don't mind crickets, so I just keep telling myself that a weta is just a large cricket.

He loves searching for wetas in the woodshed, especially in the pinecones, which he calls "Weta houses".

I couldn't find anything specific about Wetas, this is what I found about Crickets and their symbolism. I have learnt to appreciate this insect a little more, after doing some research. A symbol of Intuition, Sensitivity, Ingenuity, Resourcefulness, Faith, Trust, and Transformation. All great things I want for my boy.

Crickets are active at night, ancient myth associates the cricket with the lunar energies of intuition and sensitivity.

In Africa the tree cricket uses leaves growing on plants to make a megaphone. The cricket chews a pear shaped hole in the leaf and sticks his head through the hold, the leaf bends around his head in a bowl shape like a speaker baffle. Then the cricket presses his sound making wings against the leaf and chirps. These leaf amplifiers increase their sound by up to 10 decibels. How resouceful is that.

The crickets hind legs are modified for jumping. They leap over difficult situations effortlessly always choosing to land in a more pleasing environment and can teach us how to do the same. A powerful ally that embodies the qualities of faith and trust the cricket serves us well. All we need to do is follow its lead.

Cricket will attune to new vibrations and will aid in heightening intuition, sensitivity and awareness. Crickets can teach effective communication techniques and subconsciousness communication cues to obtain what is needed or wanted. Crickets are about resurrection and transformation from stages as in the molting process. Is it time to shed old ideas to make way for the new? Are you singing your song to be heard at this time? Is it time to rest in contemplation or jump toward your intended target whether it be at work, in relationships, or personal goal and dream?

Weevil

I think of all the beetles, he is most fascinated by the weevils. There are so many, so I hope to capture a few onto fabric.

A symbol of Intuition, Acceptance
Creation, Transformation, and Change.

Accept the changes in our lives as casually as the beetle does.

Beetles aid in transformation, metamorphosis, resurrection and rebirth - rebirth of the soul to a new spiritual ideal and renewed devotion. This animal teaches harmony in the coming changes by utilizing your intuitive abilities and teaches discernment where you need it the most.. Can you identify which stage of development are you in egg/larva/pupa/adult?. Is it time to "fly" or walk in life?

Spiders Web

Here is a small group of spiders. I intend to sew metallic silver thread over the web, to give it a dew look.