Pillow for the Ring Bearer...Handmade

This is the pillow that my then three year old nephew will be carrying down the aisle at my wedding.  It looks a little bit bare right now because fresh flowers will be added before the ceremony.  I used fabric scraps from my collection and hand sewed most of it with a needle and thread.

The pillow was then stuffed with cut up plastic bags allowing me to finish it completely without spending a dime!  My fiance Cam and I designed the pillow together.  He loves paisley, and although it is not my favorite, I love it here because he does.  I love a good compromise...and it is a good thing because that is what marriage is all about, right?

Finally, I added a ribbon handle on the bottom.  The pillow is complete.  Wedding planning has been smooth sailing so far!

Life in the Moment

Rose Beerhorst is an artist that I really admire.  She has the kind of work that rewards you when you look closer.  

If you study them closely, you get the sense that there is something meditative about her work.  This reminds me of the time I spent studying at Ox-Bow Summer School of Art.  There they emphasize a sense of "being" with your work.  It looks like when she makes a piece, she sits with it for a long time.  She puts a lot of thought into it.  She laments each element, each tiny detail.  

Rose works almost entirely with recycled materials.  She reuses what is already available.  Even the buttons are reused.  Most of them are vintage.  This is why I say that Rose represents "life in the moment."  Her used and vintage elements add a story and a history to each piece while her young ambition adds a sense of new ideas.  These two qualities combined play into what I receive as something contemplative in her work.  She seems to reflect a calm hora, carefully soaking up each moment in life.  Perhaps Rose has a little wisdom beyond her years.

You can shop Rose's work at sockmonster.etsy.com