Song for Friday...new music

Discovering new music is like opening a gift.

If I hear even a snippet of a voice or a tune that catches me I will hunt it down.

Last week on CBC radio there was a story about Northern Mali

and how the fundamentalist Muslims have BANNED MUSIC.

Of any kind. No radio's, no ring tones on your phone, no cd players and

most devastating to musicians, NO PLAYING MUSIC.

Many musicians are leaving their homeland because they

can't bare to be stifled in their art.

Music is an intrinsic part of life in many parts of the world and

Mali is certainly no exception.

At the end of the program they played a piece from this woman.

Such a beautiful voice. Full of passion.

How can you keep something like that down?

So this week I'm spreading the news of this wonderful woman I've discovered.

Let's hope the "SIN" of music in Mali finds it's way to something better.

Have a great weekend all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpgMsiNkHtk

Wordless Wednesday...

Weather, projects and bird weddings...

This morning the wind was dragging clouds across the sky.

The weather has been soggy and unsettled which makes for lovely skies...

 The rains come pouring down these days and with them the ideas

flow just the same. This kind of weather finds me in the studio, looking out at the deluge.

It's cozy in there with the fire on, full mug of tea and chocolate of course!

The wet felting bug has bit me hard so more experiments and projects have been taken on.

Last Sunday, Norene (mosaic artist extraordinaire) and I made yet more gauntlets...

These ones I made for someone for Christmas.

They are black with purple-grey accents and a few pretty buttons...

My other gauntlets I made, which were too itchy to wear, have become a few

different things, some of which are these wee mittens...

 ...available in my etsy shop...

 ...new life to fabric unwilling to be worn against human skin,

but maybe the fairies can tolerate the feel of scratchy wool...

I've also been burning the midnight oil working on a commission, this time

of a lady and her dog. Apparently she had the same sweater as the one I made for

Dr Paul and Cino

The dog, Mikey, is sadly gone now but hopefully this little sculpture will

be a bit of a tribute to a favorite family pet...

Anyway that's all the news from here...haven't had the camera out and about

because of all the rain.

Maybe today there'll be a break and we'll see whats out there.

Oh, one more thing...there have been a lot of flocks of pine siskins around lately.

They swirl and move as one cloud of tiny wings, chattering as they dive and dip.

When I was a kid, my mom always remarked when she saw a flock of little birds

"look! there goes a bird wedding!"

To this day I always think that when I see a scene like this...