…Grandmas Hands…

A while back my baby kept asking me to paint her nails.  All of my polish was looking less than desirable being that it gets very little use except for her. …I never paint my nails simply because I use  my hands all the time.  It’s not practical. They’d immediately get chipped and peel off and whats worse than thinkin you look fly but you have chipped polish! …Besides that, I’m a Mama and I don’t have tiiiiime to be paintin’ and repaintin all the time! These hands got things to do!

…Anywhoo, while I was at the store I thought I’d see what was over in my favorite “Wet N’ Wild” section for her.  I came across a lovely shade of pink that I felt especially drawn to.  So I take it home, paint the childs nails, it’s a hit of course. …Doesn’t take much to please her.  After she’s gone to bed I get this strange urge to paint my own nails with the same color.  I haven’t painted my nails in like 3 years.  And it was clear! I think I even remember the day and the time. …Shame. But my nails had gotten a little longer than normal so I figured “What the hec” and I go for it.  As soon as I’m done I have a strange moment and a realization.  My hands are carbon copies of my Grandmas, whose hands I’ve not seen in quite some time I might add!  She passed in ’91. Let me just say, when the hands “showed up”, they were immediately recognizable and a pleasant but unexpected surprise.  A surprise I could only respond to with a,  “Hellooo Grandmother! Well good to see you too!”

It was divine moment and a clear greeting and message.  Everything about them was her: the shape of my nails, my skin color, the nail polish color!  I suppose I never noticed how much they resembled hers being that I never polish them nor are they usually that long.  I had to take a picture of my hands that day so that I had something to go back to and reference again after feeling like they looked so much like hers.  –Just to make sure I wasn’t imagining things and sure enough, looking at the photo now, those are most certainly her hands.  But either way, I was honored and pleased and happy to see her.  …That is her photo there in front of my hands.

…Wonderful, pleasant, beautiful, classy, reserved and delightful she was.  They say that we receive visits and communications from the dearly departed in all sorts of ways.  …Sometimes we smell them, sometimes we dream them, sometimes we just think about them or remember a special moment we shared with them and other times? …Well, we see their hands in front of us clear as day after we paint our fingernails!  I certainly think that was one of those moments. 

Gotta be thankful for the magic moments. They are few and far between these days.

“….Feelin’ the spirit vibes in Studio5″. ~h.kai

Everything I Ever Needed to Know, I Learned on Facebook Today…..

 I read this on facebook today via one of my friends posts. ….Facebook, the site I love to hate. But I had to share this because it summed up and CONFIRMED exactly how I’ve been feeling for some months now and up until I read this was over using the word “wierd” far too much to describe the general state of affairs.  What about you? Can you relate to this at all???

E.T. Phone Home, Tell me I’m not alone. …In Studio Five that IS!!!!!!! -h.kai

———-

via Aina Olomo
We Are No Longer Present In The 3rd Dimension Anymore! This Is Why A Lot of You Are Feeling Disoriented, Confused, Lost Or Delusional At Times! Your Sense of Self Has Been Stretched Into The Fifth Dimension Where Most of Your Energy Resides! Soulfully You Are There! Physically You Are Here As A Fading Holographic Image! We Are Moving Faster Energetically Than Ever Before! Time Has …Sped Up So Fast It Is Only A Matter of Time When You Will Be Fully Present Into A Fifth Dimensional World! You Are Feeling Overwhelmed And Tired Being In Third Density Right Now As Your Mind Operates On The Theta Brainwaves – Your Dream State of Mind – When You Physically Sleep! Beta Waves Are A Thing of The Past! This Is Why Everything Feels So Surreal And Fake!

Physical Ascension Has Never Happened Before Without Physically Dying First! We Are Experiencing A Brand New Phenomenon That Has Unsurpassed Any Logic You Have Ever Encountered Within Any of Your Past Lives! It Takes An Enormous Amount of Energy To Maintain The Exceptional Amount of LIGHT Bombarding The Planet Through The CME’s – Solar Flares! We Have Divine Intervention From The Ascended Masters To Keep Our Light Shining Brighter, Stronger And MORE Powerful Than Ever Before!

We Are Transforming From Carbon Based To Silicon Crystalline Within Our Beingness And It Is Only A Matter of Time When We Will Be FULLY PRESENT Within The Fifth Dimension Where Your True Reality Resides Awaiting Your I AM Presence Within Your Holy Christed Self!

Remain True To Your Own Godself!
We Are All Experiencing This Together!
Always Know You Are Never Alone And
That Those Ascending Share Your Inner
Truth!

Love & Blessings!
Sapphire Stone

Ding Dong! It’s Holly.K Calling!

So.

…Do you know who this lady is here? Hm? Yes, THAT ladies and gentleman is Mary Kay of Mary Kay cosmetics. You are probably wondering WHAT in the name of Gods Good GREEN Creation am I going to say about Mary Kay the cosmetics lady! Well I’ll tell ya. So tomorrow I embark on a new journey. NO, I am not selling Mary Kay cosmetics people. But I AM taking wE.musT.gRoW : Couture for Change into the homes of unique and original women.  Women that don’t want the “everyday” cookie cutter fashion like the rest of these clones being bread on a daily. No way. I’m syked! Some ladies are hosting a wEmusTgRoW Soiree.  It’s going to be lovely and I’m thinking a little better in terms of being in my element.  One thing I can’t complain about is that my merchandise sells pretty well on its own.  Without a spiel or any of that.  If you didn’t already know, I never make the same thing twice. So there is never like a PLETHORA (pardon me while I wear that word out today because i want to) of the same skirt or shirt or pants or …anything. With the exception of The Club Cutie and the Sol Sista Tees, nothing is  really duplicated the same way twice. If anything, that is the challenge. I’m not good at mass production because of my artistic A.D.D. everything must change and we must grow! Those that know me know that I have a story for EVERYTHING, and wE.musT.gRoW is no different.  I’m hoping this will give me opportunity to provide the background on the line, what it meant to be created and what it means to be worn, etc. etc. etc.  I love giving my people opportunity to try things on and experiment and actually sit down with time to design for them or chat with them about who they are and get a feel for what they need.  See, while I’ve never ventured to express this in relation to how I market myself, I will say here today that I am more of a “fashion intuitive”. I know, I know that sounds silly. But it’s true!  I meet women and I feel them out. I can tell certain things about them or they will tell me and from that I can intuit what energy they need to go into that dress or jacket or whatever that is in some way going to “give back” to them.  And I ALSO have to say that so far my track records been damn good! I’ve had a reluctant person or two in there somewhere that I had to throw a “trust me” at but in the end they were always the happy customer.  I am happiest when I am “fashion intuiting”.  It gives me the most, I give the most back, the piece that is birthed is its own and the wearer is always happy in the end.  My repeat customers give me creative license, and I love them most (i said it).  My new customers want to. Lol. In all seriousness, it means a lot for someone to trust you. It means more for a woman to trust me with their look and how they will present themselves to the world.  It means EVEN MORE when the outcome is a success!

Now I will say, that I thought it would be funny if I could come up with some wEmusTgRoW indoctrination techniques like Mary Kay because….have you ever been to one of those meetings??? They are (no disrespect Mary Kay people) like a CULT! I’ve never seen women get so excited to be a part of something like a Mary Kay team! They sing songs, and play games and the enthusiasm level is frightening! And women BUY IN TO THE DREAM!!!! But oh well. ….As much as I’d like to say I was ready to brainwash the group and be super dooper cheery jumpin around with wE.musT.gRoW chants and songs and things, I’m afraid I don’t have all of that. I’m very laid back.  …And I talk slow.  …And I move slow too. Thank gawd the clothing is colorful eh?!  What I do have is a bloody fantastic model, some fly wears and a whole nite to get the finishing touches put together.  Here’s to hoping that there is only pure satisfaction granted from this new approach tomorrow.

I will try to have some pictures soon.  Wish me luck! {Sorry this post was a little rushed.}

‘Takin some new strides in Studio5″.

~hk

….O is For the Only Oooone I See….

Nikki Giovanni

Today I figured I would post another poem I made mention of in our Loving Without Expectation Class the other day: ‘Seduction’ by Nikki Giovanni.  This may be as good a time as any to confess that I have a greater love for the written/read word as opposed to the spoken.  I found this poem when I was a teenager and fell in love with it.  For some reason after I thought about referencing Kahlil Gibrans ‘The Prophet’ this one popped in my head next.  “Hm! Lemme go back and read that one again!” I thought. It wasn’t an obvious choice, or so I thought. Of course revisiting the piece reminded me why it posed itself as such. Perhaps I should let you read it first: : : : . . . . . .

‘Seduction’

one day
you gonna walk in this house
and i’m gonna have a long African gown
you’ll sit down and say “The Black…”
and i’m gonna take one arm out
then you-not noticing me at all- will say “What about this brother…”
and i’m going to be slipping it over my head
and you’ll rap on about “The revolution…”
while i rest your hand against my stomach
you’ll go on-as you always do- saying
“I just can’t dig…”
while i’m moving your hand up and down
and i’ll be taking your dashiki off
then you’ll say “What we really need…”
and taking your shorts off
then you’ll notice
your state of undress
and knowing you you’ll just say
“Nikki …isn’t this counterrevolutionary…”

 *     *   *

Okay, I can’t lie.  What I love first about this piece is that the woman, imagining this encounter with her lover STARTS the poem by visualizing what she will be wearing when this moment arrives.  This happens to me often, so I can appreciate it and kinda have to laugh to myself (corny confession but hey, it’s true).  Seriously, what I love about this piece is that it’s a beautiful example of this woman imagining herself loving freely without expectation in addition to having a confidence and almost blatant disregard for whether or not her lover will reject or reciprocate her actions of  ’seduction’ .  …There is apparently some question of whether he will willingly give her his undivided attention or not and put down his other mistress if only for a moment.  …His other mistress being work, the cause, or in this case, the revolution.  Many of us have had those moments where we envisioned ourselves doing something BOLD to reclaim our power and look good doin it.  …Sometimes we acted, sometimes we didn’t and sometimes well, the vision probably had to suffice or was better than the actual moment in real life! It says so many things! It says, “these are MY feelings and I own them, proudly!”  She’s feelin’ herself, and that’s always fly. It’s a testimony to THE POWER OF A WOMAN!  …And women are  powerful beings, if you didn’t already know. Lastly it’s a stunning example of someone (her) showing strength and vulnerability at the same time and I don’t know about you but I always think that’s HOT. Seduction is beautiful. …It’s open, it’s honest, it’s an act of giving….it’s just the shyt and I think we’d all agree on that.

…As I was posting this, I’m afraid I got sucked into yet another Nikki G. poem that I figure we should save for another day. ..But you know it’s killin me inside to hold it until next time! Anywhoo. ….What are your thoughts on this one???

“…Conjurin’ up seductions of the mind in Studio5″. -hk

L is for the way……

Sculpture by Elizabeth Catlett

I know we haven’t gotten to my debriefing about the class, but I just happend to come across this today and felt like it was worth sharing! We should talk about this for a while because we don’t do that here very often.  Besides that, I think I’m on a reluctant mission that has been in my brain for a while to make some sort of contribution toward the movement of “making love cool again” because I don’t know about you but I think something shifted among the people.  But this excerpt from Iyanla Vanzants ‘Acts of Faith’ addressed much of what was addressed in the class. I figured we could all benefit from it therefore, I had to post….

How do you know when you are really in love?  First of all, you would not have to ask the question. Love is knowing, it is not a condition or state  of mind. When you are loving, you are not doubting, judging or fearing; you are in a state of acceptance.  You accept yourself first, for who and what you are, and then the person you love, without question.  You do not want to fix him, change him, control him or help him. You want for the person you love exactly what she wants for herself. When you are in love, you feel vulnerable and know that it is okay. You do not hide your feelings, change them to fix what you think the other person wants, and you do not question what you feel. When you are in love, you give, expecting nothing in return, not even love. Love is an inner process between you and yourself that you want to share with someone, everyone.  Love is free. If your quest is to own, control, hold on to, protect, or take care of someone, they cannot be free and you are not in love.  Love is never wrong, seldom right.  It just is.
 
Love is in the midst of me.
 
From Acts of Faith
by Iyanla Vanzant

* * * *  * * * * * * * * *

“Keepin’ the hearts alive in Studio5″. ~hk

The Art of Love…..Oh My!

Sonia Sanchez and Jasmine Guy at Spellman College

….Tomorrow evening I’m facilitating a group on The Art of Love: Loving Without Fear or Expectation at Phenomenal Woman.  Phenomenal Woman is a group that was formed by Imani Latif who runs a fantastic organization called It Takes a Village. They run various programs that serve many but I’ve been affiliated with the “PW’s” for almost TEN years now! Hard to believe, it’s a lovely group.  Being that it’s been around so long, many of the ladies have truly grown together (and apart I’m sure) for but for the most part it’s been all positive.  The group is always changing and growing.  Imani started this group specifically to cater to the emotional and physical health and wellness of black women.  …Uh…and she has always provided free dinner and free childcare and if you are a mama, you can’t beat that.   In addition to some good social time with adults.  It has been beneficial to many in more ways than there are really time to name and it was the first group I was able to develop my art therapy classes on! For years it has provided a place where black women can safely share and gather.  They meet every other week, the topics range from everything to money matters to…..to…… dating, to family and friend issues, to gardening…you name it.  Anywhoo, I’m syked that tomorrow evening I’m facilitating ‘The Art of Love: Loving Without Fear Or Expectation’ in order to address how well we do or don’t take care of our hearts.  …Oh , what a special little organ. The ways in which it serves us physically are…well, you know, SPLENDIFOROUS.  And the ways in which it serves emotionally are well, you know….even MORE SPLENDIFOROUS! So I’ll have to report back and let you know how it goes. But for now I’m going to leave you with one of my most favorite pieces of literature ever known to man.  …In my book anyway. It’s one of those works that one must not only have as a staple in their library, but REVISIT OFTEN:‘The Prophet’ By Kahlil Gibran.  So ahead of his time he was.  The book covers everything from love to work and friendships, knowledge of self and freedom.  I fell in love with this book in the 90′s and it never gets far.  Read on…enjoy….and feel free to comment. We’ll have to continue our discussion on The Art of Love and loving without fear and/or expectation. I would love to hear what you all have to share about such a topic. ‘Cause I know you got SOMETHIN’!!!!

Kahlil Gibran on Love

 When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams

as the north wind lays waste the garden.

 For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

 Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

******

Sigh….Gotta keep the love alive, in Studio5 (and beyond!)

It Ain’t Easy to B.Fly! Meet Artist Jackie Edwards

In 1996 Jackie Edwards moved back home to Anchorage, Alaska from Atlanta, started her first set of locks, saw the VIBE Magazine cover with Lauren Hill and knew she needed “a hat like that”. So she rediscovered her old yarn stash, made her first hat and out of loneliness started to blog.  Before she knew it she’d launched ‘Butta.Fly Wears’ and invited an unknown following into her world of loneliness, creativity, self-discovery and motherhood.  In 2002 I too joined the list of readers gaining a sense of camaraderie and eventually a friend.  Nine years after of an on-line friendship, we met in person for the first time in May and had to find an excuse to “talk art” ‘cause that’s what we do! Meet Jackie Edwards of B.Fly Wears’:  

AB: Tell me something about being an artist of color in Anchorage, AK.

JE: I don’t know if I want you to print this, but, it’s lonely. I’m sure there are other artists, but I really feel alone and out of place.  There’s a lot of creative people here, but they don’t reflect me.  Anchorage is very multi-cultural. But there is no black culture here.

AB: Is there a common response you generally get about your work??

JE: How colorful everything is and how that really draws them in. I think color is a great thing and can really transform somebody.

AB: Who or what would you say is your greatest enemy or ally in the creative process and who or what is your muse?

JE: I can be my own worst enemy. Sometimes I question if people will feel the work as much as I do.  If something doesn’t come together the way I see it in my head that can affect things or slow me down from finishing something. My kids are my muse!

AB: I love that!  I remember early on your kids were always your models and the first to get the dibs on “B.Fly Wears”.  They became such an important part of the tone of the blog.  What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself on this journey?

JE: That I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

AB: What’s been one of the hardest things to learn ABOUT the artist journey or about “the process” and the greatest reward? 

JE: The hardest thing about the process was that I wasn’t prepared for how much of the business side I was going to have to do. It’s really hard to maintain that balance.  I thought I’d make a few things and sell to a friend or two but you are constantly having to be out there, meeting people outside of your circle and I wasn’t expecting that.  Just TRYING the self-employment thing was a huge turning point in my life.

AB: Tell me some the ingredients of your work.

JE: Yarn, feel good, a happy bright color, good thoughts and love in every single stitch and in that process there is always a cup of tea involved.

AB: Describe “Butta.Fly Wears” style? What are some of the consistencies in your work?

JE: Butta.Fly Wears is all about being colorful, comfortable and stylish at the same time.  My ideal customer is somebody that’s not afraid to be different, daring and wants to be outside of the norm.  I put a lot of time and effort into the quality of the work, so the stitches will be on point so I spend a lot of time on the finishing of my work so what’s really consistent is the quality.  Unfinished work really gets under my skin.

AB: Give me a common frustration:

JE: Striving for perfection.

AB: You know I love the fact that we first met by me reading your blog.  You were one of the first bloggers I followed and you converted me into one. I like to say that you were blogging before blogging was cool.  But you had such a following. …Did you realize what you were doing?

JE: I just started blogging because I didn’t have any friends, and all my friends were out of state.  I didn’t expect anyone to find me or read my stuff. It was just a way to empty my thoughts out and just share what I loved and what I was passionate about.

AB: How has your work affected your children?  I think it’s so important for our kids to be familiar with our work and more importantly our daughters. They need to know we have these skills and be exposed to them.  You never know how it’s going to affect them.

JE: Yes. I’ve noticed a difference between my two daughters. With my oldest it was still a hobby for me and by the time I had my youngest who is now 8, I was in full business mode and had been selling online. I was crocheting everywhere I went. All my youngest daughter talks about is how she’s going to be a fashion designer and how she and her friends are going to open a dress shop!

aw...the miles were merely a formality.

AB: Are there other mediums you work in regularly?

JE: No, but quite a few that I really want to tackle.  I want to work more on combining the needle arts and fine art.  I love all needle arts but I’d love to get into some painting and spinning my own yarn.

AB: What is one of the greatest things about Alaska?

JE: It’s gotta be the scenery and the mountains! No other place has mountains like these and they are right smack in front of my house.

AB: …Except Colorado!

JE: I always felt like Denver was sort of the parallel universe to Alaska!

Etsy page: bflywears.etsy.com / Blog: Bflywears.wordpress.com / Twitter: Bflywears / Facebook: facebook.com/bflywears.com