wonder and rainbows- traveling dreamcoat #1

She sings of freedom, said one of the artists who worked on her, Kay of On Slender Threads.


After my journey with RubyFruit I had only anticipation for Wonder-- no anxiety. I wasn't worried that I would ruin her but had confidence that we'd work something out.

I pulled her out of her box and admired the fabulous lining and the perfectly dyed and draped ribbons and delicate scrollwork of beading. I slipped her on and admired the unstitched sides and the dyed-paisley patterns. I took a page from Mara's book and found a piece of work that hadn't panned out. Long story short, I had a custom order and the customer changed her mind and exchanged the piece for a different piece leaving us both quite happy and me with a strip of beadwork. I didn't quite know what to do with it-- a two drop peyote strip 13 1/2" x 3" in purples, bronzes and pinks. Like Mara's silk, this matched Wonder perfectly. As if it were made for her.

I began stitching it on with no hesitation then changed my mind about the placement, pulled out the stitching with no hesitation and restitched it elsewhere-- again no hesitation. Freedom indeed!

Saturday I had a jewelry party-- a pretty big event for me as it may be the first time in almost a year that I've ventured into a crowd for social purposes.

Amazingly, my anxiety level was nearly on par with my normal-facing-a-crowd level-- which is quite high, but far below the I'm-going-to-go-mad panic attacks that have been dogging me for awhile now.

On the way home it was pouring! When went back outside after the rain stopped there was the most amazing rainbow I've ever seen adorning the sky. It was a perfect arch, fully formed, from one horizon to the other and the color was prismatic-- amazingly intense and saturated.

According to Genesis the rainbow is a symbol of God's promise to not destroy the world by water again. I've always associated rainbows with freedom from fear.

Sunday I needed something rhythmic to do.

I picked Wonder up. The panel drapes beautifully along the back edge, not showing from the front very much at all. I would have slid her in her box confidently enough, but she's destined to wait with me for her journal. So today I stitched beads along the rest of the edge I embellished with the strip.

I have the freedom to go on, if I choose, and embellish other edges. I have the freedom to stop. I have the freedom to not worry about it tonight!

I think we're done. But I thought we were done Thursday and I'm enjoying the freedom of changing my mind.