inspired by ada mae
where love resides, a new prayer flag set in the shop
When I find myself surrounded by vintage sewing bits and buttons and paper and fabric, my mind turns to the stories of the women who came before me. One of these women, Ada Mae, died just before I was born. Sometimes though, I imagine that great-grandmothers just might live forever and that Ada Mae lives just a bike ride away. We would have family dinners on Sunday and I would take her for her weekly hair appointments. On Friday afternoons, she would take down her Fostoria crystal tea cups and saucers, and I would bring pastries from Dainty Made Bakery. Some Fridays I would share my newest vintage finds of fabric, buttons, quilt squares, trims…and she would tell me stories about her childhood and wearing skirts made of feed cloth and sleeping under patchwork quilts during her covered wagon adventure from Pennsylvania to Nebraska.
leaning in, a new prayer flag set in the shop
Whenever I find myself surrounded by vintage buttons and fabric and flowers that once adorned Sunday morning hats, I am inspired by Friday afternoon tea with Ada Mae.
All my prayer flag sets are inspired by Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags and Apache burden baskets. Each flag represents a prayer, wish, hope, dream to be sent out into the world. The pockets on the flags are intended to carry your burdens, hopes, worries, and so on that are then released into the world as the flags blow in the breeze.
i open my heart, a new prayer flag set in the shop
This new series of prayer flags, inspired by afternoons with Ada Mae and created while singing along with The Weepies and Paul Simon and wishing for spring, can now be found in my little shop.
seeking stillness, a new prayer flag set in the shop
from the little room, shop girl in studio stuff
Reader Comments (5)
Yes, actually, I DO believe that great grandmothers live forever. ;o) I really, REALLY do.
These prayer flags are beautiful, unique, and sacred (but not in a scary woo-woo way. . . )
;o)
again my friend...these are absolutely beautiful...
oh my!
i am in love with your visits with ada mae...can i come sometime too?
i used to go with my mom to take my grandma...lottie lourhean...to her weekly hair appointments...i LOVED that.
i haven.t thought about that for years liz.
thank you
thank you
do you know how much you inspire and lift me?
well
you
do!
loves to you.
and
your prayer flags.
chrissy
What a lovely cherished memory...do you think there will be any future little people who remember tea in china cups?
Your prayer flags are delightful, created with affection and memory.
This post makes me think of this amazing quilt I have. It was made by my two great-grandmothers, long before they were great-grandmothers, even before they were connected through family in any way. I think I've got this the right way round - Lillian Lucille was doing some cleaning for Lottie Mae and Lottie gave Lillian this enormous star she had pieced from diamonds. This was when they were both young married ladies. Lillian added the pieces needed to make it up into a quilt top. Later on, when my great-aunt Mabel was expecting her first baby, her mother Lillian gave her the top and Mabel quilted it. When I first got married, Mabel gave it to me. Isn't that just wonderful?