Startingto make, again.

Just the start of a dress, the first in two years.

Since completing a large body of work for a recent "travelling" exhibition I haven't really been able to focus on my work and have felt very dry. I know that there are seasons for all things, so I just stepped back and concentrated on long overdue garden work and some writing, but now that I feel restored, I feel that creativity stirring again....but I had to retreat before I could go forward once again.
Also, William....my last, and 17 year old cat has been very ill...he became dehydrated during our heat wave and had to go onto IV fluids for 24 hours; it was a battle, but he is now eating again and so much better, thank the Lord, as it was this time last year that I had to make a very hard decision over his brother, and in all honesty still cant think about Sooty without feeling some emotion.
The "travelling exhibition" finished in June, but I have been asked to show the work in a local venue this month, and I suddenly felt like making a dress to go with it.....perhaps this is the stirring of creativity again, I do hope so as the old saying "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" has certainly been true of me so far this year....I think all the illnesses I had up until May contributed too.
I have been on a kind of "retreat" at home this week....seeking guidance, and peace back into my spirit, and it has been the best thing for me to do.....
We really need to listen to that inner voice, and mine was telling me that in order to go forward, I had to first "retreat".
This will be quite a simple but beautiful garment reusing part of one I made two years ago, and adding the very worn and damaged part 50s petticoat which I shall "do things to" as well....I have always reused fabrics, long before it became trendy and fashionable to do so, usually because I have always been quite poor, but mainly for the love of using something that carries signs of the life and traces of previous owners.
There will also be Swan's feathers which I shall need to go and gather this week, as I only have a few....it will be two bus rides ( I don't drive) and hopes that there will be some when I get there....I shall pick a fine day, and have lunch there too.