On the mend ...

... actually I'm not sure. It's more of a faith thing, mending - both physically and emotionally because if I am completely honest, I am not coping well daily. I look fine and if you weren't aware, you'd not know any differently. My little baby is such a beautiful wee tamaiti, he sleeps and eats in all the right places, is well loved and cared for. My family are overwhelmingly in love with him and me for having him. But it seems that every time I have a baby, my mind fragments and shatters into pieces that don't make sense to me for a season. I can spend all day trying to muddle through the simplest tasks. And I am not talking about just being a bit absent, it's a real struggle, and I fight feelings of inadequacy and dispondency because I know what I am normally capable of. Still, I am here, as grounded as possible, somedays floating, others sinking yet surrounded by loving family, a tireless mother who has taken 9 weeks of her life and gifted them to us, a few understanding friends who can deal with my moodiness and odd conversations, and the ability to externalise my situation. I had an interesting two weeks, full of high and low lights. The low lights are my own inability to cope sometimes, the highs included a week intensive with artist extrodanaire India Flint and other lovers of textiles; dear friend Cleo's unconditional love and support to finish off my works for exhibition opening this Friday at our city gallery Pataka for two weeks, and finally, a church to call home here in Wellington. The Kapiti Coast, Mana Island viewed from Raumati beach.

My amazing mum who made her first complex cloth at India's workshop. Big ups to my mum. She is a legend. (And has a new blog ... http://beautifulmo.blogspot.com/). I am so excited she is joining the blogging community. Dear friend and inspiration India (http://prophet-of-bloom.blogspot.com/) and I dressed for a LOTR scene in eco-dyed fashion.

I felt like the magician guy from Lord of the Rings but India is the true magician. She had us doing all sorts of magic, potions and wonders throughout the week.This mindful meandering is quite a signature of doing a workshop with India. Thank God I attended this week, last weeks group climbed the giant hill via a Nikau reserve. I love fossicking along the shore ... it's my fave thing in the world. Seriously, I ask you, what could be better than a bunch of girls who love textiles, nature and stitching? What an experience sitting by the Waikanae river stitching our cloths on a balmy summer day.

A bundle of cloth ready for the dye pot made from windfalls found undertrees, and silk/cotton/wool fabric all from recycled garments etc.

Bundles after dye process. Cloths hanging out to dry post-dyeing.I made a week discovery perhaps this week. A plant that creates these marks. Very exciting.My cloth in progress laid out amidst river stones. Heather and Theresa (background).

Imbi and Felicity.

Imbi and Ahipara Girl.

Imbi made some neat prints of a flax seed pod by hammering the print dirzectly onto the cloth in India's hapuzome fashion.

India teaching us how to distress our cloth with pumice stones.India's hands and cloth. Hands, cloth, and stitch.

I loved distressing my cloth, creating new holes for me to mend. My work is my mirror and is called "on the mend", and aptly so I think.