Still Here

While politicians beat their war drums, I'm still over here trying to find beauty and purpose in each new day.

While narcissistic men in suits and ties are hell bent on destroying people and the planet, I'm still walking, still picking up trash and still feeding kitties.

Summer heat has arrived so morning walks are somewhat more comfortable.  With temperatures currently at 105F and climbing, it sadly becomes a more common occurrence to find dead cats and birds  :(  If I'm not able to bury them then I at least try to find a spot where I can cover them completely in leaves away from passersby.

It was serendipitous to come across a small patch of morning glories after the discovery of death.  Natures way of counterbalancing as I mourn all the good that is lost in this world because of those who worship money and power.  The warmongering buffoons who are currently sowing chaos across many countries and their supporters with their supremacist ideologies are a blight on the diverse beauty and cultures of this world.  Their gangrenous gaslighting and regurgitation of past propoganda is off the scale.

I'm still connecting through craft, although Tuesday a week ago was my last mid-week meet-up with Susanna.  

She was able to make our Saturday morning Kuwait Crafters meeting before she flew to the States Saturday night.  I won't see her again until September, but who knows what will happen between now and then.

We were told the country's siren warning system would be tested yesterday but I never heard a thing and my husband said he didn't either.  Even if the sirens were to blare, we can't remember what the different sounds mean and I wasn't able to find any information online.

Our friend, Zhraa, returned from Iran the Tuesday before its bully neighbor started blasting it (all with the blessing and backing of the good ol' U S of A :[

She brought us a traditional Irani sweet that was in the prettiest packaging and Miss Rosie was quite intrigued by the scent of it. 

“Humanity is not without answers or solutions regarding how to liberate itself from scenarios that invariably end with mass exterminations. Tools such as compassion, trust, empathy, love, and ethical discernment are already in our possession. The next sensible step would be to use them.”

― Aberjhani, Splendid Literarium: A Treasury of Stories, Aphorisms, Poems, and Essays

Monday Meet-up

 Susanna is traveling tomorrow morning so we moved our Tuesday meet-up to today.

We always meet at Sluggish, our favorite vegan coffee shop where MukaMuka is the cafe kitty in residence.

And today there was the cutest little visitor named Oliver.

I'm making a sample booklet of small tatreez (Palestinian embroidery) patterns.

While Susanna continued work on her "handmade" project from thrifted quilt blocks that I mentioned in yesterday's post.

Waving hi from here.

Have a good week.

Ending May in a Crafty Way

 Yesterday our craft group met at the cafe I checked out earlier in the week.

We never know how many will show up especially now since it's summer and many people travel, plus Eid al Adha is at the end of this week.  One young lady who had come once before was there and brought her cousin who is due to give birth in 4 weeks -- they were both working on baby items, while I continued to work on my stitched magnets, and the others were crocheting or embroidering.

Susanna has dresden quilt blocks from the thrift store that are stained but too pretty to wind up in landfill so she is embroidering her hands on them -- to honor the fact that they were handmade by someone else and will now be turned into a wall-hanging by her.

At our meet-up this past week she gifted me a quilted Palestinian flag that she made from a free pattern found on Instagram so I took it to the park today for a photoshoot.

It's a blessing to be surrounded by such talented ladies.

Wishing you a happy new month.

Art of Threads Exhibition

 One of my craft group friends, Zhraa, is also in another fiber arts group that meets once a week in the evenings at Sadu House, a cultural center where Kuwait's textile heritage is preserved and promoted.

 Over the past few days they've held their annual exhibition with the theme of Old Kuwait and since today is the last chance to see their creations, I went over there this morning and was amazed and inspired by all the creative and beautiful handiwork.

This is Zhraa's crocheted pieced entitled Woven Whispers which got first place.

And her crocheted phonograph (top right) received a third place ribbon.

Enjoy the rest of the tour.

Seems I accidentally put the slingshot in two collages :)

One of my favorites:

The funny thing is, I apparently missed at least a dozen kites that were hung from the very high ceiling.  I was too busy looking down and all around and never really looked up.  Zhraa said she would take a picture of them this evening to send to me.  :)

Have a good Thursday.

Captured Moments, Creating Space

 Cloud storage keeps telling me that I'm running out space and yet I still keep taking pictures that I never do anything with.  Guess that means it's time for a post that includes some of my favorite things:  

a cat

coffee

and crafting.

 I do not not normally sell anything I make; really much prefer just giving small gifts as RAKs (random acts of kindness), but someone today insisted on buying the 6 stitched magnets I had with me that were finished.  That means I need to make more to have on hand.

Susanna and I are still having our weekly meet-ups but she will be leaving for the States mid-June for the entire summer and I will once again be without a mid-week buddy to get together with.

Last week she was knitting socks and this week she was stitching.

Our craft group meets this coming Saturday so I checked out a new cafe -- at least new to us, as it's actually been open 11 months now.

We try to support local, small businesses rather than any chain cafes or coffee shops.

It will be a nice, bright space for stitching.

Hope this finds you well.

Portable Project

 Years ago a friend left the country and gave me several bins of craft supplies that she no longer wanted.  I've given away and used what I could yet still have much to get through.

There were lots of sheets of clear plastic canvas that I am finally putting to use by stitching a Palestinian motif, backing with felt and adding a small magnet.

It's also a good way of using up bits of leftover yarn from crochet projects.

The pattern I chose is from the digital library of Tirazain that's called qamar b reesh (moon with feathers).

I've stitched during mornings with my craft group, meet-ups with my friend Susanna, and even took supplies with me to Amman so I could stitch there -- where I even did a photo shoot with all the beautiful flowers found in the neighborhood around our hotel.

I've given some magnets as birthday gifts recently and snagged photos from my friends' Instagram stories since I forgot to take pictures before gifting them.

I stitched about 5 while traveling so now need to add the felt backings and magnets.

Thankful for creative hobbies.

Have a good Thursday.