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I grew up in Raleigh at a time when the nuns taught at Our Lady Of Lourdes. They lived out back of the school and wore those imposing yet Holy Habits that commanded your adoration, attention, and, quite frankly, your fear. So, when they asked you to "sit up straight" with your "feet flat on the floor" and compose your letters properly according to the Palmer Method of Handwriting, you did just that! I believe it was at that impressionable age that I became infatuated with the formation of letters. When I was introduced to calligraphy in 1978, it was no wonder I fell in love with this beautiful art form. My first taste of the calligraphic world lasted no longer than one hour. The instructor turned a piece of chalk on its edge to form calligraphic works of art from A to Z on the chalkboard. That was that! But it was all I needed to fire the embers that had been sparked in elementary school. Watching the slow, rhythmical shaping of those letters was like listening to classical music. It was not until 1997 that I enrolled in my first formal calligraphy class. Boy, were my eyes opened! I knew I had a lifelong road of learning ahead of me. It's been 38 years since that white piece of chalk was laid on its side. I am still learning. Come learn with me!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Repurposing Household Items



The Yellow Ashtray was my Mother's. In the 50's and 60's there were a lot of Social Smokers, if not habitual ones! The Hollywood Movies of that era made it a sort of glamorous habit to acquire. Neither my Mother nor my Father smoked, but being the gracious Southern Hosts that they were, many ashtrays were placed strategically all over the house to make sure their guests felt right at home!

I loved The Yellow Ashtray, so when Mom was thinking about letting it go, I grabbed it! Now that she is gone, I use it to hold various calligraphic utensils as I work. And I think of her.

The other item is a superfluous Toothbrush Holder that no longer had a place to live in any of my bathrooms. And my grown kids, who have kids of their own, and houses of their own, don't always want my castoffs! So, once again, I try to figure out how it can be used. It is perfect to hold the brushes/pens I am currently using! And any drips falling down the stems of these tools are caught at the bottom, safe and sound from my desktop! Kind of like an ashtray that would catch the ashes before they hit Momma's Fine Furniture!

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