Yosak^hslahehle [yo-sa-gu-slaw-hay-lay]/Sage may be burned at the end of the day to give thanks for what has been given. I usually make these small wreaths at harvest time to give during the holidays. This one also has a sprig of cedar with the ribbons in the 4 colours that represent the 4 directions, 4 seasons, 4 elements
usually seen on the medicine wheel: white-N-winter-light ... yellow-E-spring-air ... red-S-summer-earth ... black-W-fall-water. Sage is one of the 4 main medicines, beginning with the first in the eastern door and moving around clockwise: tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, cedar. When all four are used in thanksgiving prayer, they form a powerful link with the Creator.

She:koli Swa'kweku/Greetings Everyone: These are a few of the lanterns I was gifted with after a beautiful wedding [yaw^ko Jaz ;D]. They're the paper Chinese lantern in a faint mauve colour. To give a 'tree ornament' look I attached a ribbon around the center then hung a tassle matching the garland. There are larger ones hanging in the kitchen and front studio. It's a neat change of holiday decor, assisted by high ceilings ;) . CBC had a piece on the day after I hung the lanterns talking to a certain mall official about the lack of traditional symbols missing from the holiday decorating at their mall ... just thought it was interesting. My neighbour loved the lanterns too and her young daughter also, so we sorted them and shared.

Carol, Irene and Sylvia each won a Christmas Tree card respectively, and thank you all for such wonderful comments and compliments. I really enjoyed sharing and visiting with everyone at the "Crop for Cancer" event. Visitors came from near and far, even with a few flakes of our first flurries. Many thanks to our hostess, Brenda as well as the cast of lovely ladies who guided participants through with the warmest hospitality. Oh, and the T-shirt fit nicely:)

Here's a little preview of another card I'll be showing on "Crop" day ... they're 2" squares folded into collapsing triangles, placed in the tree arrangement, kinda 3D when done. I've taped them onto a textured sheet then onto a 6" card folded on top for an easy stand. These 3 trees are made of 3 different paper textures. FIRST THREE CORRECT GUESSES WILL GET THEIR FAVORITE MAILED TO THEM FOR XMAS K? You'll need to email your snailmail address after the contest closes Nov. 28, 2010. ... good luck, first 3 correct answers win.

I will be teaching/demonstrating Iris Folding Nov. 27th at M&M McPherson Crafts, at the corner of Queen and Water Streets, St. Marys. Theme is Crop for Cancer: $35. incl. snacks ... everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend between 9:00 and 4:00. It will be a fun day of interesting crafts and ideas for your holiday season. Iris Folding for greeting cards/scrapbooking etc. will be a "Make and Take", using material which can be purchased on site ... so we can make one together ;) ... hope to see you there!

Well, here we are back to On^ste/corn. We've got the Cornhusk Workshop this Sat. 10am - 2pm. $10./doll. Make a doll, wreath, bows or flowers ... it's easy:) . Are you smarter than a 2nd grader? lol ... come find out! I've shown classes from gr. 2 to 11 to make them, so you certainly can make these. I'll have the big black table out in the livingroom, covered with a sheet of heavy plastic, damp husks ready to use, wire, string, scissors, snips etc. Oh, AND the coffee/tea and maybe a little snack! These little guys [check earlier post for 'lady' doll] were made to accompany the story of the 7 Dancers, but we don't tell stories till the first snowfall. We are still too busy getting ready for Kohsla':ke/ Winter but it's still Kanana':ke/Fall. At this time of year we also say Yutekhway^he'/She is storing food. ... lots to learn ;) ... last 'month'/moon was referred to as Yey^thokwas/She gathers food and next moon will be Tehut^n^hela:tuhe:'/We are giving thanks. Then Wahsu:tehs/Long Nights and the cycle starts again with mid-winter. ... more to come ;) N^ki'wa/see you 'round!

These little guys are cuffed with real mink fur. At this time of year I go to thrift shops to look for fur coats, collars etc. for the baby mocs. Usually the collars or what's known as a 'stole' are not attached to a coat so they may be relatively cheap but it's getting harder to find real fur [ it's become politically incorrect to wear ]. The prices range from $20. for baby size, $40 for youth [ age 3-10 approx.] then $60. for ladies' and $80. for men sizes. I only put fur cuffs on youth & adult if asked. They get beadwork from time to time as preferences vary. The tops of the vamp on the larger ones shown here are raw edged. Other leather work includes: beaded edged change purses $5. ... sm. fringed pouches $20. [12cm -20cm long; 9cm-12cm wide] ... I think I showed one earlier. Conchos and beaded fringe also varies; rarely are any the same as parts of the hide I've saved to do the front 'flap' makes each one distinctive. I've always preferred a natural look wherever possible.

Gourd Geese

Neighbours gave us handfuls of little sea shells from vacation with hurricane Earl. I placed them on view at the kitchen table in 3 clear wine goblets. To bring a Thanksgiving look to them, I then put them in a basket with 'Indian corn' and long-necked gourd 'geese' ... as tho' drinking from the goblets ;).

This led me to thinking about the geese flying south soon and why they fly in formation, which takes us back to our Hotenoshone Creation Story of Sky Woman falling from Sky World, being caught by the beautiful white Snow Geese and gently stood down onto the back of the Great Sea Turtle.

Ok, so here's my Shania Twain story ... [true story] When Shania Twain came to the JLC, a couple ladies in the community [Oneida] came on the rez radio to say they had back stage passes to meet Shania Twain and if anyone would like to give her a gift, they would take the first ten or so to present to Shania backstage. So, I immediately printed a letter to Shania praising her for being a great role model for the native youth ... and sent along a pair of earrings similar to the black ones shown here [I rarely make them same]. A couple days later, the ladies came back on the radio to say thank you on behalf of Shania Twain to those whose gifts she received and my name was one of them. So, I can now say Shania Twain has a pair of earrings I made ;) ... [also Bet, for you/keep beadin'!]

I was invited to the Mennonite church in Zurich. The dreamcatcher cards went really well at the craft show Oct. 1-2. My 9yr. old granddaughter Anne helped set up and really enjoyed the day; she especially liked pricing and getting the bead box ready for sales. The cards I made for the show were done with black card stock with clan and eagle pics inside. They also had birchbark details; priced at $2. ea. Also, cedar boughs with 4 direction ribbons and 'story'tags went well. I usually have an explanation of how to use them in the home and their relevance to controlling dust mites etc. The baby mocs with mink cuffs were well liked, but no sales; people tend to not purchase if your table is first inside the door [ "I'll look around first" ]. Contacts will hopefully come from the bookmarks I handed out.

Reading again, this time a native author: Joseph Boyden; Through Black Spruce ... about living around Moosonee/Moose Factory, the bush life, family issues, community members, trials and tribulations as well as good times. A story of 2 sisters and their adventures going 'down south', street life and the modelling world ... told from the perspective of their uncle and one of the sisters. I'm looking forward to his more well known book: Three Day Road ... gotta go, time for ju jitsu class.

Well, suffice to say been busy ... taking Anne to swimming lessons, reading some [ 3 novels of Margaret Atwood] and on the tail end of John Ralston Saul's book about the decline of globalization and the new world order written prior to the 'collapse' of the world banking systems ... written in 2005, he chronicles the ebb and flow of economic politics through various stages with historical contexts that encourage more study. His answers to what will 'become' or has come to pass resulting from the blind following of the proponents of 'globalization' is that as societies of our various places, we've found we must put the care of our locales ahead of economic gain for gain's sake. [thanks for the gooseberry jam on toast Barry! ] ... perfect example: went to the local farmer's market this a.m., the only place I'd find homemade gooseberry jam ... was it worth the $5. I paid [250ml jar] ? Of course, that's how the producer will continue to supply it. If I were to find it at a dollar store made in China, would I buy it? Of course not, THAT'S GLOBALIZATION. If I denied my 'own' farmer for the sake of buying a cheap [maybe unhealthy] product from a country that doesn't pay it's own farmers a liveable wage, then I'm just giving my money to the multinationals who don't pay taxes or contribute to anyone's long term health; ie the Seven Generations mindset we need to follow.

vynal placemat game board

The latest copy of the game board "Travel Turtle Island" is actually a heavy vynal sheet that will outlast cardstock or even heavy cardboard and will fold, roll and hang well. Many thanks to my co-ordinator at the Avon Maitland District School Board for her generosity in picking up the printing costs. The price of the sheet is $50. although bulk orders will bring the cost down. I've had great reviews about them and orders are now coming. They work well as nice large wipeable placemats and will come with an information sheet.

I enjoyed meeting old friends again at the conference last week ... my work was appreciated and contacts gave encouragement to continue making such things as these 'Black Line Masters' for use as colouring sheets or matchup games ie: put the Kahstowah in the correct order on their heads. I've used photo paper for the headdresses with masking tape backing so they can be moved.

Other colouring sheets are just print paper. Nation names also

appear in light font on colouring sheets for reference [not noticeable on first coloured photo].

For Bet: ladies mocs [elk], purse, quill earrings

The Hotenoshone Creation Story talks about the Geese encircling and getting ready to catch Sky Woman as she fell from the Sky World. I had thought of making it as a puzzle also, but soon realized it was an 'installation' piece ie hanging/flying.

What to do on these yowe'lu:tu/windy days! Gather some things you probably have around the house: recycle a sheet of paper [8x11], skewer stick, tape [I'm using the colourful electrical tape] string or fishing line and streamers from the last party. Fold the paper in half hotdog style [lengthwise] then open wide only at top til it looks kite shaped, tape the fold, then tape the stick to the widest part of the kite at the top [this is a strut], turn over, attach the string [length of a couple arm widths] approx. 1/3 way down from the top underside. Make sure the 'keel' stands [the part sticking up when kite is turned face down] ... attach streamers to bottom and FLY!

There are nine clan titles in our community... three titles in each clan. They are the traditional titles that give us the knowledge of what each clan's responsibilities are in the community and confederacy. I've made them into simple puzzles in the shape of each clan. Early learners and teachers can use them as a memory game and also as a 'centre' activity for pairs etc.

Two Tim's wreaths have gone to the St. Marys location where staff and customers will admire and enjoy. One is all houses and the other all Timmy's shirts ;) ... Two more with only "Timmy stores" wreaths [ sm. & large] are awaiting pick up. ... so keep saving those tea bag covers! Apparently I need to get a red star made for one staff member who did not get one when I was in last. Shift supervisor was asked: "can I get a red one"? It takes 12 of one kind [ chai tea in this case] to make one star with all logos showing or 6 of the same kind/colour with every other spike having a logo. I'm not sure if I mentioned to have the logo show is difficult because the logo is at the top where it gets torn off when the pkg. is opened and because the staff is so busy, they don't have time to carefully open them nor do they have a 'slicer' handy [scissors or otherwise] so, to get the logo showing well on the shirts or 'stores' is tricky ... perforations would probably help too, but Tim's isn't likely to ask the manufacturer to do that eh? ... still waiting to hear from "the guy" ... will let you know.

I've been here and there with the game ... left a couple for the students to try at our 'cultural school' and invoiced a game and puzzle book to the other, so things are moving nicely. The conference at 6 Nations proved very encouraging and great contacts were made. I expect to hear from those who've received my business/bookmark ;) The visit to UWO was also inspirational in seeing long-time friends again as well as the guest speaker they had at lunch.

been working on a 6 Nations board game: players learn Oneida words while 'travelling' around Turtle Island. Players roll die, move through the phases of the moon, draw a card to learn what to collect on the way: eg. corn, fish, lacrosse stick ... each with a different point value ... high points win. Anne loves it and asks to play again right away x 2!
So, gotta attend to some more details.

Tim's teabags

the shirt was an item I started this season with the plain green and white paper China teabag cover and then adapted Tim's when I figured out a way to get the logo placed. The Tim 'location' was a natural progression of the house first tried last year. I came upon one I'd left in a Reader's Digest page I may have used as a bookmark and forgot. Of course the turtle came from a calendar set and they stand up ;) as do the buildings if you get them just 'so'.

she:koli ... here's the origami Tim Horton's teabag covers I made a couple weeks ago. This year's 'batch' started prior to xmas with the green tea paper decorations then moved on to Tim's wrappers for more material. When I began to look at how to keep the logo showing or at least recognizable, I knew they might be interested. I sent a couple photos and ideas for them as I'd made a 'tree' by then for delivery to the local Tim's. It will be awhile but there is a meeting scheduled with Tim's 'people' in the near future where a contest will be discussed using the folding instructions online.

She:koli swakwe:ku wanisliyo [wah nee slee yo] nice day! The sun is shining and a 'balmy' breeze is warming up the winter air ;) ... was out to 'the farm' with goods yesterday so, the dreamcatcher greeting card and quill earrings shown here are not available. I will change the photo to show another example of a set as, the pieces are one of a kind yet of a similar style. So that if you asked for a dreamcatcher greeting card, it would look similar with another picture. Yes, I could make more than one with the same picture/background etc. but then it's not obviously one-of-a-kind, but just slight changes in feather placement, colours etc. ... once you begin to make a lot of the same thing, the creativity and uniqueness fades. ... gotta go get groc. ...

She:koli again ... I had a fruitful day yesterday; had a planning meeting then went to UWO to hear Marie Battiste, a very learned prof. talk about bringing the native perspective into the conventional curriculum, something I've been doing for awhile ... it's my passion to get teachers at all levels to deliver this content to their students. There just aren't enough of "us" to go 'round ;) . My colleagues are keen to have my work published [I showed them the mini-book] for the masses, but I'm not sure I'm ready or knowledgeable about how to do it. Anyway, I'll update about that later. Meanwhile I'll be busy planning a workshop that we're going to hold on a Sat. in the spring. As one of the presenters [cornhusk dolls etc.] and an organizer, it will be a big job to pull it all together. The other thing that was fruitful about the day was finding out how to get the teaching kits I've made into the local school board media centre. So I'll be making more of them; lesson plans and directions for some of the pieces shown here are part of those kits. They're fairly easy to follow, but much better showing the students and teachers in person. One colleague will have me in her class in Feb. so that's another set of staff who'll hopefully draw on my resources. Well, so much for now ... better get to work!