The Spirit Books at the Arnold-Part 2

With Lilac Sunday at the Arnold today and our lilacs getting ready to bloom, it's the perfect time to share the story of Spirit Book #43: Renewed Wisdom. The cradle was made from lilac and blackberry roots from our garden. When we moved into our house 33 years ago, there was an overgrown stand of lilacs. Over the years we have cut down or dug out dead wood and planted some new plants, not to mention pulled or cut out the oh so many maple seedlings that took root. This piece came from a 2004 pruning session. The blackberry vines were growing in the midst of the lilacs.

The book was recycled from a previous Spirit Book. I never have a sketch or a plan. I start working and see how it evolves. Most often I am happy with the result but sometimes the finished piece just doesn't work. Usually I am able to incorporate some or all of it into another Spirit Book. The book here was made from half of a book from an earlier piece. The stitching is done with copper metallic thread and the beads on the edges are made from copper, glass, and myrrh. The paper is from Bhutan and Mexico.

I named the piece Renewed because the book was renewed from a previous incarnation. Wisdom comes from the myrrh beads. Myrrh was one of the gifts of the Wise Men to the Christ child.