" For all that has been ... Thanks. For all that will be ... Yes! " Dag Hammarskjold

" For all that has been ... Thanks. For all that will be ... Yes!"  Dag Hammarskjold

This summer I have been taking long walks or riding my bike several times a week in search of  peace through natural surroundings.  My journey has been inside myself as much as it has been in the physical world. I am always open to the creative spark. When I see a vision in my minds eye of the next object I need to create I make sketches to hold the image then begin working. 

This summer I has been visualizing a vessel or bowl shaped object.  Looking through my collection of paper and used coffee filters I worked intuitively letting the materials speak to me.  The image on the left is a detail of Blessing Bowls inspired by a chalice and paten or diskos. 

The paten and the chalice are each made of three layers of recycled paper.

The number three is a symbolism of magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage.

• Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity.
• Three is also a time identifier as it represents Past, Present and Future.
• Consecutive Threes in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to past events and future goals.
• Three may also represent promising new adventures, and assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help.

 Three typically symbolizes reward and success in most undertakings.

The Symbolism of the Bowl form is the circle, an ancient and universal symbol of unity, wholeness and infinity. To earth-centered religions throughout history, it represents the feminine spirit or force, the cosmos, a spiritualized Mother Earth, and a sacred space with generative and regenerative powers

While I was working on this object I had the strong feelings that this piece was both male and female.
Looking down on this image from above I can see why.

As I was making the bowls and paten it was very important to me that the perimiter was burned around all edges with fire.  Again, I was working intuitively so I followed my urges then researched the symbolism of fire.

• "Traditionally, fire represents the active and masculine Yang of Chinese symbolism.
• It is most closely related to the sun and the powers of change and purification.
• Contrasting to water, fire moves upward with rising energy; therefore, the alchemical symbol is an upward pointing triangle.
•  Fire can also be represented by a sword. "

http://symbolism.wikia.com/wiki/Fire

A bowl is a container of beneficence and the site of transformation.. Throughout history it’s various forms have manifested as the holy grail, the goblet and the chalice, the magic cauldron, Persephone’s Golden bowl of healing that can regenerate the dead and heal the sick, and Demeter’s Cista Mystica or magic basket and the Alchemists crucible.

Blessing Bowl made of recycled coffee filters

What is the Blessing Bowl?

 The Blessing Bowl is a vessel to share caring, love, thoughtfulness, compassion, joy, feelings, gratitude, and more.   It can hold representative objects or written acknowledgment of the blessings in your life. The most meaningful gift you'll ever receive, the Blessings Bowl is a gift of gratitude, a way to connect with our spirituality, a customized gift that celebrates life's blessings. So often we forget to tell people in our life how much they mean, the Blessing Bowl gives you the opportunity to tell them how important they are.

Attracting Wealth and Blessings

The idea of wealth can mean a lot of different things. To many of us it means money, however, being in a state of wealth is not limited to just a financial state. To me health is true wealth. Feng Shui can be used to increase the wealth of our non-material assets as well. This includes helping to foster a calm, clear, relaxed state of mind, as well as a joy for life. The wealth of clarity and consciousness is real wealth.

Paper Bowls

Paper is the most widely used around the world of all the materials that people have employed down the ages.  Crude papers were being made in China by c. 100 BCE. Its name derives from papyrus the material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.

These papier mache bowls are visually enticing as well as practical. They can be used as decorative objects or containers.


The bowls are made out of 100% recycled papers, used coffee filters or handmade papers and then coated with a water-based finish to make them sturdy and usable.

If you do not care to use the bowls for ritual purposes, they can be used as beautiful containers for any of the following; jewelry, office supplies, shells, stones, buttons,  business cards, keys, dried flowers, pocket change, natural gemstones, guitar picks, slips of paper with inspiring quotes, fruit, marbles or potpourri.

Place what you want to achieve inside this bowl; to renew a friendship place a telephone number; to help get a job place the advertisement; to smooth difficulties with your children place something that belongs to them; to reaffirm a marriage place a piece of jewelry with a special meaning.

Of all the possible meanings that these bowls can have, it is what they mean to you that is the most important.

The kingdom of joy is protected from all evil by a red door"

" The kingdom of joy is protected from all evil by a red door" unknown

Last week I took full advantage of the week filled with unseasonably warm, sunny days for November in Western New York to paint my front entrance RED. Not just any red, this is a HIGH DRAMA, lip stick, English telephone booth RED!!!

In early America a red door was a sign of "WELCOME." People travel by horse and buggy; they had to stop often. If they came upon a house with a red door that usually meant they would be able to spend the night.

Rumor is that a red front door was used in the under ground railroad for the slaves traveling north to signal this house is a safe house.

A scarlet entry also has deep religious undertones.


In Catholicism, a red door represents that the blood of Christ and other Martyrs has been smeared on it meaning the area beyond the door is holy and sacred.


For Protestants, and especially Lutherans, the red door hearkens back to the time of Martin Luther, who posted his 95 Theses on the red doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany—the crimson color symbolizes the church as part of the Reformation.


A red door is a significant symbol in many countries.

In Ireland, a red door is thought to ward off ghosts and evil spirits.

Folks in Scotland painted the front door red when they paid off the mortgage announcing that the house is paid free and clear.

In China, some say a door painted red before the New Year invites good luck and happiness.


The Feng Shui aspect of painting your door Red is that the front door is considered the "Mouth of Chi" where all good energy enters a space. Red is considered to be the most auspicious color in Feng Shui. So it's done to attract luck and good energy.


I love color. This look at me hue is my warm welcome of peace to all who enter my home.