"The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms."
— Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

All my life, I've pursued creative endeavors in both my professional and personal life. I find joy and purpose in creativity. I use art, craft, and design as a way to explore life and the world around me. "Life and art are inseparable" is a saying that fits me well.

The Beginning
In the summer of 2011 I saw temari for the first time. Temari are handmade thread-wrapped and embroidered spheres that were first created as toys for children; they originated in China and were later brought to Japan—possibly by Buddhist monks. Over time temari have evolved into a highly-prized, exquisite form of folk art. Imbued with the spirit and the careful hand of the maker, they are wonderful as a source of inspiration or an object for meditation & contemplation. Tactile, colorful, calming, peaceful, playful. I took my first online class and was hooked. Starting with a handful of rice hulls and some common yarn and thread, and ending up with a wonderful round sphere on which to embroider—it seems an impossible feat, and yet it isn’t at all.

The Quotes
As one who adores language and reading, the inclusion of a quote in the core of the temari is as important to me as all the elements are. Whether it is a Japanese haiku from the seventeenth or eighteenth century, or a quote from a favorite author or artist, I choose quotes that are meaningful to me: about life and living, generosity and compassion, creativity and inspiration, and finding one’s path and one’s place in the world. Or sometimes I choose haiku or poetry for the beauty of the words and the imagery evoked.

The Vision
I view each temari as a whole, an individual work of art, and approach it in this way. I choose the color for the thread wrap, and then the palette for the embroidery stitching. It is all very deliberate, and all planned in advance. I want each to be one of a kind, so though I repeat patterns, palettes, or quotes, I never combine all elements again in the exact same way, so as not to duplicate a past temari. I see the temari I create as a personal spin on traditional temari. A more “modern” color palette speaks to me, and is reflected in my craft. I want the temari I make to be more than an object put on the shelf as a decoration, but something one can hold, puzzle over, contemplate, and even use as an object for meditation.

The very act of creating a temari is a form of meditation in itself.

Crafting for a Cause
For me, a temari is already very much about wholeheartedness, about compassion, about generosity, about humanity; realizing this in a practical way completes the cycle. This is one reason why the sphere / circle / globe so draws me in. It’s symbolic of what I am trying to accomplish. I hope to bring happiness to people who buy one of my temari, and hopefully give them something to provoke thought.

Lending the proceeds through Kiva.org is a huge part of my process. Kiva is a nonprofit organization that facilitates microfinance loans to individuals and groups in impoverished areas of the world, people who might not be able to get financial help in any traditional way. These are people who work hard at improving their circumstances—for themselves, their families and children—by starting or growing a business, saving for the future, paying for the education of their children, constructing a better home. Economic empowerment and independence, especially of women, is key the civility, future, and sustainability of our planet. I am fortunate that I am able to create something that gives me joy and happiness; that brings the owner joy and happiness; and then take the money I make from that transaction and help women in realizing their own aspirations—help women who want to pursue their own livelihoods and make better lives for themselves, their children, and create a better future.