Sunday, August 4, 2013

Clean up aisle 4 (Mandala Monday)


Once again I'm joining Dawn at Girl Unwinding for Mandala Monday. This week I'm trying to clean up the remains of a bad storm, hail, lightening, rain, rain, more rain, flooding, and rain.

What got me was once the bits and pieces had been cut or torn away from the parent plants that were headed for the compost pile, how quickly they wilted.

I confess I'm really, really naive when it comes to mandalas.  One thing I learned was in some religions, the mandala (which, according to Wikipedia means "circle") sometimes begins with a square and one of four doors or gates is placed on each side.  This highlights the circle, which radiates from the center outward.  That's what I was trying to accomplish in what I'm calling the "Clean-up Mandala."

I purchased this chess set one year in Mexico, and for the life of me, I can't remember what the material was called.  An internet search (NOT GOOGLE SEARCH-see this post from March, 2012 for clarity)  yielded nothing, and I keep coming up with names that don't match any searches.  There were white and blue chess pieces that had been carved from this really heavy material, I think was a mineral, and it was one of my favorites of all my chess sets.  

One day a friend stopped by when I had the entire set outside on my rock and stone back patio (NO, not the "patio" here in Wichita) and stumbled over the table it was on  (as an aside, I left it outside all summer in Missouri so friends and I could play chess whenever we had a few minutes).  Needless to say, most of the pieces broke and the board came apart.  I was sick, but not ready to send it to the landfill.  When I moved to Wichita, I let the chess pieces go, but kept the board, which took up residence on my front porch.  That's where it still lives today.  

If you know the name of the material this chess board is made up of, please let me know.  I've been wracking my brain trying to remember it.

 There is no "focus" on this camera, no mountain, no tulip, so this was a really lucky shot.

I tried to clean it up a bit in PS using  "auto levels" under "adjustments."  I love how it pulled out the blues of the background, and slight pink of these weeds.  And that's about all I can accomplish in this powerful program I've owned since 2000 and still don't understand most of it.

Have a super Mandala Monday and I hope to see YOU at Dawn's.  By the way, did I mention it's been raining (and flooding) here?


19 thoughtful remarks:

Helen said...

Can't help you with the name of the material your chess set is made from, but it looks gorgeous - what a shame the pieces got damaged. Hope you stay clear of storms for a while now, you could do with a break!!

Rebeca Trevino said...

Alabaster?

Julia Dunnit said...

Well i learned mo about Mandalas from you thanI ever knew...can count on you to do the research! Love the chess board, the weeds look beautiful and harmless on there dont they, and they are a wonderful contrast to the hardness of the mystery mineral. dont ask me..I thought it was abalone till i read mineral, and then all i could think of was agate. Am not good at nature!! Will be clearing up jere later, it's raining stair rods. my poor roses.

dawn said...

Happy Mandala Monday to you!! I'm so excited it's finally here!

How pretty yours is, love love the name you gave it. I like whatever that is in the middle, pretty and perfect for this mandala.
So glad you talked about the chess board, was going to ask you what this was. It's beautiful!! Glad to hear you still use the board. I can't help you with the name either, sorry.
I too learned about the fast wilting of leaves when making my mandalas. I have to work fast now to get pictures before that happens.
Will send you some sunshine your way, too much rain makes it hard to enjoy being outside in the summer.
Have a great day and see you tomorrow for your Tuesday post.

Anonymous said...

Your weather sounds awful! and I hope it settles down soon. BUT from it you gleaned a perfectly perfect example of a natural mandala!!
I am excited that you took time to do some Mandala research. Art can truly make us grow! and the things you are learning from making the mandalas about nature, about yourself are infinite and wonderful and can be applied in so many other ways in your day.
On the note about what the chess board is made of, if it is a type of stone? the white could be Selenite but I'm not sure about the blue. There is blue selenite but it is usually a bit darker. Anyway, maybe that will help solve the mystery.
Happy Mandala Monday, my friend!!
~Dawn

Halle said...

The chess board is lovely even though it is damaged. The colors are gorgeous! Hope you are fairing ok with the storms now.

Dawn said...

What a gorgeous board Elizabeth, that blue is amazing. No idea ref the material though, sorry! So sad to hear of your weather again, hope the hail wasn't as bad as the last lot!!
Love the mandala too, what a fab way to put the waste to use.
Huge hugs x

Nan G said...

I look forward to seeing your Monday mandala and this one did not disappoint! Your use of plants to make these is amazing! Sorry I don't recognize the stone in your chess board. It is beautiful tho. Have a fab week. Hugs

voodoo vixen said...

Glad you survived the storms and what a fabulous chess board you have! It looks like abalone... which is a shell... what a shame about the chess pieces... I can imagine how beautiful the complete set would look!

dawn said...

Thanks for your visit too, sorry to hear your storms are still there. I don't like it when we have storms either, seems to happen more this summer. Hang in there and stay safe.
I see the starfish now too in my mandala. I thought the grass would be nice too, not much room in the garden like first planned.
Oh and I forgot to mention enjoying learning about mandalas from you too. Thanks for sharing that, was neat to read and learn more about them.
Enjoy a cozy day inside maybe painting or having a cup of tea.

~*~Patty S said...

Your 'clean-up mandala' looks especially nice on your pretty blue and white checkerboard chessboard

extra fun that it has a story too...so many things do and I like that! :)

Sorry you are on storm watch and had rough weather to deal with...here's hoping all is well very soon!

We have the same variegated Privet that I see in the center of your Mandala...
Mr M got it and a couple of trees free one Christmas eve long ago at a nursery near where he works. Each thing he brought home has done beautifully...
the Privet makes a nice patch of friendly fence between us and our one neighbor and a 'grotto' for a Buddha headless statue we inherited and Mr M repaired...
oh oh didn't mean to tell all those stories and I haven't even had a cup of anything yet!

Fun that you are joining in Mandala Monday's too E!
See ya for T tamale...
oxo

~*~Patty S said...

just read your Vinca vine comment on my bbb E...
didn't realize your plant material was from a vine which means it is not a Privet afterall(which is a tall shrub here)...
Vinca CAN really go crazy...
we have a green leaf variety that gets pretty purple flowers and tries to jump all over the place too ;)
oxo

Jo Murray said...

It looks like marble to me and I found one on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-MARBLE-Chess-Set-blue-white-onyx-Aztec-Figurines-/121151392544

Hope this is of some help.

Anonymous said...

Love, Love, Love what you are doing with this Mandala Monday......so different. xox

Caterina Giglio said...

love your beautiful weeds... and I think you are doing a smashing job with your mandalas!! x

Paula - Buenos Aires said...

Wonderful concept! Beautiful nature mandala.

Dianne said...

just praying that the flooding doesn't find its way into your basement again! lovely chessboard...I've never seen this blue stone before. it's really pretty! love your Vinca mandala, and the history you've shared.

Cazzy said...

It looks like abalone shell, but if it is a mineral it can't be that, not marble I suppose. It looks amazing, so sorry it got broken.

Cazzy x

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful Mandala. The chess board background is perfect - I always try to do mine on squares to keep the proportion of the circle. We had a freak hailstorm on Sunday, too. Leaves down all over and some branches (but nothing like a few other storms we've had in the last couple years). It looked like snow in August in New England.