Quilts – Insectamonarca's Blog

Happy Tonics Visitors Center/Store is planning a splash of a day for shoppers and visitors on December 4, 2010. As our readers know the world is suffering in a global recession. Happy Tonics believes in homemade, homegrown, local arts and crafts. We are a nonprofit environmental education organization and public charity. People are generous and donate many items to help our cause including Ojibwa beaded butterfly pins and framed art and photographs. We have two monarch butterfly habitats in Shell Lake that we implemented and maintain.

By buying local, customers support their own community. We will offer savings to our guests so everyone can go home with something special to put under the Christmas tree.

Where’s the fun?

23 Fifth Avenue, Shell Lake, WI, Sarona Jewelry and My Favorite Things – Open all day. Retail store with educational toys, jewelry, Fenton glass and clothing. Refreshments to be served.

25 Fifth Avenue, Shell Lake, WI, Happy Tonics Visitors Center/Store – Kids Disney Movies to be shown 10 am – 2 pm

Refreshments to be served. There is indoor hall that goes between the two stores.

Happy Tonics offers new and gently used home decor, women’s clothing and books, books, books. The store sells new knitted socks, hats, shawls, sweaters both women’s and children. There are mittens, handkerchiefs, fine art, fiber art, quilted wall hangings and fabric bags from Mexico and textile vests and bags from Nepal. Check out the Ayurvedic soap from India and the dozens of butterfly gifts.

Julie Symond (My Favorite Things) and Mary Ellen (Happy Tonics Visitors Center/Store) look forward to seeing you.

Please visit http://www.carolbridgesartquilts.com or http://www.sacredarts.infoto to see Carol Bridges beautiful quilts. This is fiber art at its best. Many are already sold. We think you will love her work. In honor of the water and dedicated to women who are the protectors of water, we are showcasing Carol’s quilt on our Blog. The quilt Emergence is a prayer to protect all water species especially after the oil contamination in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Emergence” is an homage to the creatures of the Gulf of Mexico. May all the fish and turtles and dolphins, whales and others be lifted from their suffering, their souls again returned to the Mother of the Sea. 30″ x 30″. $1200.

There is a connection between the monarch butterfly and the creatures and plants of the Gulf. Many monarchs willl be flying through the gulf area and we wish them good speed to the other side as they return to Mexico. Here is a poem from the 18th century Polish poet Ignacy Krasicki:

The Wagon-Driver and the Butterfly

A wagon got stuck in the mud, and couldn’t move.
The driver was tired, the horse exhausted.
A butterfly, sitting on the wagon, thought:
“I’m told compassion is a virtue.”
He flew off, calling back to the wagon-driver:
“Now get going, bless you!”

Source: Ken Parejko, Monarch of the Butterflies, page 88.