Willow Pattern Sample

A few years back my mom and I made it to an International Willow Convention in Nashville TN. It was the first time my mom had ever been to a convention and the first time she sat foot in Nashville. She loved both! We toured some of Nashville like American Pickers and downtown, but she was thrilled meeting people who were just as crazy as me for willow! I honestly think she thought I was alone in that struggle! Low and behold 80+ other crazy folks showed up and she loved it!

I purchased only one thing at the convention that year. Not because I didn’t want a whole bunch of it, but I simply didn’t have the spending cash. The piece above is the only piece I purchased. It was definitely calling my name! It was a sample piece so it for certain is one of a kind.

The center pattern is a gorgeous pink willow and the outside border was black. It makes me wonder given the use of the printing plates how easy it was to separate the outside edge from a color perspective from the center. You can refer back to my previous posts to watch the video of how they applied the color to the printing plate on a hot iron.

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This sample piece has an impressed mark that appears to be sizing etc. In addition it obviously is made in Holland! I don’t have many pieces made in Holland so this one is pretty special to me. I have seen some other sample plates here and there but they don’t often come up for auction.

I tell you, as I sit here and type, I struggle to say any more than I just did. My heart isn’t into posting about willow at the moment and my visits to my blog show. I have been struggling with some pretty heavy stuff here lately and there is a reason I selected this specific item to share with you today.

This piece reminds me of where I am today. I am struggling to keep my perfection mask on so everything looks good on the outside. Much like this plate, life is trial and error. Some things work while other things don’t.

I attempt to run a recovery program but some times it runs me instead. This happens to be one of those weeks where it ran me…maybe even backed up and ran me over again. The past 7-10 days have been filled with gut wrenching hardship that have kept me from wanting to write, much less fester up something good to share with you all. I am sure no one knows the “funk” I am speaking of…where you don’t feel like leaving your house, don’t feel like chatting, don’t feel like getting out of your sweats.

I had a good friend relapse a few days ago….hard…..real hard. But he made the next right choice and got back on the wagon. Another decided life wasn’t worth living and after an attempt on her life called for help….while another sat and shared his story of how he was left for dead in a car accident and the aftermath of healing. Drugs are the root of all EVIL I tell ya.

I am sorry to be ending an amazing willow piece on this kind of note, but I think it is important that we all know, we are not alone. I also think it is important to talk about our scars with others so we all find hope. For me, I have got to get the rest of my perfection mask off and work towards showing others my scars.

Today I leave you with, if you are struggling reach out…no one will ever know if you don’t speak up. If you feel like using, reach out. If you are stuck in a state of depression reach out.

This plate is by no means perfect, just like you and I however I cherish it anyway for being different. Today I want you to embrace your differences, use them to help someone else. Tell someone your story and give them hope.

Much love willow friends.

Christine – your struggling friend!