NEW Things From Our Studio!!

We've been busy this week! After some very cool brainstorming with our friends Steve and Sue last weekend, we took to our studio and created smaller versions of our 'oh so popular' beads. These strings are about 10", tactile and oh so yummy (if I do say so myself). Can be used as ornaments, fan pulls, or decorations to hang-- we'll let you decide! You'll easily want multiples, so deciding which ones may be the hard part! All are one of a kinds!!!

If you're in Louisville, Kentucky this weekend we will be too! We're in the St. James Art Fair - On the inner court in Booth SJ-341i- North Green between Magnolia & the Fountain.

We have boxes, beads, wall pieces, tables and spirit sticks! It will be chilly, the beer and cider flowing and the leaves falling!

Come out and buy some art!
Support the creative spirits!

Posted here is some of our new work we'll have with us this weekend.

Patricia & Jon

Tattoo Dreams Day of the Dead Folk Art Box

•This is my newest Day of the Dead Box. Made of cherry wood hand built in our Bloomington Indiana studio. Rubber stamped in black, this box measures 6" wide x 6" deep x 8" (15.7cm x 15.7 cm x 26.67 cm). The top opens by way of a lime green stained painted wooden knob and matching feet. Knob has pink trim and feet have blue trim- making them just a bit more fun than normal!! Inside, the bottom is lined with black velvet. I always decorate the inside of the lid, and this one is no exception. Treasures from loved ones, trips to Mexico or absolutely nothing can be tucked inside this collectable art box. Could be used as an urn for ashes. It's adorned with images representing this most festive of celebrations---Day of the Dead- nothing morbid, just a true celebration of loved ones past.

My Day of the Dead boxes disappear fast- YOU can own this one!!!

75.00 on my etsy site

More boxes can be found on my etsy site:
http://tattoodreams.etsy.com
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
FREE Domestic shipping!

Pumpkin Bread

3 c granulated sugar
1 c canola oil
4 eggs
1 16 oz can pumpkin

3 1/3 c flour (I use oatmeal flour to make it gluten free)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. nuts (optional)

Grease and flour 5 small bread pans. I use pans that are about 6" x 3 1/4" x 2". Heat oven to 350º. Beat sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat this mixture into pumpkin mixture. Add nuts now if you chose. Divide batter among the loaf pans. Tap each pan to remove air bubbles.
Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean at the center.
Let cool 10 min. in pans and use a knife around the edges to loosen loaves.
Wrap in foil and refrigerate.

Happy Fall!

Patricia

I Pray

I
pray
daily.
I pray for our life
our health
our time together
our tiger children
our endurance of hard times.
Those times are here.
I pray.

I pray for our home
our studio
our van.
We need these to keep our
business going.
I pray.

I pray for my friends who
have been our rock.
I pray for their health.
For my family.
For their health and well being.
I pray for those I've lost.
I pray.

TattooDreams Beaded Room Divider Screen

This is a room divider screen that my husband Jon and I designed and built. It appears more like a sculpture and becomes a conversation piece wherever it's placed! Each panel is 66" tall, 16" wide and holds 5 strings of beads per panel. It consists of 15 strings of handmade rubber stamped painted and cut out beads strung on stainless steel cable. Each string is adorned with tied silk and fringe intermittently added to radiate bursts of color.

Beads can be custom made to incorporate family names or pets or significant dates almost making this a 'family tree'.
Can be made with color or natural and black.
Pieces of my work are available for movie prop rental. Please enquire by phone 812-935-6172 availability and rates.
Any item from HeckerDesign Studio can be shipped world wide.


Jon and Patricia Hecker
Bloomington, Indiana

Light Filled the Temple

Sun light filled the Temple on this past Saturday afternoon in early September. We were in Dunn Loring Virginia attending my nephew, Benjamin's Bar Mitzvah. My sister-in-law is Jewish and this ceremony is his acceptance of his Jewish faith. There was a cantor who sang and although I knew not the words, they enveloped me with a sense of history and awe I'll not soon forget. Some brought tears. I knew I was witnessing a very old ceremony amidst contemporary surroundings. The Ark of the Covenant.

We witnessed our nephew take command of a foreign - yet studied language, stand before family and friends and read from the handwritten scroll of the Torah- backwards, with amazing poise and confidence. He was respectful and solemn and steady in his demeanor. I was so proud of all he had accomplished to arrive at this point in his young life.

I saw a Temple filled with people of all faiths and all beliefs. From near and far, friends and family. I thought, 'why cannot this small microcosm of life, right here, right now, be the way a world of people get along?'
It gave me hope.
Hope that maybe it could.
Hope that maybe it will despite the differences we face.

There were celebrations and parties and hugs and well wishes through out the weekend. What will remain with me from this occasion was a young man taking control of himself. Accepting his faith and growing up, right before my eyes.
Light filled the Temple and hope filled my heart.
We are all one- if we chose to be!

Patricia