New Year Abstractions.

Happy (Belated) New Year from the Doodiekins Family

Agent P. and I, not being your average 20 year olds, celebrated the New Year with my mother, Mama Marshamallow in our usual swanky manner with a Latvian tradition passed on to us by our dear friend Ellada and a little bubbly of course.

When the clock stuck twelve we screamed like banshees accompanied by antique noisemakers, throwing ribbons, and dancing up and down. After a toast and picture taking we proceeded to our favorite part of the evening: the Latvian fortune-telling ritual.

Colorful candles are lit and allowed to burn until each has a pool of wax, we decided to use red as that was the color Ellada chose when she shared this practice with us. The molten wax is then poured into a bowl of cool water for as long as you feel necessary. Allow the piece to cool before removing it from the water and set aside. 

As with many divination rituals, one is supposed to create just one wax abstraction from which to extract their fortune. When you are ready listen to and examine your creation in order to divine what the new year shall bestow upon you. Then pass around to others to hear their interpretations. 

At first mine looked like a smiling monkey, not sure what that means, but the tail broke off. Despite my best efforts at soldering it back on it just would not stay put which I take as a sign that it is supposed to remain this way. Now it just looks like a smiling face. Perhaps 2009 will bring me much happiness and joy :) I hope so. In 2009 I want to take more chances, do things as opposed to simply thinking of or planning on doing them, explore my environment, stop making life decisions based on fear, create more art, and love with every fiber of my being. 

Here are all of our little abstractions together. Mama Marshamallow decided to make many instead of one so that she could read each abstraction as representative of a different area in her life. Agent Pineapples is the big one in the upper left. She thought it looked barfy when it was oriented horizontally, where as I saw a bush of berries. In this photograph it looks like a beautiful cameo. We have yet to fully analyze our creations but I just wanted to share my favorite part of New Years. 

Best wishes for the New Year!

xo Lara