Saturday, September 21, 2013

Today the flags fly...

We have had a wonderful International Day of Peace here in Maleny.

We started with hanging our different sets of flags outside our house and then spent a morning with children making peace leaves for a peace tree at the Library. It is school holidays here and the children will keep adding to the tree all week.

Here are some of the flags flying at our house today:

Fabric flags, screenprinted with a golden origami peace crane image.  The flags are flown in the traditional order, with Blue for the sky; White for the clouds; Red for fire; Green for water and Yellow for the earth.


My weathergrams have been added to and there are plenty flying high and getting blown by the breeze, and sometimes buffeted to the ground.  Then they get carried away by the wind; sharing their message of peace.



These are new favourites! A while ago we did a printmaking workshop where we used "baby wipes" to clean the paints off the plates.  They looked so gorgeous at the end of the day we saved them from the rubbish and brought them home to dry.  Then we screenprinted them as well and now they are hanging proudly and looking absolutely beautiful!



And finally for me...my hand-made paper flags with origami peace cranes embedded within. These are slightly more vulnerable to the elements so we have hung them at the front of the house, under the verandah. They make a warm welcome to our home...



We gonged our peace bell this morning and again at midday - this evening as the sun sets, we will gong again for peace.  Every little bit we do, in whatever small ways we can, we can help to amplify and share the message of peace in the world.

3 comments:

  1. fiona, the diversity of flags here is like a feast for the eyes! and to think all are made with a peaceful intention and carry such things out into the world. the white ones are powerful in their purity and symbolic nature. the colorful ones have a weight of their own and yet the heart sings with their color. love how you repurposed the wipes! and the weathergrams are always wonderful to see.

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  2. F- as MJ said the diversity of mediums and images has created a feast for eyes as folk pass our block - and as such have raised peace awareness. B

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  3. Your flags and weathergrams are so beautiful in their appearance and meaning.

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