Getting Decorated!
After several years of use (and repeated re-use), our Ayyam'i'Ha decorations were looking a good bit worse for the wear. I enlisted the help of Simon and the children, and we have kept busy this weekend. We made several dozen of these paper globes (I used left over paper from Asher's baby album-- I think it is called Granny's Kitchen by SEI).
I also made us a new pocket banner! Wow! I based it on the many beautiful pin boards out in blogland, but really winged it when it came down to it. I used a scrap of soft ceiling board that Simon cut to size and glued some thin cork to. I then covered it in wool. This is the exciting bit, trust me. The loosely woven, beautiful cream wool was brought back from Dublin by my mother when she studied at Trinity. Forty years ago. I have had it for a few years and never known what was special enough to use it for. This qualified.
I then added linen pockets trimmed with bias tape (some Trefle, some I made), scraps, and a silver elephant also from my mum.
What I love about this board is the flexibility the pockets offer. I can assign them according to day or person or activity (ie-- eat me, clues, etc). I've made some linen covered pushpins and some with wooden buttons, and I am eager to see what wil get pinned up over the course of this next week.
Tonight we will be hanging those globes, tidying the house and blowing up blue and white balloons.
I am so excited.
You always create such lovely things.
Would you mind explaining a little bit about what Ayyam'i'Ha is? I am embarrassed to admit I have never heard of it before. Thank you.
Posted by: wendy | 24 February 2008 at 17:00
It sounds like Ayyam'i'Ha at your place will be such fun!
Posted by: Elizabeth | 24 February 2008 at 23:07
So beautiful!!!! wish we could come over for a visit!
Posted by: amy | 24 February 2008 at 23:27
I second the request for more about Ayyam'i'Ha! And are blue and white the traditional colors or your choice?
Posted by: emilykristin | 25 February 2008 at 00:45
The Baha'i year consists of 361 days -- 19 months of 19 days apiece. To bring it into conjunction with the 365-day Roman calendar, a four-day period is set aside in late February and early March. These four days, referred to as ``the time outside of time,'' stand apart from the rest of the Baha'i calendar and commence the holy day cycle.
Known as Ayyam-i-Ha (pronounced: Ah-YAHM-ee-hah), the four days are traditionally a time of gift-giving for Baha'is, ever since Baha'u'llah founded the faith in the 1840s in Iran. American Baha'i children often await Ayyam-i-Ha the way Christian and Jewish children anticipate Christmas or Hanukkah.
As with those holidays, Ayyam-i-Ha has another dimension: ``The Baha'is view the world as a place where people have been bestowed with enormous gifts -- the gifts of love and generosity, kindness and forbearance,'' says Suheil Bushrui, a Baha'i scholar at the University of Maryland who was born in Nazareth. ``Baha'u'llah speaks of the human being as a treasure house -- as a mine of treasures. And as you go about your life, you begin to dig out the diamonds and rubies and pearls. And the days of Ayyam-i-Ha are days of giving love and generosity. Perhaps the world needs a little sharing.''
American Baha'i families typically visit nursing homes or clean up neighborhood parks during Ayyam-i-Ha. ``We're supposed to do all those things all year-round,'' says Jean Quinn, a former Catholic who converted to the Baha'i faith with her husband, Mike. ``But it's like Christmas -- we finally bring the toys over to the homeless center.''
Posted by: Dad | 25 February 2008 at 01:08
Thanks for the info. :-)
Posted by: wendy | 25 February 2008 at 03:16
lovely...those globes are so beautiful...a Happy Ayyam'i'Ha to you & your dear family!!
Posted by: limonana | 25 February 2008 at 09:05
Wow, loving the globes - they look fantastic, bet they look great hung. And the board is beautiful - you're so clever, I loved this post.
Posted by: lexi | 25 February 2008 at 11:19
I made those globes for Christmas once, and the next year they became a birthday craft for my daughter's close to Christmas birthday. They are so simple but effective. I love your pocket board. Making things to celebrate family holidays is so nice and makes it all so much more exciting. I love the idea of "time outside of time". Have a wonderful Ayyam'i'Ha.
Posted by: Georgia | 25 February 2008 at 13:59
Nice pocket board.
I am amazed at the way you manage to hold on to memories from your family. How do you succeed while travelling so much ? On my side I have had to resort to the ''don't hold on to material things'' motto of my yoga practice and give away to friends in need when comes time to leave a country, but I must admit that sometimes I long for those items of days past....
Posted by: Oshun | 25 February 2008 at 14:26
i love the notion of time outside of time. a wonderful celebration to you and your family.
Posted by: emily | 25 February 2008 at 15:41
Beautiful decorations. And thanks for explaining this wonderful celebration, I was also curious.
Posted by: Dawn | 25 February 2008 at 16:53
I love the globes, the pocket board, the buttons and the Elly...but most of all I love that little bird tag... did it come like that or is it a stamp?
Enjoy your celebrations!
Posted by: fi | 25 February 2008 at 21:53
What a fun holiday!! The pocket board looks like a Shim and Sons - The dragon by the way - in the previous post - is WAY cool.
Posted by: Sabrina | 25 February 2008 at 22:56
... now tell me you have NOT been reading shimandsons.com ;) In case you haven't - you better should! (Oh - just noticed Sabrina already pointed this out ...)
I haven't been to your site for a while, but it sure feels nice to be "back". Sounds strange - but it's true! Your site just has a very unique feel to it.
Best Greetings from Germany!
Posted by: Johanna | 27 February 2008 at 19:46