Galaxy

Andromeda

We have been spending many a night reading Greek Mythology. We recently finished reading the myth of Perseus and of all his daring pursuits. My boys were struck by the story of Andromeda--as punishment for her mother's boasting, Andromeda was chained to rock as a sacrifice to appease a vengeful sea monster. Perseus, who happened to pass by on his return from killing the Gorgon, rescued Andromeda and married her. Her story goes silent after her marriage. My boys and I spent a night making up stories about Andromeda. My oldest thinks she became a mama and took care of everyone all while working and being a teacher. My middle child thinks she became a warrior princess who fought dragons with Perseus. My youngest isn't old enough to voice his opinion, but he was thoroughly delighted with the pictures of the sea monster who was intent on eating the poor, chained Andromeda.

This Girasol is my interpretation of the Andromeda story. The black spaces represent the gaps in her story: those dark absences that have been forgotten by myth and history. The bright stripes of blue, green, and purple represent youth, freshness, and adventure. I would like to think that Andromeda went to to be a warrior princess who fought dragons alongside Perseus, all while wearing her babes on her back. That the dark spaces are not necessarily absences, but the quiet time she spent in contemplation while wearing or nursing her babe. Is that too much of a stretch?
This Gira also all calls to mind the Andromeda galaxy and constellation. If you squint your eyes just right, the stars in the Andromeda constellation turn into a hazy blur of purples and blues against the inky night sky. These wraps have already been ordered from Girasol.
We are looking at a March/April delivery date.
This weft for this Girasol will be black.

Andromeda Galaxy

For those of you who want a softer Andromeda. This version has a dark blue background. It is a diamond weave and will have a navy blue weft. The perfect finish for such a stellar constellation!

These wraps have already been ordered from Girasol. We are looking at a May 2013 delivery date.

Super Nova

And this is the companion to Andromeda. I have to admit I am not a big, red, orange and yellow person, but man, I like this combo and I would like to think it sort of fits quite well with Andromeda.

A super nova is the grand and brilliant explosion of a dying star. They are extraordinarily bright and the fallout radiation from a super nova explosion can outshine an entire galaxy before it slowly fades from view. These explosions are significant because they can initiate the formation of new stars and they can seed the galaxy with higher mass elements that help in the creation of galactic dust, a necessary element in the formation of stars and planets.

So how does this relate to Andromeda, besides the fact that is a stellar reference? In the story in my head, Super Nova is the answer to Andromeda's lack of story. I guess this could be read as depressing. After Andromeda's bright and explosive entry in Greek Mythology, her story sort of ends in a void. But instead, I would like to think of Andromeda as a super nova. Brilliant and bright, sending her rays out into the galaxy to create new and amazing stars and planets, so her story continues on and on for eternity. Pretty cool, huh?

So, a super nova isn't solely a collapse of a big star; it's the promise of many new stars to come.
These wraps have already been ordered from Girasol. We are looking at a March/April delivery date.
This weft for this Girasol will be black.

Toulon & Loix

As we enter the dog days of summer, my three boys and I often find ourselves escaping to the beach to cool off. We chase the waves, make sand castles and drink down thermos after thermos of tart, homemade lemonade. As I watch the three of them play and splash each other with water, so free and unencumbered, I am drawn back to my college days when I my friends and I would wander Europe with backpacks and American Express cashier's checks. No schedule. No obligations. No responsibility. Just freedom.
We always ended up somewhere in the south of France, lounging on the beaches, drinking iced wine, catching up on our Proust or Hesse (oh, we thought we were so smart and avant garde back then) or just taking long naps nestled down in the sand, being sung a lullaby by the gentle lapping of the waves on the beach. Toulon, located in the south of France, is near the Italian border and it holds a special place in my heart. It is not only a city to me, but a much treasured jewel of my youth that I keep locked away in my memories. It symbolizes all the excitement, wonderment, hope, and enthusiasm of my early 20s.
This MM Girasol exclusive pays tribute to those memories. The colors chosen for this Girasol call to mind the sherbert colored facades of many of the buildings located in the old town with its narrow, higgedly-piggedly streets and old, granite fountains. It also reminds of the intensely bright and explosive sunsets when the sun finally gave up its last gasp and dipped below the waters of Toulon harbor.It reminds me of the vast expanses of peaches, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, grapes and every fruit imaginable once could find in the weekly market held in the historic town center.

This pre-order will close on August 25th. I have been quoted a 2-3 month wait time for Girasols to be woven and delivered to MM. We all know that Gira is running behind these days, so it might take a bit longer, but I will keep you updated. If at any time you decided to want to cancel your pre-order, just send me an e-mail and I will refund you. It doesn't matter if it is outside the 45 day refund period.If you decide you want a refund after the 45 days, the refund will be sent to you as a gifted payment, so PP fees will not be deducted from your refund.
This Girasol will most likely have a red weft (think Jungle)

This is the sister wrap to Toulon. It is also named after the much beloved town in France that is located on the tiny Ile de Re. What is Loix known for? Well, not much and that's exactly the point.
Loix is a small commune that has gently sloping beaches, gentle breezes and cool water. Often you can lay on the beach, close your eyes, and hear the salt workers shouting out ribald jokes to one another as they harvest sea salt with the long traditional wooden paddles that have been used for hundreds of years.
This Girasol perfectly encapsulates the blueness of those waters, the fuschia and pinks of the never ending sunsets, and the tiny bits of salt that seem to dance around the island.

This pre-order will close on August 25th. I have been quoted a 2-3 month wait time for Girasols to be woven and delivered to MM. We all know that Gira is running behind these days, so it might take a bit longer, but I will keep you updated. If at any time you decided to want to cancel your pre-order, just send me an e-mail and I will refund you. It doesn't matter if it is outside the 45 day refund period.If you decide you want a refund after the 45 days, the refund will be sent to you as a gifted payment, so PP fees will not be deducted from your refund.
This weft has not been chosen for this Girasol yet.

Cosmic Rainbow

Marsupial Mama's first Girasol exclusive was aptly named "Cosmic Rainbow," by Marsupial Mama FB fan, Amber.
This wrap is a bright and vivd cosmic rainbow of thin stripes, which is offset by a rich, black backrgound.
This is a fun, funky, and playful wrap: perfect for snuggling a new squish or cuddling a toddler as a wrap hammock.

A computer mock-up will be uploaded this week replacing the olive stripe with a bright orange stripe.

The pre-order for this exclusive will run until 2/10/2012.
There will most likely be a few extra wraps woven, but there is no guarantee of availability of wraps after the pre-order closes.
Wraps are set to be woven in February/March with a potential ship date of mid-April. This date is subject to change depending on weaving time.
I will keep everyone updated as to the status of their ordered wraps.

The swatch below is a close approximation of what this wrap will look like.
There will be some differences due to weaving, thread color and weft color.
I will decide on weft color by the end of this week.

All US orders include free priority shipping.

Orders shipping to Canada have a flat rate $10 shipping fee for Priority International mail with tracking

Orders shipping to any other part of the world have a flat rate $15 shippng fee for Priority International mail with tracking

Mock Up below. Stripes will be 1/4" thick and the weft will be black to preserve the black of the contrasting black stripes.Inspiration:

~Jennifer