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Click for larger version (PNG); click for PDF version. Click here for the list of dolls.
My friend posted this poem to her Facebook page, and for some reason — perhaps all this recent practice in letting go — it has been on my mind as I gathered my paperdoll materials over the last couple of days.
You shouldn’t attach to one thing blindly.
You shouldn’t say “I can’t live without her.”
You just shouldn’t say it.
Because you can!
There’s no need to use such clichéd words.
……Don’t love too much, for example.
If she loves you less, your heart will break.
And usually, she loves you less than you love her anyway.
If you don’t love too much, you won’t hurt a lot.
Besides, if you don’t own much, you won’t be owned either..
You shouldn’t own the building you work in,
your table, your phone, your cards..
In fact, you shouldn’t even own your hands or legs.
You should act as if they are not yours.
Then, if you don’t have anything, you won’t be afraid to lose.
You should act as if you can live without them.
For example, there shouldn’t be much furniture in your home.
You should be able to walk around clumsily.
If you insist on having something,
You should own the points where rooftops join the skies.
You should own the sky.
The sun, the moon, the stars…
For example, the northern star should be your star.
You should say “It is mine!”
If you really want something of your own,
Rainbows should be yours, for example.
If you really want to belong to something, you should belong to colors
To orange or to pink, for example.
Or you should belong to paradise.
You should live without owning much,
And not belonging to a great deal,
As if life will slip away from your hands any minute,
And as if it will be yours forever.
You should live attached to life,
Hanging onto its edge…
Can Yücel (1926-1999)
I do not think I could take the first piece of advice, whether or not it’s true; I’m too intense. But at those times when I pay for it in melancholy, it helps to belong to green. Could I be of any other color? What of you, I wonder?
Well, as you see, I’m back, or at least I will try to be! After I get out of practice, it can be difficult to draw anything, and I still feel a sort of residual stress from all that’s been going on over the past couple of months. (I tend to be a pretty upbeat person, but my temperamental moods are proportionately bad, and it gets hard to draw when I’m out of sorts. My state of mind definitely corresponds to my paperdolling proficiency.) Don’t worry about me, though: I’m very happy in my new home. I’ll write more about it soon.
You’re back! yay! I love this dress so much, makes me wish I could wear green.
Wow! Fantastic dress, and very thought-provoking poem. I’m glad you’re back!
Wow! What a dress to post when you come back! It is gorgeous!
I don’t think its bad to love too much but I would definitely belong to green as well. Hurray for Green!
Welcome back! I love this one…green is my favourite too!
I love some shades of green…and those are definitely among them! Thanks for the gorgeous dress!
So pretty! What a great post
YAY! I was stunned when i saw you were back! I LOVE this dress, really one of your most impressive!
I love this! It’s a gorgeous interpretation of the poem, not too literal; I wish I could wear it in real life!
Just a quick question, and not meant to be pushy in the slightest: are you going to do the August dress soon? I love the those dresses, so I would like to know if I have one of them to look forward to soon.
Anyway, I love the dresses and I’m glad you’re back.
So beautiful Liana, you haven’t lost your touch at all. I think your green dresses are always some of my favorites.
gorgeous gown! You always amaze me with your coloring talents!
So pretty! I like when you color in green, it always looks so nice.
Ahh! Ah! You cannot believe how excited I am!!
Liana’s back! And this dress is phenomenal!!
Thanks, everyone. I’ll try to keep posting on a regular basis. And I’ll try to put up the August and July dresses at some point soon, too :)
Beautiful! A good Washington dress-nicknamed the evergreen state, where moss grows on everything even on roofs. Welcome to your new home you truly belong to green.
sooo perty!
Waaah!!! Gorgeous! Yay for Liana’s return!
That is AMAZING!
simply beautiful!!! i love the “swish” at the bottom.
im glad your back!!
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yay! your back!!! I love this dress!
Wow! Gorgeous!!! I love this its beautiful.
Hey I love your dresses so I was wondering, with your permission of course, that I could use some of them for ideas for the book I am writing. thanks
I really love your color work. It’s so rich and vibrant. I love working with Prismacolor pencils too. I love the effect I get with them. I was a fan of yours back when you had the paper doll boutique and I’m glad I found you again.