DIY Christmas Gifts- Part 2

My YUDU screen printing machine got some real action during the month of December. I printed on 9 shirts, on 2 drawstring backpacks, and 4 tea towels. Wayne drew up 4 designs for me based on characters in a Sioux legend I read when looking up how to spell "owl" in Lakota. I had already asked him to draw the buffalo because I had seen him draw it before, then an owl. So 2 characters were done. Once I read the story of  how humans had disrupted the balance in nature, and mother earth called all of her children to come inside of her so she could cleanse the surface and restore the balance. Once cleansed all of the animal kingdom became angry that the humans had done this to them. They wanted to destroy all "2 leggeds". An owl spoke up and said without 2 leggeds we would not have the bear, and without the bear we would not have wisdom. So they decided on a great race between all species. The buffalo took the lead with all of his strength, but a magpie gets tired and perches on his back till just before the finish line and wins. The magpie saved wisdom, and the humans were grateful. It was a reminder of their responsibility to the earth, and the animal kingdom. See that full legend here. It is a beautiful story. Instantly I knew the project needed the bear, and the magpie!

In Lakota language "Halhata" means Magpie, "Tatanka Oyate" means Buffalo Nation, "Mato" means Bear, and "Hinhan" means Owl.

An ideas for a future print is the "grand race" with all of the characters on one design.

 Once all of the shirts were completed. I used the same owl design to print on tea towels. I wrote "Owl always love you!" to make them more of a personal gift for my aunt, and grandma. : )