Monday, December 5, 2011

Here a Mary, There a Mary, Everywhere a Mary Mary Day 5

A Virgin a Day  
December 5, 2011


We are celebrating the first 12 days of December by posting photos and stories of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, each day. We started on December 1st and will end on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, on December 12th. For more photos and stories, visit Rebecca's recuerda mi corazon blog.
While I was looking for fabric and came across the site I posted about for day 2 of A Virgin a Day, I also came across many other goods that used the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I certainly have seen my share of items while walking through the shops in the Southwest. In Santa Fe alone every gallery and gift shop has something in the Our Lady motif.
We were returning from New Mexico at the end of September earlier this year and spent the night in Taos. I had been there earlier that month and browsed a gallery and wanted Mrs. Spadoman to see the fabulous Los Dias de Los Muertos artwork in this one place in particular. While browsing, we discovered an artist and bought some of her prints of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which I will share in another post soon.
On another trip, six months earlier, we were strolling through the shops and galleries of Prescott, AZ. In each of these places, there was no shortage of Our Lady of Guadalupe folk art, or kitsch art, as I might call it. But I love this stuff. Hammered tin, paintings, prints, both serious and whimsical and everything in between. A lot of statues, kitchen magnets, pot holders, flags, banners, aprons, even  one depicted on an Air Freshener for the car!

Our Lady of Guadalupe Air Fresheners. I'm wondering about what scent was chosen for these. I might purchase some just to appease my curiosity



Once, I saw a picture of a gear shift knob for the car. Since we drive a manual transmission, I thought that would be the ultimate, to get a genuine Our Lady of Guadalupe gear shift knob. Just as I searched the internet to find that fabric to cover the chairs, I scoured the World Wide Web for a gear shift knob.
Our Lady of Guadalupe gear shift knobs

I found a site that sells them, but they have been out of stock. I found one on Ebay, but because of how scarce they must be, the price was way over the top. I’m still looking. What I did discover was the endless lengths to which people have gone to idolize Our Lady as This Article will attest.
My searching has brought me to more and more of this iconic figure. I quickly was overwhelmed with the choices. The door hanging with her image, like those beaded doorway coverings from the 1960’s, was something we wanted to use in a doorway of our New Mexico place. We thought it would go well with our new chair seat coverings. I found a site to order one of these but found them not to be cheap to purchase.
Our Lady of Guadalupe hanging door curtain

Shops such as Catholic to the Max and The Mary Shop are unique to non Catholics and people that never would think of “buying” Mary, but they exist for those that honor and cherish and want Our Lady to touch every part of their lives.

This Icon of the world is out there in full force. Even the last second desperation forward pass in the National Football League is called the Hail Mary pass, and its meaning is known throughout sports. Announcers use this term with the understanding that everyone watching the game or reading the sports news article knows what they are referring to.
Want more Mary in your life? You can check out the links I have strewn throughout this post and find a plethora of goods with her image, or maybe try a simple prayer. Either way, when you find yourself in times of trouble, Mother Mary will come to you and she’ll speak words of wisdom. Let that be as it may be. (Thanks John and Paul).
Peace

15 comments:

foxysue said...

Air freshener goodness, whatever next, its amazing what you can find on www or not whatever the case may be!

Sue x

Georgina said...

Amazing!! What's next, 'Lupita condoms!!?? I suppose I'm a traditionalist when it comes to Our Lady, however, I still don't mind a bit of a twist to something new!! LOL

I make 'Lupita retablos, little shrines and small boxes. Anyway, loving your posts!

Gayle said...

I hope you find a gearshift knob!!
Now you have we wanting one of those bead curtains!!

Unknown said...

Your last paragraph gave me chills it was really beautiful!! My son bought me those very same air fresheners not long ago - they don't smell bad at all but they don't smell for long - but I still like having Mary hanging in my truck!!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

I am not a religious person so I am a "virgin" to this art work (sorry it is late in the day and I just couldn't help myself Joe , wink wink) .. what really blew me away is the gear shift knob!
Now I have seen more than I intended to ? LOL
Joy

Priti Lisa said...

I hope those air fresheners are incense scented...to smell like a church. I might have to check out those 'kitchy' sites♥

Noelle Clearwater said...

I was laughing through this entire post. I think that might have been the idea, actually. The song came to mind, "I don't care if it rains or freezes as long as I have my plastic Jesus." I realize that people want symbols of Mary everywhere in their lives, but when you start making her a commodity, good grief ~ air freshener! Oh well, made me chuckle. I liked the curtain a lot. Nothing like a little Kitsch with your sacred candles eh Spadoman. Great post! Loved it.
Peace, Love and Hugs,
Noelle

rebecca said...

i love the idea of a "three pack" of mary!

great and fun post! i especially love
the comment you left on my blog today. about seeing dancing in your future and being alive so you can come to san miguel. next trip you ask?? holy week for endless marys!

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

I'm intrigued by that air freshener too! Maybe it comes in a variety of scents. Hope so! Strawberry would be nice, and so would dark chocolate!

Affectionate Madonna

gma said...

Wow This is another really awesome post. I wondered what 12 virgins I would post, surprizing how many are out there when you start looking. Gear shift knobs make me smile.

Mel said...

A gear shift knob.

Seriously.

And air freshners......

Okay--I get the wall hangings and the curtains and statues and paintings--but air freshners?

k......*laughing*

Would I 'get' a penguin air freshner and a penguin gear shift knob AND a penguin wall hanging ad infinitum? Yup.
Dang--no 'hail penguin' pass in desperate football moments though!!

What's up with that?! LOL

My Vegan Life said...

GREAT post~ but I suspect all your posts a darned good!:-) I would so get a Guadalupe curtain! AND the air freshners as well, which don't seem so odd to me, but then again I AM Mexican American! :-) Have a great evening!

Miss Robyn said...

John & Paul had it right.. I love this post !! I would love to have easy access to all this kitschness.. what fun!

[yes, I guess I should put hippy into my profile information :) ]

Fran aka Redondowriter said...

A very rich, fact laden post, Spadoman. I had no idea there were so many OLG accessories.

Barb Spado said...

I guess Our Lady should have gotten a copyright on her image. She could have set up a foundation to feed the starving children or something.