HONORING AUTUMN MANDALA - AEDM 18

Honoring Autumn Mandala (Autumn Circle Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: pear tree branches

God is the experience of looking at a tree & saying, "Ah!" ~Joseph Campbell

I took this photo of an elder pear tree covered in lichen a couple of weeks ago during that yummy golden hour when the world is filled in magical light.

I love the way the textures and light was captured in this mandala. I've never created a mandala with nine points before either. How perfect for Art Every Day Month.

Susanne Fincher writes about the significance of the number nine in one of my favorite books, Creating Mandalas:

Symbolism associated with the number nine expresses mysterious realities of human existence. We are creatures of different levels. We are physical beings who think and have souls. Nine in our mandalas may suggest the fact that we live a more complete existence when we integrate all three: the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.The number nine symbolized truth in mystic Hebrew tradition. Perhaps it appears in our mandalas to remind us of our own true nature. (p. 107)

Last night when this mandala was finished, I sat for a long time and soaked in the mandala's energy. It was just what I needed after a frustrating day. I hope you enjoy the glow of autumn light that's celebrated here. Do you feel the uplifting exciting energy of nine? I'd love to know what you see and feel in this mandala.

Thank you, Venerable Pear Tree, for sharing your gifts with us.

(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Honoring Autumn Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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HEART PATH MANDALA - AEDM 17

Heart Path Mandala (Circles of Awareness Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: red valerian in autumn

In every heart there is the power to do it ~ Marianne Williamson

Today I want to say hi to my new Google followers and thank those of you visiting my site from Art Every Day Month. My mandala art is created from my own photographs of nature (usually flowers, but recently I have begun working with feathers and stones/crystals). I take my images into Photoshop where I "mandalize" them, intuitively isolating a sliver of the photograph which I duplicate and flip into a mirror image, repeating this process until I have a complete circle.
Then I wait and listen and feel into the mandala, asking what it wants to share. My intent is to take my ego out of the process as much as possible and ask my spiritual guidance to assist me in art making.

I'm pretty sure this is a photograph of red valerian in its autumn coat.

I love the hot pink/salmon/peachy/coral colors that emerged in this mandala. These colors are a blending of pink, orange, yellow, and red - 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st chakra colors. When we are rooted/secure (1st), fully feeling our feelings (2nd), are in touch with our will and God's will (3rd), the heart opens wide to give and receive love (4th). These are the paths of the heart.


Brightest blessings to you on your path!

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

GATE OF COURAGE MANDALA - AEDM 16

Gate of Courage Mandala (Earth Mystery Mandalas) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image:local stone

I was attracted to the patterning on this stone and wondered what stories it might reveal. I don't remember where I found this stone, and after I created the mandala I wondered if I had been disrespectful in some way by not asking for permission to use its image. I had recently taken classes in shamanic journeying with
the intention of using these skills to enhance my art and my
creative process, and along the way I also developed a new level
of consciousness and awareness of my subject material I use in my mandalas. As a sentient being, perhaps this stone would actually prefer not to be studied.


In a journey, I connected with the stone’s spirit. The stone told me a story of being an ancient one and having come from far away. It told me to use the name Gate of Courage for the mandala. I asked this stone if it wanted to be returned outside, and it asked to be placed in my garden. And that is all I know.

Perhaps by spending time with the mandala, you will come to hear the story that is being
offered.

I am thankful for Stone’s gift to humanity.

Brightest blessings on your path!










~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas
(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Gate of Courage Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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11:11 MANDALA - AEDM 12

11:11 Mandala (Power Shield series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: red shouldered hawk feather

Creating this mandala yesterday was a story of synchronicity. My guidance tells me that the feather I used was from a red shouldered hawk. These birds are prevalent on the coast of California, and I often see them sitting on wires and highway signs, waiting to spot prey.

My guidance suggested using 11 points for the mandala; when I began creating the image, I noticed that it was 11:11 am, pst: 11 points at 11:11 on 11/11.

Numerologically, 11 is a master number. It represents illumination, a channel to the subconscious, insight, sensitivity, nervous energy and shyness. It is the psychic's number. (from www.tokenrock.com). Hawk medicine offers us protection, vision and messages from Spirit.

Much has been written about the phenomenon of 11:11. If you are interested in reading further, Solaris has dedicated much time and energy into this subject. This mandala is a gift for humanity, channeled through me, for the 11:11 energies.

Lighter we become.



Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

(red shouldered hawk image courtesy of google images/greglasley.net)










(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

11:11 Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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ORANGE FANDANGO MANDALA - AEDM 9

ORANGE FANDANGO MANDALA - © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: chicken feather

We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels 'cross the floor...(from A Whiter Shade of Pale)

It started with a chicken feather and my Wacom tablet. A little doodling, playing with orange, rust and gold with a splash of lavendar for an electric effect. I just wanted to have fun playing with color color color.

A fandango is lively Spanish dance. It can also mean a big fuss or brilliant exploit. I hear castanets and see swirly skirts. Ole!











Day 9 fun for Art Every Day Month.

ZEN DREAM MANDALA - AEDM 6

Zen Dream Mandala (Exploring the Mystery) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: fall grass

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream ~ Edgar Allan Poe

I love the dream world and associate it with November, when the nights get colder and the veil between ordinary and non-ordinary reality is thin.
This is Samhain, el Dia de los Muertos, Halloween, Celtic New Year time. Spirits, our ancestors and loved ones come and visit. It's a moving powerful time of year.

I love these simple field grasses that show up in autumn; I wish I knew their names. Spirit directed me to use the 3 configuration, which is probably my least favorite , but I love the resulting simple yet powerful painterly quality.

As I was finishing this mandala, I felt my mother's presence behind me, telling me how much she liked it. Red, black and white was her favorite color combination. She left this world ten years ago, and it's been a while since I have noticed her energy around me. It felt good.


I quietly slipped into the Art Every Day Month challenge this year and missed the first few days.
This year I am focusing on things I want to play with and to practice being easy on myself. Sometimes that is the biggest challenge of all!

~Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas
(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Zen Dream Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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INFINITE LIFE MANDALA - AEDM 5

Infinite Life Mandala (Circles of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: Himalaya berries

And the seasons, they go round and round ~ Joni Mitchell

Himalaya berries grow in disarray along the North Coast of California, and their branches make a better barrier than barbed wire. I love sampling these plump, juicy, seedy gifts from heaven throughout the summer, testing them for ripeness, marveling at their succulence when they are just right and warm from the sun at high noon. It's not hard to imagine our ancestors conceiving of pie during those moments.

I took the photograph in early autumn, before the rains washed away berry sweetness. I love the beauty of the different stages of their ripeness against the backdrop of lush green leaves.

This mandala has eight rays, a number that symbolizes harmony, balance, and infinity. This configuration is also known as The Great Wheel, and it speaks of life's transitions.

The center of a mandala represents the self, and the center here is juicy ripe, dark and inviting. Be that center.

Thank you, Himalaya berries, for showing us your gift.


Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas


(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Infinite Life Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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Circled in Warmth Mandala

Circled in Warmth Mandala (Power Shield Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: pheasant feather

Let us learn the secret language of light again. Also the letters of the dark. Learn the flight patterns of birds, the syllables of wolf howl and bird song, the moving pantomime of branch and leaf, valleys and peaks of whale calls, the long sentences of ants moving in unison, the combinations and recombinations of clouds, the codices of stars. Let us, thus, reconstitute the world, sign by sign and melody by melody ~Deena Metzger

I love living on the North Coast of California, but there are a few things I miss seeing that were part of my childhood growing up in Minnesota. Pheasants are one of them. I was blessed to grow up in a somewhat undeveloped area of Minneapolis with plenty of wildlife, and so my love of nature developed early in life. With their beautiful iridescent rust and teal green colors, I associate pheasants with the earthy autumn palette. Did you know that pheasants and peacocks are related? (pheasant image courtesy of Google).

Creating mandalas from feathers is always a learning experience for me, not only in the creation but also in the learning about different spiritual qualities and lessons that birds are here to offer us. Pheasants are associated with family matters and sexuality, and they show how to set a romantic mood through the warmth of their colors (Ted Andrews Animal Speak).

Pheasant aids in bringing healing to family matters with a renewed sense of closeness. Perceptions of old wounds have a chance to be reconciled as pheasant will show the way to verbalize forgiveness and compassion. Pheasant also teaches the art of concealment and the power of perseverance and confidence. (from Star Stuffs)

The seven pointed star configuration of this power shield mandala speaks of the mystical and introspective qualities of the Self. Seven is also associated with the seven directions (N,S,E,W, Above, Below and Center) called out in the creation of sacred space in Native American tradition.

Thank you, Pheasant, for all you have to teach us and for showing us how much there is to learn.

Bright blessings on your path!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Circled in Warmth Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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SACRED CIRCLE MANDALAS 2010 CALENDAR

"A human being is essentially a spirit-eye. Whatever you really see, you are that." ~Rumi

The 2010 Sacred Circle Mandala Calendar is now available for purchase. This year I chose quotes from Rumi to accompany each mandala image. Choosing just the right quote to go with each mandala was a true act of love, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
I have been a Rumi fan for about 10 years. It is fascinating that a 13th century Persian mystic poet is finding such popularity in the 21st century. I like what Shamran Shiva, one of Rumi's translators, has to say about this phenomenon:
Rumi is able to verbalize the highly personal and often confusing world of personal/spiritual growth and mysticism in a very forward and direct fashion. He does not offend anyone, and he includes everyone. The world of Rumi is neither exclusively the world of a Sufi, nor the world of a Hindu, nor a Jew, nor a Christian; it is the highest state of a human being--a fully evolved human. A complete human is not bound by cultural limitations; he touches every one of us. Today Rumi's poems can be heard in churches, synagogues, Zen monasteries, as well as in the downtown New York art/performance/music scene.
Rumi's quotes perfectly enhance these sacred circles, which are themselves a symbol of completion. This calendar would make a thoughtful and loving gift for anyone on your holiday list.

This year you have two ways to order your calendar:

ORDER DIRECTLY FROM ME:

I am offering you this option because I can save you a little bit in shipping costs, and these days, every little bit sure helps! In order to make sure your calendars are delivered in time for the holidays, I will need to have payment via PayPal, check or money order by November 30th. Email me and I will send you an invoice for your order.

Here's the details:

U.S. Customers

Each calendar is $24.95 plus $4.95 shipping Priority Mail.

More than 3 calendars ship $10.35 Priority Mail.

5 calendars or more are eligible for a quantity discount. Email me for details.

California residents will be charged 8.25% sales tax.

(I like to use Flat Rate Priority Mail, especially during the Holidays, because delivery is guaranteed within 2-3 days.)

Canadian/Mexican Customers

Each calendar is $24.95 USD plus $10.95 shipping Priority Mail.

More than 3 calendars ship $25.95 Priority Mail. All other details listed above apply to you as well.

Email me with the number of calendars you wish to purchase, payment method (Paypal, check or money order) and your shipping address, and I will send you an invoice.

Gifting someone? Want me to mail directly to your giftee? Not a problem. Just send that information in your email.

ORDER FROM THE PUBLISHER

I would recommend those of you who live outside of North America to order directly from the publisher, Lulu.com, a print on demand company. I want you to receive your calendar on time, and I cannot guarantee that if you order from me. Those of you who would rather receive your calendar before mid-December might want to order directly from Lulu. com as well.

Here is the link for ordering your calendar directly from Lulu.com.

Their ordering procedure is pretty self explanatory, and I'm sure you won't have any trouble ordering from the site.

Brightest blessings to you always on your path!

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

BRIGHT SPIRIT MANDALA

Bright Spirit Mandala (Circle of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: thistle gone to seed

To the illumined mind, the whole world burns and sparkles with light ~ Emerson

I love creating mandalas from photographs of things that have gone to seed. More than any other subject that I capture, plants at the seeming end of their growth cycle seem to show off the light within them. Of course, that growth cycle never really ends, as their seeds are scattered for the coming year. There is always that growth potential.

Bright Spirit Mandala shows that sizzling brilliance that is always inside of us and inside of our worlds, because really there is no separation. Thank you, thistle, for helping us see.

Brightest blessings to you on your path!

Sue O'Kieffe

Sacred Circle Mandalas

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AMANDLA! SHIELD MANDALA

Amandla! Shield (Circle of Awareness Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image - unidentified autumn leaf

My computer had an attack of old age this past week that resulted in replacing her motherboard. By all accounts, this should keep her in good stead for a couple of years while I manifest the funds for a brighter lighter zippier system. My tech guys say Windows 7 looks pretty good. I thought it ironic the new O/S came out the same day I got the news about the needed repairs on my baby.

The first thing I had to do once plugged in was to create a new mandala.

A friend of mine told me that the word amandla was the Zulu word for power. Amandla! Awethu! means power to the people, and the phrase was the inspirational call to arms against apartheid in South Africa.

The vision suggested in this version is we are all powerfully connected to each other as elements of Hindu and Muslim cultures are blurred in with the central mandalic statement. I included Mehndi (henna tattoo) patterns and Arabic calligraphy in the field surrounding the mandala and blended them as a statement of oneness: Our cultural influences support the greater good. We Are All Powerful. The 13 rays suggest our own individual uniqueness within the great circle of life, as 13 is a number unique unto itself.

Finding our power and not giving it away to anyone or anything, I believe, is the ongoing quest of a lifetime.

Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Amandla!Shield

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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THE POWER OF LOVE MANDALA

Power of Love Shield (Power Shield Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: cedar tree bark

When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.
~ Arapaho Proverb

When I was reviewing this photograph of the bark of a mighty cedar tree, I clearly saw two faces snuggled up against each other, and I thought, this tree is all about giving and receiving Love.

Cedar trees are steeped in mythology from different traditions.
The cedar is referenced many times in the bible as a symbol of prosperity because of its long life. Cedar trees are also revered in Cherokee tradition; for a time the Cherokee tribe prayed for continuous days of sunshine, which was granted to them. When the people realized they had made a mistake, when their tribe began to die away from days of continuous heat, they once again asked to have night returned. This was also granted, but Spirit left them with the cedar tree as a reminder of those that had passed away. Cherokees believe powerful spirits of those who had left them lived in the trees. (from Cedar Tree Myths).

There is also a smudging ceremony, which I am most familiar with:

Cedar is burned while praying either aloud or silently. The prayers rise on the cedar smoke and are carried to the Creator. Cedar is also spread along with sage on the floor of the sweat lodges of some tribes. Cedar branches are brushed in the air to cleanse a home during the House Blessing Ceremony of many Northwest Indian nations. In the Pacific Northwest, the people burn cedar for purification in much the same way as sage - it drives out negative energy; but it also brings in good influences. The spirit of cedar is considered very ancient and wise by Pacific Northwest tribes, and old, downed cedar trees are honored with offerings and prayers. (from www.asunam.com)

I'm sure you know other stories about the cedar tree and I'd love to hear them, too.

I was guided to create the Power of Love Mandala in this configuration. It reminds me of a rose like you might see carved on a cedar chest . I also see the Four Directions. But mostly what I see and feel is the strength of never ending love.


Sue O'Kieffe
Sacred Circle Mandalas

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CALENDARS,ETSY & NEWSLETTERS, TOO!

My 2010 Sacred Circle Mandalas calendar is now available for purchase! This year, all of the images are accompanied by quotes from Rumi. Choosing just the right quotes to go with each mandala was an act of love for me, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Want to see a calendar preview?

The calendar is $24.95 plus shipping. This year I am offering North American residents the opportunity to order directly from me. I am accepting payment via Paypal, check or money order. To insure you receive your calendar in time for holiday gift giving, I will need to receive your payment by November 30th. Email me here for more further. Ordering directly from me will give you a bit of a price break on shipping and I will receive a bit more revenue for my calendars, so it's a win for us both. We're all in this together, right?

If you want to receive your calendar sooner or live outside of North America, then by all means order directly from the publisher. Here is the link to Lulu.com. (For those of you who encountered problems with their shopping cart last year, the issues have been resolved. Hurrah!)

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This week I'm celebrating the Grand Opening of my Etsy shop, Sacred Circle Mandalas, with a 20% off sale everything in the store through October 18th. Opening this store is just the beginning of a three year old dream, and I have to say it has been worth every minute I have spent on it. Please come by and take a look at my offerings. (If I could I would even offer tea and cookies.) Suggestions? Comments? Questions? I'd love to hear them.
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If you are not on my mailing list and want to be updated on the latest, including offers that wont be posted on my blog, I know have a sign up widget on the top of my blog. Be assured, I respect your privacy and won't sell my list to anyone.
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AUTUMN SPLENDOR MANDALA

Autumn Splendor - (Fall Circles Series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: walnut leaves

Looking up gives light, although at first it makes you dizzy ~ Rumi

I know a walnut tree whose branches cover what I bet is close to a city block. The tree, I'm sure, is over 100 years old, and whenever I see it I feel uplifted. I'm sure this tree has great stories to tell, of swings and people reading under her and lovers' trysts. When I looked up to take the photo I used for this mandala, I did get dizzy from the light shining through her leaves. She is truly magical, and I wanted to create a mandala that would showcase her splendor.

I have lived on the North Coast of California for almost 25 years, but there has been something about this fall that has been truly special. I am seeing the world around me with new awareness, and I am full of gratitude. Every day is a new beginning.

So I am sending out special thanks to you, my readers, who have followed me for the last 293 posts, who have purchased my art prints, my greeting cards, my calendars. I am here to testify that following your dreams is worth the effort. Creating art is the most God-like thing I know of.

Can I hear a hallelujah?

(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Peace Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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OCTOBER FIRE MANDALA

October Fire Mandala (Fall Circle series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: unidentified leaf

Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity~ Hal Borland

I love perfect autumn days when the sun is out, the wind is not, and the light is a golden glow. I went out for a photo shoot yesterday. My intuition was urging me out the door, and I'm so glad I listened. Unfortunately I don't have any idea what kind of bush it is that caught my eye when I was walking about town. Purple on the top side and totally autumnal underneath with the sun shining through, it was striking and begged to be noticed. I love the slant of shadows on the leaf the hidden-ness, and having to search for the prize; these are common themes of mine.

Everything about creating this mandala just seemed to flow into rightness. I was going to make it six-rayed, but it quickly morphed into twelve. Twelve is symbolic of cosmic order, as well as being related to Jung's idea of individuation, according to Susanne Fincher. Twelve is seen in the twelve months, twelve planets, twelve disciples and can be seen as the end of a cycle and completion of a period of time. It seems like this mandala could be a great image for someone who is celebrating the completion of an important task or maybe needs some spiritual support in getting there. This mandala seems to shout out I am so powerful; don't nobody mess with me now. And, it is for sale on my Etsy shop too!

I am putting on the finishing touches for my shop and will be annoucing the grand opening, complete with a grand opening sale, within the next few days. In the meantime, for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, get out there and enjoy those crisp October fire days!

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MARISPOSA MYSTERY STAR

Mariposa Mystery Star (Exploring the Mystery) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: mariposa tulip

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes ~Unknown

I never knew the Mariposa tulip grew anywhere on the North Coast until this spring when I spotted this low growing sweetie hidden in the grasses along the bluff line of my walking path. Mariposa means butterfly in Spanish, and I love the way this delicate wildflower transformed itself into a six-pointed shining star. Six is a number of creativity and the star is a symbol of the Self. And if you look closely, included in the circle surrounding the star, are 6 bi-colored purple butterflies!

I am just about done setting up my store in Etsy, and will be announcing the Grand Opening very soon. Oooh, it's all so exciting.

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ANCIENT WISDOM MANDALA

Ancient Wisdom Mandala (Circles of Awareness series) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image:Henderson's Angelica

Angelica is an herb in the carrot family related to Queen Anne's Lace and Poisonous Hemlock. For all the time I have spent exploring the nature on the North Coast of California, I don't believe I had ever seen this plant before. Henderson's Angelica is not used in herbal remedies, but I like the herbal lore surrounding the angelica plant. In pre-Christian days in Northern Europe, angelica was revered as a plant to thwart off infectious diseases. After the advent of Christianity, the story was that an angel revealed in a dream that it was a remedy for the plague.

I named this mandala for the ancient wisdom contained within the angelica plant. Angelica as an herbal remedy is still used for the treatment of coughs and colds. I love the calming sage green and burgundy colors. Who wouldn't be healed meditating on these colors?




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FLORAL HEAVEN

Floral Heaven (Circles of Beauty and Light) © Sue O'Kieffe 2009
source image: hydrangea buds

O let us live in joy, although having nothing! In joy, let us live like spirits of light! ~Buddha

Hydrangeas are one of those flowers that keep on giving and giving. They begin blooming here in the early spring; and now, on the first of October, they are still producing buds. Offhand, I would say this is the third mandala I have created from hydrangea blossoms, and this one is a beauty.
What a pleasure it is to visit friends' gardens and fill my eyes with the wonders they see every day where they live.

I love the elegance of this image, the nurturing blues and greens set off by the high spirited purples and pinks.

Seven is a sacred number of the ancients. Pagans honored the number seven because it is comprised of the numbers three and four. In goddess tradition three is feminine and four is masculine, so seven represented the union of masculine and feminine, a sacred wholeness.

Wouldn't this mandala make a lovely wedding gift?
(Mandala prices include shipping and handling)

Peace Mandala

8.5"x11" $35.00 13"x19" $55.00

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