SHECOLOGICAL : I have an idea!

9-5

2011-08-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

Uggghhhh. working every day all day at a clock punching job last week and next. will try to muster the mental energy to write something clever, or just something in the next few days.

Friday Television Review

2011-08-19T04:37:00.000-07:00

It's been an interesting week. I was feeling really stuck and empty. Then I started to feel creative ideas forming in my head. Then I started to feel more at peace, more in the moment and accepting. Then I started doing little things with a sense of purpose and happiness. Then I got two emails from friends of friends asking if I would like to meet for coffee. Then I got a job.

Yep. One of the places that I had left a resume at called and asked if I would come down and talk with them, and I got the job. I will be at a "job" 3 days a week. I think the structure will be good for me. [more on all that later]

I wanted to say that I also saw 2 documentaries on TV this week that really inspired me. One was on the Australian public tv - ABC. It was about the craft revolution. I was glad to see that this topic had made it to television. It is called Making It Handmade. The other one is from the fashion channel here. It is called Vivienne Westwood's London. What an unexpected treat! It was sweet to get to see some of the interesting and artsy sided of one of my favorite cities. But the real treat was hearing this fashion queen talk about art, culture, civilization, history, and humanity. I was so drawn in, it made me want to always remember to think like an artist, live like an artist, and stay engaged in the big issues of our generation.

Textile Tuesdays : #30 Something I found at the Art Gallery of NSW

2011-08-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

I had a friend visiting from The States, so I took him to my favorite art gallery here in Sydney - The Art Gallery of New South Wales. One whole wing of 20th century art was closed off for an exhibit change, so we spent more time than usual in the Asian art section. We found a stairway that led to an upstairs wing I had never seen. It was full of beautiful sculptures of Buddhas and I found these gorgeous Indonesian batik clothes. They were not that old - only from the early 1900s, but they were dyed with natural dyes and the patterns and colors were exquisite.

Sunday - Funday! Music in Sydney

2011-08-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

One of the big advantages of living in an urban area is the richness of the music scene. It's been a while since I saw The Clash, The Talking Heads, Wilco, or so many other great bands. But I still appreciate a great show, and I still know how to rock and roll (even if I do wear earplugs now).

I was jealous that my husband and younger daughter got to go see Belle and Sebastian before I got here. They were at the Opera House and, unsurprisingly, gave a great show. So far, the list of shows seen by my family are: B&S, Sufjan Stevens, Darwin Deez, Elbow, The Vaccines, and the one that I saw - Glasvegas. It was in a pretty small club, packed with a nice enough, fun loving crowd of hipsters, rockers, and gray haired music lovers all mixed together. I was relieved that I was not the only one over 20 something. The singer was charming, the musicians were passionate and skilled, and the audience sing-along was actually top-notch. I will definitely be keeping my eyes on the listing around town. Maybe my body and my wallet can handle one show every couple of months.

An American in Sydney

2011-08-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! I was surprised to see that it has been almost a year since I have posted on this blog. A lot has happened, changes have occurred, and my mind feels like it is all gooey with regard to writing.

I am living in Sydney, Australia now and have been for about two months. I decided that I would start keeping track of what is going on around me (and in my head) by posting again, as regularly as I can, on my blog.

I don't quite know where to start. I don't have any specific projects brewing just yet. I think that reflecting on my life and writing down my inspirations will help my ideas evolve.

Cheers, and stay tuned.

I have an idea! I am going to be more competitive with Life!

2010-09-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling lately with challenges and difficulties in my life. I have been trying to be calm, clear-headed and strong enough to do my "best" to "get through" to calmer, happier times.

But yesterday, I don't know why, I had a lightbulb moment. I thought "no, that is not good enough, and it is not the way to succeed". I realized that I have to say "I am strong. I am smart. I will succeed. I will be fine. I am not going to let bumps in the road bring me down. (This last statement is funny because I hate actual bumps in any road).

For some reason, I have a character trait that worries and I let these worries become dread. For some reason, I think that I have to imagine the worst case scenario so that I can be prepared for it. But, really, this way of thinking makes my good times less good because I am hanging onto fear around the edges. And, it makes the bad times worse because I have been expecting them and I give them power by considering them inevitable.

Instead, I can choose to change my mindset. I know that I am a tough, basically successful, somewhat adventurous type of person. When it comes to other peoples' lives, I am a good organizer and problem solver. I know that I have a good life and that I will continue to have a good life. I can choose to wake up each day and say "I am going to engage fully in this day. I am going to have piles of positive experiences. I am going to take on Life and win."

The good thing is that when I win, Life wins too. I have never liked competition. Maybe because I was afraid of failure. But having a fighting spirit, a scrappy preparedness, a lust for challenge - this could really work.

This past summer, after going for a morning swim in The Serpentine in London with a group of women, one of these amazing women was talking about all the traveling and swimming and sporting challenges she wanted to do and she said "there is just so much to look forward to." I keep thinking about that statement and I think it is a good mantra. It is not so much about looking forward to the future, but about approaching the present with a sense of game - ready to play.

(artwork at the top: Nonfictiontees, Marysgranddaughter and Lucysnowephotography.

Textile Tuesdays : #29 - Buttons!

2010-08-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

This humble item goes unnoticed and taken for granted by some designers and consumers. But there was a moment in history (around the middle of the 13th century) when someone thought "I have an idea!" and they designed the button as we know it. Actually, buttons have been around since the Bronze age, but they were strictly decorative. The big idea was actually, the buttonhole! Before that, people used ties, toggles, and pins to fix and fasten clothing. They became mass produced during the industrial revolution and the rest is history...

Buttons can be made of many wonderful, or not so wonderful, materials - everything from diamonds to plastic, fabric to coconut shells. They can blend with the garment or stand out. Whatever the desired look, the quality of the garment and the skill of the designer can be revealed in the buttons chosen.

Anyone interested in buttons can find whole books written on the subject (on Amazon).

The photos at the top are all from etsy sellers.

Pine buttons from Woods of Narnia

Glass buttons from Treasure Booth

Clay buttons from Ruth Robinson Ceramics

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #11 Maintenance

2010-08-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a fabulous adventure traveling around Europe and the UK during the month of July. But now it is time to get back to the work of our normal, day-to-day lives in our small mountain town. After a couple of weeks of sluggish, jet-lagged readjustment, things are getting back on track. Even now though, there are two tracks - everyday life, and getting ready for our move to Sydney.

The girls are back at school, David is back in his office, and I am almost back at designing and sewing. We all had to readjust our brains from constant external stimulation to quiet, independent, self-directed, motivation. There is just not that much happening in a small town.

It is a beautiful time of year - thunder storms, wild sunflowers, near perfect temperatures, skunks and humming birds all around - but the suburban sprawl and car culture cuts into that beauty. I did take my daughters up the mountain to a beautiful vista and hike in the aspen trees and we were soothed by the knowledge that we live in this peaceful, beautiful place. We went to the local groovy, hipster cafe and reminded ourselves that not all Arizonans are fear driven, racist, gluttons (I saw a bumper sticker the other day on a big huge pickup that said "Earth First - we'll mine and clearcut the rest of the universe when we get done here".)

I love my friends and the good people I have met and I will miss them when I have moved away. But I am ready to start a new phase of my life. At lease I am emotionally ready. Logistically, I am not nearly ready.

I have been working on de-cluttering and organizing my stuff since last year! and I am still not done!! I am getting closer though. The goal is to have whatever we are not taking with us to Australia or whatever we won't need to live on for the next 6 months, gone by the first of September. We also have to have all repairs and maintenance done by then. There seems to be a short list of tasks, but it is always more work than anticipated. The paint touch ups, the weeding, the detailed cleaning, etc. all take more time and are more exhausting than I expect. Digging through and getting rid of things that have been saved for sentimental reasons is also emotionally exhausting.

Along with the household maintenance, we are taking care of health maintenance. We are making final dental, dermatological, and general health appointments. I had my annual gyno appointment last week and I had a mammogram and blood work today. I am always a little scared by these things but I have to do them and hope for the best.

The reward is cleanliness, order, beauty, new beginnings, strength (in building and body) and hopefully good health! I know it is worth it but it is still really hard.

Sunday - Funday! Hedgehogs!

2010-08-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I look these days I see Hedgehogs!! Not actually live ones running through the streets and gardens (unfortunately, they are not native to Arizona). But their image is very popular. And why not? Who wouldn't love these adorable, friendly creatures. They are also good for getting rid of snails and slugs in your garden.

this paper toy is from Paper Craft.

Skirts on Friday - Skirts Abroad!

2010-08-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

I don't know where to begin. I have so much to say and so many adventures to report. As it is Friday, I will fall back on my skirts. (One of the things I have learned from this 4skirts project is that it may be boring to wear the same things every day, but it is a bonus when I don't have the energy, desire, or time to put into creative dressing).

I packed a light suitcase and dug through it repeatedly over the course of the month away. The weather ranged from dripping hot to blustery, misty, chill. The scenes went from concrete, urban, chic to country lakes and gardens. With the exception of some shoe problems (of course), I think that, overall, I looked acceptable. My skirts served me well.

I realized on the way home that my year of skirts was about to come to a close - I had almost achieved my goal, I had almost gone a whole year wearing the same 4 skirts (with a few exceptions). I was excited to chuck (maybe burn) the whole pile of skirts and most of my other clothes along with them. I looked at my blog and realized that I still have 16 days left - aaaahhhhhggg!!! Well, I washed everything and got some new tops out of my closet so I don't have to feel so road weary.

I guess I have a few more weeks to figure out who the new me is. Right now, after a month of viewing fashion all over Europe, I have NO idea. More on this later.

(The photos are, from top to bottom: the gothic cathedral in Barcelona, Guell Park in Barcelona; Edinburgh; Lormes France; Bath, England; London, England)

Sunday on the Road in Spain and the UK!! Checking In!

2010-07-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone and anyone! I have been rambling, wandering, schlepping for what seems like weeks and weeks! Heat, cold, rain, sun, beaches and concrete, scones and fried calamari. Internet access is not consistent and when we have it I have to share with three other people. So I thought I would suggest that this time be a chance for whoever is looking in on the blog to post their own comments, stories, jokes, etc.

Just to get you thinking: I am sick of my skirts and am vaguely reevaluating my whole look if not my whole persona. Maybe I will delve into yoga and meditation when I get back?

Tomorrow we are off to London. Here are a few snaps of our trip so far.

Skirts on Friday Bon Voyage!!

2010-07-02T12:47:00.001-07:00

I just packed my suitcase for my month in Europe. I will be bopping around a lot and need to travel lightly but also be ready for various situations: hot or cool weather, city, small town, beach. I am bringing three pair of shoes, three sweaters, about twenty tops, and 4 skirts!

It is the last month of my one year "4 skirts" project. I am tired of the same skirts and ready to move on to some of the exciting styles I expect to see in Europe. The skirts are getting really worn out and I hope they will hold up for all of my travels. I don't want to look shabby but even if I do, I know I will look better than if I had on shorts or jeans.

It was easy to fit it all in my little carry-on bag and I had room for leggings, scarves and jewelry to dress things up. I will surely have loads of pictures of the final phase (the last hoorah) of my project. Hopefully they will show the charm of the skirts!

I will be away from my computer and I'm not sure how much internet access I will have, so if my postings are sparse, I apologize in advance!

Have a great July and try to enjoy some skirts of your own!

Here are some photos of two of my previous trips just to show you how long I have had these same skirts!

Textile Tuesdays : #28 - Textile Circus

2010-06-29T22:38:00.000-07:00

In a random and playful mood, I decided to do a stream of consciousness post. I did a search on Etsy of the word "textile" and then the first thing that came into my mind which was "circus". There were thousands of items with the tag of textile but only 24 with both words. I did a little searching of the stores that came up to find what I like and here is I what came up with:

Kawaii elephant fabric from Emicraft, a mod-looking embroidered cuff by Waterrose, and a super stylish and cool collar necklace from Calliekins!

I know there are a ton more circus inspired textile items out there but they weren't tagged with the right combination of words!! Maybe I'll look around and come up with a more extensive list and post next week. It is fun to be spontaneous though. You never know what favorite thing you might find. (I really like that collar!!)

Sunday - Funday! Clever and Cat Witted Insanity!

2010-06-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I am revealing my weakness for cartoons by continuing on a vein of off-beat animated humor. If you like cats and cartoons and you haven't already heard of "Catface" you should check this out. Even if you hate cats (shame on you!) you will laugh at this cat-brained nonsense. I wonder how long it will take for this to become as big as hello kitty!

Skirts Project - Vive La France!

2010-06-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

It seems that France, and all things French are once again in style. I love the idea of the romantic charm and the classy chic of French style. From Marie Antoinette (I know she was not French but she came into the height of her style in France) to Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, French fashion has always been at the forefront of trends.

This sense of style carries over into the esthetic of the day to day look of the women of France. This is typically true of fashion all over Europe but especially in France and especially in Paris. Women always look good. They don't go out in athletic shoes and polar fleece jackets. They look glamourous even when they think they look a mess. Part of this is that their fashion staple, rather than jeans, is probably a skirt.

Check out the blog from Mireille Guiliano, the author of French Women Don't Get Fat. Or, read this article from the Huffington Post for a ponder or a laugh.

The photos are of skirts from ETSY. They are: wild roses from BoMode; frenchy from MiniRex ; and vintage simplicite from LaBoheme.

When my 4skirts project is up next month, I think I will invest in a few fresh skirts and try to keep up some idea of feminine chic.

Somewhere in the World - Edinburgh, Scotland

2010-06-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Are we really going to Edinburgh? (pronounced Edinburough for those who don't know) Ever since we lived in England and I wanted to celebrate my 40th by roaming the wild streets and moors of Scotland, I dreamed of going to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the nether regions of that north country!

Now, this summer, on what could be our last trip to the UK for a long time, we are taking a week to explore that historic city. This is partly due to the fact that my husband gave a talk there last fall and has now been invited back.

We have his tips on what to see combined with our own interests in fashion, style, history, and idiosyncrasy. We got a Rough Guide and have been looking up things on the web. My daughter found that all the trendy and vintage shops are on Princes Street. We may do a literary tour, and we will hope for little rain but lots of rainbows.

Not to sound like an alcoholic, but I will be sampling the local fare - Scotch Whiskey! I saw a documentary once (I can't remember the name) where the locals were having a barn dance and there was plenty of fiddling, foot stamping and 12 oz. glasses of straight whiskey being drunk by young and old. When I saw that, I thought it was insane but now I realize that they have a tolerance for it and it is like drinking a glass of beer. At least that is what I imagine...

The photos are my husband's from his last trip there.

Textile Tuesdays : #27 - The Textile Museum

2010-06-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

I want to highlight museums focused on textiles. There are so many great ones and they rarely get a mention in tour books or on the "must see" lists. This is a burn to myself and anyone who love the vast and amazing history of textiles. So here is the first of my list of places to check out if you are in the host cities.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

Sunday - Funday! Clever and Quick Witted Insanity!

2010-06-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

This Sunday Morning take a moment to laugh! I love Ricky Gervais and Jimmy Fallon and the two of them seem to be a good match. See if you can keep up with their banter!

But this clip of Gervais' latest project is so creative and original. The idea is that they have a conversation with a "not funny" guy then make a cartoon clip to go over it. Enjoy!

Saturday Socializing- Cat Ivins

2010-06-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

How do I write about someone who I admire, respect, and yes, study without sounding like a kiss-ass or a stalker? I know that all humans are fallible and most of us are struggling with our own issues or working to grow and be more successful. However, on so many points, I seem to be amazed and impressed by Cat Ivins of Olive Bites blog, Polarity, and Uncorked.

She is young and beautiful (not that that matters) and she is smart, energetic, kind, generous, saavy, creative, talented, friendly, witty, and successful! She seems to have so much going on and she still has time to put out thoughtful, honest, interesting blog posts 5 days a week.

I surf through several blogs but I always read the posts that Cat puts up and I am always either amused, moved, or informed by them. I even enjoy reading the comments under the posts, which are more like conversations.

As someone who is just trying to navigate the internet, blogosphere, and social networking, I am encouraged and inspired by Cat and Olive Bites!! Check her out and let me know what you think!

Skirts Project

2010-06-18T22:53:00.000-07:00

Is it Friday again already??!! Time seems to be going by so quickly and with no school schedule, I hardly know what day it is. This has been a long year in some ways but it is winding up now and I have almost completed a full 12 months of my Skirts Project!

I am pretty pleased with myself and feel that the last several weeks will be a piece of cake. I will be in Europe and England for the month of July and I will be happy to pack lightly and never have to fuss over my wardrobe! I'll give an update on this later but for now I'll just say that my skirts and my discipline are holding up nicely!

The photo is of me at my daughter's birthday party on an uncommonly freezing evening last week. My red skirt went straight into the wash afterward to get rid of the BBQ smell.

Somewhere in the World - Sedona Arizona

2010-06-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

Not that I am trying to be a booster for Arizona (because I am not) but (politics aside) there are some f@#*%ing amazing sights to be seen here. It is no wonder that even with the high heat and scarcity of water, Native Americans, Mexicans, Spaniards and lastly European Americans have come to explore and dwell in this place.

One of the most beautiful and (some say) magical places is Sedona. Even after 14 years, I never cease to be awestruck when I see the vistas there. I can't say much for the town because it is mostly hotels, resorts, souvenir shops and tourist cafes.

The people are a mix of cool artsy, new-agers, tourists, and wealthy out-of-towners or retirees. Some of these people are warm and friendly but some are decidedly not. Let's just say that 60-70 year olds in hummers and gated neighborhoods that won't give you the gate code when it has been updated, even though they know you and can see that you are stuck, don't really build a sense of community.

But, really, let's face it, we go there for the geography. And it does not disappoint. Whether one is climbing the steep face of Cathedral Rock, ambling along the trail at Back O' Beyond, or hiking into Boynton Canyon, the best thing you can do is forget about everything except the immediate time and space. It really is a place to get your soul charged up, get fresh air, and enjoyable exercise. Just don't forget your water, hat, and sun-screen!

These are photos of a rock we call the Hamburger Bun (I don't know what it is really called), Me at a friend's new pool with Cathedral Rock in the background, and a blissful day about a year ago at a place called Buddha Beach on the back side of Cathedral Rock. The water is an added bonus!

Textile Tuesdays : #26 - Linen

2010-06-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

With Summer pretty much here it is a good time to talk about one of the stars of textiles - Linen.

The look of linen is always distinct and classic. It speaks of warm weather, raw, basic goodness, integrity, and the natural world. It can be very chic and aristocratic, or rough and wild when fashioned by hippies or SCA members making peasant costumes. Either way, the slouchy wrinkled texture is part of the charm of linen.

Linen is one of the oldest fabrics known to humans. Pieces of it have been found in caves around Europe that are tens of thousands of years old and mummies in Egyptian tombs were wrapped in it. It is also one of the strongest of the vegetable fibers - two to three times stronger than cotton. Because it is highly absorbent it is great for warm temperatures. This is also why it is famous in the kitchen as a towel, napkin, or table cloth. In fact the word "linen" is synonymous with all cloths used in the home as in "the linen closet".

Linen is actually a fabric derived from the Flax plant, a delicate looking wildflower with a small blue blossom. It is a hearty perennial that grows just about anywhere but is primarily grown for fiber production in Europe and China. The most famous linen comes from Ireland, Italy, and Belgium. The flax plant (like hemp) is very useful to humans giving not only fiber for fabric but also highly nutritious seeds and linseed oil. (Did you know that the original Linoleum was made of flax bi-products?)

There is a post with lots of facts and trivia on Wikipedia and here in How Products are Made.

Read up if you want to be a textile nerd like me!

Here are some linen items from ETSY: Pamela Tang's top, Arva's tote, Marysgranddaughter's embroidery on vintage linen.

Skirts Project

2010-06-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

I am still wearing my skirts and I have had them in lots of cities, tasks, happenings and situations. Unfortunately, I have been very busy and my camera battery has been dead. So, when I get it charged up, I will start taking pictures again. Sorry for being bad about writing.

Somewhere in the World - Scottsdale AZ

2010-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

OMG! I have been racing around trying to do all my usual things and all the latest summer things on top of that! I have been making arrangements for our summer trip to Europe, going through the long, bureaucratic process of the Australian visa, getting our house ready to put on the market, planning my daughter's birthday party, father's day, family obligations and let's not forget my cats!

We had to go to Scottsdale for a medical exam for the whole family that included blood and x-ray. we thought it would take hours so we spent the night. (We spent the night before that at my in-laws.....). Anyway, the whole doctor thing only took 2 hours including x-rays so we went shopping and swam in the hotel pool. We ate sushi for dinner and had gelato for dessert.

It was beautiful down there with all the desert plants and landscaping looking so inviting even though it was 107 degrees out. It just made me sad to think of the racism and fear in some of the population there. The passing of the boarder control, racial profiling, anti-ethnic studies, etc. legislation is just wrong, ill-conceived, and destructive. It makes me ashamed to say that I live in this state and it makes me sad to think that people imagine that I and other good people share this small-mindedness.

We went to American Apparel and they had a shirt that was great! It says "Legalize Arizona: Immigration Reform Now!"

Sunday - Funday! Dream of Life

2010-06-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I watched the dvd called - Dream of Life. It is sort of a documentary/collaboration with Patti Smith and the film maker Steven Sebring. I heard about it on NPR and was reminded of how much I used to enjoy her music and style. I had always wondered what had become of her.

This movie shows a view of her life that is so artistic, emotional and suited to her poetic style. I LOVED this movie. I loved being able to see some of the intimate moments of her life and to learn more about the trajectory it has taken. It was filmed over a period of 10 years and included lots of other vintage footage.

Besides being beautiful and inspirational it reminded me of how much more brave and ready for action I used to be. Seeing her still living an artist's life gave me motivation to face the rest of my life with gusto and artistic sensibility.

At the beginning she says a line that I plan to quote on birthday and graduation cards for a while:

"Life is an adventure of our own design,

Intersected by fate

and a series of lucky and unlucky accidents"

Watch this movie! If you like poetry, rock and roll, or biographies, you will love it!

Saturday Socializing- The Bloggin' o the Green

2010-06-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

I am on three etsy teams and each has a blog. They are all fun and interesting in different ways. But one of my favorites is one that I stumbled upon by accident - Etsy Ireland. When ever I go there, it always seems like there is a lot of activity and energy. They have lots of interesting features and the site is visually pleasing as well.

Maybe it is because I have a soft spot for Ireland and all things Irish, but there is no denying the talent and team spirit of this group. I have them on my blogger reading list and I check in about once a week. Give them a visit and if you see something you like, go to their etsy store and buy it!

Skirts on Friday - Bare Legs

2010-06-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is warming up wearing a skirt means baring your legs. We all know now that tanning is a big no no, so what can we do to make our bare legs look their best.

I have already been doing the treadmill steadily so at least they are fit, but my skin is definitely not what it used to be. I inherited thin, pale, fragile skin from my Irish ancestors and I have really not cared for it the way I should have. The dry climate in Arizona does not help either.

So, what is a good regimen for summer legs? First of all, I have to shave more frequently than I did in the winter. I used to wax my legs (and I still recommend it for younger people) but now that I am older and menopausal I have very sparse peach fuzz. I have had my legs waxed in a salon and I have done it myself. It is faster in a salon, but if you can't afford it or there is no place in your small mountain town that does waxing, you can DIY quite easily. You have to use the hot wax (warmed in the microwave). The cold, sticky stuff does not work. Waxing does keep your legs (and any other area waxed) hair free for longer, and the new growth is not stubby.

The next step is to keep the dead skin off the legs. I use a pumice stone on my feet and a good, natural scrub on my arms and legs. Lather makes a variety of exfoliators that are all nice. It really comes down to what scent you like - peppermint, yuzu, lemongrass, cranberry, lavender...

They also make yummy, very effective lotions and creams. I like their manuka body butter with grapefruit & juniper. I don't mean to sound like an advertisement for Lather, but it is what I use and I have been very happy with it. Every time I shower, I rub in the cream while my legs are still damp and it really helps.

I do need to figure out some what to give my skin a more even tone and some healthy color without sun exposure. I used to use Clinque self tanning lotion and it made my skin a little tiny bit reddish brown. I don't know which tanners, if any really work. I have never felt flush enough to go for a fancy spa body wrap or skin treatment. The dermatologist tells me that age spots are normal! I guess they go right along with a saggy neck.

Anyway, I keep my skirts at or below the knee and I do splurge on a pedicure, so hopefully anyone looking will focus on my brilliant red toenails and be distracted from any imperfections above that.

Here's a link to a good article with some more tips for summer legs.

Textile Tuesdays : #25 FOUND in Sydney

2010-06-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

When I was in Sydney, Australia last week, I walked all over the city. Day after day I trekked to and from my hotel, starting and returning to the same streets. One day, I told my husband we should cut down a small alley just for the diversion. It looked like an empty alleyway, just wide enough for pedestrians, with no doors, windows, or signs.

However, once in the narrow space, we discovered that there were display cases on the wall holding amazing works of art! It was like a secret surprise! Best of all, two of the cases had fiber arts!

The two works in the photos above have small bud or basket-like shapes crocheted out of plastic bags and plastic close tabs, bits of paper and string. The first one is arranged with old plastic knitting needles to look like a vase of flowers. The second one, with wood, lace and concrete, looks like a landscape, or something architectural.

There were no signatures or descriptions anywhere that I could see so the makers and the purpose is a mystery - one that absolutely made my day!

Saturday Socializing - The Happiness Project

2010-05-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

My daughter read about The Happiness Project in a magazine and told me about it. Gretchen Rubin is the force behind it and she has been very successful with it. There is great, inspirational information and some good tips for working on personal growth and happiness. I particularly like the recent post on Saint Theresa. Check out this blog if you haven't already.

Beware, you might get hooked and you might find yourself smiling unexpectedly.

(the mug is from Seaglass Vintage on Etsy.com)

Skirts on Friday - Traveling Skirts

2010-05-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

I just spent eight days on the road with my skirts. I was in airports, on planes overnight, and in a big city tooling around. I was worried that I might feel limited by my skirts project, but I think it actually made traveling easier.

When I packed my suitcase I had plenty of room because the skirts don't take up much space, and because I only had 4 bottoms with several tops for each one. Everyday I could easily choose and outfit and get dressed without much fuss. In a big city sometimes pants/trousers don't look stylish enough, but a skirt almost always has the little extra style that looks dressed up. (You can usually add small accessories like a fancy top, a scarf or jewelry to make it look more so.) I admit that I was not as chic as many of the women I saw, but I was also not as out of place as the tourists in their jeans and athletic shoes.

As I found out this past winter, it is definitely possible to stay warm enough in a skirt, and it is even easier to stay cool. The weather last week was partly sunny, partly rainy and I could see by my husbands trousers that I was better off in a skirt because his pant legs got soaked at times. I had a raincoat and an umbrella but there was one day when I wish I would have had some wellies. While packing, I had to make sure that I had style while taking care of the comfort of my feet, and there was only so much room in my one bag. I am always struggling (and failing mostly) to find the perfect accessories for the very bottom (the so called "foot") of my outfit.

This leads me to my other obsession and possibly a cause for a future year long project -

shoes ... but that is another story altogether!

Somewhere in the World - Sydney Australia!!!

2010-05-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

downtown Sydney

delicious Malaysian Laksa

on a ferry in the harbor/harbour

the Quad on the beautiful University of Sydney campus

on a typical quiet neighborhood street

I just have to cover Sydney again this week since I have just returned from a week there and I have loads of photos. My husband and I went, not as tourists, but as soon-to-be residents! We were exploring neighborhoods and schools and basic livability. Everyone was friendly, the city is vibrant, and there are loads of neighborhoods that spread out around the downtown like petals on a rose. We had great food and enjoyed some art, gardens, public transportation and a ferry ride. I know we are going to love it there!

Textile Tuesdays : #24 - Hampton Court, Part 3

2010-05-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

The rain continued to fall off and on all day. We tried to explore the gardens and the grounds whenever there was a break. There was a vast open garden with sculpted trees, shrubs. There were geometric paths cutting through the grass, converging on a big fountain, which was still spraying water despite the rain. A majestic swan floated peacefully around the fountain. I can still hear our footsteps padding through the soaked gravel in the silence. Mira approached the swan calmly and fearlessly, kneeling down to commune with it. She squatted there for a long time with neither one of them moving. The swan faced her but did not come toward or away from her. As other tourists came out, they took photographs of this enchanted scene. We had to move on though because there was also a sunken garden, a giant grapevine, a long wisteria arbor, and a boxwood maze to get through. Even in the rain, we could not help but stop and smell the lilacs dripping off the bushes all around us.

Towards the end of the day, as we were getting tired and thinking about the train ride back, we decided that we just had time to go look at the Tudor kitchens. These are several large rooms with huge fire pits, large stone tables and racks with dead birds and rabbits hanging by their feet. The kitchens have been kept in tact as an educational exhibit and there is a model with a taped recording describing the way they were run.

On our way out, we walked down an out of the way corridor, and I happen to notice a closed door with a sign that read “Embroiderer’s Guild”. This sign seemed totally out of place to me. There were no other offices or shops near where we were and the only ones we had seen at all were connected to the running of the palace. I felt a bit like Alice when she comes upon the bottle that says, “Drink Me”. I remembered the guild’s booth from the needlecraft show but I had no idea that they could be found at Hampton Court.

I didn’t know if it was open to the public, but I decided that I had to check it out. Inside was a small room with hallways leading to a few back rooms. These back rooms were for members to do work, have tea and lead classes in needlework. The front area had a small counter and two walls lined with books – hundreds of books on all subject having to do with textiles! They were piled up on the floor as well. There were books on textiles from different regions such as Turkish rugs or Thai embroidery. There were whole sections on histories from quilting to fabric production. There were shelves of books on technique. They had fabric printing and dying, embroidery stitches, knitting, weaving, quilting – everything you could think of and more. They even had a section of children’s books having to do with fiber arts.

I kept sighing “oh my God”, over and over. I was overwhelmed and caught completely off guard at the end of the day, in a castle, in England, in a fiber artists dream. I forced myself to focus and grabbed a few things: one on quilting, one on embroidery and watercolor, one on textiles and one on doll making. I thumbed through them quickly and they all looked great. I couldn’t afford to buy a whole stack but I decided to let myself get one.

The Anatomy of a Doll by Suzanne Oroyan caught my eye. I was so excited to see an artistic treatment of the subject, one that was completely in line with my own style of thinking and similar to my work. It contained the original creations of almost one hundred different doll makers. Besides pages of beautiful photos and an introduction designed to inspire creativity, it also had specific instructions on how to achieve certain effects in facial expression, body type etc.

While I had planned to get something on textile production or embroidery, I could not pass this one up, so I bought it. I was so inspired by the designs but also by the mere fact that so many women (mostly) were dedicating their time and creativity to something that a large percentage of the population would consider frivolous but which I loved. These designers were treating dolls as art and the results were wild, gorgeous and inspired. I wondered who these women were and where they lived. I guessed that they must be English and that the book was a British publication since that was the context in which I had found it. Imagine my surprise when I saw that it was an American publisher and that the author lived in Eugene, Oregon which is where I had lived when I was selling my own dolls at galleries and craft shows. The whole coincidence and the circumstances under which I had come to the book made me feel like fate, serendipity or something (maybe a ghost) was at work that day.

Before we left, I got a book list from the Guild for future reference. Mira turned in her ghost sighting worksheet to the information desk and got her picture taken with the two gentlemen who seemed as enchanted by her as we were with the palace. As we rode home on the train we saw two unmistakably bright green parrots fly by the window in the rain. We got into a discussion with two American tourists who were over on their annual bird watching holiday. What started out as a miserable stormy day had turned into a dream. We had seen history preserved, had smelt flowers thriving in a storm, spent really good mother/daughter time, and had discovered a great fiber arts resource. I mulled over all of it in my mind and I sleepily thought how much I liked London and all it had to offer.

(I finally found some of the pictures from out day at Hampton Court and scanned them into my iphoto. The resolution isn't so great but at least you can get a feel for the day. Notice, I am wearing a skirt!)

A Bientot! Hasta Pronto! G'day!

2010-05-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss in my writing the last few days because I have been busy getting ready for my trip to Sydney. I am going with my husband for 8 days to do "recon" on schools and real estate. I'm leaving in a few hours. I have everything done on my check list except shaving my legs and plucking my eyebrows. So I am off to do that now. I will try to post something when I'm there if I have internet access, but otherwise I will be back on the 24th of May. Ciao!

Textile Tuesdays : #23 - Hampton Court, Part 2

2010-05-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

The continuing day of adventure in an English castle that led to a textile discovery...

Even though we were anxious to tour around the grounds, we were hungry and wanted to get warmed and revitalized. The woman who gave us our tickets pointed the way to a garden café. Walking through the dripping shrubs and trees, on our way to the tearoom, we saw a large group of completely soaked teen-agers rushing in the opposite direction. They were French students escaping back into their bus. Hopefully, they were able to glean some enrichment from their field trip.

The café was warm and cozy with lovely soups, tea, breads and other perfect lunch items. The walls were full of windows that gave a nice view of the surrounding gardens. We could hear the wind squeaking through the cracks and see it whipping the branches back and forth. After soup, sandwich and some yogurt, I indulged my daughter with hot chocolate and a donut and I sipped hot milky tea. Mira kept smiling at me and telling me that I was the best mommy in the world. At that moment, I felt like I was definitely a contender. Sometimes it’s easy to be a good mother. I wanted to hold that moment and never let it end. Part of me said it was time to move on so we could see what there was to see.

Inside we went to the information center first to get some activity materials that they have especially for children. Out of three or four different activities, Mira chose one that involved exploring possible ghost sightings. We had a great time investigating the various locations where people had reported stories of ghosts over the years. This got us moving around the castle and gave us some background on various historic people and incidents. Since the storm was blowing the windows and things seemed dark and empty, it was not hard to imagine that there might be some truth to the stories. At one point we heard a loud high voice rising up through the halls. Everyone, including the guards, stopped and stared, then another guard walked by and said that the soprano from the opera was going to be performing at a special dinner there and she was practicing.

Wandering around, I kept my eyes open for textile sightings as well. In several of the rooms, there were 15^th century Belgian tapestries that hung from the ceiling to the floor, just where they have been hanging for about the past four hundred years. They were originally hung as decoration but also to keep the rooms warmer and sometimes to conceal secret doorways. It is unbelievable that they are still in such good condition.

Other textiles that I noticed were the beddings. Silk covered the quilts, pillows and canopies as well as the actual posts and bed frames. These, I found out, had not survived in their original condition, but were restored. In one room, the entire bed was covered in burgundy silk brocade and in another room it was gold. The whole effect was very rich but plain which was typical of much of the English style at that time.

In the chapel, there were kneelers that had been needlepoint stitched with various royal insignia or images of Hampton Court Palace. There was a thistle, which stands for the Stuart family and the Tudor rose. There was also the image of four pillars, each with a different pattern on it. I had seen this image and actual pillars like it around London but I did not know what it represented. It is common to see stitched kneeling pillows in chapels and churches around England. These are done by the local churchwomen and donated to the church. This ancient tradition carried over to modern life, is just another example of the status and prominence of needlework in English society.

(The final part next tuesday..)

(I can't believe that after searching through hundreds of images on the web, I can't find any of the needlepoint kneelers at Hampton Court. I have seen such a variety of needlepoint images -good and bad - that I am going to have to do another post just on that. Unfortunately, when I was there, it was before digital cameras and my photos are packed away. I will try to dig them out! so the photos at the top are the closest I could get.)

1. An embroidery done by Mary Queen of Scots

2. An authentic reproduction of a Tudor bed with embroidered fabric made by Stuart Interiors.

3. A screen embroidered by Anne Boleyn

4. Needlepoint Kneelers from a different church in England (sorry I don't know which)

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #10 FIRE!

2010-05-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

This time of year is fire season. The snow is barely melted and before anything can grow, the winds kick up and start dirt storms so bad that trucks on the I-40 carrying food and merchandise across the country, have to pull over to the side of the road and wait for the air to clear. Cars sway, trees bend, windows wobble, garbage cans get blown over, and worst of all, sparks fly.

Later on, in the summer, when there are thunderstorms, fires can be started by lightening. But, invariably, this time of year, there is some "human caused" reason for fire. I am not talking kids in a field playing with matches (although that does happen). I am talking about poor planning on the part of professionals. The Forest Service does "controlled burns" that are supposed to prevent wildfires. They burn piles of brush and dead wood, but they do it even when it is dry, hot, and windy! There is a fire southeast of town right now burning over 500 acres and it is the result of welding being done in the forest by the Fish and Game department. Seriously, hot, flying sparks with 20 -30 mph winds. This is the second time in the last couple of years that a major fire has been started by this exact behavior.

I parked my car in the driveway last night and today it is covered with dirt and ash. I was on my back porch for about 15 minutes and my sinuses were burning so badly that I had to take Advil and nose spray.

Over the years, since we have lived here, the trees, fields, and forests have burned and been thinned out. It seems to be a better situation for the eco-system and for the safety of the humans. But there is always more to burn and more careless people.

The photo at the top is from SOS Wildfire Support.

Sunday - Funday! My Big Week-end!

2010-05-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

This Sunday was a fun day and it was a follow-up to a fun Saturday! Yesterday was my birthday and today is Mother's Day, so I got a full week-end of treats! I gave heavy hints and helped get things organized so my expectations would not be disappointed - and it all went swimmingly!

I got gifts, homemade cards, and a pedicure along with lots of little indulgences. But the best (and most important) part was the desserts. I made my own cake, which I really enjoy doing. My daughters made a strawberry/rhubarb pie, and my husband bought a decadent little chocolate mini-cake.

I did my workout video this morning and really got my cardio going so I could burn some calories and make room for more!

Skirts on Friday - Friday Night!

2010-05-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

Oh yes it's Friday night and the feelin's right... I can't believe it but I have reached the stage in my life when my kids are both off doing their own thing!!! My husband and I are free to go out or chill on our own! The weather is finally warming up, the days are getting longer, and I am feeling happy!

I ate a lot at a local Greek restaurant and I am stuffed, but I am trying to have a steady workout routine so I can stay fit. I have been pretty good about exercise and eating healthfully and I think it makes me feel better in my skirts!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I have an idea!

2010-05-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

I had a weird idea last week. We were driving home from Phoenix and I was staring out the window, thinking. It is finally Spring and, sadly, I was noticing all the animals that had been killed - some recently while scampering recklessly for food or sex or the hysteria of a full moon, others from a while ago, caught in a storm and buried under snow, just now revealed.

I also noticed all the garbage and car parts that had collected over the winter. Torn off tire treads, smashed plastic and metal, bags and household items that had flown off in the wind, look like the excrement of the giant mechanical creature that is our system of transportation.

As we whizzed by, I realized that it was sometimes hard to tell the difference between the natural and the mechanical corpses. It gave me the idea to do a series of sculptures that would be a statement on the cold, callousness of what we glibly refer to as "road-kill".

I think it would be a very macho project and I am not sure I have the stomach or the arm strength to do it. But, someone could collect scraps of tire, car parts, etc.; bones, pelts, and antlers; and combine them into sculptures of animals. Without being violent about it, they could show the animal lying down. They could sculpt and sew the pieces of cloth and rubber into a kind of stuffed animal.

I always say a prayer when I see an animal dead on the road or the side of the road. Sometimes see small white crosses stuck in the berm off the road commemorating where a human has died and I say a prayer for them too. It is a remnant of my catholic upbringing - a nice one, I think. It makes me remember that we are all part of a family on Earth and that our techno-industrial world has to be a help to the natural world, not it's antithesis or enemy.

Textile Tuesdays : #23 - Hampton Court England - Part 1

2010-05-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

The photos above are from a blog called Tier 1London. Unfortunately, when we were there it was before digital, so all my beautiful photos are buried somewhere in storage.

Here is part one of my story that really does have something to do with textiles in the end! but you will have to check in for part 2....

By the middle of May the weather was still off and on with rain and sunshine. Some days were wet and stormy and others held the promise of summer and heat. After being forced out of our flat so the landlady’s son could move in and live rent free, we had moved into a quaint but small Victorian conversion flat. It was on a nice street that was mercifully closer to the girls’ school but it was actually smaller and darker than our old cube-shaped apartment. We were only going to be there for two months before we heading out to Ireland and then home, so we didn’t even unpack all of our boxes. It hardly seemed worth the trouble but it did make the apartment seem unsettled. The space was cramped and torturous acoustically due to high ceilings, thin walls and wooden floors. Because of this we could hear all the noises the neighbors made, our own voices floated and bounced around the rooms, and worst of all, the girls had to refrain from shouting and jumping around. Unfortunately, this is exactly what they felt like doing after being cooped up for so many rainy months.

The winter had been long and difficult and the unwelcome move had left us all a little more fragile. My older daughter, Mira, who was normally quiet and sweet, had been crying and whining a lot. She wanted to be with me all the time and did not want to go to school. I was a little worried because after their initial settling in, both girls had loved their school. The teachers, students and administrators at Highgate Primary had provided friendship, encouragement and a sense of belonging. At this point however, the instability of our living situation compounded by the fact that her beloved teacher had taken ill and been replaced by a substitute, had made Mira shy and unhappy.

I decided that I would take her out of school one day, and the two of us would go on a relaxing and rejuvenating outing to Hampton Court. David agreed to stay home from the office and watch Valerie so Mira and I could have one on one time. We planned to go on a Thursday to avoid the weekend crowds. Unfortunately (and typically) it happened on that day to be pouring and gusting wildly. The girls were crying and David and I were arguing about what to do. We had had our hearts set on it, the girls had missed the start of the school day, and I had the travel logistics all planned out. Staying in the gray, little flat was too grim an option so we decided to charge on. David would stay home and bake cookies and do art projects with Valerie and Mira and I would face the challenge of the weather with our heads down and our hearts high.

The hardest part was bundling up and stepping out the door, running two blocks to the bus stop. We went on the bus to the Archway tube station, again running out of the bus, pushing our umbrellas into the wind and rain, and down the steps to the Underground. We took the tube to the spacious and beautiful Victoria Station where we got the overland train to Hampton Court. On the train, we felt exhilarated and proud that we were on our way and only a little damp for the wear. The train took us to the edge of the city and into the suburbs past Wimbledon. The last leg of the journey was a short walk from the train station to the castle gates.

Even though the area was quiet and uncrowded, we huddled together and ran shrieking as the gusts shifted and almost turned our umbrellas inside out. We were literally loosing our footing and Mira’s hat almost blew into the Thames. At the entrance to the palace grounds, we laughed and screamed down the wide empty pathways and our voices were carried away on the wind. The weather seemed to have kept away the typically large crowds so we were able to get in quickly and move about freely. After about an hour and a half of travel, we almost felt as if we had discovered some out of the way castle.

Sunday - Funday! The Wind in the Willows Video!

2010-05-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

When my girls were little I would take them to the library and we would get piles of books and some videos (before DVD's). I felt like it was a treat for me as well as them to be exposed to beautiful stories and images.

I had heard of The Wind in the Willows, but I had never read it as a child. We found this version at the library and watched all of them multiple times. There is something so pure and basic about their little world and the way these artists represented it. Treat yourself and watch a little on youtube. If you like it, perhaps you can look at your library or even on Amazon.com to find the whole series.

Saturday Socializing - Tree Hugger

2010-05-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

One of the first blog/webmags I ever followed was Treehugger.com. I was researching an article on hemp clothing and it came up in a google search. I love this site and could really get lost in it, spending hours clicking and linking from one story to another. I usually try to just go straight to the Fashion and Beauty section because that is where the textile stories are. This week they cover everything from men's underpants to a clothing factory in Peru.

So check it out, bookmark it, and keep abreast of the latest, and widest range of Environmental stories!

The T-shirt is from an etsy seller called Goblin Designs.

The two photos are mine from the Hoh Rainforest in Washington and along a country walk in the Peak District in England. Notice the old "wall" under the roots of the tree in the first photo. Big, old, living trees, breathing air and giving oxygen!

4 SKIRTS

2010-04-30T22:08:00.001-07:00

I match the trees.

Somewhere in the World - Michigan, Upper Peninsula

2010-04-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last summer we flew to Minneapolis to retrieve our daughters from a Japanese camp that they had been attending. We decided to take a side trip and drive to visit my brother and his family in Marquette, Michigan. My family and I were raised in the suburbs of Detroit and all migrated away from the Midwest, except my brother, Tim, who put down roots in the U.P. I had been there once before in about 1978 but had very little memory of the town of Marquette. I had never seen his house, except in photos. It is sad, but my family is large, we all wander a bit, and we don't really stick close (geographically) although we are all pretty close emotionally.

Anyway, It was great to go there and to spend time with them doing the kinds of things they do in their small Northern, Midwestern town. They had a garage full of old bikes and we all hopped on and rode all over the place. We hiked up a steep trail to this vista overlooking Lake Superior. The view was awesome and when I scanned in close, I saw this magical bit of lichen and star moss:

We rode bikes out onto Presque Isle (almost an island but connected by a small strip of land big enough for cars and bikes). After a hot bike ride, we were brave enough to jump into the chilly water of the greatest of the Great Lakes. It was glorious!

The town was also very well suited to community and culture. There were great shops, cafes, and parks. The library was world class, and the university had an amazing art gallery.

It was such a pleasure to spend time with my brother and his family. He and his wife and 2 daughters are all such easy-going, creative, health-concsious people. We got exercise, ate really healthfully, listened to them play their Irish music (they are all accomplished musicians), and had fun political discussions!

I wish the world weren't so big and we didn't have to be so far away from the ones we love, but at least we get to travel and see so many wonderful places. They visited us in Arizona and I hope they will come to see us in Sydney!

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #9 The Internet

2010-04-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Living in a small out of the way town requires many adjustments. When we first moved here, if I wanted organic veggies, I had to buy frozen. We try to shop locally, but many things just aren't available, and sometimes I just don't have the time to drive all over. I would prefer to walk or ride my bike all over, but the weather, hills, sprawl, and lack of bike lanes makes it pretty hard.

Also, there are fewer job opportunities, especially if you are raising a family and want flexibility.

So, I have to say, I am thankful for the internet. It connects me with the rest of the world, sometimes far away, and sometimes just on the other side of town. I can do research, shop, make and maintain social contacts, and even sell my work!

Because I sew and do textile design for my own small business, I live a somewhat solitary existence. But I know that there are loads of other people living somewhat parallel lives. Through blogging, Facebook, email, and Etsy, I have gotten to know many of them (without ever having actually met!) It makes me feel good to share experiences inspiration and ideas; support each other's work; and get a glimpse of the variety of lives around the world. It also makes me feel compassion, concern, and sadness when I hear of other people's struggles and suffering. Even though we aren't related by blood or proximity, we somehow are connected and we feel we know each other quite well in some way. It is a puzzle to me but it is true.

Maybe it is a normal phenomenon for young people who are raised with "social networking." For me, I am in a generation watching this science-fiction fantasy become real, watching but participating. I am not ready for alien take overs but I am not fearful of "the net." I know that it can give "creepers" (as my daughter would say) the chance to exploit the innocent. But I also know that, just like in the world at large, there are many many more good people.

The photos at the top are an example of a feature on Etsy called "treasury". Sellers make a mix of items that they think fit a theme or look great together. It is kind of like a display window where samples of items are featured and the overall effect is enticing. Sometimes friends, sometimes strangers, put me into these treasuries. I am always flattered and excited - like being invited to a party! It is also a great way to find new stores and beautiful things!

Thanks to Tiki and Sharon for putting me in these two lovelies!

Sunday - Funday! Puricute!

2010-04-25T17:03:00.001-07:00

This is a website of cuteness and silliness! I haven't researched it thoroughly but I have played around on it with my daughters and we just copy our creations to our desktop rather than save them on the site. If you are into Japanese cuteness, check it out: Puricute.com. Click on "make a puricute pic."

You can see that my cat has not signed off on these pictures, as she would no doubt be humiliated. But she would like the idea of being queen!

Saturday Socializing - "The English Kitchen"

2010-04-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

This is where I share a blog or website that I love. Today I want to tell you about a foodie blog that my daughter found when she was looking for a recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding. It is called "The English Kitchen". (click on the name to connect to her blog).

Like the author, Marie Rayner, says, she is "debunking the myth" that English food is tasteless and unhealthy. She has a great site with yummy recipes, fun commentary, and beautiful photos.

The photo at the top is from her site and features her Plum and Almond Crumble Cake!

We lived in London for a year and I never saw such variety of foods in grocery stores, markets, restaurants, dinner parties and television cooking shows. My favorite thing was the column by Nigel Slater in the Sunday paper. I knew I loved him when I got his cookbook called "Appetite"

and there was a photo of him wearing a dirty apron. A true cook, in my opinion, gets their apron dirty.

After mulling over this website, my daughter found this Sticky Toffee Cake (in the bottom 2 photos above). She made it and it was delicious. She also made the fish cobbler (which sounds bizarre but tasted like the perfect yummy comfort food for a cold spring night).

You need a kitchen scale or the ability to wing it because the recipes are written in grams etc. But it is worth trying because the food is genuinely the best of what you might see in a creative British kitchen or cafe. Scroll through the photos and the side bar to see past recipes. Enjoy the music while you do so!

Bon Apetit! (Where can I get my hands on some plums??)

Skirts on Friday: What Season Is It?

2010-04-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

Just when the daffodils are nodding their pretty heads and i am thinking of new ways to freshen up my 4skirts, the sky gets dark and it starts hailing and snowing. I went out in a sweater yesterday as a form of resistance but I put my coat in the trunk of my car incase I got stranded in the white out! Most of it didn't stick but it is still cold and dreary and frustrating to all of us who have already had a long, cold winter.

I have an idea! or I had one and it worked!

2010-04-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

My parents raised me to be thrifty, self-reliant, and creative when it came to problem-solving. Whether they meant to or not, this led to a sort of "eco" consciousness. Things like starting from scratch with whatever was on hand, re-using, and using till it's worn out were common messages that we got. My mom and dad seemed to be able to make or fix just about anything.

Nowadays, I don't seem to always have the courage or the necessity to tackle every problem, but I think most of their cleverness wore off on me, and I am usually pretty good at solving things when I decide to try. I painted bathroom, I knew to remove a broken lightbulb with modeling clay, I made roman blinds for our living room, and I knew to throw baking soda into the oven when dripping oil caught on fire. (yes, I did try to cook a whole egg in the microwave once causing it to explode - horrific smell and mess! - but that was an anomaly!

Anyway, I had the idea to get my showers/tubs super, super clean. We have not-so-nice fiberglass molded shower/tubs and the soap and mineral deposit build up can be a real pain to clean, so I rarely try to get it thoroughly spotless. We also have a ledge for the soap and it melts and runs down the shower wall leaving a thick trail of film.

I was feeling lazy and bought nasty, toxic "no scrub" spray. It did not work and it did give me a headache and stunk up my house. So, today I got my rubber gloves, a jar of white vinegar, and some Bon Ami. I wiped down everything with vinegar, rubbed it with the BonAmi, and rinsed. I had to apply a little "elbow grease" but it worked wonderfully and everything looks really clean and shiny!

I think the smell of the vinegar was actually invigorating! Happy Earth Day!

Somewhere in the World - Sydney Australia!!!

2010-04-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

O.K., I can't hold back any longer. After 14 years of living in a small town in a mountain desert, we are going to be moving to a new life in Sydney, Australia!!

Yes, it is a permanent move (as much as anything is permanent)! Yes, it is far away. Yes, we are all very excited and enthusiastic about going! I always felt that my time in Flagstaff was temporary and I was beginning to feel foolish (it probably was foolish in any case) about not accepting my presence in this place. I started thinking that I had been wrong and that we were going to end up growing old and being buried here. But, my husband got hired to a great university in Sydney and we are moving there next year.

We were there about 6 years ago so I have a visual understanding of the city and the country. I know first-hand what the people are like and what types of lifestyles are possible. I don't think I am being too idealistic when I say that it is a fantastic place to live! There is a lot of planning and arranging of living situations, placements, etc. to be done, but, to use a cliche,"it is all good!"

A quick tour of the city and I will post more soon...

The first photo is of the waterfront walkway leading from the botanical gardens to the famous Opera House.

Next is me with a magnolia flower on one of the trees in a park. Remember the expression "never eat anything bigger than your head" ? Well, what do they say about growing flowers that are bigger?

Next is a view of the downtown from inside the Chinese Friendship Gardens.

Bondi Beach! One of the many beaches around the city. Yes, surfing and sunning in a major metropolitan area!

Me in front of one of the fabulous museum/galleries. My art senses are stirring and getting ready to be fed! (if you can believe it, I am wearing one of my 4skirts - Zara! I make things last don't I?!)

It looks good doesn't it?

Textile Tuesdays : #22 - Sewing Class

2010-04-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

My brother showed me how to use a treadle sewing machine when I was seven years old. Before that, I am sure my mom and sisters showed me how to use a needle, thread, and scissors. I made doll clothes and toys for myself. As I got older, I learned to make simple things on my own and I learned the "right" way to do things when I was in home-ec in 7th grade.

I can't remember my teacher's name but I can see her in my mind and I can remember the classroom, her instructions, and the things that I made. I made myself a pair of brown, wide wale corduroy, bell bottom trousers. They had a cuff, a zipper, a fly, waistband, and flat-felled seams.

Nowadays, fewer and fewer schools offer sewing and fewer people are taking it. With all the demands on young people's time (music lessons, sports, dance, and homework), there isn't much time for fun, let alone "old-fashioned" home economic skills. So, I do my best to champion this craft/skill whenever I get the chance.

I have offered afternoon classes in my daughters' elementary school and I had a group of 6-8 students. I also taught summer camp classes on fabric and fiber-arts to children from age 5-13. These lasted 5 years until I decided to move on to spend time on more of my own artwork.

I was glad to have influenced so many of the next generation with regards to the fun and usefulness of sewing. I often hear from parents how much their child gained from the classes and how they have since developed a strong interest in sewing.

I just started a private sewing class with one 11 year old pupil. We sat down the first day and talked about what she needed to gain from the classes in order to make her a skilled and independent designer, seamstress and fabric artist. Here is the list we came up with:

.5 understanding and using the machine.

1. cutting a smooth even line of fabric

2. putting on buttons, snaps, and hook and eye

3. putting in a zipper

4. making different kinds of seams, hems, and edges

5. understanding different kinds of fabrics

6. reading a pattern and adjusting it to your measurements

7. altering patterns and creating your own looks

8. quilting, making home dec, toys, and accessories

We have 8 weeks and I hope we can end with a sense of accomplishment and enthusiasm for many future years of happy sewing.

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #9 Spring Cleaning

2010-04-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

There is a reason why I avoid raking the pine needles. In fact, there are several reasons. Many of them are the same reasons why I avoid other less-than-urgent chores.

For one thing, they aren't urgent, so I choose to put them off in favor of other immediately necessary tasks (like the dishes or laundry), or better yet, fun.

For another thing, they are usually on a large, daunting scale - i.e. taking all day or days! I spent one whole day last week cleaning out the cupboards and drawers in my bathroom! I thought I would take the morning and do both bathrooms, but I only got through one. The good news is, they are both much more tidy and useable now, and I donated a very large, overflowing grocery bag full of cosmetics, toiletries, and first-aid supplies to the local women's shelter. (There is a group of students at the university who are having a drive and they were happy to collect the donations and deliver it for me!)

The main reason I am remiss in taking care of certain chores is the filth factor! I really don't want to get involved with certain kinds of dirt. I have asthma and sinus problem (good excuse, right?) and it really grosses me out and actually makes me sick to deal with dust and mold.

Today I took on the pine needles on my side yard. I will soon work my way around the front and backyard. I raked till my wrists were wobbly and made 5 huge piles. I was driven by the incentive of knowing that my husband is going to pick up the piles and my arms will be just a little less flabby.

Next on the long, dreaded list is the back porch!

Sunday - Funday! Lenka

2010-04-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of the Australian singer, Lenka, you are missing out on some seriously light-hearted, smile inducing music! Her voice is like a sweet bird, her lyrics are whimsical, and her personal style and creativity put her right in the middle of the hip, happening, handmade revolution! She even did an afternoon virtual chat on etsy.com.

Enjoy the video, check out more on youtube, and check out her fan page on facebook. She may be coming to play in your town soon!

4 SKIRTS

2010-04-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Today was kind of a break out day for me. In fact, the last several weeks have been moving that way. In January and February I felt that there was a wall in front of my nose and all doors were locked. Now, like the season, my life seems to be springing up and out and forward!

In honor of the warmer weather and the more liberating feeling I have, I am going to start dressing more freely and more light! I am turning back to Zara, my thin, rayon chiffon skirt. In honor of my first time in the ETSY voter, I am wearing my own advertisement t-shirt!

Hope you are enjoying warmer weather and I hope you will vote for me!! Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?ref=voter&room_id=103

Somewhere in the World - Barcelona Spain

2010-04-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

In 1985 my husband (then boyfriend) and I went to Europe. We had studied the cooperative society of the Basque city of Mondragon in an organizational psychology class and we wanted to go explore and possibly live in Spain.

We traveled from London, through France and Switzerland, to Barcelona. It was January and, much to our dismay, wet and frigid when we arrived. The city looked dismal and abandoned as we trudged through the streets trying to find food and our pension (a small, low-cost hotel or home with rooms to let). We got some bread and peanut butter at a convenience store. We left our coats on in our room as we ate, then crawled under the covers to get warm, and fell asleep.

About two hours later, we woke to what sounded like crowds of people outside our window. When we opened the shutters, the streets were bright, bustling, and alive with shops, restaurants, families, young people, old people, dogs, laughing, shopping, strolling. We realized that we had arrived during siesta, and our opinion of the place immediately flipped from bad to good.

We spent about ten days there and didn't get to see everything. It is a city full of spontaneity, passion, creativity and flair. I loved the Gaudi, the Miro, and Picasso's Guernica. I loved strolling and shopping on the Ramblas and eating groceries from the Mercat de la Boquería, Barcelona's gigantic central market. There are stalls with everything from flowers to cheese, to hanging legs of jamon (Spanish Prosciutto). I loved the old narrow winding streets and most of all, the fashion sense of the Spanish people.

When we went it cost $3.50/night to stay in a small but clean and safe room. Dinner was about 2-5 dollars. It was before the olympics were there and before the Euro. It is much more costly now but I think it is still very much worth the experience.

From the bottom up, the photos are:

Check out Annafabo on etsy. She lives in Barcelona.

Don't forget the fashionable children! Here is one from Melimelon.

The Market.

A map of the area around the Miro Museum!!

An overview of The Ramblas.

Textile Tuesdays : #22 - Florals

2010-04-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

I have always been a sucker for florals, but now I don't have to apologize, because they are BACK!!

Just like any other trend, they cycle through over and over with minor variations. They have been around as long as textiles have existed and thank goodness they are not considered passe in our modern, tech-centric world.

Large or small, printed or embellishment, they are soothing and uplifting reminders of the beauty in the world.

One of my Shecological bags with a Japanese floral detail that gives life to a plain organic cotton canvas.

Laura Ashley made it big with florals in the '70s and she is still going strong with her designs for clothing and home dec.

Marimekko is famous for its ultra-mod poppy pattern but I like this Marimekko fabric used by Mod Diva in this pillow.

Liberty florals have always been the creme de la creme. They were even featured in a new line of products at Target! This small coin clutch by Sew Lola is a lovely example of their beautiful fabric.

Hand made and florals go together amazingly! Just look at this first-class piece of hand printed fabric by Jezze Prints.

Amy Butler is a young, textile designing super-star who uses beautiful, vivid color combinations and combines florals and geometric prints in her fabric lines. Chic Bazar uses two of them here in this colorful bag.

Of all of the florals though, you probably won't be surprised to hear me say, my favorite ones are those of the Japanese textile designers. Like this one used by Blue Manatee, they are just so kawaii!

Sunday - Funday!

2010-04-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a place for fun, funny, and random things that make me smile! Normally, they will be video clips, songs, products, etc. Today, however, I am so smiley and happy over the fun evening we had last night sending my daughter off to her junior prom! She and her date were good sports and let us take lots of pictures of them.

I helped her search for a dress on etsy, got some ideas for style, hair and make-up, and in the end, we collaborated to create a gorgeous look for the "Alice in Wonderland" themed dance.

We got a used Jessica McClintock dress at an Elks Club dress swap and upcycled it to amazing results! I made the hair fascinator and Mira made the wrist cuffs. We watched youtube videos to learn techniques for hair and make-up, and Mira chose the look she wanted. She wore my vintage pop bead pearls and earrings from Target. I did her mani/pedi, hair and make-up (including false eyelashes). It felt like I was in an episode of Project Runway! We were rushing in the end, but we all kept our heads and had a blast with it!

She came home beaming with a tiara and sash and told us (humbly) that she was shocked to have been voted by her peers as Prom Princess!

I really don't care what Micheal Kors or Heidi Klum think, I felt like it was a stunning success!

Saturday Socializing

2010-04-10T23:47:00.000-07:00

I find so many sites that I love and wish I could show to everyone, so I decided to just post links once a week. I will just share as many of my favorite blogs and websites that I can think of.

Today I want to show everyone a superb, stunning and satisfyingly minimalistic site called just three things. It is run by a textile artist and etsian called CricketApollo. (Her shop is closed right now but I will keep my eye out for when it opens again.) I love seeing what amazing things she finds for her blog and I was fortunate enough to be featured one day! Check it out!

The painting is by Jacob van Hulsdonck, and was featured on a recent post.

The sachets are an example of some of Cricket's work.

4 SKIRTS

2010-04-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

The weather's getting ever so slightly warmer. I will try to refresh my wardrobe.

I have an idea!

2010-04-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

Whenever we stay at hotels, we collect the shampoos and other free toiletries. We have quite a collection going. Someone suggested that we donate them to homeless shelters. This is a great idea but I would like to take it one step further. I have loads of cosmetics and toiletries that I have used once and shoved to the back of my cabinet for one reason or another. I am going to round it all up and put it in a box for the shelter.

You might think that this is the last thing that people down on their luck need. They don't even have food or clean, warm clothing. Of course those are of primary importance, but a little luxury is probably something they rarely get. A momentary pampering might be the bit of frivolity that cheers them up and gives them a broader outlook.

Personally, I love the company Lather. I got their samples in a Marriott and was thrilled to find that they have a store in Scottsdale. You can get them on line or look for them free in hotels.

Also, I can't resist when Clinique has a free promotion. I usually keep the little bags and never use the cosmetics.

There are probably all kinds of cynical, pessimistic and cautionary arguments against it. But, I am choosing to take a positive attitude. Someone will love it, and it is better than throwing it away.

Somewhere in the World - China

2010-04-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

I may never go there but at least I know people who have. The photos and stories from my husband and daughter paint a detailed picture of the scene in China. It is an outsider's view, but it is more than I would have seen in the news or in National Geographic.

I showed some photos related to design in a previous post. Today, I am going to show some of the photos of people. Some of them are of the Chinese in everyday life. Some are the tourists, American and others.

Just below, a street vendor selling baked potatoes.

Teaching the tourists Tai Chi.

Rickshaw drivers resting.

Buddhist monks being tourists.

Just below, the ultimate eco, recycling man!

A woman separating silk threads from cocoons.

Typical, urban kids, could be anywhere in the world.

A stylish couple out for a stroll, maybe doing some shopping.

A group of Japanese tourists.

The one just below shows how some of the young men are into styling their hair!

Next is a group of Chinese women belly dancing. I guess this craze is not just for young, hippie women.

Of course, we need an adorable baby photo.

American student tourists taking their photos in a mirrored ceiling.

Chinese girl students at an international language school.

I love the way there is such a feeling of universal humanity in all these pictures. The cultures, governments, and languages may be different, but inside the spirit, and the human connection is the same.

Textile Tuesdays : #21 - Plushies

2010-03-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

We used to call them "stuffed animals" or "stuffed toys", but somewhere in recent history, they became known as "plushies". Plushies have been mass produced in the commercial realm (such as the famous Steiff), but they have long been created by hand. In economic hard times people can cut back on their purchasing to save money, but they also tend to want to indulge in small frivolities that make them feel happy and comforted. A small soft creature to hold onto is the perfect thing for anyone. It is like a pet but you don't have to feed it, change its litter box, or get a plushie sitter when you go away.

Historically they were made of natural materials such as mohair, wool, leather, or fabric. Nowadays, there are synthetics such as polar fleece and fake fur to add to the mix.

There are animals, creatures, even inanimate objects made personable by adding eyes and a mouth.

The ones I love the best are the articulated ones that are stiff and stand on their own.

I love how Sleepy King uses vintage fabrics with felt to create these sweet critters.

The printed plushie is beautifully realized in this butterfly by Artgoodies. Vintage lovers may remember printed tabby cats and pug dogs.

Sea creatures become adorable when they are "plushed"as demonstrated by Jaynedanger's octopus.

There are loads of monster plushies. You can buy and Ugly Doll mass produced in a factory, or you can buy this upcycled wool, handmade creature from Sighfoo.

I totally love these woo foxes from Strawberries and Cream.

The plushies from Kodomo are adorable, full of personality, and one of a kind. But the stories that come with them will really melt your heart.

A sweet little cloud with a smiling face like the one from Flufftail can't help but give you a positive outlook!

They are not just for kids, but you can get your kids interested in textiles and fiber arts by giving them small scraps or old socks, sweaters, etc. Help them stitch or draw a face and stuff it. They will love their very own hand made friend.

My Little China Girl

2010-03-25T08:30:00.001-07:00

My husband and oldest daughter just got back from a nine day educational tour of China and I am experiencing it vicariously through their stories and photos. I think my daughter really has an eye for design and composition and her photos are really great so I am going to post them periodically here.

I'll start with design and later post pictures of people, landscapes and building, art, and of course - textiles.

From the top:

A tray of vegetarian dumplings that was my daughter's favorite meal there. I think she liked it partly because it was so cute! The brown one was shaped like a walnut and filled with walnut paste.

A chic young woman framed by an ancient, beautiful doorway.

Cans of juice and tea in a market. The orange one had delicious chai type tea in it. The art on the cans looks like an esty artist's style.

I love this picture of a solitary chair in a country that we associate with crowding!

An ordinary, drab, winter street made beautiful by colorful flags and posters.

An example of efficiency and low gas usage - this is a florist's delivery "van". I also love the colors in this one.

A cool window in a shop. I want to print this one and send it to everyone I know with a wish for good fortune.

Lastly, a display of souvenirs from a building so tall, no one could see the top in the fog. They went to the top (I think it was 100 stories!) and were surrounded by glass walls, ceilings, floors, and fog!!!! I don't think I would have been able to handle that!

The overall impression they got was that China is a contradiction in time and space. It is crowded with vast open spaces, ultra-modern with ancient, ancient buildings, relics, and practices. It seems to me to be an example of a zen sort of timelessness, vibrant but still, where the immediate just is.

Textile Tuesdays : #20 - Needlecraft in an Expo Hall

2010-03-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday I am going to post another chapter out of my book on my adventures exploring fiber arts and textiles while living in London 10 years ago. It is a long chapter but I hope you will enjoy the humor and details about London. ...

When I first saw the posters hanging around town for the Creative Needlecraft and Home Decorating Show I was excited. However, I was also a little unsure of what it would actually amount to. The term “needlecraft” can be used to cover so many things. There are so many different categories and quite a range of creativity and skill in each one. I decided that regardless, I needed to go and at least have a look at what the term meant in this particular, English case.

My own experience with needlecrafts had been long and varied. My mother and favorite aunt had always sewn, out of necessity, knitted and crocheted for pleasure. When I was about seven years old, one of my brothers taught me how to use a sewing machine. We had my mom’s old electric as well as an antique kick machine in the basement and I used to practice making doll dresses in that dark, cool solitude. It was a good way to get away from hot, humid, Michigan summers and the commotion of my big family. My mother gave me scraps of fabric and yarn from projects that she had completed and I would use them in imaginative ways practicing sewing and embroidery.

My father’s mother was from Ireland where she had learned to knit and she taught it to me. Throughout my childhood, I would go with a sister or cousin and stay with my grandparents for a week twice a year. They lived in an old neighborhood in Detroit in the house in which my dad had been born. My Grandpa tended to his giant tomatoes and carrots and gave us pennies for each bug that we picked off a plant. My Grandma had old dresses and a fox stole that she let us use for dress up. They told us stories of leprechauns and fed us oatmeal with buttermilk. I always sat and knitted with my Grandma making little squares of different colors that she said she would sew into a blanket.

Over the years I got better and better at my various crafts and eventually made my own clothes and sweaters. I also did crewel and regular embroidery, needlepoint and doll making. I gave away pillows, pictures, or stuffed toys as gifts. I even sold three of my handmade rag dolls at a craft show in Pennsylvania when I was only eleven years old. I had been visiting my older sister who was living the hippie life on a farm there. That summer I learned about craft fairs, and many other things that I cannot mention. Ironically, or maybe not, I came back to making and selling rag dolls when I was in between college and graduate school. I had my own line of one of a kind art dolls that I sold and galleries and street fairs for three years.

While I was working on my own art, selling, keeping or giving it away, I was immersed in that world. I was inspired and influenced by artists and craftspeople all around me. I also read and learned about artist’s lives, about histories and techniques that I hoped to someday try. I had already scratched the surface of so much of needle arts and it was a twisted path that had led me to the exploration of it in England.

My experience with this show was suitably surreal. It was to be held at a huge new exhibition center on the River Thames. Slightly out of town, it required travel on the tube and light rail train – all together one hour from my door to the show. I left the girls at home with David and set out on an unusually sunny day. I had clear directions but I felt I was venturing into the unknown. In the first place, I was going completely on my own which I rarely did. Secondly, I had never been on the light rail and had never been in that part of London. One thing you soon realize about London and the people in London is that the neighborhoods are very separate from each other and long time Londoners are quick to admit that they rarely or never go beyond their well-worn path. In my short time there I had picked up this habit and I could understand its logic.

Having said that, I got out of the train amid impoverished looking blocks of flats and old warehouses, and was taken aback by the enormous, shining Excel Center. The pathways from the train to the entrance were clearly marked and the way in was also obvious from the flow of the crowd of people. I looked around noticing a funny thing about that crowd. There was an unusual amount of men and many of them were wearing leather. I thought that these women were lucky to have such agreeable partners that were willing to go to a needlecraft show. Inside, I soon realized my mistake. The vast space was large enough to host three or four shows at once and there was a motorcycle show underway in the hall across from the one I was going to. That hall was filled with metal, black leather and mostly men.

I went into the appropriate hall reminding myself of my mission: to survey the range of needlecraft offerings and to get information on fiber arts resources in Great Britain. I was also hoping to get inspiration from the best that the show had to offer. I had high expectations. I was looking for things that were high quality and artistic, involving skilled technique and, above all, for me, creative and original ideas. I love to get inspired by work that uses age-old craft infused with new ideas (or at least new life in an old idea).

As I squeezed through packs of mostly women, I was able to do an overview scan of the trends and variety of booths. By the end of the day, I was only able to find three or four things that were remarkable and valuable to me. This was at least something, but I saw when I walked in, that I was going to have to lower my hopes and do some searching.

There were loads of booths displaying and selling cross stitch and needlepoint kits and I was actually surprised at how crowded they all were. Obviously, these crafts were very popular. At a quick glance, one would have thought it was a big cross-stitch show. I didn’t like this disproportioned presentation since there are so many forms of needlework and the variety makes up the richness of the field. For my interests, I don’t find mass produced kits as inspiring as original work. However, some are quite beautiful and I do admire the work that goes into them. Unfortunately, all these kit booths took space away from exhibitions of knitting, weaving, or quilting. Two or three or six or seven of these booths would have been totally appropriate and worthwhile, but there were way too many.

What bothered me even more than that was the presence of booths selling magic markers, stickers, fuzzy pens, and cheap clothing accessories. About one third of the space was taken up by junk that had nothing to do with needlecraft or home decorating. There were also several booths under the category of equipment, demonstrating and selling sewing machines, lights, frames, computer programs and scissors. These were useful, but uninteresting to me at that moment. I kept trying to filter all this out and look for inspiring things. A little voice in my head was saying, “blah, blah, blah, don’t waste your time on crap, find the good stuff”.

As I walked through the crowds looking for an open space to breath, I came to a clearing at the back of one row. There I saw a small booth displaying beautiful sweaters and a couple of quilts. The Rowan Yarn Company was there and I walked over to talk with the representative. “Finally, something worthwhile!” I thought to myself. The excitement and surprise of seeing the actual people and products behind the books that I had admired and used made me a little flustered. The woman was very nice and welcoming. There was no one else at her booth and I wondered if she thought as I did, that we were coming to a different sort of show. She showed me the sweaters and told me where I could find their products in London. She also told me about their new books and workshops on quilting. The quilts hanging up were from the books and designs of Kaffe Fassett. Kaffe Fassett is an amazing textile designer/fiber artist who I have idolized for years. He does embroidery, needlepoint, knitting, fabric design and quilting. His works were as stunning in real life as they are in the photos I had seen in books.

I wanted to ask her what she thought of the show, how she came to be a Rowan designer, what role she thought Rowan played in the fiber arts trends in Great Britain. Since her booth was the first thing I had seen that really grabbed my attention, I wanted to stand and chat. I felt like a little kid wanting to say, “will you be my friend?” The fact that we were both grown women and that the English are often more reserved with strangers than Americans tend to be, made me choose restraint and I decided to be friendly but formal and brief. I told her that I was currently working on a Rowan sweater, asked for a packet of information about their suppliers and their workshops (which were held regularly) thanked her, and went on my way.

The next great thing that I saw was the International Felt-makers Guild. They had a display of handmade felt done in three different and original techniques. One had been dyed and then bleached to create a pattern on it. Another was made of small pieces of felt quilted together. And one piece had flax, lace and other fibers felted into it. There was a felt making demonstration underway at the booth, and they had books and posters and information sheets about felt making and about the guild. The ideas were new, imaginative and beautiful. They were executed with simple and age-old techniques, using quality materials. The woman, with long curly gray hair (reminiscent of a clump of angora fleece) was very friendly and encouraged me to attend some of their workshops. She even offered to pick me up at the train station since they were being held in Surrey. I did not take her up on this as I felt I had too many kettles boiling already and this would have been a new endeavor for me. I put it on my list of things to do in the nebulous future.

Further down the rows, I got a good grin and giggle out of the British Millinery School booth. They had a display of gorgeous, wild hats – so British! They even had one that was made of white straw with little hats plopped all around the brim and one on top, presumably for display only. It was interesting to see their selection of basic molds and their lists of individual head and hat measurements. A friend told me that if you have a custom hat made, they save your measurements in a book then you can always have other hats made that will fit you just right. Even though this would solve, once and for all, my problem of hats being too small on me, I could not imagine having a personal hat maker. I did love the fact that a person could go to a special school and have a respectable career as a high-class hat maker, even though it may not be something that a high-school career counselor would recommend. The exhibit was also highlighting the trend in the wearing of tiaras for brides as well as other formal occasions. This booth had the combination of complete seriousness and all out flair. As I walked on, I began feeling a little more satisfied with my decision to go to this show.

I gradually noticed among the aisles that embroidery was a major theme. In addition to all the cross-stitch, there was quite a range of technique and expression at many other booths. Several women had done watercolor on fabric then stitched images over the color. Some were landscapes or florals while others were abstract designs. These were beautifully done and deserving of the category of art.

The whole range of individual expression in embroidery was very nicely represented in a project put together by various UK Embroidery Guild branches. It was called Rainbow Squares. Each branch chose a color and each member did whatever image and method of stitching they liked on a four by four square. There was smocking, crewel, appliqué and beadwork. Designs ranged from traditional to abstract. The pieces were all lined up in rows according to color like a rainbow. The overall effect did look unfortunately a bit like a group project. However, the individual artistic expressions, one after the other, were really impressive. I personally liked one with pink background covered in little pink flowers and the sea green fish appliquéd on sea green fabrics. I wished I had had my camera because there were lots of good ideas. In fact, I think they should photograph close ups of the squares and make an embroidery sampler book.

The Embroidery Guild’s booth did have loads of wonderful books on all subjects having to do with fiber art. Looking at them, I couldn’t decide which way to go: quilting, textile printing, or embroidery. So I made a list of titles and wrote down their website. One that I wanted was called Conversations With Constance about Constance Howard. In her photo on the cover she had long gray hair dyed turquoise! The embroidered images inside were whimsical and original. There were images of girls and flowers that had the look of the 1960’s about them. It was a style that I am particularly drawn to because it seems so free and fun loving. Who was this amazing woman, I wondered.

My head was full of images, thoughts, and ideas as I wound my way out of the exhibit hall. I added research on Constance Howard and embroidery to my list of things to do. I know that it is a long list that, because of my curiosity and love of all things fiber, continues to grow faster than I can get through it. However, needlework has taught me patience and I have faith that, little by little, I will get through my list and maybe even have some good finished products to show for it. Maybe I will even dye my hair turquoise when it turns gray.

Yoga Sunday

2010-03-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday and while I didn't actually do any yoga today, I have been thinking about a particular part of it all day. My daughter and her friend were doing a yoga video this morning and I heard the teacher say something that is a perfect mantra for me right now (and really, I think it is perfect for everyone all the time).

She said "Yoga is Effort without Tension, Relaxation without Dullness". I am going to try to remember this as I try to find balance in my mood and in my life.

The photos are from the bottom up: capri pants from Salts, t-shirt from Nirvana Yoga Studio, hemp pants from Nature Gear, lounge pants from Herban Devi, drawstring gauchos by Gaiaconceptions, and Yoga Girl collage by Claudine Hellmuth.

Spring Break is Over

2010-03-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

It hasn't been a great week. I have been plagued with frustration, regret, and doubt. I feel like I should be doing something else so I can't make myself do the things that I actually should be doing. I need a plan and an adventure to get me motivated. Somehow, I got left without anything fun to do this Spring break, and I really, really, really, want something fun right now.

I did go to the museum and saw a great couple of exhibits. The sun is finally shining and the house is fairly clean. I will do some sewing tomorrow - maybe.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Life in a Southwestern Town

2010-03-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well, being of Irish descent and having the name Sheila Clancy, I always feel a little "holier than thou" on St. Patty's day. I'm not really sure what it is we are celebrating here in America but, walking around downtown Flagstaff today, it seemed everyone was celebrating sunshine, warmer weather, and beer!

This town was founded by two Irish brothers from Chicago who came out to make it big in the timber industry. They built a ton of things including the Catholic church and a large, Craftsman style home now known as the Riordan Mansion. Now a days, with the economy in the toilet, the state of Arizona is closing almost all of its state parks including the mansion (which the family donated to the park system). It is a sad statement about the cycle of progress, growth, decline, and decay.

I could use that glass of Guinness now.

The photo is of me and my lovely daughter. We are wearing our Clancy shirts made by my talented and gorgeous niece, Amy. They are made of organic cotton from Alternative Apparel. Check out her shop. Maybe she could do a custom family shirt for you!

Empty House

2010-03-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

The house isn't really empty but it feels that way. My husband and older daughter are on an educational tour of China! It is Spring Break so the house and its remaining occupants (myself, my younger daughter, and the two cats) are devoid of the normal routine, responsibilities, and stresses of the regular schedule. There are things we can do, but there is very little that we really have to do. I am feeling lazy, enjoying the quiet for the moment, and spending too much time on the internet. I was just checking the time in Beijing and the weather in Seattle. The grey clouds and drizzling snow add to my lethargy.

I got some sewing done and talked on the phone with an old friend . She lives in Oregon - lucky to be so close to Portland and all the cool art happenings! We had some good laughs, some shared outrage at social situations, and swapped sadnesses and worries. We are at that age I guess. She said "don't postpone joy." I don't, really. I am like those people in the old commercial about midwesterners where they say "we are smiling" through deadpan faces! Deep down (and just below the surface), I am smiling. It is quiet now, but we could break out into a dance party or a fit of hysterical laughter at any moment...

4 SKIRTS: Update - March

2010-03-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about the success, or effectiveness of my 4 skirts project. Has it accomplished what I wanted, have I learned anything from it, has it made any difference at all?

I originally wanted to streamline my wardrobe, minimize my consumption, and challenge myself to stick to a project for the sake of discipline.

I have definitely streamlined my wardrobe. I'm just not sure if this is a good thing. I was overwhelmed with too many clothing choices. I was hoarding clothes and feeling like I needed more in order to be stylish. So I have stopped doing that. I have made better use of some of my clothes but I have almost forgotten about others. I like having my daily outfit predictable. It is less of a bother. But I have gotten boring and sloppy. I pick things that go together too well and lack imagination or style. On the other hand, I sometimes throw on anything together with one of my skirts even if they clash (and not in a good way).

I have definitely minimized my consumption and I even lust after things much less. I don't really shop as much as I used to and when I do, I am much more likely to pick something that is quality over quantity. I am starting to think about my birthday and some new duds that I would love from handmade sellers on ETSY.

I mentioned before that I adopted a new skirt so that really, now, I have 5 skirts - even though I really only wear 4 of them. I did also slip a couple of times but I did not let that dissuade me. I am realizing that I am not a disciplined person and I don't really like following strict rules. So I think I am doing a pretty good job with this, but I don't think it is really going to have any long term effect on me.

With winter being so long and cold it is hard to think about any fashion other than flannel pajamas and down coats and boots. I think I have managed this aspect of it pretty well with leggings, leg warmers, scarves and sweaters. But, I have to say that I am itching for summer (I think our Spring is just going to be more snow and wind)! I think my skirts wardrobe will be revitalized when I can shed all the bulky layers.

My 12 year old daughter informed me that I need to pay better attention to my total look - accessories, jewelry, shoes, and hair style must go with the skirt and top. I knew this but I have gotten lazy and sloppy.

I am going to try harder over the next 3 months. I will even consult her when I am in doubt. I am glad I chose 4 skirts because I do love the skirt.

Textile Tuesdays : #19 - Stripes!

2010-03-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Take a straight line of varying thickness, set it next to another one of a different color and the same or different thickness, and repeat. This is the formula for one of the simplest and most basic design elements - a stripe. You can use just two or multiple colors, they can be equal thickness or thick and thin (a pin-stripe), they can be vertical or horizontal. They can be printed, woven or knit.

These photos are all great examples of the varieties of looks or styles you can create with a stripes.

You could be a pirate, or a French mime in this little dress by Miss Lirjam. Pair it with a yellow daisy brooch and some boots and you could be straight out of the fashion pages of the 60's. The black and white is so dramatic and simple at the same time, it can easily transform into whatever you like.

This dress reminds me of Doris Day meets the Queen of Hearts! I love the femininity of the cut with the power of the bold stripes and the red! This is made by a company called Audrey and Grace. They make new, custom dresses with authentic, vintage patterns.

This camisole from Evil Needles takes on a modern, retro '80s look with the turquoise and black. Just by changing the color combination, you get a totally different feel.

This sweater by Punk Rock Hippie mixes a fat and a skinny horizontal stripe with a few fun details to create a mixture of sailor, victorian, artsy, pirate look. I love it!

A pale navy vertical stripe can look very preppy or even Victorian. The corset by Gas Lamp Corsets is reproduction but it looks authentic. It would be great for a period costume or a Steampunk fashion wardrobe.

This skirt below by Snuggle Pants, is a great example of multiple varieties of stripes. It is so colorful and fun! And, it is made from up-cycled sweaters so it is warm and eco-friendly!

The stripe is so plain and so familiar that it allows designers to use their imagination to take it wherever they like. I have just looked at women's clothing but the stripe also dominates men's fashion and home decor. Maybe I'll do a couple more posts devoted to those areas in the future.

Wrap Around Joy! (Skirts Project)

2010-03-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

Does anyone remember the wrap around hippie skirts of the '60s and '70s? Whether it is an Indian tapestry hippie skirt with the hem down to the ankles, or a short tennis skirt, or a stylish classic length kilt, the wrap around skirt always seems to have staying power.

I saw these little girl skirts by Rare Birds Clothing, on Etsy and it reminded me of how fun they can be. They are easy on and off, and they can be adjusted to whatever feels comfortable on the waist or hips. There is something really free, sporty, and a little sassy about a wrap around skirt.

My Mary Jane skirt (the brown hemp one) is a wrap and it is a pretty good substitute for pants. With the extra bit of fabric I can sit on the ground, I can move around easily in it, and I always get compliments on it.

Here are some fun examples from a google search and from Etsy - starting at the bottom going up:

I love this vintage pattern from Cemetarian Vintage.

How about this fun dotted one from Elle et Lui Indian Exports.

Are these not the coolest from Fantasy World Heroes? They are meant to be worn as an outer layer to keep warm and dry when you only have a short coat!

My absolute favorite is this retro looking one from Katinkapinka.

And this is on my wish list for my birthday this year - Made With Love by Hannah.
Reversible little girls' skirt by Rare Birds Clothing.

Check out all these great shops and remember, you don't have to be a hippie to wear a wrap around skirt!

I like Happy Music!

2010-03-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

When iTunes was having their contest for the one billionth song sold, I tried to think of a song that I wanted to hear. I looked up Dave Edmunds and Rockpile. I was first exposed to them in about 1982 when I was working in a pizza place and the manager was a big fan of theirs. I think Cruel To Be Kind was a hit then so I probably knew about that. I studied Hamlet in high school so I loved that rock and roll was being literary and witty.

Anyway, I found this American Bandstand video on youtube. As one of the commenters said, it probably would be criticized now because of "inappropriate" messages, but I love the youthful energy and charm. I can't think of any contemporary comparisons. I guess I would have been a senior in high school when this came out.

Textile Tuesdays : #18 - Lucienne Day

2010-03-02T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is an chapter from a book I wrote about my year exploring textiles in England. Unfortunately, I was never able to get it published but I am still holding out hope, and I thought I might share a couple of chapters here on my blog.

As I am posting this, I see that Ms. Day died just one month ago at the age of 93. She lived a long and creative life! Click here to read her obituary.

Lucienne Day was an amazing woman, a talented artist, and one of my heroes. I hope you enjoy this story.

Chapter 6

Lucienne Day Exhibition at the Barbican

The weather was getting the slightest bit better and even though it was just the beginning of March, my friend, Sheila, and I were getting motivated to make the most of our remaining time in England. Sheila and her husband were in a perpetual state of indecision and uncertainty about returning to the states or putting down roots in London. They loved their life abroad but missed having close contact with family. I knew that I had only three and a half months left before we headed back to Arizona and I felt that I had only scratched the surface of things to do and see. The more I tried to prioritize and narrow down the list, the more things seemed to pop up.

I had seen an article in the Sunday paper about a show at the Barbican Gallery and Arts Center. It featured a husband and wife pair of designers who were very big in London in the sixties and at the forefront of Contemporary Design. I read that he – Robin Day, did primarily furniture design and she – Lucienne Day, did mostly textiles. I wanted to go right away.

Sheila and I both had our little girls in nursery school for only two and a half hours each morning so our free time was limited. I suggested we go to see this exhibit mid-day on a Monday, taking the wee ones with us. This was less than ideal, as I would have loved to go alone and take my time quietly dwelling on each piece in the show. Hoping and waiting for that however, would leave me having seen very little. So, Monday we picked up the girls at the school at 11:30 and took the tube to The Barbican. It is right at the Moorgate stop on the Northern Line, which was a “straight shot” as they say, from Highgate to the exhibit.

I had never been in that area before and it was very interesting. It had a different feel to it compared to other parts of London that I had seen. Instead of small tightly packed Victorian buildings and shops, there are lots of newer offices and large diner-type restaurants, obviously geared towards the business lunch masses working close by. Also, I think that this area was heavily bombed in WWII and new buildings went up later.

The Barbican Center is a huge complex built in the 1970’s. It consists of theaters, cinemas, galleries, meeting halls, restaurants, and even private apartments. The buildings themselves are modern, gray concrete with abstract, crooked lines carved into the walls in random places. They are not pretty to look at, and the landscaping is minimal. However, the whole thing is built along and over a canal or some sort of waterway. There are fountains, brick piers, patios and benches, so that it is fairly clear that thirty years ago or so, there was definitely a progressive plan to the entire space. It was not just a huge ugly thing that grew mistakenly wherever it could.

The aggressively modern design and the combination of art, architecture and daily life, made it the perfect place to exhibit the work of Robin and Lucienne Day. The show was called “Robin Day, Lucienne Day: Pioneers of Contemporary Design.” It was a retrospective of Lucienne Day’s textile, wallpaper, and ceramic dish design work alongside that of her husband’s furniture design. The exhibit was set up to look like actual rooms that someone might have lived in during that era. As I walked from room to room, I could easily imagine people drinking martinis, women with puffed up hair-dos, and men with thin ties. It felt like walking onto the set of the Dick VanDyke show. There were fabulous, striking fabrics and wallpaper hanging on the walls and hip, sleek chairs, tables, sofas and cabinets positioned next to them. They also had rugs, televisions and radios designed by one or the other of them so that the scene looked complete.

Having grown up in the sixties, the style was so familiar that I almost forgot that I was there to look at the design and techniques used in the textiles. I snapped out of my nostalgic episode and focused on the placards describing the artist and her works.

Lucienne Day graduated from the Royal College of Arts in the 1940’s. She met Robin Day at school and they were married before she had graduated. The two shared a talent for and interest in contemporary design that focused on minimalistic, abstract elements. They worked in the same studio, side by side, but independently, from then on. They still do. She worked as a textile designer for Heal’s department store for twenty-five years where she pushed for the production of her first contemporary designs against the judgment of the store’s design director. No one else was doing this type of design in the early fifties, but her Calyx design was a huge success that started a whole new trend in textiles and decorative art. Looking through the exhibit and marveling at all the original and beautiful textiles, I got the impression that she had a very focused, productive and successful career. Besides Heal’s, she also worked for a German company called Rasch producing wallpaper and dishes.

Her early work included stylized natural images such as leaves, flowers, and animals, placed in a geometric order, in large black or neutral colors. One piece was a large checkered pattern made up of alternating abstract horse heads and curlicues. Over time, the designs shifted gradually to color and abstract shapes and textures. They were bold, playful and cheerful. She was inspired by the works of Alexander Calder and Joan Miro, and it is gratifying to see such inspiration applied to textiles.

Lucienne Day was also influenced by the artwork that she had seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was amusing to think of her as a young woman, visiting the museum and studying the piles of beautiful objects. Did she know or even dream that today her own fabrics would be kept in their textile department?

Starting her career towards the end of WWII, she was impressed by the scarcity and bleakness that people had to live with. Her bright, whimsical designs are an expression or her belief that art should improve people’s lives. According to her comments noted in the show’s narrative, as a young designer it was the goal of she and her husband to make artistic items that were accessible and affordable to masses of people. For almost three decades, she succeeded in doing this through her own dress and interior decorator fabrics, and also through the influence that her work had on a whole wave of artists.

As I looked at the pieces hanging on the walls, I imagined all the things I could make out of them: pillows, dresses, curtains, quilts. The abstract geometrics would make great fabrics for quilting. I wished I could go into a fabric store today and see some designs like hers. I would have loved to find them reproduced for decorator fabrics, and also some of the patterns shrunk down a little for dresses. I hadn’t seen anything remotely like her work in new fabrics. (I even went into Heal’s.)

It is possible that some of the originals could still be available, undiscovered, at thrift stores and estate sales. There may even be some new fabrics being produced in this style since the sixties are regaining popularity. However, I decided, the most likely and the most rewarding way of obtaining my own stash of original and unusual fabrics would be to make my own. I thought - if she could do it, I could at least try. I saw a book at the needlecraft show called, Fabric Dyeing and Printing by Kate Wells. It looked great and I planned to get it and even use it. I wanted to practice making line drawings on fabric, using large repeat patterns of primitive or geometric shapes. I had always loved checks and dots and it was fun to think of making my own variation on this theme. It was uplifting to me to think of fabric as a canvas (which is ironic in a way). I loved the idea of painting or printing my own designs on fabric that I could then use in my projects.

I wished that I could get a book all about Lucienne with color photos of all of her fabric, however, I had to settle for the book about both of them that accompanied the show. It was actually a beautifully done book with interesting facts about both of their lives and work.

I was really glad that I had found out about this show and that we had made the effort to get out and see it. The Lucienne Day exhibition left me inspired and motivated both by the actual art and also the dedication that this woman had to her work. I would have loved to meet her and I wished I could bump into her on the streets in London and tell her that I am a fan.

[I did get a fantastic book called : Robin and Lucienne Day - Pioneers of Modern Design, by Lesley Jackson. I have done lots of textile design and fabric printing since I wrote this and she was one of my greatest inspirations. I have also discovered through ebay and etsy that her fabrics are still available to buy through vintage sellers.]

Photo credits: Retro To Go posted these pillows by Spirographica made of Lucienne Day fabrics, her famous Calyx fabric design, a photo of the woman herself. RIP.

Stream of Consciousness

2010-03-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling blocked lately. I just feel in limbo. I have things to do and I am doing them. I am fulfilling all of my responsibilities - eating, sleeping, working, exercising, parenting. I just don't feel very engaged or inspired. I am usually the kind of person who is driven with creative and nervous energy - always thinking, planning, striving. Just now, I feel like something in my brain is on pause.

I know that it is mostly due to so many changes happening right now - some of them definite, some of them TBD. Loads of things are in the planning stage. This is good but it makes me feel like I can't dig my hands in and charge ahead with any plan of action.

I have been having a hard time thinking what to write, since I don't want to be just whining and moaning, so I thought I would write just whatever comes up without editing and just do a Freudian, stream of consciousness thing. It seems like it might not go anywhere but let's give it a go:

This morning I was at the breakfast table with my girls. I was talking about a song stuck in my head - "hopelessly devoted to you..." then I started to say "hopelessly demented in my brain". There was a radio show in Detroit where the DJ was called Dr. Demento and he played weird music like The Monster Mash. But my brother in law worked in a sleep clinic where the head researcher was called Dr. Dement, for real!

I dreamed last night that a friend and I (we were both about 16 in the dream) invented a new form of travel. It was a bar that swung off of telephone poles and you could swing from bar to bar like monkeys and go miles in just minutes. I think we were in Michigan and we wanted to

go to Portland, OR.

I wish we could go to a resort or something for Easter. Christmas seems like the holiday to be at home but Easter is more suited to getting away. It is already March first and I wish this month were over. I know I need the time and I shouldn't wish time away but for some reason I know that April and May will be more positive and productive.

I am supposed to be organizing a party for the fun of it. The theme is "Preppy". I originally got the idea to have a send off party for my husband who was going to teach for a term at Princeton. That was a year ago. Still, I haven't scheduled a date for it.

I've been listening to Chris Evans on bbc radio 2 lately while I sew. Little things that I hear get stuck in my head: a love immeasurable is a love unmeasured; it's good to be important, but it's important to be near the kettle - how's that for stream of something? I laughed when he said he put his wetsuit on backwards with the zipper in the front.

Peace, Love, and Intrique

2010-02-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

We all love a little intrigue, don't we? When everything is clear, consistent and predictable we feel secure but we can get bored. A little mystery keeps us on our toes. The trick is to not have the outcome be anything grave or traumatic. I love the British detective series like Inspector Lindley or Miss Marple. It always takes me out of my day-to-day world.

I love surprises and adventures too. The trick is getting small enough doses so as not to overwhelm. It doesn't seem to happen that way though. Maybe it is just me but I feel like things are either practically stagnant, or rushing in like a tidal wave. I try to live in the moment and keep perspective on the importance (or lack of importance) of things. I also try to control the amount of chaos and uncertainty by not taking on too many things. It just seems that once one thing unexpected happens, several more follow.

Is it just the nature of life? Is our culture way too demanding and crazy? I guess it is good to have a foundation of peace and love, and go from there.

life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #8

2010-02-24T15:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was stressful, rushed, and chaotic. I hadn't slept well the night before and I was so exhausted by the end of the day. Today was much more calm, quiet, and slow moving. Still, I feel tense and out of sorts. It seems that nothing is going as it should. Something seems to be blocking any progress of even the smallest kind. The computer is freezing up, plans are being rearranged, my car is hitting every pothole, and even my cat won't curl up next to me.

In the quiet, I hear the heater going off and on. I hear the drip, drip, dripping of the icicles melting off of the roof. I look around at the clutter that I am too unmotivated to clear. I am getting work done but it seems like just barely. The sky is dark with clouds about to snow again. The piles of snow are so high that even when it is warm (47 degrees F) they can't melt fast enough. They seem like ghosts just lingering and vexing. I would love to lie on a blanket on a hillside right now, soak up the sun and fresh air, and feel the expanse of the universe and of time and possibility.

The photo is from a San Juan River trip that I took with my daughter's class a few years back. It is a beautiful area in Utah.

Textile Tuesdays : #17 - Tea Towels

2010-02-23T15:49:00.000-08:00

I love tea and, although I rarely use one with my tea, I love tea towels. They are a little bit of decoration in my kitchen and they are a tactile, textile bright spot. I always have them hanging off of my oven door. They get grundgey but they can be washed and the more you wash them the better they get.

The textiles most commonly used are linen or cotton. They are usually thick and absorbent, but not too thick. I don't like the ones that are too thick, terry cloth, or have a sheen like polyester! Yuck!

I love the vintage ones that have souvenir pictures on them. Also, any designer fabric that makes the kitchen look stylish is good. Hand embroidered vintage or new are priceless (especially if you or someone you know has done the embroidery).

There are 177 pages of items under the tag "tea towel". There are recipes and calendars, quotes and days of the week. There are funky, retro, shabby chic, and my favorite - kawaii Japanese!

Here is a sample of some that I found on Etsy.

Turquoise Lanterns by Soul Flower, Be a Lamb by little shout, Kitty does the Dishes by Cornflower Creations, Red Poppies by Michelle Brusegaard, Souvenir New Caledonia by fox and Thomas, Teacup by The Heated, Retro Birds by Melysbaby.

Sorry if they are out of order, I got overloaded with clicking and pasting and linking.

Yes You Can Shovel Snow in a Skirt

2010-02-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

It seems the only thing to write about is how much snow we are having and how it is effecting our lives. The girls have another snow day and we are unable to go anywhere. Under these circumstances, it might seem more practical to put on some long pants, but my warm boots, thick tights, and wool skirt are just as good.

I think I'm starting to get a little boring and unfashionable with my outfits. This is partly because I have run out of cute things to wear, and partly because my imagination is weakening. I got a dose of inspiration on Friday when I met a friend in Sedona and was asked to help organize her closet and revitalize her look. I was telling her that you have to have a look or a theme in mind when you put things together. For example, a glamorous top can go with old jeans if you are going for a rock star look. The point is to be deliberate.

So I am going to try to take my own advice and see if I can get back to a stylish 4/5 skirts project. I am already thinking about my summer vacation and how little I will need to pack!

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #7 - Only Boring People Get Bored

2010-02-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

The story of my life - always wanting to go somewhere, always wondering if I will get to the perfect place for me. While I was wondering, my life was happening. I have lived in many places and they have all been a mixture of good and bad. I know that a lot of it depends on my mood and my frame of mind. I don't know why I have always had this nagging urge to move.

Even when I was growing up in Michigan I thought that it was the worst place to be. Other than my friends, I refused to see anything good in it. I couldn't wait to get to California, Paris, Greece. Let's face it, California, at the beach, is a lot cooler than a Michigan suburb. But I could have had more fun and adventure in and around Detroit if I had tried.

Now I have been in Flagstaff 13 years! I never thought I belonged here and I never thought it was a permanent destination. I was always looking outward and ahead in time and space. I was always wondering what other possibilities might be out there either waiting for me - or not waiting. That is not to say that I haven't lived or gotten anything out of this last chunk of time. I raised my kids. I made great friends. I have had a few adventures, and I was able to get started on my creative business path. There have been many times that I have paused and looked around me and thought "this really is a wonderful place in some ways".

I envy my friends who love it here and would never want to live anywhere else. Either they have found the place where they feel they belong, or they have a more settled, more present focused personality. Some people think it is crazy to want to uproot and start anew. They have good reasons and they may be better off thinking that way.

I know I have "wanderlust". I don't know if it is a learned trait or genetic. I don't know if that makes me an unimaginative person, unable to make of myself whatever I want regardless of where I am. At least I am conscious of it and have tried to see it for what it is. I don't think I can fight my nature, but I try to make the most of where I am, and to take on new adventures that will bring about meaningful experiences and growth to myself and my family. I don't want to be always nostalgic for the past and dreaming of the future. I am working on being happy in the present and I think I have gotten pretty good at it.

I can tell a story of a woman and her family that lived in a south west mountain town. I can tell it with comic and tragic details. I can remember the beginning and even imagine the end - but I still see my soul somewhere else. I am not bored but I am restless.

Please Excuse Me

2010-02-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

I know it is Textile Tuesday. I know I haven't written anything in almost a week. I think about it everyday and try to get my gift of the gab up and running. But lately I have been coming up empty. The only thing that seems to be occupying my brain is stress about parenting. I am the parent of two teen aged girls but that is not what this blog is about. I don't want it to be a place to hash over issues of drama and discipline. One day it is up, the next it's down. It is totally normal and everyone has heard it a million times. The issue for me, is to try to keep up my own creativity, set a good example, maintain my peace of mind while being a good parent. So, I am off to sew and muddle through.

The Art of Sewing

2010-02-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

This is a new treasury that I put together on Etsy. I love all the cool items related to sewing. It makes me think that my passion is shared with a growing number of cool people!

Here is the link: The Art of Sewing

Textile Tuesdays : #16 - Calico - Not the Cat

2010-02-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

The word "Calico" comes from the name given to a plain, minimally processed, cotton that was originally produced around the 11th century in a city in India that westerners called "Calcutta". It now has different meanings depending on where in the world one is.

In British english, it refers to what Americans would call "Muslin". In America (which is where I am from) it refers to a simple, woven, cotton covered in a small, all-over print - usually floral. Pioneer women in late 1700's and throughout the 1800's wore long, full dresses made of calico. There are loads of websites and businesses that are devoted to making reproduction dresses (possibly for historic reenactment?) and where you can buy reproduction fabrics. This one called Recollections designs and makes dresses.

Any quilting store will have walls of calico, both historical and contemporary. Hancock's of Paducah is one good on line store. Also there is Keepsake Quilting, or, for a more contemporary, designer chic, selection, check out Purl soho! They feature all the big textile designers and some you may never have heard of. You will love browsing and probably buying!

Calico prints evolved and maintained their popularity throughout the decades. They went from the Civil War era, through the 1900's and are still popular in the 2000's. They have caught the eye and imagination of historians, designers, artists and crafters.

The photos at the top are examples of just a smidge of the fabrics you can get and the things you can buy or make!

Adorable card holders from Rikrak

A little dress by Like My Dress

One of my bags made with some calicos.

The links to these 3 fabrics are in the text above:

Kobayashi, Spring Showers - from Purl Soho

Pink and Chocolate Ivy from Keepsake Quilting, #7840K

Windham Pennock Album Reproduction Strawflower from Handcock's of Paducah

Chipped Nails

2010-02-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

I had a friend in college who was obsessed with hands. She judged people by their hands. She photographed hands. She looked for beauty in peoples' hands the way most would search faces.

I have always made my hands work and as I got older and they started to get rough and wrinkled, I thought it was a badge of honor - a sign of all my work and experience. But now, when I look at them, they look like the hands of an old woman. Really. I inherited the Irish skin of my ancestors which is thin and fragile. Now I put on lotions and gloves and try to protect them but I still use them everyday and work them. Fabrics, yarns, paints all take moisture out of the skin.

So I embrace my age. I embrace my tough side. I let them dig in. Of course, I wash them and moisturize them after.

Something I was told growing up is that chipped nail polish is a sign of a tacky person. A chip certainly destroys the dazzling, glamorous effect. Some people think that red nail polish in and of itself is tacky and/or trashy. But somehow, when I look at my nails that are severely chipped, short and spotted blood red, I feel like they go with my weathered skin. So I am keeping them around for a while longer.

You can't control what people think of you. You are not the good or bad that others think of you. I am getting older and I do work with my hands. Anyway, I am just in the mood to be a little grungy.

I am still wearing my skirts. I cleaned up my work space and I am getting my creative juices moving.

LIFE stories

2010-02-05T12:03:00.001-08:00

I have an idea to write about people in the form of a short story. It could be people I know very well such as friends or family. Or, it could be people that I barely know, whom I have only observed from a distance or only heard about. Either way, the point would be to tell the story strictly from my point of view and focus on the things that seem important to me.

I have always been interested in the way lives play out. I think that everyone's life could make an interesting story depending on how it is framed. If you focus on the unusual, the twisted, the deep, dramatic, or disastrous, everyone has something interesting. I also think that it is sometimes easier for an outsider to see the thread of a plot without being bogged down in too much superfluous detail.

I did write a story like this one time about a friend and I gave it to her as a gift. I don't think she really appreciated it, but maybe that is because the truth is hard to see sometimes. Once when I was overseas, I was trying to describe my life here in Arizona to some new friends. I was telling the stories of a few of the people that I thought exemplified the community. I thought I was telling something mundane and trivial, but from their point of view, it was fascinating and even outrageous!

I also have a background in psychology and have always been interested in how people behave, what they choose to believe in, and why they become the people they become. I think it is interesting from an individual perspective but also from a community and sociological standpoint.

I am going to start to take notes on various people (spy on them) and then write up a story. Granted, it will have to be classified as fiction because I would not want to be held to any facts. I will not use names. I will write in the third person. I will openly profess that it is a biased creation of my imagination.

Check back.

Stalling...

2010-02-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

I had a creative day on Tuesday, designing, printing, and creating new works for future bags. Yesterday was not so good. I did spend a long time writing and reflecting on William Morris and my time in London. But other than that, I felt myself slowing down. I didn't use my time very productively or even in a way that would make me happy. I can feel myself stalling and holding back from delving into my creative process. I got the prints done and I stopped. Why? Why not go on? I am not sure. I think there is some fear in me.

I was reading some blog post that I stumbled on (after going from link to link to link) and it said something like: fear keeps us from happiness, fear of failure; and in order to be happy, we have to get used to failure, to embrace it, to make it a fun thing and to learn from it. I think that is good advice and I am going to try to keep it in mind. What would happen if I went out of my safety zone? I wonder?

I think I have some bad habits and changing them could get me in a better groove. The computer and the phone are distractions that suck my creativity. I just need to have the will power to ignore them. When I want to sit quietly and take a break, I need to quiet my mind completely. I can do this.

Am I developing my discipline by doing my SKIRTS project? Maybe. I have gotten used to it and am less chaotic in my wardrobe department. I have had a few failures. Once, when I had to walk 2 miles to school in a blizzard, and once last week when I went to a party and was just feeling rebellious. Like a woman in the '30s, I just wanted to be daring and wear pants! The ironic thing was that all the women who normally wear pants everyday, were in dresses.

I forgive myself for these transgressions. I don't believe in all or nothing. I accept rule breaking and adaptation. Freud thought that women were morally inferior because they didn't have a fixed set of black and white rules that they believed in. Women tended to be more situational and understanding. To me, this is a sign of humanity and of a morally advanced mind. I started this project with an idea and at the end of the year I will reflect on its effect on me. I will see the story in retrospect with the ups and downs, the adaptations and evolutions. I am still working on making it matter.

Textile Tuesdays : #16 - William Morris

2010-02-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

I knew who William Morris was way before I knew who he was. Like Impressionist painters, his influence and style had shown up in historic homes on school field trips, on wrapping paper and tablecloths and it was part of the backdrop of design in my world. When I moved to London, I knew a little bit about him and the Arts and Crafts Movement that he started, but I still had not looked closely at his life or work. I had not examined it from the perspective of a textile artist.

Being in London was the perfect opportunity to embrace textile design from its rich and dramatic history to its contemporary trends and technologies. It was 2001, I was about to turn 40, and it was the point in time when I decided to give up my career as a social worker and commit to my passion for fiber arts, textile design, and sewing. I decided to make textiles the focus of that year. I even wrote a book about it that I still have failed to get published. One of my heros and inspirations was William Morris.

I went and saw his works at the Victoria and Albert Museum. I got a book about him for Christmas and devoured the whole thing. There were three landmarks related to his life that I wanted to go to: Elm House (where he was born and which is now a William Morris museum), Woodford Hall (where he grew up in the Epping Forrest) apparently only a memorial plaque now, and Merton Abbey (where the print works were).

For lack of determination, energy and a good raincoat, I found it difficult to tackle all the adventures that were possible in that year. Somewhere between finding my way around, making friends, shlepping two small children to and from school on foot, researching, writing, and being a tourist, I ended the year with those places on my "next time" list. I did manage to go to the W.M. museum two years later and it was small but magical. The other two are still waiting but I don't think they are going anywhere.

Morris was inspired by designs in nature. Flowers and animals figure greatly in his work. At a time when the industrial revolution was booming, he and his cohorts advocated and lived by a philosophy of simplicity, connection to the earth, and fulfillment through working with ones hands. This was the Arts and Crafts Movement. His talents were applied to practical, tactile arts such as book printing, home decor textiles and wall paper, and ceramic tiles and pottery. He was political and published writings on his social philosophies.

He was successful in selling his products to wealthy home owners and his designs were bought and reproduced by Liberty of London. Liberty is still using many of these designs which are now classics. One of the most famous is "The Strawberry Thief" with birds and strawberries. He was influenced by Indian and Asian arts as well as Medieval art and style.

Above are some images of works inspired by or incorporating William Morris' designs. There is also a photo of the W.M. museum. From the top: The museum; a beautiful embroidery based on a W.M. design by Hands of Hope on etsy; a handmade journal by Straw House Books on etsy; a knitting bag made of W.M. print fabric by 1Elephant on etsy; The Strawberry Thief, by W.Morris off google images; The dude himself.

William Morris was a true artist who believed in the importance of beauty and creativity in everyday life. He valued crafts such as embroidery, print-making and pottery as much, if not more than, so called "fine art". He had a whole community of friends, philosophers and artisans that he worked with and with whom he created a movement. His life and work are an inspiration to me.

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #6

2010-01-29T15:06:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night I went and heard Spike Lee at the local University. It snowed and rained all afternoon and I was weighing the possibility that it might be too dangerous to go out at night. The temperature hovered at around 36 degrees, so none of it stuck and the roads did not become icy. I figured the airport would be open if Mr. Lee were flying in that day.

My friend Lisa had organized the whole event, working on the invitation, contract negotiations, dates, details, etc. She works for an institute on campus whose mission is to educate about the holocaust and genocide, and to foster tolerance and moral courage. Every year, she brings someone in on Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the past, she has brought Paul Rasasabagina and Art Spiegelman . This year it was Spike Lee. He was supposed to be talking on the topic of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation caused to the people of New Orleans. He made a film about it.

He didn't talk about that at all. He didn't really have a prepared talk and I think more than a few people were annoyed by that. Instead, he seemed to be having a friendly, almost grandfatherly, talk about his life, about what mattered to him, and about what got him to where he is today. He talked about following your dreams and how things that might seem to be a roadblock can actually turn out to be the thing that sets you going in the right direction.

I actually, really enjoyed the whole thing. I was relieved and pleased that he had taken such a warm, open approach with the audience. I appreciated the non-linear, story-like approach that he used to get his points across. After all, he is an artist and a visual person. Maybe I liked it because my own style is to go about things circuitously, or maybe it is my Irish genes and heritage that like to see the weaving of a good tale. I generally enjoy it when the meaning of something is implied with examples and left somewhat to individual interpretation rather than a bullet point that is shoved in your face.

At the end, he took questions from the audience and was very patient with people and their inability to formulate a reasonable question. One woman seemed like she was expecting to engage in therapy with him in front of the entire auditorium. A young man started the inevitable political soap boxing tirade.

But the best one was a young freshman student who started by saying that before last week, he had never heard of Spike Lee! Everyone gasped and groaned. Even Spike Lee was taken aback. He said, "not even my TV commercials?" But the young man was calm and polite and he said that he had explored some of his movies to get ready for the talk and that he really liked it and had really enjoyed getting to see Mr. Lee. Spike said thanks, and I think it might have actually turned out to be a highlight for him. I imagine him thinking that it is a good thing to not always preach to the choir. By coming to a small town in Arizona, he might have been out of his element, but he opened the eyes of at least one young white boy and maybe helped us get one step closer to the "post-race" society that he said is at least a few generations off.

Photo credits from etsy: Hacienda by Friendly Made, the Utah sky by Alison du Bois, and Colorblind by Wife of the Rock Star.

Textile Tuesdays : #15 - Textile Collage

2010-01-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

On today's theme, I don't have much to say. I will just let you look at the pictures and enjoy.

A textile collage is the combination of several materials (including some textile) used to create a new, unique, work of art. It can be many fabrics layered together, or it can be fabric combined with paper, objects, photo-transfers, paint, or decorative stitching.

Collages are quite popular now and can be seen as wall art, parts of quilts, clothing, bags, even jewelry. The styles are as varied as the artists imagination, from Victorian to Industrial Modern.

I did a search on Etsy and found loads of collages - some I loved, some, not so much. I searched under the terms "textile collage", "fabric collage", and "fabric jewelry". For some reason, many of the ones I liked are from artists in England and Australia. I know that they have very active and creative Embroidery Guilds in both of those countries so maybe they have an older and richer tradition of fabric collage.

Anyway, here are the names of the ones whose photos I have chosen, they are in order from the bottom up. And I have to say that the adorable necklace from Vadjutka wins the prize for the smallest textile collage!

Happy Betsy, Art Eclectique, Tailor Made, Lisa Stubbs, Vadjutka, and Lulu Sandbar.

Moody Monday

2010-01-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

Well, everyone was back at school and work today, and I was back at work, alone in my workroom. It was nice to have quiet, but I also kind of missed everyone. I don't know why but I am feeling nostalgic and missing my friends and family who are far away.

I got some photos of my brother and his wife and kids that live in Christchurch, NZ. and one of my oldest and best friends posted some photos from the 80's on facebook. I really felt the distance of time and place but I am also glad that we are the kind of people that stay close even though our lives are happening separately.

I called my friend and she was sad. She said I must be psychic since she needed to talk. She is just going through a rough patch right now. I was glad that I was there for her but I hung up feeling sad and worried. I started thinking again that all of our lives are stories even if we don't see the plot. Some are tragic, some are glamorous, all have their ups and downs.

It is hard when we are in the thick of it to see the bigger picture, but I think it helps. It helps to have some perspective and to know that all the bits together make up the richness of the story.

My sister Peggy got cancer and died young. We all thought this was wrong and went against nature, fate, all meaning, understanding, and life itself. I still think it was a tragedy and it was, at least in part, the result of human negligence. But now, when I think of her life in its entirety and of the legacy that continues in her spirit, I think that she has an amazing story. I will write it and post it nearer to her birthday in March.

I think about Proust all the time who supposedly drew huge amount of time out of seconds by focusing on details, by being in the moment, by not taking anything for granted. There is a great book called "How Proust Can Change Your Life". I highly recommend it!

Devastation and Stillness

2010-01-23T17:14:00.000-08:00

We've been snowed in all week. Last Sunday was the last time, before today, that I went further than my driveway. We got about 5 feet of snow. The television channel has been out all week. Our computer cable went down for just one night - thank god! The mail didn't come for three days - gghrrrr! And our cat, who is an outdoor cat, has been refusing to go out at all, and she pooped on the kitchen floor, out of desperation no doubt!

All this is really nothing since we have been safe and warm inside with plenty of food and drink. Thank god the power never went out and the roof is holding up.

We have been getting our aerobic exercise by shoveling even though we had the bulk of it done by a charming young man who drove by with snowblowers and asked if we needed help. He was raising money for his band trip! We were so thrilled to have him and his friend do it because using the shovel was almost impossible since the berm was so high we couldn't move it by hand. He came by Thursday and Friday. Last year when David was at Princeton and we had heavy snow, it didn't occur to me to hire someone to help. Now I would totally do it. I like outdoors and exercise, but there is no reason to injure yourself.

Anyway, today we drove to a cafe for an early dinner and went grocery shopping. On the way we drove by the shopping center where we rent videos. I heard about it on the news but seeing it was shocking - The roof of the local used bookstore and the next door JoAnn Fabrics had completely collapsed!! Looking through the big glass front windows, all you could see was the top of the building inside and on the ground! These are two of my favorite stores here in Flagstaff. I don't really have favorite stores here. I don't shop that much. But I do buy fabric and sewing supplies and I do buy used books. I know the people that work at both of these places. I can't imagine the waste and the disappointment of these people.

There were other building that collapsed, like the local skating rink that is about 30 years old, and many had leaking roofs, but overall, it is small-scale destruction. I looked at those heaps of metal, wood, etc., and I wanted to cry. Then I though of Haiti, with a much huger loss and the addition of massive death toll, and I felt very small, and very shaken. The good news is that, like in Haiti, tough times bring out the best in people.

We had a sweet, pleasant week at home. We heard that the city and several businesses were doing what they could to help those who needed it. Everyone seems to set their trivial concerns aside until things go back to ease, mundane, and boredom.

Big Love

2010-01-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

So, I went to Phoenix over the week-end. We went as a family just to get out of town since we didn't go anywhere over Christmas. We went to the art gallery and saw some great art and a fabulous Geoffrey Beene exhibit. We ate in some fun cafes and yes, we did a little shopping.

I wanted a navy and white striped shirt like a French fisherman's shirt. Mira suggested that we think of things we might need for our European trip this summer which I thought was great forethought on her part. I don't need much since I am wearing the same four skirts. I guess it will make for light packing. I did get a perfect black rain parka on sale. It will be great for travel and it is long with a cinched waist so it will look stylish in the city.

Lately, since my one Michelle skirt is too summery, I have been daydreaming about a red corduroy skirt that I saw when we were in Phoenix last time in October. I couldn't remember what store I had seen it at and I really didn't know exactly what it looked like because at the time, I turned my nose up at it and said "I don't need any clothes. I have my 4skirts already."

But I have been wanting a solid color to wear. I have been regretting not having a bright solid in my skirt lineup. I was wishing that I had bought it to just put away for next year. So when I found the fisherman shirt at H&M I thought a red skirt would be so perfect for the summer. Then I went to look for a size for my daughter in the clearance section and hanging there was one last red cord skirt! on clearance! what size? my size! It fit perfectly and I got it. I felt it was fate and I thought I would put it away for next year.

I am a huge fan of the show Big Love. I love the drama but mostly the clever way that the writers make the issues, problems, lessons, and dreams of these social outcasts the same as those of just about anyone. It is a show about outsiders, about being true to your beliefs, about admitting faults and flaws, about ego, ambition, prejudice, relationships, family, and love.

I don't condone polygamy and I think there are many holes and pitfalls in the Mormon religion. But, I have to say, on an ideal level, there are some good things about their beliefs. In some ways, it is not that unlike the ideas of the hippies in the communes of the '60s. Yes, in some ways it is quite different. Anyway, I like the idea of a love that is so big that it grows with more people instead of diminishing. It is like the Buddhist quote about a candle whose flame is not diminished no matter how many other candles it lights.

In my own humorous and trivial way, I have given my skirts identities and developed a relationship with them. So, when I was puzzling over whether or not to wear this red skirt, I thought of the plot line in Big Love when Bill and his wives are trying to decide if they should take on a new wife. It is a conflict of values, morals, integrity and logistics. But it is also exciting, tender, and sincere.

I want to stick to my 4skirt plan. I don't want to quit. But I also see that I need some new blood in the mix. Does adding a new skirt mean that the whole thing is a failure? Is it better to quit out of a rigid sense of rules? No. I decided that I am adding a fifth wife - I mean skirt. I will make good use of it. I will be able to give a rest to all of the other ones. I will have an improved outlook on life because of the red energy of the skirt. I may even retire one of the other ones.

When I set out to do this experiment, I didn't know what would happen. When the year is over, I will look back and assess the ups and downs, the successes and failures, the lessons and the triviality. One thing I know is that you can't know everything and sometimes you have to go with your heart.