You'll Never Outfox the Fox!

Another Halloween under our belts! I did no preparation till today. Then, it turned out to be a pretty sweet and fun day. And, yes, I managed to wear my skirt with my costume. I was a Fox. The similarity was supposed to refer to my brain and how clever I am, not my looks. I made the mask and tail and I think it looked pretty good.

Skirts and What Goes Under Them

As my skirt wearing goes into colder weather, I need to keep my legs warm with tights, leggings, tall knee socks, and leg warmers. One thing I can't stand, is having my skirt ride up my legs when I am walking! It takes away from the very comfort and grace that makes skirts so great. So, thankfully, there is a simple solution to this - a slip. Some people will say " I wouldn't be caught dead in a skirt, let alone a slip." I guess part of this is a matter of style, but I can't help thinking that there might be a slight political prejudice against the traditionally female attire. I find that in actuality, the right skirt can be way more comfortable and practical than heavy, restricting pants (that's trousers to any Brits out there).

Anyway, to show just how cast aside is the humble slip, I will tell you that last year, I had the sad experience of searching for one in many stores and finding that they don't carry them. I looked at Nordstrom, Penny's, Dillards, Target, Macy's, even Victoria's Secret! None of these places had them. I complained everywhere I went. I really think it is shocking! I requested them and Target and now they do have a few. They have a few beautiful ones at Anthropology but they are real silk and cost about $65 for a half slip.

So, in this post, I am going to do a community service and let you know what kinds of slips are out there and where you can get them.

First of all, being thrifty and into recycling, I will say that I love finding beautiful old slips at the Goodwill. You might think this is gross but really, they don't make them like they used to. Old slips are often not worn very much and there are very good quality ones (even silk) out there. If you are handy, you can alter them to your exact size. Wash them with hand wash soap and they are lovely.

Speaking of being handy, there are several craftspeople on ETSY that make gorgeous underwear, including slips. One that I love is Under the Root. They use natural materials and vintage styling. Sand Maiden also makes organic lingerie. I like this slip but it could really be a little longer. Luckily, they make it to order and take your measurements.

There are also vintage sellers that sell slips: Powder My Nose, Wicked Pen, and Blue Rose Retro are just a few.

Still, it seems hard to find a half slip. Apparently, all the stores that I mentioned above have slips for sale if you order on-line. I don't know if they deserve our business. All the big companies also sell them on line. Maidenform and Vanity Fair, can be found at Bare Necessities.

In order for it to keep your skirt from sticking it has to be made out of a slippery material such as nylon, rayon, or silk. I like this one from Her Room, another on-line shop. Actually, the Mary Green site is pretty cool.

I hope I have given you some encouragement and inspiration. You can always ask for a luxurious slip for a gift for the holidays, your birthday or anniversary. Don't wait till Valentine's day, and don't get one that will be nasty and uncomfortable. If I can't find a new, perfect silk slip, I may have to start making them myself. I will let you know.

Life in a Southwestern Mountain Town #3 or #4?

Well, I am feeling strangely cheerful. As I said in a previous post (where I was feeling down), I don't know if it is my circumstances, my hormones, or my powerful self-talk. We have had some stress in our extended family lately and I have been trying hard to focus on positive, calming messages. Guess what? I think it is really working. It is making me actually feel more positive. It is making me focus on positive, sweet, happy, wonderful things. And, I think it is spilling over onto those around me!

The weather is changing to dark and cold and I love it! We had our first snow yesterday and there are dark puffy clouds floating in the blue sky. The kids wished for a snow day but didn't get it. I was glad because I need every minute in the morning to get ready for school and organize my day. I bought pumpkins for carving but no one seems too interested in doing it. Maybe we are all busy or maybe the girls are growing up and focusing on other things. We are all managing to stay healthy, so that is good.

My younger daughter is going to be an evil tooth fairy for halloween - wearing all black and waving a candy wand with ratted hair, tutu, and blackened teeth. My other daughter is going to dress in cosplay. I am going to make myself a mask and be a fox. I have been intrigued by foxes lately and I like the idea of being behind a mask. I don't know what my husband will be. We usually dress him in drag so we will see what kind of a mood he is in. Only my young daughter will go trick or treating. The rest of us will go to the annual raging party that two professors that we are friends with have every year. We have been going since we moved here 13 years ago. I was pregnant at the first party and now, most of the kids are grown and off at college.

In Japanese class, many of the students were talking about what they are going to be doing for halloween. When I was at UCSC, it was a holiday that brought out the most crazy, wild behavior. I won't go into detail. I am sure some of the students in my class have plans for wild parties but I have to love the fact that Japanese attracts the nerdy element. Some of the students were talking about dressing up as henchmen and hench witches and going to an anime convention. One guy won the prize by saying that he was going to a "Halloween Haiku Death Match". He said to the girl next to him "It is going to be awesome! You have to come! It is going to be Epic!" I just love the idea of college students hanging around reading haiku poetry and competing to the "death"! Will they have deadly words? Will it just be a test of endurance? I wish I could be a fly on the wall and see the action!

I know that I said I don't want to have this blog be too much about my personal life. But, I do think it is good to talk about it as it relates to the world around me. I also think it is fun to tell stories of interesting and amusing (maybe even shocking) lives and happenings. I thought it might be good to do a little story telling and even gossip - as long as I keep the names out so no one gets hurt or offended. It would go something like this "Here's a good story I heard ..." or, "Believe it or not, this person I know ..." I just think people are interesting and we can learn a lot and appreciate the variety of experiences when we share stories. I live in the Southwest. I am sure that some stories here are very different than stories in England or Japan. Maybe some are just the same. It is all so curious! So, check back and I will see what I can find out.

Wednesday *Water day* Weekly Wonders from my Japanese Class

I am realizing that my life and my thoughts are running along a few main tracks. There seems to be a pattern and a rhythm developing that I guess is a good thing. I am mostly focused on:

*my shecological business - designing, sewing, photographing, promoting, taking care of business

*my 4skirts project - choosing ways to make it fun, reflecting on it, and writing about it

*my Japanese class - learning, doing the work, studying, observing the whole student scene

*my love of textiles - watching trends, thinking up projects, printing, knitting, working with dyes, threads, and fabrics

*my family - personal life, community life, interpersonal adventures and strife

I don't want to spend too much time on personal stuff here except as it relates to the other categories. I think it would be too easy for me to just report the daily goings on and ruminate about life as a parent and partner, sister and daughter.

So, as I get more focused and organized, I will routinize my postings. I have already got Textile Tuesday. I will make Friday the 4skirts day, that way I can recap the week. and for now, Wednesday seems like a good day to share a little bit of my Japanese Class experience.

On that note, we just learned the days of the week. I will write the Romanji (which is basically the phonetic spelling in english letters). Then I will also tell you what the first part of the word means because it is so cute and interesting.

Monday is Getsuyobi and the symbol for the first part is actually Mon which means moon or month just like in English or Roman days. So it could be called Moon day.

Tuesday is Kayobi. The first symbol is that of Fire, so it is Fire day

Wednesday is Sueeyobi or Water day.

[The word for water is actually mizu but it has to do with the Chinese influence on the various ways of writing. This is true for all of these. It is very confusing and complicated. So, for now, just accept this pre-school version of a lesson.]

Thursday is Mokuyobi or Tree day.

Friday is Keenyobi or Money day. (in French it is Vendredi or selling day. I find this similarity interesting, must be that most people go to market on friday.)

Saturday is Doyobi or Soil day. Maybe they put in extra time outside on Saturday.

Sunday is Nichiyobi or Sunday. The word for sun and day is the same so it could be Sunsun, or Dayday.

I hope you have enjoyed this little foray into Japanese language. I find it wonderful and hopefully, someday it will be useful. When I make a date to meet someone at a museum or fabulous park, I will know what day they are talking about.

I got this picture from Chakrapennywhistle on etsy. She is a great textile artist, an environmentalist, and a super-sweet person.

Textile Tuesdays : #5 Shecological - Trying to Help the Earth with Better Fabrics

I have a store on etsy. com (in case you don't know) where I make and sell handbags. My original idea and motivation was to create bags that were functional (i.e. with lots of pockets, zippers, good sizes and shapes) but also stylish (so as not to look like you are going backpacking when shopping in New York or London). When I started, I was going to make them out of fabric covered with vinyl. I had seen bags like this in Australia and wanted to make them.

However, once I got started on this endeavor, I soon realized that I did not want to work with something toxic and polluting like vinyl. In fact, I did not want to carry it around, having the plastic touch my skin and make me sweat, and remind me of a plastic world. This got me thinking that even the fabric I used needed to be non-polluting. Some fabrics are highly polluting, loaded with chemicals in the threads, dyes, and sizing.

I decided to make my bags and anything I sold with as much natural, non-polluting materials as I could. The problem was that I didn't want them to be too plain or too expensive. I also really love all the variety that is available in fabric. So, I am working my way towards my ideal while compromising a little and making due with some limits. I buy and use organic cotton and hemp fabric. I print my own designs and do my own dying with natural dyes. I use fabrics that I have already had in my stash and buy very very little new, commercial prints. I re-purpose some vintage fabrics and keep waste to an absolute minimum.

There was an article about my shop that appeared a little while ago in a great blog by a woman named Jan DiCintio. She prints beautiful fabrics on organic cotton and is a master blogger. The blog is called Daisy Janie (she also started a cool blog called Scoutie Girl). I was so thrilled to be featured on this eco art blog. Click HERE and read the interview and get more info on organic fabric and eco textiles.

4 SKIRTS: Update

Well, it's been about 3 months and the skirt project is still underway. Most days go by uneventfully but some are noteworthy.

One of the reasons I wanted to do this project was to streamline my clothing choices and make it easier to get dressed in the morning. That has not really happened so much. I still try to figure out which skirt suits my mood, the weather, and the activity of the day. Then I have to find something to match that is not too hot, too cold, or dirty. Sometimes I look like I just rolled out of bed or like I got dressed blindfolded. Some days I surprise myself and throw together something that looks pretty good, even a little chic. Mostly, I have had to let go of my inner judge, and that is a good thing.

Another reason I did this experiment was to try to reduce my focus on consuming - getting, having, adoring, coveting, needing things in order to be happy. I have gotten less interested in the whole clothing and fashion scene. I have bought a lot less than I normally would have. I am using what I have more fully, and I am doing less laundry, so I guess that is a good thing.

I realized that this is more for me than for any kind of social statement. I mentioned before that I was surprised that no one said anything to me about my wearing the same thing everyday. I think most people I know just think that I like skirts and that I have a quirky fashion sense.

Well, in all this time, I have had 2 comments. One was from a girl in my Japanese class. The other day she said "I like your skirt". I stared at her eyes for a second to see if she was being facetious. She had seen me in that skirt at least 15 times. Did she really just notice it? Was she finally moved to say something? Or, was she really trying to say "what's with the skirt". Finally I just said thanks, and sat down.

The other comment was hilarious and I told the speaker that I was going to post it as the first unsolicited comment. I was at a party and Monica said that she liked my outfit. I told her I was doing this project. She asked me why and I said that I wanted to try to be more conscious regarding consumerism and also challenge myself to be creative with less. She said, in a flat tone of voice, "how noble", then she leaned forward and gestured with her index finger in her throat, as if to make herself puke! Then she smirked and I cracked up and told her that I loved her comment and I was going to post it.

I think she was just joking with me but also, I know that there is a reaction against people who are socially or politically active, who take themselves too seriously, or who think they are hipper, smarter, or more noble than others. Having to walk out of the house many days feeling like I look like I have no style and no artistic taste, really does just the opposite of making me feel special. Actually, the main thing it has done is to drive home the point that I am not what I look like. I am not the good or bad that others might perceive in me. It makes me have to try to make my actions speak louder than my image.

These are 2 pictures of me in Telluride with my friends. The weather was warm and beautiful. I knitted my socks, thanks to Michelle for showing me the heel. We had great food, laughs, and even did my workout video one day. We usually go to a fun place called Honga's where we dance on the tables. But it was closed for the season so we went to Cosmo, where we were very grown up.

Big Psychological Reflection!

I wonder how much of our reality is based on external circumstances, and how much is a product of our attitude. Of course, this topic has been explored and written about extensively. Everyone knows that it is a combination of the two and that the mind is powerful when it comes to persuasion. But, how much reality can the mind create or influence? And, how does it do this?

I studied psychology in college and I know about the various theories. I am probably too self-reflective, but I am still always surprised when my my world shifts suddenly. I want to know what has the power to do this!

Sometimes it is the weather. I love the clouds. The rain stirs life into my soul. Then a warm sunny breeze can make me feel very peaceful. The right weather can make me become absorbed in my earthly surroundings and draw all my attention away from everything else and into the present moment.

Sometimes, I wonder if it is hormones. Can hormones really override intellect and established beliefs!? I love my family and my life is good, but if my biology is out of whack, I can get into the fight or flight mode. In a normal female cycle, this lasts about 3-5 days, but my menopausal body can be much more complicated.

The other factor is stress or crises. When things are going well, we can be happy in our lives or we can feel comfortable enough to get restless and wish for more, or for change. When a tragedy occurs or an upset, we long for the clock to turn back, we hold on to each precious moment. Sometimes, the bad circumstances make us more unhappy. It can go either way.

As young adults we are told to find out what we need to be happy and to seek it out. We think "if I have security, a loving partner, success, adventure.. I will be happy". Some of this is true and we need to avoid situations that make us unhappy. But, recently, my sister told me about something she heard while listening to Deepak Chopra. He said that we don't need things to be happy, rather, we need to be happy to have these things come into our lives. Crazy, backwards, but simple and probably true. So that leaves the happiness coming from within (our attitude). That leaves our mind (not to be confused with our ego) having a ton of control over our reality. If this is true, I choose door #2 please - having a happy attitude as much as possible.

There was a story I heard recently about a man who said he had a wild dog and a tame dog living inside his soul and they fought all the time. His friend asked him which one was winning and he responded - which ever one I feed the most.

It is a beautiful day, I love my family, I have a comfortable home and I get to do art everyday, I have friends and I get to explore the world and my potential. Are there bad things? Yes, but I am not going to feed them.

[ This is the apple tree that I pass everyday on the way to class. And, yes, I am still wearing my skirts.]