Sunday June 4th....

Participants:

• Amy
• Deb
• Ellen
• Erin
• Sadira
• Susan
• Rozzilyn

What a Creative Sunday! It started pretty early for Mom, Rozzie and I...as we were baking cupcakes (organic vanilla with chocolate icing-no dairy) and chocolate chip cookies (no wheat, dairy or refined sugar...yes, they were yummy!) all over here at my house...













Then, we trooped to my mother's house where the rest of the group came over for the tutorial on freezer paper stencils! Ellen also had an ulterior motive...You see, she is really into her family's genealogy, and it appears that she had a cousin that lived in my mother's house a L O N G time ago...In fact, I believe there was someone actually born in the home (small world isn't it?) So, it was Ellen's first visit to the house to take pictures for all her research!

And it was a fun crafting day as well... Rozzilyn's project (and tutorial item) included the design of a Barbie stencil that we put onto a canvas bag... My mom cut out the stencil with an Xacto knife, and I painted it on. I am using make-up wedges, as they are really easy to sponge with.












Rozzilyn was really excited and so proud of her design...as she should be, because it turned out really wonderful! (She also took the pictures of the tutorial...she's such a good photographer!)




My projects (and tutorial items) included a stencil of a red bird copied from a bag I got for my mother at H&M in Prague. I stenciled it onto a "fabric Patch" I made out of an Old Navy skirt with a great geometric print on it (the skirt was a size 0...Phuleeze...So, I decided to cut it up!) After it set and dried, I then sewed it to a red hoodie that I am making for my sister...












I also painted black wings on the back of the hoodie free hand...Which I really am enjoying and I am now looking forward to finding something that I can paint them on for myself! I am really excited to hear her reaction (she's in CA...So, unless she takes a picture of herself opening up the package...She'll have to call)




My next project was this fairy that I designed a stencil for (from a sticker design I found) which I painted on a thin Gap cotton tank top....




And, I cut it out and sewed it onto an August Silk 3/4 length sleeve-cardigan thing. I also sewed a few swirly designs onto the cardigan...on the front (not too easy on such a stretchy fabric, but good for my first attempt at anything like this) and some straight lines on the back. I also stenciled my design tag name...And sewed that on the back as well... I loved the way it turned out, although...It's so danged warm already this summer (98 degrees today) that it almost makes me melt to put it on! Seriously...I may have to wear it really early in the morning or really late at night.















My Creative Sunday ended quite a bit later than I thought, as I was in a creative groove...Yawn! I love that I accomplished more than I thought...And I can send off the hoodie to Thais...And (hopefully) wear my new top!

The Quilt That Couldn't Wait...

This can't wait...It just can't!

I know I don't usually post on the weekends...But I had to now that I own this sweet little quilt.

It seems to be made out of old wool blanket, velour and corduroy squares (each using a zig-zag stitch to attatch them to each other). And appliqued on each of the squares is a felt stem, and felt leaf (again, using a zig-zag stitch to attatch them)...With a little "flower" at the end. The flowers are made out of little felt circles (2 each, one on top of the other) and then a little white button is sewn in each center...Or at least will be when I "restore" the quilt! The quilt was also hand tied on each square at one point in it's life, but those have worn away (hence the "stringy" looking things in the pictures)...And I will replace those in the original colors as well...My mom and I were immediately taken by the cuteness of this quilt along with being alternately excited (jumping up and down and rubbing our hands together really) because it's certainly (finally) a use for all the shrunken wool blankets we've been collecting! The quilt looks like the size of maybe a baby quilt (although I haven't measured it yet because I can't stop looking at it long enough!) It is just so sweet and looks like something Mary Engelbriet would draw...I just love the colors...and am particularly enjoying the almost flourescent pink squares (there's only 2 of them)...

I love this little quilt!

I will post soon...All the other fun finds I've gotten lately...I need to catch up on that as the "season" has kicked in!

Self Portrait Challenge

I haven't been posting anything for the Self Portrait Challenge...

I'm sure you've noticed...

I have...

since I really started this challenge to help me feel more comfortable in front of the camera. Soooo...Well, I guess I was using the posting of the trip and trying to get caught up with all of the rest of my life and activities as an excuse not to take pictures of myself and post them. (it's amazing how I can distract myself...You should see what I did when I had a test to study for in college!)

The theme this last month (yes, I do have a couple of days left in this week to post) was introduction...

I am 36 years old and single. I own a resale clothing store, and have done that for the last 11 years, regardless of my advertising degree...

I am realizing how different it is to do things alone lately. I recently put in a rock patio by myself...I grocery shop by myself...And I take pictures of me...You guessed it...

by myself.

But, can I tell you a secret? I like it sometimes.

Sometimes I feel really sad...But a lot of the times, I really
like it. There are things I'vee never thought I would be doing alone...Owning a home, paying bills,
making a living...This is a relatively new adjustment for me, as I've only been single for a little over a year. And though it may seem like a long time to some...For me it keeps feeling new. Especially whenever I do new things alone...Like the first time I made the bed, or took out the trash cans. I did do these things before, it just seems more HUGE now that I'm "single".

I am noticing that the stigma attatched to "single" in this society is really huge...So, I am working on being OK with being me, and being right where I am...That and creating a whole new life (you know...the small stuff)

I usually wear glasses...I am liking the way I look without them in these pictures, and am wondering if I should get my eyes done someday?

As a side effect of the my new life...I've lost a lot of weight. I am more active, walking and hiking...And am loving my "new" body. It's actually reminding me of the one I had many years ago...

I've been more creative than I have been in years, as a way to fill up all the "empty" space that was once filled with a different life...and trying to do the best that I can to navigate in someplace I've never even been.

These 4 pictures are representative of me...

the funny/flirty/silly me...who sometimes doesn't believe it all...

the one that is a little unsure and only half in the picture...

the one that is looking up and forward to the new adventure...Wondering what is ahead...

and the one that is just trying to figure it all out sometimes...By herself!

Aren't these the most beautiful flowers ever?
They were crochet by my 92-year-old grandmother!
After I was inspired by this Kenzo dress in a shop window in Prague...

We poured over these pictures on mother's day and enlarged them and conspired quite a bit about all the flowers, colors and patterns...then she went home and whipped me up about 15 of them! (in like a week...With all sorts of new creative designs...Including some little green chains to use as stems!) We were calling her the Forrest Gump of crochet flowers...She said she was obsessed with making them, but I'm thinking that after she gets done with the small round she's making for Rozzilyn, she will probably stop for a while! (Rats)
(which is why my mom and I are working on teaching ourselves to crochet!)

Things one can do with a box-full of crochet flowers...
(you know, when you don't happen to have the same designer or fabric as Kenzo)

Or this even...

I am loving the way these skirts have turned out, and they are really fun to wear! It was also really hard for me to use the flowers, because they're all so fantastic...It's like buttons in the button box...there are so many that are my favorites, that I just want to sit around and look at them. I figured though, that I could always take them off the skirts if I really needed to in the future...

Plus, they will always be around for me to admire, and enjoy...as proof of another really creative and talented woman in my family!

NOW...I'm off to take care of a really mean chocolate craving that has been building all day...

AHOY ! ! !

Tonight I was invited to a celebration of sorts for my pal Amy. Otherwise known as just My Pal...Named that way by her brother back in the day. Now, I can say back in the day because Amy and I have known each other for 20 years at least, and she is one of my dearest friends. It is actually amazing and humbling at the same time to have such a good friend that has known me so long. We know each other's history and all the stories that go along with that...Our shared adventures. (Just tonight on our celebratory walk we were talking about writing a book about the stupid reasons men have given us for "why they can't date us..." and believe me, we came up with some doosies!)

We take this walk, mostly the same route into an area behind her house that was at one time just miles and miles of boulders and western frontier...But with the advent of the influx of people moving here...It's more and more McMansions...You know, the 4,000 square foot homes in which 2 people live, that are going up all around? Anyway...We came upon this lovely anchor and little seagull (believe me, if you look...It is there). Besides being totally stopped in our tracks and hanging onto each other laughing...we wondered...Where is the ship? Or the ocean for that matter? Why oh why do people DO things like this? I mean...Do you see the rocks, scrub oak, and cactus by the anchor? AHEM

And Congratulations to Amy for completing her 2 classes...And all the homework and papers and assignments and hard work that accompanied this! Of course, now I will get to see her more until she's off to Mexico to learn Spanish for 6 weeks...And as a special gift, I gave her the little fairy bag I freezer paper stenciled!

OH Knit!

Another Tuesday...And even more knitting was accomplished. My mom finished the back of the sweater for Rozz...And is starting on the front. And as some knitting projects go, she spent a lot of time casting on, and then re-casting on depending on how much or how little yarn she had on the needles...

As you can see...she is casting on at the speed of light! She is using this wonderful spool of cotton yarn she picked up at WalMart at a really good price. (And yes, that is her wooden knitting needle behind her ear...)

Ms. Rozzie kept us all entertained with her re-writing of the song Country Roads by John Denver...Performing her singing and working on her choreography. (It's hard to catch her still as she was dancing all about)

She remarked that perhaps she would perform this song on stage one day. I asked her when she was going to take voice lessons...And she said quite seriously "but...umm...I already have a voice" (Well Said)

I don't have any pictures to post of the knitting I am currently working on, as it is somewhat a gift...And a project all rolled into one.
So, I will show you two more freezer paper stencil bags I made yesterday...



My mom really likes the design of the queen bee as it is larger than any designs I've done so far. I like the bubble girls because it's so dainty. But those more intricate designs have a lot involved...the cutting out of teeny tiny pieces of freezer paper, and remembering to iron them on in the right places, and then trying really hard to not lift them off as you sponge on the paint.












I lined the bubble girl bag with some 1940's vintage fabric I found at a thrift store here in town. It is, incidentaly, a dress I once owned...that I sold in my store, and then ended up at the thrift...a little worse for wear, but perfect for lining a bag with! I also added another layer of metallic copper paint over the bubbles so they really "pop" (hehehe)















I also put a little saying on the back of the bag...one that Rozzilyn wrote down on a scrap of paper and left for me to find in my store one fine morning. I LOVE this little saying (especially since she was like 6 when she wrote it...And don't children really have the best way of putting things?) and have been wanting to put it on a t-shirt forever! I'm thinking that I would like to figure out how to print this saying in a better way rather than freezer paper stenciling it...maybe on an iron on patch?...Or printed on some sort of ribbon?...And then sew it on to all my creations in the future! Although with the freezer paper stencil, I can get an exact copy of her handwriting and everything...it's just a little difficult with all the bity parts!

We are having so much fun with the stenciling...that my mom and I are having a little tutorial over at her house this Creative Sunday!



And...on another note...I got my new vacuum today! And yes, Victoria, there is a happy vacuum dance! My house will rejoice as well, when I am home long enough to assemble the thing and run it over my crumby, crunchy, hairy floors! This Hoover Empower is a wonderful color green...And has a hush mode (not that it is much more quiet...But it is a lovely thought isn't it?) It also has no bags, so I am looking forward to using that new feature. Thank goodness for Amazon.com and their amazing free shipping!

Mr. Rogers goes to Washington...

(I know...2 posts in one day...but, I just found this and wanted to share it with you!)

We are Mr. Roger lovers in my family. My mother, my sister, Rozzilyn and I. I remember my mom sitting down with us and watching his calm and non-overstimulating show (unlike the new Disneyized version of Sesame Street you find on PBS now days...) It is not often that we can watch PBS or even talk about this show without being teary-eyed. It is the longest running show on PBS as a matter of fact...

Wasn't it wonderful to have been reminded each day that you are special just because you are you?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go before the senate and calmly and eloquently explain something? Here is something you may enjoy...I invite you to watch it to the very end...You'll love it!

Congratulations Angie!

Well, my friend Angie just graduated from Prescott High School last Friday evening (Go Badgers!)...The same high school I graduated from lets see...Oh yes, 18 years ago...Coincidently the same year Angie was born (yikes)...And I ask myself...Why does that make me feel so weird???

And, as you may notice...by the holding on of the special flat hat on the head, it was a bit windy that night! At least it wasn't raining...Because I've seen it just pour the entire night of graduation!

This is our one and only public high school in Prescott, so it is quite neat to see someone else graduate. I went into the building with her to pick up her diploma...And it was sooo weird. It smelled just like High School! (I know this surprises you) And it looked so much smaller...And kind of dingy too. I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the memories that were flooding through my mind by being there that evening. The last time I was there, it was for my exhusband's induction into the High School Hall of Fame...(we were kind of high school sweethearts)...And the memories of being that young and having so much ahead of me (like I was when I graduated, not for the Hall of Fame thing) all the possibilities...So many different ways my life could have turned out, it just hit home (I know...Another thing to hit home...It's been happening a lot lately...still) especially after my divorce this last year. (sometimes it's hard to have lived in the same town for so long, because it seems like there are constant reminders of what's been happening to me every day)

And speaking of High School, I just found out that yet another person I went to high school with, is getting a divorce. I have met 2 other guys I went to high school with, that are going through or have gone through a divorce and are single. I figure at this rate, I could actually systematically date everyone I went to high school with...You know, this could come in handy, because I can't count the times I've said, "man, I wish I could do that over again if I knew then what I knew now!" So, either something is in the water, or it's some sort of Prescott mass consciousness.

Whatever it may be...Congratulations Angela...And thank you for letting me be a part of your graduation!

I am so proud of you, and so excited to see what you are going to do with this one life of yours...

Sunday May 28th...

Wahoo...Creative Sunday's is back!

Participants:

• Rozzilyn
• Susan
• Sadira

Yes, we took, a little bit of a break from straight creative projects to do some fun home projects instead...(which believe me...I could use help doing every week!) And today, we tried our hand at freezer paper stencils! Oh my goodness, but this is soooo fun, and I'm afraid really addictive! I'm already scrambling around my closet and drawers trying to find things to print on...And opening up books for inspirations for stencils! Mom and I are planning out our new yard sale searches for fabric and shirts and more things we can print on, and are coming up with some fun ideas!

So, basically last night at 10 pm (I know), I swung by Wal-Mart (I was going home from a wonderful evening with Amy and family...dinner and a movie...So it wasn't really that far out of my way!) and I was practically whooping with joy upon finding the freezer paper, as they have been out the last few trips there! So, I high tailed it to the craft section and picked up some fabric paint, matte finish...And discovered that they are also carrying blank canvas tote bags (which I did not pick up...I know...but my mom was headed that way this morning and picked up a 3 pack for both of us...Hooray!) (oh...and they're carrying all sorts of other things to make handbags with...hmmmm)

So,I spent most of the morning on my intricate fairy design I was making into a stencil using a picture I had in my bedroom (it took a while to draw it and then cut everything out...phew!)...then I transferred it to the dull side of the freezer paper, and cut it out with an Xacto knife...Ironed it on the bag, with another piece ironed onto the inside of the bag so the paint wouldn't leak through...And sponged it on (with some extra make-up sponges I happened to have laying around in bulk from a yard sale!) These sponges worked really well as the have both thick and thin depending on which end you use...And believe you me...I will be looking for better fabric paint in the future (as my mom already has big plans for me to mass produce tote bags and sell them in the shop!)

My Project:

And Rozzie drew and absolute adorable picture of a Totoro, to use as a template for a stuffed animal she was making (and almost finished)...So when we walked down to get her lunch from the other house (because it's hard to remember everything!)...we picked up a small handful of tops (see...Now we're digging through other people's drawers too!)...And she drew me a stencil and I cut it out and we made this...











Rozzie is way into Anime...and wants to join studio Giblink (she talks about animating for them all the time, and is practicing writing Japanese!) and loves Hayao Miyazaki (thanks really, to Kiki's Delivery Service) And, I'm loving the idea that she can create art (because she does these wonderful pictures all the time) and we can put them on our clothes!

There is also a wonderful flickr group if you want to see what everyone else is doing!


And for fun...I made these chocolate cupcakes (because cupcakes are the new "IT" thing right now apparently) And I have another really good friend coming over this evening for talkies...So what is better than a glass of wine, a chocolate cupcake and Opera, I ask you?

In which I remember me...from another time...

I received a new CD in the mail today. Maybe new is not the right word. I received a CD in the mail today of a song I've never owned, but use to love a long time ago (one I never thought I'd be able to find...no, iTunes doesn't have every song). This song makes me feel...ummm, well, cool, and strong, and invincible. Isn't it amazing how music can effect you that way? Just like there are good road trip songs (there are apparently songs that make you feel invincible). It's a song from my past so maybe I'm just remembering how I felt then, who I was. This is before all the big life stuff happened, before I left college for the "real world". Before I had my first big break up with a boy that really meant something to me (before I knew that kind of hurt) before it all really started, and I had to rely on myself. I was recently looking at a photo album from that time, and a friend remarked (after we came to the end of the album...And the college/break-up thing happened...As if it were a defining moment caught on film, almost like a before and after) "what happened to you? You looked so happy in the previous pictures...And then, you just don't,something changed...your hair is different, and your face..." and the entire way I was carrying myself. I remember. It was never the same. I was never the same. And, I too wonder what happened to her? To that girl, the innocent happy one?

The song reminds me of a time when my life was more carefree. I worked without having to earn a living then...just to have money for fun. I went dancing, and was in love and young. I remember sitting in a parking lot at college poised on the edge of what would become this new life, in my Volkswagen bug filled up with all the stuff from my dorm that I had to move home and the thought..."Wow...This is going to be an amazing summer" flew into my head. And it was, one of the most amazing and memorable summers I've ever had. It was like a bridge from that young part to the part that would happen next. The first Lalaplooza happened that summer. Raves started happening...I listened to a lot of music and went to a lot of parties...I spent the night away from home...With a boy, one who really liked me, for the first time. I became this person, someone different from who I thought I was. I dressed differently, turned 21, went to "underground" clubs, and for the first time felt I was a little cool (I didn't actually believe I was cool until about 13 years later...well until now...after another lifetime of stuff that had happened to me...I just dressed like the cool people I saw around me...you know, the ones we sometime want to be? Ahhh...always looking outside aren't we?) And looking back, I can see that I still carried my insecurities with me, and they wouldn't be addressed until quite a long time later. But every once in a while there was a song (and there still are) that spoke to me, that made me feel different that who I was, or touched that part of me that really was that way.

The song I got today is called Dominator by Human Resource. It is a techno song. It goes like this:

I'm bigger
I'm better
I'm rougher
I'm tougher
I'm the one and only dominator...

Sometimes I feel strong and dominant like that...Defiant and invincible, and sometimes I feel soft and vulnerable (and sing along to folk music, or opera). Someone who changes from picture to picture, moment to moment...experience to experience. Someone who is looking and reviewing and studying their life...seeing what was, and wondering if that will lead to what will be?

And right now, I'm sitting bouncing around in my chair listening to this song with a grim and serious look on my face (because I'm a dominator) and an attitude...And funness and nostalgia...I almost believe the words were written for me. So, if you see me driving around town with a slightly defiant look on my face singing outloud to this song (generally thinking I'm cool), if you're not laughing too hard...Give me a wave.

The Garden Party

There's been some sort of wild party happening now for quite some time in my mom's front garden...



It's participants are Snow White and the 5 garden gnomes...



They all play their instruments under her bedroom window...



And drink lot's of gnome hooch...

and become unsteady on their feet...

which leads to problems....

I wonder if this little drummer's feet could be rehabilitated with some duct tape?