So, anyway....

"I'm Dreaming........."

2010-12-25T23:02:00.000-05:00

It's a White Christmas!!

Daily Practise

2010-12-07T14:12:00.000-05:00

For the last year-plus, I have been struggling to develop a work schedule - one that sets aside time for both writing and artwork, while still making time for exercise, housework and recreation.

Not an easy request to honour.

The down-to-15-minute-increments schedule that I employed during Graduate School is far too intense to stick with for extended periods. While I still find it useful when I have a major project/deadline, there's not enough flexibility.

Not to mention that it's exhausting.

Of course, lack of any schedule whatsoever leaves me unfocused, adrift and very stressed. I find that I need a little structure and discipline in order to thrive. And I simply cannot function when I am distracted by chaos and disorder.

And so - yet again! - I am trying out a new work schedule.

One day a week has been set aside for writing.

Yes. One day.

All of you writers, out there, are probably scowling because we are told (in workshop after workshop) that it is absolutely essential to write DAILY.

Well, artists are told the same thing about DAILY drawing.

And trying to make time for DAILY writing, DAILY drawing, DAILY rest. DAILY exercise, DAILY chores and DAILY every-other-damn-thing can quickly turn into its own kind of chaos.

So, writing gets its own day.

This week, it's Tuesday.

So, anyway.....

2010-09-09T21:51:00.006-04:00

.....This afternoon, I took some paintings over to Bloom, which is a home accents and garden accessories boutique in Chapel Hill's Southern Village.

There's a restaurant nearby and TonyP and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Pazzo! before heading back home.

On our way to the car, we had to pass Bloom and I was delighted to see one of the paintings in the front window.

Truth is, I seldom have the opportunity to happen upon my work like that.

And it's quite interesting to see one of my paintings out in the world, all on its own.

Because our artwork has a life of its own - quite independent of us.

And there comes a point when we have to recognize that fact and step back - allowing the artwork to stand on its own.

Why I've Been (Largely) Absent

2010-09-07T11:25:00.003-04:00

The past 12 months have been quite exciting and very busy!

Last Fall, I was half of a two-person show at Margaret's Cantina, in Chapel Hill. It was a fabulous opportunity for me to break out of the post-grad school fog and get back into the Studio! And the exposure was certainly a good thing.

In the Spring of this year, I took part in the Arts on the Green - in Chapel Hill's Southern Village.

In May, my acrylic paintings became available at Bloom, in Southern Village.

And, very soon, my work will also be available in Chatham County!

Details will be posted in a few days.

I have a new Facebook page - specifically for Studio-related updates and some general, Arts-related information.

So, if you'd like to stay informed about what's happening, please look at the Links, over on the right of this page and click on the Facebook link. Then, just click on "Like" to follow.

Now, I should probably get back to work!

Living Art-Fully

2010-08-06T15:36:00.003-04:00

To be honest, there are times when we simply do not feel like painting, or writing, or doing anything creative!

We all have those!

It's perfectly normal but it can feel so frustrating.

And, if we aren't careful, that feeling can develop into a full-blown case of self-fulfilling prophecy.

It can be all to easy to ignore the other ways in which we are being creative and to overlook opportunities for nourishing creativity.

Living an Art-Full life extends beyond the Studio and the Study.

It encompasses hundreds of those seemingly insignificant choices that we make each day!

So, anyway....

2010-04-11T15:54:00.004-04:00

....It's getting pretty close to that time of year, again - that time when I have to decide how to celebrate my Birthday.

Please, keep in mind that I adore having birthdays!

I am not one of those women who groan over the number of candles on their cake.

Far from it!

Each year, I try to come up with a way of celebrating the milestone in a meaningful way - a way that celebrates where I am in my life while also responding to something that I need in my life.

Well...it's been a rather odd year and I confess that - as I do not really know where I am or what I need - I'm having a very hard time making up my mind how I would like to celebrate.

To complicate matters, there's a good chance that I will be forced to violate my only real Birthday Rule - the "I don't work on my Birthday" Rule.

Birthdays tend to be times of reflection and self-assessment. At least around our home. They tend to be far more important than New Year's, when it comes to setting goals and limits. They are how we tend to measure our progress - personal, as well as professional.

This year, it is the professional part of my life that feels the most in need of attention.

So...maybe it is appropriate that I need to be open to working on my Birthday.

It might just be the answer that I've been looking for.

Housekeeping

2010-04-02T15:51:00.003-04:00

Trying a few changes to the look and feel of this blog.

Sometimes, it's necessary to freshen things up, a bit!

What's a Gal to Do?

2010-03-02T13:06:00.004-05:00

I have Saks taste, an Eddie Bauer life and a W*lmart budget.

So, anyway.....

2010-02-18T16:55:00.004-05:00

.....I've been nursing a very annoying case of tonsillitis, this week, and feeling very sorry for myself.

To pass the time, I've been working on a crochet project - a mind-numbingly repetitive shrug pattern that incorporates several of my least favourite things:
1. row after row of single crochet
2. counting rows
3. sorting through inadequate instructions and having to go to the designer's website to look for corrections for the errata
4. trying to figure out very confusing instructions for the garment construction.

To make matters worse, I don't think that the final garment will suit me.

I'll likely frog the whole mess.

This is as creative as I've felt like being.

A New Year

2010-01-29T15:15:00.005-05:00

And a re-launch, of sorts.

I am re-evaluating the purpose of this blog and have yet to come to a decision about which direction to take.

To be honest, for the last year, I've largely been avoiding the blogosphere and online groups because I haven't felt that I had anything to contribute or anything very useful to say.

That happens, sometimes.

So, anyway......

2009-07-16T14:27:00.004-04:00

.......I'm finding it rather difficult to get used to Life After Grad School.

As I had anticipated, the lack of imposed deadlines and assignments has left me feeling a bit unmotivated and I find that I am getting very little drawing or painting done.

And no writing.

What's happened, I believe, is that I've become so conditioned to using my academic breaks as down time that I've become conditioned to just aimlessly drifting about over Summer Holiday.

Of course, now that I have my degree, I can't treat every day like a holiday!

Still, it might be that I'm simply taking a well-deserved and much needed break and that I will find myself feeling considerably more motivated once the students begin returning to town.

That's the thing about living in a college town: Whether or not one is associated with the University, things still tend to happen according to the academic calendar.

And almost nothing ever gets done in July!

Rainy Day Picnic!

2009-06-17T13:49:00.007-04:00

Now that I'm finished with grad school, I've been planning on having my Mom over for a nice Summer-y lunch on the screened-in porch.

Due to the heat and/or rain, we've had to reschedule a couple of times. Yesterday, it was raining buckets and we very nearly abandoned the idea.

Instead, I decided to move the picnic indoors!

In true picnic fashion, we enjoyed tofu-dogs on whole wheat buns with veggie chili and spicy mustard, fruit salad and a corn/bean salad (from Whole Foods).

I had set the dining room table with some blue and white batik linens that I bought at Crate & Barrel, a few years ago (souvenir of my stay in Chicago), used some attractively crackled plates and popped some daisies (also from Whole Foods) into a tall vase. To brighten things up (because it was very grey and rainy) I'd added a vase of faux lemons.

I have this theory about entertaining: The most important thing to do is let the guest(s) know that they're expected and welcome. For me, that usually means setting the table first (sometimes, the night before) and making sure that there's fresh coffee and an alternative to offer.

As much as I have always enjoyed cooking, I have no trouble with picking things up at the deli counter or grabbing some take-out. If the aim is to spend time with my guest(s), there's no sense in my spending more time in the kitchen than at the table For this luncheon, all that I really had to do was pour some coffee for my Mom and then heat up a few things.

We had a lovely, relaxed visit and - despite the rainy day - enjoyed a sunny picnic!

In the Good Ol' Days.....

2009-06-11T14:26:00.006-04:00

.... a gal would come home from a wonderful vacation/holiday and have to wait weeks for her photographs to be developed.

Now, thanks to the convenience of the Digital Era, the same gal can take thousands of pictures, see the results immediately and then take weeks/months to edit them and make them presentable.

(I should make a habit of putting these up on the blog as I go - even if I don't actually publish those blog entries until i return home.)

I'm still getting used to the little Canon PowerShot that TonyP gave me for Christmas. It has an anti-shake feature which makes things much easier for me - especially in low-light situations.

First up: Our suite at the Intercontinental, in downtown Chicago.

We were a little concerned when we were informed by the front desk that the room TonyP had reserved would not be available but the hotel upgraded us to a nice corner suite with excellent views>

Next, a view from the parlour of the suite:

The wall in the foreground is the wall of the terrace. The terrace currently has no flooring so the french doors were locked. But the view was breathtaking, nonetheless!

That's the Trib tower on the far left and the Wrigley Bldg is the thing with the clock.

This is TonyP, taken in the pizza/wine bar at Fornetto Mei - the restaurant at the Whitehall Hotel. (It's the only restaurant that I can think of that serves calamari prepared by any method other than frying.) TonyP and I spent the Spring of 2006 flying back and forth between our home in North Carolina and a temporary apartment in Chicago - located a short walk from the Whitehall. One of my favourite ways of settling into my Chicago surroundings was dropping off our bags at the apartment and then walking over to Fornetto Mei!

Back to Work!

2009-06-11T10:59:00.005-04:00

OK; I know it isn't much. But hear me out.

I am experimenting with a very restricted palette and decided to work on some quick sketches. I have a few 6" x 8" Fredrix canvas boards that I use over and over again for acrylic painting exercises.

This week, I decided to experiment with an extremely limited palette: crimson, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, raw sienna and white.

The point of this experimentation is to achieve greater control of the colours while also exploring their potential.

I also spent several days out on the back porch, doing monochrome value studies, in watercolour and in pencil.

Getting back to work (after several years of writing and concentrating on theory) has been a bit of a struggle and there have quite a few of those "I'm crap at this!" days. However, I am finding it very useful to go back to the basics and to work through some of those basic exercises from college. If nothing else, it's therapeutic! I start out the day's work very self-conscious and frustrated and - after a few exercises - I suddenly forget that these are exercises and I become thoroughly engaged by the process.

It's like when a musician stops thinking about the notes and just plays the music or a dancer stops thinking about the steps and just dances.

It's intoxicating and liberating.

Commencement 2009: JennySlash Gets Her MA!!

2009-05-16T19:03:00.012-04:00

Here are a few snapshots from UNCG's Commencement, 2009.

This billboard is across from the Greensboro Coliseum - which is where Commencement

was actually held. It's only a few blocks away from the University.

This is the Tate Street entrance to the University.

Fortunately, the rain held off until after the ceremony!

And this is another shot of the UNCG campus.

Back at the Coliseum.

Here, we're starting to file into the stadium.

These are a few of my colleagues.

Waiting for things to start.

We were fortunate to have the Governor speak. Bev Purdue is the first female governor of North Carolina.

UNCG

2009-05-01T12:24:00.004-04:00

Last weekend, I attended the Spring Conference of the North Carolina Writers' Network, which was held on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).

It was a very (unseasonably!) warm day and the sky was entirely too blue for me to remain indoors! Instead, I strolled around campus, taking pics of the fine institution which will be granting me my Master's Degree - in a couple of weeks!

The building in this picture is Jackson Library. The statue is of Dr. Charles McIver, who founded what was then Women's College (or "WC").

I had the great good fortune of growing up in Greensboro and used to enjoy visiting the UNCG campus. My first ballet recital was on the stage of Aycock Auditorium - I think that I was about nine years old!

The only undergraduate class that I ever took on the UNCG campus was a life drawing class - probably the best life class that I have ever taken with the best instructor that I have ever had.

Oddly enough, when I was in high school, I never considered applying to UNCG. That was because my father had made it clear that I would have to live at home if I attended any of the colleges or universities in Greensboro. And, since one of the primary reasons for attending college/university is to leave home, I had no interest in going anyplace in Guilford County!

As it happened, I wound up in Chapel Hill.

But that's another story.

Almost Finished!

2009-04-06T10:13:00.006-04:00

I'll be spending the next couple of weeks trying to finish up my work for grad school and preparing to celebrate my Master's degree.

At present, I am trying (rather unsuccessfully) to compose my "reflective essay". That means that I am trying to distill the last few years of study down to six pages that pull it all together. Thematically.

That's awfully difficult to do, without sounding like a complete flake.

I also have to finish some work on contemporary Latin American issues and write a paper on 20th Century World issues. >whew<

So, I'll be rather busy for a couple more weeks and my postings will be few. If you wish to be informed when this blog is updated, please add this blog to your feed.

Have a wonderful Whatever-Holiday-You-Observe and lovely early Spring/Autumn!

Creation Window, Washington National Cathedral, Washington, DC

Happy Spring!!!!

2009-03-20T10:39:00.004-04:00

The Cape Project (Finally!)

2009-03-05T14:25:00.009-05:00

One of the reasons that I have been trying so-very-hard to stick to my new schedule has been this particular project, which I finally got around to starting because I signed up at Sew Retro.

When I was 14, I had a cape and skirt sewn from this pattern. I was so nuts about the cape that I continued to wear it after I went off to University.

The fabric for this interpretation was purchased a year ago at G Street Fabrics. I found a very nice designer remnant with just the right hand and drape for the project and the charcoal grey/black promised to work with a range of clothes that I already own.

The pattern was a breeze to sew and it reminded me of all of the reasons that I love to sew from vintage patterns: notches lined up with other notches, the under collar and the collar pieces were not identical (which meant that thecollar folds nicely!), etc..

I had a few problems with the construction but they were largely of my own making! I had forgotten to purchase non-fusible interfacing, prior to beginning the project, and had to scrounge around the corners of my studio to find a piece that was large enough. That cost me a couple of days. The problem today was sewing on the welts. When I went to cut and turn them, I thought that I'd made some horrible miscalculation and that I would have to pick out all of that stitching. I had a cup of coffee and then sat in the sunlight to look the problem over. Fortunately, I can trust my fingers more than I can trust my eyes! It turned out that I had only sewn just a few stiches beyond where I was supposed to and I really only had to clip a couple to make everything lay quite nicely.

I love welts! I don't know why I don't use them more often.

It can be hard to see the corner that I'm cutting into, so I feel the thread to find the corner, mark it with a pin and use my stork scissors.

So, here is the cape - ready for a final steaming and some top stitching!

I'm still not sure about the closure. I have this tab/button option or a rather pretty frog and I haven't been able to decide. The frog is a bit fancier and the tab is a bit more casual.

We Interrupt An Early Spring For A Last-Minute Visit From Winter

2009-03-03T10:48:00.004-05:00

We received about 2" of snow, yesterday. It was bitterly cold, overnight and will not really warm up for a few days.

I took this on Monday, when there was a brief break in the clouds and a touch of blue sky made it through.

Today, even though it is quite cold, the sky is a clear blue and the sun is shining like crazy!

So, anyway........

2009-02-25T10:52:00.005-05:00

...........I'm gettin' up at 8:00am, Folks. Which - if you know me, at all - means I'm thoroughly useless for the next few hours because my eyes don't really work until 11:00. My brain doesn't kick in for another hour or so, after that.

I've arranged my new schedule to take advantage of what I like to call My Stupid Part of the Day.

That means that I start off with a workout, follow up with a nice, hot bath and then do some housework. I'm trying to restrict the housework to 1/2 hr, in the mornings, so that I have a short burst of focused activity and I avoid spending an entire day cleaning out a single drawer. I'm allowing myself 5 minutes per task. That's it. No dawdling. That means that I only hit six things a day but that's better than only-sort-of-doing one and have it sort of creep into my entire day.

Once the housework is done, I have about an hour and a half to do something creative - like sew. This week, I'm working on a wool cape, from a vintage pattern. I bought the fabric a year ago. In two days, I have managed to get the fabric cut out and the pieces marked. Maybe that doesn't sound like a lot but it certainly is more than I managed to get done on the project in the past year. So, I'm content.

Afternoons are spend working. Right now, that means finishing up grad school all compiling my writing. After I get my degree, I will have that time available to get back into the Studio. There's even time for my writing and I still have my evenings to watch TV, cook dinner with TonyP and make it to the gym, a few times a week.

It's Wednesday of the first week on the new schedule and I'm already tired. But, I have a lot of work to show for it.

The most important aspect of this plan is that it takes advantage of my daily peaks and valleys in such a way that I am free to concentrate on the task at hand - rather than being distracted, unfocused and frustrated with lack of progress.

The best thing about the new schedule is that it starts each day by putting myself first and nurturing myself -

- kinda like a "spiritual breakfast"!

(yet another) New Schedule!

2009-02-23T12:44:00.006-05:00

I have a problem with schedules.

I really enjoy coming up with them but I'm not particularly good at sticking to them.

Fact is, a lot of the things that I have to do require creativity and that can be sort of difficult to schedule. The Creativity Well tends to be either full to overflowing or dry and dusty.

There's also the stuff that I need to do for grad school and that requires a degree of concentration that I simply can't attain before around 2:00 pm.

Of course, there's the housework. Don't need any brain cells for that. Can be done while thinking about something else. Quite. Easily. But it does tend to take rather a lot of my time. And I really do hate housework o-so-very-much.

That doesn't leave a whole lot of time for fun or spending time with TonyP. Or getting out, during the day.

And it certainly doesn't leave much time for nurturing myself - a situation that can have all sorts of negative repercussions.

So, I'm embarking on (yet another) revision of my daily schedule.

I'm not sure just how this one will work out but the interesting thing about this schedule is that I'm starting out the day by taking care of myself.

First.

Crochetin'

2009-02-09T15:19:00.004-05:00

As you may know, I've only been knitting for a little more than a year.

I am not particularly good at it. I am, also, not particularly fast.

Furthermore, I do not find knitting relaxing or restful.

Crocheting is another matter.

I love to crochet and thread crochet has always been a particular joy, for me.

Usually, I like to work from vintage patterns or my own designs. This particular necklace/choker pattern, however, is from a book that I received for Christmas, entitled Positively Crochet!, by Mary Jane Hall.

I picked up my hook to keep my hands busy while I was watching The Revenge of Dr X (....aka The Double Garden, aka several other titles....) and had it done in no time. I blocked it the next day and was able to coax my assistant into modeling the finished necklace.

Feels Like Springtime!

2009-02-09T12:14:00.003-05:00

A new cut, fresh colour, pretty pink lip gloss and new reading glasses!

All of this lovely, warm weather has gone to my head.

You Know.....

2009-02-08T13:13:00.003-05:00

....Two m*lw*re attacks in four months is starting to really p*ss me off!

Do Not Cough Into The Same Hand That You Extend At The Peace!

2009-02-03T10:31:00.005-05:00

Right-o, Folks....I've been down with a case of the sniffles.
Nothing much. Just annoying.
But it has prompted me to offer a few suggestions:

*I know that times are tough and everyone is petrified at the thought of missing a few days of work. But....showing up for work SICK doesn't make you look like a hero. It just spreads the viruses around. Thanks for sharing!

*This is especially true if one's job brings them into contact with the general public. I know (from years of personal experience) that retail sales associates and waits are on the front lines of exposure to whatever nastiness is currently burning through the local population. As a member of the local population, I would appreciate it if sick waits and salespeople were allowed by their managers to go home, without penalty.

*Wash your hands. Use soap. Use hot water. Wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing "The Alphabet Song" through twice (I learned this bit of advice from a former co-worker, who was also a teacher).

*To people who are responsible for the water temperature in workplace restrooms: Can't you possibly figure out how to get hot water to the bathroom faucets? Seriously, I've been waaaaaayyyy to many places where the hot water tap is non-functional. I understand the desire to reduce operating expenses but this is a matter of basic hygiene.

*Lastly, if you regularly attend a worship service, please be respectful of the rest of the congregation. Consider staying home. Or, if you are convinced that your professed Deity is really so petty that you'll be in eternal deep doo-doo for missing a service, at least take steps to minimize your impact on the health of the nice, fragile-looking elderly couple sitting next to you and their tiny, adorable great-grandchildren. OK? Consider not drinking from the common cup, for example.
And, for cryin' out loud, if you wipe your nose or cough into your hand, at least have the common decency to not use the same hand that you extend to share "The Lord's Peace" with your brethren and sisteren!!

A Gala Saturday Night

2009-01-26T12:02:00.007-05:00

TonyP snapped this pic of me with his Blackberry. (The poor cropping is my fault. Oops.) I'm sorry that I didn't get a photo of him in his tux but I don't know how to work the B'berry. Trust me....he looks scrumptious in a tux!

Last Tuesday's snowfall had forced postponement of a local Inaugural Gala until Saturday. We already had tix to see the Rosebuds, at Cat's Cradle, on the same night. That happens to me a lot: nothing interesting on my calendar for months on end and then a dozen things scheduled for the same day and I want to do all of them! We knew that it would make for a long evening but we decided to attend both events and I'm very glad that we did!

The Gala was a whole lot of fun and we got in at least five dances before we moved along. The band -" Fantasy-rock-hill-south-carolina", as the band's front man said it - was a fine R&B show band and the front man was an excellent mc, who managed to keep people on the dance floor better than most I've seen. It was a very good party!

Our next stop was Cat's Cradle, for the Rosebuds. A truly great show! Prior to that evening, I had only heard a couple of their songs. They have an interesting, eclectic sound and intriguing arrangements. Live, they were tremendous.

Although my feet were kinda' tired, at the end of the evening, I returned home feeling invigorated and not the least bit over-booked. So, I think that I'm now a little more inclined to take advantage of those days when there are a dozen fun and interesting things that I want to do. Rather than being frustrated and feeling like I have to pick just one, I can choose to do two or three, bring along a second pair of shoes and plan accordingly.

Besides...when you're wearing black, you can go pretty-much anywhere.

Snow Day!

2009-01-20T17:25:00.003-05:00

The view from our great room.

Only an inch and a half but it's pretty!!

So, anyway......

2009-01-20T15:09:00.003-05:00

......That's how we do that!

(Photo taken of my television. Thanks to CSPAN for the image.)

New Elph!

2009-01-15T15:58:00.004-05:00

TonyP gave me this delightful Canon Elph for Christmas!

I have been wanting something that I could pop into my purse or carry around in my pocket, just for taking snaps and posting pics.

I've been trying to keep a camera with me, at all times, but the one that I've been using starts to feel quite heavy, after a few hours. The Elph weighs next to nothing - and that includes its case!

I'm still learning what it can do but I am pleased at its low-light capability and it actually has a pretty decent zoom.

2008: Year in Review

2009-01-08T14:30:00.014-05:00

I have been looking through notes in my journal and paging through digi-pics from the past year and have decided that 2008 can best be characterized as a year devoted to Creativity: art, writing, music, dance, flowers, attending live performances and wrestling with computer-related problems. (All set against a backdrop of inflation, high gas prices and drought and the general election.)

Artwise: neither of us participated in any shows, in 2008, but we have done a considerable amount of photography. We have also taken the time to visit museums and galleries. The photo above was taken at the National Gallery in DC, when we were up there for Memorial Day Weekend. We also spent an August weekend in Alexandria, popping in at every art gallery we could in a single day. (Whew!)

Travelwise: TonyP finally got to Ireland. OK; it was for work and it was a short trip and it was only to Dublin. But...Hey! He got to Ireland!! (....I've never been to Ireland....>sulk<)

Aside from TonyP's trip to Dublin, most of our recent travel has been to Virginia and the DC area. We took a couple of trips up to Alexandria and DC. I also decided that I wanted to celebrate my birthday by spending a few days in Colonial Williamsburg, photographing flowers, etc. (Horses count as "etc".)

I've been doing rather a lot of writing and managed to attend two regional writing conferences. I'm not sure that attending those workshops actually make me a better writer but I do feel inspired and encouraged by attending them. (I could certainly use the same sort of thing to get me fired-up about my visual art!)

I'll soon be finishing up with Grad School and I've been spending a lot of time thinking about what I'll do with all of that free time that will suddenly confront me!

(For anyone that cares....my degree will be in Liberal Studies - because the University did not actually offer a program in Global Studies until this semester. Ah, well.)

We did get to the OBX for TonyP's birthday. He lost his shades while surf-kayaking while I sat on the deck of our rented condo and worked on a Human Rights paper.

(Note: Above photo does not accurately reflect the considerable amount of effort that I was putting into that Human Rights paper. Honest. I really was working!)

This is TonyP on his new-to-him motorcycle. This was the fortunate confluence of 1) the rise in the price of gasoline and 2) a friend of his having a bike to sell! (Yes, he does wear a helmet when he rides! We are very pro-helmet!! I snapped this while he was just scooting the scooter into the garage.) He had been between motorcycles quite long enough.

The oddly-formatted picture below is (of course) Yours Truly. (Sans makeup. So, don't enlarge the picture...m'kay?)

Live Performance-wise ( a partial list):a performance during the American Dance Festival, NC Jazz Rep Holiday Concert, NC Symphony Holiday Pops, Pressure Boys (reunion show on my birthday), Hege V, Southern Culture on the Skids, Squirrel Nut Zippers, She & Him, X, Playmakers Rep performance of Shakespeare's Pericles.

We also took dance lessons!!! TonyP decided that 2008 would be the year that we learned to Shag. (For my non-US readers, that does not mean what you think it means! Shagging is a regional popular dance form, associated with Carolina beaches, alcohol and really corny music. Consider it an indigenous art form.) We both love to dance but have always had to leave the dance floor when anyone started playing "beach music". TonyP does not like to leave the dance floor. So, we actually took lessons and - even if I do say so, myself - we got to be quite good at it!

Last on the Creativity list....Computer problems! If you haven't noticed, I've had plenty o' problems. My workstation crashed and burned; Vista gave me no end of laptop problems; the laptop fell victim to a malware attack and had to have its memory wiped; the workstation picked up some sort of virus, shortly thereafter. TonyP's IT talents have been pushed to the limit and - thanks to his hard work and creativity - all of the problems have resulted in comparatively little actual downtime. Big YAY!

I suppose that the greatest single change of the past year has been that TonyP got a CPAP machine - and I have been able to sleep for the first time in mumblety years! It's f****n' incredible!!!

So, anyway.....

....That's a brief recap of 2008.

We had Mom (below Left) and her fiance over for Christmas and then went to T's Mom's (below Right) to celebrate with his family-of-origin.

Happy New Year to All and a Fabulous 2009!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T23:49:00.004-05:00

A Peaceful and Merry Christmas to Everyone! ~JennySlash

Bright Idea #2

2008-12-23T10:27:00.004-05:00

The rather smallish kitchen window is partially blocked by other parts of the house and admits very little light.

The kitchen counters are anthracite grey and the cabinets hang quite low. To complicate matters, the overhead lighting spotlights the stove-top and sink and makes the counters appear quite bleak and forgotten.

For years, I have wanted to install under-cabinet lighting but just haven't gotten around to it. I had placed a small decorative nightlight in the deepest, darkest corner but it wasn't of much practical use.

So, anyway.......

....A few days ago, I was trying to find a place to store two accent lamps from IKEA. They come in packs of two - a smaller one nestled inside a larger - and I had purchased two pairs. One of the pairs is on the dining room sideboard. The other pair was still looking for a home.

I decided to try putting the smaller lamp near the coffee maker and the larger one in the darkest corner. They have a nice, clean look and add a soft glow right where it's needed.

The energy saver bulbs emit a fairly cool light so I countered that with some warmly hued objects in rattan and terra cotta, as well as a few coloured bottles.

Not only has it made it easier to actually see what's in the kitchen but I think it makes the room look bigger.

Bright Idea #1

2008-12-19T13:17:00.004-05:00

I decided that the family room could use a little Holiday warmth and used a very short string of lights to add a bit of a glow to our fireplace.

We seldom light an honest-to-goodness fire and I tend to use candles, instead. However, as I don't like to leave candles unattended, I seldom bother lighting them.

It scarcely matters, most of the time, because the love seat actually facing a tv and the cold, dark hearth is scarcely noticed. It being the Holiday Season - and very nearly Winter - the hearth was badly in need of some Cheer!

(Note: The string of lights is removed if the candles are lit, because the fire box gets quite hot!)

My Space Over On MySpace

2008-12-16T18:05:00.004-05:00

I've spent the past week listing some unlikely holiday-related movies over at http://www.myspace.com/jennyslash .

(Note: this is not the list that inevitably ends with Die Hard. That list will come later!)

Come visit!

So, anyway.........

2008-12-16T14:44:00.004-05:00

..........It's one of those dreary, drecky, drizzly days that let you know it's December.

We're nearly done with decking of the halls but we've still got cards to send and a wreath to buy. I did get the lighted door wardens set out on Monday night and they look very cheery alongside the twinkly Christmas tree. Colours are warm red and gold, this year. Because TonyP wanted to decorate quite early and I always want to keep things up til 12th Night, we decided to go faux.

Since we're actually having a tree, I decided not to do any additional indoor decorating. No last-minute flower-arranging extravaganzas.I would be satisfied if we could keep the place clean & tidy and reduce the number of boots & shoes nesting just inside the door, however. (Why is it that - just at the time of year when one desires a tidy home that can receive visitors at a moment's notice - one's entryway fills with piles of boots and mounds of god-knows-what?)

A few months ago, I decided to assist our local economy by shopping locally (as locally as possible), dining at locally-owned restaurants and seeing live music. The dining and the live music commitments have been a delight. We've attended such diverse performances as the NC Symphony's Holiday Pops concert, NC Jazz Rep's Holiday Concert, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Hege V and Southern Culture on the Skids. We've danced our little tootsies off, dined with friends and even attended an honest-to-goodness company party! As for dining, we've already made it to ACME twice.

My plans for Holiday shopping have also gone quite well. Kitchenworks, as always, has just what I need when I need it. Ditto A Southern Season and The Original Ornament.

This scheme sort of falls apart when it comes to clothes shopping for myself, however.

Whil I was in DC, I surfed a few major department stores and saw some things that I thought would be terrific for the upcoming Winter. I decided to wait until I returned home and look for those same items in the same chains at the nearby mall.

Huge mistake.

For some reason, M*cy's decided to load our closest store with the cheapest-looking cr*p they could find. I looked for the this-season's-fashion that I'd seen in DC but it seems those NY folks think we live in sweatpants around here. They may have gotten that impression from the women's apparel buyers over at B*lk's who have - seriously - fronted nothing but sweats and loungewear. I'm not sure if everyone just decided to write off this last quarter or if they truly think we all live in our jammies. The people who stock the S**thp**nt stores never fail to under-estimate the taste and needs of their patrons. I know times are tough but, cripes, we're in the damn store with an eye to purchase something wonderful - do NOT send us off to order online and please act as if you've heard of customer service.

I despair of the state of retail in this country; I really do. The day of the department store has passed and the omnipresent M*cy's has played a considerable part in its demise. They've dissolved any trace of local character while simultaneously diluting their own brand. I'll probably vent a little bit more about retail matters, at a later time, because I started my retail career at a department store and take poor management, uninspired buyers and half-assed training as a personal affront.

I'm sure you're all trying to get ready to go out to the mall and do a little shopping and spread a little cheer, so I'll leave off venting. But, please: while you're out, do yourself a favor and stop in at some locally-owned shops in your neck of the woods. In them, you'll probably find the retail spirit and customer service live on.

So Sorry......

2008-12-10T16:41:00.003-05:00

....to disappear like that!

I've been having one computer-virus-related problem after another and really didn't mean to leave everyone hanging!

I finished the semester a few weeks early and we managed to get up to DC for a few days. Nothing rouses my Holiday spirit quite like bus exhaust and Metro air!

To add to the festive mood, we were delighted to see the viewing stands are already being erected on Pennsylvania Avenue!! And, as we won't be able to actually attend the celebration in January, we purchased a few souvenirs, in anticipation of the Inauguration, and joyfully strolled Pennsylvania Ave through a light snow.

I didn't take any pics but TonyP has posted a few.

Happy Birthday, TonyP!!

2008-10-07T15:55:00.004-04:00

You deserve the Best Birthday EVER!!

Artwork Currently Available From My Etsy Shop

2008-09-22T22:21:00.008-04:00

Water Lily #1 (watercolour)

Water Lily #6 (silvertone ink on paper)

Both pieces are currently listed at my Etsy shop: GalleryJ!

(Please note that all artwork is copyrighted. Thanks.)

Textin'

2008-09-13T16:50:00.003-04:00

I don't text.

Partly, that's because I've discovered that the texting feature for my mobile doesn't seem to work and it would take time that I do not have to get the situation remedied.

Mainly, however, it's because my nails are too long and my vision is entirely too poor!

I've decided that texting from my mobile would require me to wear one of those enormous magnifiers around my neck - the kind that your grannie probably uses when she does needlework. Not exactly a trendsetting accessory and nothing that I'd be caught dead wearing in public. Unless they make them in black.

As for the fingernails.... I understand why the fashion is for short, short nails. It's hard enough for me to enter the correct phone number - entering an entire message is perfectly ridiculous! I clearly wouldn't last 5 minutes as a contemporary twelve-year-old.

Hmmm.........What I really need is a personal assistant. Someone to text for me.

Must get working on that!

After my polish dries.

Latest Crochet Project

2008-09-09T14:24:00.006-04:00

This is my new "Water Lilies" shawl.

I have already made a scarf and pair of mitts, using this yarn and the same stitch pattern. The stitch pattern is comprised of interlocking fans made in double crochet and has long been one of my favourites. Not only does it work up very quickly but it's extremely simple to do. If you can make a Granny Square, you can do this! The only stitches required are: chain stitch, single crochet & double crochet (US).

I was working with an inexpensive yarn that I purchased simply because I liked the colour. As I worked, the variegated patches of greens and blues with ivory fans reminded me of Monet's water lilies. After I crocheted the scarf and mitts, I decided to use the remainder of the yarn to make a shawl to keep my shoulders cozy while I'm studying.

Here is a detail of the stitch pattern.

See how the clusters suggest leaves and lilies?

That's one of the things that I enjoy about crocheting with variegated yarns - they can be used to make really interesting patterns. Of course, if you work entirely in one stitch, the yarn will stripe - just like it does when you knit row upon row. I'm not really a big fan of stripes so I prefer to use those yarns for a more random look.

Suburban Wildlife: Tortoise Edition

2008-09-09T12:36:00.004-04:00

This morning, I spotted this visitor to our backyard.

He was moving at quite a clip, too!

All of that stuff about tortoises being slow....sounds like rabbit propaganda, to me!

Lightin'

2008-09-04T12:57:00.003-04:00

After spending a significant portion of this week clearing brush and hacking away at the undergrowth, I certainly hope that the lovely people who collect yard waste actually make it to our neighborhood before the winds pick up, on Friday morning.

Tuesday, I laid out the new lighting for the back yard and TonyP clipped the lights onto the power cord after work. (The instructions on the box said that no tools were needed but they neglected to mention that the clips can be awfully difficult to attach!) The lights certainly enhance the night-time view of that part of the yard and the result is quite charming. There's even a spotlight on St. Francis!

This was phase two of the lighting project. Phase 1 consisted of replacing the fairy lights on the back porch. Phase 3 will involve replacing the fairy lights in the jasmine arbor. It shouldn't take very long but - with a chance of an approaching tropical system - I'm content to leave that until later in the month!

By the way, I discovered that the drugstore at the local mall had an aisle of fairy lights ( what some readers will know as Christmas lights) in the middle of August!

God! How I love living in a college town!!

Just Takin' A Break

2008-08-14T16:25:00.003-04:00

I'm taking a bit of a break, in anticipation of what promises to be a fairly intense Fall Semester - chock full o' Human Rights abuse case studies.

Yippee.

A few weeks ago, we got up to the mountains for a couple of days. And, while we were in Burnsville, we stopped in at The Design Gallery. There is always a wonderful selection of artwork and fine crafts at The Design Gallery, so I thought I'd pass along the link to their website , where you can find a map, directions and so on.

In the same building as the Gallery, there's a small gourmet shop and a simply lovely yarn shop - YummiYarns.

Unfortunately, YummiYarns doesn't appear to have a website but this is a link to some pictures of the shop that are posted at The Design Gallery's website. The yarns are so much more than yummi - they're luscious!

The yarn shop is through the gourmet shop and straight on, past the piano.

Piano?

For Comic Book Fans & Those Who Love Them

2008-07-24T15:48:00.006-04:00

Just is case you're one of the dozen people who haven't already heard, TonyPlutonium is clearing out some of his comix.

He is literally giving them away by the handful.

Details are at his purpose-built blog: Take My Comic Books.

(I can only imagine that this is really just so he'll have room for more comix!)

Perfection

2008-05-30T17:01:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned elsewhere that I purchased this vintage lovely on eBay.

It's a late 70s-early 80s cotton dress, of the sort that we used to call "Mexican wedding dresses" but they were quite often worn for less formal occasions - like going to concerts or the symphony - and by women of all ages. The basics of the style consisted of monochrome cotton, wide lace and lots of tucks but there were plenty of variations of the style. Some were white and some ivory. Some were embroidered. Some were flouncy and very ingenue. Some were sleek and sophisticated.

All of them were pricey, boutique items and way out of my budget, at the time - the time being Summer of 1980 and the place being New Mexico (and I was broke, between jobs, between apartments and soon to be between relationships).

In much more recent history, I started seeing variations on the style popping up in designer boutiques in Chicago, during the Spring of 2006. I even went so far as to try on a few but the reinterpretations tended to be a bit on the ingenue side. I decided not to invest in one of the new dresses but I still loved the basic elements of the style so I figured I'd keep my eyes open at vintage clothing stores and on eBay and try to snag a vintage dress that I might have glimpsed in a shop window in Santa Fe - some place just off the Plaza.

I didn't expect the dress to be in wearable condition and I certainly didn't imagine it would fit.

Wrong on both counts!

Now, all I need are tickets to the symphony.

So, Anyway.....

2008-05-30T16:58:00.000-04:00

...We were in Colonial Williamsburg, a couple of weeks ago, and it just so happened to be during their annual Gardening Symposium - so the timing was perfect for a little photography!

Of course, I took thousands of digi-pics!

Editing them is a pleasant chore - but a chore, nonethess.

Here are a couple of floral shots.

Laptop Related Matters (or "Why I Am Not Mobile")

2008-05-20T11:33:00.003-04:00

For a really fine description of the problems that I've been having with my Dell laptop (delivered with a healthy dose of wry humor), please check out TonyP's description of a Sunday spent working on my laptop and his attempt to coax Vista into behaving like a responsible OS.

Note: If it were left up to me, I probably would have shipped the unit back to Dell in teeny, tiny pieces, long before now.

Which Do I Care Less About......

2008-05-14T16:20:00.002-04:00

..Dubya's opinion of Global Warming?

Or, the Vatican's opinion on extraterrestrials?

Tough call.

So, anyway.....

2008-05-02T09:10:00.007-04:00

....a few years ago, I got to thinking about how so much of my childhood was in black & white & shades of grey. Not only television and newspapers but family photos, as well.

Since then, I've been scanning and playing with photographs of myself, from that era. Some of the images have found their way into paintings but many (such as this one) remain digital.

Part of the process involves distancing myself from whatever memories I might have attached to a particular image or event and approaching the photograph with greater objectivity.

Hopefully.

This particular one - entitled "Toothless" - shows me on the concrete pad of our breezeway and dressed in tunic and turned-up dungarees.

Squinting into the sun....as always!

That balletic motif tunic was rose-pink with black figures. The awful bangs were my mother's idea.

(What the hell was she thinking?)

Today happens to be a fairly important date on my calendar. A day set aside for me to think about my life and to celebrate it.

The black & white parts...half-tones...the faded sepia bits... the scary Kodachrome & Polaroid...the 3-color... the full Pantone range.....

...all of it.

A May Basket

2008-05-01T17:03:00.005-04:00

Flowers courtesy of my mother.

Happy Birthday!!!!

2008-04-30T12:20:00.002-04:00

And here's our Guest of Honour!

A Little Vintage ReVamp

2008-04-28T22:12:00.003-04:00

I love doing crochet and this project melds bits from two periods of my crocheting history.

The base for this clutch is a placemat project that I did in 1977. I had planned on making a set but only ever made the one and used it under centerpieces or on the dressing table. The work was damaged during a particularly dreadful move, during which the movers used my collection of handwork and vintage linens to wrap a closet full of corrosive chemicals.

I've been thinking of using this particular piece to make a clutch for some time and finally pulled things together last week.

The clutch is lined with unbleached cotton and the Irish Crochet flowers were worked during my stay in Chicago, during the spring of 2006.

(In case you're wondering, the Battenberg Lace in the background is a small photo album that I decorated with odd bits of ribbon and things about 15 years ago. The vintage train case in the picture was mine when I was a little girl and I carried it on train trips between North Carolina and Minnesota.)

The Boyz

2008-04-28T21:32:00.003-04:00

The pride that I take in my short stint at the helm of a live-music club ( back in the mid-80s) is partly due to a band called The Pressure Boys.

When the house lights went down at Rhythm Alley and the stage lights came up, no band got the people moving on the dance floor - or kept them dancing longer - than the Boys did.

The band broke up twenty years ago but, this upcoming weekend, the Pressure Boys will reunite to play a benefit for the fight against cystic fibrosis.

The details about the fund-raiser can be found on their website . Plenty more about the band can be found via the website of author Peter Cashwell , including a link to some photos of band members, past and present.

And, if you've got an ounce of sense, you'll be there - with your dancing shoes on.

I sure will.

So, anyway.....

2008-04-27T11:34:00.003-04:00

.....I had an interesting day at the Spring writing conference on Saturday. Interesting less for the two workshops that I participated in than for the fact that it was such a lovely day to be in Greensboro.

The conference was held on the campus of the University which (if all goes well!) will be granting my Master's in another year.

Now, the nature of my program is such that I am not required to set foot on campus.

Ever.

And don't get me wrong - I wouldn't change that for the world! I love the fact that I can go anywhere and work on my own daily schedule. But the fact is that I enjoy visiting the campus, from time to time. Not only does it help me to feel connected to the institution but - thanks to some massive renovation - it's turning into quite an attractive place.

Outside the student union, there's a prettily landscaped area with a few benches, a swing and a verdigris statue of Minerva. I've walked past the spot a number of times and it has always looked like an inviting place to slam down a coffee and a veggie sub between classes. It's one of those spots that beckon to you through the window and makes it hard to think about anything but the upcoming lunch break.

And, on a sunny April morning, when the fringe trees and lilacs and azaleas are in bloom and you can hardly hear yourself think for dogwoods, there's really no sense at all in being indoors.

Between the morning and afternoon workshops, I sat at the feet of Minerva, drinking coffee and working crosswords. I sat in the sun for two hours and thought about absolutely nothing. There was a light breeze that carried the the sound of chimes, together with mingled fragrances of flowers, old buildings and library books. Rather than look for a clock, I listened instead for the chiming of the carillon. Synchronizing myself to campus time.

The afternoon workshop was dedicated to memoirs and the personal essay.

Outside the window, I was still able to make out Minerva, standing in a garden of fringe trees and lilacs - a place where being an artist and a student and a writer and myself could all weave together.

At least for a couple of hours, marked on the quarters by a carillon.

Carolina Springtime: Completed!

2008-04-24T11:29:00.011-04:00

Carolina Springtime:

the Inspiration

I promised everyone that I would post the final results of my first hand-knitted sweater project and here it is!

Getting to this point was a tad circuitous and I'll tell you why. I was basing the dimensions of the front and back panels on one of my favourite sweaters. The problem was that the one that I used for reference was a rather bulky sweater. My own knitting looked quite droopy and blah at those original dimensions.

So.....I cut it up!

If you're used to half-finishing knitting run up on a knitting machine, this won't scare you.

First: I laid the panels out on my cutting board to measure.

Second: I marked the place where I needed to cut. In this case, I was aiming for 3-4 inches of ease plus a seam allowance of approximately 1/2 inch.

Third: I took the panels to the machine. Using a rather small stitch length and carefully following my knitted stitches as a guide, I sewed straight lines on either side of the cutting line. I reinforced the new garment edge with another row of straight-stitching and a zigzag stitch - trying very hard not to stretch the fabric as I did so. (Stabilizer might have made this easier but I didn't have any handy.)

Fourth: I cut off the extra several inches.

Fifth: Keeping in mind the vintage pattern that inspired this endeavor, I chain-stitched the shoulder seams.

Sixth: I joined the sleeves to the body, right sides together. For this, I used a back-stitch.

Seventh: With a running stitch, I joined the front to the back, under the sleeves and down the sides.

And here's the finished sweater!

The next time that I make this pattern up, I will use a solid yarn and be certain to block my swatch before settling on the stitch count. The self-striping yarn is lovely but I wasn't really aware that it was self-striping when I bought it, assuming that the ombre was a bit more random in character. Since I was working on the flat and not in the round, it meant that the stripes would not match up at the side seams and so on. Since this was my first attempt, I'm not overly distressed by the result. And, as it was really intended to wear at-home, the lack of matching sides seams will not keep me awake at night.

That being said, I will probably only use this yarn for projects that are either knitted in-the-round or for crocheted pieces where the stitches would tend to obscure the striping.

The yarn used for this project was Paton's SWS in "natural pink" and the needles were bamboo. The yarn is what I consider a "slow" yarn - that is to say that there is some tooth to it and it doesn't slide off of the needles very easily. Easier to control but a bit grabby - especially with the bamboo needles. Still, for a first project, I found it less frustrating than having my stitches go springing willy-nilly off of my needles! It's a matter of preference, of course. When I crochet, I have an assortment of hooks in different materials and with different finishes that I can select from and I will be doing the same with knitting. I must say that I have a great fondness for the bamboo needles - especially the shorter ones. I have had better success with that type than any other knitting needles I have ever owned.

Shoppin"

2008-04-21T15:30:00.004-04:00

Whilst at Roulette Vintage, spotted these lovely sling-backs!

I don't generally buy vintage footwear but these were not only in stellar condition but they fit me!

Speaking of stellar.....

According to the woman at Roulette, the shoes once belonged to a 1940s movie star but she didn't remember who!

Most of the female stars of that era were quite diminutive so the list of candidates who might have owned these 9B (US) heels is not an extensive one.

The shoes are light beige with black patent tips that suggest they were designed to make the wearer's foot look at least a size smaller than it was.

It's a shame that these shoes lack provenance. But, if I have to guess, I'd look for an actress who was tall - at least 5' 8", so she might have modeled. She was probably a bit insecure about the size of her feet. The shoes are Italian-made but purchased from a store in NYC. Maybe she was a New Yorker.

While I'll never know who their original owner was I do have my own guess.

So, Anyway....

2008-04-07T13:52:00.003-04:00

....I haven't blogged in a few days because it's been one of those weeks when it's been one fiasco after another.

Some times, things just keep sliding from bad to not-quite-as-bad to sux and then back to bad again and one keeps checking the mirror, to see if the Cosmos has taped a big "Kick Me" sign on one's back.

My patience with computers, universities, deer, wood ticks and Microsoft is at an end and I would very much like it if everything would kindly return to normal ASAP.

Thank you.

Big Badda-Boom

2008-04-02T11:21:00.004-04:00

Last Friday, things kinda went haywire on the workstation.

I sorta went berserk, fearing that all of my grad school writing had been lost down a rabbit hole.

Cuz, to be perfectly honest, things weren't being backed up as systematically as they shoulda been.

Like...at all.

Not that the subject hadn't come up - such as when my old laptop began to (quite literally) fall apart. Or when TonyP's sister lost her house to a fire and we began to obsess over what would happen if we were confronted by a similar disaster.

I just never followed up on any of it.

So, some things have been lost but a lot more turned out to be retrievable than we'd originally thought. And a lot more was salvageable from that fragile, antique laptop. The only writings that seem to have disappeared without a trace are the final versions of some of my poems.

But that's probably for the best.

A new computer is on its way and everything ought to be back to normal by the weekend.

Which is the real danger - that I shall become so complacent by the normalcy of it all that I'll forget those awful moments when it appeared that years of work had simply vanished.

Perhaps the loss of a few poems is a small price to pay, if it reminds me to take the time to back up my computer.

Still More Garden-Inspired Ramblings

2008-03-27T16:06:00.006-04:00

This morning, I rose quite a bit earlier than usual and was finished with my Morning Prayer/Coffee routine by 9:15!

During my meditation, I was distracted by movement outside the front window. It was an unfamiliar grey kitty, lurking on our front porch and poised to pounce on one of our resident robins. I walked over, jingled the sleigh bells that hang on the door and both cat and robin vanished.

Which leads me to a rather intriquing discovery that TonyP made, when we were switching out the arbors on Saturday.

^ I decided to add a tall japanese fern to this container, for a bit of height.

The jasmine is a favorite nesting spot for robins and, as we were clipping it back, we noted an old nest was still tucked securely among the tangled mass of vines. TonyP was sawing apart the old arbor when something near the old nest caught his eye. He reached into the jasmine and pulled out a cat collar!

Here's the new arbor and freshly-planted containers. I'm also starting a few cuttings from the jasmine. Against the wall, you can see how far along the daylilies are. No spikes yet. >

Evidently, one of the neighborhood felines had been a-hunting robins and become tangled in the vines but the safety collar had come apart, as it was designed to do. When this might have happened - this year, last or the year before - we have no idea.

I'm sorry that I didn't see it happen because I would have loved to have watched a cat climb that arbor!

These pics were taken today, after I spent a few hours playing in the dirt. It was such a lovely, warm day and I couldn't resist!

^ I'm afraid that the pansies that I planted at the feet of S. Francis are a hopeless cause. The deer simply pull them up by the roots! I don't know if the new red hydrangea will far any better but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Still Feeling All Floral

2008-03-25T17:25:00.002-04:00

Mom purchased this fabric when she moved into her townhouse and used it to cover a small, round table in the bedroom. While the room is still done in lilac and lavender, she's dispensed with the table and decided she wanted to have the fabric converted into pillow shams.

My first step was to pull out the hem and stitching from the circular tablecloth. Then, I pressed everything and made up a pattern, based on the dimensions of the pillows. I used a formula from the House Beautiful Seasonal Guide to Decorating with Fabric (long out-of-print) and had to patch together pieces to make up the backs of the shams.

She's bringing the pillows over, later this week, to try them out. I left myself a bit of room to alter the shams, if necessary. But there's almost no fabric left over so - if I have to make adjustments - it'll be tight!

Easter at the Arboretum

2008-03-24T12:22:00.009-04:00

In case you haven't noticed, Spring appears to be underway!

On Easter, TonyP and I wandered over to campus to see how far along the plants and flowers were. We were quite delighted to see a lot of things in bloom - some early and some a bit late. It makes for a delightful mix.

Here's a short walk down the paths of the arboretum - a little touch of Spring to brighten up your day!

That particular saucer magnolia is a rather unassuming tree but blooms with exuberance.

If you care for hellabores, take a seat and rest a while. Hellabores seem to be quite a favourite at this arboretum and there are quite a few varieties.

This flowering quince does, in fact, have blossoms ranging from deep pink to almost-white on the same branches.

I was a bit surprised to see the irises, as mine have yet to send up spikes. We noticed irises blooming in Durham, a couple of weeks ago! I think that the warmth of the pavement and buildings speed them up quite a bit.

Talk about early! There are several of these azaleas that are in full bloom! Most of the ones downtown are budding or just starting to open. (At my house, what azaleas have not been devoured by deer are still barely budding.)

Valuable Link

2008-03-17T12:37:00.003-04:00

On the off-chance that you are not familiar with the work of Don Marquis, here is a link to the poem: "Warty Bliggins, the Toad". (Which I've put in caps because I am not a cockroach and can reach the ''''shift" key.)

Flower Arrangin'

2008-03-17T12:11:00.004-04:00

The front porch still needs to be tidied up and the rest of the plants brought outside for some sunshine.

But I decided to go ahead and decorate our front entrance.

Below, the Moon-Gazing Rabbit appears in the guise of the Easter Bunny.

Perched on the front porch of this twig birdhouse, the toad figurine is so lifelike that one could mistake him for Mr Bliggins, the actual toad resident of our azalea bed.

Sewin'

2008-03-10T21:45:00.002-04:00

This blouse is a test of New Look 6598, size 12. The fabric is a Cranston print based on a Mary Englebreit design and was purchased at Walmart, several years ago. Buttons are reclaimed from who-knows-where.

I've had this pattern for some time but hesitated to make it because I have had considerable difficulty fitting bodices and blouses, in the past.

This pattern features front and back darts and there is a narrow tie at the back to control fullness. It's really a very easy blouse to fit.

Being somewhat desperate for a reliable blouse pattern, I decided to make a muslin of it and I chose this fabric because I had purchased acres of the stuff for a quilt backing and never used it. The fabric is 100% cotton, so fairly easy to work with. Being black and an over-all print, alterations/mistakes would be less visible.

As it happens, the size 12 muslin fits me perfectly, as drawn. No alterations were needed but I did widen the blouse a bit near the bottom - to allow a smoother fit over jeans. I also made the side slits an inch longer because I thought the proportions looked better.

The main difficulty with this pattern was the neckline/collar facing. Try as I might, I have been unable to insert it in such a way as to get the thing to lie smoothly. I've tacked the facing down but I will probably need to draft my own facing pattern before I attempt to make this version of the blouse again!

Other than that, however, the blouse was a breeze!

Some Thoughts....

2008-03-10T14:26:00.006-04:00

A young person was murdered.

A student.

A young woman - who was a guest in our community - was murdered.

We're a small town. Small enough that random acts of murder still touch each of us.

Small enough that we are able to remember the names of victims.

Small enough that we are able to remember where they've died.

Yes, It Is March & Yes, That's A Poinsettia

2008-03-05T22:50:00.002-05:00

This year, I'm going to try to carry over the poinsettia we bought for Christmas.

It all starts with me cutting it back some time in March.

Seems a shame to do it, since the brachts are still quite pretty.

But, it looks a bit too Christmas-y

And it is March, after all.

So, Anyway.......

2008-03-05T22:47:00.002-05:00

I somehow managed to get the front piece of the sweater about six inches wider than the back.

Evidently, I'd incorrectly recorded the number of stitches that I'd cast on for the first piece.

So....I get to do that piece all over again.

Woo-hoo.

Readin'

2008-02-20T17:13:00.003-05:00

Book Review: Dead Hunt by Beverly Connor

It’s been a fairly low-energy week for me because I’ve had a nagging case of the sniffles.

Fortunately, before I started getting all sneezy, I’d stopped by the local big box book emporium for some fresh reading. It took some searching but I eventually managed to locate the sole copy of Beverly Connor’s Dead Hunt that the store had gotten in. They only ever keep a single copy of her most recent “Diane Fallon” series in stock and I am beginning to think that I am the only person in town who has read any of her books.

Which is a shame.

Connor writes two “detectives”. The first series is comprised of archeological mysteries, featuring Lindsay Chamberlain. The series is out of print in the US but Connor’s website promises a new “Lindsay Chamberlain” title in the not-too-distant future. If you’re a fan of archeological mysteries, it’s worth seeking out this series on the web or in used book stores.

The second is the “Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation” series and Dead Hunt is the fifth title.

Diane Fallon is the director of a natural history museum in Georgia. She has a background in forensic anthropology and also heads a crime lab that is housed in the same building as the museum. Juggling criminal investigations, small town politics, museum administration and – well – life can be stressful so, for relaxation, Dr. Fallon enjoys spelunking.

In Dead Hunt, Fallon becomes involved in the search for a “black widow” while coping with allegations that the museum is purchasing illegal antiquities. She becomes, simultaneously, the prime suspect in a grisly murder and the target of a killer. And her neighbors are getting fed up with all of the excitement that seems to follow her home.

What makes Beverly Connor’s "Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation" books enjoyable is the way that she crafts mysteries that interweave past and present in unsuspecting ways. Her books are more character- and plot-driven mysteries than strict procedurals. And, they keep you guessing ‘til the end.

Frankly, she deserves more attention than she gets.

(Beverly Connor’s books are available online. For more information on the author, please check out her website. Image of book is from her website at: http://beverlyconnor.net .)

Knittin'

2008-02-20T14:57:00.005-05:00

Yes, Folks –

She’s taught herself to knit, by gum!

Well….only just. Barely.

But, a cell cozy, GPS cozy, pair of legwarmers and a Valentine’s prezzie ( scarf for TonyP) makes it pretty much official.

Previous forays into the land of English knitting were frustrating failures. Back in the 70s, there was a short sortie into Continental knitting that was a bit more encouraging. Ultimately, however, it proved just as fruitless.

Not that it really bothered me because I can crochet like nobody’s business. So, I’ve been quite content to admire the work of knitting friends (such as the oh-so-talented Knittin-Gin) without feeling any urge, whatsoever, to make any more attempts at the craft.

So, anyway….last month, I realized three things: 1) TonyP really wanted me to make him something, 2) He prefers knitted articles to crocheted (considers them more appropriate for a guy), 3) my ankles were cold.

Since I was in need of a pair of legwarmers (and crocheting them is tedious beyond belief!) I hied me hence to Fabric & Crap for some ballet pink yarn and bamboo knitting needles. Once home, I practiced with some seriously ugly practice-yarn-with-no-bounce-left-in-it and managed to fumble about until I had completed cozies for my cell phone and the family GPS.

Stylistically, my knitting style lacks provenance. It’s some bass-ackwards fusion of English and Continental, with the yarn held the way I do when I crochet. I wouldn’t dare knit in public, for fear of shocking the more knit-lit but it’s a method that works for me.

The legwarmers worked up very quickly. Encouraged, I purchased yarn for TonyP’s scarf and had it finished and blocked before Valentine’s Day!

My goals for knitting are humble. Generally speaking, I have entirely too many complicated, major projects so any knitting objectives need to be achievable, affordable and not overly ambitious.

I call my current project “Carolina Springtime” because the SWS variegated yarn in “natural pink” reminds me of the dogwoods and azaleas that grace North Carolina each Spring. It is a simple pullover inspired by a 1970s design in Make It with Mademoiselle (1977). My version is only a rough approximation because I am using a singled strand of variegated yarn, unlike the double strand of solid yarn called for in the original design. Similarly, the needle size is different and I opted for a slightly looser stitch. As the design is basically just four rectangles, I’m simply making up panels to the same dimensions as in the original and I want to take advantage of the natural curl at the edges.

Come to think of it…..the sweater would work up just as well in crochet!

( Above and Right: Current "Carolina Springtime" project in Patons SWS, "Natural Pink".)

Drop That Class and Slowly Back Away

2008-01-23T14:24:00.000-05:00

I have decided to drop my Spring class and take the semester off.

After spending eleven days circling the classwork like it was going to bite me, I finally realized that there was no way that I was going to do my best work in that class. The subject didn't interest me and, after the bear of a semester that I had last Fall, I just couldn't see myself slogging through this one just to get through to the end.

I'm not pursuing this degree for professional reasons. This entire enterprise is meant to enrich myself and my life - to stimulate my brain - to cultivate my passions and the joy of learning.

The trouble is that I had become so focused on the work and getting the degree that I'd kinda lost sight of those objectives. The last couple of semesters, I've allowed myself to become too other-directed, dependant upon a syllabus and deadlines to get from one day to the next. During my weeks off, I've felt tremendous stress and anxiety because I didn't have someone to set clear-cut objectives for me.

This is only the second time that I've dropped a course since I began grad school. The first, I waited so long that I was a complete wreck by the time that I made the decision. The textbooks wound up flung against a far wall, their spines shattered. It was ugly but not senseless violence. It had become necessary for me to forcibly extricate myself from that particular class.

This time it was quite a bit different. I opened the syllabus and immediately realized that there were other things that I could be doing with my time - even if nothing sprang to mind. Still, I completed the first three writing assignments and prepared to hunker down and just get through the class.

That was when I realized that:
1) The material really didn't speak to my interests
2) I'd already written these three essays several times before, for earlier classes
3) This lack of enthusiasm showed in my writing
4) The professor either sensed this or simply didn't like my writing style. (Either way, I could expect a rather low grade which would ruin my GPA, which is stupid to worry about in grad school - but still....)

Withdrawing from class was a difficult decision but, ultimately, it was based on the fact that I only have three classes left in the program before graduation. One of those classes is in a required category, so there's little I can do about that one. But the other two are in my main area and I really want them to count!

I want them to engage me and fill me with joy!

I want to jump out of bed every morning, excited to work!

I want to love the research!

I want to feel transformed on a cellular level!

Maybe, next semester.........

Tenth Day of Christmas

2008-01-03T13:28:00.000-05:00

Just in case you haven't seen it already, here's the link for this season's edition of It Came Upon A Midnight Weird - Cavalcade of Bad Nativities over at Going Jesus.

Caution: Do not attempt to view while drinking hot beverages or operating machinery!

The Fourth Day of Christmas

2007-12-28T15:01:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Christmas at chez nous brought with it the traditional Crud Attack.

This year's recipient was TonyP - the man who had tempted Fate at WDW by declaring that (for once) neither of us had gotten sick during our trip to Disney.

The Crud Attack hit him the day after our return.

Sneaky.

The week before Christmas is supposed to be a fairly quiet one at WDW but it was actually pretty busy, when we were there. Evidently, the poor performance of our dollar is attracting a lot of foreign vacationers - as well as encouraging folks in the US to vacation in-country.

If you've never been to WDW around the Holidays, it's really something to see. The decorations and floral arrangements are wonderful and there are large gingerbread displays at all of the resorts. There are carols playing over the speakers and the lights and trimmings are perfect.

Well, maybe a bit too perfect. Because this is Disney, after all. And scores of designers have been working on this for months.

I had a great time and it was a wonderful experience but I'm not sure if I'd do it again because - nice as it is - I can't get my head around palm trees at Christmas!

Not that I personally associate Christmas with snow. When I was a kid, it was generally damp and dismal at Christmas. When I was little, that kinda sucked. We didn't get Currier & Ives; we got red mud with occasional snowy patches by Epiphany.

Of course, since we're currently in the midst of a big, honkin' drought, all of that grey damp and dismal rain seems like a blessing. This afternoon, I was pleased to notice some small puddles of water standing in low-lying areas so the wild critters are getting a bit of a break. It rained buckets on the day after Christmas.

(That's Boxing Day to my Brit and Canadian friends. Here, it's Trying-to-Find-a-New-Coat-at-Macy's Day.)

So, as 2007 winds down and we're all polishing off our gifts from A Southern Season, I want to wish all of you a wonderful Holiday Season, the Best-est New Year imaginable and rain - if you need it!

So, anyway....

2007-12-13T13:05:00.000-05:00

I have this pair of washed-out black jeans that I bought at the GAP last year. They're not uber black but they've got straight legs, they're the right length and they fit reasonably well. They actually fit right on my hip bones so that I'm not having to pull at them all the time (a gesture that sort of ruins the overall stylish impression one hopes to convey by wearing stright-legged, black jeans, in the first place). They are the kind of jeans that a gal can build an entire season's wardrobe around.

So, anyway....last Saturday, I was out doing a little Holiday shopping and went into SteinMart to see what else I could find to wear with my wonderful jeans when I suddenly felt the urge to pull my pants up a bit because I could feel a bit of a breeze where NO breeze should be.

That was when I realized that the chain-stitching holding the waistband to the rest of the jeans had come undone and the entire seam was slipping out as quickly as the stitching zips right out of a bag of charcoal briquettes!

I gauged the extent of the damage in the nearest mirror and found that more than half of the stitching had come undone and the only thing holding the jeans to the waistband were the belt loops.

To make matters even more interesting, I was kinda stuck at the shopping center until TonyP returned with the car from doing HIS shopping. I had to sort of keep one hand on the jeans at all times which - I'm certain - HAD to have looked pretty danged suspicious to sales associates. ("No, Ma'am. I'm not hiding any merchandise. My hand is in my pocket to keep my jeans from falling down!")

What I couldn't help but wonder was why anyone would chain-stitch a waistband onto a pair of jeans but, as it turns out, nearly all of my jeans have the same type of stitching. Why this hasn't happened to me before this is a mystery.

I have managed a temporary repair that should get me through the next couple weeks. But, after Christmas, I really want to take some stronger thread and go over that stitching one more time!

For TonyP

2007-12-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

TonyP is always sharing lolcats with me. When I ran across this video, I just had to share it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jDfSqtG2E4

Restin'

2007-12-09T20:38:00.000-05:00

Just submitted my semester project to the professor so now I'm actually on break!

I've decided not to do Winter Session because I really need some time off. And it will be awfully nice to enjoy the hustle & bustle of the Holiday Season this year without classwork getting in the way.

For the first time in centuries, I am not doing anything either artsy or craftsy for the Season. No last-minute cocktail dresses re-conned from altmodische ballgowns. No frantic crocheted prezzie binge. No massive floral projects.

I do have some sewing to do for Winter but nothing pressing and there are a few pieces of needlework to keep my fingers amused. But all that I really plan on doing is giving the house one good end-of-year cleaning and then enjoying myself for a few weeks.

Writin'

2007-11-18T22:01:00.000-05:00

Just returned from the NCWN Fall Conference.

It was my first conference and I didn't set too many objectives for myself but I did set a few and (I'm happy to say!) that I met them all!

Objective 1: Introduce myself to five people.

Objective 2: Ask five people about what they are writing.

Objective 3: Read aloud from something that I've written.

Now, I'm kinda shy so #s 1 & 2 were intimidating.

Objective #3 was terrifying. I was signed up for a session on short story writing and the instructor asked everyone to bring a first page to discuss during the class. Now - while I have no problem sharing my essays and non-fiction writing with the general public - I've always kept my fiction writing private. But, I had a first page that I felt reasonably confident about so I printed it off and tucked it into my portfolio - just in case I felt brave enough to raise my hand.

Brave is a relative term, mind.

I volunteered. I never volunteer. My hand was shaking so hard that I could barely hold the microphone but I managed to get through the passage without rushing and my voice only cracked a couple of times. I actually found it easier when I imagined that I was simply reading an excerpt from someone else's story!

The passage was well-received and the discussion about it was extremely helpful. I had already been taking copious notes during the session but it was helped me tremendously to have specific feedback on something of my own.

Later that afternoon, another writer approached me and wanted to discuss what I had written!

Wow!

I was over the freakin' moon!

So, anyway....

One of my Mom's best friends is a writer. C was surprised to learn that I was attending the conference because she didn't know that I wrote.

C: "How long has J been writing?"

Mom: "I don't know. Since High School, I guess."

C: "What kind of stuff does she write?"

Mom: "I don't know. I've never read anything she's written."

I told you... I'm kinda shy.

So, anyway....

2007-09-30T13:25:00.000-04:00

So far, it's been a bear of a semester.

Looks like the next few months aren't going to get any easier.

I'm sorry to have just dropped off the map like that but my blogging is likely to remain sporatic until this class is over with.

Otherwise, all I'd be doing would be bitching about grad school.

I promise to try to keep that sort of thing to a minimum!

Please accept this picture of the view from my Mother-in-Law's deck as a token of apology.

(Caution - it's a fairly huge file!)

Talking Out of School

2007-09-05T11:39:00.000-04:00

As you can (no doubt) tell from the scarcity of my entries to this blog, grad school classes have resumed.

Over the last several years, you have probably heard me complain about how hard it can be for these online classes to get sorted out. The changes to Bb never seem to have been made in time and there's usually a lot of bad links and last minute alterations to be made by the professor and teaching assistant.

Well, this semester has been no exception. It might be one of the worst for lack of preparation. The course was designed with an earlier edition of the text in mind so the reading assignments don't match up with the actual units. The list of required films has yet to be settled on.The manner in which the discussions will be graded was changed over the weekend. And we're three weeks IN!

There are two writing assignments every week, which I'm rather used to. But this is one of those classes where the prompts are things like "In your opinion, what was the most important factor....?" And the materials being used are very scant lecture notes and one of the worst textbooks that I've ever encountered. So, all I can really say in an essay is what the authors of the textbook considered to be the most important factor in this or that because, really, I've not been directed to any primary sources.

The assigned textbook is crap. The authors of the book make very sweeping statements about motives and conditions that they can't possibly know with any degree of precision. Citations are not as thick on the ground as they ought to be. Theories on cultural development are flatly presented as facts - without any supporting evidence.

Did I mention this was a college textbook?

To make matters worse, the course is on Western Civilization (a topic I fancy I know a little something about) and the teaching assistant who is facilitating (and grading) the discussion portion has some very hard and fast notions about just what Western Civilization is/is not. I rather suspect that the discussions will be graded accordingly. The TA also seems hell-bent on arguing with a student until the student finally gives up and concedes. It's possible to side-step this behavior in a colleague but a little more difficult when the colleague is doing the grading!

A Reminder

2007-08-16T16:40:00.000-04:00

GalleryJ (my Etsy shop) is now open!

Here are a couple of the items currently available :

This is a watercolor of the Rideau Canal, Ottawa. During the Summer, the canal is dotted with boats and the footpath alongside is filled with joggers and pedestrians. During the colder months, people skate on the canal. It's a lovely place to walk!

This drawing is one of several studies that I've done of water lilies. The inspiration for this particular one came from a koi pond in Manteo, NC. I had developed a cartoon for a painting and liked the lines of the drawing so much that I did this version in silver ink on black paper.

Please note that 10% of the sales at GalleryJ will be donated to WCPE, the listener-supported, classical music station that I listen to throughout my work day.

I've been listening to WCPE since the '70s and you can, too! No matter where you are in the world, go to theclassicalstation.org to listen live.

(Note: For the time being, I am only shipping within the US but, if you live elsewhere and are interested in my work, I would love to hear from you!)

So, anyway....

2007-08-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

...classes resume on Monday.

I've had a nice, long break, this Summer.

But, I'm afraid that I've spent most of it twitching - trying to decide what to do with with all of the free time because I hadn't had a break since last June.

Sailing through the year, propelled by strong currents and steady winds, I was not prepared when Summer came and I suddenly found myself in The Doldrums.

I have only a few more classes to take before I get my degree. Spending the last several months becalmed has forced me to think about life beyond Graduate School.

What will that be like?

I wonder how prepared I am to face the day after I get my Master's.

TonyP figures I'll probably go for a few more letters after my name!

Still Here

2007-08-03T18:28:00.000-04:00

I am sorry to have wandered off like and not mentioned I'd be gone for a few weeks.

Oops!

July turned into one of those can't-seem-to-think-straight-where'd-I-leave-my-brain kinds of months.

I've been very busy getting the GalleryJ shop up over at Etsy.com. (Please see link to the Right, on this page>>>)

Now, I am trying to get everything uploaded for my Cafe Press shop.

I also want to let everyone know that the Twin Cities family members are all OK.

Please send good thoughts to the families who have not been so fortunate.

Martini & Rossi, On the Rocks

2007-07-11T11:00:00.000-04:00

While I was shopping in Carrboro, I decided to stop in at Roulette Vintage.

Mainly, I was looking for shoes and bracelets but I hit the clothing racks and came across this peach of a peach 1970s dress!

It conjures up images of poolside patios and terrace gardens...of cocktails on an apartment balcony....of Champagne Cocktails and Martini & Rossi, on the rocks.

It's the style of dress that I used to wear but a lot more glitzy. There's silver piping and the fabric is shot with silver threads - more flash than I ever was!

Today, this dress needs to be worn with a touch of whimsy. The shopkeeper suggested beige flip-flops and I think she's on the right track.

I'm not sure where I'll wear it - other than at home.

Crook's, maybe?

Just What I Need....More Linens!

2007-07-11T10:35:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, I did a little shopping in Carrboro and managed to make it to Thimble Pleasures. I figured that a quilt shop was my best shot at locating a fabric that would harmonize with this rather lovely/odd vintage tablecloth that I picked up in Manteo, last month.

I had originally thought to reuse the cloth to make a skirt but it's in such good condition and the colors are so vivid that it seemed a shame not to use it for its original purpose.

But...it doesn't go with anything that I own!

I figured that the tablecloth would make much more sense with a set of coordinating napkins. The shades of coral and red are quite unusual but I did manage to find a transition print in the same range!

Simple Summer Purse Project

2007-07-10T12:54:00.000-04:00

While we were in Manteo, last month, TonyP and I spent rather too much time wandering the aisles of antiques and collectibles shops.

One of the items that I came away with was the small "hamper" below which probably once held a child's tea set. I thought it would make a dandy purse:

In order to prevent the purse contents from escaping through the holes in the basket's weave, I decided to pop in a lining. I decided to use the remaining bits of that Chevy motif cotton that I had left over from a couple of other projects:

The lining is really cardboard and manila tag, covered with fabric and touch of batting. The lining was hot-glued into place, rather than stitched in because I remembered that I do actually own a glue gun and I knew where to find it! I even had some glue sticks, which was sort of a pleasant surprise as I'm reasonably certain that I have not used that glue gun in a decade.

This is my second purse refashion project in a month. The first consisted of replacing the cheesy and cracked plastic lining of one of my fave shoulder bags. In this case, the lining was hand-stiched in place. I used a light tan canvas, which makes it a lot easier to see the contents.

(It's a little hard to make out the motifs in the tapestry fabric but they're Egyptische - which is, of course, why the bag has always been one of my faves!)

The Shop is Open!

2007-07-06T18:56:00.000-04:00

I've just posted some terrific books for sale, over at GalleryJ....my new Etsy shop!

In the weeks to come, I will be moving some of my original artwork over to GalleryJ. This will make it much easier for you to know what is currently available.

Etsy.com does require user registration (like lots of other sales and auction sites) but registration is free and quite simple.

(Note: For the new few weeks, I will only be able to take checks and money orders but that will soon change.)

Nine Years and Still Moving In

2007-07-06T12:12:00.000-04:00

I've been downright sociable lately.

Not only did I actually attend the annual neighborhood progressive dinner last month but I've even joined the neighborhood book club - an entity which seems to have existed for the entire nine years that we've lived here (probably longer!) but which I knew nothing about.

We have lived in this house for nine years, as of this month. It's hard to imagine that it has been that long.

Harder still to believe that there are still boxes in the garage that have not been opened since moving day.

It was a bad moving experience and those of you that know me have heard the story often enough, so I won't bore anyone with the details. Suffice it to say that, after nine years, a lot of my things are still either in those boxes or stolen/missing and I have trouble dealing with finding out which is the case. It's been awfully tough to cope with any of it.

So....I haven't.

It was easy when I worked at B&N. Then, there was finishing up my undergraduate degree to concentrate on. Then, my art career. Now, there's this whole graduate school thing on top of it all, so ignoring the issue hasn't been too difficult to manage.

Still, I've looked for all sorts of excuses to not deal with those boxes: I didn't want to bother the dog....The weather was too hot....Too cold....There might be black widows.....

Well, the dog passed away over a year ago....Autumn is coming up and the weather will be cooler....I can wear boots, gloves and carry bug spray.

As I proceed, I plan to put some things aside (clearly labeled!) for church sales, charity and eBay. And there are probably lots of crafts materials that will find their way into my Etsy shop. The rest will either need space in our home or get stashed in the storage unit. Room will need to be made in both.

It's a daunting project - and one not easily or quickly completed.

But it's time to finally finish that move we began nine years ago -

- and to get to know the neighbors!

So, anyway...

2007-07-06T11:35:00.000-04:00

I had to pick up a new pair of reading glasses at B&N last night because my usual pair needs a screw replaced and I need to be able to see to replace the screw!

Turned out, they're having a promotion - buy 1 pair and get the second pair for half. As I've been needing a spare anyway, I took advantage of the offer and brought home 2 pairs.

Neither of which I like nearly as well as my old ones. I'm still hoping to get that screw replaced because I love the frames.

I do try to go without reading glasses as often as possible - especially when I'm on break. And I try to do my eye exercises every day - just the way my vision therapist showed me.

The truth is that wearing any sort of glasses makes my eye muscles lazy and, hence, the accommodation problem worse. So, the less I wear reading glasses the better.

But, sometimes it is danged good to be able to see -

- like.........

.......... when I need to replace the very tiny screw in my reading glasses!

Coming Soon!

2007-06-21T13:42:00.001-04:00

I will soon be listing some of my vast collection of sewing and crafts books on Etsy, along with some of my artwork.

Here is one of the books which will be up for sale:

So, check back for details!

New Camera Goodness!

2007-06-19T22:20:00.000-04:00

Well...it's new to me, at any rate!

TonyP has upgraded his photographic equipment so I got the camera he's been using (a Fujifilm S5100) .

Saturday, we ventured into the wilds of Raleigh for a photo safari.

Actually, we spent a wonderful afternoon at the JC Raulston Arboretum, snapping floral portraits and trying out our new toys.

I think I'm going to enjoy this!

Decent photo equipment is a very good thing.

Some Recent Wardrobe Re-Fashioning

2007-06-15T22:43:00.000-04:00

This crocheted shell was my main project for the past week. It's made from Peaches n Cream cotton and the pattern was downloaded from the company website. I had some difficulty with the results I obtained when I followed their gauge: the resulting fabric was too stiff for my liking. So, I fiddled with the hook size and gauge until I found a way to make the pattern drape better. The finished fabric is still a bit too stiff but I think that what it lacks in drape it more than makes up for in its ability to deflect a bladed weapon!

The skirt, of course, is my fave New Look pattern.

These are the rayon shorts that I refashioned from some altogether too billowy pairs of pants. I cut the shorts pattern from the thigh parts of the original garments so there is still plenty of rayon left to play with!

The little tote was made a few weeks ago from the remains of a fitting muslin that I no longer needed.

The skirt (again, that New Look pattern!) began life as a much fuller skirt in the 1980s. It became cafe curtains during the 90s and now returns to skirt status. I made the skirt last Spring.

My Sewing Corner

2007-06-15T22:33:00.000-04:00

This is where I sew!

I have had this old machine since I went off to Uni and I have always preferred to sew with it perched atop my old suitcase. It's just the right height for me to work at when I'm seated on the floor. I work the pedal with my knee.

I have had sewing tables in the past but this remains my preferred method.

The cabinet to the left houses my notions and threads so they are handy when I'm working.

In front of the machine are a couple of the binders that I'm using to get organized.

Skirting Issues

2007-06-15T14:35:00.000-04:00

Last Spring (2006) I made up quite a few versions of this skirt pattern (New Look 6843).

Here are two versions in plain cotton prints. The pattern requires so little fabric that I am able to splurge on some of the rather pricier things at the local quilt shop. It's also a very useful pattern for re-using fabrics.

For a recent trip to DC, I packed four of these skirts and some basic tees and felt reasonably well turned-out, despite the oppressive heat and humidity.

This Spring, I am making up a few more skirts from this pattern. Some of them have already been cut out, as in the photo below. This brown/white/turquoise print is one of the versions that I cut out a year ago but haven't gotten around to sewing up!

While I was preparing to take these "before" shots of the linen shirts I want to refashion, I noticed that both fabrics would work well with that skirt fabric! The shirts are massive and there ought to be plenty of linen to work with. These used to be two of my fave linen shirts and the fabric is well broken-in and oh-so-very-soft.

I'm thinking of some sort of camisole or short-sleeved blouse from the white. For the turquoise, I'd like a semi-fitted shirt with 3/4 sleeves but I don't have such a muslin already fitted, so that particular project will have to wait til July.

In addition to finishing the turq/brown skirt, I have about five more abandoned projects in my sewing area! My plan for the rest of June is to get those sorted out and try to finish them.

The "sorting out" portion of the process is being facilitated by a new ring binder system that I've pulled together for projects. Using the project planner downloadable from the Wardrobe Refashion website and a few plastic sleeves, I've finally got a place to organize the projects, make fitting notes and so on!

Studio Notes

2007-06-08T12:52:00.000-04:00

Not only have we finally broken down and purchased a show tent for street shows ( TonyP is set to do Meadowmont this September), I am now looking at renting larger studio space in Carrboro.

I should probably spend more time painting - if for no other reason than to justify the additional expense!

Wardrobe Refashion #1

2007-06-02T00:02:00.000-04:00

OK. This one was a bit of a cheat.

Although, it didn't start out that way!

I bought this vintage dress in Greensboro in 1985 and was never able to wear it because it was too small to begin with. But, I loved the lines of the dress and hoped to get around to copying it...one day. I also thought the sweet embroidery was delightful.

Well, I came across the dress in the storage unit and it was dirty, musty and needed a lot of love. It was also now several sizes too large for me!

I decided to prep it for a recon job but the thing was so dirty that I did what one should absolutely never do to a vintage rayon garment - I chucked it in the wash!

Actually, I turned it inside out, tucked it carefully in a lingerie bag and ran it on gentle, figuring the thing would either disintegrate or shrink to the size of a Barbie dress. Then I hung it to air dry.

As it dried, I noticed that it not only looked a great deal better but it also looked to be my size!

The darn thing actually fits!

The embroidery is a bit puffier than it had been but the fabric is not at all distorted and the dress fits with absolutely no other alterations!

I even have the original belt!

My Two-Month Pledge at Wardrobe Refashion

2007-06-01T11:27:00.000-04:00

The Pledge

I, JennySlash, pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thriftiness brings! Signed, JennySlash.

A Couple of Pics of the National Cathedral

2007-05-31T22:21:00.000-04:00

Here's a view of a portion of the interior of the Cathedral's West End.

(I'm afraid these pics are a bit fuzzy but I was using TonyP's camera and I'm not used to working with a digital.)

When we arrived at the Cathedral, they were still clearing out after a big diocesan event - consecrating a new bishop coadjutor, I believe. (It was a good thing that we didn't arrive any earlier because the place was jammed with choristers and clergy and the chapels on the lower level had been pressed into service as changing rooms and vesting rooms!)

The camera lighting was still on when we went inside, which accounts for the brighter than usual look to the crossing in front of the choir. I took advantage of the lighting to grab a shot of the slender lines of the rood screen.

Some Sight-Seeing

2007-05-31T18:39:00.000-04:00

Over Memorial Day Weekend, TonyP and I spent a few days in Washington, D.C. - which just so happens to be one of our favorite destinations.

We decided to stay Downtown and do a little sight-seeing so I finally had a chance to show TonyP the National Cathedral. We also lobby-surfed the Willard, promenaded Pennsylvania Avenue and dined at the Occidental Grill.

Not to worry - we managed to work in a few museums!

There's a fascinating show at the Corcoran called "Modernism: Designing a New World, 1914-1939". (The ticket is a bit pricey but students get in for $10, so bring your student ID!) It's a very interesting and thought-provoking exhibit. "Modernism" runs through July 29, 2007.

We also stopped in at the Renwick Gallery where the entire ground floor is featuring "From the Ground Up: Renwick Craft Invitational 2007" which showcases the work of Beth Cavener Stichter, Jocelyn Chateauvert, Paula Bartron and Beth Lipman. The work is stunning. "From the Ground Up" runs through July 22, 2007.

Not surprisingly, I spent entirely too much time in the book/souvenir shops and I came home with three more things to add to my Summer reading: American Gothic by Thomas Hoving, a Taschen book on Mondrian and a somewhat denser read by Charles Freeman, The Closing of the Western Mind.

It was a very Washingtonian weekend and I promise to post pics as soon as possible!

More Recycling

2007-05-29T16:46:00.000-04:00

Last week, we donated the old Sundance to Habitat for Humanity.

Freed up a lot of space in the driveway but it's always tough to let go of a car, even one that needs more work and attention than one can spare at the time.

A Little Redecorating

2007-05-22T09:06:00.000-04:00

I've redone this page a little, having upgraded my Blogger template.

I will probably be mucking about with the point size for a while until I find something that I can read comfortably but still like how it looks on the page.

Also, Please note that all comments from the last three years have been deleted.

Sorry about that, Folks. It was NOT intentional and was the result of too little coffee before I embarked on this little revamp.

I don't think that there is any way to recover them at this point.

...sigh...