december starts

the opening seemed to go well, it was quite busy. i'm curious, but also not, as to what I've sold so far. 

I put out a few holiday decorations. Since cutting down a live tree isn't an option in this household,  we've instead put up a large Aspen branch, which we'd found fallen in the forest when cutting wood once. D. put it up for me, and I decorated...keeping it simple. enjoying the silver ornaments, red ribbon and the one blue peace dove. 

thinking about gifts, making & buying. thankful for the sunny days which help our house warm up. expecting snow again soon. looking for a job, and motivating/brainstorming what else I could do to give myself a job.

the mornings are hard. it is cold, and with our thermo-insulated curtains down, the bedroom is dark. Libby-the-cat paws at my face sometime after 6am, because she's ready for me to get out of bed. I think about how so many people are capable of doing this every day, so I get out of bed, put on my slippers and a sweater, and head to the living room. Then I have to decide, do I start the coffee or the fire first? And soon, after both of these things are taken care of, the sun starts to peek into the house. 

creating for Taos Folk

thank you to family/friends for requesting some pictures.

here are a few samples of the collection I created for my upcoming show. the brighter colors (not natural to my taste) were a suggestion from the organizers of the show. and now that we are covered in a landscape of white snow outside, the colors seem a good idea. 

one of the unique aspects of Taos, is the large artist colony that resides here. so I do feel fortunate, that one of the these groups, the organizers of Taos Folk 2013, chose me to participate in this year's show.

I submitted for several reasons. One of those was that I needed to get myself involved in something about Taos, and something in which D. wasn't also involved. (Though, the gallery is at his theater, but that's just a coincidence of a small town). The other reason, is that I needed to spend some time creating on something focused. And I can play my creative interests all over the place... but sewing little bags is something I know how to do.

I used linen, in different colors, but from one manufacturer, therefore the texture and colorways all appear consistent. I then incorporated some different ikat fabrics, rough silks, vintage chambray & repurposed denim. I love my textures.  I added an extra touch with the zipper pull, made from strips of leather, wrapped in silver wire.

a month ago, I decided to add something unique to my hand. I picked some aspen leaves from the backyard, drew them into a series of stencils, and painted (or drew) them onto fabric. these are my aspen bags. 

I drop these off tomorrow morning. I'm ready for the what-if's to end, and the show to begin. (and then I hope to set up my Etsy shop, which is still empty, but here)

red glowing Fall

now in the Fall, the mountains take on a red glow at sunset. it lasts about five minutes. it can take your breath away, the sweep of red, pink & orange that suddenly floods the sky, and then quickly disappears back into autumn browns. it is assumed this is why the Spanish named these the "Sangre de Cristo" (blood of Christ).  it is a southern range of the Rockies, and contains such names as the Crestones, the Spanish Peaks, Culebra, Costillo, Baldy, the Taos Mountain, Picuris and la Jicarita (Jicarita is the most fun to roll off the tongue).

I took these from back of the house. I jumped over the still-running acequia (we are curious as to when it will stop), and into our neighbor's pasture, stood there with fingers growing cold, as the colors hit the range.

On Monday I drop off a tub of my bags and the setup up for the TaosFolk show begins. I spent the past few days putting on tags and leather & silver zipper pulls. Today I'll be sewing more, I've decided to create a new size. It makes sense to come up with a new pattern days before a deadline, really.

great things list #17

the place where I'm hoping to spend some quality time over the next week.
can be dreamy, especially when the sunshine joins me.

june time

june.
it starts right after I turn another year older. gasp.
it gets hot. you "have" to turn on the a/c for the first time.
and then it rains. and everything is cool again.
you get your first sunburn.
and you remember that with the amazing growing garden you have, you also have gangly, indestructible, chameleon weeds.

















a new dress for little A.
sewing for myself, just not as much fun.





















learning to grow tomatoes in pots.
in effort to get more sun.

















sweet peppers.

















and that basil, is happily in the ground. (but, somebody has been munching on my marigolds)

little dresses

i can't seem to stop. these dresses keep pulling me to my sewing table.

of course, if you saw my niece in one of these. you'd totally get it. just wait until I start making coordinating pants for cold weather. I might go crazy.

















but I'm always a sucker for being able to put fabrics together.

and I've realised this pattern will easily grow up with her. which gives me a reason to just keep buying fabric.

little adorable

this weekend, started some little dresses for my smiley-niece. they are on the big side, as so is she. but also for her to grow into. I've been buying fabrics for awhile. And may go out and buy more today.

it kept me occupied some hours. kept me home at night rather than out. which is what I needed.




















and oh yeah. booties. little felted booties. so cute, how could I not buy this pattern?

sorry for the dark photos. it is a dark morning. summer quickly fell right into a cold-ish, rainy fall. let's hope that while camping next week, the weather brightens up a bit.

intertwines

this "utensils" is one of the images I found from the Library of Congress Flickr site. still so very cool. not just in the imagery, but because it is meant for people to comment on--and help the LOC learn where the photos were taken & and who the people are. it is basically, a form of living, breathing research. so I wrote all of this awhile ago. in checking it again, I realised they are adding & removing. and a whole new set of photos have arrived. including this one below, called "saying grace before the barbeque dinner". The colors of the women's dress. As well as the movement of the men removing their hats. The site is moving history book. I can't get enough.














in small towns, it is easy to encounter juxtapositions of what is "modern" and what is "old". On Saturday night, I spent the evening with a friend. She brought her sewing machine over. And we sewed, chatted and had cocktails. A variation of something, women have done together for ages. (I'm thinking the cocktails are the modern-touch)

I've always been drawn to the old & the vintage. My old house is full of old things. I'm drawn to arts that rely upon handiwork. History books fill my shelves. I think it is only because, these things have proven their existence, and their longevity. I believe in them.

of course, I love my "new" things. like my computer. the internet. my computerized sewing machine. I just don't trust them as much.

the bunny has an owner

my niece was born today.
she'll always have to deal with shamrocks on her birthday.

so happy our little A. finally came along.
hope she loves her bunny.

butterflies, owls & polka-dots

as I've finished the blanket with butterflies,
and beginning a soft bunny. all for the new little one
on her way.















realised, that my little nephew will also need some
presents. during what will be a big shock to his
rather center-of-the-world existence. so while also
planning to buy something with buttons, lights and noises.
decided to make a soft pillow















a polka-dot softie. pillow-cased in owls.

butterflies found the blanket

the butterflies are getting attached.

only five-ish weeks left before I give it away.

butterflies for a blanket

butterflies on a blanket

fabric for the niece's first present, purchased this weekend.

butterflies in the making.

stacks of fabric. wonderful things. the colors, the prints, the combinations. I get dizzy in fabric stores.

space patrol

more flannel pants for the almost two-year old.

with a big space patrol pocket.

which, I may wait to give him as a part of his b-day present. since I still haven't decided what to really give him.

making things for give-away

I was inspired by these little owls made by Moonstitches. And adapted her tutorial directions to create a more baby-friendly-soft owl. (no cardboard, no buttons, bigger, fatter and flannel instead of wool)
As, I have a baby shower to attend this weekend. The 2465115 th baby shower I've attended in my life. (I keep telling myself that Karma will bring me many cute, handmade gifts. when the day finally comes I have my own shower. It is how I sit through them, and keep smiling. Until I escape to the kitchen to have a glass of wine, while all the mothers move to the "joy", oh the joys, "you can't understand until you have your own" part of the conversation)

But I like this fat little owl so much, I sort of want to keep her on a shelf in my studio. To watch over things. She's wise. She's pretty. Maybe I can make another one soon.















Since I've also gotten these made, I wouldn't be going empty-handed. If, the little owl were to stay here with me. The bibs are the new, easy shower gift in my life. The pattern came from Angry Chicken's book, Bend the Rules Sewing.

bunny for the 1-yr old

though I've made this bunny for a few babies, this was my first attempt at "dressing" the bunny. of course, I had to make up the pattern. it will need a few changes next time. but, I feel pretty good about this attempt.

the bunny is just 12-yr old McCall's pattern that has seen many, many days.

hope baby H. enjoys.