Happy Valentine's Day

This morning I woke up a little late, made lunches, proofread my son's history paper, and then quickly sucked up the dust rhinoceroses in the basement because the internet man was coming (our lines went wonky last night).  At 7:18 as I was sending my man off to work I realized I'd forgotten to make the coffee.  I fill a travel mug for him every morning.  It's my special way of saying "I Love You".  So all he got this morning was a kiss, an apology, and a Hefty bag full of kitchen garbage.  Happy Valentine's Day.

So I went to the store and bought some steak tips.  Meat usually does the trick.

And I made a delicious cake that doesn't look so delicious.  Cake always does the trick for me.   It'll be fine once it's covered with cherry pie filling and a scoop of ice cream. 

Twenty two years and one day ago, my sweetheart proposed to me.  I'm not sure why, but I sure am thankful.

What I Wore

There are lots of folks out in the posting world who post the cute outfits they assembled during the week.  I enjoy looking at their style.  Oftentimes they admit that the point of posting is so they don't wear the same Sponge Bob pajamas every day, all day.  Good plan, whatever it takes.

I'm not going to do that here. Well, at least I don't think I'm going to.  One never knows.  I will however share a diagram of today's outfit, or my day-at-home uniform.

Just an ordinary gal, ready to tackle any nonglamourous job.

Paper Dolls

I've spent a lot of time at the computer this last month.  I cannot imagine how some folks work on a computer all day long.  Ack.  I have been learning the newest version of CorelDraw X5, using it on our Christmas cartoon.  Below is an excerpt.

I have also been working on some fashion illustration.  It's just plain fun, and a handy presentation skill.  I start with a croquis (crow-kee), which is a simple line drawing of a figure.  I lay a piece of paper over the croquis and draw whatever is in my head.  Then I scan the image and manipulate it in CorelDraw.

yellow velveteen skirt

replica of a vintage dress I've been coveting

Below is my latest sweater design, along with some detail shots.  My husband is delighted that I have found flora that I am actually capable of growing.

I was thinking, these croquis girls are super for making the cartoon clothing look flattering, but what about middle-aged me?  How would some cartoon clothes look on me?  Well, I'm not sure yet, but here's a starting point:

Croquis de Me

And here's me in a pair of Spanx:

g a s p ! 

I'll dress me up and let you know.

Beauty

Last weekend I met up with MJ, Liz and Vicky at Cabot Mill (aka Fort Andross) in Brunswick for lunch before Gudrun Johnston's booksigning, and we quickly buzzed through the behemoth building which houses a farmer's market, restaurants, an antique store, and a flea market. I love mill buildings. I love flea markets. Those two things alone would have made my day. But it got way better.

Gudrun Johnston recently released a lovely new book, The Shetland Trader.  I jumped at the opportunity to see her at Purl Diva.  I'm kicking myself for not picking up a second copy to give away as a gift (sorry, I'm not parting with mine).  We had a great visit, naturally picked up some exquisite yarn, and then made our way ... back to the flea market where a lamp had been calling my name.
 

You see, I have a thing for ugly lamps.  Maybe it's something about the stitching on the shades (you stitch it, I'll like it), or the notion that no one else is going to have the same lamp (sometimes for obvious reasons).

 
Behold:



Twin A










Twin B







So long I have to be careful where I put it





Waiting for the perfect
sputnik like shade




Something feminine for my dressing table



 

So thank you Gudrun and Mary Jane, for a stellar weekend.  Without you I might never have found this: 



Welcome Home, little tv lamp









Harvesting Plaid

Every fall the catalogs and stores bloom with warm and wonderful plaids, and I think, 'why don't I make something plaid?'  (A normal person might think, 'why don't I buy something plaid?')  So this year I went to my big chain fabric store, but they did not offer the plaids of my dreams.  The plaids of my dreams harken back to the day when my Dad, my Mom, my Mom's Twin, and my Uncle all wore matching buffalo check woolen shirts.  At the same time.

Being the fiber bottomfeeder that I am, I found just what I yearned for at my local (Salvation Army) thrift store.  And more.  These plaids either bring me back or they just plain feel fantastic.

They are well on their way to being the shirts that I crave. 

This one is due for more embroidery and white vintage buttons.

And this one has the vibe I was searching for.

See?

Once Upon a Time, I was a Weaver

In 1984, I was the only student in a graduating class of 109 that listed "4 harness weaving" in the activity portion next to her senior portrait.  I would wager I was the only student in Strafford County with that listing, possibly the state.   I went on to study studio art in college, with an emphasis on traditional craft, particularly weaving.  

To everyone's amazement, I landed a job designing and weaving narrow decorative trim right after graduation.  Heritage Trimming was located twenty-five minutes from my house, in a sweet old New England mill.  I loved that job.  I was but one girl in a long rich history of weaving girls. 

Built in the 1800's in Germany and Austria, the beautiful Jaquard Looms were eight feet tall and ten feet wide (or wider), and they were in perfect working order.  They were the ancestors of today's computer, but even I was able to make repairs to them.

Sadly, the mill burned to the ground in 1994.  No people were hurt, but all the looms perished.  I'm thankful to have been able to spend many hours with those magnificent looms (and the people too). I can't walk into an old mill today without stopping to draw in a huge whiff of that delicious oily-dusty-old-mill smell.  Heritage Trimming is woven elsewhere now, I'm guessing on newer looms, but they have saved many of the traditional motifs. 

Today, I present my 48 inch Macomber 8 harness loom, in her prime new location, our guest room.

I'm looking forward to dressing her with some recycled silk for a stole.   In the meantime, you should come sleep with her.  She's big, but there's still room for you.

Have Shoes, Will Travel

In my quest to alter all surfaces, I'm experimenting with some painting on leather.  Actually, I'm experimenting with painting on 'all man made materials' at this point.  I've seen it done with fantastic results, such as here, and here.  Below are some shoes from my closet that were on the chopping block.

I primed them with Jacquard Neo Opaque paint and made a carbon of my artwork (that's my rendition of a Shasta).

Then I painted with a combination of simple Apple Barrel acrylics and Jacquard Lumiere paint, and drew in lines with a Sharpie.

I think they still need some words on them, some how, some way.  And I'm not sure if I should give them a protective coating.  And then wear them to a caravan festival.  And bring this sweet camper, too.  And I may as well bring my knitting.

Unrelated, I love this simple hem.  It is on a sweater I bought to unknit, but I've grown to like it the way it is, for now at least.  I think I'll copy it for one of my own sweaters.