L'Orangerie

My creativity comes in spurts.

And by that I mean one week it's knitting, another journaling, yet another sewing. Right now it's sewing. Alabama Chanin is my sewing guru and it's all I can focus on at the moment.

I finally finished the Bloomers skirt that I started...what? a year ago? I still don't dig the green and am not sure what to wear with it, but it's DONE. And I foresee many other skirts of various design and better colors.

I was tres excited to see a fingerless gloves pattern in Alabama Studio Sewing & Design and am trying out a pair.

I could use more room in the forearm, but it's wearable. I ran out of black thread halfway through the second glove which made me sad, but I acquired more a few days later.

That sad little gap, however, distracted me enough that I started a book cover!

Yes! I have a cunning plan. I found a two ring chipboard binder and am thinking pages for keeping needles...perhaps pockets to hold thread and scissors? I must be organized with my sewing accessories. I could've sworn I had excess thread, but I cleaned in advance of guests a few months ago and damned if I can find those mythical spools.

Chartreuse journal...

...is glued and ready for filling.

I loves it. And I love my new favorite piece of music. Why I didn't think to search ukulele on jamendo.com before is beyond me.

Journal continued

Or finished because I can hardly stuff another thing in it.

On gaps

"Here is a gap with a vengeance!"
The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery, Volume I: 1889-1910

L.M. Montgomery wrote that after a February to August gap in 1907¹. Mine's not too shabby either. I finally reset my password. Honestly, you wouldn't think the task would be so difficult. Perhaps I've been busy doing rather than writing. Sure.

There was a gap in skirt production. The jury's still out on the green, but the panels are all stenciled and ready for sewing. I actually made another skirt with a different stencil, but it has to be taken apart and re-sewn because it's too big. Aargh.

I wore it once because it's awesome, but there are definite gaps in the waistband. Oh well, now I know I can do it the rest is a formality, yes? Not to mention Alabama Studio Sewing + Design is out and has inspiration for days. Nay, years!

I was all knitting all the time earlier this year. Just before Christmas I fell headlong into Tiny Owl Knits Heartfelt Rings. SO cute.

They just kept multiplying. Then for some reason that translated into starting the Beekeeper's Quilt.

 It's a long term project, I just keep reminding myself. I joined the Beekeeper's 366 photo project hoping that would keep me on track, but what was I saying about gaps? I was violently ill during Valentine's week² so I'm a bit off the pace.

: : gap : :

I seem to be losing focus. More blogging later now that I can access Typepad again.

 

^{1 I was invited to join a book club & Feb's book was Anne of Green Gables. In overachiever fashion, I reread the entire Anne series and dipped into the diaries. Nostalgia!}

^{2Not that I care much about such holidays. Grant's better about it, and brought home a 3 pack of mini Deathcakes. He's a sweet guy.}

Finally.

I acquired the truly inspiring  Alabama Chanin books last Xmas, and have done nothing but moon over them since.* I think I had a psychological block around working with jersey (those wacky rolling edges) which is odd considering my vast quantity of handknits.

Somehow the time was right on Monday. I chalked the pattern onto the fabric and carefully cut out two panels. That wasn't so hard! Must stencil now!

Late at night, basement studio, little ventilation, never used the airbrush before. This is gonna go well. I survived with no ill effects, but felt incredibly stupid. Respirator and extra filters are on order. The stenciling is a bit spotty in places, but I figured the worst of it would be cut away in the reverse applique process.

And I was right. I sewed most of the shapes last night then couldn't resist trimming a few. Ok, all of the them. The green is a bit vivid, but for a practice piece I was pleased enough. Until I looked closely at the fabric without my contacts. It's all done on the wrong side.

AARRGH.

At least I was consistent. The upper and lower layers are both wrong side up. Practice piece! It's a practice piece! Must keep repeating that.

Lessons learned:

1. Cut a bigger stencil so you don't have to keep repositioning
2. Use a respirator when airbrushing (duh)
3. Make sure the fabric is right side up (see above)

 

*Actually, that's not quite true. I made the headband out of some t-shirts this spring. It went pretty well. The design's on the right side!

SCORE.

Not that I need more art fodder, but I tend to keep my eyes open to possibilities. Imagine the tingles when I saw this album on Etsy for the princely sum of $17.

Look at the size of this monster. It measures 8" x 10.5" and is about 2.5" thick. The spine is gone and the covers detached, but that just makes it more perfect for two new FTB journals. I've been re-watching the Frame Block Journal vids, and it's all I can do not to start a new journal immediately.

Did I mention the clasp is functional, and totally awesome? It is both. Imagine the giant pages I can create... sewn or not sewn? I think there should be sewing. What colors? what interesting material for tapes? which linen thread?

This project is in danger of taking on mythical status because I was very afraid the package was lost forever in the postal system. It went from Macon, GA to Federal Way, WA to Jersey City, NJ back to Federal Way then finally up to Seattle. No explanation, no abject apologies just a tour of the continent. I guess the important thing is that it's home.

Juice! new hair! all good things!

*weep!* Does this thing not have an auto-save when one accidentally closes the browser?? because now I have to start over from scratch. Grr! Blogging gold, that was. You'll just have to take my word for it.

So yes, I was whinging about August passing me by. Journaling here and there, but mostly I'm trying to organize and coordinate my basement studio/sewing room. It's been a dumping ground for 2+ years and am trying to correct that. It's slow going.

In rejuvenation news, I was treated to freshly extracted carrot & apple juice a couple of weekends ago.

I NEED A JUICER, my whole being screamed. Knowing that I'm highly suggestible I hemmed, hawed, and researched the matter. I think it was a pretty short struggle, as I had birthday monies burning a hole in my pocket and Zappos has free overnight shipping.

Say hello to...

Hmm. Francis (our espresso machine) was easy to name. What does one call one's new Breville juice fountain? Will have to muse upon that.

Grant was not opposed to the juicer (did he get a vote at the time?), but querying now he says he's "an enthusiastic proponent. A backer." We started with a simple orange juice then moved to an apple/carrot/celery concoction.

Then things took a turn and I added a beet.

I know! I'm not sure I've ever voluntarily touched a beet in my life, but was an excellent addition. There may be some parsley in there as well. So fresh! Oh, and that pineapple a few shots ago? We had that this morning. Divine. That was the richest, creamiest...and it was just one fruit! Juicing is amazing to me. If I love Whosit as much as I love Francis this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

In other rejuvenation news, that hair up there? So long and unwieldy. I was in a mood, so when I saw Darrin while perusing the new Knitty did I even see the cute cardi? Barely. What I mostly saw was the cute hair. Mine turned out more bobsy...

...and I'm still getting used to how bangs work, but am enjoying the refreshing change.

Release the Kraken!

Old post alert! I really should launch these in a more timely manner, but formatting is limited on the mobile, and I'm a sucker for centering, italicizing, etc.

Here's the full on view of the cracked (or as we call it Kraken!) plaster journal.

I tried to crochet assorted buttons to the spine, but crochet and I? We don't get along.

That's been abandoned for the moment. I wonder if sewing would work better. I used curved needles to do the Coptic stitch, and they were a revelation. I may always use curved needles to bind books.

In book news, I read Chime by Franny Billingsley in a day. I sneaked it from the return ILL pile (it wasn't due till later this month! It's on it's way back now, honest!) My guilty conscience aside, it was riveting and well written which you don't always get in YA. This paragraph spoke to me for some reason:

"This is what I want. I want people to take care of me. I want them to force comfort on me. I want the soft-pillow feeling that I associate with memories of being ill when I was younger, soft pillows and fresh linens and satin-edged blankets and hot chocolate. It's not so much the comfort itself as knowing there's someone who wants to take care of you."

Sniff.

Take many pictures.

I've been thinking about our Sibyl lately.

Reading about Mary Ann's devastating loss will do that, I suppose. My heart goes out to her. Buck Moss was a star, and it's pretty obvious how devoted they were.

I get that. Sibyl was our first cat as a couple. She liked Grant fine, but she was my girl. I picked her out from petfinder.com and we bonded over ear scratchies at the shelter. She was a lap kitty, champion purr-er, and a licker. Her little sandpaper tongue would lick a hand raw if we weren't careful. We three had seven great years together.

Then Sibyl developed skin cancer so we knew her days were numbered. At the time surgery seemed like a good idea though the shaving and sutures were horrifying. She seemed to get better, but actually lasted only a few weeks after. She died at home. I still don't know if that was better or worse than having to make the decision. I do know it was the Worst Thanksgiving Ever.

Grant was brave enough to take her to the vet the next day. I didn't want the ashes. I think they said something about spreading them at an idyllic orchard. Upstate. It sounded good.

She's been gone almost five years. I made this heart for her yesterday. Another benefit of the plaster class :)

Her picture is still on the fridge. It's one of the few pics we have of her. She was all black except for her golden eyes, and it was tricky getting good shots. I think I'm making up for it in spades with Ginger.

Ginger is certainly an enjoyable companion, but she's a biter. Sometimes it hurts my feelings, but I think she had it a bit rough before she came to us. She's tolerant up to a point, and substituting toys instead of flesh helps. It also helps that she's totally cute. Both adoptions we were warned against the cranky adult loner cat. Pfft. They need the most love. A part of me regrets never seeing my girls as fluffy babies--like sand kitten!--but it's only a small part.

A return to plaster...

I had to have more plaster-y items to show because I met real people today!

Pam, Melinda, and Jeanne in Pam's gorgeous backyard with a table full of art--woot!

I'm so accustomed to hiding in my art cave that I forget how nice it is to get out and share with fellow artists. Such inspiration! I'm still swooning and full of new ideas. Or thinking about projects I meant to finish. Like journals with plaster pages:

 
This one is made from a Boston Grammar School Prize Book. It's such a pretty little vintage leather cover. It was a bit musty, but I stuck it in some baking soda for a few days and that seems to have done the trick. I did a Coptic stitch binding by Keith Smith. Reading his books makes me cry a little, but stitching along step by step was relatively easy. My attention span could use some work, however. I skipped a link under on the second journal:

I plan to embellish the spine so I should be able to fix, or at least disguise, the loose bit. I'm more worried about what to do in these journals. The plaster pages are so pristine I'm almost afraid. It needs some thinking.