Wednesday Wandering

Today, Doug and I had a nice late lunch at the Redding Roadhouse. Doesn't it look pretty with all of its Christmas lights twinkling? After lunch, we went to Border's Book Store where I purchased three (!) new books! Yay! All three of them (on top of the two I bought last week) are about jewelry making. It's my latest passion, but I'd better stop bingeing on books. Remember a little while back, I made some bracelets for Adeline? Well, they were a big hit at her college, with several of the girls wanting to buy similar ones, for themselves and as gifts. So, I've just listed them at my Etsy shop - we'll see if anyone else wants to buy one. I have my fingers crossed.

Two Angels at the Tree

Made from recycled sweaters, Two Angels at the Tree is adapted from a painting seen on an early American blanket chest. I loved making the tree, with all of its French knot leaves, and the border, with its blanket stitching trim. The angels’ dresses are made from sweater sleeves; if you look closely at the hems, you can see the ribbing that was the cuff. Materials used in making this piece are: felted wool made from abandoned sweaters, a little piece of vintage lace, and wool tapestry thread.

Two Angels at the Tree, which is a one-of-a-kind piece, measures 11” x 9” and is sold.


Below is the beautiful original painting, as seen at www.oldtiques.net.

Beautiful

I just have to share this. It doesn't have anything to do with wool, or folk art, or sewing. But it has everything to do with art. Perhaps some of you watched the CNN Heroes program, and if not you can still see it in re-runs. It's really a wonderful show which awards people who are doing selfless, heroic things. Ordinary people, who saw a need and decided to help. It's quite inspiring. But that's not what I'm posting about.

One of the performers on the Heroes program was singer Christina Aguilara. So what, you might say, and I would certainly understand. She wasn't particularly on my radar up to that point. I had her sort of pigeonholed in my mind as a Britney Spears cohort; someone who started out young and went down a sort of trashy, skanky path. Sorry. I don't mean to be crude, but the only other time I remember seeing her perform as an adult, it looked sort of like soft porn. Mind you, it looked like she was good at it, but it wasn't of much interest to me.

Well, those days are over. Her performance was a standing ovation show stopper. It was absolutely Beautiful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

American Sign Language Matchbooks

Thanks to Eleanor Jane Cardwell for introducing the art of JK Keller, such as the American Sign Language Matchbooks, above, which show the artist's interpretation of the fingerspelling alphabet. If you are interested in such things, go to the American Sign Language Browser, created at the Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences (where I got my M.A. degreee in journalism, by the way). It is a fascinating tool - you choose a word and it shows you how to sign it. In fact, go check out the sign for "government." You will be amazed and amused. I guarantee it.

Black Friday - Let's not go to the mall

For some, today is the first day of "the holiday season" - meaning the "buy things for Christmas season" - meaning the "I'm so stressed out, I never get it right season" - or even the "OMG, I can't afford this stuff so I'll just add it to my already hideous credit card balance season." Ouch. Not good.

For others, today is Buy Nothing Day - a day to protest rampant consumerism by not buying into it. It's a day for hiking, or making something with your children, sleeping in, or visiting Grandma. Nice. Pure. But you know you bought things a couple of days ago, and you'll probably buy more things tomorrow. So does that mean BND is just a joke?

Actually, I think BND is a great idea, not so much because I'll necessarily, literally follow it. But because it reminds me not to be a Buying Fool. It encourages me to stop and remember what is important:

• Doing things with the people I love is way better than buying the latest fad item for them to open on Christmas day.
• Remembering The Handmade Pledge, to support artisans everywhere, by buying their beautiful, soulful, handmade goods.
• Spending a day making something with Adeline is more fun and more memorable than going to the mall and buying something for Adeline.
  
• Shopping for vintage (aka "used") items can be fun and lead to incredible finds.
  
• Ditto for recycling, upcycling, repurposing, or whatever you want to call it.
• Spending the day outdoors, with nature, with friends, is exponentially better for us than spending the day inside the overheated, overpopulated Christmas season stores. Well, they may not be overpopulated this Christmas season, but the sentiment stays true.

I know there are many who are appalled by these ideas. Christmas (or any occasion) must, according to them, be marked by extravagant, shiny, new gifts. I'm not categorically opposed to special, shiny gifts - I like diamonds, and pearls. But I do want to get more in touch with ..... what to call it? Can I call it "right buying?" Or did I just hear a Zen Buddhist monk turn over in his grave?

Here's my agenda for Black Friday. Adeline's college roommate, Alex, will arrive from California and the three of us will head to the bead shop. Sugarbeads is run by two local women and it is a relatively new business. Small businesses depend on Christmas sales to carry them through the year, and this Christmas promises to be somewhat grim for the entrepreneurs among us. I would very much like to see these women be successful with their venture. So, I feel quite good about buying today, because I will be practicing Right Buying. And, after we buy our beads, we will go home and make things together, which will be fun and memorable. And Doug will make macaroni and cheese from scratch, especially for Alex, who is a vegetarian and loves cheese. I think that sounds like a pretty good day of Right Living.

Alex and Adeline - they may have my head for using this particular picture, which is two years old and pretty goofy. If it suddenly disappears, you'll know why!

Baby Dreams

Made from recycled textiles, this piece is part (#4) of my series I call Pieces of Dreams. I also call this particular piece Baby Dreams because I think it would look so sweet in a special baby’s room. Materials used in making this piece are: felted wool from abandoned sweaters, vintage buttons, and wool tapestry thread. Baby Dreams, which is a one-of-a-kind piece, measures approximately 6” x 6.25” and is offered for sale at: my Etsy shop.