18th Century Items for Sale

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I started re-enacting in 1993, but have had to take a long break for the last 4 years.  Its time to let go of some of the things that I used for demonstrating the textile arts, and hope that i find good homes!

Another October Beauty

Butterflies represent transformation.  Eric Carle, author and collage illustrator, has a children’s book named “Very Hungry Caterpillar”, a classic that i now enjoy with the next generation.  We have been watching these orange butterflies in the front garden for a couple of weeks.  Today i was lucky to get a picture.  Usually, as Olivia and i wait for her mama to get home at midday, there are two or three for us to watch.  This will be a good picture for her photo album of this first year.  Its hot here, still, and dry, so i am trying to do chores instead of art.  Hard to resist!  I wonder what transformation is taking place for me this summer?

Birthday Apron

Celebration Flags

Olivia has had a fever due to teething, we hope, so i neglected to post yesterday.  So…now that Marilyn has called me from Santa Rosa to say her gift arrived, I will show you the entire banner.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This is not an original idea, but i just had to make one.  Somewhat akin to the Budhist Prayer Flags, i made each flag with specific intention in mind.

This is simply a hankie with the letters printed in fabric paint and eraser carved letters that Bets Ramsey made in the ’60s.  Bets is a good friend and well-known quilt artist, but no relation. 

This is organza fabric with foam leaf stamps and fabric paint.  The word was done with machine stitching.  Then i added pink rick-rack on 3 sides and whoops, i turned it the wrong way when it was stitched to the ribbon!  A happy accident.

“be” was cut out of a watery piece of batik and hand-stitched on a yellow organza.  The small circles were made with some eraser carved stamps on a blue fabric, then hand-stitched to the background.  I used some more of the circles along the top of the flags’ connecting ribbon, and hung some strips of fabric and cord from them.  The border on this flag is a fabric with bees on it.  A teacher in textile design once said that nobody will buy fabric with bugs on it, but i did.

This is also organza with the word “fly” printed all over.  The birds were cut from book found at the discard bin at the used book store and glued on with a fabric glue.  There is blue cord on three sides.

The rooster was printed with fabric paint on yellow organza with an old wood carved stamp that i found in an antique mall.  You may have seen this same rooster on my wall hanging “A New Day” (see June 25 posting)  The word was printed with purchased alphabet stamps and stitched onto the yellow, with the yellow being cut away behind the word.  The border is a beautiful batik that i found at a quilt show.  It was great fun making this for someone i love…i am in the process of designing one for myself…more so for meditation…focusing on my present spiritual work.  Much gratitude to the inspiration i saw on www.ornamental.typepad.com .

Breathing as Excitement Builds

HA…never able to do anything just perfect!  I put this piece on sideways…in a hurry i suppose.  Finally we have some rain, which is too bad for the Debate doin’s outdoors (a band was playing very loudly a little while ago), but i am gratefull because the zinnias and marigolds will last longer.  The atmosphere here at 2PM is pretty quiet, but when it was not raining, helicopters, etc. were stirring up our peace and quiet.  I will post more about the piece above after Friday (a birthday surprise).  Whoops, spoke too soon, here come the various noises again.

Jen and her friend Lisa, who just drove in from Obama offices in Arkansas, are getting ready to join the event, whatever that will be!  Its 5:30pm and now things are really hopping.  Music still playing, people along the streets are yelling, etc, and eventually marching toward the campus.

This was the scene up the sidewalk from my house.  Everyone is excited…its hard not to get caught up in that…in hopes that things really might change?

Debate comes to my neighborhood

Today is one day before the Presidential Debate at Belmont University.  I live two blocks away from the campus and the neighborhood is hoppin’.  The 75 acre grounds have been closed off with an 8 foot fence-all the way around it.  The students are on a fall break.  There will be something like 3000 media people here, plus all the others.  The sky has already been buzzing with helicopters.  The building in the photo is the Curb Center, just built in recent years with music business money.  Its where i will vote (and Jennifer too!, hooray) and where the debate will be.  I decided i just could not resist taking a photo, so Olivia and i walked over there.

More importantly in our lives, Olivia started day care today, and will go a 1/2 day until she settles in.

Repairing Quilt Stars

This quilt was brought to me today, made by a woman in Robertson County, TN before 1900.  Its in pretty good shape to be over 100 years old, but has some patches that have to be replaced.  Look closely to see the areas where it looks ragged…that is the batting, or middle layer, that is coming out because the fabric has deteriorated.  My job will be to use fabric of the time period to replace the worst patches.  And hopefully the owner will heed my advice in terms of caring for this quilt from here on out.  Something this old, although very well made, is at risk of more damage if it is used on a regular basis on a bed.  I advocate people using their quilts except, when for sentimental reasons, they want to pass it to the next generation.  The red fabric is in remarkably good condition…the color is very stable…which makes me think it might not be as old as the owner thinks.  More study may tell me some of its story.

WOW…i am so grateful to have some quilt repair work…something i know and love.  Much gratitude.

October’s Light

What i most love about October is the quality of light that we have.  Maybe its because there is no humidity and the air seems so clear.  Colors are brilliant and the sky is the bluest.  Today people came to our neighborhood to tour homes.  Four of the homes were on our little dead-end street.  Its been busy with cars and walkers all day.  I realize that, even if i wouldn’t want to spend a beautiful day inside the homes of strangers, other people want to see the homes and neighborhood that i am so fortunate to live in (August marked 25 years in this house).  If i have to live in a city, this is the best kind of place.  I took a stroll with Olivia to the post office and saw these flowers above near an office in an old house.  Beauty and sky.

Zinnias A-Glow

These three zinnia flowers came from the same plant!  The colors change like a sunset as the flower matures.  What a treat.  Thank you, Mary Lynn, for the original seed that i collected from your patch 5 or so years ago.  My zinnias are glorious right now because i got them in late, and i watered when necessary.  They are in the front yard, so its part of the greeting we get, coming and going. 

Another beautiful day.  Olivia and i walked to the village this morning, as it may be the last morning walk that we have for a while.  She is supposed to start daycare next Monday.  For the first week, I am going to pick her up at midday, since this is a new situation and there will be no one familiar to her.  She is pretty cautious about strangers these days.  I have mixed feelings …sad and glad…  A little heartache, but maybe some art will be made again!

Art in the Day to Day

This is a clothesline of Olivia’s clothing back in July. 

I loved all the colors and looking at each piece that she has been wearing all summer while she learned to crawl, and now while she is taking her first steps.  I sent this picture to my dear artist friend Cielo Sand and she turned it into a piece of art for notecards as a surprise for my birthday last month.

Cielo and her husband, Leaf, live on a farm in Roane County TN dedicated to living, learning, and teaching sustainable agricultural practices.  The place is a-glow with life and Cielo has a line of beautiful notecards that she is selling on their website for Broadened Horizons Farm.  Take look at her cards and browse the site to see photos, workshops, and more info about sustainable living.  http://www.sustainability-teaching-farm.com/content/1102