Sewing Ups And Downs

TGIF, except sans the TGI part, as classes have started this week, and for the next 17 weeks I have a class on Friday nights after work. Until 9:30pm. Yeah. I’ve been putting this one off for awhile. We’ll see how often I have to stay that late. Not that I have that much of a Friday night social life, but still, it’s nice to go home from work after a long week and have a drink with The Husband and know that the weekend is there for the taking, rather than rushing home to have a quick bite to eat before rushing to class to think for another 4 hours, and then getting home at the end of all that, exhausted, and going straight to bed. But it’s a photography class, so maybe there won’t be all that much thinking, and perhaps I’ll learn something. Or maybe I’ll start a new tradition of going out and partying like a rock star after class, since it’s Friday after all, and I’m already OUT.

I started and finished a little sewing project last night. And let me just preface this by saying that I had gotten so excited, because I pulled out the instruction book for my sewing machine earlier this week and read that it has the ability to blind stitch, and so I had planned to hem my two pairs of dress pants from Express that had unhemmed themselves two weeks shortly after purchase and which I have been using double sided tape {!!!} to keep together ever since then, which is really really annoying. But I have many lazy moments in which I did not want to bother hemming them, and so, broken pants held together with tape {seriously. TAPE.} were worn on many an occasion. So when I discovered that my machine should be able to do job this in mere seconds, I about fell over and had a seizure with the excitement. Last night I did a test swatch, and to my dismay, my machine DOES NOT, in fact, know how to blind stitch. Not only that, but none of the special stiches that it says it does on the stitch selector really work. Extreme disappointment followed this realization, and more procrastination of fixing the broken pants in question, since now I have to do it by hand, which DOES NOT APPEAL TO ME. Sad sad sad.

So, to try to lift my trampled sewing spirits, I threw together this little project that I have been thinking about for a couple of weeks, an iPod case. The little black one that came with my iPod is ok, but a tad small for my liking, since there is no easy way for the earphones to stay secure, and I just didn’t feel like buying ANOTHER accessory for the darn thing.

I went with this minty green plaid fabric, and natural linen for the inside. I had no idea what I was doing when I drew the pattern up, and I didn’t want to waste any of my lovely Japanese fabric if I ended up destroying the thing, since usually when I construct something like this from scratch it ends up totally the wrong size, or something. But it turned out just right. Amazing! It could probably use a layer of batting between the fabrics for some extra protection, but who knows how my sewing machine would handle that, as it already got a little tired sewing the outside edge of 4 layers of fabric. hmmmm.

I am loving the button, though. It was the first to volunteer itself when I reached my hand into the button jar, I think it is the biggest one in there, so hopefully my winter coat won’t need it anytime soon. It’s just lovely though, I think. It’s my favorite part, with the orange thread. Oh, and yes, I hand stitched the buttonhole, because I’m just weird that way. And really, WHO KNOWS if my machine was capable of doing it? Oh, and please disregard the loose threads, it was late, and I had had a half a bottle of fine chianti. I’d say that’s pretty good work for being half in the proverbial bag.

So I had a proud moment when I finished this little baby up last night, in the space of 2 hours, and I guess it helps my mood about the damn pants, a little bit.

I Hope You’ll Be By Me Then.

Listening to the DMB shows from last weekend that I downloaded. Feeling that feeling of almost being there in the lights, seeing them move, and joke with each other, that excitement of the first few chords of the next song, the smile over hearing something that hasn’t been heard in awhile, all those feelings that will undoubtedly disappear into the fog of memory soon, until next time.

Live music does it for me. You know, It. The force of it hitting me in the chest, the sight of a little boogie, watching the way a group of guys plays together, has fun, jokes around, dances, interacts. Those nuances, I love. Listening to live music is the closest thing to going back there, but I still miss the visuality and spontenaity of the experience.

I’m back there right now, almost, on that hill, sweating, killing my knees with dancing, grooving, singing, smiling, feeling it.

Off-album years are always so interesting, because the band doesn’t have to promote an album, although, even so, they are playing a round of new songs that will hopefully go on the new album, whenever that may come out. They were doing that last year though too, and still no album, so who knows.

And, man, is this song ever beautiful:

#27

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I’ve been high, and i’ve been down
My head in the clouds and my hands in the ground
In the arms of a woman, I found my way home
In the arms of a woman, I had been lost

When I’m so lost that this losing feel like dying
I hope you’ll be by me then
When I’m so lost that this losing feel like dying
I hope you’ll be by me then

As a young man, I was afraid
Of my life, what would I make?
I would make love, what will I hate?
What bittersweet road will I take to my grave?

And if I’m old ’til this oldness have me dying
I hope you’ll be by me then
Oh, when I’m old ’til this oldness has me dying
I hope you’ll be by me then
I hope you’ll be by me then

Sick of you, and I’m sick of me
I’m sick of wars, and I’m sick of peace
I’m sick of sound ’til I’m sick of silence
Oh, sick of the darkness ’til I’m sick of the light

When I’m so sick that this sickness has me dying
I hope you’ll be by me then
I hope you’ll be by me then
Oh, when I’m so sick that this sickness have me dying
I hope you’ll be by me then

Once, as a boy, I saw what happened
I saw them beat him down to the cold, cold ground
Watched those big boys beat that man down
I was too weak to make a stand

When I’m so weak that this weakness feels like dying
I hope you’ll be by me then
When I’m so weak that this weakness feels like dying
I hope you’ll be by me then

When I’m old ’til this oldness feels like dying
I hope you’ll be by me then

So I will live as I see fit
There will be those who will not like it
But in the arms of a woman, I found my way home
So to the arms of a woman, I will go

And if I’m old ’til this oldness has me dying
I hope you’ll be by me then

Framed!

When I received my Sugarloop print in the mail yesterday, I was inspired to finally get around to completing a project that I have had on my mind for ages: framing some things.

I have to admit, I took a cue from Sally with using linen to back these prints, not to mention in ordering the Sugarloop print in the first place! So thanks, Sally! I love the way the texture and natural color of the fabric looks behind the paper. It was so totally easy too!

I had picked up a few frames the other day to put together a couple of photographs of my friend’s daughter that I had wanted to give her months ago, and decided to get extras for this project. For these prints, I simply cut out a piece of cardboard to fit the frame, cut out a piece of fabric slightly larger than the cardboard, ironed the wrinkles out, and spraymounted them together, folding the edges of the fabric over and adhering to the back. I probably didn’t have to stick them together, but it seemed like a good idea at the time, to prevent slippage or wrinkles or anything. Turns out, I didn’t double check that the cardboard pieces fit into the frames, so they were a bit – ahem – snug, when all was said and done, but it all worked out. Right now these are taking up residence in my studio/office, for inspiration, and since I don’t feel like hanging anything right now, but I think they are going to be lovely in the new house. I can’t wait to frame up some more of Maria’s cards and some photos, and use some other fabric and some of the paper I have laying around.

And thanks to Nicolette for giving me some motivating words last week, when I was feeling decidedly unmotivated.

Fly Catcher Extroardinaire

Our orange ball of craziness has some mean skills in the bug catching department. The other day The Husband calls me into the kitchen, excitement in his voice. “Nari just caught a fly right out of the air,” he says. Excuse me? Mr. Kitten was playing with a half dead fly on the kitchen floor, which would try to slowly fly away, then get pinned back down with an orange paw. Eventually he lost it under the refrigerator.

Then the next day I saw him grab one with my own eyes. He just leapt up and clapped his paws together as if he was applauding a great opera performance, and down came the fly. Yeah, he ate that one.

Yesterday he was chasing them in the venetian blinds, concentrating so fully, making a huge racket until I finally lifted the blinds to allow him better access. Then he would don wings and fly across the room in midair after them, with complete disregard for any obstacle in his path. Like boxes. Or me.

And this morning we caught him playing with a big nasty spider. I still have the heebie jeebies about that, but at least I have full confidence that he will catch and dispatch them, rather than leaving them to lurk in the corners.

Good kitty.

The Best Of What’s Around

After much housetidying and hosting an open house that noone came to, I spent Saturday and Sunday evenings at Alpine Valley Music Theater seeing my very favorite group of guys, the Dave Matthews Band, for the 22nd and 23rd times. Yeah, I’m one of those fans. But I don’t smoke that stuff that lots of them smoke, and I don’t shout “I love you, Dave!” during the show, so please don’t break up with me over it, and if you love them too, I want to know!

Gushing over the shows will commence now:

I had a really great time. On Saturday I met up with my friend Misse and her fiancee, and we spent a few hours in the lots grilling and tailgating. It has been raining here for the last week, but the weekend was thankfully dry and beautiful. The ground is saturated, though, and there was a Rage Against The Machine concert there on Friday night, so the whole place was a muddy, smelly mess. Alpine Valley is in the middle of nowhere, and accomodates approximately 35,000 people, so after all the rain and the show the previous evening, the parking lots were mudholes, and the giant hill that is usually covered in grass, and which takes up more than half of the venue, was a slip ‘n slide. It was gross, there were drunk people covered in mud everywhere, lost flip flops, and the smell was nauseating. Luckily, I had seats in the pavilion for both nights, so I didn’t have to experience any of that “lawn” madness first hand, I just had to carefully navigate my way back up that hill at the end of the night.

I had a seat alone on Saturday night, in the middle section, about 20 rows back, and the people around me were pretty nice and respectful, which made the show all the more enjoyable. The view was also better than I had expected, and it was easy to immerse myself in the 2 and a half hour wall of music. Members of the opening band, The Roots, sat in on a number of songs, adding their funkalicious brass {including a sousaphone!} which was pretty darn cool.

On Sunday I took my friend, Shane, who had never seen DMB, nor had he ever had the Alpine Valley experience. Luckily, it sounds like he had a pretty good time, and likes the band more now that he did before, so that makes me happy.

As soon as the band stepped on stage on Sunday night, it was like they were picking up where they left off the night before, just continuing on. The screens blazed right up without pause, and they immediately opened up the show with The Dreaming Tree, which they had teased twice the night before, and they don’t play all that often {I’ve only heard it live twice}. Sweet Up And Down has also been pulled out of the closet this summer, and it was nice to hear that for the second time since 2000. Last night, 6 out of 22 songs played were unreleased, one of which was debuted brand spanking new for us, called A Dream So Real. It was a pretty mellow show for the first half, but the end blew me away.

I took the camera, but I did not take any pictures, because, I guess I was more interested in sitting and chilling. I didn’t take the camera into the show with me, even though I could have gotten away with it easily, because it was just too much to think about at the time. So, oh well.

People say that Alpine is one of the best places to see the band, and that they always put on extra special shows there, and I totally believe that. They always play something to put those shows over the top, and this year was no exception.

It amazes me how much material they have, though. There were only a couple of songs over both shows that I could have replaced with something else, and yet, personally, there are probably 2 or 3 more converts worth of other songs that I would love to hear as well. I am loving the new material, though, so I am already looking forward to next time!

Now, though, I am tired, after getting home past 1am for 2 nights in a row, and achy, from much crazy dancing, and thankful for a good good time.

Incessant

It has been raining for a week, now. Flooding in areas, freak accidents, incessant humidity, and swarms of mosquitos. It was sunny, briefly, today, for this shot, the exterior of the new house. We went and had it inspected today.

The other side of the front porch

Vintage marbled doorknob

Powder room, with antique sewing table for a sink, this sold me on this house, I loved it so much

Wordless

Today, I am wordless. So here are some favorites from Flickr.

1. Fasten Seat Belt, 2. Red, 3. Untitled, 4. take away where you’re from, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. Adressa, 8. The Pot, 9. Untitled, 10. “traill’s” flycatcher, 11. Untitled, 12. Untitled, 13. hydrangea, 14. Untitled, 15. 黑糖04, 16. tickets

Murky

Flatness of creativity. That is what I am feeling today. This week is sucking the life out of me. Is it the weather? Or everything else? I thought a clean space would inspire me to be creative, but I am feeling anything but creative right now. My head is in a fog of idea ghosts, misting in and out of the shadows, taunting me with the possibility, then hiding away before I can grasp on, and everyone else’s ideas seem so much more superior, profound, than anything I could conjure myself.

Clean. Laundry. Organize. Wait. File. Order. I want. I want to do something meaningful. I want to make something, but I don’t want to have to clean up afterward. This is all I can seem to build right now, in the few moments between the other things that must be done:

Click image for larger view

A header for a page with additional photos of the house. At the moment, there is only one additional photo, but there will be more, and I need to get the page published, so the link can go on the listing. Deco typography because the house was built in the twenties. Brown because I want to say “reliable”, and “vintage.” But also maybe a little bit because of the murk.

For Sale

I am sore. Tired. Spent.

Our house, on the corner of the street

We spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday cleaning, organizing, landscaping, cleaning, and organizing some more. Friday was set to be the only unrainy day of the following 10 or so, so we finished the fence in the front yard – finally, after 2 summers – put a border around the new flower beds, and got a bunch of mulch on them. It is amazing that it takes something drastic like selling your house to make you finish projects that you initially started for your own benefit. Now we will not get a chance to plant the things out in front that we had wanted, or enjoy the fence that The Husband spent so many tiring hours building.

Master Bedroom

Bathroom

The rest of the weekend we organized the basement, which was no small feat, let me tell you. We played Tetris with the endless boxes of our stuff, trying to get them to fit into the shelves in exactly the right way, so as to optimize the space to its fullest potential. Books, pictures, glasses and jars, design magazines, candlemaking supplies, hunting equipment, MORE books. Then we piled the rest of the boxes neatly on a pallet. I found an old poster of Tom Selleck that I had had when I was young. How awesome is that? I still love Magnum P.I. We moved The Husband’s large conglomerate of homebrewing supplies into an organized pile against one wall, and we moved all of my paintings from college on that are not already on display on our walls into the basement on another pallet. The space hasn’t been organized since we moved in 4 years ago, and even then, it wasn’t all that organized. It looks phenomenal now. The floor is clean, we can find any tool that we might need in less than 30 seconds of searching, and there is room to walk around. But there are still so many boxes. We are amazed every second at how much we have purged from our lives, and yet, there is still so much. How does that happen? Some of it will be put to use in the new house, but the majority of it? Not. There are just things that we keep, move from place to place, books that I cherish, paintings of mine that I will never display, but which I cannot part with.

Guest Bedroom, finally turned into an office for me, now that we are trying to sell it

Then there was the lifting, and the stairs. My arms are sore from all of the boxes of books and heavy things that I carried down to the basement. The paintings, too, were previously stored all the way upstairs, and so I made many trips up two flights of stairs, and back down with armfuls of them. I feel like I have been training for a weight lifting competition.

Living Room

Finally, last night, we were able to take pictures of most of the rooms of the house, to add to the For Sale By Owner listing that should be up for the public today or tomorrow. The photo of the exterior is so dark, since it was rainy and murky and wet all weekend, and we hope for a sunny day so that we can get a better one, as well as some nicer shots of the landscaping and pergola and garden in the backyard.

Dining Room

We have these high hopes that we will get calls right away from prospective buyers, to come for a showing, falling in love and wanting to buy it right away, like we did. That others will immediately see what a gem this house is, the way we still see it, with its 1923 character still intact. I hope that we aren’t wrong. I hope that we aren’t twiddling our thumbs for weeks waiting for someone to come by and be a tiny bit interested. I hope that the karma that we feel lives well in this house, that has been so kind to us thus far, keeps us wrapped in its warm arms yet a little longer and finds a new set of people to love, and by whom to be loved.

Inspiration

These journals by five and a half. They are luscious, beautiful, made with sustainable materials, and I want one. They also make me have more inspirational thoughts on a potential set of my own handmade journals. In the future? Perhaps.