Mabel's Wish

international technology ~

2010-07-14T21:45:00.001-07:00

Technology is amazing...Tonight I've been editing the fall issue of Tapestry Topics for the American Tapestry Alliance (www.americantapestryalliance.org) while accessing my wireless computer network and the internet from bed while watching tv with my cat at my feet while e-mailing colleagues on the east coast and Australia...Who'd of thought in high school when I learned to type on an old IBM selectric, I'd be here typing on a tiny computer from bed connected to the world on a Tuesday night during July 2010.

I love my little netbook!

low tide ~

2010-07-11T19:59:00.001-07:00

Like a year ago, Steve and I went to Point Whitehorn Reserve to walk on the beach and see the sights. It is surprising how things are different year to year.

Today the water was crystal clear and a large area of lovely solid sandy beach was perfect for walking. We were pretty much alone on the beach for most of the time ~ it was lovely.

We took our shoes off and enjoyed the sand.

Steve found a fish and watched for crab. The tide was rushing out and the crab were digging in or flowing by.

Such contrast between the grey of the sand and the purple of the starfish.

Along with the green anemones, I saw a few of these red devils.

These greenies are the usual hangers and drippers…yick!

Here’s one of the clear jellyfish we saw.

It’s under a mile walk through the woods to the trail and stairs down to the beach. It is all an easy walk to one of the best parks in Washington. Before they created the park, the only way down the cliff was by sliding down and hanging onto ropes and hand holds that folks had rigged up. Even with the old method down to the beach, it was worth the risk to see such a beautiful area.

romance ~

2010-06-06T21:22:00.001-07:00

texas trailer style…

Yup, swiped the photo…

bear ~

2010-06-06T19:26:00.001-07:00

Gave this little bear tapestry to my boss (Connie) who is retiring in 12 days. She collects Southwestern type bears. So after the workshop with Sarah Swett, I had to weave a little bear for her gift. I placed it in a narrow framed shadow box which made it impossible to take a photo of it. So below is the bear out of the box.

Over the past year, Connie has been giving me beaded necklaces from her stash ~ amethyst, rose quartz, and the trade beads I used in the tapestry. The warp was some handspun Navajo I had from a woman down in Skagit County. The warp was some of Sarah’s handspun, hand dyed wool of spectacular colors ~ all from natural dyes.

wordless workshop ~

2010-06-04T22:56:00.001-07:00

Wordless only because I was so stressed out during this fabulous workshop that I really can hardly remember being there.

Above is just a tease showing some of the wonderful handspun, hand dyed weft Sarah Swett brought to Bellingham in May. She taught a three-day tapestry workshop for the Whatcom Weavers Guild.

Added this one just for the faces both Sarah and Doreen were making.

And for my workshop mates, the photos below are of the 3 and 4 selvedge techniques Sarah demonstrated.

And for the words, they are back. Mom’s stroke has not left her with any residual slurring of words. Luckily, we are all doing well now.

for lyn ~

2010-05-18T21:50:00.001-07:00

Mabel

In a way it was a 12-year goodbye. In 1983 I was getting ready to graduate high school, and no one expected a 17 year old to have a strong sense of what was happening.

Mabel & Clara

I saw it though. I probably felt it much more than anyone else. Grandma Mable was changing rapidly ~ it was the stress. The stress of her older sister’s failing health. The stress of clearing out her sister’s house and having the remnants of her sister’s life stored in her basement.

Then on Good Friday her brother died unexpectedly. More stress. More behavior changes. More forgetfulness.

On Easter Sunday we went to the nursing home to visit her sister (my great aunt). Sitting in the hallway in her wheelchair, we found her wearing someone else’s clothes. Her gaze was blank, and I wondered where she went. No one said anything. We went home for ham dinner.

Mabel, Clara, Ida, & Annie

The years continued to move quickly. Sisters died, brothers died. Still she lived alone in her house and talked each winter about waiting for spring and looked forward to working in her yard. It had been years since she grew dahlias and mowed her lawn with an old fashioned push mower, but it was what she knew. It marked her changing seasons.

As the seasons changed, I slowly mourned the loss of grandma Mabel. Year after year, she slipped away more. She always knew me; although, she couldn’t remember my name. My name, like the years, faded from her memory.

As her memory faded, mine became clearer. I remembered Friday visits and peanut butter sandwiches with homemade apple jelly. I remember Saturday afternoons learning to play her piano. And I remember trimming her Christmas tree as she played the piano for us.

She would open one of her songbooks to the back where a discolored page was attached with yellowed cellophane tape. She told us that it was a song they sang in the little church (the family church that was primarily Norwegian). She said that grandpa sang it in the choir.

”Den Himmelske Lovsang” (The Heavenly Worship)

When she passed during April 1995, it was a blessing. I had felt that I had mourned her passing during the 12 years prior. The grandma I knew had been gone a long time. I cherished the memory of my grandma as I continued to love the woman that had taken her place.

During the summer following her death, I was taking group piano lessons (with adults ~ I wasn’t in a room with 3rd graders). I had asked my teacher (Peg) if she would play a piece for me; a piece I hadn’t heard in years. I soon came to class with a photocopy grandma’s song.

As Peg began to play, the breath left my lungs. I began to sob. It had been years since I heard the tune. I pictured grandma at the piano. Her hands at the keys.

Now 15 years have passed, and I am still standing behind Peg as she played grandma’s song. I am still in grandma’s living room trimming her Christmas tree as she played for us. And I am writing this for Lyn, so she knows that I know and many others know exactly how she is feeling. Take a deep breath, and it will be okay.

Grandma Mabel’s piano stored in my basement.

Mmmm, yum ~

2010-05-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

Had a good dinner at the Fountain Bistro which is less than a mile from my parents’ house. It was the first outing for mom after her stroke ~ she was in great shape! I couldn’t even see and facial changes. Her speech was fine, and she didn’t have any trouble eating. The food was good, the service was good, and the wine was good. Mom even made me tapioca in place of a birthday cake for dessert. Who wants cake anyway.

Mom wrapped my gifts with the usual care and included some lily of the valley instead of a bow because the birthday card had lily of the valley – she didn’t realize that lily of the valley is the May flower.

I came home visited with the cat who was eager to get in my lap. Too eager that is. I was trying to walk around him and he decided to bit me on the ankle like a dog. Yes, the cat is moody sometimes ~ he is a Siamese you know.

Most of my day was spent weaving on a tapestry sampler that I started in the Sarah Swett workshop last weekend. Although, I didn’t get much weaving done in the workshop since I was running back and forth to the hospital during the three day workshop. So I had decided that today, my birthday, was going to be my weaving day.

I missed most of the lecture about tapestry weaving technique, but I did get to absorb positive energy from the group.

Here is my little curve sampler ~ swirling ribbon. I can see where I need to improve in area and my selvedges got a little wonky as I was trying to hurry and get done. But all in all, I think it is an okay little piece. It, Sarah, and the workshop certainly inspired me to weave more!

45 ~ what an odd number?

2010-05-14T10:05:00.001-07:00

Odd, like, how the hell did that happen? How can one feel smarter, slower, wittier, mellower, all at once? I think the answer is 45.

My life is summed up in the birthday card doodle from my husband:

I’m weaving tapestry (or learning);

The cat is sleeping in his “cat-bowl” bed;

My dad is sitting in the hospital next to my mom laying in bed (last weekend);

And Steve is coming home after his swing shift, calling out, “I’m home".”

The only doodle I don’t want in my #46 card, is the hospital doodle.

Cat in cat bowl: Fine.

Sitting and weaving: Fine.

Steve coming in the door at 10:30pm after work: Fine.

Dad sitting next to mom’s hospital bed: NOT fine.

As for what else has been happening recently, check out the Whatcom Weavers Guild Blog (www.whatcomweavers.blogspot.com) ~ that is the only one that I’ve updated recently.

P.S. Mom is home doing well. The cat is sleeping in his bowl and doing well. Dad isn’t sitting around watching; he’s doing well. Steve is home and wearing his baseball cap (missing in his doodle) and doing well. I’m 45 and doing well.

Arghhh, fri fri fricking frick…..

2010-04-07T19:26:00.001-07:00

You go and lose touch with a friend over some 10 years or so, and she up and gets married….where’s my invite??? What the, the, the…well you know…

Yes, I stole the photos off the web. But what’s a friend to do when they don’t get their invitation to the wedding that took place OVER A YEAR AGO!? Well, fricking, f f f f f f f f . . . . . .

SMOOCH!!!!

You look so happy!!!! Yeah!!!!

Punched in the gut ~

2010-03-05T15:56:00.001-08:00

Yes, I’ve been gone too long. It is time for me to start posting again. I have loads to post about. But today, I feel as though I’ve been punched in the gut. I didn’t get the job I was hoping for…the economy is still keeping me down. My temp job will most likely end come June, so I’m pretty disappointed that I didn’t come out the winner in my recent interview game.

I’m lucky to be employed for now, but it is hard to be underemployed.

That’s it for my sob story today. Here are things that make me feel better…

An orchid for your thoughts?

I’m a little confused ~

2010-01-12T19:12:00.001-08:00

I just read this listing and am wondering what the last line really means. Was he going to let his wife use it? Did she wise up to his plans of passing her the “broken parachute” while he jumped using the one that wasn’t broken. Hmmmmm……

Broken parachute (Lynden)

Date: 2010-01-12, 1:07AM PST
Reply to:

This parachute is totally indestinguishable (sic) from
a working parachute. I got it custom made for me
from a friend who works at boeing. What you do with
it is UP TO YOU. I don't need it any more since my
wife left me.

Location: Lynden
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

it’s late ~

2010-01-11T01:13:00.001-08:00

No alligators tonight.

Back sleepers anonymous.

Hot cat against my back.

Those are three of the blog post titles I was thinking up as I was wishing for sleep to arrive. It seems as though I’m getting one or two good nights each week. Otherwise, I’m struggling to fend off the cat or break my husband out of some wild dream he is having.

Last night it was alligators at his feet ~ legs kicking and body jolts on and off for at least half the night. Other nights I am trying to get the cat far enough from my face so I can breath. He just wants to be too damn close.

I just got up because my back is killing me ~ I can’t relax. Steve is snoring like crazy and won’t roll off his back. He’s always sleeping on his back and letting out house-shaking snorts and snores. And the cat won’t give me enough room to be comfortable ~ Steve gets half the bed, the cat gets 3/8s, and I get the bit that’s left.

I know, people do think it is strange that I just don’t kick the cat off the bed, but he bites. He bites really hard and gets unreasonably mad at me. I’ve woken up many times in the wee hours with the cat chomped down on my nose. And yes, he DOES draw blood. So, you see, it is just best not to antagonize him.

So not only does Steve dream of alligators at his feet, I experience a feline alligator at my face ready to make a meal of my nose.

Did I mention that my back hurts? Spasms. Need sleep, need sleep…

Here’s the only kind of “alligators at my feet” that should be allowed.

I was just looking around the web to see if there really could be a group called Back Sleepers Anonymous. I found Late Sleepers Anonymous, Tummy Sleepers Anonymous, Non Sleeper’s Anonymous, but no Back Sleepers.

There really should be the “it isn’t fair that the wife gets to be sleepless anonymous” group. I wouldn’t go, I’d send Steve and cat. The group would only meet after 1:00am of course and there’s be no dozing allowed.

They would all have to sit in uncomfortable wooden chairs like the ones in the Whatcom Museum’s Rotunda Room. The kind that are just a bit too high to allow you to get comfortable, and during the second hour of sitting they always make your legs begin to go numb.

That’s it. That would begin to torture them just enough to get a small taste of my nights. Maybe they’d have to wear the alligator pumps in the photo above just to top it off. Hummm. Maybe they would have to listen to Glenn Beck talk for 3 to 4 hours (don’t worry, I won’t add his photo to the blog). Yeah, yeah, that’s it…that would really be torture.

Barber’s ~

2009-12-29T19:18:00.001-08:00

Getting excited for the next guild meeting! Al Currier will have a great presentation on the Barber Handweaving business that was on the Lummi Reservation.

Over the weekend I stumbled upon this Barber outfit at a local antique shop (see below). Do you have any Barber items? If you do, be sure to bring them as a show-and-tell item for our meeting on Jan. 13th. I know that members will be anxious to see what was produced in Whatcom County 40-50 years ago.

Caught a glimpse of this “get up” and knew instantly that it was a Barber.

Shot a picture of the Barber’s tag and the shop’s sales tag ($80!).

A close up of the pattern.

delightfully bombed ~

2009-12-13T20:04:00.001-08:00

One of the many moods of Mandy ~ Yarn bombing wear.

What a blast ~ the bomb! December is always a questionable month for Whatcom Weavers Guild programs. Many things seem to get in the way ~ holidays, shopping, parties, or snow! But this year’s December program went off with out a hitch.

Yarn Bombing authors Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain visited us in Bellingham last Wednesday and shared a thoroughly entertaining program.

Leanne (below) worked the PowerPoint presentation while Mandy (above) hammed it up while showing off the items that were featured in their book.

Leanne Prain sharing a sweater designed for and included in Yarn Bombing.

One of the ways I’ve learned to judge a good program is by laughter. Mandy and Leanne scored! The room chuckled, chortled, and snorted ~ yep, good meeting!

The girls also sold plenty of books and happily complied to the many requests to have them signed.

Thank you so much for coming down to Bellingham to share Yarn Bombing!

Linda Sue, wearing her mitts, quietly prays for the life of the small beast that was killed for her fashion needs.

~cross post with www.whatcomweavers.blogspot.com~

updates & corrections ~

2009-12-13T19:34:00.001-08:00

Chloe French with her loom and woven work.

Thank you Chloe for your comment, corrections, and additional information. If you haven’t read Chloe’s comment on my last post, I have copied below so that folks can have easy access to what she shared.

Gunalcheesch tlein (thank you very much - Tlingit)

These are wonderful pictures of the Art Market and Courtney's and my work.

The girls singing are from the George family. The woman behind the spruceroot basket is Kitty Young from Petersburg, Alaska. The man in the hat is Floyd Warbus.

Our style of weaving is not warp-weighted but I can see why you thought that. The coverings at the bottom of Courtney's warp are only there to keep it clean. There are no weights in them. We weave using the basketry technique twining. The warp is free hanging, that is there is no tension on it.

Thank you again for this.
Chloe

If the opportunity arises to view, learn, and appreciate the remarkable woven work created by our indigenous neighbors, be sure to take it. I am certainly glad I did this year and will plan to attend future Native Art Markets at Northwest Indian College.

t t t t t t t t t t t t t

And for those of you who might be curious about my last post calling out the visitor hits from Stavanger, well yes, we did make contact. And yes! We are related. All very cool! I knew there had to be family in Norway that I resembled ~ had no idea we looked THAT similar. Genetics are amazing ~ and so is the internet!!!

Native Art Market ~

2009-12-08T20:28:00.001-08:00

On Saturday I visited the Lummi Reservation. They were having their annual Native Art Market at Northwest Indian College. It is fascinating to see the wonderful weaving ~ baskets, blankets.

I had a nice visit with Courtney Lipson who is a non-native studying under weaving Chloe French. Both women have work at the Stonington Gallery in Seattle.

Courtney was weaving on her warp-weighted loom ~ she was working on her first blanket.

The blanket is a Wedding Robe ~ she’s marrying in August. She leg-spun the warp from February through September and is now weaving.

She showed me her weaving draft ~ there’s a lot of work to be done before August!

Her frame loom was made by her partner who added special carvings.

The idea that these robes are all created by hand manipulating the warp and weft boggles my mind. The time and skill it would take to finish a piece is unreal.

While I was visiting with the weavers, these young women came into the room to sing.

When they were finished, I walked around and took some shots of the incredible baskets.

As I headed to the door, I took one last shot of this gentleman in his woven cedar bark hat ~ notice all the cedar baskets on his table.

I’m lucky to live only 15 minutes away from the Lummi Reservation. The land is beautiful ~ eagles, hawks, falcons, owls ~ they are all there and it is a perfect bird watching area.

It is wonderful that the Lummi group invites the whole community out to enjoy this event. Thank you!

Searching for Peder Fosse? ~

2009-12-06T22:01:00.001-08:00

YooHoo! Someone over in Stavanger, Norway has been looking around this blog for information on my great grandfather Peder Mandius Fosse.

Leave me a comment with your contact information or e-mail me at mabelswish (at) msn (dot) com. I’d be happy to share genealogy info on the Fosse family.

Ragnhild & Peder Fosse

On hooks and needles ~

2009-12-06T21:38:00.001-08:00

Can’t wait! Can you?

On Wednesday, December 9, 2009, Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain will be coming to Bellingham to talk bombing ~ Yarn Bombing that is!

What marvelous timing (serendipitous even) to have the Yarn Bombing gals for a visit and program just days after Handmade Nation (the indy film) played at the Pickford Theatre.

For those not in the know, Yarn Bombing (it isn’t just the title of their book and website yarnbombing.com, it’s an activity – a verb!), seems to be finding its place in the fiber world. Take a look below ~

From the spooky to the functional (ever been cold in a phone booth?), yarn bombing is for all ages and abilities!

Most important of all, keep a sense of humor and have fun.

To learn, hear, and absorb more about Yarn Bombing, be sure to come to the Whatcom Weavers Guild meeting this Wednesday, December 9th beginning at 6:30p for a social time before the official meeting start time at 7p. We meet in the same place each month, St. James Presbyterian Church’s lower-level meeting room located at 910 14th Street in Bellingham, WA. Visitors are always welcome ~ plus it is free!

For more information, contact me directly ~ Julie Barnes at mabelswish@msn.com.

NOTE: This is a cross post with www.whatcomweavers.blogspot.com.

Christmas never looked so good ~

2009-11-23T09:14:00.001-08:00

Will Santa bring me all the pencils I want for Christmas? Most aren’t even sharpened!

Huge Pencil-Pen Lot - $20 (Bellingham)

Date: 2009-11-22, 9:53PM PST
Reply to: craigslist.org

Huge Pencil-Pen Lot
All Pencils all Unsharpened unless noted. Some are in their original boxes some are bundled by me.
13) American Eco-Writer(bundled with paper cover)
10) American (2-HB) Eberhard Faber
8) American(2-HB) Faber Castell
6) BIC (Black Ink Rollers) Vintage,all apens still write great.
1) Black w/Adidas Logo
6) Blackstonian 555 #2 Universal
5) Boeing Future of Flight
1) Box Dixon Ticonderoga (1388) No.3 (1 pencil sharpened, missing eraser top) Vintage,1940's?
2) Boxes of 12 Dixon Ticonderoga (1 Box has 12, 1 box has 11) (Date?)
2) Boxes of 12 Dixon Ticonderoga (1990's?)
1) Box of 12 Dixon Ticonderoga (Black) similiar to the Dixon Ticonderoga Millenium(1 pencil used)
2) Sealed packages of 10 pencils each of Dixon Trimline Pencils.
8) Eberhard Faber Col-Erase Violet
12) The H.H. West Co's Idol No.2(vintage) Date?
5) General Pencil Company Kimberly Carbo Weld (H) Vintage
5) General Pencil Company Kimberly Carbo Weld (2H) Vintage
4) Mirado Black Warrior (2 older Style, no hearts)
1) Papermate Classic (HB-2) 5 Green, 6 Blue
11) Postal(Thin Lead Red Color Pencils) w/cover
2) Bundles of 12 Skilcraft Bonded No.1 Soft.
4) Tower Records(1 sharpened)
7) X2 Live Line (No.2) in Plastic Package (missing one pencil) open at bottom.

Location: Bellingham
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

flailing arms & a room full of laughter ~

2009-11-12T16:51:00.001-08:00

…thanks to Ms. Kim Werker! Last night Kim entertained the Whatcom Weavers Guild in Bellingham and had members laughing so hard I bet the 12-step group upstairs could hear us through the ceiling.

I know, unbelievable ~ who thought stuffy old weavers could muster a chuckle let along a belly laugh. But they did. Kim’s presentation was delightful and made us all rush home to look up crochet patterns on the internet ~ I know I went looking for the seraphina shawl.

Kim was adamant that crochet doesn’t have to be like what we remember from the 1970s. With the beautiful array of yarns available today, crocheted items can have lovely drape and be as soft as a dream.

Or….you can go the other direction and create wonderful art installations like Mandy Greer, or reach into your dark humorous side like Patricia Waller.

Yes, these strange vignettes are crocheted.

If you want to learn more about some of this great crochet ~ check out my post from early this year ~Crochet~.

For more about Kim’s great program, go check out her blog and dear Linda Sue’s too.

suzzy to me ~

2009-11-06T21:17:00.001-08:00

The cabbage rolls are out of the oven, all my workshop gear is lined up in the hallway, and the fridge is stocked for three days worth of potluck fixings.

Tomorrow I’ll join about 20 other folks for year #2 of a fall spinning workshop taught by Ms. Spinning Guru herself ~ Ms. Judith MacKenzie McCuin.

Like last year, I know my head will nearly explode with all the information she’ll dish out to us. And this year she’s going to teach base don the Interweave book Fleece in Your Hands. So I’m ready for the brain swell.

Out of the 4 spinning wheels (there are 5 in the house, but one is still under construction with new paint job that is progressing every so slowly), I prefer to take my Majacraft “Suzie” wheel. She gives my the most control and options. “Suzie” being the name the manufacturer call the model, it isn’t the way I think of her.

My sister’s name is “Suzy”, so when I think about my wheel, I think “Suzzy” as in Suzzy Roche.

Suzzy & Maggie Roche ~ Killer shoes, Suzzy!

Now if I could only wear those while spinning!

Now go listen to The Roches.

last breath bruises ~

2009-11-06T20:16:00.001-08:00

A previous collection for Sandra Backlund, but it’s my favorite.

and where the hell was the squad?

2009-11-05T21:56:00.001-08:00

The boys were not on watch last night when Whatcom Middle School burned down. I’m sorry to say, these dudes did not fulfill their duty.

Got some splaining to do….And I am wondering what the hell Chief Jess Odell is going to tell the authorities about his squad. I bet Asplund is going to take the fall. Now, I know, you’d first think that ol’ Mr. Horn should have been blowing something, but Asplund, he’s only got a future in local retail…he’s surely set to take the fall.

Plus, rumor has it, he’s been carrying a “torch” for little Miss Oltman. But we know the truth! He’s got his eye on her family’s insurance business ~ damn his future in retail!

I also heard that “Duke” Skinner was involved in something up there on the roof top. Yep, it was all about giving some guy, well you know, “the axe”.

That was all happening while the Yell Kings, Stevens and Hudson, were working up one of their clever formations we keep hearing about. As the kings, they should have had kept a closer eye on old Duke. And used some of their zeal to yell F * I * R * E !

The very early days ~ she still had her pitched roof.

No additions yet, but she was still a high school.

A recent image.

Whatcom * * * * School ~ it use to say “high” but now she was a “middle”. Was is the word. How many hours did thy waste?

Aside: I have my mom’s eldest cousin’s old annuals from Whatcom High School ~ 1934, 1935, 1936. As I looked through the books tonight, I realized that I have few (if any) memories of my middle and high school years. The weren’t pleasant I recall, but I can’t recall much more than that. It is funny how memories fade or become more important as the years pass. There seems to be quite a HOLE in my memory.

My middle school, Shuksan, was demolished this fall. Could that be why I haven’t any memories left?

a hole in our hearts ~

2009-11-05T21:24:00.001-08:00

This morning the community was shocked and saddened to learn that one of the local landmarks had burned through the night. Whatcom Middle School (originally Whatcom High School and then Whatcom Junior High) stood in the Lettered Streets neighborhood for over 100 years.

My husband went to school there.

My mom went to school there.

My cousins went to school there.

With nearly 600 displaced pupils, teachers, and support staff, the Bellingham School District is going to have some huge challenges facing them in the coming years. The economy isn’t in the right place for something like this to happen ~ not that any time would be a good time. But rebuilding (more like building from the ground up) a school will take a couple of years.

Here is video of the news report on the fire.

I do hope my dear friend and favorite goddess Kwan Yin will protect and show her mercy.

ode to my future ~

2009-10-22T22:26:00.001-07:00

As I go through the day, I think about my hands constantly. It has become a nervous habit, rubbing my sore knuckles. I still pop and snap them all day long, but the affected area has nothing to do with cracking knuckles. It’s age. It’s use. It’s arthritis.

I wouldn’t call it vanity. It is just they way people try not to show their “short comings”. Everyone has something ~ something they are hiding. My list is long, but not different than yours. It may be something permanent like the scars I have from a car accident. Or it could be the scratch across my nose from the cat biting me in the night. We are all trying to cover up and hide those imperfections.

When my hands are painful like they are tonight, I think of Olivia. Faded photographs of hands, painful hands. Olivia was my great-great aunt…my great-grandfather’s brother’s wife, and I only know her from the collection of images I have tucked away.

You can’t help but notice that Olivia hid her hands. They were always tucked under in a way to not show the arthritis that had settled in her joints.

In most posed photos she has her hand hidden from view.

It is apparent that her right hand gave her the most trouble and insecurity.

The unmistakable knots and twisting of her fingers.

Even in the nursing home, photos show dear Olivia holding her hands in a manner to not display what arthritis had done to them.

My grandmother, Mabel, had arthritis too. She always said she hated her hands, and then pluck at the loose skin on her knuckles. But I loved her hands. Those hands, like Olivia’s, tended the garden, crocheted and knitted, mended and cooked, patted and consoled, they supported the entire family.

Olivia Saude born 1865 Norway, died 1960 Rugby, North Dakota

tweet ~

2009-10-22T21:35:00.001-07:00

i just realized i don't have a headache, my sinuses aren't burning and my hormones aren't wacked out. well hell, you'd think i was 32 again.

to knit or not to knit ~

2009-10-21T18:49:00.001-07:00

I keep thinking that I want to knit a new sweater or vest...but then I think again. If I could only lose 40 pounds it would take so much less wool. Damn those skinny knitters!

headed toward accreditation ~

2009-10-01T20:31:00.001-07:00

Today the college nursing program I work for learned that it was going to receive its recommendation for National accreditation.

Only four years ago the first group of nurses began the two-year journey to prepare for a nursing career. It is really great to see the faculty and students work so hard to make the Whatcom Community College Nursing Program a success ~ Kudos to them all!

Although a majority of the students are women, there are more and more men moving into the profession. I was excited to find the photo above ~ do you think he was graduating as a nurse too?

Although I’ve hardly been working for the program for more than four months, it was nice to learn that I helped make a contribution to the program’s move toward accreditation. Although I really feel like I was just along for the ride ~ they have all put in four years of hard work to get the program where it is so quickly.

So make sure you respect those nurses out there! Even if they are sticking you with a needle ~ that flu shot is going to keep you well this winter season.

sunday afternoon in the park with bill ~

2009-09-28T18:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the Cornwall Park Disc Golf tournament. Dad (aka Bill) decided to take part. He’s been playing every morning for a year ~ about two hours a day. He may not be the local pro yet, but at (almost) 73, he scored better than some of the younger dudes.

We grew up with our backyard leading into the park, so this was our natural playground. We’d play on the park swings, roam the hills, and bike like mad through the trails before there was even a hit of a mountain bike fad.

I remembered to bring my camera with me to take some shots of the tournament. But I have to admit, the “nature” in the park was enchanting ~ the tournament soon took a photographic back seat.

There were mushrooms and toadstools galore throughout our walk as the group dad was playing with circled about 10 holes. Most of these mushrooms were at least 7” in diameter and 6-7” tall. They were amazing.

The park is filled with the most amazing trees: cedar, fir, hemlock, maples, etc. They are some of the oldest and largest trees in Bellingham. One of the problems with the disc golf course in the park is that the trees are natural obstacles and get whapped by discs constantly. The bark gets damaged like the cedar in the photo above. This, supposedly, isn’t a big deal for the older trees, but is not good for younger ones. Personally, it is really a shame they can’t figure a better way to play around some of the trees.

Not sure which hold this was taken at, but it gives you an idea about the height of the trees.

There’s a small row of chestnut trees at the southeast entrance to the park by the elementary school I went to 35 years ago. I use to collect the chestnuts on my way home from school ~ it was my “collection”. I’d glue each chestnut carefully to a sheet of paper ~ oh, how I loved my chestnut collections.

I couldn’t believe how close I was able to get to this dragonfly ~ such wonderful shape and color.

The colors of fall were starting to show everywhere.

This is the last hole we watched before heading home. See the big pack the guy on the left was carrying ~ most of the guys what these filled with their discs. Poor guy wasn’t play so well, but he did have a lot of discs.

Dad told us where there was a patch of native cyclamen that we would pass on our way up the hills. The leaves were starting to break through the ground ~ another sign of impending fall. Soon the shuttlecock flowers will be gone for another season.

carpe diem ~

2009-09-25T11:41:00.001-07:00

Synonym via MS Word ~

“make hay while the sun shines”

“Cook car” c. 1900, Barton, ND.

Making hay was a community endeavor during the turn of the century (and much later). When the threshing machine came to town, everyone pitched in to help. Even the ladies worked the cook car preparing hot meals for the men. Above, my great grandpa (John Johnson) is kneeling center, bottom ~ smoking a pipe. My great-great uncle, John Saude, is the man standing ~ first man at left with light colored long-sleeved shirt and suspenders.

Circuit camera photograph of men “making hay”

in Barton, ND c. 1900.

Close up of circuit camera shot above.

Threshing in Barton, ND c. 1900.

And a closer look at the right side of the photo above.

Carpe diem ~ seize the day ~ make hay

Today with the sniffles, I successfully rolled out of bed before 8 a.m. Drank a cup of coffee and played on the computer. Carpe diem!

signs of summer ending ~

2009-09-20T13:18:00.001-07:00

The season begins with the hopes and dreams

of a warm, bountiful summer and a plate full of burgers.

A sense of sadness and melancholy fills the hearts of everyone when the hamburgers are gone and the days become shorter. Time to close up the family cabin ending another season of summer.

surface tension ~

2009-09-19T20:37:00.001-07:00

Leaving my parents’ house this afternoon I was stopped dead in my tracks by these Katsura leaves. These pools of water were nervously balanced on the fallen leaves after last night’s rain. As the light came and went with the clouds passing over the sun, the pools changed like little looking glasses.

Perched atop this bubble of life was one tiny blade of grass.

My parents’ porch, like their yard, is a gardener’s wonderland. Collections of yard art from the traditional (Red Grass Designs, Rosebar [we’ll miss you Mary Taylor], Shirley Erickson) to the dada-ish work of Rich Art (aka Dick Tracy or Rich/Richard Tracy) that I purchased when I worked at the Whatcom Museum. Each corner has a surprise.

Above is a rock that Steve and I gave my parents for their 46th anniversary. Steve was into carving stones into plant markers for the garden. I drew this pattern out to represent multiple things ~ an “H” (for Hadley, my maiden name), the number “46” for their years of marriage, and a flowing motion to represent all the Asian inspired things they have in the yard and house. I think Steve did a great job using his Dremel and many hours.

On Friday, I made a new friend. I saw her flutter by the window and land outside just behind the TV. I quickly grabbed my camera to capture some images of this little lady goldfinch.

She continued her journey south after this last shot.

Enjoy the winter down south, my dear!

fragment ~

2009-09-18T17:15:00.001-07:00

…week word….too literal?

fibers & beyond ~

2009-09-17T21:51:00.001-07:00

Click on the poster above to go right to the guild’s website for details about the sale.

Each year the Whatcom Weavers Guild puts together a wonderful event called Fibers & Beyond. This is a show and sale of members’ work and should NOT be missed!

For the last few years I’ve worked on the pr for the event and (with fingers crossed) we will have a small article in Entertainment News NW ~ a wonderful arts and entertainment full-color glossy magazine published in Bellingham, WA.

They let me write the article for the last couple of years, and we (guild members and community) are lucky to have a publication of this type around.

Here’s a taste from last year’s sale.

And of course we have security! Girl with gun ~ well, almost.

inky…

2009-09-13T15:25:00.001-07:00

Fun, yes, but very inky. I’ve had very colorful hands during the last week. I kind of went stamp cutting crazy. You saw the beginning of my linocut stage at the end of August ~ since then I’ve been cutting and stamping and doing some all around messy stuff with ink.

Now I have about 80 bookmarks all stamped up and tasseled with beaded handspun yarn. I’m afraid I can’t stop! This has mostly been a late night activity since they days have been very busy. Next I’m going to make a bunch of gift tags in themes (fiber arts, bugs, generic designs, and maybe birds).

All of this stuff will be for sale at the next Whatcom Weavers Guild sale on October 16 and 17 in Bellingham. This is the 10th year for the sale and only the 4th for me. I hope I can make a bit of cash to fund the upcoming Judith MacKenzie McCuin workshop offered by NWHandspun Yarns ~ it will be another three-day brain bending fiber filled workshop.

Here are some gift tags in the works.

Below are some images I took at last Wednesday’s guild meeting. Guild member Sheri Ward came up with a great idea/challenge for members. She suggested that people find a mug and make a companion mug rug over the summer with the creations and mugs being donated this fall to one of the shelters in town that helps battered and homeless women. The mugs and rugs are to be given to women who are moving out of the shelter to their new homes. Thanks Sheri for such creating a “kind gesture” project for the guild.

Bookmark anyone?

isn’t she charming ~

2009-09-04T13:41:00.001-07:00

I grew up with her just like my mom did. She was sophisticated and had a strong sense of style. She was both modern and classic. With her tattered corners and frayed edges, she still knew how to hold a pose and was a timeless figure.

Grandma’s brother Cliff’s first wife Genevieve clipped her first. Probably back in the 20s and 30s. As a matter of fact, Gen looked a lot like her ~ that may be why she saved her for all those years.

Known to most as Toots’ cousin, never the main character and far from being the star, we loved her the most ~ ………………………………… …..… Mabel Charming

Mabel was a part of the Toots and Casper strip created by Jimmy Murphy in 1918. I don’t know when Mabel first came on the scene, but she was was most likely there for the duration (which looks like it was a full 40 years). Sometime in the early 1930s, Murphy started to add a paper doll to the strip ~ a “cut out”. This “cut out” usually appeared in a box to the right of the top part of the strip.

Mom told me that Mabel Charming was her favorite paper doll of Gen’s. Gen then made a copy of Ms. Charming including all of Mabel’s stylish clothing. Traced and cut from the original newspaper clippings (this is way before the days of photocopying), Mabel Charming was treasured by mom.

This is the “Mabel Charming” pose I remember.

Not knowing Ms. Charming’s history, I did a bit of a search on the web and quickly discovered that there are bits and pieces out there about Toots and Casper (the strip’s main characters), but no real mention of Mabel. There are a few relics for sale on the web ~ I found these:

This version of Mabel may have been a later edition since her arms are modified. By drawing her with her arms tucked in, she could wear a variety of clothing drawn with the arms in place. So clever!

Below is a close up which shows Mabel being credited as Toot’s Cousin Mabel Charming ~

Here, Mabel’s clothing has been cut to expose her hand. Could these dresses originally belonged to a different character doll?

The lovely and charming, Ms. Charming, was paired up with the cool Danny Hoofer on these “Lucky Bucks”. Hummm…was somebody getting lucky?

Gen’s hand-drawn Mabel Charming has been treasured so much that she was hiding in a “secret” location at Mom’s house. A call to Mom this morning and a long discussion about the last time we had seen her initiated the search…. I said Mabel Charming was in a box that had a Cupie Doll on it ~ Mom said she was in a box that had strawberries on it. Now, two hours after I initiated this post, Mom called. She has been located!

Ms. Charming was high on a shelf in a old hat box containing bits and pieces of memorabilia ~ my “little girl” white Easter gloves, Mom’s old celluloid toys, and a box with a cover illustration of a Cupie doll lookalike surrounded with fruit including strawberries ~ yep, we were both right.

Mabel Charming is now on the “bench” waiting to be picked up later today. I’m so lucky! Mom just told me I can have Mabel Charming ~ she’s so charming!

feeling up to it…

2009-08-30T17:42:00.001-07:00

The last few days have been a challenge. I told Steve that you can tell if I’m not feeling well when I don’t even try to at least knit a few rows.

No knitting today, but back to some other stuff. A few weeks back I was in the mood to do some block printing. Not having the needed supplies, I made my way up to the university book store to only be disappointed in the selection and price. I did pick up what I needed along with a few other toys.

I found that my dollar store erasers worked just as good as anything else when carving out little stamps. I first carved a "twill” pattern just to get started digging into the erasers. I was feeling okay with the tapestry bobbin, but my weaving shuttle needs a lot of help. The tapestry beater is strangely okay.

This is all a work in progress since I haven’t made an actual linocut since high school. I massaged a picture of Mabel and cut her out this afternoon. I don’t have any printing ink and my ink pads just won’t cut it. Mabel needs to be fully inked up.

Here are some pictures of new friends I made the other week at the fair.

camping ~

2009-08-22T09:00:00.001-07:00

…camping, camping you say. Friday’s word of the day was camping?

Is that “musty smelling tents” or “glitter and rhinestones”? If camping is a verb, why can’t it be a verb also defining “one who presents ‘camp style’”. I much prefer that. The idea of being in a tent on the ground is very unappealing to me.

To address how I see “camping”, Saturday’s word of the day will once again be camping ~ but with a twist.

Wikipedia describes it as ~ Camp is an aesthetic sensibility wherein something is appealing because of its bad taste and ironic value.

Camping = Bad Taste

Bad Taste = dead animals, fur collars, face distorting winks

….this camping is NOT appealing….

time ~

2009-08-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

In a blink ~ June was gone. In a wink ~ July went too. August, well dear August, we are in a stare down…

This should be a new post…but just indulge me here….

I’ve noticed some things, odd things lately. I recently noticed that odd things are bringing me joy. The oddest of all is the fact that I am so pleased to head into my usual stall in the ladies room at work to find the toilet seat up. I know, I know ~ you are thinking ~ What? No woman in her right mind would be happy to see the seat up. But remember that I said “ladies room.” That’s right, there is nothing like being there first after the restroom cleaning. Nothing like being the first in line.

Hummm…..In the photo above, doesn’t it look like I have one eye drifting off to the right (your left). And then there is my nose which I cut off ~ it looks as if it could be HUGE.

I don’t think my eye drifts…..and I don’t think my nose is HUGE. I’m hoping this photo is just distorted and not my face ~ well, any more distorted than what I’ve grown accustom to in the last 44 year.

And just for fun….

Captured in the shopping cart at Pay ‘n’ Save in downtown Bellingham.

Steve’s mom cut his hair ~ Mr. Bowl Head.

And then there were the cool teen years….Definitely Mr. Trouble during those days.

a cool 100 ~

2009-07-29T15:04:00.001-07:00

Not only am I doing my best to keep cool, I am trying hard to keep Marcel hydrated and cool. I have him circled in ice packs and two fans on him. He has spent the majority of the last four days on our bed in front of the fans.

I knew it was going to happen soon, so I sat in wait….I sat in front of our little weather station watching the temperature rise. Within 20 minutes, this is what happened ~

It was feeling REALLY hot at 97.9 degrees.

It was feeling toastier ten minutes later at 99.3.

And then it just kept going up….

and up….

and even up again…

And then it happened…oh my GOD, it reached 100 degrees and the air is heavy with humidity.

We are a tough lot up here in the Pacific Northwest, but having air conditioning is relatively unheard of since it is usually only “hot” once or twice a year. It certainly isn’t worth paying to have a cooling system.

What’s this I hear about global warming?

sent today to a friend ~

2009-07-28T11:01:00.001-07:00

I'm blaming CANADA!!!! I'm blaming CANADIANS!!! I'm blaming you all for the heat that is blowing into Ferndale from the Fraser River Valley. It is hotter here than in Bellingham. Last I looked, it was 86 outside and 83 inside and it isn't even 11 am.

~ your hot (temperature wise only please) American friend....Julie

Windows Live Writer ~

2009-07-25T21:33:00.001-07:00

Have you been here yet? www.americantapestryalliance.org

Just reading tonight in the ATA's Educational Article Series section about Blog Tech. Their education editor, Mary Lane, asked six blogging tapestry artists to share their thoughts and insights. In addition, Lyn Hart created a great page about resources for bloggers ~ it is available on the site and in pdf format (take a look http://americantapestryalliance.org/Education/Ed_Ar/BlogTech/BTResources.html or http://americantapestryalliance.org/Education/Ed_Ar/BlogTech/BTResources.pdf).

One item that Lyn wrote about was using Windows Live Writer to compose blog posts. I just downloaded this program (yes, it is free) and am typing this in it right now. I’ve been looking for a way to post without being live in Blogger ~ hopefully this will work better for me.

Already I can see that it gives me more control ~ I always want more control! With being able to easily go in a edit the code, I think I’ll be able to pull out some of the “funkies” that get in on the page unintentionally.

Other than reading about Blog Tech on the ATA’s website, you really should take a look at all the goodness they have going over there. I am really impressed that they can do all that they do with everything being completed 100% by volunteers.

So go there NOW! Go there and be enlightened about tapestry.

www.americantapestryalliance.org

lightening ~

2009-07-25T21:07:00.001-07:00

Tonight there has been a thunderstorm with lightening rolling through the sky. Luckily our cat has nerves of steel and just sits in the window watching outside. I’ve been on the computer wondering if it a smart idea to be working during the storm. I’m diligent about saving as I go along, and I haven’t seen the lights blink yet. Luckily...

glasses chat~

2009-07-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

It's been two years since my last eye exam and once again my vision has hardly changed. Back when I worked full time with my face squarely in front of the computer monitor for 8+ hours a day, my eyes got worse every year.

I have to admit, I was hoping that there was more of a dramatic change in vision so I could buy new glasses ~ well, at least a vision change would justify another purchase of glasses.

About 3-4 of years ago, I got hooked on buying glasses. I wear contacts, but decided I needed a new pair of back-up glasses. So I saw an ad for a sale in a shop downtown ~ complete pair for $30! So I rushed down to see what they had. There were a lot of frames that I liked, but I didn't always like them on "my" face.

On a whim I bought these ~

I figured these were just cheap frames, but they quickly became my favorite ones that I wear all the time. They have lasted and lasted ~ obviously they weren't as "cheap" as I thought.

At the same time I bought an "adult" pair that were pretty basic. I hated them! I never have really worn them and plan on beading them up or gluing rhinestones to them.

Then the next year (from the same store), I bought these ~

This isn't the exact color ~ they are really a maroon/rust with orange highlights. I LOVED the colors, but the fit has never been just right. It is something with the bridge of the nose. At the same time I bought a pair of rectangular frames ~ clear plastic and blue highlights. No need to show you those ~ they are another pair I rarely wear. There is something about the shape that looks great on other people, but it makes me feel very pedestrian.

Because I was feeling "pedestrian" the next year I bought these ~

These are ones I LOVE ~ the photo doesn't show the teal and lime colored stripe on the edges.

After these frames, I decided that cats are for me. I know I need to stay away from any shape that doesn't have an "up swing" at the cheeks.

Back I'd say 9 months or so ago, I saw a great pair of Coach frames at Costco. They were the only pair they had in that style and were more than a bit shop worn. I did check back in the optical section every so often, but they never reappeared.

After visiting the eye doc last Friday I was started dreaming about those Coach frames . So yesterday I did a searched eBay....and....oh....my....god! There they were!

So who cares if they are last year's style ~ they were brand new! And for la pièce de la resistance ~ they were only $34.95!

Yes, I have insurance that would cover some of this, but who really cares when you find what you want. Plus I still had dough in my paypal account so really what just bought these was the sale of duplicate Spin Off magazines last year.

I can't wait to get them and get lenses. Oh what the hell! Who cares about lenses? I might just wear them without any!

four prior posts ~

2009-07-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

...that could of been one HUGE post, but not. Envy the Pacific Northwest, but stay home and leave the beauty to those born here!

sea a·nem·o·ne ~

2009-07-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

sea a·nem·o·ne ~

sea animal resembling flower: a solitary and often colorful sea animal with a squat cylindrical body topped by a ring of tentacles that attaches itself to rock or other nonliving material. Order Actiniaria.

Colonies and colonies of anemone(s) on rocks and scattered all over the sand. We read that they clump up in separate (but equal, I'm sure) colonies and do not co-mingle.

Green balls of goo....amazing, green balls of goo! Then it appeared! Magenta, magenta tentacles hidden from view.

And yes, the ugly American and her pointy index finger...

touching sea anemone to see the sphincter-like contraction...

contracting tighter than a ___________? (you fill in the blank ~ everything I came up with was pretty vulgar)

Moving past the ugly to find the beauty...

We were awestruck by the beauty, the magenta, the movement in the waves...

...spending hours watching their graceful dance...

home wrecker, i am ~

2009-07-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

In the small little town of Hermitville lived a quiet community of humble hermit crabs. Though they preferred the long, lazy days of summer, they were discouraged by the number of tourists this season...

Poking, touching, pushing, shoving ~ those ugly American tourists have no couth!

As if poking wasn't enough, the ugly American, lacked the sanity to leave me put!

Damn her!

Point Whitehorn ~

2009-07-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, Steve took me to visit the new park at Point Whitehorn since I missed the prior weekend's event.

It's a beautiful walk down a wooded trail to the cliff over the beach.

The trail down is posted "hikers only". It isn't strenuous, but someone who isn't good on hills and stairs would best enjoy the view from the top.

Looking sort of south down the beach...

...and looking north.

Way down south we saw a harbor seal on a rock eating a fish.

The beach was scattered with starfish, lonely starfish...

...and starfish huddled en masse.

...legs...such texture...

bull kelp washed ashore...

solo bull kelp telling me his story...

...such grace...texture, rhythm, balance...

Welcome to the Sand Art Gallery ~

2009-06-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

Katie and Hayley were busy on Saturday creating their "Sand Art Gallery" on the sand at Point Whitehorn. The unusually low tide and sand sighting surely inspired the girls.

...the filled the beach with their creative drawings ~ such talent!

Beware of the SHORCA!!!

Forget "dog eat dog" ~ we've got real troubles ~ "fish eat fish".

Notice how the lovely two girls used the rock above as the first item to get chomped.

And the talented girls were too shy to pose.

Geometry ~

2009-06-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have...

...a square head.

2009-06-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

I celebrated Father's Day just like I celebrated my parent's 50th wedding anniversary...I stayed in bed and wallowed in virus. Oh don't feel bad for me, I sent a proxy to spend Father's Day with my dad.

Dear Steven went off to spend the day with my parents. It's nice to have a husband who totally gets along with the family (He probably gets along with them much better than I do!).

The planned day was a visit to the family cabin and a adventure to a new County park ~ Point Whitehorne Reserve. Steve took pictures of the little hike ~ even shots of the parents together.

I heard that there were 37 steps down to the beach after the walk through the woods from the parking lot ~ a walk of just under a mile.

Steve and I had walked out to this beach before there was a park. The only way down was over the cliff ~ not the cliff in the photo below, but something quite close. The way down was lined by ropes that had been tied and rigged so you could repel down the side. (Hmm, much like some of the obstacles shown on Ninja Warrior on G4 that I watched all weekend from my sickbed.)

Steve, always impress by the food the parents feed him, took this shot of the barbecue getting ready to grill his steak.

Fiftieth ~

2009-06-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Ma & Pa, Marlene & Bill, Mom & Dad, aka "the parents" ~ They were married 50 years ago today.

They didn't want a party ~ no fuss necessary. I'm stuck home three days into a virus, but I did call this morning.

Both Mom and Dad were string beans back then. Mom weighed a whopping 98 lbs., and Dad looks like he must have been skin and bones.

Mom wore a big hoop skirt which explains why dad was leaning and walking way over at the edge of the aisle. The bride's maids were in dusty rose/satin dresses ~ I still have some of the material in my stash.

Looks like mom had gladiolas in the vases as wedding flowers. Pretty funny since she wouldn't be caught dead with glads in any bouquet now.

Back then, in 1959, the local paper not only had large write-ups on weddings but also included many column inches on engagements (with photos) and bridal showers. How great it would be if we still had such community connections ~ now we have to worry about privacy and the like. Back then it was considered news worthy if you'd be away for a three-week honeymoon. Now such an announcement would only mean your home would be ransacked while you were gone.

Formal portraits of brides-to-be were considered the norm. Now it just seems odd ~ where's the groom? "He" wasn't news worthy until he walked down the aisle ~ weddings are all about the bride.

clipped ~

2009-06-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I got to work today and realized my shirt kept falling open. Luckily I'm working for a nursing program and the sight of bare skin isn't a big deal. The big deal is when non-nursing program people are around. So I found myself a trusty binder clip and clipped myself respectable.

A few hours after returning home, I looked down and realized I was still respectable.

Aren't binder clips wonderful?!

On another note ~ tapestry wise ~ I haven't shared this in the blog, but I am a BIG fan of CraigsList. Sometime last year a tapestry listing came up. I like to check and see what people call "tapestry" since it is usually an old sheet with some sort of printed image on it.

But in this case I couldn't believe my eyes! It was a real, honest to goodness tapestry! Woven, wool, the real deal!

So I quickly e-mailed the person offering it up for sale. I was certainly surprised when I received a return e-mail and found out that the person selling the piece was an artist whose painting I had hanging in my hallway. Small world!

Now this wonderful "snake" hangs over our bed. It is by tapestry artist Linda Rees who lived in the area a number of years ago and currently works and shows in Oregon. I just learned today that she'll be having a show in 2010 at he La Conner Quilt Museum (a wonderful small museum that shows much more than quilts).

P.S. I was born in the year of the snake ~ so the piece was perfect for me!

woven, lined and beaded ~

2009-06-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

...but NOT bedazzled! I wouldn't go THAT far!

I've been looking for a quick and simple project to make for next fall's guild sale. I think I'm getting close to figuring out my plan.

One of my goals is to use up all the odds and ends that are piling up in my stash. I'm the queen of used and/or second hand and continue to save everything with the thought that I might just make something out of it someday.

We'll on the web I found a simple woven bag pattern which is simply a long woven strip. I've woven three strips so far and here is one completed bag.

The warp is brown cotton (8/2 I think) and the weft is some really funky Lily brand stuff that was put up and sold on small cones. I think is rayon, jute and linen ~ that's my best guess. The sett on this bag's strip of fabric is a bit off ~ I think it's 15 epi. The other two strips I wove are probably closer to 17-18 epi. I beaded a bit on the bag with some discount and hand-me-down beads keeping with my reuse/recycle theme. The bag is lined with fabric from an old dress I had saved.

The way you fold the long strip of fabric allows for a pocket on the beginning edge ~ I think I'll skip this feature with the next bag and just add a pocket in the lining.

Since I still haven't purchased any name tapes for labeling, I decided to add this little piggie bead where I would want to place a name label.

oink, oink

karma's coming ~

2009-06-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

Found out today that the girl who hit my car and didn't leave a note lives in one of my brother-in-law's rental houses.

Hmmm, small world....hmmm, a lesson....a lesson to always own up to major mishaps since your God is always watching you and won't let you get away with it when you don't leave a note.

So there!

On another note ~ a few weekends ago it was lovely, warm, and there was an extremely low tide. We went out to Larrabee State Park to look into tide pools and climb on rocks.

I found this orphaned piece of kelp.

This was the end of the road where the rocks only led off the edge.

Look here! Steve (on the left) looks like a miner who has lost his gold pan.

The rocks at Larrabee are so cool ~ water-worn sandstone.

Starfish abound.

We are family!

Yum! Dripping Sea Snot!

Things just keep tumbling by me ~

2009-06-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

...or so that's how I feel these days. I know I haven't posted in, like, forever, and I do admit that I haven't had any inspiration to write.

My beloved Marcel began a battle with pancreatitis over a month ago. When he is sick, I am sad and suffer with him. He is doing better now, but is having trouble with his thyroid. We've just started him on twice daily medication which has so far been uneventful.

He has lost weight and the pictures of his rolly polly self on this blog are but a memory. I feel his spine and ribs when I cuddle him in close. I long for fur covered folds of fat.

Here Mr. Cat is, safely tucked away in the coat pouch Steven has created for him...

Earlier in the spring Deb and I went up across the border to visit the weaving/fiber exhibit at the Surrey Museum. The Peace Arch Spinners & Weavers organized the exhibit. Here is Deb, the reluctant model.

The exhibit was small, but the guild did a nice job. They probably could have used more museum advice on exhibit labeling techniques and how to handle the diadatic materials.

Upstairs at the Surrey Museum is the Honey Hooser collection ~ a room full of weaving/fiber related texts and open storage. I L*O*V*E open storage.

During May, the Skagit Valley Weavers Guild hosted a workshop by Sharon Alderman who also gave the monthly meeting program for the group. The poor dear was suffering from a nasty virus, but she sojourned on. Once she fell into her groove, she gave a wonderful program.

And somewhere in the last couple of month, I made a stop by the Whatcom Museum where I use to work many moons ago. I took these photos of "stuff" ~ Felix looks like how I've been feeling...

...feeling a bit worn and torn. The arthritis in my right hand has been giving me trouble. In know, hardly 44 years old and already complaining about arthritis. My knuckles have always been big but never painful. Now I'm swelling up and losing flexibility ~ I have ALWAYS had extremely flexible fingers and hands......not any more. I can hardly use my right pinkie finger currently. The finger keeps curving to the left more and more. So you know, that little pinkie finger is essential in keeping yarn tension in knitting.

And lastly, I am working right now. It is a temp job that, with arthritic pinkies crossed, will turn into permanent. Oh, and if you read the post prior to this one ~ yes, the job is at Whatcom Community College where parking lot hooligans victimize unsuspecting RAV4s.

BTW ~ the hooligan did call finally....she has insurance....she said she left a note on my car....she must use invisible hooligan paper and pencil.

Y'al done violated me you turd ~

2009-06-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Y'al (aka 648-YAL) smacked my good, loving, and trusty RAV4 in the parking lot of Whatcom Community College today.

No note on my windshield. No attempt to take responsibility.

No justice for the innocent.

Not smart enough to drive away either. The driver just continued into the parking spot where their MAZDA MPV sat next to my RAV4.

The MAZDA MPV willingly boasted its freshly-made front bumper damage (see below).

My good buddy RAV4, smartly parked centered between two lines in the admittedly narrow parking spaces at the College, did not deserve to be victimized by Mr. Ugly Blue Mazda.

Dearest RAV4 sadly bled red plastic bits on the blacktop.

Evil turd sucking MAZDA MPV will surely succumb to the wrath of KARMA. Bad deeds bestow bad deeds...bad, bad deeds.

Watch out 648-YAL, cuz KARMA's gonna catch you!

Ciao ~

2009-04-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a lovely trip to Venice....oh, no...well...I guess that wasn't me...that's Ms. LS over at http://ifeltit-poppiespoppy.blogspot.com/ . But I don't think she's back, but I decided to return from my hiatus.

I've been somewhere between busy and brain dead. Tonight though the brain is still ticking so decided to finally post.

Don't think that I haven't been posting in my brain-dead brain though. I wrote a hilarious post in my head yesterday while driving back home after dealing with a relative's house I am selling. I also wrote quite a long but serious post in my head about having trouble saying "NO" to people. And then there was the in-my-head post about how "swine flu" keeps rolling around my noodle like a bad 1980's rock ballad.

Back when Marcos was tossed out of the Philippines and Imelda's shoes were the topic on every talk show, I had the name "Corazon Aquino" playing in my head for (I SWEAR) months on end.

C*o*r*a*z*O*n A*K*EE*n*O C*o*r*a*z*O*n A*K*EE*n*O C*o*r*a*z*O*n A*K*EE*n*O

It still rings in my head today....but right now playing as the number one hit is....

s*w*I*n*e f*l*U s*w*I*n*e f*l*U s*w*I*n*e f*l*U s*w*I*n*e f*l*U

Okay, okay quit already with the damn swine flu ~ let's talk about the highlight from those blog posts that played out in my head.

So I'm driving home from Bellingham on Wednesday after visiting with one of the hired workers at the relatives house. Turns out this guy was madly in love and supposedly engaged to my immediate supervisor (place of employment purposely not mentioned) about 10 years ago. He told me about how she crushed his heart and all, and how he is happy now. As I left the house I had a flashback to when his girlfriend and I worked together.

She was/is a very attractive woman and knew it very well. She played men to get what she wanted, and had quite an impressive skill in how she could maneuver around the office and building. There was always an air about her.

During the summer months she had her favorite sun dress she'd wear at least once a week. Feeling pretty, she'd glide around the office trying to catch attention.

On a regular basis, I'd need to pop into her office to ask a question or say something. She would always look a bit disturbed as if she just simply didn't have time. One warm day I walked around the corner to speak with her ~ she was standing at her file cabinet filing things away.

At first it took me by surprise since there was no way I could avert my eyes ~

There she stood, at her file cabinet, trying to maintain an graceful pose with her back to me...she was completely unaware that her sun dress had been captured between her cheeks ~ she had a full sun dress wedgie going on. OH MY GOD!

This image stays in my head ~ rolls around like Corazon Aquino's name and the dreaded swine flu. The whole thing wouldn't be so hilarious if she was always trying so hard to be so, well, you know, queen bee like.

And then there was the next supervisor that wrote up and published a job description that required a future co-worker to maintain "roosters" rather than "rosters". She was a piece of work too!

So that's my story of the day, or of yesterday. Today, well, nothing in my head but swine flu.

~ The images are paintings by my niece Mary Barnes Bivens. Mary painted these back when she was in middle school. I'm thinking they would make good tapestry cartoons. What do you think?

9 years ago... ~

2009-04-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

...today, my precious Steven and I married. Yes, were were both over 30. Yes, it was the first marriage for each of us. No, neither of us brought a ready-made family. Yes, it is worth it to wait for the right man...

Our official portrait.

Making it legal.

Posed pinning.

With my dad. Yes, we did have beautiful flowers.

wired ~

2009-04-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

So maybe my connections aren't what they should be ~

a little squeal on the phone, horrendously loud static, Internet service that drops away during a blog post.

What the heck, having the phone man at the house isn't so bad when they bring special weave-worthy gifts!

Here's the gift ~

Yes, it is 25-pair phone cable!

Yes, if you look closely to the left, it's a 1000 foot wheel (bobbin!) of cable.

Yes, far less than half of it is gone. So that's like 500+ feet left! Holy cow! Those Zulu basket weavers have nothing on me, man.

keeping connected ~

2009-04-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

It has been difficult lately ~ my phone and Internet connectivity has been "bad" at best. The phone company techs have been stressed by my odd symptoms:

~ dsl sound over the phone line
~ dsl service intermittent
~ dsl & phone connections testing clear

With the techs crawling around the house, I've learned a great deal about how we are wired. I've also, sadly, learned that my husband is right (don't tell him I said that) ~ I confess!

I AM A DOWN RIGHT CLUTTER LOVING SLOB!!!!!

Today I will tidy....

well, more than tidy....

I will attempt to move my piles of STUFF into organized piles of STUFF....

I will then take my piles of organized STUFF and move the specific items into the rooms where they belong....

From the rooms where the items belong, I will attempt to place the items in their rightful home....

If the items do not have a rightful home, I will contemplate if the item needs a rightful home (I may sit at the spinning wheel for an hour or two while contemplating this ~ my husband will have gone to work by this time)....

If an item is worthy of a rightful home, it will be placed appropriately in its new rightful home....

If an item is not worthy, it will be placed in the unworthy pile (oh my god! yet another pile)....

The unworthy pile will be deemed donation worthy....

Donation worthy items will be placed in the garage for disposal....

Can you see what I see? I can organize! I can organize, but I just simply have trouble with the executions side.

Please help ~ tell me, someone, how to push past the organizing/planning stage to move toward full and complete execution.

I will post now while I still have connectivity......

Orange, orange, orange ~

2009-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Orange, orange, orange ~ one of my favorite colors!!! Just look at this blog ~ it is all orange. Ms. LS has informed the world that she has gone orange too.

Below she has been fully morphed (sans uni-brow like Frida and Tula B. Jack of course ~ see previous post for the fine details).

sarah swett saturday ~

2009-04-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

The beginning of every month is like CRAZY busy for the fiber folks in the upper most northwest corner of Washington State. Typically within 12 days, three different guilds meet (often more than once with the different incarnations of weekday groups and weekend groups) ~ plus, there’s the weekly knitting groups too. Last Saturday, groups converged (SpinDrifters, Whatcom Weavers Guild, & NWHandspunYarns) at Nancy’s Farm. The convergence occurred due to the very special guest speaker scheduled for the day…Sarah Swett!
Who is Sarah Swett you (foolishly) ask?
~ in no particular order ~

Sarah is a tapestry weaver.
Sarah is a natural dyer.
Sarah is a spinner.
Sarah is a painter.
Sarah is a writer/author/novelist.
Sarah is a designer.
Sarah is a needle pointer.
Sarah is a rock star. And,
Sarah is so much more!

Sarah Swett

She’s a Rock Star ~ She’s Got Passion

Yes, I’m using the term “Rock Star” in its colloquial sense (as far as I know, Sarah doesn’t play in a rock band), but anyone who was at Nancy’s Farm on Saturday knows exactly what I mean.

Sarah isn’t the Idaho-living earth mother I thought she was ~ she is a woman with bucket loads of energy who has more than a simple flair for telling a story ~ Sarah is also a woman full of passion about her artistry and creativity. With her abundant energy, she is fabulous, simply fabulous!

Brooklyn born Sarah Swett talks like each moment is her only moment and possibly her last moment to tell her story. We were enchanted by nearly two hours of her stories last Saturday featuring her beautiful tapestries, dyeing, knitting, and creativity.

Knitting ~
As Sarah told us, she has knitted FOREVER. I was first introduced to Sarah’s knitting in Melanie Falick’s book Knitting in America, which I checked out from the local library a million times before I finally found a copy to buy.

I brought this book with me to see if I could get Sarah to sign her chapter ~ can you believe my surprise when I walked in and found that she was wearing her sweater featured in and on the cover of the book. At that moment I knew this was going to be a great day.

Probably the most wonderful part of Sarah’s knitting is that she does what she likes. She likes wool that can be next-to-the-skin soft; she likes using light-fast natural dyes; she likes the knitting to tell her what it wants to be.

She is obviously tickled by her own work ~ she samples and swatches to her heart’s content.

Sarah told us about how she knitted this coat in a manner that allowed it to tell its own story. Somewhat like freeform knitting, Sarah began to knit what she was inspired to do and kept adding, changing and modifying her project until it developed into the finished product.

Her Warp, Weft & Loom ~
The warp and weft of Sarah’s tapestries have a story too. As a spinner and dyer, she relies on her own handspun and hand-dyed weft for her work. The warp is (or can be) her own handspun, specifically handspun by others for her, or (if she's lucky) commercially spun wool that meets her specifications. Sarah only uses wool warp ~ she found that cotton and linen warp did not give her the permanence she needed.

As she explained to us, cotton and linen warp can allow the wool weft to shift and move a bit (or a lot!). Some tapestry weavers (like James Koehler) use the weft’s ability to move along the warp to their advantage ~ with a little tug and twist; the finished tapestry can be manipulated into alignment.

Sarah likes to use highly twisted, strong, wool warp. Wool keeps the weft from moving around and gives the piece more stability when the scales on the sheep’s wool warp and weft lock together.

She also likes to have great control of her weft ~ she spins and dyes her own weft yarns. By selecting her fleeces carefully and keeping meticulous dyeing notes, she is able to keep an inventory of a vast array of spun singles (one strand of yarn that hasn’t been plied with another strand) dyed to an exact color, shade, and tint.

Here Sarah shows us her notebook of detailed information on her dye process.

Sarah’s loom made everyone think that they could try tapestry weaving too! She essentially weaves on a loom that costs under $20.

Her loom is a modification of the Archie Brennan copper pipe loom. Sarah’s loom is made of PVC pipe and other pieces one can easily find in local stores. She also has detailed instructions in her Kids Weaving book (see bottom of story for references).

This loom is light weight and portable. It does have project size limitations due to its ability to hold a high tension warp, but for most practical purposes, this loom does it all.
So Sarah’s got the warp, weft and loom, next she percolates ideas and creates her cartoon. A cartoon is the master plan ~ the drawing that is used to guide the tapestry artist. It is often placed behind the warp threads as the artist weaves (see the image of Sarah’s loom ~ a small cartoon is behind her in-progress weaving).

Tapestry ~
With plans to study science with future plans to teach or be a vet, Sarah enrolled in the University of Idaho, Moscow. After taking a weaving class, she was hooked. Her weaving teacher suggested she take a tapestry class being offered by Joanne Hall. Although tapestry didn’t immediately “hook” her, Sarah found that once she did delve into the medium, she was under its spell.

Without the influence of constant classes and workshops (yes, you know who you are ~ workshop junkies), Sarah developed her tapestry skills on her own. She didn’t have a controlled learning experience like in Japanese Sumi Painting where the student sits and watches the master paint for hours only to graduate to the position of ink grinder after years of “watching.” Sarah’s hands were in the fiber working the weft right away.

Initially weaving from the front and allowing her weft ends to fall to the back of her piece, Sarah’s talent for discovery led her to move toward two-sided tapestry weaving. In this process, the weaver (still working from the front) skillfully lays the weft in and overlaps the adjacent weft thread. As Sarah described, this process really only works with broken (or pulled apart) weft ends ~ not cut ends. The weft fiber needs to be “feathered” out so that the thin end of the old weft and thin end of the new weft “commingle” to the same thickness of the normal weft pass through the warp.

Sarah’s weaving process is the complete opposite of Canadian tapestry artist Ruth Jones (see blog post from Friday, March 20, 2009). Ruth works her tapestry from the back on a horizontal loom keeping the weft ends on top (or front side) of the weaving, Sarah works on a vertical loom weaving in all her weft ends.

With an ability and fondness to tell a story, Sarah moved toward novel writing ~ three so far. In one novel, her main character was involved in weaving long lovely tapestries. “Margin Notes” are the outcome of Sarah weaving as her fictional character wove ~ lovely waves of color, simply being what they are with no specific purpose other than decoration.

In the work below (six separate small-scale tapestries), she shares storyboard style tale of a young woman knitting and knitting ~ note how time passes and the knitter’s hair grows long. This work shows the influence of Sarah’s recent reading of a book by Scott McCloud (Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels).

Needlepoint~
By discovering (or rediscovering) “Grandmother’s craft”, Sarah has ventured into the world of needlepoint (see the current issue of Spin Off magazine). She finds tapestry and needlepoint very similar in structure (i.e. structure of canvas compared to warp and ends per inch).
Like Kaffe Fassett and Alice Starmore who have ventured into needlepoint by drawing on their other talents, Sarah works her needlepoint in a manner like her knitting and tapestries. With handspun and dyed wool, she stitches narrative designs to continue her dialog with fiber and her audience.

Beyond the tangible activity of having her hands on the fiber, Sarah has also written about her work and weaving processes in articles and a book about getting kids to weave.

Kids Weaving, published in 2005 by STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book, isn’t a book only for kids. This book has some wonderful beginning projects and detailed designs for her PVC pipe loom. Weave a rag doll warrior (aka Weaving Warrior) or a treasure pouch ~ Kids Weaving is inspiring!
Getting inspired is the first step in learning to weave or learning any other craft/fiber art. Don’t be shy, just get started!

As Sarah told us on Saturday, “ideas are sometimes shy.” By knowing that her ideas are shy, Sarah has kept pushing through shyness and worked through her ideas until they develop. Whether it is tapestry weaving, natural dyeing, spinning, painting, writing, designing, or being our Saturday rock star ~ Sarah Swett is passionately driven to create.

References ~
Sarah Swett's website: http://www.sarah-swett.com/
Kids Weaving, published in 2005 by STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book
Weavecast with Sarah Swett interview: http://www.weavezine.com/2008/01/episode-24-tapestry.html
Spin Off magazine: http://spinoffmagazine.com/Default.aspx
Handwoven magazine: http://www.interweave.com/weave/handwoven_magazine/default.asp

Below is the original cover of Knitting in America ~

The same book was reissued, retitled America Knits but not revised. The new cover is shown below ~

syne, tula and frida ~

2009-04-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

Last night was fun at the Whatcom Weavers Guild's meeting featuring Syne Mitchell as the presenter who spoke to us about Weavecast & Weavezine.

I have to admit that I started to play with my camera and take some pictures ~ I know it wasn't kind to do that during Syne's talk, but I wanted to catch a few actions shots.

Hands, yes! Syne does certainly talk with her hands ~ something one would never know while listening to Weavecast.

Also, I was sitting next the Ms. LS who became the goofy subject of a couple of shots.

Ms. LS gave me a surprise last night too! Tin type Tula! A lovely young woman in her prime. Most likely she came on the steamer to Seattle from San Francisco to join Bobby Sherman and David Soul on Here Come the Brides. Did she work in the saloon with Lottie? Or was she Biddie's cousin who "missed the boat?"

Surprisingly, Tula and I have a history. I've seen her lonely uni-brow gaze many times in a local antique store. Yes, I've known Tula for a few years ~ she's been waiting for her suitor to come back from the logging camps west of Seattle. But no ~ no suitor plucked her from the shelf in the antique store ~ but it was Linda Sue who thought she belonged with my....shall I dare say....collection of old photos of ugly women.

When Linda Sue gave Tula to me last night, I placed her on the seat next to me and looked down at her. Then I realized I was wearing my Frida Kahlo bracelet (bought last summer a the SF Museum of Art when I got to see IN PERSON the wonderful Frida Kahlo traveling exhibit).

There is it was ~ the bracelet filled with Frida images ~ uni-brow royalty. Ms. Tula Tin Type found her family!

There is NO DOUBT in my mind that they are related. Take a close look.....if you really want a close, close look, just post a comment with an e-mail contact and I'll e-mail the morphed image below in a size that really shows the reality of their connection.

chocolate chip blues ~

2009-04-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

When I'm a little blue, I like to bake cookies. If I'm really bummed, I just mix 'em up and eat the raw dough. I think I have salmonella today.

Warning!

wool socks for spring ~

2009-04-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is true. I've finished knitting up some socks just in time for spring....the color emotes the season, but the wool content begs for winter.

The wool is a variety of breeds and consists of whatever was sitting around. There's also some mohair and sari silk mixed in too. This is a four-strand cable yarn that was on the bobbin back in my post from March 20th.

And this is drop spindle spun "crud" from the fiber I flicked and posted on April 1st. As I flicked the staples I saved the discard and spun it while sitting on the couch watching Lost. I was using my first ever spindle ~ the one I bought at the Whatcom Weavers exchange/swap sale about four years ago. The woman I bought it from said she got the spindle in Wales while traveling. It's an odd spindle ~ heavy, short and stubby (hmmm, sounds just like me).

And lastly, this is quickly spun from the bats I bought up in Abbotsford. It is all Romney and the colors are a mix of browns (which you can't hardly see in the photo) and rainbow tones. This is begging to be a hat.

Craigslist ~

2009-04-06T12:25:00.001-07:00

MARIGOLD to brighten your day! :)

I have a little three budded marigold two-colored who would like to move to a home bigger than its home now- a plastic drinking cup. I live in a small apt with no yard. If you would plant this marigold somewhere in your garden email me soon it’s been in this cup for days already.

Above is a Craigslist listing I just read. It is adorable and full of the spirit of spring.

I wish you all a MARIGOLD to brighten your day!

Sun, Christianson's & Pink ~

2009-04-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine ~ Yes, the sun arrived for the weekend (and has continued today too!). I convinced my sweetie to go down to the Skagit Fair Grounds to a flea market (should have been advertised as a "flee" market since we did flee after a short visit).

It was a lovely day though and I bought a couple of small things including kettle korn. The short walk to the fairground gate was nice and we past by this wonderful lavender Easter egg house. I've always wanted a pink or purple house!

We lunched at a Mexican restaurant across from a daffodil field. Beginning on April 1, Skagit County's tulip festival (sans tulips) is the happening event. It's still a bit early and has been too cool for the tulips to bloom, but they'll be out soon.

Dear Steven wanted to go to his favorite nursery, so we headed down toward La Conner. Christianson's is on the Best Road ~ just down from a tourist swarmed daffodil field peppered with "DO NOT TRESPASS" signs. Did people read? No! They were scattered around the field.

At Christianson's, I found a new friend. I called him Buddy ~ he enjoyed our conversation, but really didn't want to be disturbed....until....I found some catmint! I asked him if he wanted a taste ~ hmmm, yum, he ate it all.

Here's a photo of Dear Steven and the last glimpse of his sunglasses. They are either somewhere on the ground near the blueberries or ceanothus plants ~ or maybe someone picked them up at the cashier's counter thinking they were theirs. Oh well, Steve had these for at least two years which is something like 30 years in Steve time....he loses everything!

I visited the cacti and succulents ~

Pink was the color of the day ~

I've said for years, "I want a Gunnera". Steve tells me to build my own swamp. The Gunnera at Peace Arch Park are huge and Jurassic Parkesqe.

I hated Geraniums growing up ~ but now I appreciate the fact that the don't take much care and are drought tolerant.

And the Camellias ~ they were all in a greenhouse. Camellias get all water spotted and icky outdoors around here, but oh, they were so lovely in the greenhouse.

bury it ~

2009-04-03T10:59:00.001-07:00

The other week I blogged about an estate sale I attended which consisted of the clearing out of a local politician's lifetime of stuff. Barney Goltz lived down the street from my family home. I always knew who he was, but I doubt if he knew me.

After my dad's retirement from Boeing, he became more active in community groups including neighborhood organizations, park board and miscellany. Barney, also long retired, never quit being active in the community, and dad became one of the locals that made sure Barney had a ride to and from the many meetings they all attended.

I'm sure by attending the Goltz estate sale many people had the same desire as we did ~ to find a small token by which to remember Barney's political contributions.

There were oodles of buttons, plaques and other memorabilia ~ somewhere in the pile of stuff I found this treasure.

From what I remember, Lummi Arts & Crafts items were made and sold on the reservation near the Lummi Island Ferry dock. I had known about the wonderful basket making, carving and other crafts made by the Lummis, but I didn't know they made and tourist trinkets.

I know there has to be some wonderful story behind the handwritten caption ~ "let's bury it!" ~ on the tag. Did Barney give these away or did the Lummi Nation folks give it to Barney after some type of political struggle?

I'm always amazed how our perception of things has changed over time ~ do you think little wood hatchets would still be made today as tourist items?

rocks ~

2009-04-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

Grandma Mabel use to make the most wonderful cookies. Her gingersnaps were to die for! I also loved her oatmeal "rocks". These weren't her normal fancy type of cookies, but they were lumps filled with oatmeal and raisins ~ mmmmm, yummy!

This afternoon, with the depressing rain, I needed a pick me up. So I decided to make rocks. No raisins in the house so I substituted with dried cranberries.

I know they don't look as good as they taste. But ten or so have constituted as my dinner tonight...I know, bad, bad, bad...

I do love these rocks, and honestly, I have a passion for other interesting rocks I've found during beach combing adventures.

I've become quite the agate hunter over the last ten years and have a small bucket full of 'em. I've also found other treasures including a passel of bones that are weathered and bleached white from the beach and sun. I also have a few other "special" rocks that I didn't know what they were until someone told me.....

The one above is most likely an oil lamp possibly used by coastal natives. Here's a link to the Burke Museum in Seattle that has similar items in their collection.

This one is surely a fishing net weight used in fishing. Again, this is a different link to the Burke's collection showing a net weight. Here's a link to yet another Burke net weight.

Here's one last net weight ~ it's condition isn't as refined.

I love my rocks, and I love the beach ~ but only rocky beaches. Those crazy white sand beaches are boring. I need stinking seaweed, hopping beach bugs, clam shells and washed up dead/rotting sea life for my beach combing beaches.

So other than making "rocks" today, I've been knitting and spinning. I'm spinning some of the Romney that I bought up in Abbotsford the other Friday. I bought some big bats a fiber and am spinning it for a hat.

The other Romney I bought was still in the lock formation. I finished flicking it out the other day and will be spinning it up next.

The dyed fiber was wonderful! The colors were bright and vibrant. I bought it from a wonderful vendor who gave me a 25% exchange rate on my US currency. I ended up only spending money at her booth.

This is one very green lock flicked into heavenly fluff.

I want to roll around in these flicked locks ~ delicious! The crimp, too, is tasty!

stolen ~

2009-03-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Stolen Embroidery

from the Maiwa Store on Saturday March 14th.

KMVS Wallhanging 48" x 60"

A large hand-embroidered wallhanging with dense stitches done in the Jat style was stolen from the Maiwa Store on March 14th. This is a magnificent piece from the Maiwa collection. Textile enthusiasts are alerted to be suspicious of anyone offering this piece for sale as it is stolen.
Maiwa is asking for the help of the public and is offering a reward for information leading to the recovery of this textile. If anyone sees an embroidery like the one pictured or has any information that could lead to the recovery of this item please contact us at 1-604-669-3939.

This piece is valued at $3500.00.

See our website for more information on the KMVS cooperative and its embroiderers.

solmate ~

2009-03-22T19:28:00.001-07:00

VV Alert! (Value Village for the un-hip) Just bought a pair of brand new Solmate Socks (yes, of course the tags were still on ~ I could NEVER buy a pair of someone's discarded stinky socks.).

Price you ask? $2.99 instead of regular retail of $20! They sell these socks at the local Food Co-op, and they are made from recycled cotton. Their website says ~

"Also, from the very start, our cotton socks have always been knit using recycled cotton yarns. These yarns are recovered from the production of other cotton products (mainly t-shirts), and re-blended with other fibers and spun into yarns for Solmate Socks."

Solmate Socks also has a fundraising program for 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations. Gosh, it makes so much more sense to sell cool socks than wrapping paper, cookies, or candy. Can't you just picture it? A non-profit childcare center selling kids and infant socks as annual fundraiser ~ what a perfect fit!

Clipped from their website: "This picture was taken in Benin, Africa in April 2007. A church in South Strafford (where Solmate Socks is headquartered) spent a year raising money through sales of Solmate Socks, in order to fund the building of a cistern in this village."

the fest ~

2009-03-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

The pest...Marcel. This was taken yesterday as he intruded on my spinning. I've been home a lot lately and he's come to realize that he must stick to me like GLUE ~ not Elmer's but the "Super" kind. He won't leave me alone to do important fiber things.

This is what I was trying to finish up before he barged in. This is bobbin #1 ~ a conglomerate of fiber remnants and event door prize winnings. Bobbin #2 is finished and I am currently plying them. I plan on cabling the yarn, so the next step after making it a two-ply is to spin it again creating some "wicked twist" as Judith MacKenzie McCuin called it. By spinning it again in the same direction, more twist is built up so that the cabling doesn't create limp and lifeless yarn. You need that "wicked twist" to be able to take the two-play yarn and ply it again ~ back the other direction. The end product will be a four-strand cabled yarn.

This photo is just to show off the Lois Meyer painting I bought at an estate sale yesterday.

Lois was a local painter ~ can you guess the time period? The colors just kill me ~ these are "MY" kind of colors! The "estate" belonged to a neighbor of mine growing up ~ I lived just up the street. He was a former senator who travelled quite a bit. I was always impressed that he and his wife remained in a middle-class neighborhood filled with young families when they could have "moved up" as the senator's career advanced.

Underneath the painting is a Polish tapestry I also bought ~ it too is from the 1970s. I haven't done any research on it yet, but it was bought in NYC a long time ago.

Speaking of tapestry! I took a journey across the border this afternoon to FibresWest (originally called FibreFest) in Abbotsford, BC, Canada. I've gone to this event for the last five or so years and enjoy the chance to see and buy a few things.

Today I planned my trip so that I could enjoy the mid-day lecture presented by tapestry artist Ruth Jones (http://www.ruthjones.ca/). I've visited her website a few different times and was very interested in seeing and hearing her speak.

A pretty good size crowd ventured over to the lecture area, and I saw that there were a number of young women from Capilano University in Vancouver. Capilano is one of the few schools around here that has any sort of textile program (http://www.capilanou.ca/programs/textile-arts.html).

Cleverly, Ruth began her program with a joke. I kind of had a few Brady Bunch flashbacks ~ remember when Peter became the "comedian". Although, starting off with a joke also struck me as a nice ice breaker that leveled the playing field for the lecture.

Speaking about her background, interests and weaving, Ruth was able to share a few gems of wisdom which define her process. She tries to express herself in as few colors as possible ~ using seven to 10 colors maximum. By limiting her palette she is able to focus on her technique of blending color by using specific weaving techniques. (For more information go HERE to read about medieval tapestry techniques.)

The image above is a tapestry remnant that Ruth shared with the group. At about 350 years old, it is a remarkable example of a restrained use of color. The color is derived from natural dyes including lichen and weld.

Like many artists, commissions are important to keep busy and money flowing. Ruth shared her process of creating small tapestries as "sketches" to submit as samples when working toward gaining commission contracts. Like a maquette, her small scale tapestry shows the intentions of the final piece and allows her commissioner to approve of her design. The image above and below are two of Ruth's maquettes.

By presenting slides and sharing her actual pieces, Ruth gave the audience a wonderful opportunity to listen, learn, see and touch tapestries.

The three images above are all details of Epiphany & Co, 30" x 40", hand woven silk and wool tapestry, 2000.

Above is the The Golden Spruce, 43" x 84", hand woven silk and wool tapestry, 1999.

The final piece above will remain without a proper title ~ I can't seem to find it in my notes. Ruth did speak about the concept of milles-fleurs ~ translated as "thousand flowers"~ in medieval tapestry. Symbolic flowers often filled the background of these tapestries.

It was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to attend Ruth's lecture today. With any luck, I might be able to persuade her to present a similar program to the Whatcom Weavers Guild next year. When I asked her if it was possible, she seemed quite amenable to the idea.

She also shared with me that she had once shown a piece in a group exhibition at the Whatcom Museum of History and Art (my old workplace for some 11 plus years!). Sadly the touring exhibit she was a part of was in the early to mid-1980s prior to my tenure at the museum.

So there you go, and EXTREMELY long post due to not posting for a few days. I could go on and describe the fiber I purchase, but that's for another day.

In closing, here is another Ruth Jones tapestry that I saw in person today.

busy beads ~

2009-03-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was bead day at Kathy's. She donated a bead event at her daughter's band fundraising auction. Twelve people registered to participate and enjoy a bead-u-ful day! (pretty stupid, huh?)

Every table was covered in beads: on strings, in cups, and later on the floor (sorry!). So many incredible colors it was hard not to go around and finger everything.

Glass, stone, semi-precious, metal ~ she had everything ready for us as soon as we arrived.

Not only is Kathy "Ferndale Fibers", but she was a college biology teacher before children and the full impact of fiber came into her life. And a somewhat secret fact.....Kathy was my college biology teacher! Unbelievable, I know. She was hardly five years older than me at the time.

With her education background, Kathy is great at teaching classes and giving lectures. She has a natural curiosity that allows her to investigate and then share all sorts of details about whatever she is involved in ~ including beading.

Just like any good teacher, our lesson was well planned. We were given a tool, bead, and technique orientation, and then she let us loose on the beads.

As usual, give me too many things to choose from and I simply just get confused. I loved ALL the different types of beads, but knew that my mood is more bright color oriented right now. I picked up many cups of warm toned natural beads but kept heading back to the bright colors.

Once our beads were selected, we each had a place at the table with a beading mat and supplies.

I went for the brightest colors in the room ~ yellow, orange/red with silver tones.

This little missy is almost done with her rich, earth toned string. I was busy stringing seed beads which took a very long time.

Kathy helped by finishing up our pieces when it came time to put on the crimp beads and clasps ~ here's my yellow and red!

Kathy also gave us a tour of her fiber mill. She has the biggest carding machine I have ever seen. She didn't run it at all yesterday, but when I've been out before I've seen it in action. It amazes me that it moves slowly. When looking at such a big piece of machinery, I had just assumed it was ripping and tearing at the fiber. But no, it moves nice and slow...

Above is a image of the "loading end" ~ this is where she places the fiber to start the carding process.

Kathy does the whole thing when it comes to wool. She washes, dyes and cards it. Below is her dye shelf.

Her "biggest" seller these days is Potluck Roving. She reprocesses wool top into roving. She takes already processed wool, dyes it in her special colorways and then cards/blends it on her carder. She puts up the roving in 8 oz balls that she sells wholesale.

She also does a limited amount of fiber processing, but only to her existing customer list I hear. She's been in such demand for processing that she isn't able to take on any new customers.

Above are the rollers that direct the carded wool into the size she uses for her roving.

Here's a closer look at the carding cloth. It is amazing when you think that the carding cloth is really the most expensive part of hand cards ~ this is some valuable cloth!

After seeing the "industrial" end ~ we got to visit with some wool on the hoof. This is Buddy ~ Kathy's bottle fed friend.

And again, the finished product. Now I have to go get out my beads and twittle around. It is really nice to get together with people for a craft day ~ inspiring to say the least!

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Potluck Roving: Below are some links to sites that sell Kathy's Potluck Roving ~ it is lovely stuff!

Northwest Handspun Yarns in Bellingham, WA

Village Spinning & Weaving in Solvang, CA

Paradise Fibers in Spokane, WA

Baabaara's Wild and Wooly in Bend, OR

literature ~

2009-03-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

It all goes back to grandma Mabel. Little did I know until this week, that she influenced my love of Siamese cats.

On Friday I stopped by may folks' house and one of the thing mom wanted me to pick up was a book she found when dad brought a box down from the attic. (All my life, their attic has also been known as a black hole. Whatever goes there is rarely seen again ~ in this case, surely it has been close to 40 years.)

The Cat Book was the surprise she had for me. Published in 1964, The Cat Book is a frolicking romp through the gleeful life of a cat.

Dear grandma and grandpa gave me this book filled with cats for Christmas when I was just 7 months old. Not only beginning my love of felines, but educating me on cat culture and cat skills: yawning, stretching, claw sharpening, playing, purring...

The book also shared a glimpse into my future with Marcel and cat teeth...

Oh yes, and the beauty of the Siamese, much more lovely than butterflies...

And cats and yarn...

And cat boxing ~ a hair-raising sport to say the least. Cats look on with concern...

Oh thank you dear grandma and grandpa ~ Marcel thanks you too.

"hello...~

2009-03-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

...this is Bette from Palm Springs." It just cracks me up! My mother-in-law called and left a message which began like that. I think after nearly 10 years, she hasn't once figured out that we would recognize her voice. It was especially humorous today since she added "from Palm Springs." We wouldn't want to confuse her with all the other Bette's we know who we talk with once a week on a regular schedule.

How many married women in the room wouldn't recognize their mother-in-laws voice on the phone? Raise your hand.....I doubt if there would be too many hands showing.....

On another note, tomorrow I get to participate in a jewelry making session at Ferndale Fibers. I was one of the bidders on this workshop at the high school band auction I mentioned in a previous post. I've been looking forward to this and also have desperately been trying to keep it in the forefront of my mind since I'm forgetting all sorts of things with my "unemployed" status ~ not having a routine is great but confusing. I never know what day it is anymore.

So far there hasn't been any "fiber" activity today, but I am headed off to the spinning wheel right now.

Here's a little vignette from my room. The framed needle felted piece is by Ms. L.S. which I purchased at the guild sale. The giraffe and little terra cotta painting (yes, it is on clay) is from the heyday of the Whatcom Museum of History and Art's gift shop. Back then, Leslie, Jane and Sue were the volunteer buyers ~ incredible ladies with incredible taste. I have so many wonderful things I bought in the gift shop...working at the Museum of so many years didn't hurt either!