FUSION

So after I went to MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) where my favorite exhibit was the JoAnn Verburg photographs, I came home and tried something new: PLASTIC FUSION. It is quite fun, I must say. I learned about it from an etsylabs post one day. And then another day I found this video which really helps.

plastic newspaper bags found on my stoop











ironing them together betweem sheets of paper









sewing pieces together to make a pouch









my new pouch









my new pouch

Museum Madness

So I live in Brooklyn. I think you know that by now. I live here. I am not a visitor. I look at people with their tour books in hand (they are everywhere!) and want to help them figure out where they're going because I pretty much know how to get anywhere in this town. If I don't know I will figure it out. I remember not knowing how to get anywhere and I was always thankful to the person who reached out to me way back when. I have worked in every corner of the City and taken the subway to and from that corner. I will help confused-looking people on subway platforms before they ask me for help. It's my country up-bringing. Sometimes it gets me in trouble. Most of the time, people are thankful.

So you'd think since I live here that I'm very cultured. You'd think I frequent the museums the City has to offer. You'd think I was a contributing member and on the boards of these institutions. What do you think I am -- made of money?

Occasionally I will venture out to an art opening or an exhibit that I want to see. But not enough. I am going out today. Somewhere. I haven't decided yet. I will let you know. And when I get back I will be thankful that I live here and that I can easily access these inspiring places. And I will wonder, "why don't I go more oftten?"

I am a Sensitive Artist

Way back (can't remember when exactly) my brother in law was studying to be a concert musician at a very prestigious music school. He came to visit and brought a tape by a group called King Missile. Their song I am a Sensitive Artist just cracked me up. Living in NYC, you come across a lot of these types. I could only find a made-up video to it. King Missile's I am a Sensitive Artist.

Whateryewdoin'?

This is a phrase used by members of my household. The translation is What Are You Doing? Here is a Whateryewdoin photo essay.

Etsy gifts

My friend gave me a belated birthday gift yesterday. It contained things from etsy. This is the friend who actually told me last winter that I should sell my stuff on etsy. Anyway -- she gave me these lovely earrings and the bracelet. The thing is, I don't know who made them.

Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly

A fruit of my labors. I made this bag yesterday. It's quite flashy, if I do say so myself.

Name Game

Stolen from Stilettoheights who stole it from banana head pancake. I am playing this game which I now think is all over the etsy forum. But who cares?

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)

Princess Pathfinder (ooo -- that's a good one, isn't it?)

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)

Chubby Hubby Chocolate Chip

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

Green Cat

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)

Marie Lyons

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)

MooCa (excellent!)

6. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)

The Blue Sancerre

7. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)

Albert Percy

8. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)

Calypso Marine Baby Ruth

9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )

Virginia George

10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)

Kellogg Kent

11. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)

Christmas Lilac

12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)

Peach Tee-shirt

13. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)

Raisin Bran Birch (love it!)

14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”),

The Sewing Snow Tour


_________

A lot of fun

Shake Your Groove Thing

So this is a bit of a lazy man's post. But seriously, people, my latest treasury is being neglected. It's lonely back there on page 14 (or wherever it is)......

Thanks in advance for your interest....

Hair Style History

A friend of mine here in Brooklyn has been working on a documentary about women and their relationship to their hair. I sort of think of myself as someone who doesn't really have a relationship with her hair. But then I looked at a photo album last night that my daughter had pulled out. It was full of baby pictures of her. Kids like to look at themselves as babies (at least mine do). In just the one album, I noticed that I had about 4 different hair styles. I am a person who likes to shake things up. I'm not afraid to go from a long look to a short sassy look. Hair stylists love me for that reason. I never have sympathy for those sobbing models on America's Next Top Model (my kids "make" me watch it, I swear) who have to say good-bye to their long locks.

I must add a disclaimer: THESE PHOTOS ARE 12-14 YEARS OLD. I know I look like a little boy in some of them. I always did look young for my age. I was between the ages of 31 and 34 in these photos. Thanks to heartsdesirebeads for showing me how to do a slideshow...

"Not it!!"

Familiar words I used to yell when playing Tag with my brothers. But today I am it. I was tagged by JenVecc. I need to tell you six unusual things about myself and then tag six more people. I'm not sure how unusual these things are but here are six things about me that you may not know:
1. I am a very good skiier. I grew up skiing in Upstate New York. I started when I was 5 years old. I was on a ski team in high school. I hardly ever ski any more but I still love it. We just don't have the money.
2. I was a lifeguard for most of my pre-college-graduate jobs. I love to swim.
3. I hate cockroaches. I am afraid of them in a phobic kind of way.
4. I grew up on a farm but now live in Brooklyn.
5. I lost my mother to a tragic death when I was a senior in college. Growing older without her has shaped my whole life. I wouldn't wish that type of experience on anyone but I am thankful for the depth it has brought to my own life.
6. I have been married for 21 years, have two daughters.
Here are my blog tags. Please check them out:

Bonghi Vestiti
SweetSpice
Robin Thompson
Art by Joyce and Others
BeckyKayDesigns
Knot by Gran'ma
WallCandy

oops I did 7. oh well.

Aprons & Hats

With little time to post, I am posting photos of my two latest creations. I bought the card fabric on ebay years ago. Couldn't figure out what to do with it. a 4-year old boy told me to make little boy pajamas (not a bad idea) but I never did. I love the apron. My parents were big Bridge players and often had Bridge parties for which I would scatter around the house mini ashtrays (everyone smoked in the 60s and 70s -- except my parents??) and peanuts.

The hat is something I've been repeating all summer in different sizes and colors. I've had a few custom orders.

Happy September 12th. It's a beautiful day here in NYC.

Remembering September 11, 2001 - One New Yorker's Perspective

It was a gorgeous day. Crystal clear, warm, not hot. The kids were in school by 8:30. I met a friend after dropping the kids at school. My cell phone was out of juice. I left it on the counter at home charging. My friend and I sat at a coffee shop on Fifth Avenue here in Brooklyn discussing life, discussing things that seemed so trivial later that day. At one point while we were having coffee, I saw a crying woman pass. This didn't strike me as odd. You see a lot of emotions here on the streets of New York. We also noticed a stream of police cars racing past. Another thing that didn't seem unusual. As I left the coffee shop to walk the three short blocks home, I noticed a bad smell in the air. Again, not something that unusual (not until later did it become so bad we had to stay inside and close the windows).

I arrived back home before 10:00. I was surprised to see Tom (my husband) home. He had just started a new job that week in downtown Manhattan (Broadway and Wall Street). He was on the phone and the television was on. "What are you doing here?" I asked him. He was at work when the first plane hit. When the second plane hit he rushed to a window and could see the South Tower burning. Fortunately, he felt uneasy and felt that he should leave Manhattan. So few people had that instinct. No one thought the towers would actually fall. He left his office, went downstairs and hopped on a train and returned to Brooklyn. The subways hadn't stopped running yet.

I stared at the TV in shock along with the rest of the world. But then I thought, "We're being attacked. I have to get the kids home." I ran out the door, two blocks to their school. A school administrator was standing outside speaking to a couple of parents saying that we should leave the kids in school and that they have no idea what's going on, etc., etc. I let her finish. I didn't say a word to her. I turned to another mother and said, "I'm getting my kids," and did just that. They were each the first ones pulled from their classes that day. As I was leaving with them, I ran into a friend who was a teacher at the school. She looked upset, as we all did. She looked more upset. "Jerry works in the South Tower," she said about her husband. I immediately teared up. I told her that her kids could come stay with me. She agreed to bring them by later. I walked home with my two daughters. Their little hands were safely in my hands. Their father was safely home. We were so lucky.

Again, no one thought the towers would collapse. Soon after they fell , the sky turned very dark -- even in Brooklyn. The only way I can describe how the air looked is what I imagine an eclipse might look. There was light, but it was filtered. The air smelled toxic. We closed all the windows and doors. We didn't go outside. We saw people walking in front of our building holding whatever they had over their mouths and noses. And this was in Brooklyn.

The day dragged on. My friend's two children did spend the afternoon with us which was a real blessing. Their father ended up in New Jersey. He was late to work and never made it into the building. The only way he could get away from Manhattan was by taking a water taxi. He didn't make it home until late that night but he made it home. Remember the friend with whom I was having coffee in the morning? Her sister's husband was killed that day. We contacted friends and family as best we could. The bond created amongst all New Yorkers and the rest of the world that day was incredible. But the bond created from New Yorker to New Yorker was the most powerful. As a nurse, I contacted the local hospitals and volunteered to work if needed. I was never called. So many lives were lost. Very few people were only injured.

The next morning, I took Ginger, our dog, up to the park to run off-leash. It was very quiet. The air still smelled terrible. On my way home from the park I passed Squad One -- the fire hall a half block from my house. The fire house I passed probably more than five times a day. In front of the garage door where the trucks drive out stood one vase with a rose in it. It wasn't until that moment that I realized that our local fire men had been victims of the crashing towers. Squad One lost 13 firemen that day -- among the City's highest death tolls for fire companies.

What is blogging anyway?

This may be a blogging don't, but I'm reposting. I wrote the below post back in August when I don't think very many people were reading my blog. I made a couple of changes, but it's basically the same post. It's all still current and I thought I'd share it again with you all.

I think I'm understanding that a "good" blog is one that expresses itself. It's not just about advertising your or someone else's work, is it? It's an online journal, right? OK, so I'm a bit slow on the uptake. I come from a different era, I suppose. I know there are a lot of people my age who blog but I find it sort of hard to express myself publicly. I used to hide my journal from my brothers so that they couldn't read my inner thoughts. And now I'm supposed to put them on the internet so everyone can read about them? Well it's not junior high anymore and I don't have a lot to hide anymore. My life is actually quite boring. But I will try to express some more of what's going on inside. I have a tendency to go way too deep in the real world, so I guess I could try that here. See if anyone is interested. I am currently living through the decade my mother was when she died. Without going through the details, let me just say it was a tragic death. It has been an interesting ride. Anyone I know who lost a parent early (I guess I mean before the usual time, but I know it's always hard and leaves you with strong emotions) understands how weird it is to be yourself around the age the parent was when she/he died. I am looking forward to 50.

Etsy Gift Pack

In a friend's 49th birthday gift, I included some etsy goodies: magnets from mLee, gift tags from PicturesofLily, and a knit pouch by evagodeva.

Summer Summary

As the kids go back to school, it's time to reflect on our summer. They are getting older and I relish spending these vacations together. It won't be long before they're on their own.

China (6/15-6/30)
My sister-in-law and her husband and their two children (my kids' ages) live in China and we went to visit them. Had a great time. Saw lots of sights. Got lots of good deals on things.Here we are at the Great Wall. It was steamy hot and we hiked a long portion of it (spent 5 hours on it). I'm the one in the lavender tank top (yes, my kids are taller than I am -- it happens).

Upstate New York (7/1-7/8)
Husband's family reunion in Upstate New York (See previous posts). Celebrated one daughter's 15th birthday. The kids love seeing their cousins. Each year Grandma makes them pose for a "cousin line up." They pull the board off from the see-saw and stand on it in descending height order. My kids are the two second from the left.


Brooklyn (7/8-8/17)
Spent a month back home enjoying the fact that everyone else in NYC decides to summer some where else. My older daughter attended FIT's Summer Live Program here in NYC. This was her fourth year. We also had some house guests, one of whom was a summer intern for Annie Leibowitz. No, I never got to meet her. In fact, he barely got to meet her as her mother passed away this summer so she was away a lot. Nevertheless, it was fun to have some house guests and give young people a little help on their way out to their lives.

Upstate New York (8/17-8/26)
As an annual event, we camp in Old Forge with my brothers and my father. It has become quite a tradition and we all look forward to it.Here's my younger daughter atop a water tower at the peak of a small mountain in the Adirondacks.

After camping over a weekend, we went back to my husband's family's summer cottage. We spent a rainy week there without the rest of his family. My father lives in the area as well as two of my brothers and lots of cousins. We were able to celebrate his 80th birthday (see previous posts). One of my husband's roles while we're up there is to help maintain the cottage. It belongs to his widowed mother. An area in which he has developed expertise over the years is the septic system. This year it had to be dug up. Guess who got that job?

We celebrated our 21st anniversary on August 2nd. When I'm not mad at him, I still think he's the cutest, nicest, funniest man. I mean look at him standing there at the septic tank. What more could you ask for in a man?

Colors

A thought for today: Life is a series of colors. Sometimes they're distinct and sometimes they're blended.

Welcome to the World

I am posting rather quickly here upon returning home after being away over Labor Day Weekend. I saw in the etsy forums that mLee had her baby. Thrillling. I wish the new family all the best. Parenting is exhilirating and exhausting all at the same time.

And because someone having a baby makes all mothers think of their own babies, I have to share a photo with you which I just grabbed from my daughter's dresser and scanned (albeit crookedly). This is my baby. She's now 12 years old. But in this picture I'm guessing she was probably 3 months old. Wasn't she cute? Of course, I'm not biased or anything; I'm just her mother. She was my second and last. My first baby was an excellent sleeper. This child here in the photo was not. Most nights she spent laying right on top of me. We both slept better that way.


This is all just to say congratulations to mLee on producing a gorgeous child!!!