mmm.... coffee.....

wee-hoooo!

i got it!  i got the job!  man, oh, man, do i feel relieved, it's wonderful to get good news when you're feeling down.  so for at least the next 2 years i will be working in the John Hay Library making all sorts of boxes & other enclosures!  i'll be working less, but making more per hour, so the plan is to have the time to make all that stuff i was whining about wanting to make!

speaking of which, i'm sorry, but i had teresa take down the slithy tove & mome rath from her shop because i need to start making creatures for the RISD Alumni Sale on April 30th.  we also got into the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn on june 25 & 26th and i'm making some creatures to send to Art Star in Philly!  if you really have to have one of the jabberwocky creatures i might be able to make some more in a few weeks & i still have a couple more to sew.  thank you all for waiting & the rest of the little guys are getting mailed out once the torrential downpore ceases in providence!  the talented mimi kirchner just got hers...

< thank you so much to everyone that sent me kind words last week, i really appreciate all of your support & encouragement.  teresa has been so nice to drive me places & make sure i eat dinner & kristen gave me the little coffee book at craft night.  i ran off to nyc for the weekend to be comforted by my sister & fed bagels & lox & mimosas.  it was super fun & i hope i'll get down there more often in the coming months...  if she can afford to keep feeding me!

 

i need a hug

i resisted relearning how to knit for a long time, but last week was horrible & i think i deserved to treat myself to some delicious hand-dyed yarn from uruguay.  it will be a skinny little scarf, all lumpy & uneven, just right for this inbetween weather. 
  knitting these last few days has been just what i needed to occupy my wandering mind.  when i started this journal i wanted it to be all about my art & craft, i wasn't going to post about personal stuff.  except my work is personal & my emotions are all tied up in what i create, or, like last week, in what i don't create.  there is so much that i want to do, sew, draw, make, but i'm so tired.  i feel empty.  i know it's probably better for me, but it's so painful to let someone walk out of your life who has occupied your heart for years.  it's hard to feel inspired & motivated when feeling so alone.  but, i've been surprised to find caring support in new friends & it's brought us closer together. 
  i'm still waiting, but this time with more hope, for a job change.  if it all works out, i think it will be wonderful.  i will have access to incredible equipment & inspirational people & so many good things.  please keep your fingers crossed!

yes, it snowed again today

tara of plainmabel came down to providence today!  tara & teresa & i went for breakfast and, oh, look, the fabric store was just down the road...  so we went & i bought batiks because there were all these beautiful new ones & the fall ones were on sale.  it could not be helped.  we met up with allison & patricia & elizabeth and visited kristen at the AS220 bizarre bazaar.  there were so many neat crafty ladies there (voz of fishcakes, deb of if'n books, roxanne of persephassa, jess of paper treasure  & many more)  the fashion show was really awesome, too. 
i spent yesterday indoors, refusing to leave the house, in my studio working.  it was wonderful.  please keep your fingers crossed for me because, if all goes well, i will soon have much more time to spend in my studio.  i don't know yet & i don't want to talk about it too much in case it doesn't happen, but, man, if it does i'm going to be so happy.  scared, too, because i'd be making a lot less money, but then i'll have time to get all this stuff made so i can sell it & make more money!  i hope i hope.  so i made these little cards for tara to sell: i hand-cut little stamps & embossed them with matching envelopes.  click for a super close-up, the one with grass is actually a nice sage green card, but it was snowing again today & the lighting is weird.  there's also a blue & white set with a leaf of graph paper sewn in, but you'll have to wait for a sunny day so i can show you the clear embossed details!

 

 

flying with a head cold

my right ear still hasn't popped...  sorry about the silence!  i've been a little distracted lately because of this great big secret that i can finally share: my sister & jo & my dad & i threw my mom a posh surprise dinner party.  she just retired on the 25th of February & they moved down to hilton head, SC full time.  my sister was already down there last friday , just as my mom & her came back from a bike ride, jo & i were standing in the driveway.  later that day my mom's friend Sam showed up, too.  it was so much fun!  we set a gorgeous table, there were invitations, place cards, we rented glasses & chairs & a table.  jo cooked up an incredible 7 course meal.  here is the menu for you to drool over while i try to get all my pictures together:

1. gulf oysters on the half shell
  Prosecco champange
2. pan seared scallops with celery salad & a mustard burre blanc
  Rancho Zabaco pinot gris 2003
3. chilean sea bass in saffron fennel nage
  Joseph Phelps sauvingnon blanc 2003
4. sesame crusted ahi tuna with asian slaw
  Rodney Strong pinot noir 2002
5. herb garlic grilled lamb chops with roasted root vegetable
  Chateau la Pelletrie 2000
6. Point Reyes blue cheese
  Warre's Otima 10 year old tawny porto
7. blood orange sabayon served over premium chocolate ice cream
  coffee or tea