All Hallows Eve

Holly Makes a Brief Appearance...

We interrupt the progress on October's BJP, to bring you this unexpected and brief appearance of Miss Holly Golightly.

The last time we saw Holly she was peering in Tiffany's window, the famed jewelry store where she is known to frequent. Unsuspecting at the time, Miss Golightly was being cast to appear in a crazy quilt block which will premiere on this blog in the next few months.

Though we all adored her in the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Miss Golightly wants to make it clear that her performance in Mr. Truman's Capote's short novella was more true to her nature and character. Afterall, she never really loved Fred from upstairs, she had just taken a fleeting fancy to him...and he came in quite handy on occasion...The movie implies that there was a lot more between them than there was...just so you know.

Many of you are aware that it has taken quite some time to make this appearance happen. In fact, just moments ago, Miss Golightly was in pieces over thought of appearing before all of you without her makeup, her jewelry and her sunglasses.


Luckily, Miss Golightly pulled herself together to make this brief appearance on this block.


She has only come here today to see how much space she will be taking up so that the rest of the seam treatments can be planned around her. After all, this is no place for a glamorous, New York socialite. There's still lots of work to do before her big debut!

Stay tuned...

Fountains and Flowers

I've been attempting to bead a water fountain on my beaded journal for this month. It's easier said than done. Plus, this beading thing is taking a lot of time...though, I must admit, it's very fun to do. It's just, now I've fallen in love with another needle art that isn't quick...

Photo courtesy of RobJJ

So Jack walks up while I'm beading last night...

Jack: "Hi Mom. Whatcha doin'?"

Me: "I'm beading a journal piece for a monthly project I'm doing."

Jack: "Huh? What's that?"

Me: "It's like a diary about how I feel this month. Just interpreted with beads."

Jack: "That's cool. So what are those things over there? Mountains?"

Me: "No, they're tears."

Jack (his face falls and he looks sad and worried): "But Mom, they take up like 25% of your thing! That's kind of sad."

Me: "It's OK. I'm just sad sometimes."

Jack(pointing to the "fountain"): "What's that?"

Me: "That's supposed to be a fountain."

Jack: "Oh. What's that 'mean'?"

Me: "Kind of like I just can't help that happiness bubbles up out of me sometimes..."



Jack: "Oh, that's better than the tears Mom."

Jack (said in a disparaging tone, using his engineer's brain): "So why does your fountain have flowers in it?"


Me: "I don't know. My fountain just wanted to have flowers coming out of it."

Jack (laughs): "Oh, that is SO YOU Mom!"

Then he hugged my shoulders, told me it was cool, and walked away shaking his head. There are moments when I think he might just understand me.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Berniere

I finally finished Captain Corelli's Mandolin for the 1% Well-Read Challenge. One thing you should know about me before you read this review is that historical fiction is probably one of my favorite genres. I particularly enjoy it when an author has done his homework and the historical context and setting for the novel is well-constructed.

This book has everything in it that I love. It has history, it has strong character development, it has great plot, lots of humour and love. Every color of love that exists in the world is in this novel -- paternal, filial, romantic, you name it! The heroes are larger than life and the villians are some of the most vile our planet has ever seen. It's good vs. evil, on a very human level, and it's fabulous!

The story is set in Cephallonia, an island in Greece that is occupied by the Italians, Germans and the British throughout WWII. The history in the book is told in the first person by "eyewitnesses" to the events which makes the copious amount of information both relatable and palatable. Captain Corelli is an Italian officer who billets himself in the home of the main protagonist, Pelagia, who is Greek and lives with her father, Dr. Iannis, the only physician on the island.

Pelagia's mom died of TB when she was very small and her father has raised her to be a critical thinker, an independent with a sharp mind. Captain Corelli's true passion is not war but is music and he is particularly gifted in singing and playing the mandolin. Though Pelagia begins the story hating the Italians, their occupation, and their Captain, her acidity is neutralized through Corelli's charm, humor and passion. She cannot help but love Captain Corelli and neither can the reader. He has integrity, leads through humor, and even though the Italians are occupying the Island, they are respectful, fun-loving and attempt to get along with the native Greeks.

Though this next excerpt is a bit crass, it remains one of the most delightful parts of the book for me:

His battery had a latrine known as 'La Scala' because he had a little opera club that shat together there at the same time every morning, sitting in a row on the wooden plank with their trousers about their ankles. He had two baritones, three tenors, a bass and a counter-tenor who was much mocked on account of havin g to sing all the women's parts, and the idea was that each man should expel either a turd or a fart during the crescendos, when they could not be heard above the singing. In this way the indignity of communal defacation was minimised, and the whole encampment would begin the day humming a rousing tune that they had heard wafting out of the heads.

The story is turned on it's ear when the Germans occupy the island after the Italians surrender to the Allies. The brutality and the betrayals inflicted on the people of the island by both the Germans and by the Greek insurrectionaries over the next decade is gut-wrenching. The author allows us to overcome these atrocities together with the characters we've grown to love and does a great job of painting every shade of moral character in the human condition.

I don't want to give too much away but this story completely enveloped me and I didn't want to put it down. Louis de Bernieres is a master at transporting the reader to another time and circumstance while evoking the raw emotions that are universal to the human race. I loved it. And, Captain Corelli, is an embrace-the-moment, passionate, romantic and funny man who endears himself to you and makes you laugh from his first appearance in the story until his last.

I can't wait to see the movie. Nicholas Cage plays Captain Corelli -- I think he was well-casted for the humour part but, the passionate and romantic part?? -- well, he wouldn't be my version of Captain Corelli...

Next up for me is the English Patient by Michael Ondaatje which I've almost finished.

Countdown to Christmas

In order for this Christmas Elf to complete all the handmade gifts I want to give for Christmas, I need to get an early start AND I need to be organized. A few years ago, my girlfriend and I found a website called Organized Christmas and have participated in Cynthia Townley Ewer's brainchild of an idea, Christmas Countdown for the past three years.


The Christmas Countdown is a free six-week Christmas organizing plan that breaks Christmas preparations down into small, easy-to-take steps and posts the daily task on the organizedchristmas.com website. Each of the six weeks is organized by theme. If you follow each task list and do a little bit each day, then theoretically, you can be completely prepared for Christmas by the first weekend in December.

The Countdown starts tomorrow (Sunday, October 26) which means that tomorrow evening, my girlfriend and I will dress up in our Christmas sweaters, break open a bottle of wine and start making our lists and dreams for Christmas 2008. This will be our fourth Christmas participating in the countdown, and though I cannot say I've been completely ready by the first weekend, I have certainly been more organized and better prepared than the years before I participated. This plan gives me more time to spend making gifts which I love to do...Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I believe the plan would apply for any major life event or celebration.


Thinking of handmade gifts, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with the abundance of ideas in Quilting Arts Holiday Gifts magazine. There are luggage tags, wine bottle holders, picture frames, book covers, CD covers, quilted gift card holders (loved this idea!) and these embellished aluminum tins that just beg to have wonderful surprises tucked inside.


Last but not least, because of both Lynn and Denise, I have been asked to share 7 unknown/obscure facts about myself. Here goes...

1. I keep a list to myself of sub-cultures I would love to infiltrate for a brief period of time. The list includes motorcycle riders, square dancers, Casts of famous Broadway shows, New York Stock Exchange traders, oceanographers, skydivers, bee keepers, cattle ranchers, museum curators, competitive sports fishermen, to name just a few...I'm hoping for the day when I can make friends with someone who will take me "inside" those cultures so I can learn more about them...

2. I spent the Summer after I graduated college touring Europe with a group visiting 23 different countries. I never received my luggage and spent the $500 I had saved as spending money on underwear, a bathing suit, toiletries, and a pair of shoes at a Paris flea market. I wore the same two outfits all Summer long. I was so excited by all that I was experiencing that it really didn't bother me not to have any clothes, makeup, jewelry, etc.

3. I get very excited when Starbucks introduces the "Red Cup" in November and I save my pennies so I can buy an eggnog latte while doing holiday errands. The idea of the red cup puts me in a good mood.

4. I routinely buy Martha Stewart Weddings magazine strictly for the eye candy and photographs. I have no plans of attending and/or planning a wedding for another ten years or so but I can't resist the flowers, the favors, the palettes or the dresses within that magazine...

5. When I was 24, I went to a comedy club to see a hypnotist. He selected me along with ten others to be hypnotized. I went under completely and was such a good subject that I became the main part of his act. He asked me to tell my favorite singer. I said I was too embarrassed. He said I could whisper it into his ear (of course, he was holding the microphone up to my lips...). I whispered Madonna. He then told me to perform my favorite Madonna song and I proceeded to sing and dance Madonna's hit "Like A Virgin" including breast caressing and crotch grabbing...something I would NEVER have done had I not been hypnotized!! I was such a hit that they gave me free passes for a whole month! I have never gotten hypnotized again and I think it's very strange that I remember everything...

6. I was cut from the Varsity basketball team in High School which devastated me. I played for another rec team and we scrimmaged the team I was cut from. We beat them, I was the high scorer of the game, and it was written up in our local town newspaper! I have never forgotten how great that felt!

7. The first thing I do when visiting any new city, large or small, is get the yellow pages between the beds in the hotel room and look for needlework stores in the area. I make a list and then do my best to visit all of them before I leave town.

I just finished reading Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres so you should be reading a review soon. Suffice it to say that I am completely smitten by Captain Corelli and his mandolin...

I Love Wednesday -- The Result

As I expected, my day yesterday was great. My yoga instructor was happy to have me back though she was a little shy when I told her I wanted to take her picture. At the end of class, she gives us a bookmark with a thought for the day. Today's was about the word "Namaste". It felt so good to be stretching and doing the poses.

Next trip to the yarn store revealed that my yarn for my project was NOT in...but they did have the cable needle I needed and I found this yummy yarn! It's a beaded silk yarn from Artyarns and comes in delicious colors-- it cost $39 for 150 yards so I just took a picture!


Next up was Blank Fabrics looking for trim for my Tea Therapy pillow. I found it though it was bit expensive at $18.75.

I decided to get 6 yards -- enough for this pillow plus two smaller tea-themed pillows I have in mind. At the last minute, the man changed it to $18.50/yard which brought my total to $111 even. I was so happy to know my mother was there, so I told her I loved her and the man proceeded to give me two sample books of fabric (many of them silk) to use in my work. Woohooo! When I got into the car with my package, I glanced at the clock and it was 1:11 pm! Thank you Mama!

Next I was off to pick up Jack from the bus. When he got in the car, he was wearing a baseball hat (not part of his uniform and he doesn't play baseball).

Two weeks ago, Jack's school friend, Joe, was diagnosed with leukemia. It was quite a shock for Jack since he and Joe ride the bus together and my Mom just passed away from leukemia in March. Joe started chemotherapy right away and his prognosis is good. Joe will be returning to school for one day today and then going to school every Monday and Friday. They gave hats to all the students and teachers in the 7th grade. They will all be wearing hats on every day that Joe is at school. Well, folks, that one just made me bawl! What a wonderful gesture and there is embroidery on the back of each hat that reads "Joe". They also trained the kids in keeping Joe free from illness while at school by not coming to school sick, washing hands, etc. I'm impressed.

The weather did not cooperate for our special outside dinner by the fire -- too windy and too cold. I was racking my brain as to what to do for a substitute, when Jim called and said he wanted to treat us all to sushi. Our favorite restaurant in the entire Baltimore area for sushi is Sushi Sono in Columbia. We stopped eating sushi regularly a few months ago because of the expense but it is, by far, our favorite food. We went and had the most delicious meal. Absence does, indeed, make the stomach grow fonder.

Yesterday, I was tagged with a meme by both Lynn and Denise! I'll post about that tomorrow.

Namaste.

I Love Wednesday...the Beginning

I love Wednesday. It's the name I think. When I was a kid, I thought it was "Wendy's Day" -- I like that much better than "Hump Day". I love Wednesday because we don't have any evening activities and we can have a mid-week meal together at home. I have great hopes for this day as Wednesday spreads out before me.

This beading thing is way too addictive...and combined with threads and silk ribbon...it's off the charts! I am very surprised at what reveals itself as I let myself work improvisationally. It's addicting to those of us who love surprises and adventures. You never know where your next row of beads will lead...but let's get back to Wednesday...

Here are my hopes for this day:

• I get to attend yoga for the first time in over a year. I love yoga and my favorite class is held on Wednesday. I hope I have a great class...
  
• I must send a special super-surprise package to Brussels for my niece. She has a blog so check it out -- there aren't as many pics as she'd like because it takes 20 minutes to upload each one. I hope she gets her package soon and likes what I send...
  
• I must go to my favorite knitting store to check on my yarn for the Knit Together and to pick up a cable needles for Carolyn's special package...I hope my yarn has come in...
  
• I'm trying fabric store #2 to find trim to finish my Tea Therapy pillow...I didn't find anything at G-Street...except for that yummy wool...I hope I find just the right thing...
  
• I'm planning a special dinner outside by the firepit as a surprise for Jack, if the weather cooperates...cross my fingers...I hope I make Jack feel special...
  

I'm taking my camera along today and testing out the power of positive thinking. Let's just see what happens if I truly believe I will have a great day, will it happen?

(psst....I already know it will...because I believe that positive energy is infectious...but for you pessimists out there, let's just test it. I mean, I could end up having a bad day...but I won't!)

Out on a Whim

Yesterday, on a whim, I decided to head down to G-Street Fabrics in Rockville for their sale (25% off everything) plus I had a coupon to get an additional 25%-off one item already on sale.


The wool black and white houndstooth called my name -- as did some of the pink wool blanketing...


Not far from G-Street is a fabulous store in downtown Bethesda called Accessories of Old.

Photo courtesy of Little Pink Studio

The store is chock full of vintage haberdashery, buttons, lace, beads, rhinestones, you name it!! Think Tinsel Trading but with more stock! Anyhow, I went specifically looking for vintage 1940's plastic "Happy" buttons --


I found them! I didn't have time to photograph the rest of the stock, but I promise to go back and give you a visual tour -- a sacrifice, I know, but I will do it for you.

When I returned home, I had received a package from Whimbeads.com!! OH boy, what a great delight it was to open this box. This online bead store was recommended by Robin Atkins and I'm so glad to have found it!


The selection was terrific, the price was very reasonable, and the package was a delight to receive. The long tubes of colored beads look like candy to me!


To top off this delightful day, my doorbell rang and look who was at the door!

These two boys from across the street were working the camera for me.

I think they're contenders for America's Next Top Model!

Hope you get a chance to go out on a whim today!

Water on the Brain

The path from yesterday becomes the water today. I love this improvisational way of working. I sit down with my needles and I head off in a direction. I know not where I'm going. Today, I went to the water.

Photo courtesy of YamBareMunch(toidles)

It turns out I'm not the only one with water on the brain. My favorite contestant, Leanne Marshall, won Project Runway last night with her collection that was inspired by...yes, you guessed it...water.




This whole collection appeals to me and I would LOVE to go out in those pants and aqua top! I love all the waves and pleats and the color... Yes, the color speaks to me too, that Grammy Aqua...

Happy Trails

1. We've been having over a week of great weather here in Baltimore so I've been spending lots of time on the bike trails of Baltimore. I'm still trying to figure out a way to take pictures while riding so I don't kill myself...there are so many beautiful images to share...

2. We went to see Legally Blonde The Musical on Sunday night at the Hippodrome. It's an upbeat and happy show and we enjoyed it very much. The main character is Elle Woods and her signature color is pink. I've been thinking about pink houndstooth ever since then...


Luckily, I have some in my stash. It is tempting me to make a skirt...but I have plans for it to be a blanket one day; though it is not this day...

3. I haven't had too much time to stitch but my bead embroidery has been calling me like a Siren every evening. I really enjoy this method of journaling. I couldn't help but put a little embroidery in with my beading...I was an embroiderer first, after all...


4. Tomorrow I hit the sewing machine to finish up a project or two. Maybe Audrey will appear on my Breakfast at Tiffany's block -- it's been so hard to book her into the schedule lately.

5. Oh, and I'm knee-deep in the middle of two great books for my 1% Well-Read Challenge: The English Patient and Captain Corelli's Mandolin but more about them later...

6. Tomorrow starts the knitting challenge over at Knit Together...I'm still waiting for my ship to come in...which contains my yarn!!

7. Last but not least, I have signed up for another crazy athletic event. This one is called the Liberty to Liberty Triathlon which goes from New York to Philadelphia. We swim 1.5 miles in the Hudson River past the Statue of Liberty (yes, I'll get my tetanus shot); take a ferry to New Jersey where we get on our bikes and ride 91 miles to Philadelphia; we then run a 10K through downtown Philadelphia ending up on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art...the ending made famous by none other than Rocky Balboa in the training scene of the movie Rocky. Thank God there are three other crazy women who are doing it with me. No matter what happens, I'll be with friends.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Well, this special prize landed in my mailbox yesterday from the talented Elizabeth Holcombe. It combines two of my favorite things: the Wicked Witch and pincushions. Don't you love the poppy feedsack she used? I also happen to love the Broadway show Wicked so this pincushion touches me on multiple levels.

Last week, I read this post on Elizabeth's blog about her silly collection of Madame Alexander dolls from McDonalds. I couldn't believe there was someone in the world like me. I never go to McDonald's but when I saw them advertising Wizard of Oz dolls, I had to go buy a Happy Meal (for a girl) and get a doll. My first was the Pink Munchkin doll and she has been quite the companion. My next friend was the wizard.


I have to admit that throughout the years, I have collected Happy Meal Toys - I have Mrs. Potts (a teapot) and Chip (her son, the cup) from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I just can't resist the quality and cuteness factor of the toy for only a couple of bucks.

Anyway, when I read Elizabeth's post about her silly collection, I commented about my secret collection and suggested she make me a Wicked pincushion with the Wicked Witch -- and she did!!

I use a pincushion every day and I like to have them at multiple stitching locations around the house. Since they are sitting out, they have to be cute. Here's a post I did in May that shows you some other of my faves.


You can see that this guy is getting a lot of action. That's because he's manning the crazy quilting station and that requires lots of needles and different threads. I don't like to re-thread my needle when switching colors, so I'll keep the remaining thread in my pincushion to use on another seam.

Lately, I've been coveting this pincushion from artist Mimi Kirchner. She also makes dolls which you can see on her blog and in her etsy shop.


After reading my post yesterday, Judy wondered what the girl's equivalent of the Adventurous Book for Boys says about boys.


I happen to own this book. Here's what it says.


Honestly, I don't feel like Mrs. Peskowitz and Mrs. Buchanan did nearly as good of job at educating girls about boys as Mssrs. Iggulden did in educating boys about girls. How about you?

Boys...and Girls

Let's face it. Boys don't talk much.


I read somewhere that when you plan to have a conversation with a boy, it's best to be doing something like shooting hoops, driving in the car, playing a game, etc. I also read that it's important for them to be emotionally connected to Mom and they will want and need to talk to Mom, but timing is critical.

They are likely to start talking about something when you least expect it. So you're supposed to be prepared for it at all times. When they do start talking about something important; stop everything, listen, and take advantage of the moment because you may not get it again.

Jack and I had such a moment the other day. Here's how it went.

Me: "Jack, I need you to look at me for a second and listen to what I'm saying..." (Jack puts down his book and makes eye contact.)

Jack: "Oh, I'm listening, Mom. I'm getting better at listening."

Me: "You are?"

Jack: "Yeah, my book says its really important to listen when you talk to girls."

Me: "Oh, really?"

Jack: "Yeah, it says you're supposed to ask a girl a question about herself and then really listen to what she says."

Me: "Which book is it?"

Jack: "The 'Dangerous' book in the bathroom." (I always put books in the bathroom that I want Jack to read...)

Jack: "But it says you have to be careful not to listen TOO much cuz what if the girl has been given the same advice and she's trying to listen to you? then you're both listening to each other...and nobody's talking...then you get an awkward silence and they're REALLY not good."

Me: "No, you're right, they aren't very good. I usually just ask someone another question about themselves if that happens. What other advice does it have about girls?"

Jack: "Oh, I don't know. Stuff."

And the moment was gone.

So yesterday when I was in the bathroom, I picked up the book to see what it says. I had no problem finding the page since it was the only one that was dog-eared. Here's what it says about girls....



Unfortunately, Jack knows about awkward silences. Last year Jack went to his first (and only) mixer. He spoke to one girl the entire night. It happened after 2 hours of not speaking to any girl. Finally, the one girl walked up to him and asked him his name. He answered, "Jack."

That's it.

Didn't elaborate, didn't ask her her name.

Nothing.

Trust me, he knows about awkward silences.

I'm One Button Richer

Yesterday's lecture with Robin on the 2007-08 Bead Journal Project was amazing. She presented everyone's work by drawing connections between them. Pieces that were similar in shape or whose subject matter addressed similar issues, nature, events, feelings, etc. were grouped together. This was a great way to draw conclusions about the "body of work" and the process of bead journaling.

She also showed how many of the completed journal pages were finished. Some were framed; others were made into books or wall-hangings. You can see all of them here. The entire collection is formidable when seen together as a whole and really lends itself to a museum exhibit. We have the American Visionary Art Museum here in Baltimore which would be a perfect venue. We're going to suggest it to the museum and see what happens.

Look how Pam Truog interpreted the feeling of Despair


And how Christy Hinkle interpreted the Separation she felt from her son when her ex-husband took him skiing over Christmas and it was the first time they had ever been separated for the holiday.


The beaded buttons class was a great exercise. Robin asked that we try very hard not to over-think our little project. She made us choose our fabric and beads within seconds such that we acted on impulse and not planning. She asked that, once placed and stitched, we not remove any bead that we didn't like. Instead, we should leave it in and see where it leads.

I tried very hard to only use the beads I was given, to work impulsively and to not remove anything once I'd stitched it on. The first thing I did was put in that "line" of big blue beads down the left side. For the first fifteen minutes I was working, I was hating my little button.


Robin then told us that there was a period during stitching every piece she's made where she felt like she did not like her work. Even feeling this way, she refused to take anything out. Today, there isn't one piece that she doesn't love.

I tried working the same way and eventually found that, when I finished my beaded button, I really kind of liked it. I think this way of working moves you beyond over-thinking; it moves you beyond those sticking points and, in the end, you create something that is new and very you. A nice little life lesson, indeed.