Space Between

A simple (corduroy) jumper made the other day:

off white and teal

Reminds me of Icee cups. There's a red zipper down the back.

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Me and my pretend niece in only some of our Mardi Gras beads from this week's festivities.

See, the thing that she and I had in common is that we were very lazy bead catchers, yet we ended up with the most of anyone in our group. I stood around dancing and snapping photos. She was either throwing fits or cuddled up on her daddy trying to fight sleep. Considering that, I'd say we did pretty good. Thanks to all the people...including the cute little 2-3 yr old boy (I didn't solicit I swear!)...who randomly walked up and handed me beads on numerous occasions as well as the bead throwers in the parade whose aim helped land them right at my feet, and all I had to do was bend down and pick them up. :-D

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Test from my linguistics class.



The highest grade in the class. 95-A. Beautiful, right? Wrong!



Two of the questions that I missed were versions of the same two that I asked the professor about prior to the test just to make sure I fully understood. And after we'd emailed back and forth a few times and discussed it in class (right before the test), I did. I got it. Everything was clear to me. Really, it was. So why in the world did I still get 'em wrong??? I'd have preferred to get a 'B' rather than miss those two. O.k., maybe a 90..the lowest 'A'. When trying to explain this to a friend, I was told, "Girl, you got an 'A'!!! Why does it matter!?!?" Oh, but it does. It's the principle, dangit!! I don't like the quality of the 'A'. Does anybody feel me on this?? Or no??

Alright, moving on...

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Images taken while out enjoying the weather yesterday.


Pretty flowers.




A house and landscape situation that I've been in love with since moving to this city nearly 8 yrs. ago. I just happen to live within walking distance of it now.


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One of my favorite musical compositions. Meshell Ndegeocello, Akel Dama (Field of Blood) with a poem by Etheridge Knight entitled "The Idea of Ancestry." (I found a pretty interesting interpretation of it all.)






peace!

Sundry

Dress!

I guess I'm pleased with it. It turned out how I wanted (style wise) and the fabric is great, but there are some technical, functional issues with the dress that have to be dealt with if I plan to let it become the property of someone else. I wanted it to be bigger but only had so much fabric. Blah....might take it apart and do something else with the material.


On another note...






I recently did a custom "truth" art top for someone and made the "believe" one for her as a gift. She'd mentioned she would eventually get one in yellow with believe on it, and I was so excited to be getting back to making these that I surprised her with it.
Normally I wouldn't use hangers to display garments, but I was rushing out the door to take them to her and wanted to get pictures before they were out of my possession.

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Tea &Honey Bread Shutter Click & Chat Sunday


Theme: something, someone, somewhere HOT!




The other day I heard an old Toni Braxton song and started reminiscing on some of her other music. Then her video for "You're Makin' Me High" came to mind. I can recall how when the video first aired everybody was talking about that white catsuit she wears. One of my cousins was always on the hunt for one when out shopping . Even with all the nakedness sexiness in some of today's music videos, I think this one is still pretty hot. Plus the song itself is steamy.
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Deliciousness

Although not necessarily visually pleasing...


I came across a recipe for spiced lentil tacos on one of my favorite food blogs, Yeah, That "Vegan" Sh*t (* added by me). Why oh why wasn't this possibility brought to my attention sooner?? Mmmm, mmmm, mmm...

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It's Mardi Gras season once again here in South Louisiana, and for the next couple days, it's nuthin' but a party. It rained on their parade last night (literally), but from what I understand, the show still went on in true fashion. People down here will celebrate rain, sleet, snow or shine. I, on the other hand, was in the bed.

This is the best clip I could find on youtube of some music for the occassion. I've seen Rebirth Brass Band live and danced so much that I nearly had to be carried out of the place due to exhaustion. They have the whole place rockin'.

"Do Watcha Wanna"




Have a great week!

peace.

Catch the Groove

Yesterday I decided that I need to stop playing around and go ahead and revive my other etsy shop. Funny that I call it "other" considering that it was functioning long before the one that I'm now better known for. Those of you who've been in my blog world for some time have read me say that I was gonna shut down sewfly. Then, after much protest from various people, I changed my mind and started adding new pieces. Within the last several months, though, it's fallen by the wayside once again. It was always so fun creating for that shop. With all the painting, stenciling, using bright and colorful fabrics. It just made me happy. Then I got deeper into my "more serious" garments when I opened the flytie shop, and that's been my main focus for almost 2 yrs. I love doing both the playful garments as well as the more everyday/wear to work/wear out on the town garments. I've just gotta find that balance so that I can do both simultaneously. Harmoniously.

The pictures you see here are the types of garments created for the sewfly label. And as you can tell, these are pre me-incuding-me-head-in-all-the-shots pictures. Yes. There was once a time where all photos were taken from the neck down. In those days, I didn't have to worry about the fact that my hair was in plaits or that I looked like a mad woman about the face from sewing all day or night then getting up to take a picture. It was so much easier. However, sometime last year I decided to try something new, so now I at least attempt to make myself look decent so as not to offend when you have to look at my face in every picture. :-)

With spring approaching the feeling to get back into this more artistic side of my creating has been getting stronger and stronger. Spring always inspires that "I can do anything!" feeling in me with all the growth and newness and freshness. That's the same feeling I had when creating garments for the "other" label. If I wanted to see a certain image on a garment, I'd paint it on there. If there was a word or phrase that I thought should be on a garment, I'd stencil it on there. If I wanted to create a dress that reminded me of the neopolitan ice cream sandwiches my cousins and I indulged in as youngsters, then I'd do it. In more intensified color at that. See green/purple/orange dress above. If I wanted to proclaim my love for vegetables in the form of a dress, I'd do that, too. Yep whatever I wanted. I need to get back to that place, because lately I've been overwhelmed by this odd disposition that's somehow making me feel like I can't do anything. Crazy, right?

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I leave you with 2 songs from an album I listen to all the way through on an almost everyday basis. It's definitely grooveable from beginning to end and always puts me in the zone when I'm working. Plus these 2 songs are relevant to the love theme that was going on yesterday. Happy post V-day!










peace.

Partly Whole

At the time that I purchased the red knit fabric for the previous knit dress, I also purchased some of the same fabric in burgundy. After much debate over what to do with it, I gave up and took the easy route out. Hence, a dress similar to the first.

You can't see it, but the white fabric on the sleeves has speckles on it the same colors as those of the dress as well as a few more. And the dress in lined in pink knit material.

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Tea and Honey Bread's Shutter Click & Chat Sundays

Topic: Something broken




My little glass elephant. I accidentally knocked it out of the kitchen window where it's kept only to find that its beautifully curved trunk didn't survive the fall. :-(


Speaking of trunks and brokenness, I've got a second relevant photo.



After seeing T. Allen-Mercado's picture, I was reminded of the above image of mine. This is a tree a few miles from my home that was taken down by some act of nature. It's a pretty massive tree, and it was entirely uprooted from its location. Pretty fascinating.

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Currently reading for my English Novels Class, Pamela by Samuel Richardson.



I wasn't sure that I'd make it through all 600+ pages of the 2 volumes, because it was just dragging on and on from the beginning. However, I'm finally at the point where things have started to happen, so I'm able to stay awake while reading. Before, when reading in bed, I'd be out cold with head in book 10-15 minutes into it. Then there was the matter of the long "s"
in the version of the book that I'm using. I initially thought it was an "f" and could not understand why "f" was replacing "s" at certain points in so many words. Thank goodness for the ability to research and gain clarity. According to the bottom of that Wikipedia entry, I'm not the only one who made this mistake. Seems like I've heard of it before, but I don't recall ever reading a book where it was so prevalent. But then again I am reading a copy that's pretty ancient. That was a serious "oooooooohhhhhhh!!" moment for me.

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While in the zone finishing up the knit dress yesterday, I made a new skirt as well.

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Much like the elephant above and the tree, I've been a bit disconnected lately. I'm feeling sort of broken. Hopeless even. I get like this sometimes, and today some personal matters have been weighing on my spirit pretty heavily. So, I think I'm gonna just go relax. But first, a song to lighten the mood.

Sade, "Keep Looking"





Also, I can't embed the video here, but I'm dedicating Chrisette Michele's "Love Is You" to everyone for the upcoming love holiday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZDd4LD3AM4


(One of the best singers on the scene today, as far as I'm concerned. Saw her live in New Orleans last March. Amazing.)

Have a beautiful week!
peace

Matter of Time

Looks like I'm gonna be averaging a post a week at this point. Things have gotten a bit crazy 'round here.

Anyway, just a few particulars for today:

I made a new dress last week. Although it's pinned to fit me, it's actually meant to fit someone with a fuller figure.



Some of you may have seen it already on Flickr where I also did yet another meme where I was put to the task of naming sixteen (16!!) things about myself.

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Tea and Honey Bread's Shutter Click and Chat Sundays
Topic:
Photograph something, someone you see everyday in a NEW! different and exciting way.

Up close and personal with my bedroom's incense table. It's usually messy with ashes and empty or full boxes and packages everywhere. I don't clean it on a regular basis and today decided to capture its essence artistically. Metal incense container made and patina-ed (?) by me in a metalworking class 5 yrs. ago

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A book I'm currently reading for a British novels class, Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe:


Last Monday we were assigned to have it finished by this Monday's class, but during the week I got a bit behind in reading. As of this post, I was on page 135 of 291. It's a pretty consuming book, so I'll have no problem getting it done. I'm always intrigued by how English writers are able to language their text in a way where they can talk about sex, scandal, debauchery, and promiscuity in such an unobtrusive manner.

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A blog award!


Given to me by Ms. Bar B. from A Place of comfort, this award highlights blogs that show attitude and gratitude. Thank ya much! :-D

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Power of thought:



I'd been wondering about one of my ex-boyfriends who I remained friends with after our split during senior year of high school. The last I'd spoken with him was a few yrs. ago. He'd graduated college in engineering and had taken a job in Tucson, Arizona. He was in the army (means to pay for college) and was saying how he hoped he didn't have to go to Iraq. Well, a couple weeks ago I got a very out-of-the-blue online message from another of my good high school friends (who I'd recently been wondering about as well), and she randomly mentioned that she'd talked to said ex via email and that he in fact is in Iraq.

She gave me his email address. I finally got around to writing him yesterday, and despite the time difference, he responded immediately. We chatted a bit, then I gave him my number and told him to get at me when he gets back in a couple months. I returned to the couch and continued my adventures into the engaging world of Moll Flanders, only to be interrupted a few minutes later with a call from a number that was literally 000123456. It was him live from Iraq. Turns out he'd been wondering what's been going on with me as well. We had a long talk about his experiences, the current situation in the country, and about the good old days when we were 2 of the most goofy people you'd ever meet. Always laughing about something. And much hasn't changed in that aspect as was proven during the phone call.
So amazing how the mind can work--bringing to us the very things or people we desire or desire to interact with.
He's the one in color in the shot above. Click image to enlarge.

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And I leave you with music! Just found out that Seun Kuti, the youngest son of the legendary Fela Kuti is gonna be at this year's International Festival, right here in Lafayette, LA...walking distance from my home! (I had the same fortune of seeing for the second time and meeting for the first time the legendary Burning Spear at this very festival last year.)
Can.not.wait!





Peace and light to all!