Avast mateys

Last Sunday, I went with my grandson and husband to the Pyrate Fest. It was held at the National Ornamental Metal Museum--say that 5 times real fast--on the banks of the Mississippi River. There was a play pirate ship for the kids and my grandson stayed on it all day except to watch the fire dancer. Yes he has the family pyro gene. There was much entertainment for all, music, dancing, beer, and costume contests. My husband placed 3rd in the men's division. More info at www.pyratefestival.com. 

Road trip

On Friday, Three of my gal pals and I went to Nashville (thank you Mrs. McFarland for driving) to see the exhibit of vintage couture from the Victoria and Albert Museum, at the Frist Center for Visual Arts. It is way cool. The building and the exhibit. The center is the old post office in downtown Nashville. Wonderful reuse of a building from the 30's.
   The garments are absolutely breath taking from a design standpoint and by the way they are constructed. The clothes were all the more interesting to us because we know what goes in to making a perfect garment. I wish we could have had a more "hands on" experience with the garments. At one point I was on the floor inspecting a hem, and would have loved loved loved to have seen any or all the clothes inside out. (Many thanks to Mrs. Smith for helping me up off the floor--old knees.)

 Since then I have had many hours entertaining myself by imagining I got to try on some of the ball gowns. Or playing with that doll and her wardrobe. If this exhibit comes to a cultural venue near you, make EVERY effort to visit and experience the awesomeness. Even if you are not a fashionista type, the historical reference of the exhibition is huge.

Plus there was a collection of Dale Chihuly glass and that was totally amazing. Especially the video of his studio/arena, showing how the art is made. That was a combination of sporting event, ballet, and rock concert, in the most dangerous atmosphere imaginable. Fire and people swinging hot glass all around.

              On the way to dressmaker nirvana, we stopped along the interstate and I want to share a sign from the ladies room. 

 

Toe update

If anyone is interested, and I know you are, my toe is okay. Back to the daily walking. Making new art work with the deconstructed screen printing fabrics. Photos someday when they are done. Going with some of the girlz to Nashville tomorrow to see vintage couture at the Frist Center. Will definitely report on that!!
   I did remail the postcard to myself and this time it came back WITH a postmark. But don't tell anybody I used a stamp twice. shhhhhhh...........

Happy Birthday to me

and they smell good too

what's not to love about champagne

Yesterday was my birthday. Whoopdee frickin' do!! I got cards and phone calls. Candy and flowers. Dinner out and champagne cocktails. My younger son gave me some art pieces back in August, too. Thanks to all.
  And I broke my pinky toe, which is not good for my daily 3.25 mile walking routine. Might have to switch to the bicycle for a while.

Bizzy werk

Some of the deconstructed screen printing results were not so wonderful I need to keep them to pet on a regular basis, so I made book covers from the less desirable fabrics. They look pretty good. The one on the upper right is something I monoprinted and then stenciled over with textile paint. I highlighted the design of the stencil with a marking pen.

I'm going all 21st century

My son came by today to bring me a portable hard drive and showed me how to put music on my computer. I didn't even know I could do that. Right now I'm listening to Brian Eno and David Byrne's "My Life In the Bush of Ghosts", one of my all time favorite albums. Life is good. I've spent the better part of the last week in the dungeon, er, basement with the deconstructed screen printing. My red dye is acting up though and I've gotten some very unpredictable results, but nothing I can't save by over dyeing or over printing. I received an invitation to be in a gallery in October so I've busied myself making book covers. Photos later. The postcard workshop has inspired me to make some more to have available to sell at the gallery, too. I mailed one to myself to prove they could go through the post office, but when it came today it wasn't even postmarked and the stamp has not been canceled. Shhhh, don't tell anyone. I'm going to remail it.
   The new theme for the online challenge is "Music" (queue Twilight Zone music) how appropriate for today now that my computer has a song to sing. I have no clue how to interpret this theme. The others came to me so fast and I had the quilts constructed in my head right away.  And the other quilts had symptoms of the problems I've been dealing with this past year. Music never figured into any of that crap except as an escape from the anxiety. Hmmmmm.....I smell an inspiration. Oh my, the song playing now is titled "Jezebel" where can I go with this???