Ruched

Monday archives

These are a few of the textile designs I did in college.  We used a program for jacquard looms that had a "live update" window, so you could do a simple design and tile it/put it in repeat, then make changes to hide the edges of the repeat and they would show instantly in the design.  This was in 1997 or 98 so who knows what awesome stuff is out there now.

We used the program for woven designs too, oh that was head-smackingly complicated.  Two of mine were eventually woven in mills as a one-off, one in linen, one in synthetics at a tie mill.  I still have those somewhere...

I still haven't signed up for Spoonflower, must do that soon.

upside-down cake

Martha recipes don't always work for me but this one turned out as good as it looks. 

We had some bruised peaches that needed to be eaten, and while I prefer plain fruit there were six of them, way too many to eat at one time and I didn't want to fuss with them twice. 

I snitched quite a few sections from the bowl while I was waiting for the butter to melt in the pan and they were so good.  Peaches are my one of my favorites

I simplified the cake instructions by mixing it as you would cornbread, dry whisked together, wet poured in after.

The instructions had a variation for a 12" cast iron skillet, which is what I used.  That's my "What was I thinking?" pan, it weighs a ton so I almost never use it.  I must have some new baby-carrying muscles because it was much easier to heft around than I remember.

This is a healthy dessert, right?  I think we're out of bread so this will be breakfast tomorrow, Merrick will be thrilled.

grumble, grumble, grumble

Did you happen to hear a wail around 11am my time?  It was me, I found out my bead shop is closing in August!  Aaagh.  That was my guaranteed, uninterupted, all me, creative time.  Like I said, grumble.  Sorry for the downer post.

baby in the sun

I got some very nice photos of Merrick in this sunbeam, against an almost black background.  Something to do with the way the camera metered, I think.  I try taking photos in all sorts of situations and get interesting results but I don't always remember how to repeat the trick.  The daily practice has helped immensely.

I really wanted to post them here but I'm very leery of posting recognizable photos of him online.  Not that I don't love seeing kid photos on other blogs, but you know. 

July 26

The colors for my next bead class.  They arrived by FedEx today, several days late.  There was some problem with my address (?) but when I checked the label it was correct.  Hrm.  I'm just glad the package finally made it.

shipping

I mailed a small package to Denmark today.  It was a mix CD of music for a music trade with an old friend.  I've been hankering for some new music and my usual sources of inspiration are just bleh. 

He pointed me to the website of a photographer friend, and wow, I wish I'd had someone to take belly photos like that when I was pregnant.  Well, maybe not the totally bare ones, but they're all gorgeous.  She is too.

Old issues of QNM

I bought the three binders of QNM back issues at the Sunday book sale.  My plan is to photograph the stuff I like and donate them back to the library, considering the $6 a rental fee. 

The magazines are all from the late eighties and most of what I've found so far is interesting, rather than "Oh my God that's so beautiful!"

tired today, more tomorrow

book sale

I made it to a local book sale this weekend.  They have a separate room for kid books and most are $0.50.  I used to go to this monthly book sale regularly, then I realized I had more books than shelving so I donated a bunch of stuff and took a break for a year.  Now that Merrick is interested in reading it will go back on my list.

A Caldecott winner from the fifties.

I'd love this as fabric, I should use my Spoonflower beta invitation and see if I can print some.

The lines remind me of batik but I think they were done with marker.

shopping

Someone needed one of these, TODAY.

So while he waited in line, I picked up a few of these:

Plus a bit of this:

Good thing I bought Merrick one of these:

When we got home I cracked it open for an instant toddler dinner.  We're still down one dishwasher, but I think I can do that online, thank goodness.