Sunday evening - quick weekend

I was so tired from yesterday that I didn't have much energy, but had to finish this commissioned baby quilt for someone at work. This was an interesting project for me, in that the woman I was making the quilt for wanted a "ladybug" theme. I am not fond of black and red together and hoped that I could find something that she would like. Together we found this main fabric that had ladybugs - but I still found it insipid and colorless. Luckily I had the green spotted fabric and the pink and green fabric and I think that keeps it from being too insipid overall.

This is the first time that I have asked someone what they want to have for a main fabric, and it's going to be the last. From now I the fabrics come from my selection only, unless they have something very special. I simply can't get excited by a fabric that I don't like. They can buy them or not, I really don't care. What is important to me is to enjoy what I am doing and get aesthetic pleasure from it. In terms of detail, this is the best one I have done yet. MOSTLY all the corners match up, I just had some trouble with the binding but no on will ever know.

By the way, someone at work said that "you don't use a baby quilt, you hang them on the wall". Hello! someone help me. What good is a baby quilt if it isn't covered in baby!

I am falling asleep at the computer. Time for bed.

NYC day - a LONG post.

I just have to blog about my day yesterday, it was so great, fun, and exhausting.

First off, know that I haven’t been into the city since 9/11. At first I was too freaked out about it and my drive home from Chicago that day, and then it just became overwhelming to go. But with the draw of great friends waiting for me, I was determined to just do it.

I took the 8:30 train to NYC, the speedy Acela and I upgraded myself to 1st class, spoiled brat that I am. But it was great, and a very relaxing trip to Penn station. The minute I got to Penn station, and started walking to find a taxi, I had a New York experience. A well dressed woman came up behind me and asked if I was looking for a cab. When I said yes, (but probably looked suspicious) she said “I’m not going to rob you, the cabs are in that direction. And yes, there was a taxi stand sign. She kept walking behind me saying “I’m not going to rob you, I’m just trying to help” and then started to tell me how she was homeless and needed to get her 13 year old daughter to a doctor, and had I ever heard of chapter 13 etc, etc, etc. Unless she had just robbed a rich woman and taken her clothes, this was no homeless person. Waiting for the cab, I looked up and this was the first thing I saw waving in the wind.

I got the cab down to Sullivan Street which is where I wanted to go for fabric and was also going to meet my two friends there. Got to Sullivan Street no problem, took a few pictures on the way. Went into Perl Soho fabrics as well as their yarn store, and I’m glad I did.

The fabric store is tiny, tiny and I usually order on line, but am glad that I got to see their fabric up close. Beautiful stuff, and oh so tempting.

They had a yarn that had little beads on it – just as soft as a cloud. You could make a gorgeous vest with it, or a scarf…but I resisted. I am NOT going to knit…do you hear me MIM!!!! No more projects.

Then the best part, meeting Hilary and Laurie.

Hilary I have written about before, and Lau is another friend from way back who is just one of those treasured people that you always want to hold on to. Lau still lives in Brooklyn and is a high school teacher, and god bless her, has been doing it for 25 years. Laurie has always been a wonderful artist, great writer, and has such a beautiful, expressive, wonderful face – I’ve always been jealous of her looks, talent and brains (but love her anyway!) . She is ethnic looking, with gorgeous long hair and expressive face and is a great friend. I don’t think that she thinks she is beautiful, but I do, and always have. We don't all see each other often, maybe every 5 years or so, but there is something about growing up together that distance and time will never break those bonds.

We had a lovely, lovely time at a vegan restaurant (so damn good – I think it was called Gobo) and brought each other up on the past years. Here are the three of us; I was holding the camera so it’s a little bit skewed.

My cousin and her daughter were waiting for me at the Tenement museum, so Lau and I took a cab down there and met them.

We couldn't’t get into the museum but we wandered around and poked into stores, and saw lots of stuff that we couldn't’t afford. I lusted after an eggplant colored Italian lambskin bag….but it was $300. A bit out of my price range. But I did get “How the other half lives” by Jacob Riis and “The 2nd Ave Deli” cookbook and “The Big Oyster” by Mark Kurlansky. (has anyone read his book “Cod” – I think it was one of the best books I ever read)

Lot’s of random NYC shots. . This Tasti delight just caught my eye.

A typical NYC building covered with ads for all kind of things.

Where else would you see “Moishe’s moving van” but in NYC

Another typical NYC street shot. I think this was on Orchard street or Delancy St. We were out looking for good Jewish pickles. (I know, Pickles aren't Jewish, but you know what I mean)

I didn’t get to Pearl Paints, or to Tinsel Trading..but next time I will.

A quick trip to Penn Station, caught the train home and really started to crash about ½ way home. I needed to lie down and stretch out. I was overtired. I was cranky and hungry. I actually don’t really remember driving home – but I did have both windows open to keep me awake. I came into the house, taking my clothes off on the way upstairs and slept for 12 hours.

I want to do more in the city, I want to stay for a few days and just walk around. I've forgotten how many PEOPLE are there, and how bustling and busy and crowded it is. I may book into one of those boutique hotels for a few days and just enjoy myself, perhaps with a friend or two.

It was a wonderful day, just wonderful.

Top 101 Artist Blogs

Look here. My little art journal is in the top 70. I am SO pleased and amazed. This was probably up for awhile and I never thought I'd get in there...so forgot to check, but there I am.

I really am pleased, thanks to you all,

Mim

Illustration Friday - Homage

As I learn more and more about art, I am trying to copy as many paintings as I can. Here is a try at copying one of Hopper's work. What seemed simple...was NOT.

Another New York weekend.

I am going to NYC again this weekend to meet friends and stay with family. I also hope to get some long awaiting special store visits in - to Here for some luxurious embeillishment goodies, to Here for some history and Here for some fabric madness.

I am also meeting a friend who is coming in from California for the weekend, being a native New Yorker she loves to get her city jolt. She and I went to kindergarten together, were in the same classroom when we heard that Kennedy had been shot, went thru grade school, junior high and high school together, listened to the Beatles together, sometimes went to the same colleges, and summer camps. Alot of history between us two. She is short and curly haired and vivacious and I was taller, always quieter, and loved to follow her around. She would dash into trouble like you wouldn't believe, and I'd be right behind making more trouble ( in my quiet way). We liked the same guys sometimes and I remember that she dated Donny Most in high school, but I think she'll deny that. She is a wonderful artist, illustrator and writer and always wrote wonderful poetry and stories.
When I think back to our childhood, it isn't rosy but it was happy and Brooklyn was a great place to grow up. H lived in a small two bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment, with a tiny kitchen, living room and dining room...and she lived there with her parents and maternal grandparents. The house was always immaculate, and H had her room carved out in a small section of the apartment. I was jealous cause she had her own room, and I had to share mine with my brother. Can you imagine some kids today living in crowded conditions? Her grandma kept kosher in a tiny kitchen. No dishwasher of course. And her father was a wonderful artist who did religious incredibly detailed pencil drawings - his drawing table was in the bedroom. We'd meet on the corner to walk to grammar school, junior high and then high school. We'd meet on the same corner on Friday nights to go ice skating and then later on we'd PRETEND to go ice-skating when we were really hanging out on street corners, mooning over cute tough looking guys and pretending to be tough ourselves.

We lived thru it all. Some of our friends didn't. Some went to Vietnam. Some OD'd. Some have just disappeared. But we're still talking about the commune that we're going to live on when we all get old and cranky, and have to live communally so that one of us can read and the other can write.

I'll post pictures and if I'm lucky, I'll find our sixth grade pictures and post that too. Lovely orange can flips we had in those days. If you don't understand that last sentence...too bad!

Animal Wednesday

Outline pictures of The Best Dog in the World - Samson "Mr. Easy" DiGirolamo. 1988 - 2002. No dog will ever come close to this one in sweetness, cozyness, and love.

Faithful.

Fun loving.

Jealous.

Silly.

Adoring and adored.

Winter Beach

Thomas Wolfe wrote a book entitled (published posthumously I understand) , “You can’t go home again”…but you know what? You can still visit.

My cousins now own the house that my grandma had in Long Beach NY. It was built in the ‘30s and is unpretentious and small, basically a two family house, with two bedrooms up and two down. Most importantly it had a porch and garden and was 3 houses away from the beach. I spent summers at this house when not at summer camp, and it was always that place that I could be assured of a warm and loving welcome by my beloved grandmother. Peach pies, delicious meals, evenings on the porch with the family, playing with the cousins, being on the beach. ( I could never surf the waves, which all my athletic cousins did so wonderfully, but I never gave up trying).

So now, thru family gyrations, my cousins own the house but are happy for us to use it whenever we can. We haven’t taken advantage of that over the years, so this weekend was the first time that we have been at the house without numerous cousins and family…and it was SO wonderful and relaxing. Walking along a cold winter windswept beach is like food for my soul. Relaxing in the sunny living room. Finding grandma’s sewing table with the threads and needles. Sitting in the sheltered garden in the sun, feeling all of the tension leave my shoulders. Here are some pictures of the first morning I was there, took a walk on the beach before sunrise.

The little shed at the end of the brick walkway is a shed shower, my favorite place to shower at the end of a day at the beach...or first thing in the morning...or late at night.

The street leading to the beach, see the little gate at the end - after that ...nothing but sand and water.

Sunrise on the beach and a beached horseshoe crab.

On Saturday it was such a beautiful cold day that we wanted to do something outside so went to “Old Bethpage Village” – one of those reconstructed villages where people walk around in costume. It was pretty deserted, but we had a great time looking at the architecture and playing with the animals.

Look at these pigs! Certainly no problems telling which was the male.

The cows were very friendly and tried to eat my hand and my coat. I was covered in cow slime.

Very interesting colored chickens, I guess they lay eggs all year round – surprise to me.
Random sheep picture.

This woman was demonstrating making egg noodles, which is a way to preserve eggs and get some protein during the winter months. (never thought of that myself) .
Here are some of the houses at the site, the farmhouse looks like one of my old houses, picturesque but cold.

A beautiful red barn, couldn't go inside which was a pity. Barn spaces are very special.

Next weekend I am going to NYC again, but this time to do city things and be with friends. This weekend was a family relaxing time and was just what the doctor ordered.