Power

Today a student who had just called the principal gay (and not meaning homosexual, but dumb, he later assured me, as if that somehow made it okay) in my earshot, complained about my reaction.

Here's the script:

Student: How do you do that!?

Me: Do what?

Student: Make me feel like the worst person in the world just by looking at me that way.

Me: That's not me, it's your conscience.

Student: No, it's you. You get this look like you're totally crushed by our behavior, but you stay just as calm as always and it's horrible.

Me: Maybe you should only do things to make me proud then.
---
It's easy to forget what influence I have, since teens are loathe to let us know. Reminders like this are both flattering and sobering.

I also had a student thank me for correcting her assignments today. She said it was really helpful to have a teacher who graded for more than just completion. Pretty scary. I have faith in my colleagues, and in the system, but am aware of the need for improvements. Bright kids are woefully under-served by our schools, but average kids get what they need.

At last!

This bag has been in-progress for nearly a month! My design is fairly simple, but the thickness of the fabric and interfacing layers were stubborn to get through. I'm happy with it overall. It's a bit sleek, yet relaxed, and stands on its own.

My goal for the upcoming week is to complete two dozen more headbands. I'd also like to finish a batch of key fobs, and begin some pendants that have been dancing around in my imagination, but time is too limited.

I've been intending to go to an auto junkyard for months. My mission: to cut seatbelts from the least-used seats in cars. I plan to launder them and re-purpose them as awesome straps for bags.

Another design I'm toying with is for a gym bag. As a birthday present to myself, I might take a day off work to make myself the perfect gym bag next month.

I love to read your comments, and check out your blogs, Etsy sites, and works in progress, so leave your mark and let me know where to find you, please.

Something Old AKA Something New

About 8 years ago, I inherited an old sewing machine. But no key to open the case. Recently, HerRoyalMajestyBags.etsy.com advised me how to jimmy the latch. Hiding inside is a beautiful, 1925 Singer machine, with old thread and scrap fabric for testing thread tension. It's as if Great Grandma Jake never knew she was putting the cover on for the final time. The original instruction manuals were inside as well, and I can't wait to learn how to use this sturdy relic from an ancestral quilter and clothesmaker.

When I plugged it in, I got zapped with electricity, so I'm going to have to take it in to the friendly Quilter's Caboodle store in town (that's Troy, MO to you strangers). Enjoy the pics, and share any of your own Singer refurbishing stories.

InkNerd

I've always been intrigued by tattoos. I love art, and see it as natural that I should want to be a canvas. Here is the curated tour of my pieces.

My most delicate: My wrist is circled by a design I found on a "fancy dress pin" in a MOMA catalog. Brad, owner of Iron Age in St. Louis did the work in 1997.

My most ambitious: The tree on my back represents the seasons of life. Its roots are in the power of literature, and truth via Shakespeare's words. The bit with the naked angel was my first tattoo (1994). I wanted it incorporated to avoid a patchwork look, but it doesn't blend as well as I'd like. Cat did a fantastic, painstaking job on this. Find her at the Pain Station in St. Louis.

My most recent: the Celtic knot (originally done by Gary at Goldenlands, 1995) represents an endless continuum. The Koi represents my husband (a pisces) and the water represents my son (an aquarius). Work by Adya at Living Canvas in Columbia, MO (2007). I love it, and if I had a different day job, I might work it into a 3/4 sleeve.

Being Green

Green lifestyles are in vogue right now, but there is a backlash as well. Regardless of either zeitgeist, my household does what we can to respect the earth.
Projects we wish we could afford:

• re-insulating our attic
• insulating our basement
• graywater re-use system
• solar panels
• buy local eggs

We get bummed out because we can't do those things for a while, so to cheer ourselves up, we're listing what we already do/have done:

• totes instead of shopping bags
• mow infrequently, allowing grass to re-seed and mulch itself while using less fuel
• we never water our lawn
• Jetta TDI (since 1997) + a Subaru with decent milage
• we wash our cars only after salt is on the road for ice
• small house with responsible thermostat settings, windows open whenever possible
• clothesline instead of dryer for certain loads
• better light bulbs, and only necessary lights on
• perrennial flowers = less watering
• infrequently purchase carry-out/to go food (packaging & health)
• efficient new appliances
• buy used toys, clothing, furniture more often than new, packaged things
• cook few convenience items
• recycle (our trash can is never more than half full for once a week pick-up!)
• re-use
• avoid using plastic bags for lunches, use silverware, not plastic
• minimize car trips
• don't use gift-wrap--unless re-used bags

Miles to go, but we're on the road, and most of it is simple. We aren't even conscious of the effort for most of these habits, which is as it should be.

Room with a View

Time for more self-centered photos.













My crafting area is in our wide-open, unfinished basement. It's not pretty, but it's functional. Someday, we'll get around to finishing the basement and constructing actual rooms. I actually prefer large, spacious areas, and although can see all around me, from the laundry sorting to the fitness and play spots, my eyes pretty much stay focussed on what I'm doing.

The last pictures are of my craft tables, lightbox, and designated storage.
The others are photos of the murals surrounding the area. I want to build some shelving and hang dowels along the walls, but hate to cover up the paintings--the time capsule of a party we had back in 1996.

Lightbox Love

There it is: my new, DIY lightbox. -->


I used instructions found on: http://www.studiolighting.net/homemade-light-box-for-product-photography/.

To create the box, I needed five standard-size white foamboard sheets (about $28 total). I assembled them with masking tape ($5.49), and added two clamp lights ($5.99 each) and two daylight-bright compact florescent bulbs (($6.50 each).

As you can see from the first picture, the result was a dull gray background, so I added two more clamp lights and daylight bulbs. That did the trick. Witness the photos of the black purse.

The "cheap" DIY lightbox ended up sucking more of my cash than I'd planned, but I ws impatient and didn't take the time to shop sales. It's a worthwhile investment since my merchandise photos will "pop" with clarity and contrast now. I'll still go outdoors for photos of bags in action/with a sense of scale as I carry them.

I need to work on improving my photography skills, now; no more lighting excuses!