Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit

Many of you followed and supported my labor as I gave birth to "Losing Track" earlier this year. It was a labor of love, since it went to a very good cause: the "With One Voice" exhibit at the 2008 American Sewing Expo in Novi, MN and ultimately all funds raised are going to the American Cancer Society. Lynn, the brains behind this exhibit, reports that we raised $1,085! WooHoo!!!

"This year 93 artists from across the United States, Israel, and Canada gave voice to all the good that is present in the world. From the next door neighbor who helped to shovel your walk, to the organizations built solely on the purpose of serving those in need, to famous individuals using their influence to do good."

Here is our one voice:



and here is my "Losing Track"........can you pick her out above???


It was worth all the blood, sweat and tears after all!!

PEACE, HOPE, CHANGE: OBAMA!

no rant, just the facts

due to the current financial crisis here in the US, I am suspending my travel/fiber blog to deal with the more important issue of politics

How Racism Works:

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said 'I do' to?
What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama were a member of the Keating-5? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five )
What if McCain were a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

You are The Boss... which team would you hire?

With America facing historic debt, 2 wars, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, etc.

Educational Background:

Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in Journalism

Now, which team are you going to hire ?


PS: What if Barack Obama had an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter....


Alexander T. Bok, President & CEO
Boston Baseball Field of Dreams, LLC
50 Franklin Street, Suite 406
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: 617 422 0009
Cell: 617 594 2099
Fax: 617 249 0772
email: alex@bostonballpark.com

PEACE, HOPE, CHANGE: OBAMA!

Gee But It's Great!

to be back home!

Our trip was loads of fun and I hated that I couldn't share my enthusiasm each and every day by posting on the blog, but we were just too darned busy having fun!

Trinity Park was just across the street from our hotel in Ft. Worth, and C and I managed to drag our weary butts out of bed every morning and take a walk along the river. We stumbled upon a colony of about 50 Wood Ducks on our first afternoon there and were astonished by their number and how tame they were. Of course, there was a gentleman feeding them (he says he's been doing that for 50+ years!), but nevertheless, I had never been able to get so close to one nor had I seen so many in one spot! If you have never had the opportunity to see a Wood Duck, here is the male:

He almost looks surreal, doesn't he? C and I would walk along the trails and talk, and then return to the hotel and join everyone else for breakfast.

We had tickets to see the Impressionist Exhibit at the Kimbel Museum on Saturday morning, so all hustled off to that..........fantastic!!! We were staying right in Ft. Worth's Cultural District, so it wasn't far to the museums. We lunched at the Museum of Modern Art and then took in the exhibits there, all meeting up together again in the evening. Some of us went to the Texas Rangers/California Angels baseball game.

Even though the Angels had already clinched first place in the division and the season is almost over, the game was nearly sold out. We ended up sitting in the nosebleed seats:

Could it have been because this followed the game?

Anyone who knows C, knows that he LOVES fireworks....and it was a Texas-sized display!

On Sunday morning some went to the Amon Carter museum, but my sister-in-law Molly and I went to a nearby quilt show. She is a real trooper, for she doesn't even quilt! We had a great time and enjoyed seeing the works of local quilters. Then we all joined up and headed to the Botanical Gardens. Here are the Three Sibs:

Craig, Carol, Chris

and here's the whole group, minus Carol, who took the picture

Jacinto, moi, Molly, Chris, Craig and Margarita

Speaking of whom, here she is getting a huge laugh out of all of us older folks:

Margaret was the only one of the nieces and nephews who could attend. She and her husband Julius live in New Jersey, and we were so glad that she took time out of her busy life to join us all.

I think Carol snapped this one of us during lunch at the Museum of Modern Art:

I'll close with that for tonight.

Here's a good link for all of us Obama supporters to enjoy!

PEACE, HOPE, CHANGE: OBAMA!!!

More E. Fay Jones

We motored on into Ft. Worth on Friday afternoon, with our main goal being to reach the Lena Pope Memorial Chapel before it was scheduled to close at 4:00 PM. The traffic was heavy and we were getting nervous, but we arrived at just about 3:30:


Isn't she lovely! We could see her as we approached on the freeway....a far different setting from the three Fay Jones Chapels we had seen prior to this. What was he thinking? We soon found out!

Here's the lovely front door:


a view of the alter area from the narthex:


just another lovely view:


Fay Jones always seems to be begging you to look up:

more later.........we are off to the movies!!

On the Road Again: Day Two

We departed Memphis bright and early this morning, taking I-40 West amongst a large convoy of tree removal and power company trucks:


and here we are, crossing the mighty Mississip and entering Arkansas:


We continued west toward our first destination: Magazine Mountain, the High Point of Arkansas. Did I mention that High Points were also a high point on our trip? I was amazed at the beautiful swamp sunflowers that decorated the roadside as we climbed up the side of the mountain.


Here's the view from the top:

We were in a hurry because our GPS told us that we might possibly reach our next Fay Jones Chapel, Thorncrown, before it closed if we kept the pedal to the medal and there were no untoward delays. Well, the roads were curvey/windey and there was blowdown damage from Ike necessitating tree removal, so we were detained a bit. Then, our beloved GPS and Google Maps both told us to turn in the wrong direction, so we lost another 15 minutes of time! We rolled on up to Thorncrown Chapel just as the volunteer was putting up the CLOSED sign. I begged her to let us enter, and she was kind enough to do so! Phew!!

Here you are: Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas:

As we entered, I heard a musical rendition of "In the Garden", my mother's favorite hymn. My adrenaline was pumping, and just hearing that familiar tune almost made me drop down into a puddle! The volunteer was very sweet and invited us to take a seat and just enjoy the beauty. We did:


Here again, Fay Jones designed the chairs for the chapel:


It was past 5:00, the volunteers were gracious enough to let us stay as long as we wanted, but we needed to move on to Bella Vista and the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel:


So far, this is my favorite of all, and unfortunately it is late as I write this and I don't have time to really do it justice. We arrived after 5:00 PM, its closing time, but that was almost better because we didn't feel rushed to visit and leave. We wandered the grounds, walked the wonderful paths and just inhaled its beauty. This chapel was built in 1993 and may well have been one of Mr. Jones' last....but I am not sure, so don't quote me on this. It is so wonderful!!! Both C and I felt that it is our favorite thus far.

the lines and arches are just incredible..........and I love the door (enlarge the pic and see where the hinges are and how it opens!)


just look at those lines!


and as we walked on the paths surrounding the chapel, we saw the lovely inviting benches and felt Fay Jones.


Dinner tonight featured yummy ribs at Smokey Joes in Bentonville, AK, home of you guessed it: WalMart!!!

PEACE, HOPE, CHANGE, NO WAY: McCAIN/PALIN

I AM A MAMA FOR OBAMA!!!

On the Road Again

We are on a wonderful Autumn trip through the Southland of the US, meandering along country roads, eating tasty Southern BBQ and taking in some of the fabulous architecture of the late E. Fay Jones.

C and I departed Gainesville yesterday morning, heading northwest to Sewanee, Tennessee home of the University of the South, or Sewanee by those who know and love her. We have many friends who have attended this university, but we had never visited there. Most recently we have become interested in the the architectural style of E. Fay Jones, and learned early on through our friend Robin that the Chapel of the Apostles at Sewanee was designed by Mr. Jones. The new dining hall at Sewanee has a marvelous reputation, so we stopped there first for a great lunch, and then on the the Chapel of the Apostles:

It was truly a spiritual experience for both of us.

and yes, that is a Casavant Freres organ, similar but smaller than ours at Grace Church!

the sun wasn't always shining while we were there, but when it was, the nave was breathtaking:


Similar to the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, Fay Jones designed many of the furnishings in his homes and chapels, including these magnificent yet simple chairs in the narthex of the Chapel of the Apostles:


........and did I mention Barbecue???? Well, yes, there is always that cross to bear when one travels with C! We just happened to pass through Lexington, Tennessee, the home of whole hog barbecue, and also Scott's:


and boy, were we lucky! This joint opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM sharp! We arrived at 5:35 and felt blessed to score a couple of pulled pork sandwiches with slaw on top:

that was mine, with a side of delicious potato salad.
This is C's, with a side of baked beans:

and, oh yes: he had the LARGE sandwich! It was mighty good!

We drove on to Memphis, where we spent the night.

PEACE, HOPE, CHANGE, NO WAY: MCCAIN/PALIN!

I AM ANOTHER MAMA FOR OBAMA!!

Orange You Glad

I'm tying up a few loose ends and producing some new ones today! Here is the linen top that I have completed for my friend Pat. She wanted orange, yellow and dark greenish/black palm fronds, so that is what she got! I had not worked with linen before so this was new and lots of fun.

Here's the back:



Here is Butterflies and Blossoms:
I'm really happy that I put the second and darker coat of dye on what was once peach, because it is now a deep coral and just the contrast I was hoping for with my orange sweater set that I am planning to wear with it.

Here's the detail:


Don't you just love silk charmeuse!

PEACE, CHANGE, NO PALIN PLEASE!

Bizzy Daze

The ComplexiTee orders keep rolling in and so I've been busy trying to keep them filled. It really is a lot of fun and I am so happy that folks are enjoying them! I'll show you the three that I delivered today.

This first one is for my friend Karen, who has very similar tastes to my own and enjoys the same bright color palette as I. I had made one for her a month or so ago, but then a friend of hers literally bought the shirt off of her back! So here is number two:

This next one is for Diana, another knitting buddy of mine:


And here is the one I've made for Joey:

Joey wanted hers to have some southwestern Indian motifs and crosses. I just love this little Kokopelli guy playing his flute:

I've done a few more, but haven't had a chance to photograph them. They need to be delivered tomorrow, so I'd better get busy!

Been thinking of a new marketing concept for the tees: many have emailed and called me requesting certain styles of tees that they like and find most comfortable to wear. They are often difficult for me to find, and as you know sizing is really a key issue here. I am going to offer a 10% discount on Complexitee prices when the shirt is supplied by the client. So, if you have a once-white tee that has turned a bit grey, but is still in good shape and oh so comfy, AND you want it in another color, send it my way with some color and design desires and I'll make it happen! I've just finished a lovely linen blouse for my friend Pat....I hope to post a pic of it soon. She loved her white top, but wanted it to have some oooomph. It is now a lovely mix of yellows and oranges with deep greenish-black palm fronds!

And then there's the silk scarf monkey business, which I have sort of let fall by the wayside with my enjoyment of dyeing the tees! I wore one of my scarves to church on Sunday and had forgotten just how much I love the feel of that buttery soft charmeuse next to my skin. So, I started this one, Butterflies and Blossoms:

In the above picture the silk is still wet so the background appears quite bright, but when it had dried it was a lovely peachy color.........but I wanted it to be more of a red. So, this morning I got out the dyes and put a second coat over the peach. I'll show you the results in a day or two. I love this technique, which is called Rozome and was taught to me by Betsy Sterling Benjamin a year ago in a class at Pro Chem.

PEACE, HOPE and remember: NO PALIN!

Oh, yes, and just one more thing: here is a very interesting article written by Andrew Sullivan of The Atlantic on the integrity (or lack thereof!) of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain.

What's In my Totes n' Baskets???

Cate is sponsoring a "Stash and Tote Giveaway" this weekend, and since I live my life with one foot in the condo and the other in our lake house, I thought it might be interesting to take a peek inside my bulging traveling companions and show you the projects that I'm currently transporting to and from Atlanta.

When we leave home for the city, I'm always eagerly anticipating a couple of days of exploring new museum exhibits, restaurants, shops and art supply stores, and I'm also hoping for a bit more 'down time' when I can read my arty/crafty magazines and books, knit a bit more than my home life allows, carve stamps and maybe even sketch and paint with my watercolor pencils. This morning when I read Cate's blog, I looked to the left of my self-appointed side of the loveseat and here's what was residing there:

The black chicken tote (pattern courtesy of Emily Parson) contains the lovely Rowan cotton shrug that I'm knitting for my Mom for Christmas. (Please take special note that I have finished the first arm and it is waiting anxiously on a stitch-keeper for it's companion. I will start that this evening, God willing and the creek don't rise.....literally!) In the basket to the right is a shawl that I'm knitting out of torn strips of my hand-dyed silks. It is a no-brainer so is especially appealing in the evenings during or after a glass of wine. The tote in the front has a baby sock which I just started last night before K & D arrived to join us for dinner out on the town. It is a very easy pattern and the baby isn't due until October, so I'm in good shape!

Across the room, calling my name, is this other great canvas tote that I purchased years ago during a summer vacation on Squam Lake (notice the upside down Loon on the pocket?).

This bag goes with me on every road trip because of its great pockets and sturdy construction. The front pocket always contains my little moleskin sketchbook, a couple of sketching pens and watercolor pencils. You just never know when the mood will strike! What else do you spy? Hmmmm, lemme see now: there's the latest issues of both Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts, plus my trusty Speedball lino carver and my latest acquisition: Linda and Laura Kemshell's The Painted Quilt. The only thing that you can't see spilling out of this ever overflowing bag is my trusty Canon PowerShot......because I had to use it to snap the picture!

My friend Bobbie says that I lead a charmed life, and I have to agree with her! I am blessed and surrounded by a loving family and wonderful and supportive friends. I am never bored and the world around me never ceases to excite me and fill me with new ideas and possibilities.

On a closing note, I want to leave you with this link to an outstanding article written by Gloria Steinem for the LA Times, entitled "Palin: wrong woman, wrong message". Thanks to my cousin Jinny for forwarding it to me.

PEACE & HOPE

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Life's been good: we've been enjoying cooler temps, lovely breezes, and a few days of leisure. Well, not: C has been installing new driveway lighting, cable systems, and numerous other household improvements. So, I've been dyeing t-shirts:

This one began as my nemesis! I had completed the initial dyeing and wasn't happy with it, so I overdyed it, and I still was not happy, so it hung in my laundry room for about a month. I got out the discharging drugs on Monday and this is what happened:

I love this shirt! It reminds me of fireworks!! Although it doesn't show, the lighter portions that appear to be white, are actually a very pale lavender. It is a gorgeous tee and I am so glad that I pursued its destiny.

Here is another that I'm still working on:

It needs a little pizzazz! I'm thinking some gold!

For some unknown reason, this shirt photographed grey where it is actually a lovely teal blue. Yes, the reddish color is fuschia, but it looks great with the teal! The lighter color is more of a teal/lavender blend. I love it too, although it is not in my color range.


So, why the "Hmmmmmmm" in my heading tonight? I watched Sarah Palin's speach last night and I was angry at first and then as the night went on, pretty nauseous thinking that someone of John McCain's stature might actually stoop so low as to ask her to serve as his running mate....and that the American public might actually elect her to serve as VP, and potentially President! Don't get me wrong, she is one skilled politician, but that is about where she stops! If you really want to know more about this VP candidate(and this is funny!!!), you owe it to yourself to go here.

I am still hoping for

PEACE, HOPE, & NO PALIN!