For some reason, I'm not really sure WHAT reason, I have been in the Christmas spirit much earlier than usual this year. I usually put my tree up about 2 weeks before Christmas and take it down New Year's Day. But this year I put my tree up the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Hopefully I won't be sick of it by Christmas.
I'm wondering if part of the reason that I'm in the spirit early this year is that I started perusing Etsy for Christmas cards (and possible gifts) a while ago, knowing that I would need to order things in time for them to get here (and not wanting to pay ridiculous amounts for shipping). I'm really excited because I ordered handmade Christmas cards and gift tags from Etsy this year. One set of cards and the gift tags arrived this weekend...they are so cute! I'm hoping the other set of cards will arrive today. I also bought some cool things from Strung Out & Wired to give as gifts to my work friends. I like to give something handmade, and for the past 3 years I have made ornaments. But this year I knew I wouldn't have time to make something myself since I have been doing more craft shows, plus I have several custom orders that are Christmas presents (and presents to make that I'm giving as well). What I got is really cool though, and I think everyone will like them.
Another (somewhat selfish) reason I'm really excited about Christmas this year is that my parents are getting me a spinning wheel for Christmas. I found one that wasn't ridiculously expensive and is probably a good starter wheel. It would really suck to spend $500 on a wheel and then figure out that I hate spinning with a wheel. I ordered a beautiful fiber batt from Uniquely Yours, which I plan to make my first real wheel project, after I use crappy fiber and scraps to learn with. I can't wait to get the wheel and start spinning with it! It is going to make it so much easier to spin plied yarns.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Last Minute Maul
Avoid the shopping malls and cookie cutter gifts and instead finish your holiday shopping at Last Minute Maul, where you can find unique handmade gifts of art and craft. I am one of 40 artists selling handcrafted items at Last Minute Maul at Koken Art Factory in St. Louis on December 13 and 14.
Here's the blurb from the website about Last Minute Maul (follow the linked title of this blog to get to the website or go to www.freewebs.com/lastminutemaul):
"The Last Minute Maul is your last opportunity to purchase handcrafted items by the St. Louis area's best artists before the holiday. Gift hunters can peruse through our 40+ vendor booths whilst enjoying a glass of hot mulled wine and a home made baked goodie. We'll even have beer for those hardcore holiday shoppers.
Face painting and henna tattoos will be offered for our young shoppers. We'll also have local Girl Scouts on site manning a gift wrapping station for all of our customers' purchases.
You will find everything from photography, paintings, jewelry, glass, fiber, and mixed media items. We've got your shopping list covered! If you're looking for that perfect one of a kind gift please stop by the Last Minute Maul!"
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Cowl Craze
So there seems to be a big trend right now for knitters and crocheters to be making cowls. Some of these are small cowls and some are gigantic oversized cowls. To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the cowl, which is probably why I don't make them. The plus side to the cowl is that you get the warmth of a scarf without the bulkiness and without having something to stuff into your coat or to be left hanging outside your coat. So I think I actually do kind of like the smaller cowls. This is also why I like scarflettes, which I do make. But I just don't see the point of the giant cowls. I mean, they are so big around that they don't really snuggle up to your neck, so you still have bare skin exposed to the cold. And even though you lose the bulkiness under your coat, you still have all of this bulky stuff on top of your coat. Apparently I'm in the minority though. I have definitely seen some beautiful cowls, even the giant ones. But for the most part, I'm a form over fashion kind of person, especially in the winter. I hate being cold and will pile on the layers in the winter, even if that isn't what is in style. So while some of these huge cowls are beautiful, they don't seem very practical or functional to me. And when it comes to items to keep me warm, I'm all about the practical and functional.
So now I come to the dilemma...do I bow to the trend and make some of these cowls, even though I don't like them, since they seem to be pretty popular and I'd probably have a good chance of selling some? Or do I buck the trend and continue to only make things I like, things I'd actually wear myself, even if they may not sell as well? I've never really been the type to follow a trend unless the trend was something I liked anyway (which is one of the reasons I will NEVER own a pair of crocs). But now that I'm trying to sell things, am I a sell out if I make something I don't really like just because I think it will make me some money? Would it even turn out well if it is something that I'm not enthusiastic about making?
Having thought about all of that, I think I have come to a compromise. Since I do actually like the smaller, functional cowls, I think maybe I will make a few and see how they sell. I think I'm going to make those and some more scarflettes (especially now that I have lots of pretty buttons) and leave the big-cowl making to people who actually like to make those.
So now I come to the dilemma...do I bow to the trend and make some of these cowls, even though I don't like them, since they seem to be pretty popular and I'd probably have a good chance of selling some? Or do I buck the trend and continue to only make things I like, things I'd actually wear myself, even if they may not sell as well? I've never really been the type to follow a trend unless the trend was something I liked anyway (which is one of the reasons I will NEVER own a pair of crocs). But now that I'm trying to sell things, am I a sell out if I make something I don't really like just because I think it will make me some money? Would it even turn out well if it is something that I'm not enthusiastic about making?
Having thought about all of that, I think I have come to a compromise. Since I do actually like the smaller, functional cowls, I think maybe I will make a few and see how they sell. I think I'm going to make those and some more scarflettes (especially now that I have lots of pretty buttons) and leave the big-cowl making to people who actually like to make those.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Super Busy
So I just realized that it has been a very long time since I have posted any blogs. I have been pretty busy the past few months and had to deal with some trying things, so I haven't really had a whole lot to write about lately. I'm not a big fan of the confessional blog, so I didn't really want to write about the personal stuff I was going through. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm totally an open book with people in person; people who just meet me know my life story 5 minutes later (okay, that is a bit of an exaggeration, but not much). But the whole blogging thing is just so impersonal that I don't feel comfortable writing super personal stuff on here. Plus, people I could be writing about could easily come across my blog, and I just wouldn't want anyone to think that I'm out here sharing things that are also their personal things.
Anyway, since I was spending some time dealing with my feelings about some personal stuff, reading a lot, and busily working on projects to get ready for some craft shows, I just couldn't really think of anything to write about. But I have a few things now, so there will actually be several posts over the next few days. I guess I will make up for not posting for like a month and a half.
Anyway, since I was spending some time dealing with my feelings about some personal stuff, reading a lot, and busily working on projects to get ready for some craft shows, I just couldn't really think of anything to write about. But I have a few things now, so there will actually be several posts over the next few days. I guess I will make up for not posting for like a month and a half.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Alice Walker, A Poem Traveled Down My Arm
While writing the previous post about the Etsy treasury, I started flipping through A Poem Traveled Down My Arm. I was reminded of reasons that I love this book and Alice Walker's writing so much. I really need to read more of her books. I have several I haven't read yet, so I think I will read one of them next.
A Poem Traveled Down My Arm is an interesting book. It is filled with little poems and writings and drawings. I love to write quotes in cards, and there are so many great quotes in this one little book.
As I was flipping through the book, I came across one of my favorites, "What is a promise if not your hand in mine?" I started thinking about all of the meanings held in this one little sentence. It is so simple and profound. One thing it makes me think of is my nieces's hands in mine. My sister and I took them for a walk the other day and they had to hold our hands because we were walking along the street. Their little hands in mine were a promise...my promise to keep them safe and their promise to trust me to do so. Of course, there is also the obvious, romantic meaning; I don't feel like I even need to address that. It also makes me think of the promise of a friend's hand in mine, like when my grandpa died last summer, the promise of love and support, the promise that it's okay to cry. And it makes me think of the promise the last time I held my grandpa's hand, which was the last time that I saw him alive. It makes me think of how glad I am that I took his hand that day, no matter how briefly. I think back to all of the hands I've held and all of the various reasons, and I'm so glad that I've had so many hands to hold, so many who have held my hand, no matter how lengthy or how fleeting it was. And I'm thankful and happy for the hands that even now I still have the opportunity to hold.
A Poem Traveled Down My Arm is an interesting book. It is filled with little poems and writings and drawings. I love to write quotes in cards, and there are so many great quotes in this one little book.
As I was flipping through the book, I came across one of my favorites, "What is a promise if not your hand in mine?" I started thinking about all of the meanings held in this one little sentence. It is so simple and profound. One thing it makes me think of is my nieces's hands in mine. My sister and I took them for a walk the other day and they had to hold our hands because we were walking along the street. Their little hands in mine were a promise...my promise to keep them safe and their promise to trust me to do so. Of course, there is also the obvious, romantic meaning; I don't feel like I even need to address that. It also makes me think of the promise of a friend's hand in mine, like when my grandpa died last summer, the promise of love and support, the promise that it's okay to cry. And it makes me think of the promise the last time I held my grandpa's hand, which was the last time that I saw him alive. It makes me think of how glad I am that I took his hand that day, no matter how briefly. I think back to all of the hands I've held and all of the various reasons, and I'm so glad that I've had so many hands to hold, so many who have held my hand, no matter how lengthy or how fleeting it was. And I'm thankful and happy for the hands that even now I still have the opportunity to hold.
Etsy Treasury
Sunday morning I waited patiently and got only my second Etsy treasury ever. I was inspired by one of my favorite Alice Walker books, A Poem Traveled Down My Arm, which is what I named the treasury. You can check out the treasury by clicking on the link or title of this post. I chose poetry-related items...some included poems, some were named after poems, and some just felt poetic to me. The treasury has gotten some nice comments. Several people have said it is the best treasury they've seen in a long time. I'm so happy that everyone likes it, and it has encouraged me to work hard to snag more treasuries. It helps a lot that I have a computer and internet access at home now (thanks to NB).
Of course, I never could have made such a beautiful treasury without the many talented artists and crafters selling their wares on Etsy. I had a few items in mind for the treasury that I had already seen. But I found lots of other lovely things when I searched for some more things to complete the treasury.
Of course, I never could have made such a beautiful treasury without the many talented artists and crafters selling their wares on Etsy. I had a few items in mind for the treasury that I had already seen. But I found lots of other lovely things when I searched for some more things to complete the treasury.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Crazy Autumn Art & Craft Show
The ShowMe Etsy street team is putting on our first show this week. The Crazy Autumn Art & Craft Show will be Thursday, October 16, from 5-9 pm at SqWires Annex in Historic Lafayette Square.
This show will be a great way to get holiday shopping done early. In addition to lots of vendors who have shops on Etsy, the show will also include special guest artists Big Small Town Designs and MFA students from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University. This show will offer a little bit of everything, from fine art paintings and photography to unique jewelry to fiber arts to handmade cards and much much more.
In addition to all of this handmade art and craft goodness, there will be free cheese and crackers and a cash bar. Also, there will be a free raffle to win one of four gift baskets stuffed with handmade items made by the show participants. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to pick up one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts!
This show will be a great way to get holiday shopping done early. In addition to lots of vendors who have shops on Etsy, the show will also include special guest artists Big Small Town Designs and MFA students from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University. This show will offer a little bit of everything, from fine art paintings and photography to unique jewelry to fiber arts to handmade cards and much much more.
In addition to all of this handmade art and craft goodness, there will be free cheese and crackers and a cash bar. Also, there will be a free raffle to win one of four gift baskets stuffed with handmade items made by the show participants. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to pick up one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Insulting Jennifer Aniston
I don't really follow celebrity gossip or pay much attention to what is going on in the lives of stars. My own life is much more interesting to me, which is how I think it should be, and I have much better things to do with my time.
However, a story on Yahoo today caught my attention because it was about how Halle Berry looks good being part of a couple while Jennifer Aniston looks good single. Okay, yeah, they are both beautiful woman who make a living looking good. Curious about what the story said, I clicked on the link, which took me to this story on OMG.
Here's what the caption under Jennifer Aniston's picture says: "She can't score a hit at the box office, and she couldn't hang on to that slippery John Mayer, but we have to give Jennifer Aniston some much-deserved credit. Why? Look at her!"
Um talk about a backhanded compliment! Again, I don't follow celebrity lives or gossip, so I have no idea what happened between Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. Actually the only two people who probably REALLY know what happened are Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. But um, hello, maybe she didn't WANT to hold on to him. Maybe she did the breaking up. And even if she didn't this totally makes it sound like there is something wrong with her, like she "can't hold onto a man." This really pisses me off. The implication that a woman whose relationship ends for whatever reason automatically has something wrong with her is ridiculous. And she only gets credit for how she looks? Yes, I realize the article is titled 2 Hot 2 Handle, and I shouldn't have had high expections. But I think this is not only insulting to Jennifer Aniston, but to ALL single women. To all women. No wonder so many young girls and women have self esteem issues.
However, a story on Yahoo today caught my attention because it was about how Halle Berry looks good being part of a couple while Jennifer Aniston looks good single. Okay, yeah, they are both beautiful woman who make a living looking good. Curious about what the story said, I clicked on the link, which took me to this story on OMG.
Here's what the caption under Jennifer Aniston's picture says: "She can't score a hit at the box office, and she couldn't hang on to that slippery John Mayer, but we have to give Jennifer Aniston some much-deserved credit. Why? Look at her!"
Um talk about a backhanded compliment! Again, I don't follow celebrity lives or gossip, so I have no idea what happened between Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. Actually the only two people who probably REALLY know what happened are Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer. But um, hello, maybe she didn't WANT to hold on to him. Maybe she did the breaking up. And even if she didn't this totally makes it sound like there is something wrong with her, like she "can't hold onto a man." This really pisses me off. The implication that a woman whose relationship ends for whatever reason automatically has something wrong with her is ridiculous. And she only gets credit for how she looks? Yes, I realize the article is titled 2 Hot 2 Handle, and I shouldn't have had high expections. But I think this is not only insulting to Jennifer Aniston, but to ALL single women. To all women. No wonder so many young girls and women have self esteem issues.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
10 Reasons I Love ShowMeEtsy
1. Wine! So, this probably isn't the top reason, but I had to list it first because not a conversation can be had with these women without wine being mentioned (and sometimes drunk). I love that!
2. Everyone is incredibly talented and unique. We all bring different strengths to the group.
3. This is an amazingly diverse group with huge variations in art and craft. We vary widely in age, style, background, life stage, education, everything, and yet we have formed this amazingly cohesive group.
4. We all have a great time together, but we also get lots of things accomplished.
5. While we may not always see eye-to-eye, this has not hindered us and compromise has been (maybe surprisingly) easy.
6. We all have lots to both teach to and learn from each other. Everyone is happy to both teach and learn.
7. Because we all have different strengths and weaknesses, we recognize the strengths of the others in the group and allow and encourage input from people whose strengths we appreciate. We don't look down on people for their weaknesses, but instead gently tease each other and support each other.
8. Speaking of support...that is also an amazing characteristic of this group. Everyone is supportive of the other members, not just in relation to our businesses and shops, but even with personal issues.
9. In only a short amount of time, we have come to know each other surprisingly well and many of us have an easy rapport that I hope makes others feel welcome to the group. I feel that everyone in the group makes an effort to make new members feel welcome.
10. Wine. Yes, I know I already said wine, but it had to be said again.
2. Everyone is incredibly talented and unique. We all bring different strengths to the group.
3. This is an amazingly diverse group with huge variations in art and craft. We vary widely in age, style, background, life stage, education, everything, and yet we have formed this amazingly cohesive group.
4. We all have a great time together, but we also get lots of things accomplished.
5. While we may not always see eye-to-eye, this has not hindered us and compromise has been (maybe surprisingly) easy.
6. We all have lots to both teach to and learn from each other. Everyone is happy to both teach and learn.
7. Because we all have different strengths and weaknesses, we recognize the strengths of the others in the group and allow and encourage input from people whose strengths we appreciate. We don't look down on people for their weaknesses, but instead gently tease each other and support each other.
8. Speaking of support...that is also an amazing characteristic of this group. Everyone is supportive of the other members, not just in relation to our businesses and shops, but even with personal issues.
9. In only a short amount of time, we have come to know each other surprisingly well and many of us have an easy rapport that I hope makes others feel welcome to the group. I feel that everyone in the group makes an effort to make new members feel welcome.
10. Wine. Yes, I know I already said wine, but it had to be said again.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Perfect Day
So I babysat my nieces most of the day and all evening today. We drove in and picked up my sister, and we all went to the zoo. As I was driving them home this evening, listening to For the Kids 3 (which I gave my niece for her 4th birthday) and listening to my niece tell me things, I was thinking about what a great day it was. It wasn't anything unusual...I've been to the zoo with them before. It was just the idea that it was a perfect day because I didn't want to be anywhere else or doing anything else except exactly what I was doing.
Then I started thinking about love and what it does to you (or actually, to me). I mean, even though those girls aren't mine, I love them in a way that I couldn't ever express. And when you love someone that way, in a completely selfless, would do anything for them with no thought for yourself kind of way, it really has a profound affect on your heart. It makes me feel like my heart is completely open, vulnerable and easily broken yet at the same time immeasurably strong. Not having any of my own children, I can only imagine what it must feel like when the kids are your own. If what I feel is only a tiny bit of what it feels like to have your own kids, then I can certainly understand the quote by someone (who I can't remember at the moment and am too tired to look up) about how having kids is to forever have your heart walking around outside your body. I just wish that I could carry that feeling around with me all the time. But I don't know if humans are built for that, to feel like your heart is breaking and being mended all at the same time. Since I belive that God is Love, I think it is the closest to God I'll ever feel.
Then I started thinking about love and what it does to you (or actually, to me). I mean, even though those girls aren't mine, I love them in a way that I couldn't ever express. And when you love someone that way, in a completely selfless, would do anything for them with no thought for yourself kind of way, it really has a profound affect on your heart. It makes me feel like my heart is completely open, vulnerable and easily broken yet at the same time immeasurably strong. Not having any of my own children, I can only imagine what it must feel like when the kids are your own. If what I feel is only a tiny bit of what it feels like to have your own kids, then I can certainly understand the quote by someone (who I can't remember at the moment and am too tired to look up) about how having kids is to forever have your heart walking around outside your body. I just wish that I could carry that feeling around with me all the time. But I don't know if humans are built for that, to feel like your heart is breaking and being mended all at the same time. Since I belive that God is Love, I think it is the closest to God I'll ever feel.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Craft It Forward
One of the things that I really love about Etsy is that so many of the sellers on there buy from each other. Then people use things they have bought in their own creations to sell. I've been calling it craft-it-forward. It is such a great thing!
Here is an example: I bought lovely fiber from Spincerely. I then spun it into yarn, which was purchased by iWonder. She then crocheted it into a lovely flower that is for sale in her Etsy shop. The flower is perfect for someone to use as an embellishment on a hat or other item. I think it would be so cool if someone bought it from her, used it to embellish a hat, and then posted the hat for sale on Etsy. And then if someone bought the hat for herself or to give someone a gift.
What a great thing! By the time someone has an actual finished product to wear, the parts have lovingly been created by several people. I wrote in another post about the threads of love that connect crafters and people who buy the crafts and how those threads spread across the world. This is another great example of that. I would love to create something to deliberately trace in this way. I have actually been thinking about buying fiber and asking for information on the origins of it (farm where the sheep were raised, etc), spinning it into yarn and listing the yarn in my shop for a low price, asking that the person who buys it uses it to make something else to sell for a low price and sends me information about what they make, asking the person who buys it from them to do the same, and so on until it gets to the finished product. Then everyone who had a part in taking it from the beginning to the finished product would get to see each stage and know who bought it in the end to wear.
This whole process is so much more personal than just walking into a store and buying something. It shows how much care artists and crafter put into their work. I just think that is such an awesome, powerful thing, especially nowadays, when we are so disconnected from each other in so many ways.
Here is an example: I bought lovely fiber from Spincerely. I then spun it into yarn, which was purchased by iWonder. She then crocheted it into a lovely flower that is for sale in her Etsy shop. The flower is perfect for someone to use as an embellishment on a hat or other item. I think it would be so cool if someone bought it from her, used it to embellish a hat, and then posted the hat for sale on Etsy. And then if someone bought the hat for herself or to give someone a gift.
What a great thing! By the time someone has an actual finished product to wear, the parts have lovingly been created by several people. I wrote in another post about the threads of love that connect crafters and people who buy the crafts and how those threads spread across the world. This is another great example of that. I would love to create something to deliberately trace in this way. I have actually been thinking about buying fiber and asking for information on the origins of it (farm where the sheep were raised, etc), spinning it into yarn and listing the yarn in my shop for a low price, asking that the person who buys it uses it to make something else to sell for a low price and sends me information about what they make, asking the person who buys it from them to do the same, and so on until it gets to the finished product. Then everyone who had a part in taking it from the beginning to the finished product would get to see each stage and know who bought it in the end to wear.
This whole process is so much more personal than just walking into a store and buying something. It shows how much care artists and crafter put into their work. I just think that is such an awesome, powerful thing, especially nowadays, when we are so disconnected from each other in so many ways.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Olympics
Like many others right now, I have been excitedly watching the Olympics. As I have been spinning yarn and preparing for the Cool Art, Hot Jazz show, I have had the TV on, tuned to the Olympics. I have also been interestedly reading Olympics-related stories online.
I always feel bad for those countries that don't win that many medals. I'm proud of the US team and glad when they win medals. I've certainly been glued to the TV during every swimming final that Michael Phelps has been in. I sit in my living room and cheer for him as if my thoughts and good wishes will somehow create a wave to push him that much faster to the finish line. I certainly would love to see him win 8 gold medals and think it is wonderful that he is now the winningest Olympian in history. But, would I feel any differently about that if he were from a different country? I don't think that I would. And as fascinated as I am with watching him finish race after race in world record time, I'm equally fascinated by people like the Mexican synchronized divers who won Mexico's first medal (and only so far) in the 2008 games, which I believe was also the country's first medal in the event. Or Abhinav Bindra, who won India's first individual gold medal ever and the first gold medal for the country since 1980. I think that is one of the great things about the Olympics. I watch and root for the underdogs and feel sad for those who lose, regardless of what country they are from. I wonder sometimes what it would be like to be from a country that never leads with the most medals and how much people from those countries may be pulling for their athletes.
I have been thinking quite a bit about gymnastics. It was so great to watch the elation of the men's team when they won the bronze medal. And it was so sad to me to watch the disappointment of the women's team when they won the silver. Not sad because the didn't take gold but sad because winning a silver medal at the Olympics, a SILVER MEDAL wasn't enough to make them happy. It makes me sad that there is all this pressure that says to them "you aren't good enough" when they didn't win a gold. Yes, I understand that drive to win, and that is probably what makes them top athletes. I also understand being disappointed about not winning a gold. What bothers me is how some of the media is portraying this like it is a tragedy. From one article I read it sounds like the team has moved past their initial disppointment, which is good.
Another interesting thing about the Olympics is that I will watch sports that I normally would have no interest in, like basketball. I just love the Olympics, the spirit it is intended to have and instill, and therefore I will watch just about any sport (I have to say that I really couldn't get interested in water polo). I'm looking forward to much more Olympics viewing and am excited for the track and field events to start.
I always feel bad for those countries that don't win that many medals. I'm proud of the US team and glad when they win medals. I've certainly been glued to the TV during every swimming final that Michael Phelps has been in. I sit in my living room and cheer for him as if my thoughts and good wishes will somehow create a wave to push him that much faster to the finish line. I certainly would love to see him win 8 gold medals and think it is wonderful that he is now the winningest Olympian in history. But, would I feel any differently about that if he were from a different country? I don't think that I would. And as fascinated as I am with watching him finish race after race in world record time, I'm equally fascinated by people like the Mexican synchronized divers who won Mexico's first medal (and only so far) in the 2008 games, which I believe was also the country's first medal in the event. Or Abhinav Bindra, who won India's first individual gold medal ever and the first gold medal for the country since 1980. I think that is one of the great things about the Olympics. I watch and root for the underdogs and feel sad for those who lose, regardless of what country they are from. I wonder sometimes what it would be like to be from a country that never leads with the most medals and how much people from those countries may be pulling for their athletes.
I have been thinking quite a bit about gymnastics. It was so great to watch the elation of the men's team when they won the bronze medal. And it was so sad to me to watch the disappointment of the women's team when they won the silver. Not sad because the didn't take gold but sad because winning a silver medal at the Olympics, a SILVER MEDAL wasn't enough to make them happy. It makes me sad that there is all this pressure that says to them "you aren't good enough" when they didn't win a gold. Yes, I understand that drive to win, and that is probably what makes them top athletes. I also understand being disappointed about not winning a gold. What bothers me is how some of the media is portraying this like it is a tragedy. From one article I read it sounds like the team has moved past their initial disppointment, which is good.
Another interesting thing about the Olympics is that I will watch sports that I normally would have no interest in, like basketball. I just love the Olympics, the spirit it is intended to have and instill, and therefore I will watch just about any sport (I have to say that I really couldn't get interested in water polo). I'm looking forward to much more Olympics viewing and am excited for the track and field events to start.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Onesto veggie pizza rocks
For the July dinner, the Restaurant of the Month club went to Onesto, a little pizza place in South City (St. Louis Hills). One of the draws of Onesto is that they use organic flour for the pizza dough and use fresh and local ingredients for the food. They also have lots more than just pizza, including pastas, calzones, sandwiches, and stromboli.
There seem to be several gourmet pizza places popping up; one of the things I like about this trend is that these places offer really great toppings that you can't get at other pizza places. And the prices at Onesto are reasonable...not overly priced gourmet. I don't typically order veggie pizza because most places stick with the standard tomatoes, onions, peppers on the veggie pizza. Well, I was super excited to see that Onesto offered a veggie pizza with some unusual toppings. One of the other club members and I split a small All About the Veggies pizza. This pizza was amazing! It was topped with sauce, mozzarella cheese, roasted eggplant, roasted zucchini, fire-roasted peppers, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and roasted garlic. The crust was slightly overcooked, but that is exactly the way I like it; it was nice and crunchy. It was really delicious, and I'm excited that I had a couple of pieces to take home. This pizza will not be warmed up in the microwave either. It will get the proper treatment (which it totally deserves) and be warmed up in the oven. Yum yum!
There seem to be several gourmet pizza places popping up; one of the things I like about this trend is that these places offer really great toppings that you can't get at other pizza places. And the prices at Onesto are reasonable...not overly priced gourmet. I don't typically order veggie pizza because most places stick with the standard tomatoes, onions, peppers on the veggie pizza. Well, I was super excited to see that Onesto offered a veggie pizza with some unusual toppings. One of the other club members and I split a small All About the Veggies pizza. This pizza was amazing! It was topped with sauce, mozzarella cheese, roasted eggplant, roasted zucchini, fire-roasted peppers, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and roasted garlic. The crust was slightly overcooked, but that is exactly the way I like it; it was nice and crunchy. It was really delicious, and I'm excited that I had a couple of pieces to take home. This pizza will not be warmed up in the microwave either. It will get the proper treatment (which it totally deserves) and be warmed up in the oven. Yum yum!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Etsy front page, but I missed it
There is a website an Etsy seller set up that lets other sellers easily see how many views their shop is getting, as well as how many hearts. When I checked out that site today, my views had jumped up, plus I had a bunch of new hearts. I knew I was featured in a ShowMeEtsy treasury, so I thought maybe it was just related to that. But the item that had a bunch of new hearts wasn't in that treasury. Well, one of the other ShowMeEtsy members found another treasury that I was featured in, called Pink Elephants on Parade, aptly, since my item featured was my pink elephants on parade yarn. I can't view treasuries at work, so I didn't get to take a look at this treasury until just now. Well, from one of the comments, it sounds like the treasury made it to the front page early this morning. I'm so excited but a little bummed. It was my first time making it to the front page, but I totally missed it. But I'm so excited that I was included in a treasury that is getting a lot of views and that made it to the front page. I haven't gotten any sales out of it (yet, fingers crossed), but the new views and hearts may help me get some future sales. Also, it may bring my shop to the attention of other people who could potentially include me in their treasuries. This has been the best month so far for my little shop...my sales doubled plus I was included in three treasuries in the last week, one of which made it to the front page! Yay!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Dreams of Knitting
As if it wasn't already clear that knitting has been dominating my life, now I have been having dreams about it. I guess it makes sense though...I have some yarn that I spun myself that wasn't enough to sell that I want to make something out of. It isn't quite enough for a hat though and it is superwash, so I can't make anything felted out of it. So I have really been thinking about what I can make out of this yarn. Obviously this has even filtered into my subconscious since I've been dreaming about this yarn and making something from it. The dreams may actually have helped though. I have been thinking about using it with another yarn, and maybe with lots of scraps to make a hodge-podge sort of scarf. Then, from my dream, I was reminded of a pattern I had seen for fingerless gloves using two different yarns as a way to use up small amounts of yarn. So that has inspired some other ideas, perhaps doing fingerless gloves, but my own pattern, using this yarn and leftovers of some other handspun yarn that I bought from someone. The ideas are swirling around my head. I've also been thinking about trying to figure out a way to make a big flower out of it for a brooch (since the yarn is pink), but again, it can't be a felted flower since this yarn is superwash. Plus it is bulky, so it needs to be something that will work with bulky yarn.
My mind is just brimming with ideas! I am now keeping a list of all of the project ideas I have come up with that I want to make. The problem is that my project ideas don't always match up with the yarns and fibers I have in my stash, so I will get inspired to do something with a stashed yarn, and then not get to all of the projects on my list. And now I'm going to be getting my July batt this week for the monthly fiber club I'm in, so I know I'll want to spin it right away.
Last night I finished up a super cute pumpkin hat. As often happens, I had a pattern for it, but the pattern wasn't quite what I wanted, so I used the pattern as a starting point and then changed it so the hat would be how I wanted. I'm really happy with how it turned out and even tempted to keep it for myself. That is always the dilemma...I rarely keep things for myself, but usually the things that I would want to keep are the things that definitely sell. I guess that means that I should always make things that I'd want to have myself, rather than trying to guess what other people would want. But that also makes it hard to let things go...I hope that they all go to good homes!
Of course the other issue right now is that I'm really trying not to spend too much money and instead am focusing on using up my stash. So, if I don't have the yarn for one of the projects on my list, then that project stays on the list for now. I probably will be buying some fiber soon though because I have a cool idea for some art yarn I want to spin. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will turn out well. I've been looking at fiber for days on Etsy trying to pick out just the right color. Another thing that is helpful is that I do have several deadlines. ShowMeEtsy will have a booth at Cool Art, Hot Jazz in August, so I have some things I want to finish up for that. Actually one is a project that I have been procrastinating on. It is partly done, but I have a few more pieces to make for it to be totally finished. Knowing that I have a deadline will probably help. Also, I'm thinking about attending the World Sheep & Fiber Arts Festival and possibly entering some handspun yarn in the fiber arts competition. That should motivate me to get the art yarn spun so that I can enter it in the competition.
There just isn't enough time for me to finish all of the projects that are floating around in my head. I dream of a day when I can spend as much time as I want on knitting and spinning...perhaps I should start buying lottery tickets. :)
My mind is just brimming with ideas! I am now keeping a list of all of the project ideas I have come up with that I want to make. The problem is that my project ideas don't always match up with the yarns and fibers I have in my stash, so I will get inspired to do something with a stashed yarn, and then not get to all of the projects on my list. And now I'm going to be getting my July batt this week for the monthly fiber club I'm in, so I know I'll want to spin it right away.
Last night I finished up a super cute pumpkin hat. As often happens, I had a pattern for it, but the pattern wasn't quite what I wanted, so I used the pattern as a starting point and then changed it so the hat would be how I wanted. I'm really happy with how it turned out and even tempted to keep it for myself. That is always the dilemma...I rarely keep things for myself, but usually the things that I would want to keep are the things that definitely sell. I guess that means that I should always make things that I'd want to have myself, rather than trying to guess what other people would want. But that also makes it hard to let things go...I hope that they all go to good homes!
Of course the other issue right now is that I'm really trying not to spend too much money and instead am focusing on using up my stash. So, if I don't have the yarn for one of the projects on my list, then that project stays on the list for now. I probably will be buying some fiber soon though because I have a cool idea for some art yarn I want to spin. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will turn out well. I've been looking at fiber for days on Etsy trying to pick out just the right color. Another thing that is helpful is that I do have several deadlines. ShowMeEtsy will have a booth at Cool Art, Hot Jazz in August, so I have some things I want to finish up for that. Actually one is a project that I have been procrastinating on. It is partly done, but I have a few more pieces to make for it to be totally finished. Knowing that I have a deadline will probably help. Also, I'm thinking about attending the World Sheep & Fiber Arts Festival and possibly entering some handspun yarn in the fiber arts competition. That should motivate me to get the art yarn spun so that I can enter it in the competition.
There just isn't enough time for me to finish all of the projects that are floating around in my head. I dream of a day when I can spend as much time as I want on knitting and spinning...perhaps I should start buying lottery tickets. :)
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Garden State and the Big Apple Part II
I'm going to finally finish writing about my trip, but I'm feeling lazy, so I'm not going to include any pictures (even though I have some great pics of Cleopatra's Needle in Central Park).
So let's see...day 3. We got a later start because my friend Laura's daughter Lily had a music class. But the only things I hadn't seen yet that I didn't want to miss were the Met and Central Park. Laura's husband Brian dropped us off on the Upper East Side, where I got a slice of pizza at a place Brian had found online for me. (Brian and Laura are Orthodox Jews, so they eat only kosher foods, which is mostly what I also ate during the week, except for a hot dog from a street vendor and pizza.) I wrote down the name of the pizza place but can remember it now. Anyway, the pizza was great.
From there Laura and I walked to the Met. I really liked getting a chance to see different areas of Manhattan. In the Village, the sidewalks seemed smaller, and they were crowded with people and vendors. I heard all kinds of different languages. On the Upper East Side, the sidewalks seemed huge, and although there were still people walking, there were fewer people and fewer vendors, etc. Along the sidewalk by the Met there were quite a few artists and photographers selling their wares. I was thinking how cool that would be if I could just set up a table by the art museum here or along Delmar or something and sell my knits and yarns.
The Met was beautiful, of course. We didn't have a lot of time, but I got to see the European wing, with the Impressionists, etc. They had some nice VanGoghs, Monets, and Degas. They allow you to take pictures, so I got several pictures. Unfortunately the pictures of the Degas were too blurry. They also had some Picassos, but not the ones that I particularly like. They also had a special super heroes exhibit, but unfortunately we didn't have time to see it.
From the Met we walked into Central Park, where we walked by the Great Lawn and Turtle Pond. We then walked up to Belvedere Tower, which overlooks Turtle Pond. As we were walking, we passed several musicians, which was really cool. We then went to see Cleopatra's Needle, which is an obelisk that was actually erected in Heliopolis Egypt in 1600 BC, moved to Alexandria in 12 BC, and then given to New York City and erected in Central Park in 1881.
After walking around Central Park, we walked back over to the Upper East Side, where we got take out from a vegetarian/kosher Indian restaurant and then headed home to eat. It was delicious! I got a curry dish with eggplant and potatoes and a variety of appetizers (like samosas).
We had planned to go to the Jersey Shore on Thursday, but the weather didn't really cooperate, so we ended up just going shopping at Ikea. I was happy with that though, since we don't have an Ikea in St. Louis.
Friday morning we drove Brian into the city and stopped at H & H Bagels on the way. Yum! After we dropped him off, we drove past the UN, and I also got to see both Yankee Stadiums across the East River. Then I flew home Friday afternoon.
It was a really busy trip, but I did also feel like I had time to relax and to visit with my friends.
It is strange because even though we only spent a few days in the city, there is a part of me that misses it. I was trying to think of a way to explain how I felt about New York. I finally came up with this... If you think of visiting a city as kind of like dating, there are sort of three categories: there's the person you go out with who you really don't care if you see again (you may actively dislike the person or just not like him enough to see care if you see him again); then there's the person you like, who you could be friends with, but that little inexplainable something is missing; then there's the person who you have chemistry with (regardless of whether it ever actually goes anywhere). Well, when it comes to cities, I feel the same way. Kansas City is in the first category... I could take it or leave it and really don't care. Chicago is in the friend category... I love to visit and spend time there.
But New York and I, we have chemistry.
So let's see...day 3. We got a later start because my friend Laura's daughter Lily had a music class. But the only things I hadn't seen yet that I didn't want to miss were the Met and Central Park. Laura's husband Brian dropped us off on the Upper East Side, where I got a slice of pizza at a place Brian had found online for me. (Brian and Laura are Orthodox Jews, so they eat only kosher foods, which is mostly what I also ate during the week, except for a hot dog from a street vendor and pizza.) I wrote down the name of the pizza place but can remember it now. Anyway, the pizza was great.
From there Laura and I walked to the Met. I really liked getting a chance to see different areas of Manhattan. In the Village, the sidewalks seemed smaller, and they were crowded with people and vendors. I heard all kinds of different languages. On the Upper East Side, the sidewalks seemed huge, and although there were still people walking, there were fewer people and fewer vendors, etc. Along the sidewalk by the Met there were quite a few artists and photographers selling their wares. I was thinking how cool that would be if I could just set up a table by the art museum here or along Delmar or something and sell my knits and yarns.
The Met was beautiful, of course. We didn't have a lot of time, but I got to see the European wing, with the Impressionists, etc. They had some nice VanGoghs, Monets, and Degas. They allow you to take pictures, so I got several pictures. Unfortunately the pictures of the Degas were too blurry. They also had some Picassos, but not the ones that I particularly like. They also had a special super heroes exhibit, but unfortunately we didn't have time to see it.
From the Met we walked into Central Park, where we walked by the Great Lawn and Turtle Pond. We then walked up to Belvedere Tower, which overlooks Turtle Pond. As we were walking, we passed several musicians, which was really cool. We then went to see Cleopatra's Needle, which is an obelisk that was actually erected in Heliopolis Egypt in 1600 BC, moved to Alexandria in 12 BC, and then given to New York City and erected in Central Park in 1881.
After walking around Central Park, we walked back over to the Upper East Side, where we got take out from a vegetarian/kosher Indian restaurant and then headed home to eat. It was delicious! I got a curry dish with eggplant and potatoes and a variety of appetizers (like samosas).
We had planned to go to the Jersey Shore on Thursday, but the weather didn't really cooperate, so we ended up just going shopping at Ikea. I was happy with that though, since we don't have an Ikea in St. Louis.
Friday morning we drove Brian into the city and stopped at H & H Bagels on the way. Yum! After we dropped him off, we drove past the UN, and I also got to see both Yankee Stadiums across the East River. Then I flew home Friday afternoon.
It was a really busy trip, but I did also feel like I had time to relax and to visit with my friends.
It is strange because even though we only spent a few days in the city, there is a part of me that misses it. I was trying to think of a way to explain how I felt about New York. I finally came up with this... If you think of visiting a city as kind of like dating, there are sort of three categories: there's the person you go out with who you really don't care if you see again (you may actively dislike the person or just not like him enough to see care if you see him again); then there's the person you like, who you could be friends with, but that little inexplainable something is missing; then there's the person who you have chemistry with (regardless of whether it ever actually goes anywhere). Well, when it comes to cities, I feel the same way. Kansas City is in the first category... I could take it or leave it and really don't care. Chicago is in the friend category... I love to visit and spend time there.
But New York and I, we have chemistry.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Grammar Bandit
I know I promised more to come about the NJ/NY trip, but I've been lazy about posting the rest because it is such a pain to embed the pictures (or else I just don't know how to do it an easy way...still learning). So I'm putting that off for a bit and talking about something else today.
I was driving to work this morning, and drove past Johnny's Market on Gravois. There is a little section of road in front of Johnny's Market with one of those road adopted by signs by it. It says "Employee's of Johnny's Market." The incorrect use of the apostrophe in this sign drives me crazy! When will people learn to use the apostrophe correctly? It should never be used to make a word plural. This is probably the most common grammar error I see on signage, and it is so annoying. I can remember being at a craft show ages ago where someone was selling front yard signs with families' names on them. The signs were custom, so you could pick your sign and then the guy would paint your name on. Well, all of the examples had the apostrophe used incorrectly. I really wanted to tell the guy but figured he would be offended. I wondered how many people would even notice the error and whether he lost any sales because of it.
So, while I was sitting at the stop light thinking about that this morning, I started thinking about how I would love to get some green tape and cover up that apostrophe on the adopt-a-road sign. That led to me envisioning sneaking up at night and taping the sign like some sort of grammar bandit. Then I started thinking about all of the other signs with grammar errors that need correcting...
A lone woman waging a secret war against poor grammar...saving the innocent from ignorance...providing relief to gammarians everywhere. Where will she strike next? It's the Grammar Bandit!
I was driving to work this morning, and drove past Johnny's Market on Gravois. There is a little section of road in front of Johnny's Market with one of those road adopted by signs by it. It says "Employee's of Johnny's Market." The incorrect use of the apostrophe in this sign drives me crazy! When will people learn to use the apostrophe correctly? It should never be used to make a word plural. This is probably the most common grammar error I see on signage, and it is so annoying. I can remember being at a craft show ages ago where someone was selling front yard signs with families' names on them. The signs were custom, so you could pick your sign and then the guy would paint your name on. Well, all of the examples had the apostrophe used incorrectly. I really wanted to tell the guy but figured he would be offended. I wondered how many people would even notice the error and whether he lost any sales because of it.
So, while I was sitting at the stop light thinking about that this morning, I started thinking about how I would love to get some green tape and cover up that apostrophe on the adopt-a-road sign. That led to me envisioning sneaking up at night and taping the sign like some sort of grammar bandit. Then I started thinking about all of the other signs with grammar errors that need correcting...
A lone woman waging a secret war against poor grammar...saving the innocent from ignorance...providing relief to gammarians everywhere. Where will she strike next? It's the Grammar Bandit!
Monday, June 30, 2008
The Garden State and the Big Apple
I realize this is a cliche, but I have to say it. I love New York!
Last week I visited friends who live in Englewood, New Jersey. We went into New York city three of the days that I was there. I immediately fell in love with the city. I wasn't really sure how I would like it, but I think that I could move there tomorrow and be happy.
The first day we had lunch at Azuri Cafe, which has amazing falafel. It is a tiny, hole in the wall sort of place on a narrow side street. My friends have been to Israel, and they said that the falafel was the closest they've ever had to the falafel in Israel.
That day we also went to Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and the Empire State Building; we walked by the library and got cupcakes from Crumbs, which were amazing.
That day we had sushi for dinner, which was really good. It was only my third time having sushi, and I liked it the best. I guess it really is better when you are close to the ocean. I especially liked the blackened pepper tuna roll and the spicy tuna roll. I have determined that I don't like raw salmon though.
Soho, where I bought a few things. From the Village, we got on the Subway and rode over to Brooklyn. From there, we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan.
After we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge we went and saw the World Trade Center site. We then walked to Battery Park and walked along the river to where the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty ferry is. We didn't have time to go to either of those places, but I did get to see the Statue of Liberty from the park.
The first 2 days were a lot of fun and a whirlwind of activity and sightseeing. More to come about day 3.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Family History and the Indie Craft Movement
I was introduced to the world of
craft fairs at a young age. I come from a family of artistic and creative
people, so I feel as though I’ve always been part of this crafting world, even
when I was only a spectator. My grandpa (my mom’s dad) was an artist, although
not by trade. (I think that was probably natural for his generation. He had to
drop out of art school because his work hours changed, and he had a family to
support.) His particular specialty was drawing cartoons, the great 1930s- and
1940s-style cartoons, featuring his friends and family. Both of my grandmothers
were also crafty. My closet still contains several dresses my mom’s mom sewed
for me. My dad’s mom taught me to crochet, to cross stitch, and to make
decorated cakes, and she always had some sort of project for me to work on at
her house. I still have the afghan she made for me when I was a kid (all the
grandkids got one). She was the one who really introduced me to craft fairs.
She and my dad’s sister always had some sort of project going and were always
selling things at craft fairs. I think they have done or tried just about every
craft known to woman (or man) except knitting, which is a bit surprising,
considering that knitting is my craft of choice.
Later generations have continued the interest in arts and crafts. My mom has painted, crocheted, and quilted. My mom always encouraged us to make things ourselves, telling us that a gift we made was better than anything we could buy. My cousin is studying to be an art teacher. My sister has a BA in Graphic Design, an MFA in Visual Art, and a Certificate in Fashion Design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After exploring cross stitching, crocheting, card making, jewelry making, and other things, I finally came home to knitting.
So, as I said, I have been familiar with the art and craft world for quite some time. The DIY ethic is pretty well ingrained in my psyche. Despite my familiarity with this world, I was surprised to discover an entirely new world of indie crafters. While these crafters share some traits with the crafters I was introduced to in my youth, there are many differences, which I believe is why indie craft has become its own movement.
In the more traditional crafting world, the main focus seems to be one of having a hobby and selling the things you made with that hobby. Some creativity is definitely present, but often things are made directly from patterns with little or no alteration. Many things are old-fashioned. I’m not taking a negative view of the traditional crafting world. How could I? This is the foundation on which indie crafting is built. Without our grandparents and parents instilling that DIY ethic and exposing us to that world, it may have taken many of us much longer to come to it. It is my heritage, and I’m proud of it.
Later generations have continued the interest in arts and crafts. My mom has painted, crocheted, and quilted. My mom always encouraged us to make things ourselves, telling us that a gift we made was better than anything we could buy. My cousin is studying to be an art teacher. My sister has a BA in Graphic Design, an MFA in Visual Art, and a Certificate in Fashion Design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After exploring cross stitching, crocheting, card making, jewelry making, and other things, I finally came home to knitting.
So, as I said, I have been familiar with the art and craft world for quite some time. The DIY ethic is pretty well ingrained in my psyche. Despite my familiarity with this world, I was surprised to discover an entirely new world of indie crafters. While these crafters share some traits with the crafters I was introduced to in my youth, there are many differences, which I believe is why indie craft has become its own movement.
In the more traditional crafting world, the main focus seems to be one of having a hobby and selling the things you made with that hobby. Some creativity is definitely present, but often things are made directly from patterns with little or no alteration. Many things are old-fashioned. I’m not taking a negative view of the traditional crafting world. How could I? This is the foundation on which indie crafting is built. Without our grandparents and parents instilling that DIY ethic and exposing us to that world, it may have taken many of us much longer to come to it. It is my heritage, and I’m proud of it.
I am equally proud to be part of the indie crafting movement. I am incredibly impressed with the crafters and artists I have discovered in this world. For many, this is not a hobby; it is a lifestyle. I think the difference between the traditional crafting world and the indie crafting world is that indie crafters infuse their worldview into everything they do; for example, if you are a crafter who cares about the environment, you make environmentally friendly products. While the people in this indie craft world are as varied as the people of the wider world we are all part of, there seem to be commonalities that many of us share.
These commonalities include social responsibility, political activism, and environmentalism. People in the indie crafting world care about the world around them and about making it a better place. They try to do that through their art or craft, even if it is only by hoping that what they make makes someone else happy or brightens someone’s day. Many take it even further by donating profits to charities, scholarship funds, or ill friends or family members. I don’t mean to imply that people in the traditional crafting world don’t care about these things, but having been exposed now to both worlds, I can see that these ideas, these visions that indie crafters have of a better world, are infused into everything they do.
And when you care about the world, the world knows it. I can’t describe the feeling I have when I send one of my creations off into the world with a person who has purchased it partly because they value the love, time, and energy that I put into making it. I think that most crafters understand that feeling. My love goes with that item, and it sends my love out into a wider world than I could ever touch in any other way. When I purchase a handcrafted item, I think about the person who made it and the love and effort he or she put into it. If it is yarn or something that I use to make an item to sell or give away, I think about my additional love and effort that has gone into it and how all of these threads of love stretch out as these things get given and sold to other people. We are creating connections between us, even if they are tiny. I think that all of these connections are being stitched into a great afghan that can blanket all of us with hope and optimism. Perhaps I am beginning to sound like a sappy Polyanna, but I really do believe that what you do matters and that the love you put into something gets carried along.
I think that is why indie crafting is a movement. People are tired of the impersonal, corporate goods. Where is the love in a scarf made in a factory by machines that is exactly like hundreds of other scarves made in the same factory? Who wants to give their money to huge corporations that continue to make the rich richer and the poor poorer? Indie crafters care about those things. The people who buy indie crafts care about those things. I care about those things. And perhaps you should too.
I think that all of the things happening in the world today are leading to a return to more traditional handcrafts, updated to reflect a greater awareness of the world around us. Just as the traditional crafters built a foundation for me, I want to build a foundation for future generations. I want to pass on the values that I see reflected in the indie crafting movement. I want others to understand the joy of making something with your own hands and of seeing that item bring joy to others. My dream is that this hope, love, and joy will be instilled in others, that it will spill out into the wide world to cause positive change. Perhaps that is a tall order, but I think we are up to it.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Iron & Wine and Funeral Songs
The Iron & Wine concert last Friday was a great show. As I mentioned in the previous post, the concert renewed my love of this band. Sam Beam's lyrics are simply amazing, when you really take the time to listen to them. That is probably why I love so many of the songs. Every time I listen, I find something new to ponder in the poetic lyrics.
At the concert they did almost every song I would want to hear, even Woman King, which is one of my favorites. My other favorite song, which unfortunately they didn't do, is Passing Afternoon. If I had the opportunity to chose the one song that would be played at my funeral, Passing Afternoon would be the song. There are several others that I would pick if more than one were needed, such as something by Lizzie West (Prayer is the obvious choice, but I think I'd go for Holy Road instead), Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin, and something upbeat, but if I really could only pick one song, Passing Afternoon would be it.
Here are the lyrics:
There are times that walk from you like some passing afternoon
Summer warmed the open window of her honeymoon
And she chose a yard to burn but the ground remembers her
Wooden spoons, her children stir her Bougainvillea blooms
There are things that drift away like our endless, numbered days
Autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made
And she's chosen to believe in the hymns her mother sings
Sunday pulls its children from the piles of fallen leaves
There are sailing ships that pass all our bodies in the grass
Springtime calls her children until she lets them go at last
And she's chosen where to be, though she's lost her wedding ring
Somewhere near her misplaced jar of Bougainvillea seeds
There are things we can't recall, blind as night that finds us all
Winter tucks her children in, her fragile china dolls
But my hands remember hers, rolling around the shaded ferns
Naked arms, her secrets still like songs I'd never learned
There are names across the sea, only now I do believe
Sometimes, with the window closed, she'll sit and think of me
But she'll mend his tattered clothes and they'll kiss as if they know
A baby sleeps in all our bones, so scared to be alone
At the concert they did almost every song I would want to hear, even Woman King, which is one of my favorites. My other favorite song, which unfortunately they didn't do, is Passing Afternoon. If I had the opportunity to chose the one song that would be played at my funeral, Passing Afternoon would be the song. There are several others that I would pick if more than one were needed, such as something by Lizzie West (Prayer is the obvious choice, but I think I'd go for Holy Road instead), Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin, and something upbeat, but if I really could only pick one song, Passing Afternoon would be it.
Here are the lyrics:
There are times that walk from you like some passing afternoon
Summer warmed the open window of her honeymoon
And she chose a yard to burn but the ground remembers her
Wooden spoons, her children stir her Bougainvillea blooms
There are things that drift away like our endless, numbered days
Autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made
And she's chosen to believe in the hymns her mother sings
Sunday pulls its children from the piles of fallen leaves
There are sailing ships that pass all our bodies in the grass
Springtime calls her children until she lets them go at last
And she's chosen where to be, though she's lost her wedding ring
Somewhere near her misplaced jar of Bougainvillea seeds
There are things we can't recall, blind as night that finds us all
Winter tucks her children in, her fragile china dolls
But my hands remember hers, rolling around the shaded ferns
Naked arms, her secrets still like songs I'd never learned
There are names across the sea, only now I do believe
Sometimes, with the window closed, she'll sit and think of me
But she'll mend his tattered clothes and they'll kiss as if they know
A baby sleeps in all our bones, so scared to be alone
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Forgetting what you love
I saw Iron & Wine in concert last Friday. I love this band, but I hadn't listened to the CDs much in a while. The concert was amazing, and I started thinking about how I had forgotten how much I love them. It happens...I discover new bands/singers and spend my time listening to them, and sometimes the old loves don't get as much play time. Then something happens, like going to a concert or hearing a song on the radio, and it reminds me how much I love that band, and then I want to listen to them constantly for a week or so.
That made me think about how that happens with other things in life. Like when you have a friend who you love to spend time with but then you both get busy and don't see each other as much and you start to forget how much you loved spending time with them. I have a friend I met at work; we bonded over a shared negative experience and became good friends. Last year she moved away; at first I really missed being able to talk to her nearly every day. Then I got used to it and started to forget what great conversations we had. We still talk on the phone occasionally, but it isn't the same. I'm going to visit that friend soon, and I can't wait to have the opportunity to spend several days together talking like we used to.
That sort of thing doesn't just happen with friends either...it can be a hobby, a book, or some other thing. (I realized that it is about time for my every-5-year-re-read of Lord of the Rings.) Then something happens to remind you of how much you love that thing, and you suddenly have a renewed interest and love for it. But why do we wait for something to remind us?
I think that this world is so crazy now, we are constantly bombarded with new and "better" things, and it makes it really hard not to develop a little bit of AD/HD when it comes to friends, dating, music, books, hobbies, etc. But I think it is important every now and then to remind ourselves that sometimes no new thing can compare with the love that we had for the old thing. Yes, sometimes the new love can become stronger, better, but I think it is still a good idea every now and then to go back and revisit the old thing and start a new love affair with it.
That made me think about how that happens with other things in life. Like when you have a friend who you love to spend time with but then you both get busy and don't see each other as much and you start to forget how much you loved spending time with them. I have a friend I met at work; we bonded over a shared negative experience and became good friends. Last year she moved away; at first I really missed being able to talk to her nearly every day. Then I got used to it and started to forget what great conversations we had. We still talk on the phone occasionally, but it isn't the same. I'm going to visit that friend soon, and I can't wait to have the opportunity to spend several days together talking like we used to.
That sort of thing doesn't just happen with friends either...it can be a hobby, a book, or some other thing. (I realized that it is about time for my every-5-year-re-read of Lord of the Rings.) Then something happens to remind you of how much you love that thing, and you suddenly have a renewed interest and love for it. But why do we wait for something to remind us?
I think that this world is so crazy now, we are constantly bombarded with new and "better" things, and it makes it really hard not to develop a little bit of AD/HD when it comes to friends, dating, music, books, hobbies, etc. But I think it is important every now and then to remind ourselves that sometimes no new thing can compare with the love that we had for the old thing. Yes, sometimes the new love can become stronger, better, but I think it is still a good idea every now and then to go back and revisit the old thing and start a new love affair with it.
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