tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55208779912551812812024-03-18T21:57:56.942-07:00a midwestern new yorkerlesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-59625494471737507882017-01-13T15:43:00.001-08:002017-01-13T16:02:13.968-08:00My Life As A Hausfrau, Part the FirstI pack my husband's breakfasts and lunches for him Monday through Friday. Happily, and gratefully, he has made it clear that he would prefer to eat basically the same thing most days. Through some trial and error we have arrived at the following: one strawberry yogurt and one banana for breakfast. For lunch, a sandwich (typically egg salad or cheese and salami) and one carrot, peeled and slivered. A clementine for a late afternoon snack. <br />
<br />
He could eat at his work cafe, but an average lunch there costs 25 chf (Swiss francs are roughly equal to dollars). That adds up.<br />
<br />
When we were living and working in Chicago, we would start most mornings with coffee in bed together and then go our separate ways. I would pick up a scone or some other sweet, bread-y sort of thing on my way into the office where I would arrive and immediately pour myself another mug of office supplied coffee. Lunch was typically a sandwich or soup at a chain like Panera or one of the smaller mom and pop restaurants around my office. Sometimes I would bring leftovers from dinner the night before if there had been anything leftover. In the evenings, if we had both had long days at work (typically the case), I would pick up a roast chicken and ready-made salads from Whole Foods, or we would (far too) frequently order delivery for dinner.<br />
<br />
When we moved to New York, we ate out a lot. Quite possibly, we could own a vacation home now for what we spent eating out in restaurants. But there were so many wonderful places to eat there! Every food from everywhere on earth was available. And why spend the time and effort making a curry when you could buy one for far less that tasted far better on your way home from wherever? <br />
<br />
Anyway. Switzerland? Not exactly a culinary capital. Though I've had a few nice meals out since arriving in Zurich, it's a
bit of a hit or miss proposition. And if you are spending 32 chf for a
cheeseburger, you really want that cheeseburger to be just short of
mind-blowing. Eating out is insanely pricey. We don't do it much.<br />
<br />
As I am not working*, it stands to reason that I
can and should shoulder the whole food part of our life here. I do the meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. Three meals a day for 2 adults. This, it turns out, is a not inconsiderable amount of work.<br />
<br />
We don't have a car, so the acquisition of sufficient groceries to make all these meals means several trips to the store every week. Which, even without a car, would be necessary given the diminutive size of our fridge and freezer. Which isn't really a complaint. I like our kitchen here, I like the smaller fridge. In all of our apartments in the States, the refrigerator was always some hulking stainless steel monster that stuck out a good 6 inches beyond the countertops. Always bugged me. Why can't these things be produced compatibly? (I do miss automatic ice* makers, though. Sigh.)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWD8J3d5OSsTBOtfpd4MA5F1ORKE0UpVUFZuWZnWP2C6H0P4CaPSEf4r9GxTaO95Hu6uvhWnpYqBCDXUkDvUdmSSTm1CBTy1UHwC0JoYjL2YD2S9S4L8zsPPDYEbd6q19GBlaZIV_qYs/s1600/kitch+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWD8J3d5OSsTBOtfpd4MA5F1ORKE0UpVUFZuWZnWP2C6H0P4CaPSEf4r9GxTaO95Hu6uvhWnpYqBCDXUkDvUdmSSTm1CBTy1UHwC0JoYjL2YD2S9S4L8zsPPDYEbd6q19GBlaZIV_qYs/s400/kitch+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I usually annex the kitchen table for additional work space.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNReKL5vkw3W_BiYcf08ufiB7EkxV0KDIIzz7lm8tdRioOiqwEKrIYvmptxVZG9CgYTQ0WHXTHZYG1vgixWQseMd14x_XYltiNu5jnAdTR02kKi6Dh0EboXUSHtzNqH9FeipSDMtrsW78/s1600/fridge+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNReKL5vkw3W_BiYcf08ufiB7EkxV0KDIIzz7lm8tdRioOiqwEKrIYvmptxVZG9CgYTQ0WHXTHZYG1vgixWQseMd14x_XYltiNu5jnAdTR02kKi6Dh0EboXUSHtzNqH9FeipSDMtrsW78/s400/fridge+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fridge. At least it blends.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkkTh9QT7ZOoKRx0jJrx8PhhKUt7uqYZiMI4INQroJwjRrLhCswU6A6fJIC8MJmHYFifdEClp-Bb1e0NmjkoVaXP5gphrtScnU6jt8aQmaOf4PauKpYitkSawNbHK-yWVotrx5ag_Q8k/s1600/freezer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkkTh9QT7ZOoKRx0jJrx8PhhKUt7uqYZiMI4INQroJwjRrLhCswU6A6fJIC8MJmHYFifdEClp-Bb1e0NmjkoVaXP5gphrtScnU6jt8aQmaOf4PauKpYitkSawNbHK-yWVotrx5ag_Q8k/s400/freezer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Barbie-sized freezer. Those drawers are only about 10 inches deep.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Grocery stores tend to be quite nice (particularly in contrast to our skeevy Brooklyn markets), and the quality of the food is very high. Lots of cheese to be sure and lots of chocolate. The eggs are incredible. The tomatoes are very good. The meat is sort of weird. Instead of the styrofoam tray and plastic wrap you find in US supermarkets, it's sort of shrink-wrapped in a way that leaves a lot to be desired, aesthetically. That's okay, though, because it's got me eating almost no meat as a result. I've been a little disappointed in the bakery/pastry area and I miss American donuts. Specifically the dulce de leche donuts from <a href="http://www.doughdoughnuts.com/menu/" target="_blank">Dough</a>. I miss American diet coke, too. It's called Coke Light here and tastes not the same. Mind you, I still drink it, but not without bitter complaint.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDq3UoWa6c_AMXpLmiVtikvV98RWGJtlcllW8GAtx8oTSY3q4eccqoFBJhsLMcmb-taOncRlNefF0ymSOsjkveJina9nCyqcfBPF4HgEQy_s7zxvZBZyhSt_kZfX_AuMVXCjAfTfA5UNg/s1600/beef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDq3UoWa6c_AMXpLmiVtikvV98RWGJtlcllW8GAtx8oTSY3q4eccqoFBJhsLMcmb-taOncRlNefF0ymSOsjkveJina9nCyqcfBPF4HgEQy_s7zxvZBZyhSt_kZfX_AuMVXCjAfTfA5UNg/s400/beef.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kinda gross, right?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU66Y72PTQVL3VKKN14MrqaQbvOQazSiU6NDwDHwc8bAK_IGJYWbDBPrlgioX-WIeMSX7jotIIax2si77NVcWWnGHpkzpGoFbq-J5P6NLYY87GRwKgpIz4HV2m3Hrac-EpCmg_mAK-zl8/s1600/meat+rack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU66Y72PTQVL3VKKN14MrqaQbvOQazSiU6NDwDHwc8bAK_IGJYWbDBPrlgioX-WIeMSX7jotIIax2si77NVcWWnGHpkzpGoFbq-J5P6NLYY87GRwKgpIz4HV2m3Hrac-EpCmg_mAK-zl8/s400/meat+rack.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>And they hang on a wall like socks or something.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIWUroym7NW95qHHSlM8lBQNZQYAoMYwoq5QMA9-_pWTwVQ0wXN5PdHK5OlT3dMxbLNw3d-GH-Fkq-I5Ar89u7xcyKMOJiovexdychnKJghU6bRji9052R427zy3ic-Rb61BrcgeNT8k/s1600/coop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIWUroym7NW95qHHSlM8lBQNZQYAoMYwoq5QMA9-_pWTwVQ0wXN5PdHK5OlT3dMxbLNw3d-GH-Fkq-I5Ar89u7xcyKMOJiovexdychnKJghU6bRji9052R427zy3ic-Rb61BrcgeNT8k/s400/coop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Coop Grocery store. This is one of the largest ones. With sufficient room for 2 carts to actually pass each other! Such novelty!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A side effect of cooking every meal at home is the amount of cleaning up that has to be done afterward. No just chucking the Chinese take-out cartons in the trash like in Brooklyn. I try to clean as I cook, in part out of necessity, as we only brought like 2 bowls with us when we moved, and in part due to the lack of counter space in our kitchen. You can run out of room to work pretty fast if the available space is cluttered with dirty pots and stray carrot peels. Still, there are evenings when I can't face the after dinner mess and just shut the door on it. God, it is so boring to do the dishes over and over and over again. Second-wave feminism got that right, that's fo' sho. <br />
<br />
I read a book by Jill Alexander Essbaum shortly after arriving in Zurich. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hausfrau-Novel-Jill-Alexander-Essbaum/dp/0812987292" target="_blank"><i>Hausfrau: A Novel</i></a> is the story of a young American woman named Anna living just outside Zurich with her Swiss husband and children. The heroine is modeled (sort of) after Anna Karenina, and is bored and unhappy with motherhood and the suburbs. She falls into a series of steamy and unhappy love affairs. The reviews make a big deal about the sex scenes as well as the general passivity of the main character. To me, Anna seems quite obviously clinically depressed. But the thought I kept returning to while reading her story was: How is this woman able to care for 2 small children AND keep a house clean to Swiss standards AND still have the time and energy for all her various sexual assignations? Impossible!<br />
<br />
<br />
*More on these things in a later post.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-72362568626055946682016-08-12T04:18:00.000-07:002016-08-12T05:05:50.866-07:006 months inI've written about a hundred posts in the past few months, in my head. It's hard to know where to start describing my life here sometimes, when everything is still such a new experience. But Melody A helped jolt me a bit and I decided I would write a little post (of interest possibly only to myself) about Swiss laundry.<br />
<br />
Yes, laundry.<br />
<br />
We had two apartments while we lived in Brooklyn. In Williamsburg we had a combo washer dryer in the unit. It was the worst thing ever. Aghh, I hated it. It took 3 hours to wash and dry one load. Ridiculous. At a certain point I just gave up on it and started hauling our stuff up the street to a laundromat. At the time, I didn't realize how exceptional this particular laundromat was. It was sunny and bright, and most importantly, clean. Instead of coins, you put money on a plastic card and used that to run the machines. The multiple TVs were permanently tuned to too loud telenovelas, but it was easy enough to walk over to Grand Street and run other errands while your stuff washed/dried. The whole loading up the laundry bags, hauling them down to the car, driving around looking for somewhere to park, plugging the meters, getting cash out to load your laundry card, actually doing the wash and dry, hauling it all back home again, draping the "delicates" on a rack (along with a fair amount of other stuff that didn't get fully dry after 4 spins in the dryer) took a considerable chunk out of the day, but what was the alternative, really? I've never paid to have my laundry done, that's always seemed like something only 1%-ers did. <br />
<br />
Anyway, after we moved to the Bed-Stuy neighborhood, this all changed. There was a washer/dryer hook up in our new apartment, but no appliances. The idea of buying major appliances as a renter and then having to sell or take them with us when we invariably decided to move again had exactly zero appeal. I was already used to my laundromat routine so I figured I would just find me a new laundromat. What I didn't factor in, though, was just how seriously janky the laundromats were in my new hood. My default one, the closest one with parking, was possibly the filthiest, most broke-down laundromat in the history of ever. If you wanted to buy a soda or some soap, you had to shout your request through the bulletproof plexi while sliding your money through an inch-wide slit. A fourth of the machines were permanently broken, the floor was filthy and usually flooded, and I was invariably hit up for cash by random folks whenever I pulled out a bill in front of the change machines. Well, go somewhere else, you are probably thinking. It's not the only laundromat in the city of Brooklyn, you might say to me. And you would be right, and you would be wrong.<br />
<br />
Self-serve laundromats are disappearing in NYC and Brooklyn as property values have escalated in recent years. I can attest to that fact. The smaller laundromats in both my Brooklyn hoods tended to be packed with users. There was rarely anywhere to sit while your load was washing, and there was inevitably a wait for machines. Doing laundry became one of my most onerous weekly chores. And it's not as if I was having to wash for a family with children. Just 2 adults. You don't really think about the ability to be able to just thoughtlessly do laundry as a quality of life issue until it becomes one. Which is all an elaborate preamble to the wonder and magic of Swiss laundry!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxXfwpoKTHm_ULZ0HlV1JXhz8uJBDScsXzyYng5f1aMOfl6k_FPIVq2ORo0ddjj1qWL-B7AHItnaP3o4zx82Lhz-njEa5de80Sx8LW-iuqzNyYhHh895yDiDQmc7WX0ZXuixl5Gj0VsI/s1600/gamma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxXfwpoKTHm_ULZ0HlV1JXhz8uJBDScsXzyYng5f1aMOfl6k_FPIVq2ORo0ddjj1qWL-B7AHItnaP3o4zx82Lhz-njEa5de80Sx8LW-iuqzNyYhHh895yDiDQmc7WX0ZXuixl5Gj0VsI/s400/gamma.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Laundry card. We keep it tucked next to our intercom by the front door as advised by the previous tenants. So as not to lose it, which I would have done 20 times by now, had they not made this wise suggestion.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We have two rooms in the basement of our apartment dedicated to laundry. Each side of the apartment building gets their own laundry room. There is only one washer and dryer in each room, but somehow this is more than sufficient for the 5 families that share it. There is a clipboard and pen outside each laundry room with a schedule on it. You sign your name to whatever block of time you wish (about 5 hours at a go) and that time is now reserved for you. Each apartment has a plastic credit card with a chip in it. This gets plugged into the little device by the washer to activate the electricity. That way your unit is charged by the power company for just the amount of laundry you do. No coins or cash needed. No having to pay for a neighbor's greater use. Just yours. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlaH_VMK9kMEDinajx0r1Zz7q5kNFUCywynyA2WSyHHaFLfyS6UJ5Sbc0-BBDGS4_yCUJH4OwQSqv66nGJ6xnykedp_1-B0fT31M5h365OiPo7sz4lVsL2-uaiyqKAHnBp_GNtI1c7y0/s1600/card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlaH_VMK9kMEDinajx0r1Zz7q5kNFUCywynyA2WSyHHaFLfyS6UJ5Sbc0-BBDGS4_yCUJH4OwQSqv66nGJ6xnykedp_1-B0fT31M5h365OiPo7sz4lVsL2-uaiyqKAHnBp_GNtI1c7y0/s400/card.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sometimes I forget to remove it after I am done, however. But it is always sitting on top of the dryer waiting for me when I finally remember to go back down and get it.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The washing machine is spotlessly clean. As is the dryer. It is assumed that each neighbor will keep it as clean as they found it for the next user. The floors are spotless. The whole basement is amazingly well-maintained. Everything is set up for maximum ease of use.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzZ-CnyTqyCe13t4FIPleWEQx_qoYq6qZ1EwYFz58hjb5WZSMFE0XiwJWHunmdKlfgMYiofaMAplSOlbd7DDWFY-B_Mibj0NJxLvIm1MkuCAqC2aMq48fBvOnh1uYRdATAbAdzn4AEGg/s1600/lines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzZ-CnyTqyCe13t4FIPleWEQx_qoYq6qZ1EwYFz58hjb5WZSMFE0XiwJWHunmdKlfgMYiofaMAplSOlbd7DDWFY-B_Mibj0NJxLvIm1MkuCAqC2aMq48fBvOnh1uYRdATAbAdzn4AEGg/s400/lines.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hanging lines.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UCsBhu3s3XJD69dBKRe4A_tDYQW6eLCIp905KiP0Yc-TbbJLxdjlNND9SX2b0ySsPmIlGzr1osvfPJcX4S6RRS5OcM3rgr_FD46oHaOU6X-OZuSiNkhq0uz54alnoE9yuoGB6mlgALw/s1600/secomat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UCsBhu3s3XJD69dBKRe4A_tDYQW6eLCIp905KiP0Yc-TbbJLxdjlNND9SX2b0ySsPmIlGzr1osvfPJcX4S6RRS5OcM3rgr_FD46oHaOU6X-OZuSiNkhq0uz54alnoE9yuoGB6mlgALw/s400/secomat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Magical air blowing blue thing.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The lines strung along the ceiling are for hanging up things that need to air dry and there is a magical machine that blows air into the room and sucks moisture out of it so there's no need to drape your brassieres and granny panties all over your apartment or out on your balcony. On laundry days, our NYC apartments invariably looked like something out of a Jabob Riis tenement photo with stuff draped or hanging over every available surface. I have a lot of feelings both good and bad about living in Zurich 6 months in, but I can attest to the fact that at least my laundry life is 100% improved.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFY5VTGzctkz_iNk_zTj5YZEbNuOjnXhE_2h_3fj6qcGrYEMJIYY9uOOkSvLGDpIiA2BKdorNkqWQr1wG86mFnseoFe-4j2XXINUFRJsgRJvK-hgBMaqci1CW3Lh1Rgte0dlSNTPn6lok/s1600/machines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFY5VTGzctkz_iNk_zTj5YZEbNuOjnXhE_2h_3fj6qcGrYEMJIYY9uOOkSvLGDpIiA2BKdorNkqWQr1wG86mFnseoFe-4j2XXINUFRJsgRJvK-hgBMaqci1CW3Lh1Rgte0dlSNTPn6lok/s400/machines.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You could eat off the floor, for reals.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-3322089216068692072016-02-04T04:30:00.000-08:002016-02-04T04:30:30.353-08:00...and so we are here!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e5D21g9tjwxQn8pt26P1J27zXXCawlx1y4wdPx-NL5w3rb6LTfj-4JZtYgG1tLQ9PGTFUVt9VyMSVNPf4dixhVEfJIB2y2jH9p2stbjnhtZG-0ivfQ_AE0fmAnAs_SHZpaqtbT0TWiY/s1600/boats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e5D21g9tjwxQn8pt26P1J27zXXCawlx1y4wdPx-NL5w3rb6LTfj-4JZtYgG1tLQ9PGTFUVt9VyMSVNPf4dixhVEfJIB2y2jH9p2stbjnhtZG-0ivfQ_AE0fmAnAs_SHZpaqtbT0TWiY/s400/boats.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>By the lake.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmCUdVBrNUsBjV0_HGlgqSNoTY4BYh6wN5sXpyf57FGGvOcjyix04_WsECivxw1pAn27oR6p2X33ImnVxHrN8vYqK2urTVEL0PdjtO_0yY8wov0fWe8fSE_k3ZuEJ8V3iy7TcM3wUgYE/s1600/house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmCUdVBrNUsBjV0_HGlgqSNoTY4BYh6wN5sXpyf57FGGvOcjyix04_WsECivxw1pAn27oR6p2X33ImnVxHrN8vYqK2urTVEL0PdjtO_0yY8wov0fWe8fSE_k3ZuEJ8V3iy7TcM3wUgYE/s400/house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pretty house and garden.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNM4K1VDA0wFFIXMIKk8qhXt_KRTug2jIPnMtjQ0TQGTS5J4cAdvz-k2Xn5Zv8gvrNpf8IFBYVUho3A0WQnaWLUeBpta8QHAWR7bWsIqMkhB_t34x8RWsZyYGLubOjU_QsbguFyXpuyPg/s1600/cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNM4K1VDA0wFFIXMIKk8qhXt_KRTug2jIPnMtjQ0TQGTS5J4cAdvz-k2Xn5Zv8gvrNpf8IFBYVUho3A0WQnaWLUeBpta8QHAWR7bWsIqMkhB_t34x8RWsZyYGLubOjU_QsbguFyXpuyPg/s400/cats.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Katzen.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmQ3mpOqhyphenhyphen7TTyqgJBj_eNdsCUOxJv8BkZrx8JAdkYpgLfi2VkJH9EGmEgD6jbv_MvlwuZhi1_ZhJXRNiLLXtiKhtgx4gOq5KFHyq2ycTS6ucGJSF6EUjs-gXNqCqpPkZgJBXGGqHkQ0/s1600/park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmQ3mpOqhyphenhyphen7TTyqgJBj_eNdsCUOxJv8BkZrx8JAdkYpgLfi2VkJH9EGmEgD6jbv_MvlwuZhi1_ZhJXRNiLLXtiKhtgx4gOq5KFHyq2ycTS6ucGJSF6EUjs-gXNqCqpPkZgJBXGGqHkQ0/s400/park.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Random park.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtT-IQup_lxu5iW3n2n0ysF8DsLdliNfGpPBp7BHByo4sn0OMIOgVZJzUSCRq7CAYfAMmWx9zn56Q_HjEbTzNg16HNQ6bKnOuRPw6lkwT3KNVShKMpyOZlQgUlUS-bl5sUZzQpLfKbJGE/s1600/run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtT-IQup_lxu5iW3n2n0ysF8DsLdliNfGpPBp7BHByo4sn0OMIOgVZJzUSCRq7CAYfAMmWx9zn56Q_HjEbTzNg16HNQ6bKnOuRPw6lkwT3KNVShKMpyOZlQgUlUS-bl5sUZzQpLfKbJGE/s400/run.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Running in rain for the tram.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Okay!
And so started this entry a week and a half ago? Maybe 2 weeks now?
Just reread it and decided to leave it. Will pick up on further
tedious details of life as an ex-pat three paragraphs down.</i><br />
<br />
Week
one as a new Swiss resident has officially concluded. I'm feeling
pretty good overall, but there's lots to do yet. We're currently in an
Airbnb, the "legality" of which seems a little uncertain. The dude who's
renting it to us has been pretty active as a host, but we were still
asked to keep a low profile. One of the many obligations of a new
resident of Switzerland is to register at your local Canton (district or
county) within 3 days of arrival. We did that the next day we were
here, hauling all of our paperwork with us. Frau Mittel, the efficient
bureaucrat helping us, did not understand Airbnb. Was it a hotel? No,
not exactly. So you are staying with a friend? No, not exactly. Hmmmm.
She did not approve. And without an approved residence, you are not
granted a permit (legal residency). We need to have our Airbnb host sign
a paper stating that we are, in fact, installed at the address we
listed. But he is out of the country. So for right now, we are in a sort
of legal limbo. Not sure exactly how we'll resolve that yet, but given
everything else we need to do, it's getting shoved to the back burner.<br />
<br />
We
opened up a bank account on Monday and it took one and a half hours.
Getting a Swiss bank account is no easy thing. In addition to an
accounting of all our financial assets and what I have come to refer to
as our "dossier" (permit application, work contract, passports, marriage
license), we were asked to provide the names and ages of our son and
grandchildren (at the permit meeting, we were also asked for the full
names of both sets of our parents, states where we were born, and our
religion). I had read that the Swiss were generally very private, but
evidently not within their bureaucracy. Next tasks: signing up for
health insurance (legally required to be done within the first 3 months
of residence) and finding an apartment.<br />
<br />
Evidently,
finding an apartment in Zurich is as challenging as finding one in NYC.
Awesome, right? We went to see one last night and there were 8 other
people waiting in line in front of us. If we didn't have cats, we would
have a larger selection of places to consider, but what can you do.
Applying for an apartment here is a process closer to applying for a job
in the states. Or admission to college. It was recommended to us to
include photos of ourselves and bios along with the usual financial data
and references. Unlike in the U.S., where the first applicant with
proof of appropriate income gets the apartment, here other
considerations may come into play. Like, do you seem like a "good fit"
for the apartment building in terms of age, interests, etc. I can't help
worrying that the younger and prettier applicants will outshine us.<br />
<br />
<i>As of this morning, we were accepted for both apartments we applied for</i><i>—so
much for that worry! We're going with the one that is my favorite, and
also less rent than what we were paying in Brooklyn. Yeehaw! Alright,
italics off now. </i><br />
<br />
So I am beyond excited at the
prospect of settling into new perma-digs. Our stuff is still on its way
across the ocean, and with any luck will only sit in storage for a week
or two until we get into the new apartment on March 1. I am not quite
desperate to be sewing, but something close to that. I have been without
a sewing machine or workspace since December, when I had to pack it all
up. I had thought I could use this interim time to try to write
more/better/regularly, but I've found myself unable to do so. This
change is very exciting, Zurich is beyond pretty, but navigating all the
details of this relocation has been exhausting. From the smallest to
the largest: learning Zurich's recycling system (they are deadly serious
about this, you don't want to get caught throwing anything out that
should be recycled—a good thing, but takes a bit of work to manage),
learning and navigating tram, bus, train and boat schedules, trying to
figure out where to buy ice cube trays for less than $20, translating
forms and paperwork from German to English, etc. I miss the relief and
mental distraction of sewing.<br />
<br />
For the month of February
we are in a temporary apartment, sublet from a very nice individual
named Tudor. He is taking 6 weeks to explore Australia and New Zealand,
and we are sleeping in his bed and using his flatware. His apartment is
located in the red light district. It is considerably noisier at night,
but only by Swiss standards. Nothing compared to Brooklyn. It's a one
minute walk to the tram with a grocery store immediately opposite. Not
maybe my first choice for a neighborhood (it has a Hooters! Srsly!), but it's just fine as a temporary
arrangement.<br />
<br />
Anyway, to date everyone is
surviving, including the cats. The Swiss version of Fancy
Feast—"Sheba"—is super stinky, though, both going in and coming out, if
you know what I mean. Going to have to try out some alternatives, these
apartments are way too small for that, omg.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-58401534992996372802015-11-30T11:11:00.001-08:002015-11-30T11:25:18.454-08:00Jolie laide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zQWIAMF1fp4I-2eqnnlSkHYM2M5gnf6hCPmVF0BhAoHK87DpVhnVtARP-r31hIHOf5RvXbdedg-ed6Fud1N8Z61ee_x6jg-EVKS5cQDs4RUstT9EhlaUY3jodlloCJQk4vYq7oF7Byc/s1600/jolie+laide+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zQWIAMF1fp4I-2eqnnlSkHYM2M5gnf6hCPmVF0BhAoHK87DpVhnVtARP-r31hIHOf5RvXbdedg-ed6Fud1N8Z61ee_x6jg-EVKS5cQDs4RUstT9EhlaUY3jodlloCJQk4vYq7oF7Byc/s400/jolie+laide+room.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38U4u5OTiZjPMRLm6enrVtYZDRPMNZ6JXRxSY1oSSkI4tkCUFQSVLT5_kzfUoj75vKfUm1jFqNFSLgGh0KEb3mrqhMVDUJaYaGveQXHMRZB9q0mIW8n4IpPHkrn_e45ULa7En7RyJsuI/s1600/jolie+laide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38U4u5OTiZjPMRLm6enrVtYZDRPMNZ6JXRxSY1oSSkI4tkCUFQSVLT5_kzfUoj75vKfUm1jFqNFSLgGh0KEb3mrqhMVDUJaYaGveQXHMRZB9q0mIW8n4IpPHkrn_e45ULa7En7RyJsuI/s400/jolie+laide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4tvvIGCks7fV57yLyAqgSkVW_eoZ_T-Q4TJtK7jIZPFXPOIOKeCW_08siB1doQRp5y8F1Mk1ekNBUmH3Z_rdUhtsuEXe5SN3yxLyWtuowHACM_2mbcXYUtw8bK4JfYUJkV8TMIoE0E0/s1600/jolie+laide+close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4tvvIGCks7fV57yLyAqgSkVW_eoZ_T-Q4TJtK7jIZPFXPOIOKeCW_08siB1doQRp5y8F1Mk1ekNBUmH3Z_rdUhtsuEXe5SN3yxLyWtuowHACM_2mbcXYUtw8bK4JfYUJkV8TMIoE0E0/s400/jolie+laide+close.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Another finish! And though I use an exclamation point at the end of that short sentence, as if I feel triumphant, I am in fact ambivalent about this quilt. This is one of those "almost" quilts - it's almost what I wanted it to be, it's almost good, I almost like it. Which makes me feel a little sad for it. Maybe it will grow on me. There are definitely aspects of it that I feel good about, and certainly I learned new things working on it, so there is that. But still. I guess it's particularly apt, the name I've been calling it as I work on it—Jolie laide. Such a great phrase. Beautiful ugly. I guess it is properly only feminine, but I can certainly think of any number of men who could be described the same way: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Abraham Lincoln, that actor on <i>Girls</i> with the wonderful torso and enormous ears, what's his name? Adam Driver.<br />
<br />
The bits I am digging are: the long vertical strips of that old Amy Butler print, the way the big flowers are fractured in places with other pieces of fabric. The yellow and pink combination. The fact that I was able to use all those half-square triangles originally created for a different quilt. The kinda vintage-y feel it has, overall.<br />
<br />
The bits that bug me: somehow, the dimensions are wrong, it should be a rectangular quilt instead of a square one. It should also be bigger, with maybe another sort of block introduced to mess it all up a bit more. I quite consciously put on that red binding, thinking I'd like that bit of clash, but now it reads more McDonaldland palette to me. I wonder if I wash it, if I'll like it better? More wrinkly? I might try it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, in other news, I have loaded some yardage and scrap bags in my Etsy shop, if anyone is interested in taking a look. I have a lot of fabric to re-home before we leave in January, so if you're in the market, please check it out. I feel a little weird doing this bit of promotion, but it's GOT TO GO. <br />
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/OffhandQuilts?ref=hdr_shop_menu">https://www.etsy.com/shop/OffhandQuilts?ref=hdr_shop_menu</a>lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-12750440618940614802015-11-20T13:33:00.000-08:002015-11-20T13:33:20.117-08:00GertrudeI've named this quilt Gertrude. After a painting by Ferdinand Hodler (Swiss!).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGp1tSAmU7G5OTsWSYEb8JtZqhUVLS7ZQJI1jcwYXCfx3EaPyDqN8aClo7qtZYogGXntHaa_Tzd3w5ks2fo-mIVuoTV5UitvIlePtL2BQEyoo9w6FKva11RRWwwNOOAahntw4zqXAn5s/s1600/gertrude+folded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGp1tSAmU7G5OTsWSYEb8JtZqhUVLS7ZQJI1jcwYXCfx3EaPyDqN8aClo7qtZYogGXntHaa_Tzd3w5ks2fo-mIVuoTV5UitvIlePtL2BQEyoo9w6FKva11RRWwwNOOAahntw4zqXAn5s/s400/gertrude+folded.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gertrude the quilt.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGG-Lko3Jsy9DadKCGIa6bxC1_2qyah0VVce-MdFBXnT-kR0hsy1F7JZVyqX0B1CFXVPYI3jz_sHqswLuFX4lz5-nosHHm2qABBn14UK023pvEzT7a1A1pTKfFnGadwCAQkfUtlsps7E/s1600/Gertrud+Mu%25CC%2588ller+by+Ferdinand+Hodler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGG-Lko3Jsy9DadKCGIa6bxC1_2qyah0VVce-MdFBXnT-kR0hsy1F7JZVyqX0B1CFXVPYI3jz_sHqswLuFX4lz5-nosHHm2qABBn14UK023pvEzT7a1A1pTKfFnGadwCAQkfUtlsps7E/s400/Gertrud+Mu%25CC%2588ller+by+Ferdinand+Hodler.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gertrud Müller the painting.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've Americanized the spelling of Gertrud for my own purposes. Is titling or naming quilts hopelessly pretentious? I am inclined to think so, but after enough quilts you've got to have some way to differentiate them, yeah? But also, apt! Look at that dress she's got on, those marvelous pinks! And bits of orange and purple! I kinda think it's a perfect name/reference for that quilt. Anyway.<br />
<br />
I started this quilt, when did I start this quilt? It was back in September (?) of 2014. I originally started it with the idea of doing a tutorial (of sorts). As suggested by <a href="http://amidwesternnewyorker.blogspot.com/2014/07/heavy-heart-busy-hands.html#comment-form" target="_blank">Melody A</a>. I thought I'd sort of remake this <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/15607204@N00/3533251737/in/album-72157600365566310/" target="_blank">quilt</a>*, taking snapshots along the way and then write it up in a how-to sort of thing. But that was about the time that my camera seemed to stop focusing properly. So I took pics with my phone, but they looked like crap so I could never get myself to really execute the whole thing. But I did finish the quilt eventually, so there's that.<br />
<br />
In truth, there isn't that much to convey in terms of how-to. It's sort of a matter of: 1) Gather a bunch of similarly colored fabric scraps together. 2) Sew like-sized pieces together, trimming as you go, until you get a bunch of blocks. 3) Sew all those blocks together and voila! A quilt. Okay, here are some crappy in progress photos for anyone interested:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0vcTmYSFCCABDFxUfig7aDeBf13miNb-Oa4DzUePcWpnNNOomVwS5H69cwEz6j1m2kV0exmjw4gcRoGF7XvHmsoBkao4B5fekaUEtfvwfEQpuOWEwSG3RLCCR0qOISOCHW5o9t2Cqqw/s1600/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0vcTmYSFCCABDFxUfig7aDeBf13miNb-Oa4DzUePcWpnNNOomVwS5H69cwEz6j1m2kV0exmjw4gcRoGF7XvHmsoBkao4B5fekaUEtfvwfEQpuOWEwSG3RLCCR0qOISOCHW5o9t2Cqqw/s1600/6.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIHImUqq5DDImnnKub7RYNeL_Vm9reBNqBpvTfWmN-rh3CApF-xSAKLUejABS7f56oHvfOIaZGdHIXFQxS1whB87ZTcuEqVNRnrS_XjL1ydefBLsUVvZ-RMBRAQEYYcxifOHoUZnQpeQ/s1600/9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIHImUqq5DDImnnKub7RYNeL_Vm9reBNqBpvTfWmN-rh3CApF-xSAKLUejABS7f56oHvfOIaZGdHIXFQxS1whB87ZTcuEqVNRnrS_XjL1ydefBLsUVvZ-RMBRAQEYYcxifOHoUZnQpeQ/s1600/9.jpg" width="320" /> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjinyl5zHpQYVyGSCt8QpkS09N5XsFobCY9lS2P6Cq4-61n-hJd8tFBQH4nXFuEj_sHGlBbHFVxeNyLy6WOBpwbTZstHioYjEn-IaX0YG90eNSdb7eEdWsobVvP4UA_5huCYW0BJUen7U/s1600/36.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjinyl5zHpQYVyGSCt8QpkS09N5XsFobCY9lS2P6Cq4-61n-hJd8tFBQH4nXFuEj_sHGlBbHFVxeNyLy6WOBpwbTZstHioYjEn-IaX0YG90eNSdb7eEdWsobVvP4UA_5huCYW0BJUen7U/s1600/36.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jv_TfwW3D1pSxai8D6SVtg17HnEQPY-VavjWPndU6x5M2V9IfRieqmRNU2YcgZU8b95MY4xaz3VmjoSiOhqPvlr4ykBSbsVvgcHIiqa80l8wQ-y0r_3UHuFJlPrHTc9_zZSDkHTbtIE/s1600/40.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jv_TfwW3D1pSxai8D6SVtg17HnEQPY-VavjWPndU6x5M2V9IfRieqmRNU2YcgZU8b95MY4xaz3VmjoSiOhqPvlr4ykBSbsVvgcHIiqa80l8wQ-y0r_3UHuFJlPrHTc9_zZSDkHTbtIE/s1600/40.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9FrkxKMuGMm4CFfmFRczpcgNHnhk29V-iM-V60feQVjmEmFrMHSaMAVGAcMbPlOkNvG1afzS37yqua0arYEasR0RAvIE_7NSwip7lgEHrhhDe_csyR66mdJQEMDBrsUuZwAYjN8x4rg/s1600/45.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9FrkxKMuGMm4CFfmFRczpcgNHnhk29V-iM-V60feQVjmEmFrMHSaMAVGAcMbPlOkNvG1afzS37yqua0arYEasR0RAvIE_7NSwip7lgEHrhhDe_csyR66mdJQEMDBrsUuZwAYjN8x4rg/s1600/45.jpg" width="307" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaxTfARHcjMwcG8dx5G73mzx7NjHAxJgkSDsYryJttNO7OHSwWZ_ar5lY5wL8-uE1tVrbieQHsxONsRd4akOWoRONbG3lpSXUObpfGFmppl_6hYOKhFxcA78KOPnm-JnshiteG7kkp1E/s1600/543.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaxTfARHcjMwcG8dx5G73mzx7NjHAxJgkSDsYryJttNO7OHSwWZ_ar5lY5wL8-uE1tVrbieQHsxONsRd4akOWoRONbG3lpSXUObpfGFmppl_6hYOKhFxcA78KOPnm-JnshiteG7kkp1E/s1600/543.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRQlwT-RQJPgK9IwAc7Hp6jvee_6NDejEF4jhfHXGVarSS2IFBf213GkiUoA4806PdBOUWtFwxjYtF3UDzU1eftW0cJWuHLFKHe6ffufivcGbTaWxdP4zQokchtFNIkzLIVs5OV3iUa8/s1600/549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRQlwT-RQJPgK9IwAc7Hp6jvee_6NDejEF4jhfHXGVarSS2IFBf213GkiUoA4806PdBOUWtFwxjYtF3UDzU1eftW0cJWuHLFKHe6ffufivcGbTaWxdP4zQokchtFNIkzLIVs5OV3iUa8/s1600/549.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTLxB8m1RWf2m79ncKRkn5gYwtrQEhEGmLBp_AY3nJ5e6uVEH4pSIUlc6C_EHHIxmFtEVu-HAjDK3iYWhMDt8LJi7dscWfCPR33q9GdjaYEquVY1V_svh3pW2U5mJJxyJouGom9jYoJk/s1600/almost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTLxB8m1RWf2m79ncKRkn5gYwtrQEhEGmLBp_AY3nJ5e6uVEH4pSIUlc6C_EHHIxmFtEVu-HAjDK3iYWhMDt8LJi7dscWfCPR33q9GdjaYEquVY1V_svh3pW2U5mJJxyJouGom9jYoJk/s1600/almost.jpg" width="256" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gjAq_6onf5lOWa7EzvQb5Gr0ehsZi64x-GUJ9fyw1G2M0zdyWzkp7Ibg6hr78wJkl9QIgRopngYFiBbszAFlTd1TW93GDedgsDhwjp-mzjAO0GFtyBOxwNQjYYNo0RzzhajJ5PiUIkw/s1600/finish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gjAq_6onf5lOWa7EzvQb5Gr0ehsZi64x-GUJ9fyw1G2M0zdyWzkp7Ibg6hr78wJkl9QIgRopngYFiBbszAFlTd1TW93GDedgsDhwjp-mzjAO0GFtyBOxwNQjYYNo0RzzhajJ5PiUIkw/s1600/finish.jpg" width="267" /></a><br />
I love the fabric for the back for this quilt. Kaffe Fasset, bought on super sale from Hancock's of Paducah. Is there anything sweeter than the finding the perfect fabric at 40% off? NO. <br />
<br />*That quilt has been eyeballed 9,392 times according to flickr, "favorited" 104 times. It enjoys a healthy pin-life on Pinterest, too. I have no idea why. I've come to think of it as the hot blonde cheerleader of my quilts.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-31721233412568402422015-10-21T11:27:00.000-07:002015-10-21T11:27:25.931-07:00What's Next<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq5QBUmos7-l9JyquK1MlggMpU1UmtBAkZSVUaftH3hnm0IC6fzDzCHfKkwUtsFA1iEgNSAATyrXGaPsFooyh6HDgZL4MvADv-RhBznnZ_kAylK89mR9q1CZBlkm6dag-zzzOhA2c6DI/s1600/Swiss-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq5QBUmos7-l9JyquK1MlggMpU1UmtBAkZSVUaftH3hnm0IC6fzDzCHfKkwUtsFA1iEgNSAATyrXGaPsFooyh6HDgZL4MvADv-RhBznnZ_kAylK89mR9q1CZBlkm6dag-zzzOhA2c6DI/s320/Swiss-flag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAmkGgzHBDuSFIU0dltMC9WPEjovG16M36hGCVn-pKn7qViUmqu5hF0OhLkKjMXarl6ThE4Ub9xDZrgrzCzCpcOTO4lGXIKThMI3ddsVs5eyyI6hVnEQEjlUDhyHzI0BempMQVw6OI1s/s1600/124482000240412807202001197_Alpine_Horns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAmkGgzHBDuSFIU0dltMC9WPEjovG16M36hGCVn-pKn7qViUmqu5hF0OhLkKjMXarl6ThE4Ub9xDZrgrzCzCpcOTO4lGXIKThMI3ddsVs5eyyI6hVnEQEjlUDhyHzI0BempMQVw6OI1s/s320/124482000240412807202001197_Alpine_Horns.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>These 2 photos depict pretty much everything I knew about Switzerland at the start of the summer. Also banks. And chocolate.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is nothing like the prospect of moving to make you reevaluate your relationship to things. I think, on the whole, we own less stuff than the average American couple. We have a small apartment by most American standards, though a fairly roomy one by NYC standards. We shed a lot of stuff when we relocated to Brooklyn from Chicago six years ago. But we were still obliged to leave a few sizeable piles of stuff on the curb outside our old Chicago apartment the morning we packed the moving truck. It just would not all fit.<br />
<br />
We now have another move on the horizon. An even bigger move than our last one to New York. We are relocating to Zurich, Switzerland by the end of this year. I know! Who'd have thought it? But an interesting job prospect was presented to my husband and now this is what's next. So: Exciting! But also: Terrifying! Terrifying insofar as we've decided to chuck almost everything we own. This will be my primary occupation over the next 2 months. Sorting, selling, donating, or tossing almost all of our worldly goods.<br />
<br />
Getting rid of stuff is not a major personal strength. Growing up with my mother, a benign hoarder, influenced the subsequent habits of my sister, brother, and me in different ways. My sister is happiest in a supremely pared down space. She readily throws things away. The very few objects she has of sentimental value she has had for years and I can count on one hand. My brother, a much more ready consumer of stuff than either my sister or me, has zero tolerance for shabbiness or wear. He and his family, though they've moved multiple times over the past decade, have only ever lived in brand new houses. The thought of moving into a space that has been lived in by someone else previously makes him shudder. He, too, has the ability to discard stuff with remarkable ease.<br />
<br />
Me? Not so much. Paper is my biggest weakness. Books, magazines, letters, photos, drawings, and so on are incredibly difficult for me to get rid of. I still have the essays I wrote in grad school in 1992. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I finally recycled my undergrad drawings (and only after first photographing them digitally). I've kept every letter I've received since 1983. I have accumulated a not inconsiderable archive. And it's gotta go. But first I have to look at it all again. I really don't have time to look at every scrap of paper I've filed away and carted around for twenty years, but I can't NOT. I keep sorting books into piles and shuffling them around our apartment. THEY HAVE TO GO BUT IT IS KILLING ME A LITTLE. I am feeling smothered at this point and exhausted by making decisions. I hate stuff! I've actually had an itch for the past year to strip away as much stuff as possible, so why is this so hard? Partly, I know, it's because I feel the need to dispose of it all in as responsible way as possible. To redistribute it consciously, being aware that there is no "away" in throwing something away. There was a great Roz Chast cartoon I ran across lately that was perfect to me. Here's a screenshot:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQW8q9nmo5O9xZQeF9XsXcXmG5VUAu-Rz2TbXKFWp2EgLPNOtzUrFfrR0Kz-m9sx4i8TiPAWU_lWOpvzf41hkSG7udQ36W0HVx8SiItbHWu20W0nCydlU8Vf4EeuRVp96bY0-PLfLgM4o/s1600/roz+chast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQW8q9nmo5O9xZQeF9XsXcXmG5VUAu-Rz2TbXKFWp2EgLPNOtzUrFfrR0Kz-m9sx4i8TiPAWU_lWOpvzf41hkSG7udQ36W0HVx8SiItbHWu20W0nCydlU8Vf4EeuRVp96bY0-PLfLgM4o/s320/roz+chast.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I suppose the immediate anxiety of disposing of all our stuff is good insofar as it keeps me from ruminating on the fears I have about this move. For instance: I do not speak anything but English. Zurich is going to be very small in comparison to NYC and I don't know anyone in the entire country. How will I make friends? And so on. I am doing my best to repress this for the moment, and trying to concentrate on the adventure part, instead. I'll turn 50 on a whole different continent! Change is good!<br /><br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-6251955725294008022015-06-03T06:29:00.000-07:002015-06-03T06:29:15.150-07:00The $500 dollar pillow. Or: money, money money.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6F-CZ4JH_CV0Wmrx6p_26GFKsZS_ft1tHlMxPh6m6ZhRmm2Ge52xFWjNJfCMbTWFxfsVZVshnMLll7YItr_VPWVlzeA74rKGpQnk7Hra4ApYC2BkOz-_dfw2GjE-Q49vq-pLKURS-m1o/s1600/5f872ba56c0df8b729bb3816b6126748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6F-CZ4JH_CV0Wmrx6p_26GFKsZS_ft1tHlMxPh6m6ZhRmm2Ge52xFWjNJfCMbTWFxfsVZVshnMLll7YItr_VPWVlzeA74rKGpQnk7Hra4ApYC2BkOz-_dfw2GjE-Q49vq-pLKURS-m1o/s400/5f872ba56c0df8b729bb3816b6126748.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
http://oroborostore.com/products/counterpane-pink-quilted-throw-pillow<br />
<br />
Well, more accurately, the $525 dollar pillow. It is rather large, 35" in length. Though the back is a plain fabric. I'll admit, my eyes bugged a bit at the price (and sold out, too!), which is telling given where I live (land of over-priced everything). Not that I begrudge the artist a penny. Which will be 50% of that number, most likely. And I understand that people will charge whatever the market will bear, etc. etc. But. Still. Holy Cow.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-52034874045020031012015-05-29T08:25:00.002-07:002015-05-29T08:25:54.077-07:00pattern follow-upOkay, so those InDesign docs to .png files look a little cruddy. So here are the .pngs of just the patterns. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPLb6dZFti3kSRDWPmACbVeYAJ3ypNsa-9SxN0OGTe6JFtS1qDEpk1XxN9dEO7mcVLTntGyDGl3sUGqgUZQRvzSUEpWxJxZ1i1V1PTf97Wvp9q3L3IGHp75GCcm-hHT1SMVKT9jXNo9g/s1600/blooms.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPLb6dZFti3kSRDWPmACbVeYAJ3ypNsa-9SxN0OGTe6JFtS1qDEpk1XxN9dEO7mcVLTntGyDGl3sUGqgUZQRvzSUEpWxJxZ1i1V1PTf97Wvp9q3L3IGHp75GCcm-hHT1SMVKT9jXNo9g/s400/blooms.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVobokcpiNtDPrpr4521LnEJEx0MB0t6Wx7hdwdiSvAvIBROzx4A9wkP8zs_A1nsIR5EsW-qVQPAsIsr96ZYHq_dlesIMJ8BepmssoVKTvSgP08bnHK1va5L8oH1K5VqBWjqQ1xoHKn9M/s1600/full+moon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVobokcpiNtDPrpr4521LnEJEx0MB0t6Wx7hdwdiSvAvIBROzx4A9wkP8zs_A1nsIR5EsW-qVQPAsIsr96ZYHq_dlesIMJ8BepmssoVKTvSgP08bnHK1va5L8oH1K5VqBWjqQ1xoHKn9M/s400/full+moon.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7G9M5WcP4y7b1-a18-0vJP_9iCOdIcLcohswyLmHVk7z8URbeExIY234LegVoPjdB2i8PD4ESRYBX4j7_GmQ2a7P272Z3W2MZRuQTtqiuwzmhyphenhyphent64supOaiP0o6J-d4fEx_zjffDVvg/s1600/moth+mob.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7G9M5WcP4y7b1-a18-0vJP_9iCOdIcLcohswyLmHVk7z8URbeExIY234LegVoPjdB2i8PD4ESRYBX4j7_GmQ2a7P272Z3W2MZRuQTtqiuwzmhyphenhyphent64supOaiP0o6J-d4fEx_zjffDVvg/s400/moth+mob.png" width="398" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCYEGJrE_0hVj2sEGW5C_p3QFn-HUXEyUC6YKVRamDJCL3X8KATCqwZNU8-BBBNr4kClpHFWIYx8kSKL1_nmur7XqnSv8kPLzgfgFyPej_SezQZOvJ-VhNjNgcmwF4GEckTlHP-2JbJM/s1600/sparklers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCYEGJrE_0hVj2sEGW5C_p3QFn-HUXEyUC6YKVRamDJCL3X8KATCqwZNU8-BBBNr4kClpHFWIYx8kSKL1_nmur7XqnSv8kPLzgfgFyPej_SezQZOvJ-VhNjNgcmwF4GEckTlHP-2JbJM/s400/sparklers.png" width="398" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxFeKQDhdNIPm9kgjfzvt56QO_OxZOKZsdphF2QhYClqj-Ex1rJ1X0dybES_lj_TYZXZgJXsLHXI_aJGUnprN35oIlR7hsjzImg0VEpy_j0V7IB7_BgUtGDsjMDfEznxp8uFY4SpoxxM/s1600/twilight.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxFeKQDhdNIPm9kgjfzvt56QO_OxZOKZsdphF2QhYClqj-Ex1rJ1X0dybES_lj_TYZXZgJXsLHXI_aJGUnprN35oIlR7hsjzImg0VEpy_j0V7IB7_BgUtGDsjMDfEznxp8uFY4SpoxxM/s400/twilight.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zfvQ8XopwL56lGywbdMJl1exXXZRmJ1x81wgE1BRQW6Wd1CRlut2KtMaO2nxIN2hzfjaK5HK2u9_ROMG-1vba5vxMU8PsQL3SCzuKm_MMeRSRdv3xBvrq3wcXUD-OTgVWGs_CIpWFoI/s1600/aura.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zfvQ8XopwL56lGywbdMJl1exXXZRmJ1x81wgE1BRQW6Wd1CRlut2KtMaO2nxIN2hzfjaK5HK2u9_ROMG-1vba5vxMU8PsQL3SCzuKm_MMeRSRdv3xBvrq3wcXUD-OTgVWGs_CIpWFoI/s400/aura.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-89805662520533718252015-05-29T08:19:00.001-07:002015-05-29T08:19:15.578-07:00So, I took a couple skillshare classesin pattern design. By which I mean I actually did the assignment (more or less) and posted it for comments/review. I have mixed feelings about these online courses. On the one hand, they are an awesome way to develop new skills on your own time and at your own pace. On the other, they seem to promote a sort of cloning of the teacher's design aesthetic. I like Elizabeth Olwen's work, I think much of the stuff she does is lovely. Her style seems a little narrow at first glance, but I continue to be surprised by how much variety she can generate out of a very specific visual vocabulary.<br />
<br />
I think it is hard to resist copying it as a student. There isn't much encouragement to take the information she provides and expand it into your own aesthetic. But maybe that expectation is beyond the scope of the class, or unrealistic for new designers. I don't know. I know I found myself drawing more flower designs than I ever intended. But I am also aware that flowers are so fundamental a part of fabric design they are almost a neutral (so to speak).<br />
<br />
So, I'm going to post a project here that I did for a class taught by Bonnie Christine. I'd be interested in anyone's (gentle, considered) critical feedback. I am of two minds, myself. On the one hand, I like them. They are, I think, (more or less) good solutions to the class assignment. On the other, I have a hard time thinking of them in terms of <i>fabric</i>. I think they are nice patterns. I am not sure I would buy them if presented to myself as fabric. But I am also too far inside at this point to have an objective view, perhaps. So. Here goes. Anybody? (Click to see larger).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdxdvqsMeIprXvVhIncwYIeTeeY9_DjgAZo62fiQVvuwIYRfJjdEEWdQR11pX7L0wncxNjsbeBdc_mbKBTF0X3hR6TnzlrF5gHhWyAFcmjPmVj5Ohh8w2xfHj3H_gyxX0TVnHSQZkZ-A/s1600/night+garden.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdxdvqsMeIprXvVhIncwYIeTeeY9_DjgAZo62fiQVvuwIYRfJjdEEWdQR11pX7L0wncxNjsbeBdc_mbKBTF0X3hR6TnzlrF5gHhWyAFcmjPmVj5Ohh8w2xfHj3H_gyxX0TVnHSQZkZ-A/s400/night+garden.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC9hYK5xGyEtOjwc-bj-tvprkO7CVTHW4rvqmVGIBCvQMFUQwCwooIQygYzJliZsc8sCHedmkOAalCMiZcnUttq8qZNFFeCSQIwCHhtcaNMNMYPl8KMFCx9bHUODN9ZZ0daSvzzlfJzE/s1600/night+garden2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC9hYK5xGyEtOjwc-bj-tvprkO7CVTHW4rvqmVGIBCvQMFUQwCwooIQygYzJliZsc8sCHedmkOAalCMiZcnUttq8qZNFFeCSQIwCHhtcaNMNMYPl8KMFCx9bHUODN9ZZ0daSvzzlfJzE/s400/night+garden2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR6Dvl70IuJ41ZXc9ZbpSFxzIMvgGGs2XOxeZIbcL_3-MxQeX5ElcSDCyh4ya5YeFaxwI_KUimkTJLBo8lubX4Lgt_C11gWHyf2A1sxa19GWzUVZ9QlJkEhgamjRyqF6ye0EL7PfqNM8/s1600/night+garden3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyR6Dvl70IuJ41ZXc9ZbpSFxzIMvgGGs2XOxeZIbcL_3-MxQeX5ElcSDCyh4ya5YeFaxwI_KUimkTJLBo8lubX4Lgt_C11gWHyf2A1sxa19GWzUVZ9QlJkEhgamjRyqF6ye0EL7PfqNM8/s400/night+garden3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5d4neYRIqKdic2aQZ33pPV52ZvXBVY73hUoK5iRBwJ5Z6eh3bxOVaNnaoK7kdt9YB-y4vGnEXrt8S-VJ4g64-k1SXqkmRrd2LyF82n3VO34HgfyzM8zDAkCtoxv-zw7MvWzIZFsnEmk4/s1600/night+garden4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5d4neYRIqKdic2aQZ33pPV52ZvXBVY73hUoK5iRBwJ5Z6eh3bxOVaNnaoK7kdt9YB-y4vGnEXrt8S-VJ4g64-k1SXqkmRrd2LyF82n3VO34HgfyzM8zDAkCtoxv-zw7MvWzIZFsnEmk4/s400/night+garden4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7urWH8bo338BBmj5nFjm8qtcMkAwNANIw2RfgyGY9F_8UTddFIl8vk3nlieArPDj0BPMRz9ozQqQZ9brK_Uh6ofCgqmaXYrCI9YgNqbWj9jM7jznZQUxxoj4CDw1OE9WAA-VBWcnoBK4/s1600/night+garden5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7urWH8bo338BBmj5nFjm8qtcMkAwNANIw2RfgyGY9F_8UTddFIl8vk3nlieArPDj0BPMRz9ozQqQZ9brK_Uh6ofCgqmaXYrCI9YgNqbWj9jM7jznZQUxxoj4CDw1OE9WAA-VBWcnoBK4/s400/night+garden5.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyv1Lx22RWLyD5bDntBpSjEqVGAIxSYkud66pCtjB5-SqbuBo19x0ATbq48d84jHiD9097TlfOm-jDVrDMFGRDk4E04EOWoxNf9XrzS1uX7Ed38fezL6rCuW0YMeO_D-LtUIjBbolgWA/s1600/night+garden6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyv1Lx22RWLyD5bDntBpSjEqVGAIxSYkud66pCtjB5-SqbuBo19x0ATbq48d84jHiD9097TlfOm-jDVrDMFGRDk4E04EOWoxNf9XrzS1uX7Ed38fezL6rCuW0YMeO_D-LtUIjBbolgWA/s400/night+garden6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-66480760519089744712015-05-23T17:18:00.002-07:002015-05-23T17:18:13.340-07:00repair and mendSo I finally got around to taking my camera into the repair shop for a look-see. Very nice camera dude aimed it at some big poster on the wall to check the focus, messed around with the settings, and handed it back to me.<br />
<br />
Him: "There's nothing wrong with it." <br />
Me: "Really? Are you sure? Cause the focus seemed really off to me."<br />
Him: "You had some weird settings. I reset them."<br />
Me: "Uh, okay, great. Does it seem really dirty to you? Does it need to be cleaned?"<br />
Him: "No. It seems fine."<br />
<br />
Hmm. I thought to myself leaving the shop. I'll take some pictures and see for myself. So I did.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
And, as it turns out, it's now working just fine! Thanks, camera dude! For making it better, and for not ripping me off when you totally could have. You are an upstanding New Yorker.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HpQZQE1Lmv-U1msvLpkOfw7QQwKc6GbDRAkENlgBM3T5v4KoFPeKTJIP7JRxEN6pakuMP8vwbubxIazz9_htR75PLZWQXySpsZ4Z3xY-QQUyZWpGXjgmfJ87bO0RMaW_TLSUZHq642c/s1600/focus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HpQZQE1Lmv-U1msvLpkOfw7QQwKc6GbDRAkENlgBM3T5v4KoFPeKTJIP7JRxEN6pakuMP8vwbubxIazz9_htR75PLZWQXySpsZ4Z3xY-QQUyZWpGXjgmfJ87bO0RMaW_TLSUZHq642c/s400/focus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Magical focus poster thing at camera repair joint.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCQzK0BY-SRCXk4w9IBait0ZtO8gIE1ZM1DOygRlImVX-HKlh5UkqbvBbDt3W3NMaqbcrxz0KulpjYCplbhJxjCnITQwHhV__F88KbnzVkVtw-ZZsz_OqDXI07mJahJ9qkZb5MeE9qMo/s1600/chelsea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCQzK0BY-SRCXk4w9IBait0ZtO8gIE1ZM1DOygRlImVX-HKlh5UkqbvBbDt3W3NMaqbcrxz0KulpjYCplbhJxjCnITQwHhV__F88KbnzVkVtw-ZZsz_OqDXI07mJahJ9qkZb5MeE9qMo/s400/chelsea.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>All better! So happy.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-25613303796706399012015-04-20T12:38:00.005-07:002015-04-20T12:38:46.523-07:00springtime fluIs there much worse than being stuck in bed with the flu on the first nice weekend in what seems like forever? (Well, yes, there are many worse things, but this is my worst thing for right now).<br />
<br />
So I missed out on all the joy that is to be found in a NYC beautiful spring weekend (the cherry trees are in bloom!) but at least I made it up to the Bronx on Friday to see an exhibit of Gee's Bend quilts before I was so cruelly laid low.<br />
<br />
It's been some time since I've seen a GB quilt in the flesh (so to speak). This was a small show—only 14 quilts, but had some real beauties in it. I was struck, yet again, by how some of the most beautiful quilts can be constructed of the most dubious materials. One of my favorites was this one with the pink center. It's made of what have to be mostly polyester corduroys. But that mix of color is somehow just right.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrdy8tweI0nsX-EfPR1Sml0ZWzmrWjsgq3TLqwj0okKzKty9O_VM3KUmtZ-EbIqLS21vVC4Ou7A7Q76o5pjilT8_sdxmEVlwroXnO8uHZU8Gkcp44eFSAUcs6XGs-c13NzXQNkKGChIo/s1600/pink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrdy8tweI0nsX-EfPR1Sml0ZWzmrWjsgq3TLqwj0okKzKty9O_VM3KUmtZ-EbIqLS21vVC4Ou7A7Q76o5pjilT8_sdxmEVlwroXnO8uHZU8Gkcp44eFSAUcs6XGs-c13NzXQNkKGChIo/s1600/pink.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytWsNZAj6uIicLz3p9anbFMTovRAcUUeh400ca3nUXFYmnGEs1cWMB236WHJiTZSeMLvd0wd5XGO40ywRjjOno-31dhzGVwBz_Orw39dhl0vLTiGF_SBS_vfBvnOS-owwZP1Jzmi8EO4/s1600/star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytWsNZAj6uIicLz3p9anbFMTovRAcUUeh400ca3nUXFYmnGEs1cWMB236WHJiTZSeMLvd0wd5XGO40ywRjjOno-31dhzGVwBz_Orw39dhl0vLTiGF_SBS_vfBvnOS-owwZP1Jzmi8EO4/s1600/star.jpg" height="400" width="333" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdONOrj37UggvztAIicMra6Ls-c6WKcPG6FCvs0FcCAeKBjzY2kO-7zlxiHT8XMm9Yy-rpes_f8KH8wUZuKczUKhyNDHN-VO5gjrYSlhVg0PQF2nBVRygFz7c_79uswcAv6ddh6uNmils/s1600/2double.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdONOrj37UggvztAIicMra6Ls-c6WKcPG6FCvs0FcCAeKBjzY2kO-7zlxiHT8XMm9Yy-rpes_f8KH8wUZuKczUKhyNDHN-VO5gjrYSlhVg0PQF2nBVRygFz7c_79uswcAv6ddh6uNmils/s1600/2double.jpg" height="640" width="382" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzlTVxqGKTuN3WNGrA5-rzzT844j1gjsZzYuRTJ28e6VPUh6nE_w2f6W-tmf9BAUAPMwbyuj8OEg-XWrKlcBeafDJSsy7lI-WAeUTzms1bY43Az887-Ij3LXZwXVAf50VBT_uDg9M678/s1600/split+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzlTVxqGKTuN3WNGrA5-rzzT844j1gjsZzYuRTJ28e6VPUh6nE_w2f6W-tmf9BAUAPMwbyuj8OEg-XWrKlcBeafDJSsy7lI-WAeUTzms1bY43Az887-Ij3LXZwXVAf50VBT_uDg9M678/s1600/split+detail.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWrkJVfyv0F6yqgXhy_gIvp_hyC2NBFJ_YMJ4Po1A3n3qtgBkuJsB8ASdRZWaMNCk9dLN2DB-Oj8Zp_zJ6JZif2fALpksv9OhThLgVlOKHPAGSV7_Th8-cpdt_bn76Zd5Z1O8iuDPgWo/s1600/foursquare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWrkJVfyv0F6yqgXhy_gIvp_hyC2NBFJ_YMJ4Po1A3n3qtgBkuJsB8ASdRZWaMNCk9dLN2DB-Oj8Zp_zJ6JZif2fALpksv9OhThLgVlOKHPAGSV7_Th8-cpdt_bn76Zd5Z1O8iuDPgWo/s1600/foursquare.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rmPOQvih5yL2vFbjseaOgKc9eyyQs-d2c5MJs8JqOlw7FQHFXPx7TfxD22Z60cYBQIG4MJoQtpnS6kKFfd4Dbt9H_VPIwe57ZG71PYMNUDVKtLpfshJUYjvyDkAZKelfdS59FgPNoT4/s1600/foursquare+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rmPOQvih5yL2vFbjseaOgKc9eyyQs-d2c5MJs8JqOlw7FQHFXPx7TfxD22Z60cYBQIG4MJoQtpnS6kKFfd4Dbt9H_VPIwe57ZG71PYMNUDVKtLpfshJUYjvyDkAZKelfdS59FgPNoT4/s1600/foursquare+detail.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLjG1CD85O8OymxyhFQkuxvAIry1PWCRKPMRAP16oWY62AQBhPft2-enLN2-5r2LfiVFih2U684nRD7VVsFEsvU1sv95XFS_yh76ecPs1LHSrZ-ud2YlfVeFABzR_eBKmCeazJ6s1kHg/s1600/gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLjG1CD85O8OymxyhFQkuxvAIry1PWCRKPMRAP16oWY62AQBhPft2-enLN2-5r2LfiVFih2U684nRD7VVsFEsvU1sv95XFS_yh76ecPs1LHSrZ-ud2YlfVeFABzR_eBKmCeazJ6s1kHg/s1600/gold.jpg" height="400" width="332" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLqomupw5IxTZ0UfKiuEN0hBvl6lr8Pfx-tJegZyTTN4kvIeFC_sKQYYiU412vc7gGmICTasM5dj7C5WlglQCfn_tmSa0hixarFV6gHAPRWZrljPDAhZj0F5a7j_PIuZFiaMMpVhZ3Ac/s1600/gold+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLqomupw5IxTZ0UfKiuEN0hBvl6lr8Pfx-tJegZyTTN4kvIeFC_sKQYYiU412vc7gGmICTasM5dj7C5WlglQCfn_tmSa0hixarFV6gHAPRWZrljPDAhZj0F5a7j_PIuZFiaMMpVhZ3Ac/s1600/gold+detail.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jfCioYh4P7iV1phb713WpB5t3C7coB0Bxj-yXwSkPg7dmiBDrUno7lrOcGYDcLaDtAEiriF_3xUIjy_wcVEYNPkoUskatPSvqtXXt1X-XYcBuv5YWUKJUgvbWE-M_WL_8-00YZ42mrA/s1600/red+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jfCioYh4P7iV1phb713WpB5t3C7coB0Bxj-yXwSkPg7dmiBDrUno7lrOcGYDcLaDtAEiriF_3xUIjy_wcVEYNPkoUskatPSvqtXXt1X-XYcBuv5YWUKJUgvbWE-M_WL_8-00YZ42mrA/s1600/red+blue.jpg" height="400" width="326" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34D6Wjqb01cQTU9FykOE7N9L8D98dSIsU9oIS18H49u5cIrhq1boNSQDosdfd2JBcdzaZtQ2GBhSHLiXbA9D1m76H_W-hw1C9DM5H6jSAp2Pta4gvRMJVtGP98rVQWM43L5QsX9sB46E/s1600/red+blue+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34D6Wjqb01cQTU9FykOE7N9L8D98dSIsU9oIS18H49u5cIrhq1boNSQDosdfd2JBcdzaZtQ2GBhSHLiXbA9D1m76H_W-hw1C9DM5H6jSAp2Pta4gvRMJVtGP98rVQWM43L5QsX9sB46E/s1600/red+blue+detail.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TxVX6sbeXiT7vAR6PrMC9AeeyeGLAN_5K-a3bYRk0QGSGxZnql1YV9nM4nCIy8TJvfMqdykQIrMrWTx-vt-V7WyZXL9z3nx_l0W7nCLbP-2T6hHd5E_QQEk3f9QDqJvm3YmIq6FReGw/s1600/9+star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TxVX6sbeXiT7vAR6PrMC9AeeyeGLAN_5K-a3bYRk0QGSGxZnql1YV9nM4nCIy8TJvfMqdykQIrMrWTx-vt-V7WyZXL9z3nx_l0W7nCLbP-2T6hHd5E_QQEk3f9QDqJvm3YmIq6FReGw/s1600/9+star.jpg" height="400" width="367" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX-MnU9BLIpjrEgIaMejrbG2RSbGWNId4fFXFTQZtdavhpAovkH-4hMhqzq6Qn_8XTrdsieN8jPgXNzoaCRL7B4Bni33FprxvDW2C4ejeysoKGL2f9u-K-KrOd7JtgcU4SUFVWJqQGhE/s1600/denim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX-MnU9BLIpjrEgIaMejrbG2RSbGWNId4fFXFTQZtdavhpAovkH-4hMhqzq6Qn_8XTrdsieN8jPgXNzoaCRL7B4Bni33FprxvDW2C4ejeysoKGL2f9u-K-KrOd7JtgcU4SUFVWJqQGhE/s1600/denim.jpg" height="400" width="313" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZiJ33Pwh-mN9okTZqJd7v7N24OX7Sk1uL3D6VneNtLHWQvGXpEYbnufPFYm_D9tEblvPsGHOL-9N6Sw2Czm7Ro5yWiNZV5maQxTJ-jA7-O7s0og37X0Yl6OXH5QQl665PYl_tVDWyawU/s1600/2room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZiJ33Pwh-mN9okTZqJd7v7N24OX7Sk1uL3D6VneNtLHWQvGXpEYbnufPFYm_D9tEblvPsGHOL-9N6Sw2Czm7Ro5yWiNZV5maQxTJ-jA7-O7s0og37X0Yl6OXH5QQl665PYl_tVDWyawU/s1600/2room.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0GKGncn4rtQdVu4sok_m0xAXuAzwG0eqLabS0s8_ifvaKV-a0Vi8vMCnIDkawo1g714Pfa5yfGc1T8x7cdKth5zV5xLzddCwevghFSEexgam04fWKu22qGAh9qypyR1fV3DG6kevNFk/s1600/room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0GKGncn4rtQdVu4sok_m0xAXuAzwG0eqLabS0s8_ifvaKV-a0Vi8vMCnIDkawo1g714Pfa5yfGc1T8x7cdKth5zV5xLzddCwevghFSEexgam04fWKu22qGAh9qypyR1fV3DG6kevNFk/s1600/room.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I took these with my iphone. Not too terrible, considering the crazy mixed light sources, but still. Need to fix (hopefully) or replace (sigh, hopefully not) my digital camera soon. As soon as I can get out of bed.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-57970531346012515332015-03-21T20:00:00.002-07:002015-03-21T21:29:34.125-07:00mothsI heart moths.<br />
<br />
I think of butterflies as the sunny blonde cheerleaders of the bug world, and moths as their sort of punk-goth younger sisters. You know, given to hanging out in dark corners wearing too much eyeliner. Kinda awkward. Whacking themselves senseless against bright light bulbs? Just moth mosh pits.<br />
<br />
There is a scene in the movie <i>Angels and Insects</i> (good book, bad movie) where the main dude, a naturalist with a special interest in bugs, tries to woo his insipid love interest by surrounding her in a cloud of beautiful butterflies. Naturally, she is charmed. Not content with this success, however, he brings her back to the greenhouse again that evening to duplicate the earlier event, but this time with moths. Girlfriend is horrified and freaks out. Has a total meltdown. And you know right away that that romance will never work.<br />
<br />
They are so creepy and beautiful, I think. And their colors and patterns more interesting than that of butterflies—they're less eager to please. They are also destructive as hell, of course.<br />
<br />
The summer I spent at Skowhegan, there was an artist whose studio porch light was particularly attractive to moths. They would go crashing into it, then thud to the ground, stunned. He kept a hotplate full of melted beeswax by his studio door, and, upon hearing a telltale thud, would put down his paint brush, nip outside and grab the still stunned moth gently by the wings. He'd then quickly dip the moth's body into the hot wax, killing it and preserving it all in one gesture. By the end of the summer, he had a shelf of these moth "trophies"—all lined up, one after the other. They were beautiful. But it was a terrible thing to do. <br />
<br />
Thank heavens for Pinterest. So much more humane.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujfYz8T6DrJYKRaVxSh9jTaiyorN-KZzRN0FcF-VUT5eDUd3wxxxgSA8CFEVq3ONaizA4Vu6fKEr8b0SJS4-fJ3Z1uwzUJFulO1bJhGjSc9pqwo94BJdXICLitKadg0jZ5ua3B6Mgtlo/s1600/a803af53d39de8a551a421ef73826239.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujfYz8T6DrJYKRaVxSh9jTaiyorN-KZzRN0FcF-VUT5eDUd3wxxxgSA8CFEVq3ONaizA4Vu6fKEr8b0SJS4-fJ3Z1uwzUJFulO1bJhGjSc9pqwo94BJdXICLitKadg0jZ5ua3B6Mgtlo/s1600/a803af53d39de8a551a421ef73826239.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArwQNKicEbydLwX5k-0y72OSY9TCCSZ5Lnerv90-yjAy81LhI_BHfDph-W4ApJblT08_YAOMFPa6IIYywUE7-CIQUD49Y8qYGcbvlpilbNsMS6BWMqyiNFmOHb_kiAeCpaC-PzDgscDY/s1600/a572760aebcda433157de55167b1baee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArwQNKicEbydLwX5k-0y72OSY9TCCSZ5Lnerv90-yjAy81LhI_BHfDph-W4ApJblT08_YAOMFPa6IIYywUE7-CIQUD49Y8qYGcbvlpilbNsMS6BWMqyiNFmOHb_kiAeCpaC-PzDgscDY/s1600/a572760aebcda433157de55167b1baee.jpg" height="300" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU5_aUyCsQs6INKMdeMFvrJHOlsa1VrKjQQCRez1MIJ5-ccDJbkV6Qpctn_e9Hz3HC7w1pdAjMyAUfp7Q4HLWPoteatWMzk893OYfTVb5a803dEP-U1d20Y-Od61i-bFYmCzlZ9iM_0o/s1600/f86e4eecddb26a5d739b502dccc9b241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU5_aUyCsQs6INKMdeMFvrJHOlsa1VrKjQQCRez1MIJ5-ccDJbkV6Qpctn_e9Hz3HC7w1pdAjMyAUfp7Q4HLWPoteatWMzk893OYfTVb5a803dEP-U1d20Y-Od61i-bFYmCzlZ9iM_0o/s1600/f86e4eecddb26a5d739b502dccc9b241.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3PCbXB8nr9rR3Zvussk_yDm0SGeCy4VicoM_SHmC2FXvydq5UYxf5D_5y_cWLtS1mzS5q3ISIru8SZv1gYhrEaGecGM7Y5pJIt5unetGUeEXP4quMJAJBU2k_CaVKzf1AGSy3GGV0y8/s1600/a2bcb398643b263f16fb30ca4681a2c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3PCbXB8nr9rR3Zvussk_yDm0SGeCy4VicoM_SHmC2FXvydq5UYxf5D_5y_cWLtS1mzS5q3ISIru8SZv1gYhrEaGecGM7Y5pJIt5unetGUeEXP4quMJAJBU2k_CaVKzf1AGSy3GGV0y8/s1600/a2bcb398643b263f16fb30ca4681a2c1.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdV7CssQYEe3RhaApf3gXXP62l9PQik20yvr3ReO3roAJhakZj6IAnYBnfr2bsqIagVmQvTxHRPAdJ4wZd5tVnQUX4MkvQmdHEsL_FPuxXBNupdy1U7Yno1MQFyGh7Q4Nryjoqpnf9Is/s1600/5538c8957113d5a169647a5d43e91cbf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdV7CssQYEe3RhaApf3gXXP62l9PQik20yvr3ReO3roAJhakZj6IAnYBnfr2bsqIagVmQvTxHRPAdJ4wZd5tVnQUX4MkvQmdHEsL_FPuxXBNupdy1U7Yno1MQFyGh7Q4Nryjoqpnf9Is/s1600/5538c8957113d5a169647a5d43e91cbf.jpg" height="400" width="197" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmN2JFFUZccVmwQkve-VI2beInQzJYyg0yfbGI6cVhiHOQn9dY3oAa-5lZaXteWc4UzkuQS3YhETahJ6pUK122qj1zCKBFHGDA6ZRWpIpKdtH0-LqeZGBwd9oDZw13QCCNtSgZgyXMuc/s1600/5f6ce11a8773fb7f294433ee0faa5fc7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmN2JFFUZccVmwQkve-VI2beInQzJYyg0yfbGI6cVhiHOQn9dY3oAa-5lZaXteWc4UzkuQS3YhETahJ6pUK122qj1zCKBFHGDA6ZRWpIpKdtH0-LqeZGBwd9oDZw13QCCNtSgZgyXMuc/s1600/5f6ce11a8773fb7f294433ee0faa5fc7.jpg" height="308" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfVsy94r2SyMlrBw1KP2Iz5TvQZ2H1VvynayAuxDdwTnjasrY7-84Wr4jj_AmuetQIe-BCrrF_DZ6-ypeWdQ1BP178Z3MRjKJq4xXigRX_QZKq-QkvLYbxKII9Y5lpmJtgSTSdsdzi_0/s1600/9e9e2a20796e715cb3ae50376e5d1752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfVsy94r2SyMlrBw1KP2Iz5TvQZ2H1VvynayAuxDdwTnjasrY7-84Wr4jj_AmuetQIe-BCrrF_DZ6-ypeWdQ1BP178Z3MRjKJq4xXigRX_QZKq-QkvLYbxKII9Y5lpmJtgSTSdsdzi_0/s1600/9e9e2a20796e715cb3ae50376e5d1752.jpg" height="320" width="283" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2XH8BBlOkWYFjdFFJuNV0oXCJCNql299ST9TfQ7m4O3n9i7pPnN3DX60TKGEQsttEn7TczOQxex6IOEag-cBVUyNC43k3IESmYDkO56qourlxphgSbZ1YpTZC021p-9GS1ecC9jbl5o/s1600/8291c7b70c89e34b8f12148e0879e79f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2XH8BBlOkWYFjdFFJuNV0oXCJCNql299ST9TfQ7m4O3n9i7pPnN3DX60TKGEQsttEn7TczOQxex6IOEag-cBVUyNC43k3IESmYDkO56qourlxphgSbZ1YpTZC021p-9GS1ecC9jbl5o/s1600/8291c7b70c89e34b8f12148e0879e79f.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_awzWNG1WQ6fSQW4nG5VqEL0jfg2pDB9RcppQ9U9uZReMT2jlNMuRUD8wzmXXy8MzuMThvB55ypfn3ha4YSE4EO600NcOvbdWuUfzIS6x41nszBgyu6tjkW8fLK_7PmmiAbBupDZx-80/s1600/ee4b0c0782558ca786615cbe6a95c420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_awzWNG1WQ6fSQW4nG5VqEL0jfg2pDB9RcppQ9U9uZReMT2jlNMuRUD8wzmXXy8MzuMThvB55ypfn3ha4YSE4EO600NcOvbdWuUfzIS6x41nszBgyu6tjkW8fLK_7PmmiAbBupDZx-80/s1600/ee4b0c0782558ca786615cbe6a95c420.jpg" height="297" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfojTIqn34YQ6U0om8XsrkX7YVLSR8-pmGRkD-6EUUZLDgJ4UMjyWS9sejjCKq2XTp3PTBilgXjUVrre6G4G_manj8rRp1h4ekJkRVH9tylt9gH1do2EHBufabA3QNY90NuHiIZL9d00/s1600/3c3b988fc71f1962156aca858a9fd86b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfojTIqn34YQ6U0om8XsrkX7YVLSR8-pmGRkD-6EUUZLDgJ4UMjyWS9sejjCKq2XTp3PTBilgXjUVrre6G4G_manj8rRp1h4ekJkRVH9tylt9gH1do2EHBufabA3QNY90NuHiIZL9d00/s1600/3c3b988fc71f1962156aca858a9fd86b.jpg" height="320" width="318" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-58469595746042019912015-03-17T14:49:00.000-07:002015-03-17T14:49:28.156-07:005th aveWas in midtown yesterday for a haircut. Had to check out Bergdorf's windows while I was there. It's the law.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNTxegezibaX67do0xH8C3NVzFRicWwQDm_dMtLXTND9OWFFn6vjh9sBF6xNt1_Eq9hBABgSgw7ATdZRt-JChYbjXBcAgCFQzprOWVsdNRPOJ9VIioRpEj0xbL_TlwK79ZSA-W5LgQh8/s1600/bergdorf4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNTxegezibaX67do0xH8C3NVzFRicWwQDm_dMtLXTND9OWFFn6vjh9sBF6xNt1_Eq9hBABgSgw7ATdZRt-JChYbjXBcAgCFQzprOWVsdNRPOJ9VIioRpEj0xbL_TlwK79ZSA-W5LgQh8/s1600/bergdorf4.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8FNxzsx5qQMgKY7uHlzDkKN0W5VhoHRdpVClmKIrhpnWY7zrYTqbvKM00zArFgNjO7DS53L2ZaEooICHpjHRSDAYjg_eRU9zwlUoiyEL1EhViaEm2ckbBmp0F7394_HhpaJctEGougM/s1600/bergdorf6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8FNxzsx5qQMgKY7uHlzDkKN0W5VhoHRdpVClmKIrhpnWY7zrYTqbvKM00zArFgNjO7DS53L2ZaEooICHpjHRSDAYjg_eRU9zwlUoiyEL1EhViaEm2ckbBmp0F7394_HhpaJctEGougM/s1600/bergdorf6.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhUMqQE-LL7Bq1lFRlByB7MiGVr2woeXfunGEGb5UQN2_3PhCXyfGRZTCIGRo6zhGeQ5TpRM8f0uTjU5Of_XZPuQB21MlMyplZSdZcMsMgKflO2d5m_KuG9HaTJbuLHsO37PF7VcRzvU/s1600/bergdorf1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhUMqQE-LL7Bq1lFRlByB7MiGVr2woeXfunGEGb5UQN2_3PhCXyfGRZTCIGRo6zhGeQ5TpRM8f0uTjU5Of_XZPuQB21MlMyplZSdZcMsMgKflO2d5m_KuG9HaTJbuLHsO37PF7VcRzvU/s1600/bergdorf1.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnH_pb7LZry2pH5wYA5L3wuKCHiKqWzb0JYvsqUIOI8L8DNR2f2ZlCNvPYsT9gjcX8_CtCh8Ne_umX1IWlirmRFikGYxjohgU-hHh7T9PpTW31lna34tlR3Se-U4UsGlcgJxp0YeT81g/s1600/bergdorf2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnH_pb7LZry2pH5wYA5L3wuKCHiKqWzb0JYvsqUIOI8L8DNR2f2ZlCNvPYsT9gjcX8_CtCh8Ne_umX1IWlirmRFikGYxjohgU-hHh7T9PpTW31lna34tlR3Se-U4UsGlcgJxp0YeT81g/s1600/bergdorf2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-fOOqLIuJ5Splt0u4LON_UkAuolqkGHi1Xn5mjZqLLZ1dQlagQZbDCnZujUHJZ6Ph1mv2UhZRramGqYH_Dwt9-BBtnmkquxp4UfdjT1dNororA2lBYIjxljo1SCIZSeD785_g5T4hDk/s1600/bergdorf3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-fOOqLIuJ5Splt0u4LON_UkAuolqkGHi1Xn5mjZqLLZ1dQlagQZbDCnZujUHJZ6Ph1mv2UhZRramGqYH_Dwt9-BBtnmkquxp4UfdjT1dNororA2lBYIjxljo1SCIZSeD785_g5T4hDk/s1600/bergdorf3.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-8659352148116902192015-03-14T10:35:00.000-07:002015-03-14T23:07:50.719-07:00Too much stuff<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iwTTFZZGIVPGCuQ1syiK44mtSm6ENBSdTwXBbhNyXnNRqeByYbn0TZtUY03kWG06dH7-dfl5Zggi-kO9qw74rlQArWUx5atCjbEu4XSF2gAA8_R5XQXqmumm0Wnp9H9_7XbPf5QQk2A/s1600/trash+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iwTTFZZGIVPGCuQ1syiK44mtSm6ENBSdTwXBbhNyXnNRqeByYbn0TZtUY03kWG06dH7-dfl5Zggi-kO9qw74rlQArWUx5atCjbEu4XSF2gAA8_R5XQXqmumm0Wnp9H9_7XbPf5QQk2A/s1600/trash+day.jpg" height="400" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Not the worst, by any means.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Do you ever feel like there's just too much stuff in the world? I've been feeling that way lately. The disgusting NYC snow piles have begun to melt, exposing all the detritus frozen beneath them these past few months. Chicken bones, dog shit, crushed water bottles, dirty diapers, fast food wrappers—all scattered across the street, sidewalk and curb. I love <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/nyregion/the-snow-is-melting-but-what-a-mess-it-left-behind.html?emc=edit_ur_20150311&nl=nyregion&nlid=63441870&_r=0" target="_blank">Brooklyn</a>, but it is seriously the filthiest place I've ever lived.<br />
<br />
Because NYC is small and dense (landmass-wise) garbage days are epic. The piles of black bags on the city streets can reach mountainous proportions. It is stunning to walk through/by SO MUCH garbage. It makes me reaffirm my commitment to living smaller, making do, mending and repairing instead of buying and disposing.<br />
<br />
I've also been reading a lot about "fast fashion" and the politics and problems surrounding that. I can't help but consider how quilt fabric production is a part of that problematic cycle (though less egregious, perhaps, than clothing production). Huge amounts of energy and water are required just to grow the cotton. Plus you have fertilizer and pesticide run-off (not to mention the heavy hand of Monsanto and their appalling exploitation of small farmers), and then the dyeing of textiles which requires huge amounts of water and uses terrible chemicals, etc. It's not good.<br />
<br />
This presents some problems for me as a quilter. Also as someone who hopes to make a living at some point as a textile designer. I know there are companies that use organic cotton, and that's great, and something I will explore. But knowing just how much clothing and textile waste clogs landfills, I wonder if I shouldn't be using more reclaimed fabrics. Upcycling stuff from thrift stores. That has almost no appeal to me aesthetically, however. Is it a matter of rethinking my process? Reimagining<b> </b>what my quilts would look like made from shirts instead of yardage? I love the quilts <a href="http://daintytime.net/" target="_blank">Sherri Lynn Wood </a>makes. But I don't know if I want to work that way. I don't really like thrifting. Or am I just being lazy? I don't know.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-20940129799876920942015-03-07T07:28:00.000-08:002015-03-07T07:28:00.830-08:00sunny days quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3dfwPgvETeGWcNpETFAYML5_HqZijbBAdyMV9xqmrlJy0GiQgkzaZiDNkwOaS40GfvoPnIDOLOL8VQwJyWXhh1gDnSZmSM7Y8juofGpSkiVdOA1kPmjo5AO1647KwW1T_MNJCxlqdLo/s1600/sunny+full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3dfwPgvETeGWcNpETFAYML5_HqZijbBAdyMV9xqmrlJy0GiQgkzaZiDNkwOaS40GfvoPnIDOLOL8VQwJyWXhh1gDnSZmSM7Y8juofGpSkiVdOA1kPmjo5AO1647KwW1T_MNJCxlqdLo/s1600/sunny+full.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pulled another quilt out of the limbo pile. I had started this one over a year ago (gah). Still thinking about that bottom border area. Needs a little finessing. Am thinking I'll finish this one up and gift it to my Aunt and Uncle in Ibiza. The ones with 25 house cats. I think this patchwork should be able to camouflage any color of cat hair.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYpkjtKaF-99g6iQy3rwYlti94Rii0Wb_FT78AUg_YAOav0xyeA3nHF-pQ1tgAGtSUhpOmfFN_TimjJl90oQZ2K2_T65IRuV9iiX8_9zdUtIOKN8PUINMg9w6x9dcTOGsZfxD1_ZCroM/s1600/sunny1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYpkjtKaF-99g6iQy3rwYlti94Rii0Wb_FT78AUg_YAOav0xyeA3nHF-pQ1tgAGtSUhpOmfFN_TimjJl90oQZ2K2_T65IRuV9iiX8_9zdUtIOKN8PUINMg9w6x9dcTOGsZfxD1_ZCroM/s1600/sunny1.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a></div>
lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-31188244620028757712015-03-05T08:50:00.003-08:002015-03-21T20:06:56.826-07:00flâneur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_Smid1H6gTrqiXpmQgYo3OfohSqaqlIIcQ124x9boz7IkNqHaASbyLJTONREcTUV_tFJAIUsgzKw5zNqH7vDUW4Lm11gSHpmqNEmzMGzGFeBhlQzAKKWmDdsHpgZdh502Pa3Kj8YsFI/s1600/redpink2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_Smid1H6gTrqiXpmQgYo3OfohSqaqlIIcQ124x9boz7IkNqHaASbyLJTONREcTUV_tFJAIUsgzKw5zNqH7vDUW4Lm11gSHpmqNEmzMGzGFeBhlQzAKKWmDdsHpgZdh502Pa3Kj8YsFI/s1600/redpink2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
Yesterday I was going through the photos on my hard drive, sifting through the many pictures I've taken during my walks around Manhattan. I haven't been walking lately—not since the weather got so miserable. I miss it. I could still be doing it, snow in Central Park is always photogenic, but in addition to the cold and slush, my little camera seems to be in its death throes.<br />
<br />
If you google "digital camera gone bad" the internets will tell you that that's impossible. But if you dig a bit further, those experts will eventually concede that image quality can, in fact, begin to suffer for various reasons. I've never been particularly careful with my camera, throwing it loose into a bag or pocket, never using the lens cap. Now the focus is no longer sharp, even in bright sunlight. It's not an expensive camera but I'm currently in a philosophical mindset of repair, not replace. Not sure it's even possible to repair it, but I find I am less inclined to go walking without it. So I will investigate and hopefully mend it. Anyway, that's not really what this silly post is even about.<br />
<br />
Nope, it's about the small but growing collection of images I've taken of stranger's backs. It occurs to me that this could be viewed as a little creepy/stalkery. And maybe it is. But I first found myself doing it after reading Maira Kalman's book, "The Principles of Uncertainty." Maira, too, is a great walker of cities. I love Maira Kalman.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UBG0Mh8cfEOAd0i2mpU51Ba7ULgE5-0UqI4ZthRkOnWrSQrA56WI2ITBsnqmpGjSW31gajSWdqKqkAB14PRQoVf-BfyKy2sy7ZS7Svmuo-imM0JDaxWic-cj88w3evlVgu6sXvF4M_k/s1600/coat+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UBG0Mh8cfEOAd0i2mpU51Ba7ULgE5-0UqI4ZthRkOnWrSQrA56WI2ITBsnqmpGjSW31gajSWdqKqkAB14PRQoVf-BfyKy2sy7ZS7Svmuo-imM0JDaxWic-cj88w3evlVgu6sXvF4M_k/s1600/coat+2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mustard corduroy!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqTwepwCSOEZf-YB7DTxeyaCs-_dyGa4aMBwzAHFd9q2wn8-JsPc4NB2zzOcIoqXM6dRZw8H9FLIisf_ho_LFa4bJEXORdxo85DJrX5KXzF5-ratLoOdg2ZllaLKig2WKUgTNVeRHuzs/s1600/bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqTwepwCSOEZf-YB7DTxeyaCs-_dyGa4aMBwzAHFd9q2wn8-JsPc4NB2zzOcIoqXM6dRZw8H9FLIisf_ho_LFa4bJEXORdxo85DJrX5KXzF5-ratLoOdg2ZllaLKig2WKUgTNVeRHuzs/s1600/bag.jpg" height="640" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>So! Much! Awesome! Fake! Fur!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aof3otaVeXbjQoc3afTadlN_gQP-EOiUAZg63yEr0ragMIBLj_eaiDJrWs5hLpi2vcn44npb-nsdwYF3m4hLKiR7VzXbYTHCdBoneYc9S0LRnAbF_ABSbL9fMWdbrM-FuNuT9iiVVQg/s1600/spring+tatt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aof3otaVeXbjQoc3afTadlN_gQP-EOiUAZg63yEr0ragMIBLj_eaiDJrWs5hLpi2vcn44npb-nsdwYF3m4hLKiR7VzXbYTHCdBoneYc9S0LRnAbF_ABSbL9fMWdbrM-FuNuT9iiVVQg/s1600/spring+tatt.jpg" height="371" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Her tatt reads: <i>You must believe in Spring</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9ERr_XsoZUOQP25q6U_eIbbxen2cRVzZwbsShQ69j5H0VXDWj6RczqN5xJ0DnSRcuqBZdw1gDG8QMV4DE8VGjgRQFReiwFMiyvY8iO46w1JX-i-bDOXh9fC25ibnx7o5pKFIJchyphenhyphenOW4/s1600/fishtail+braid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9ERr_XsoZUOQP25q6U_eIbbxen2cRVzZwbsShQ69j5H0VXDWj6RczqN5xJ0DnSRcuqBZdw1gDG8QMV4DE8VGjgRQFReiwFMiyvY8iO46w1JX-i-bDOXh9fC25ibnx7o5pKFIJchyphenhyphenOW4/s1600/fishtail+braid.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gorgeous fishtail braid!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZybQYRWRv_XIqQu3ffnH7j8w7lo5aMwV_zJu0wTSe84uTAOxep_SFzM3k2VKcek2fg0CcyzJLSF1-cXFLPGyr0AvoVM3QUDZCs_Lbc8fuD59MI1DAbuJ2qKUwqq-_nE2JdD4zNBsYEI/s1600/summerdresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZybQYRWRv_XIqQu3ffnH7j8w7lo5aMwV_zJu0wTSe84uTAOxep_SFzM3k2VKcek2fg0CcyzJLSF1-cXFLPGyr0AvoVM3QUDZCs_Lbc8fuD59MI1DAbuJ2qKUwqq-_nE2JdD4zNBsYEI/s1600/summerdresses.jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The girls in their vintage summer dresses!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpS9Cn5SDWRPs4zzAtzbeZwXT7p4ykXeWfwO7jdHGwdmBfTwTWI4bsgkYE1GU72aXh9JamZEjggT-CvlK93nFt52LBwVZIXTlngGN2L8Gor9bm0PWOevSLw7TQudmw7wdZfTMzuZjGW8/s1600/pants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpS9Cn5SDWRPs4zzAtzbeZwXT7p4ykXeWfwO7jdHGwdmBfTwTWI4bsgkYE1GU72aXh9JamZEjggT-CvlK93nFt52LBwVZIXTlngGN2L8Gor9bm0PWOevSLw7TQudmw7wdZfTMzuZjGW8/s1600/pants.jpg" height="400" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The color of those pants! Holy Cow!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6YS0GZ9dUEbaKnJg8t5XiWF3FHfYCEGP_imlQXqMCXc3J2SrKiLg8PHa4kuGaY6Avn_MsNPOZlxC8PCoEW9-NZ4qhbl9Xq8Z_zAYUP8ESkecSGp6kwvKbBL94a7C90Oz2nD2fIVT4CY/s1600/coat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6YS0GZ9dUEbaKnJg8t5XiWF3FHfYCEGP_imlQXqMCXc3J2SrKiLg8PHa4kuGaY6Avn_MsNPOZlxC8PCoEW9-NZ4qhbl9Xq8Z_zAYUP8ESkecSGp6kwvKbBL94a7C90Oz2nD2fIVT4CY/s1600/coat.jpg" height="400" width="372" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>That coat! Those tights!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjx2QxAI1TVJnsglDdsp81V09ubqJs2wTWE3cn75apCnZMwJln32xShi2JoRepHZvFEY8Gu2upGqIGWCiYivhGXxer3Y35YA2RWAKcTuNAMCk7qc5wlvXG7yCmg_q3oJEAzy_HOiZh8dY/s1600/coolkids2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjx2QxAI1TVJnsglDdsp81V09ubqJs2wTWE3cn75apCnZMwJln32xShi2JoRepHZvFEY8Gu2upGqIGWCiYivhGXxer3Y35YA2RWAKcTuNAMCk7qc5wlvXG7yCmg_q3oJEAzy_HOiZh8dY/s1600/coolkids2.jpg" height="400" width="345" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>That dress: so weirdly complicated.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Unlike Maira, however, who follows and photographs individuals who pique her curiosity and move her with their individuality and humanity, I mostly photograph people whose sense of style is interesting to me. So, though we come at it by different routes (hers poetic, mine superficial), we arrive at the same fundamental place. Or so I like to think.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-87822206164944220632015-03-04T08:24:00.001-08:002015-03-04T08:24:04.900-08:00Online learning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XWOmxcFPTmibvU_Orxtfle6tNHcE5XgHKGo-oOnOKwKV35c2wgc_WKam2XDOdUWOy-DjPawgm6LJXmk5OxGRcjtBsEtOoSWRraDHEid0BAOA2rwlrWiaBoMOmSOnrBIPVNLKl3stsxo/s1600/screenskill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XWOmxcFPTmibvU_Orxtfle6tNHcE5XgHKGo-oOnOKwKV35c2wgc_WKam2XDOdUWOy-DjPawgm6LJXmk5OxGRcjtBsEtOoSWRraDHEid0BAOA2rwlrWiaBoMOmSOnrBIPVNLKl3stsxo/s1600/screenskill.jpg" height="161" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been watching a lot of online tutorial workshop things the past few weeks. Mostly I've been making my way through the <a href="http://www.skillshare.com/" target="_blank">Skillshare</a> library that is available to me during a month-long free trial. I am finding it surprisingly delightful for a few different reasons. <br />
<br />
I've been pretty randomly watching the classes that catch my fancy. I haven't actually done any of the coursework or contributed anything to the discussions, so far. I don't know that I will. I'm pretty content just watching and listening. And thinking, of course. I have no doubt that I am absorbing stuff that will find its way into my work at some point.<br />
<br />
One thing I'm struck by is the wide range of video quality—some of it is pretty janky. The lighting and sound quality is not always very good, and even in the best of them, there is frequently a weird camera wobble, like whoever was filming suddenly needed to scratch their nose or something.<br />
<br />
With the presenters, there are typically a lot of "umms" and "uhhs" and "oh wait, no, let's try that again?". Which surprised me a little. No doubt at some point (when they've proved to be profitable?) people will polish these sorts of things up—spend the time and money to script and edit. Make it seamless and TED talk formulaic. But for right now it's early days and there is a lot to like about the sort of shoelace and gum production values. At least when the teachers are at the level of Chip Kidd and Peter Mendelsund. It's sort of refreshing to watch them share their knowledge in an "uncanned" format—the artlessness of the production creates a sort of intimacy that I think is kinda great.lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-30939003436615148072015-02-19T13:29:00.000-08:002015-03-21T20:10:22.254-07:00Anni Albers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVf8cSzcPR6oiDhWL4xV-dtaAS4ZFhuELfssMIdsDe1MkPS-uejz7my6_7DMsZzECZ1aCVrkowLVPV2KelmRgSHqMNWdrwktpBXcCqvo9OyfC8hdilxS8BLLBrjfmeB3ySVoFCL7H10dI/s1600/e01cb86f3738804bcaafb292b2c1f4d0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVf8cSzcPR6oiDhWL4xV-dtaAS4ZFhuELfssMIdsDe1MkPS-uejz7my6_7DMsZzECZ1aCVrkowLVPV2KelmRgSHqMNWdrwktpBXcCqvo9OyfC8hdilxS8BLLBrjfmeB3ySVoFCL7H10dI/s1600/e01cb86f3738804bcaafb292b2c1f4d0.jpg" height="398" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Anni Albers. Yep, this one.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I was hit by this urge the other night to try to salvage an abandoned quilt I had folded up and stuck in my limbo pile. It had started life as an homage to an Anni Albers print (you know the one). I started out following it faithfully, intending to duplicate the sequence of half-square triangles exactly, but eventually gave that up as my eyes kept doing some weird eyeball dyslexia, inverting the pattern and flipping the triangles and making it surprisingly hard and ultimately too fussy and frustrating to continue.<br />
<br />
I decided instead to just randomly sew the HSTs together. I also added in some indigo patterns and polka dot whites with the solids, thinking they would add a little bit of visual depth. At a still fairly early point I began to feel like it really wasn't working, but powered forward anyway, because sometimes that can work. Eventually, however, there was no denying it. I didn't like the way the solids and prints interacted in such close proximity, and my (ahem) casual commitment to aligning corners was just not working out. Blech. Hated it. Fuckkkkkk.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHd3_fQ1jm11XECmvnlXZDf2dakL_DngN4GaT0lJ9LyyY8U7j4ldaziqGvCg8haX7qcvzgV8xP_MvwyWTHdFRrKGV8gdRafRGYCaqyyZ5P_JhJaJqrAoQqrFFw3Do_-ijWIgrJUNjDJY/s1600/before1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHd3_fQ1jm11XECmvnlXZDf2dakL_DngN4GaT0lJ9LyyY8U7j4ldaziqGvCg8haX7qcvzgV8xP_MvwyWTHdFRrKGV8gdRafRGYCaqyyZ5P_JhJaJqrAoQqrFFw3Do_-ijWIgrJUNjDJY/s1600/before1.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Before the frogging.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That is always a sad moment—when you reach that point of finally acknowledging that something isn't worth finishing. You weigh the amount of time, and the physical and emotional energy spent, and you feel sad. I try to resist this, because I know that no effort is ever truly wasted—I always learn something that will inform the next project—but still. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I find lately that I spend that quiet time before falling asleep thinking about patterns. I am still flogging away toward my end goal of becoming a surface designer but it's a steep learning curve. The last thing I do before shutting down my laptop for the night is spend some time browsing Pinterest, looking at all the beautiful vintage patterns. I also like looking at the many, many images of beautiful minimalist interiors that proliferate there. I find it weirdly relaxing. I was contemplating white-walled, well-ordered, uncluttered home interiors when I was seized by the desire to grab my seam ripper and put it to work on the failed Albers quilt. I didn't actually get out of bed and do it right then and there, but made a mental note to attack it first thing in the morning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
It took a couple hours (while listening to this: www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia—so good!) but I ripped it all apart and refashioned it, lining up the HSTs in vertical rows and inserting white panels in between.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIIXQIfNnpgF1YABCXfOylNzsLu9pcmtn5FC8tmu9nQS_6N1MoSjC6b4whuOWZOgPSd5RQuEQl2ENN_xwYH72t7udQa7nPQlK-k1kaNhMepkYUgZvbi6UhJ-_Gyvld-5Y61io0SyKxYY/s1600/HSTs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIIXQIfNnpgF1YABCXfOylNzsLu9pcmtn5FC8tmu9nQS_6N1MoSjC6b4whuOWZOgPSd5RQuEQl2ENN_xwYH72t7udQa7nPQlK-k1kaNhMepkYUgZvbi6UhJ-_Gyvld-5Y61io0SyKxYY/s1600/HSTs.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
Much better. Deep, satisfying breath. I still plan to add a white panel to the top and bottom once I get some more white kona, but I am already pleased with how it looks on my wall. I don't think it's the most interesting quilt I've ever made, but I'm okay with that. It makes me happy to have arrived at this solution for those HSTs. Relieved even. And happy to now have one less orphan in the limbo pile. Yeehaw!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-49497064593850335152015-02-01T19:09:00.002-08:002015-02-01T19:09:34.710-08:00spiderwebsPlaying around with some new spiderwebs. Thinking about scale and color relationships. Not sure where I'm going with these yet.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI8HIA71D31xVJNYFe-v6Kte1HFqg2S7T5TIUaMiFbfOqBhXjaGYY_vnllToFrUEK7bzL1ziLoRTh6G7IsvbKTdjgLmcPCQI6gQHdKkxZ2rfGb7ums7E2cMW_ipMSjASiMV0lOqk0_6A/s1600/inprogress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI8HIA71D31xVJNYFe-v6Kte1HFqg2S7T5TIUaMiFbfOqBhXjaGYY_vnllToFrUEK7bzL1ziLoRTh6G7IsvbKTdjgLmcPCQI6gQHdKkxZ2rfGb7ums7E2cMW_ipMSjASiMV0lOqk0_6A/s1600/inprogress.jpg" height="347" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCnqfB9GIooduRFM5eqwmtDe3l84YLYOB2jD5UQ4QyUqPnRGWB1pgPlYALXBZDycj1H_xOlXNjso2JCP7ylqZ2AN_a2o-5kG7Uc7XL2a1hApfMVHtdzRQ78FUJakUILm7d9nVv8DjiD4/s1600/workroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCnqfB9GIooduRFM5eqwmtDe3l84YLYOB2jD5UQ4QyUqPnRGWB1pgPlYALXBZDycj1H_xOlXNjso2JCP7ylqZ2AN_a2o-5kG7Uc7XL2a1hApfMVHtdzRQ78FUJakUILm7d9nVv8DjiD4/s1600/workroom.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-13714783340703109362015-02-01T07:27:00.001-08:002015-02-01T07:27:39.159-08:00Happy Heart DayIt's that time of year again. Making Valentimes. This year's version feels a little more somber than <a href="http://amidwesternnewyorker.blogspot.com/2014/02/happy-valentimes.html" target="_blank">last</a>. But that's okay. The verse is the last line of the Larkin poem, <i><a href="http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poem/177058" target="_blank">An Arundel Tomb</a></i>. Each one is a little different, made out of various photos loitering in my collage pile. All rectangular, roughly 4"x6" and sewn.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKkmOriG15SUo0pWFQBio_SH-7W703ABEI21po-gmWd0LJkiqBnckCgmUCE47eWR9qDhO9f-GPjsA36dl_DEkvCnCCUf1i7k_ZB5Yqi_9QkhQJi-z-jrzh-avBrXCIVdXFYvwMA6A8ug/s1600/2015+valentine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKkmOriG15SUo0pWFQBio_SH-7W703ABEI21po-gmWd0LJkiqBnckCgmUCE47eWR9qDhO9f-GPjsA36dl_DEkvCnCCUf1i7k_ZB5Yqi_9QkhQJi-z-jrzh-avBrXCIVdXFYvwMA6A8ug/s1600/2015+valentine.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-10413610277977966022015-01-31T10:43:00.001-08:002015-01-31T10:43:06.104-08:00seeing, being seenSo I got a surprising email from Heather Grant last week. It was an email to inform me that they hadn't yet received my spiderweb quilt for the 2015 QuiltCon exhibition. Puzzling, since I had never received notification of its acceptance. The <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/15607204@N00/10460534785/in/set-72157600365566310" target="_blank">mahjong</a> quilt, yes. Sleeve and label stitched on and mailed off promptly. The <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/15607204@N00/15702821955/in/set-72157600365566310" target="_blank">spiderweb</a>? Nope. I immediately emailed Heather back - had there been some mistake? Turns out, no. For whatever reason, one acceptance email arrived in my inbox, the other? Into the spam folder I'm guessing. Sigh. But also: hurrah! I got both accepted! Very cheering on an otherwise not-great day. <br />
<br />
The next morning I stitched on a sleeve and label, packaged it all up and headed off to the nearest UPS spot. It was one I hadn't been to before in Bushwick. It was a hybrid store, the front of it art supplies, in the back shipping and packaging. It was completely empty when I entered. I approached the small, enclosed room in the rear where I sensed a human presence. As I approached, a woman looked up from her monitor and greeted me warmly. She was transgender. This tripped me up for a split-second, shamefully. I handed her my box and told her I wanted to overnight it. She started tapping on her keyboard and then frowned at her screen.<br />
<br />
"It's going to Austin?' she asked. "Hmmm. This is going to be pricey."<br />
"Yeah, I know," I said. "About 70 bucks, right?" I had done a quick price check online beforehand. It needed to be there the next day or it wouldn't be eligible for competition.<br />
"Uh, no," she said. "It's going to run more like 160 bucks." <br />
Crap. I was prepared to pony up 70 dollars for delivery, but no more. I stood there for a second weighing my (non) options. She glanced at the label on my box.<br />
"What's Quilt Con? Is that like Comic Con?" She asked.<br />
"Uh, yeah I guess, insofar as it's a convention for quilters." I said, "But without the sexy costumes."<br />
She giggled. Looked back at her screen.<br />
"So they 're all over the country, then? These quilting people?" She was googling MQG.<br />
"You mean the guilds?" I asked. "Yeah, they have them all over the country, and I think internationally, too." <br />
Her eyebrows went up. I could tell she found this weird and a little surprising. Which made me giggle.<br />
"Everybody's got their own subculture, sister." I said (in my head).<br />
<br />
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-36450350028851570422015-01-08T07:15:00.000-08:002015-01-08T07:15:49.542-08:00Tziporah SalamonI kept waiting for her to come back on screen, for her name to appear identifying who she was, as it had for the other ladies (and they were all ladies) in the documentary. It wasn't until Ari, the writer whose blog had inspired the film (<a href="http://advancedstylefilm.com/" target="_blank">Advanced Style</a>) chastised her, saying <i>"Tziporah, something something something, don't get your hopes up"</i> that I had something to google. Which took a bit of doing, because I had to spell it phonetically. But I eventually landed on her identity: Tziporah Salamon. <br />
<br />
I found this image of her on Pinterest. I immediately recognized the building and sign—it's on the way to City Quilter and I've frequently thought what a great backdrop it would make for a portrait. I admire those women who can make an art of dressing—or more correctly, are artful dressers. And there is so much consideration for color, proportion, balance, texture in Tziporah Salamon's ensembles. Such wonderful shapes (those hats!), such a marvelous eye for pattern and layers. And I agree that it <i>is</i> about having an "eye," not money, however <span>clichéd that is. She described waiting for years sometimes for the perfect thing to finish an outfit before she would ever actually wear it. And doing a critical scan of her clothing, it's not "designer-y," but primarily vintage/anonymous. It's how she assembles them that makes them special.</span><br />
<br />
I wish the film had given her more screen time, I am curious about her background. One quote of hers from the documentary that I scrawled down and have subsequently memorized is: "Better hand-to-mouth than nine-to-five." Whatta gal! Love her. She seems like the ultimate sassypants.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHrnZky9ayT-QueyoAM64KobDM99ENJDpD-wlxKJaG-VtSx9bGiF_16h2WGqOaSI90kPiufBIfupOBLMxjlxiR0IlvZJPOZI63vZaG3-Z3BuzEun_vvRCgwzZdgKQvYrq8OqNvlZ9HxA/s1600/586eebd9d33018ff3d2d8b06a16eb891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHrnZky9ayT-QueyoAM64KobDM99ENJDpD-wlxKJaG-VtSx9bGiF_16h2WGqOaSI90kPiufBIfupOBLMxjlxiR0IlvZJPOZI63vZaG3-Z3BuzEun_vvRCgwzZdgKQvYrq8OqNvlZ9HxA/s1600/586eebd9d33018ff3d2d8b06a16eb891.jpg" height="640" width="403" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>She rides her Bianchi everywhere.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvfNJmWU1SGugk8Naw4VXkYrQpC95klTd5lfcIHF5G4w4omMC8-H3SUgdLqYA-DtFnIqxNUk2-iEPfxWm5WjRbXI-VZ2bNj9MeFtPKIM85ZUCQ42Dzgj4sgs-EUalA4iocvi7V_CdFSY/s1600/130f3ae2c16082fdda65d811e27dade8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvfNJmWU1SGugk8Naw4VXkYrQpC95klTd5lfcIHF5G4w4omMC8-H3SUgdLqYA-DtFnIqxNUk2-iEPfxWm5WjRbXI-VZ2bNj9MeFtPKIM85ZUCQ42Dzgj4sgs-EUalA4iocvi7V_CdFSY/s1600/130f3ae2c16082fdda65d811e27dade8.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>All these images are from Pinterest. Apologies for no attribution.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dI6gfI5k2fy68NA_b45oOhqxGnnCjoPbjz32yNSHqB3TBkw4wWEIBKAJtruuTfds2Tip-7buZUMnW269SFNsSCrm7uarmcV2_pyoBgI222mQaflPsfForw4VQh-29pQV6jB3Q4bxIQk/s1600/c7ddb3ac68bbbcd69f18be60f9f94ff3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dI6gfI5k2fy68NA_b45oOhqxGnnCjoPbjz32yNSHqB3TBkw4wWEIBKAJtruuTfds2Tip-7buZUMnW269SFNsSCrm7uarmcV2_pyoBgI222mQaflPsfForw4VQh-29pQV6jB3Q4bxIQk/s1600/c7ddb3ac68bbbcd69f18be60f9f94ff3.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>That hat! Those shoes!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtW-n65m2NoE0PjsShDp6AUhdNzyF4ndcWmKiXCx-An1cwSmLv0C67N4sAp4WRmm2lvcRXE1apVjjYUXF7cygRg07JVc_CEv7i8R_h8x_TXIlXHPIqXHtZS99eVKnv_2Btz-XxWKcjxls/s1600/0739eb31d105a22699dfda8703343a7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtW-n65m2NoE0PjsShDp6AUhdNzyF4ndcWmKiXCx-An1cwSmLv0C67N4sAp4WRmm2lvcRXE1apVjjYUXF7cygRg07JVc_CEv7i8R_h8x_TXIlXHPIqXHtZS99eVKnv_2Btz-XxWKcjxls/s1600/0739eb31d105a22699dfda8703343a7b.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Looking like a Maira Kalman painting in this one.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-53409378421688112272015-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:002015-01-07T18:25:40.899-08:00Careers in Magazines<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk81r2wsAaZp3v_c9DsAYTayW-Y1TNm-0QWUjgPptGXdmdeXMD3khy0GoZJH4cgy_Tg2nbthhaL7JwjJf32YRbziiy5lGEfLxOp90oBktGnuzeHA4NqKQLsEyW_TkU2VqhL1l2TO3q-Xk/s1600/hgtv+mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk81r2wsAaZp3v_c9DsAYTayW-Y1TNm-0QWUjgPptGXdmdeXMD3khy0GoZJH4cgy_Tg2nbthhaL7JwjJf32YRbziiy5lGEfLxOp90oBktGnuzeHA4NqKQLsEyW_TkU2VqhL1l2TO3q-Xk/s1600/hgtv+mag.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>They handed out free copies</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKdlgGCDzX3tbZyhFY5_sqGpSxO7ZD_7CvhIhjglCtrOvuy0DCxR-HoOvA7nR9HJZ7s95Nj9Jezr9jTPWEzb8vq4nO1g7kyDhCFVEhiIHH1AZReNFsMLeDIpYxkmsOD-uyB4o4uWWI34/s1600/food+mag+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKdlgGCDzX3tbZyhFY5_sqGpSxO7ZD_7CvhIhjglCtrOvuy0DCxR-HoOvA7nR9HJZ7s95Nj9Jezr9jTPWEzb8vq4nO1g7kyDhCFVEhiIHH1AZReNFsMLeDIpYxkmsOD-uyB4o4uWWI34/s1600/food+mag+2.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>of the most recent issues of both magazines</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iWhaJYA5snV9srY7kPaiQi4gyXRJWmIFFZwpVm1zfTebd6btD6aPfMieJ7xgDsFPiNUT4src8O-iXPYDstv_81SHyv0Y2a6Ru4g6dUBAsft7nGClfCnVTfEq_YdRmzPrn3Ode-z_fAg/s1600/food+net+mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iWhaJYA5snV9srY7kPaiQi4gyXRJWmIFFZwpVm1zfTebd6btD6aPfMieJ7xgDsFPiNUT4src8O-iXPYDstv_81SHyv0Y2a6Ru4g6dUBAsft7nGClfCnVTfEq_YdRmzPrn3Ode-z_fAg/s1600/food+net+mag.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>which I thought was pretty nice</b>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I went to this talk a few weeks ago.<br />
<br />
It was a panel discussion about careers in magazine design, held at the School of Visual Arts theatre. I got notice of it via <a href="http://theskint.com/">theskint.com</a>—they send emails one or two times a day highlighting things of interest in the city that are free or cheap. I think it is just in NYC but I'm not sure. Everywhere should have one. But anyway. Magazine design. I decided, why not go. This was the line-up:<br />
<br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Maile Carpenter</b>, Editor in Chief, <i>Food Network Magazine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ian Doherty</b>, Art Director, <i>Food Network Magazine</i><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Sara Peterson</b>, Editor in Chief, <i>HGTV Magazine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ridge Carpenter</b>, Art Director, <i>HGTV Magazine</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Weirdly (or not), Maile and Ridge are siblings. Sisters. Not that it matters. What matters is that it was good. The speakers were personable, down-to-earth, and happy to help demystify the behind-the-scenes process of putting together their respective publications.<i> </i><a href="http://theeverygirl.com/feature/hgtv-magazine-editor-in-chief-sara-peterso" target="_blank">Sara Peterson</a>, in particular, was charming and chatty about the realities of putting out a magazine in the current economic climate, and the relationship between the TV show (and on-air personalities) and the publication. Both editors talked about how the divide between editorial and advertising in magazines has been reconsidered in the last few years. In short, there maybe isn't one any longer. Maile Carpenter talked candidly about how a necessary part of her job now entails brainstorming ideas about how to better merge advertiser's products with their editorial content. And really, I guess, why not. It isn't like </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Food Network Magazine</i></span> deals with hard news or serious journalism. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I think both magazines, in terms of
design, are pretty solidly middle-of-the-road. Which is not intended as disparagement. You wouldn't look for cutting-edge graphic design
from either—it wouldn't be appropriate for their audience. And
consideration for their readers and what they value in the magazine
are the driving forces behind what they feature and how they present it,
and rightly so. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As it was held at SVA, the moderator (a faculty member) asked some pretty direct questions about how an interested student might land a job there. Which I thought was great. I don't remember any practical help being offered to me as an undergraduate in terms of making a living. Which is part of how I ended up in graduate school 2 years after finishing undergrad. I literally didn't know what else to do with myself. The only thing I had ever successfully done was to be a student. So that was heartening.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UUkgp697-SHWu1frx51ZdR1cqZ5B8lU_Z9Ug757fR-YfLpbm-JObhQi1CSYa7k0KaoeNMUdkYacjQUTlVYwbIeBIDMaoN8VhGsRBP28FC4SPdaGMtDMd3p6KpFA3iqIdSzzRu6vLGKw/s1600/svah002exterior.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UUkgp697-SHWu1frx51ZdR1cqZ5B8lU_Z9Ug757fR-YfLpbm-JObhQi1CSYa7k0KaoeNMUdkYacjQUTlVYwbIeBIDMaoN8VhGsRBP28FC4SPdaGMtDMd3p6KpFA3iqIdSzzRu6vLGKw/s1600/svah002exterior.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Photo of the theatre from the SVA website.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Part of what also made me want to go was the opportunity </span><span style="font-size: small;">to check out the SVA theatre. I had attended a talk by the designer Milton Glaser a couple years ago (I go to a lot of talks, I am suddenly aware) when he was promoting a new book. He still teaches at SVA, I believe, which is amazing since the dude is like a hundred or something. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, he had designed the logo and interior of the theatre and</span> showed a slide of it at his talk. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">One thing he said during that talk, that I've since thought about a lot, is that Photoshop and Illustrator can be dangerous because they tend to dictate the sort of art or design one makes. He felt that there was a sameness to a lot of the illustration being produced now because people were relying on the same set of tools to craft it. I think he has a valid point. He also read his essay listing the 10 most critical things he has learned over the years (<a href="http://miltonglaser.com/files/Essays-10things-8400.pdf">miltonglaser10things</a>). Number one? Only work for people that you like. To which I would say, it must be good to be Milton Glaser.</span>lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-57474831097322537752014-12-30T23:09:00.001-08:002014-12-30T23:09:26.655-08:00The past two days here in NY have been lovely, weather-wise.A couple iphone snaps of sky and light.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XJWJtfTzkgZOuuGy29HU272WVb70EuBVBNY9sNEmeqErccXtMOH3HeaSDK56yRMUi7fEiHYFMk1dz9RGrgekm61eWrwhSepJye55bLATiiA7FZ7gHYFNtBvxVreztMoMPuZDvLG5TwU/s1600/bushwick+traffic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XJWJtfTzkgZOuuGy29HU272WVb70EuBVBNY9sNEmeqErccXtMOH3HeaSDK56yRMUi7fEiHYFMk1dz9RGrgekm61eWrwhSepJye55bLATiiA7FZ7gHYFNtBvxVreztMoMPuZDvLG5TwU/s1600/bushwick+traffic.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stuck in traffic in Bushwick</b>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWo4ocK3ER7t2dr1balTA8UCqT8SEV_jxGwPWeP9n09U9gitz5-tnZ_nrcsznIfBqAEDzoNsjdKvO-WQT1wyGdDC2rRFBCGaR_irAaQsZVcYLz9M4E8nrQbkTRwYydMzRQOLHyLDQx7c/s1600/sooho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWo4ocK3ER7t2dr1balTA8UCqT8SEV_jxGwPWeP9n09U9gitz5-tnZ_nrcsznIfBqAEDzoNsjdKvO-WQT1wyGdDC2rRFBCGaR_irAaQsZVcYLz9M4E8nrQbkTRwYydMzRQOLHyLDQx7c/s1600/sooho.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Walking to the subway in Soho.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5520877991255181281.post-65411094342882623732014-12-26T14:13:00.002-08:002014-12-26T14:13:39.985-08:00Well, so much for stopping to clean up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzUnrfjj3jC-piHICQOqmFc0a7AzaX0GHMTC5TqgqCw-OIS5hwU6Sqq6uiYj34PbTAWenVIuzzjvh9FrxczoaI_BNaVLBCZOWJrexxrPBVl-fD5Rq4qrQzfIZg9rHKZzbGqnmck-PTeg/s1600/spiderweb+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzUnrfjj3jC-piHICQOqmFc0a7AzaX0GHMTC5TqgqCw-OIS5hwU6Sqq6uiYj34PbTAWenVIuzzjvh9FrxczoaI_BNaVLBCZOWJrexxrPBVl-fD5Rq4qrQzfIZg9rHKZzbGqnmck-PTeg/s1600/spiderweb+wall.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
But it's done! The top at least. I would do some things differently if I were to do it again. Not so sure I love the degree of difference in the widths of the black borders. Think I should have kept the variation within a narrower scope. Also, maybe would have kept the light blue centers more ordered, less crazy-quilt like. Something I like: the black fabrics I used. I've shied away from using black fabrics in my quilts to date—it always seems to dominate too much. But I think now it's use is more about balance (like everything, I guess). It does provide a nice deep contrast for the deeper blue.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopwcCCzouN9R0fBh8plaNsucsqxziGwh2IHkPO_fsvIXIF-YO8txpL1n3EoC5WjQFlkgNNPRjIYP3OxfsRbTpcYcr3zlQQ8JilYHcHsIgUZO3z50SfgzYq-2GG9LdYITJl3ftghxZorI/s1600/blue+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopwcCCzouN9R0fBh8plaNsucsqxziGwh2IHkPO_fsvIXIF-YO8txpL1n3EoC5WjQFlkgNNPRjIYP3OxfsRbTpcYcr3zlQQ8JilYHcHsIgUZO3z50SfgzYq-2GG9LdYITJl3ftghxZorI/s1600/blue+spider.jpg" height="400" width="398" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13430655234625464479noreply@blogger.com4