LOOP IT UP news....

****** Ali + Tajae



HEY GANG--

I just wanted to post the email that I sent around to the fibers dept concerning loop it up

if you would like to get involved or need more info contact me or check out the blog-- http://www.loopitupsavannah.blogspot.com/



here is the letter:

I'm trying to get a sense of how many people are interested in helping with the Loop It Up Savannah program which we started last quarter. There are several parts of this project with which we could really use your help.

The first is of course, teaching knitting and/or crocheting classes to local kids at the YMCA. I'm still working out logistics, but we will probably structure the class schedule much as we did this past fall. there would be a group which meets mon/wed 4:30-5:45 and another group which meets tues/thurs 4:30-5:45. ideally, teachers would be available on both days in the set... but we can work things out to fit your schedule. Classes are off to a great start and the kids are really really great! we mostly just need more teachers!

If you are unable to help with teaching, but would still like to be part of this project let me know!! We could use help with a handful of things, some even as easy as roling yarn balls! I'm hoping to make some loop it up bags for the kids to store their knitting stuff in-- early on in the quarter, before classes start and also, I would like the incorperate a "stitch diary" componant into the class--- sort of a process book, sketchbook, work book thing for them to get involved in and be proud of................ I'd LOVE some help with ideas for this and with actually putting the books together.

thank you thank you! official sign up sheets will be available when we get back to school, but I'm trying to get the word out nice + early, so that we can really get going with this ASAP. please pass this along to anyone that you think might be interested!

stella, barack obama, late december 2008

i remember that one day when looking at this section of the glorious bayeux tapestry in class, my beloved Pamela Wiley said--

" we may not know how to read latin. we may not know what was happening, the facts of this old time. but I do know what it's like to see a shooting star-- it just stops you in the middle of everything"

the other day i was racing around, getting things together for some little outing or another. NPR was playing and when i was halfway up the stairs at my parents house Barack Obama came on the radio he said:

" hope endures, and somehow there is still a chance for peace in the world"

and i have to tell you, it stopped me, mid staircase, kind of like that shooting star. there are these moments in which I am so filled with the hope and possibility of the days to come. I know in these times that we can feel good about our lives and know that doing our very best is relative and the greatest gift of all.

[and i think i'm not afraid anymore and that i would rather die trying.... so swing me WAY down south.]

a prayer for all the wild hearts, kept caged.

hmmmm. might do a piece called that. maybe even tomorrow. snow snow snow.
keeping us slow + easy.

check out jeremy michael noonan's [new?] site: http://textilechef.com/
could we possibly be cooler? i think not!

"i'm so busy this december..."

it's getting to be that time of year when absolutely everything speeds up a little. it is probably a good thing, it keeps us warm! the first few weeks of december are easy going and then suddenly there are a million things to do, a million old friends to see.......... I've been working at Fort Hill this week, spending a lot of time with some good friends-- big + small. the good thing about being the floating sub is that you get to be with almost EVERY kid at some point!

i can't help it, i have to show you this picture:

.... maybe there is a dixie-band is in the future...

a fabulous day!!

today was just great! thank you to everyone-- new friends + old-- who came out to see us at the WICK's!! I love you all. The nields, who in the end I did not go to see tonight, say:

i want you to take up all of my time

i want you because you're funny + kind

i want easy people, from now on...........

also in the world of wonder: Zeytin's BEAUTIFUL little brother Ronan was born the other day!!!!!

hooray hooray. much love and stay warm warm. i know you will because of all the love in your hearts.

SHOW!!! TOMORROW!!!

hey gang---

all is well in trunkshow land....

the show is tomorrow!!

11am- 4pm 59 massasoit street northampton--- the WICK's house!!

MAP!!
***there will be a neighboring show at Lynn Madison's big orange house.... right across the street! 12-5pm
more local art! more good friends!

good news:

1. rachel wick just got into SMITH!!!

2. jenny scheerer is soon to have baby # 2!!

3. the nields + the black rebels are playing at the IRON HORSE tomorrow night.... NOT together, but at 7 + 10 pm respectivly. I hope to go to both. I hope you come too! [ "we're gonna laugh and we're gonna dance. I'm gonna hold you like my only chance..."]

4. it's december, we're getting a new deal for christmas and everything is going to be just fine!!

5. BARACK OBAMA!!! I'm still not over it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. the show! tomorrow! see you then!!!

thursday

things i have loved, i'm aloud to keep

monday

jenny lewis says:

if i run up hill, i'm out of breath.

if i spend all my money, then i've got no money left.

if i put all my chips on only one bet, then i'm all in....

[I've been running up the hill ourside my parent's house with Riva lately and keep thinking about that!]

we've made it thru our first weekend of shows. both were a big success-- many friends and much art passed along!

I've finally realized that I have indeed made a lot of work, enough for this coming weekend too. I'm also realizing that this new one-class-a-quarter plan means TRUE slowing down, TRUE leaving the rat race, TRUE living + feeling + being. I feel absolutely renewed, in the sense of "give me a clean heart. give me a clean heart. give me a clean heart, may i be born a new"

i have a million letters to send, emails to write up and bills to pay, but today is one of those fabulous specimins of a day when I know in my heart that everything will be okay.

there is another jenny lewis song that says : if you want better things, than i want you to have them.

I think that at a certain point we must say this to ourselves, and then commit to figuring out how to have those better things.... you do, in the end, have to look for your life.

my good friend Betsy played my her favorite jump little children song, a few years back now. the most stunning part of it goes: in the cathedrals of new york and rome, there is a feeling that you should just go home + spend a lifetime figuring out just where that is.

so here we go, n'est-ce pas?

new card! + progress notes

this is the new card!!! it just arrived today along with some postcards which will be FOR SALE!!!!! at the shows! everything is going well. I've spent this week

1) in a relaxed sort of production mode. I figured out that it helps me to stay calm, organized, on track + happy if I make some sort of a production plan. this time, it has been editions of ten .... I've been making 10 of everything--- for the most part----- sometimes you know, 9! it's made the whole process feel a lot more managable. and way more fun.

2) visiting with old friends. at williston, at fort hill, at the campus school. also at woodstar + essentials. this town is a great place to be.

here is the list of goodies for the show:
- note cards (digital printed cards/postcards, quilt notes, little love notes + NEW: gift tags!! little bit of india cards!! )
- knit hats, scarves
-needle books (know a sewer? need a place for your pins and needles?)
- table runners
-placemats
- coasters
- knit birds!
- magnets
- fine art!!!! [original embellished surfaces + digital prints!]
-earrings [some by MIM!!!]
-BAUTIFUL books by Janelle!!

weeeeeee haw. back to it. I hope to see you all this weekend!

a couple of shows!

back in MA, things are looking pretty great. good friends + good work to be done. my Mom and I and doing a series on shows!

DECEMBER 6+7th [9:30am -4:30pm] big brother big sisiter craftsfair at the Northampton High GYM!! MARSHA will be selling work (and it is all just BEAUTIFUL!!) at booth # 59

check out: www.marshalieberman.com

DECEMBER 7th [9am- 1:30 pm] group home show at the Baskin/Buttenwieser house!

46 Franklin Street Northampton. here is the official flyer should be pretty neat!

AND {this will be truly awesome!} DECEMBER 13th [11am-4pm] the TRUNKSHOW / HOLIDAY SALE 2008! at he home of our most beloved WICKS! 59 Massasoit Street NORTHAMPTON. post cards are on the way to many of you (freshly and wonderfully printed by PARADISE COPIES!)

I've finally started working......................... there WILL actually be work at these shows!

oh yeah, did i mention how much i love pattern?

**** crazy amounts!

Final Days In SAVANNAH 2008

***** yeah, this pretty much sums it up...

hey gang---

what a time. after everything was said and done --- and that includes school, knitting classes, a fabulous opening for Anna Keck's thesis show, $70 of bank fees cleared by the wonderful Jessica Littlejohn and FOUR hours at the laundromat--- all we could manage to do with ourselves was go out to Oatland Isalnd and walk around the nature center -- the animals were awesome..... this was followed by pulled pork sandwiches at ANGEL's BBQ, a viewing of Lars and the REAL GIRL and just a little bit of PBR.

I left Savannah the next morning, drove to Richmond (really good drive, 95 has just been paved-- the Carolinas were a breeze!) and stayed over with my dear friend Joellen. while we were there, Riva got to try on this awesome piggy costume!

not sure she liked it as much as we did! that's BUDDY, Joellen's dog in the background... he really isn't as scary as he looks here!

ANYWAYS, back in Northampton NOW.

busteling around. more on that tomorrow. thanksgiving day!

well well WELL

I write to you again after MUCH MUCH ADO! I find myself here in Savannah with 2 weeks left of school. how nuts it has been.
but thankfully:

1. Barack OBAMA has been elected president and as my darling and oldest friend Meg said to me on election night " we can all rest easy tonight"

2. kate, brooke, laura the pups + i are happily settled into our new apartement on waldburg street and the mania of the surprise move has pretty much passed us by.

3. bubbie is a wonderful wonderful animal.... woof woof woof

4. I'm creating a totally new kind of work! much much inspired by embellished surfaces class and the divinely inspired Pamela Wiley. pictures soon, i promise. [not that you have any real reason to trust me about posting soon anymore!!!!!! but this is a NEW LEAF!]

5. loop it up SAVANNAH is off to a great start. we started classes for 5-10 year olds at the YMCA last week and I am absolutely in LOVE with them. and knitting.
****be involved! http://loopitupsavannah.blogspot.com/

6. just 2 weeks left of school!

7. there is cayewah. there is despina. there is pam. there is amy. there are many many dear dear people in this world.

8. there is hope and there has been progress. it's very good to be here.

SAVANNAH!

there are these mornings when I lay in bed and my heart feels like this. today was certainly one of them.

back in Savannah, how sublime. I got here last tuesday. Ever since, I've been cleaning my house, hanging out with some good friends and all of the dogs and just being here.

I've been making lots: for the clawfoot tub in Amherst mass. for essentials in Northampton mass. for specific people and for myself. here are some table runners.... my new favorite thing to make:

front and back..... REVERSIBLE--- pour qua pas?

I started a new book--- one that Brooke made for me a few birthdays back. I'm going to try to do a page every day. one intentional page. next monday school starts, I'm more excited about it than ever. I'll be taking two classes. Screen printing and embellished surfaces. I'm trying to make space for all the pieces that I want at this point. I'm working on calming down and getting back to the garden, of my dreams, thoughts, ideas and wonderings. It, like my real back yard needs a little slow attention. (like slow food. slow craft. everything that we make by hand everything that we know by heart.)

here is a kid painted OBAMA from massachusetts. ... what a fall this shall be.

savannah RECYCLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

after much much ado and years of waiting! check it out:
http://www.scaddistrict.com/?p=730

CURB SIDE RECYCLING!!!!!! i'm so thrilled on so many levels............ including that my deck can actually be a nice place to hang out rather than the crazy collection spot of cans and bottles!!! HOORAY HOORAY.

music!

i just discovered the joys of project playlist!! I'm not sure if this will work, but here is a link to some songs that you should really go listen to!!! http://www.playlist.com/node/43525674

xoxo

ordinary town

dave carter + tracy grammer said, " raised on punches and junk food lunches and punch-drunk ballroom steps. you get to believin you're even- steven with the kids at fast track prep. so you dump your bucks on a velvet tux and run and join the dance. but your holy shows and the romans know you're just a child of circumstance..."

jenny lewis says, "it's fifteen miles to the promised land and i promise you i'm doing the best i can."

natalie maines, martie mcguire and emily robinson say, "i'm taking the long way. taking the long way round."

bean + i just went and lay out in the rain. it is in these fleeting moments that i know that where ever you go, there you are. you are. you are. you are.

some people let their hair grow into dreadlocks because they don't want to interupt the natural systems, rhythms and patterns of their own being.

eat pray love

monday monday. I have an early break at work today, it's kind of nice to have some free morning time. I'm eating my new favorite snack--- a "fitness muffin" from Woodstar. it's sort of a carrot/rasin/ bran muffin.... de-lish!

as usual, the post trunk show period has me a little worn out in terms of studio production. I'm getting back into some fine art after last weeks total break in which I don't think I made a single thing. artist + writer Sabrina Ward Harrison started the true living project a few years ago this is what she wrote about it:

Two years ago I ended up in a field of grass hip high. This is where I began to make the body work that has come to be called The True Living Project.

E.E. Cummings said a poet a “someone who is abnormally fond of that precision which creates movement”. Which is to say the highest form of concentration possible: fascination; to report on the electrifying experience of being.

On a daily basis we teeter on the edge of humanity losing history through the fading cultural landscape of our country and our interconnectedness as human beings. Though unconscious development and historical neglect. As we have barreled deeper and deeper into a technological / result driven 21st century, now more than ever I do believe we need to be brought home to the presence of our living. To allow the restful validation of your own tender true humanity, may this work be a living ode to our living.

I am striving to create both a visual and emotional unfolding through the textural interchange of photography, sound, collage, film and found objects.

As you observe, as you listen, may you rest into that place where this moment, and your memory, exist.

*** I think that the true living project is a fabulous title for a body of work. I've been using the ideas and the title as a way to think about and process my own work. at this point, I know that my work falls into a couple of categories. the first is the studio work--- items which I make many of. the second is the fine art, the true living project, which is the work that I do to document, memorialize, record and at the same time figure out how I feel and what I think. here is the beginning of the most recent piece (quite recent too, I started it yesterday afternoon!)

so we'll see where that one goes.......... I can't wait to work on it more this afternoon. this work is so freeing, it's good to be without that pressure of craftsmanship. it's good to work with things that I've collected and which are not yet tamed or designed.

I'm reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book eat pray love, I just read the part when she meets a 9th generation Balinese medicine man named Ketut. He tells her, " to find the balance you want, this is what you mush become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two. That way you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world thru your head. You must look thru your heart instead."

pre- MAMMA MIA

here I go again........... my my, how can I resist you?!?!?!?!? this has been a honey of a day. the kids were easy as pie + exceedingly cute. bean + I are about to set out to see MAMMA MIA. I am SO excited. jittering with anticipation, infact.

I'm trying to think of a cute little good bye present for the preschoolers........... ideas? nothing too complicated, because I will be making 14 of them. ANYWAYS, much love, many rainbows + refreshing storms. xoxo m

LA LA!

saturday's trunkshow was a great success. We had a lovely group of dear dear friends and it was a blast! here is the statement that I wrote for the show + it is very true of this moment in our lives..

betty+isabel. high summer. 2008.
Much of our world is comprised of loops, links and tangles. Each thread and every color seem to have their own intuitive route. Birds migrate the same route every year, intuitively. I try not to interrupt the intuitive and the naturally occurring, but to internalize each loop and link, to really know every tangle. The name betty+Isabel, comes from an e.e Cummings poem about patterns which simply happen, and we may not know why or how, but we accept them. We accept them as we do everything which we have made by hand or know by heart.

Anyways, I'm getting back into this one thing at a time groove. it's feeling pretty great. the day ends when it should and I am making specific things for specific people. I am finding that life as a maker is rather like life as a farmer. you have to make different types of work at different times, forming a cycle in order to stay alive, awake and excited......... just like the wisest way to farm is to switch up the crops in your field from time to time.
I feel pretty relaxed and just pretty happy. here are some ingredients for that:

- simon + garfunkel -- first thing in the morning + in the car
- these amazing chocolates from my friend Kait which were waiting for me in my cubbie at the preschool today
- good talks and cute phone messages from/with dear friends like Jen, Nora, Joellen, Djerba, Lexi + Jess.
- RIVA, world's greatest dog
- my wonderful Mummay
- these glorious, sunny days

Ian Hundley

Neuringe Red, 2003. made from cotton corduroy.

okay, I know that in the slew of things I posted yesterday, there was a link to Ian Hundley's site, but his quilts are SO amazing, intricate and beautiful that on this rainy wednesday they are worthy of an entire post. Here are a few of them:

Oberg White, 2006. made of cotton, wool, silk and linen. Bierbergen Oedelum Black, 2006. made from cotton, wool, silk + linen.

these are totally beautiful, and I think that I am all the more intrigued by them because my friend Emma, who sent me the link to his site also sent me a link to the site of photographer Todd Shelbey, who recently documented Ian Hundley in his home. I have become fascinated by material, and how we choose to sort and categorize it. I found on a recent artist studio tour that I was as interested in each studio space as the work coming from it. I think that it's important to consider the spaces that we inhabit and the objects which co-inhabit our homes. I find that I must continuously ask myself to define my belongings and think twice about if I actually want to have them in my home. stuff, things, belongings. I wonder what stories they carry about us, because they must indicate soemthing about us-- just as we carry them and their stories. At this point in my life, I want to minimize my belongings and organize and sort the heck out of whatever is left. check out http://theselby.com/ --- Ian Hundley is the first collection of photos, at the very top.

wool yardage/ Marimekko

a new material has recently caught my eye. that is : wool yardage. it's a very nice sort of thin but full bodied felt. I bought a yard at Valley Fabrics yeserday to back some coasters that I'm staring to make. it is beautiful, and loves to be serged!!!! it was a bit expensive, i was just doing a bit of web research looking for a larger scale supplier. found one!!!

check out: http://www.prairiepointjunction.com/woolfeltyardage.html --- cool wool+ felt business.

also yesterday, I just broke down and bought myself ann incredibly beautiful piece of MARIMEKKO:

my piece is actually a blue and yellow colorway.... I couldn't find a photo of it online. ANYWAYS, it's totally beautiful. I think that a new quilt is in the future for my dear bed!!!

As ever, I am supplied with Amazing links from my friend Emma. here are the amazing quilts of Ian Hundley... http://ianhundleystudio.com/quilts.php

cheers.

HAPPY SUMMER DAY

Tina says: Positive energy. Bubbling and brewing, it starts from within and changes the world. For real. Feel it!

it is good to hear such true, happy, kind words............................. even thru cyberspace!

today, I feel great. the kids we're so awesome --- despite high heat + dust on the playground!
today has been a day with much love. I hope that it sustains us as we are now, divinely imperfect + messy +fun.

come to the trunkshow next weekend, we will be there and overjoyed. send us some of your beautiful artwork, if you wuld like to show it!

(OH YEAH: we will not be at Boltwood tomorrow. BEAN returns at 3pm. hooray hooray.)

PJ DAY!!

well, I finally sit + write to you on what is not only the 17th day of july, but is also PIJAMA DAY in group A! We all sported our favorites.... some of which were quite fab and well coordinated! (my personal favorite was the cinderella night gown, with matching cinderella socks and a suspiciously cinderella-ish headband AND some magical golden slippers!) I wore some pj pants that I bought las week, thinking I could wear them as regular pants anyways + an old t shirt of Tim Shafer's.

ANYWAYS, much much in the way of news+ happenings. let's see:

well, last weekend we went to the Boltwood Market to find no one else in sight... we set up just the same and sat around a while until someone actually tried to STEAL something. oy vey. at that point, we went home......... I think we may infact skip it this week. check back here for an official update tomorrow.

In the way of good news: I bought a serger, which just arrived on monday! I've been wanting one for years and this puppy is everything I could have wanted... EVER. and we're chugging along, getting ready for the BIG SUMMER TRUNKSHOW!!!!!!! I've been working on some new repeats and making new(+ somewhat chic!) new cards out of them. for example:

little birds for cards + here is a little piece from an old repeat...... recognize it? black + white is impeccably in right now...Also, I've been making some little prints of my drawings. here is a draing which I did a while back as a study for an entirely peach based project......this is just a little section:

much love + hope you're laying out someplace, enjoying these beautiful long summer days.

Early Morning Rain

well, even after we had packed up the car to a T last night, we all decided that this was not good weather in which to do an outdoor show ! SO, we won't be going to the Boltwood Market today. oh well, maybe next week. right now, I'm prewashing fabric! + getting ready for a relaxing day of FUN errands and design work. hooray for saturday.
much love.

[1. be impeccable with your word
2. don't take anything personally
3. don't make assumptions
4. always do your best]

bang bang bang, july fourth

oh happy day! this morning I met up with Djerba, of REPRODEPOT, at the warehouse in easthampon! let me tell you, it was a fabulous fabric candy store experience. here is just a bit of the goods that I came home with

***tons of Kaffe Fassett, Alexander Henry, Robert Kauffman and japanese imports! amazing, beautiful stuff..... so amazing + exciting that today just had to be the day that I bought a BRAND NEW SERGER!! a serger is an incredibly useful + practical type of sewing machine which cuts a nice straight edge and binds the fabric in a cute little finished edge!!!! MAJOR TIME SAVER, and majorly helpful in creating neat, clean seams! Placemats, pillowcases, bags.... are on the way, in a mojor way!

I had a day off from work on tuesday and went shopping for display racks + cases, one of the coolest finds was this formerr casette tape shelf from salvation army ($3)

which just so happens to be the perfect note card showcaser. cool cool cool......... good old SalvArmani.

feeling pretty ready and excited for the first of the BOLTWOOD MARKET days, which is tomorrow. I just finished making these magnets. they're mostly composed from things I founf on the street. I'm still waiting for the right title to come up.

some ideas= starland district magnets, east side magnets, jefferson park neighborhood magnets, e. 35th street magnets ---- probably one of the latter two.

hope we see you tomorrow at the market 9am-1pm.

oh yeah, happy 4ththhthththhhhhhhhhhhhhh of july. hope it's been grand.

SPEAKING OF JUBILANT!!!

I just checked out the AMAZING ReproDepot of Easthampton MASS. This little wonder of a shop is owned by Djerba Goldfiner, who is the mother of one of my preschoolers--- EVA! I just looked up the website........ totally fAB fabrics, ribbons, books + supplies......... http://www.reprodepot.com/

CHECK IT!!!

here are a few highlights:

BUSY BIRDS (need I say pillowcases are on the way?!?)

Kaffe fassett's PINKING FLOWERS--- I've used a different colorway of this very same pattern--- LOVE LOVE LOVE these two though!

A BRILLIANT Merimekko! reminds me of one of our recent fiber grads, emily cox--- see link on the side!

ALSO the shop seems to have amazing books, like this one of Nickolas Muray's portraits of Frida Kahlo:

well, as my friend George would say, we all know where I'm going when the next paycheck comes in. .....

Friday!! AT LAST!!

well, it is at last friday. I am quite jubilant. today is going just swimmingly at the preschool. it all began with an early morning dress up and dance around the classroom to the nutcracker by Michael+ Eli.......... very cute. (who cares if it's almost summer solstice?) we then spent the entire morning outside, a perfect way to spend this second to longest day of the year.

When I woke up this morning I felt as though I had gotten some of my fire back. I have been feeling a little run down lately, pretty normal with all the moving around and change in the last few weeks---- but still very nice when it finally passes by! This weekend will be a work weekend, that is my own work that I'm just dying to do...... also, YOGA class. which I have sorely (quite literally!) missed. I'm hoping to finish a bunch of birds and get a group of notecards done. I've also been toying witht he idea of placemats. making them out of the same basic structure as the quilt notes...... wellllllll, more to come later. pictures, too.

xoxox

business cards!!!

well, what a while it has been. I've been quite busy with the preschool and as much summer production as I can possibly muster....... many little birds and many grand plans and that is about it so far. BUT: today I finally finished the business card design, I will have it printed and in my hands by the middle of next week!! here is a lil sneak preview:

exciting stuff+ evolution for betty+isabel.

alright, lunch break ia all but over. more later, and pictures of it all to come! xoxo

ETSY dot COM

a productive morning on etsy, to be sure! I have FINALLY posted some items! just stationary so far. more to come soon. check it out: www.bettyandisabel.etsy.com

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I told you it would happen!

Monday Monday

well, here in Florence MASS!

it has been a lovely weekend of r+r, hanging out with my family and old friends. So much big news! three sets of friends are getting married!!!!!! what a thrill + a huge hooray for Caitlin + Zeke, Jen+ Dan and Nora + Jen. They're all a-glow and real excited.

So, tomorrow I start working at the preschool, should be great-- there are so many old friends there... some of the best kids on earth, when you really get down to it.

Today, I'm just getting my ducks in a row. organizing supplies, setting up a studio, paying bills, catching up on phone calls and the such. Riva got a tick in one of her legs and I can't get it out, so I'm bringing her in to the vet in a few hours. (the same vet that I brought COUNTLESS hamsters into back in the day...)

I know I've said it before, but the website IS coming!

love love love+ happy monday.

green tea + the room with a view

Utopia's Equation by Jessica Rogers this beautiful painting is sitting here in my house.

today is thrusday, I woke up at 6:11 am..... not at all unusual these days. Drinking tea + laying with Riva in my bedroom, which is all set to be Jessie's room for the summer. We sometimes refer to this room as "the room with a view," it looks out on 35th street. Good things happen here. I have fallen in love with this house, this neighborhood, this set of things that make up a regular day. My Dad will be here any minute, can hardly wait! next time I write, it will probably be from Massachusetts.

here are some new discoveries:

1) good music: Begonias by Caitlin Cary+ Thad Cockrell
2) good food: inari sushi (thin, marinated tofu wrapped around rice + sea weed), oatmeal with peanut butter, fresh limeade at the Bean
3) fun movies: Sex + the City, Mama Mia (coming soon, I'm thrilled!)
4) good mechanic in Savannah: A+D Automotive on skidaway road. (owned by some friends of my roommate Laura)

hmmm... I seem to be in Savannah. STILL!

WHELL! I'm writing to you for the first time ever from my own bedroom!! Jess is all set up in here for the summer, with a computer! what a treat! today has been quite a hoot so far. everything was going great and according to schedule except for the mysterious illumination of my CHECK ENGINE light, which happened last night driving home from my friend Nikki's house. I figured that the lights coming on probably had something to do with my oil being changed yesterday....... but I brought the car in this morning just to be sure. (darn good thing, too!) It turns out that all sorts of (MAJOR) things are going wrong in there... loose belts and and a faulty engine. OY VEY. It seems that the engine needs replacing and the whole car might take a weeks worth of work. oh mama..... and it may not be worth it anyways, old car that it is. SO, it looks like a new car is on the way (just what our check book wanted to hear, right?!?) My DAD is flying down tonight to help figure out the best course of action. I was rather worked up at first, and then I realized--- after I came inside from this 105 degree day--- that it is really really alright. it really is. I'm going to spend this day chilling out because there is ABSOLUTELY nothing else for me to do at this point and it will be wonderful.

more to come later. be well, be happy, feel good about yourself + this moment in june.

When I think about leaving Savannah, I get a little choked up

Above are the remaining few of the birds that I knit for my three-d fibers final.... Some of them flew away with my friends Brooke, Chris, Laura, Jeanne and Cayewah. (sometimes friends are so dear that I can't stand to be away from them and giving a little piece that we made with out hands makes it a little easier.) So, I'm leaving Savannah tomorrow around 11am. Leaving this place is one of the saddest things that I ever do. I keep reminding myself that I get to come back here + rebuild my home and go to all the places that I love the very best.

This past week has been a whirl, such a whirl that I can hardly believe that everything which has happened could be contained in one single week. Last friday was the Fibers Senior show, which was a splendid event. I didn't take any pictures, because there were so many people to talk to and fabulous things to look at. Sometimes, I think that it is better to not take any pictures--- and just to be THERE, rather than so focused on constructing imaged to remeber it by. But let me tell you about it. the show took place in a beautiful old house on West Park Street and every little corner and room was just full of work by our seniors. (all 3o of them!!!!)

The next day began the mad dash to move everyone in and out of our house. we have some friends subletting for the summer, so there has been quite a lot of chaos and rearainging. The place is starting to come together again, which is great. (But it doesn't look like OUR house, which is so strange and overwhelming.) I think that I may be nearing the end of my back+forth era. It would make me very happy to just be fully settled, one place or another. I get really disoriented with all the switching about.

Anyway, this morning, my friend Jess and I went to the beach+ just lay out for a while. this was so lovely and made us both feel a little more grounded. There is no place more comforting and dependable than the beach.

so, I set out tomorrow. Riva's first road trip. I'm real excited about everyone in Northampton getting to meet her! This summer will be filled with preschool, trunk shows and the Boltwood Market.

(+when I think of all that, leaving my sweet city behind for a while really doesn't seem so bad.)

post new york

New York was wonderful, such a nice combo of working the show and wandering the city. I stayed with some old + dear friends of my parents, right around the corner from the Javitts Center. here is a shot of our booth at SURTEX.... and there is Karin hanging things up!
It was really interesting to talk to all sorts of industry people and see what is going on in the surface design world. we made a lot of good connections with companies looking to hire young designers and artists, which are sure to come round and provide great opportunities for the sweet folks in the fibers department. here are Pam +Cayewah, shortly after we learned that the SCAD ICFF booth was going to win an award (Best Design School!!! hooray hooray) how wonderful to be recognized for doing truly good work. we are all exceptionally proud. here is a picture of the ICFF booth as well.........
Home in Savannah, the SCAD fashion show was a sweeping success, and was particularly praised for the STUNNING nano-felted backdrop by David Frank, a huge success + beautiful piece of work. check out this link to see some pictures: http://www.scad.edu/events/fashion/2008/
also, there are pictures and videos of the process on the fibers dept. blog which is in the link column on the left. FIBER FIBER FIBER. well, I have to go do some errands and then FINALS. OY VEY. but life is undeniably, very good.