These Months Of Making

taking a breath

2011-05-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

my non-work life has been needing a little TLC.
this weekend I was able to take a little breather...

I hung up a beautiful print by my friend Janelle Proulx and a pretty glass lantern that Amy Darlene Fairly gave me a few birthdays ago. (and now I like my bathroon a lot better.)

I did ALL of my laundry and made the bed.

home made pizza! complete with some fresh rosemary and parsley from Cookie Tenenbaum's garden.

And Riva got a nice bath... much to her dismay while it was happening, but she feels pretty good now!

* * *

Its important to take a deep breath sometimes. Especially when your life tends to look like this at the end of any given day.....

all good things, but my goodness, what a lot of them!

this weekend has felt very good.

pillowcases for sale!

2011-05-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

pillowcases for sale, $38 per set!
pick from these or design your own!
xo xo xo xo

pillowcases for sale, $38 per set!
pick from these or design your own!
xo xo xo xo

email looplinktangle@gmail.com

time for some sunny weather

2011-05-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

I have been inspired by this blog

http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/photo-projects/ (this moment project),

by a timeless day at the beach with Addison and by my relentless schedule to make

time for one solid 100% not work/ getting things done related activity each week.

I love my job, I really do. But we were not made to be machines. When our schedules become so tightly packed that even the most delicious job of teaching art becomes tiresome, we should take the hint... its time to take a break, its time for some sunny weather.

I took care of Addison a lot when she was a baby and have just recently started spending time with her and her dear, wonderful family again.

This is how we spent the evening...

oh, happy girl!

oh boy.

2010-11-04T21:43:00.001-07:00

sorry for the lapse.
been making a lot.
been doing a lot.
been learning a lot.
been loving a lot.
most recently:

(to name a few...)

the sun will rise, the stars will shine

2010-04-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

things

2010-04-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Well... I seem to have fallen behind, with the whole daily posting of things made. It was been very busy lately, ofo course. I have been making a lot though. I promise.
here are somethings:

Here is my bubbie reclining in a comfy new necklace that I knit her...

I think that I got the itch to make things for the pups from Pamy who has always made little garments for the boys...

It has become very important to make things that are not stressful, not related to sales.... not for show, but for my more intimate life. little things for the dearest of the dear.

My friend Despina has started this really cool thing on Facebook called MAKE PER MONTH. Everyone in the group makes something for another person each month...

this is what I made for Despina:

my friend Kendall made me this beautiful little quilt.... which I lost the picture of... check back soon.

Along the lines of studio excitement, Cayewah gave me this awesome old thread spool holder!

It has lots of pegs and other storage places for my threddys and other sewing stuff.
We don't know who made it, but someone did, probably in New Mexico, maybe 50 years ago.

daily practice

2010-04-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

The grad classes in my department engage in an organized daily practice. Each person chooses something managable, simple to make every day. Making is something that can happen for a variety of reasons, due to a variety of circumstances. Making because it is what we do in general, rather than because we are particularly moved to make something is an incredible stregnth, a burdon of sorts, and a colossal relief.

Making always helps me to keep myself together and have better eyes when navigating thru the mountains of things which inevitably come up. As important as the personal act of making, is keeping sight of other people's making and why we make things; what we make.

SO, I am trying to start a new daily practice - it has 2 parts:

1. make something for someone in particular, document

2. find something that someone else made that i love.

there is a lot of figuring to do, and taking these small steps is probably the most productive way to do it.

i like birds

2010-03-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

surfacing

2010-02-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

I am finally surfacing from what has been an exceptionally long, exciting, wonder-filled, eventful and exhausting 2 months.

The last time I managed to write something on here was in december - freezing cold, making things in Massachusetts. Since then, I have been back in Savannah, mostly working at the YMCA and on my NEW BOOK - The Loop It Up Savannah Project: Making a Fiber Art After School Program in Your Town!

it's finally done!
this has been an exceptionally challenging project for me. I had long planned to make this book, but because of a priceless oppurtunity to go to the American Craft Council Show with the book, the writig and making had to SPPPEEED up, more than I can even believe actually happened!

The past few months have been nearly entirely devoted to this project. I finished the first edition last thursday. We have printed two copies which I made into hand bound books with incredible covers by the kids! These books will travle with me to Baltimore this week. We will soon be printing a larger edition, which will be available for $25 a copy!

oh my the world wizzes past, doesn't it? for more specific info on LOOP IT UP, you can visit the blog : www.loopitupsavannah.blogspot.com

OTHERWISE, I have been here in SAV. We recently had our very first Fibers Open Studio in the NEW BUILDING. Very lovely and HUGE event!

This is a sweet little felted pony that one of the girls made in INTRO

Lexa and Lynzo with the color wall - what a dream!

JJ petting one of my quilts.... this was for Pamela!

As we were leaving the building at the end of the night, it actually started SNOWING! here in SAVANNAH GA. Cayewah got this great shot of Lyla.
Her first snow!

The very next day, we had the First Annual LOVE DAY trunkshow at Fabrika!
Cutest day ever.... FREEZING, but adorable!

Now I'm laying in my bed with RIVA, trying to recover from a nasty cold (which very politely waited until AFTER the book was done!) we, well not riva but me! leave for Baltimore and ACC on tuesday! more frequent updates to follow! I can promise you that! xo

oh yeah, the rest of our lives!

2009-12-14T19:14:00.000-08:00

So, despite the blizzard yesterday we had our second trunkshow. It was lovely. Katherine First came and played her fiddle. It was a wonder.

Today we have been layin low, cleaning the house, walking the dogs, trying to get everthing ELSE in our lives back together!

Most importantly for me, it's time to work on the LOOP IT UP SAV book!
I've been doing some research and thinking about it, and I think that we will make a small edition of hand made books (me and the kiddos) and then print an edition of oh, say 100 which can also come with us to ACC Baltimore.

Here are a few wonderful things and then I'm going to have to sign off for the day:

1. Brandi Carlisle who we LOVE in 526 sings, "just when you think you've had enough, your dreams come true."

2. James!

3. Peter Doliber, director of my YMCA and dear dear friend/ visionary just wrote to me, "both respect and esteem are built. But I am way more concerned with respect."

4. Isolina says, "we may not be able to love you enough to fill the void... but shit, we'll try."

5. Bub and Lu sleep on. soon i will to.

suddenly december

2009-12-07T20:03:00.001-08:00

It was been a while!

I have been...

- packing up the house and prepping for MA

- moving materials around at the YMCA

- running around like mad, making up for a stolen phone - yes, the night before the long drive.... naturally

- driving up 95 with Riva and Lucy (cayewah's pup) for 9 hours, stopping in with Joellen and Jason for the night, driving 10 more hours thru the rain and fog

- Arriving in Northampton. Florence actually.

- Snuggeling

- Binding quilts and embellishing mittens

- doing trunkshow # 1 - went very well (here is Lulu, we did the show at his house)

- making doggie jackets

- knitting (basking in loving admiration for the importance of making)

I'm up in MA, taking good care.
Making, trying to keep my dogs and myself pretty warm.

Everything is going very well. We are most certainly on vacation, despite the ever epic lists. The days are less full and the freezing-ness is making me drink more tea and wear thicker socks.

...and the persuit of happiness

2009-11-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

This incredibly beautiful op-ed piece by Maria Kalman was recently in the NYT.

http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/back-to-the-land/

certainly worth a look!

we are making making making here. almost time to hit the road!

Here is the set up of the wonderful thanksgiving block party that we went to!
the 1200 block of e. 49th street was blocked off and the table was made up in the middle of it all!

can I please move to your neighborhood?

Taylor KNITS!

2009-11-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

My Sweet little neighbor Taylor came over tonight, for spaghetti, Michael Jackson and, as it turns out, KNITTING!

(every day of your life, for as long as you live............)

another day

2009-11-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

Pam and I have this on going discussion about how when your dog wakes up in the morning their mind is filled with nothing except, "oh my... another day...." -- none of the worries or other complicated thoughts that creep into our heads shockingly soon after awakening. Somehow, in these days off, I am trying to be like that too.

so here is what happened in this day (with out any particular effort, plan)

and tomorrow will be another one.

don't want to think about what i don't have. just wanna worry bout what i got...

2009-11-19T07:46:00.000-08:00

look at this cute thing that Jill found on swiss-miss.com!

I'm listening to the nields, slowly resurfacing from finals week + the compiled madness of it all.

Today is to be the beginning of a (hopefully productive) pretty exciting work week, before Riva and I head to MA. Pamy is flying back to the USA from France right now, so little Wiley will be heading back to the isalnd soon. I will be missing him! But it is going to be incredibly good to see Pamela! Lexi got back yesterday too!

Today, after we go out for a nice long walk will be a YMCA work day. We are planning to bring LOOP to two more locations in January... I need to start that process. Today, I'm planning to swing by the Gadsen Elementary School and the Hodge Memorial Daycare center. Both are near the YMCA and would be great places to build a materials center and give classes! (fingers crossed, about all that...)

Also, these next few days are for the making of as much as possible. We are having TWO holiday shows.

The first is DECEMBER 5 at Sarah and Hosie's
The second is DECEMBER 13 at the WICKS!

Every day is for the making of as much as possible, but especially the next 5.

one of the beautiful Gee's Bend Quilters said, "take what you have and make what you want."

running around, seeing things

2009-11-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

We were really lucky to see a Nick Cave performance, right here in Savannah!
Here's to copious making!

How to Make A Very Good Nest

2009-11-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

an instructional video by Topo Wiley

go to : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsmAFTpuvbk

or search Fibersforce videos on youtube!
(you won't be sorry!)

Uncle David comes to the Y

2009-11-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

After much persuading from Cayewah and me, our good friend David Frank came over to the Y today and did a little spinning with the kiddos!

radical cuteness ensued!

I'm working, a little more every day of "Lovingkindness: a cookbook"
tomorrow equals pocket pies!

pictures to follow.

.... there is a road that meets the road that goes to my house.... (the decemberists... july july july)

here we go: another week

2009-11-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

And take it slowly
And easily
And lovely

Good Things: Right Now!

2009-11-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have long talked and thought about the concept of "good things ahead". It is a reassuring way to get ourselves to carry on, and feel okay about it.
This past week has been a pile of those good things coming to actually pass.

Maybe I already told you, but Loop It Up Savannah got its grant! This makes it possible to go on and grow and do good work in more parts of Savannah, as well as continue what is already happening!

In the light of suddenly being funded, I decided to apply to the American Craft Council School to Market Program to do an artist book about LOOP, and everything that has happened to us in the last year. It will be a coloboration with all of the kids and families and community members.... should be very wonderful. It will include curriculum and all that good stuff.

I am overwhelmed and happy because I feel like this projet is the key, and I'm about to embark on something that I have always wanted to do!

ALSO: of import my friend Audrey just (today!) opened a beautiful little store called "The French Knot" - it is a "stitch boutique!" how completely wonderful. everything is set up by COLOR. I am in LOVE and I know that Pamela and Lexi will be too when they get back here and see it!

well, off to write some -- ooh la la-- financial and expansion plans.....

Halloween, and 87 degrees!

2009-10-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

We found ourselves at Lynsey's horseshow today. Halloween, 87 degrees at least.
this little piggy (Brummel Dominic Zoltner) was so good the whole time!

"I love you so much I could eat you mumma"

we've decided to try to do a book about LOOP IT UP, and bring it to the American Craft Council Show this year! 1-2-3 GO!

I've, yet again, avoided the halloween shenanigans...... it is a little insane around here. Everyone is running around half naked. I sometimes block out what halloween feel like now because it was so much better as a kid and that is what I choose to remember.

Tomorrow is homework, making, CLEANING OUR HOUSE!

One Day in Savannah GA

2009-10-28T21:56:00.000-07:00

Great news! We got the Loop It Up grant from the Hodge Foundation!
What a thrill it was to open the letter--- adressed to

Molly Green Lieberman
Cayewah Easley
Loop It Up Savannah
c/o the west broad street YMCA

HOORAY!!!!!!!!!
so onward, to good work and constant making!

we got another one...

2009-10-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

... it happens.

Ghandi said : we must be the change that we would like to see in the world

2009-10-22T20:21:00.001-07:00

this is, of course, a very big project.

saturday can be a good good day.

2009-10-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

Today has been lovely.

I work up to Jilly cleaning the house. De-dogging is a very important piece of the week for us--- we're again up to three.
And to a chilly, surprisingly autumnal morning! Riva and Topo and I took a nice long walky-walk in which we did not break into a sweat! probably the las time THAT happened was last winter in Massachusetts!

We went to the farmers market, the bean, brighter day....... all the best places for a saturday morning.

In cool weather, there is nothing better than cooking and making.... here are some pieces of dinner:

now; off to sew a little.
LOOP IT UP on Monday!! LET THE WILD RUMPUS BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(we saw where the wild things are last night... it would appear...)

a very sad day

2009-10-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

Vandell Bivens, father of three of our most beloved kids at the YMCA died in a shooting that happened downtown last weekend. this is what the other kids made for them.

somedays are so full of the unbelivably good and the unbelievably bad.

the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

one hundred million lights on the darkest night

2009-10-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

"I don't believe in the wasting of time.

and I don't believe that I'm wasting mine" - Fiona Apple said that

overload blues

2009-10-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

I wish I could just walk out these blue doors and have a second to just stand there.
School can be so terrifying sometimes.... especially on top of the rest of it. (this might be why you are supposed to do school BEFORE you do the rest of it...)
hmmm.

missing my pamy, missing my lexi, missing my cayewah wah wah. wondering why on earth i am up at 3am feeling overwhelmed by school!

when i grow up i'm gonna be happy and do what i like to do

2009-10-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

ingredients:

(lovingkindness; a cookbook)

2009-10-02T23:12:00.000-07:00

when your heart flies across the country, you wait for it to come home.

one long continuous thread

2009-09-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

(this is for Eden)

Quite a long time ago, Cayewah brought up the idea of a continuous thread. A thread that is so central to our thoughts and works and wonderings that it appears in everything that we ever make or do or say.

There is this (perhaps idealistic) idea that if we all were absolutely true to our selves and did exactly what we felt we really should, we would create a place that was harmonious.

I like to think about everyone having a long red continuous thread that they hold onto, and follow thru the maze of it all.

just look how much fun we're having down here...

2009-09-22T13:10:00.001-07:00

songs

2009-09-21T22:40:00.000-07:00

listening to this:
1. la viva vida - coldplay
2. Bizarre love triangle - New Order
3. Paper planes - M.I.A
4. THE NEW REGINA SPEKTOR ALBUM - especially tracks 1 + 4.

"come and open up your folding chair next to me.........."

hmmm.

2009-09-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

I feel perfectly calm until I think of the dozen or so people who I have neglected to call back in the past week. I love you. it has been a little bit of a constant week here in savannah GA.
School started, History of Fabric is good and more reading than I think I have managed to do in the past 3 years!
La La LOOP is marching right along! Jill and Lynz came over to the Y on tuesday and the kids all said " how come you all got that thing in your nose....???" -- referring to all three of our noses being pierced and indeed, having something in them! Cayewah refers to our house as the "pierced nose palace"

I've started up working at the store again too... it has been real fun to reconnect with everyone there. Especially my buddy Jerry who is now the assistant store manager. I am of course always going on + on about Loop It Up and I learned the other day that Jerry started a whole LIBRARY in Tennessee with simmilar intentions as LOOP! He used to manage a Barnes and Noble store. At may book stores, when a book or magazine "expires" they tear off the cover and throw out the body of the book. YIPES! sounds terrible, but it is routine policy in the US of A. Jerry got permission from BN and began saving the coverless books. He began sending them to kids who read the books, and then drew covers of their own! Eventually, they built an entire library which is housed in a prison some where in rural Tennessee.
I am reminded again of this movie which I still haven't seen that Marie Frank told me about --- The Gleaners and Me -- about those of us who live or work off of the things that other people leave behind.

So, we'll be easy from now on.

I am hoping that the coming week is made of well spent days. I am pretty certain that it will be.

Little Topo Sunshine

2009-09-16T13:58:00.001-07:00

Keeping me on track in the studio...

1-2-3 Vacation's OVER!!!!

2009-09-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of school, here in Savannah GA. Lynsey and I successfully made it to our 8am History Of Fabric Class. I'm pretty excited about it, Pam once said to me that History of Fabric is just a collection of stories about people and their fabrics.

I spent this afternoon at the YMCA, starting to get things organized. I'm trying to get all the 2009-10 Loop It Up promo stuff done THIS WEEK! we just got our very own email address: looplinktangle@gmail.com - this will also be the address for the materials center.

The Y is doing this really great thing. It's called KaBOOM! Design a PLAYGROUND. It's a program thru Home Depot, the kids get to draw and design their own playground and the materials are donated by Home Depot. AND then in one day a volunteer crew comes to build it!

Look at this AWESOME picture of Kendra!

And cute little Vandell in the background!

When I got back here a few weeks ago, Peter at the Y said to me, "welcome home."
My heart will never be homeless. that is for gosh dang golly golly sure.

ready. set . go

2009-09-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

well, back to school tomorrow.

since I've been down here, I have taken something much closer to a vacation that I thought possible. splendidly relaxed. (for once!)

We're all here, lynz-o, jilly + me and the Dogs. Jill's sweet boyfriend Dom -- "helpful Dom", has been visiting for a week. We've been having a blast, setting the place up, making big dinners, watching silly movies like ENCINO MAN -- check it out if you're in the mood to see something which was CLEARLY made between 1987 and 1994! making some stuff, working a little at the store... ya know, mellowly being here.

tomorrow = ready set go. school, making, writing, organizing the Savannah Materials Collection!

Fiest sings about making a home from a rented house and that is how our lives go right now.

you'll have to come by and be in it!

Wee wee wee wee, all the way home!

2009-08-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

I talked to my roomate Lynsey a while ago! She just got back to the house! The week between here + there is the very hardest, but tomorrow .... we're on the road.

just one quick thing. look at Talia and bubbie!

it will melt your heart, one way or another.

Oh, how I love...

2009-08-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

1. Eric Carle - check out his blog, it's new in the link section! Look!

2. How children can love a book or a game or a character so much that their entire little world revolves around it -- in it's realm and within it's vocabulary. This is a painting of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by a little boy in Portugal!

3. I was listening to NPR today in the car. I heard a story that made me cry. It was all about the interrogation of prisoners in the middle east. Today some reports were disclosed that make it pretty clear that there have been some horrible abuses of power conducted by the CIA. I can't remember the details, but the man who Barack Obama has placed in charge to further interrogations is planning to steer clear of the horror and go with another method-- taking the prisoners for long walks, getting to know them, making them comfortable enough to give information. I know that alot of people will think this is silly and that it will never work, but I think that it might. This might be the age in which we recall our humanity, as a whole.

4. Tracy Chapman wrote:

don't be tempted by a shiny apple
don't you eat of a bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
cause all that you have is your soul

some quilts

2009-08-23T09:45:00.001-07:00

These are two quilts that I made in Pamy's class - THE ART QUILT. We finally got out the Camera yesterday!

The Heart song quilt, fabrics collected from assorted people and places

This is the back side of a pieced quilt top from the class... all the fabric is from Smera's family fabric/ sari business in India. BEAUTIFUL STUFF, i could use it forever.

*** go listen to "Tiger Mountain Peasent Song" by the Fleet Foxes.
xo

for my friend Jami Stone

2009-08-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

beaucoup de gâteaux

2009-08-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today I had a good day of resting. I think that I went out twice all day, both to walk RIVA! Otherwise, napping-- trying to kick a NASTY summer cold, and making some new cards! I feel like these look like the birds eye view of some very fancy and ornately frosted cakes! They are made of fabric bits and enchanting machine embroidery from the stitch bank of WONDER on the Pamy Machine.

Gateau One. Front + back, too

Gateau two, front. back

Gateau three. front, back

It's been a good day, sometimes you have to get sick and feel really really yucky in order to realize how good you normally feel!! Back to my sweet little girls tomorrow.

Someday soon, I'm going with him, someday soon

2009-08-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

This is a picture that I found on some materials site or another. Time to get back to the collecting.

I had a wonderful week at Journey Camp --- all 57 of the girls did the fork in the garbage disposal, in the old quaker meeting house, no less!

Feeling pretty ready to head to SAV. The last two weeks in a place, either place, are always the hardest. Hoping to keep calm and carry on.

Back to the girls, Talia and Charlotte, tomorrow-- one more week and a little bit.

August

2009-08-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

love + cook with reckless abandon

One day in savannah ga

2009-07-30T21:19:00.001-07:00

Things are falling into place. I wrote an outline, Cayewah wrote a really good letter applying for some funding from the Hodge Foundation of Savannah GA for LOOP IT UP. Peter and Howard have been helping to edit it. All that is left to do now is SOMEHOW get all the essential signatures on it and then send it on in. done done done. This however, is a little trickier than you might think. I am here in Florence Massachusetts. Cayewah is in California. Howard in in Savannah. somehow, between scanners, fax machines and good will, it should all be together in the next few days.

I've been saying for some time now that I will begin the process of writing a philosophy and curriculum for loop it up. lastnight I finally got the idea to do it like an artist book. and then, began writing today:

Loop It Up Savannah. One Day In Savannah GA.
The Savannah Community Materials Collection.
This is my true life’s work.
Molly Green Lieberman, written as tina said, with every fiber of my being

1.
My good friend Kait, an artist, a preschool art teacher, said to me earlier tonight, “I believe that anyone who sees hears feels or knows something and then makes in response to it and then they feel fulfilled and happy, even if it is just for a second, is an artist.”
I have long puzzled over what makes an artist. Or perhaps, more relevantly, what causes someone to believe that they are not an artist?
Most likely, there are many explanations about this, and my purpose is not to analyze or even to discover and address them. However, I can tell you what I have learned from working with the children of Savannah GA. When given the opportunity to become fluent with materials-- to explore, play, look and really see, wonder and eventually make, even the most down- trodden and exhausted child begins to see themselves as an artist.

so thats a start. jenny lewis says: as for those days that act as markers in your life, but inbetween, you can't remember....

and so, pressing on. pressing right on.

This is lovely!

2009-07-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

I just got home from work and this wonderful thing was waiting on facebook, from the AMERICAN CRAFT COUNCIL!

*************************************************************************************
Ethics in the Marketplace: Natalie Chanin and the Bureau of Friends
Introduced by Maria Moyer, Bureau Chief
A few Sundays ago at the Chez Panisse Edible Schoolyard kitchen in Berkeley, about twenty of us gathered to learn how to make beautiful things from the Alabama Stitch Book. Natalie Chanin regaled us with tales as we practiced the depression-era sewing techniques used by the artisans who make her exquisite designs for Alabama Chanin. Natalie’s stories were about life—hers and the others before her—and she related these stories to sewing, fabric, thread and physics.

To hear Natalie Chanin weave a tale is like eating a meal. In stark contrast, my trying to tell one of her stories is more like reading a recipe. But, dare to tell it I will. Here goes:

During hot summer evenings in the South, Natalie’s friends and family would gather around the family home to eat, drink, tell stories on the porch and be together. On one of these evenings, Natalie’s grandfather set the children to the task of collecting sticks from around the yard.

After the children had secured their bounty, he asked them to each take and hold a stick—just one—with both hands. Then he asked them to break it. As they easily snapped their twig in two, he said, “That stick is you. You, on your own.” While lightening bugs flashed and the night rolled in, the children listened intently. “Now, take as many sticks as you can hold in your hand, maybe five, and hold them together. And now break those,” Natalie’s grandfather asked of the children. The tensile strength of the individual sticks held together as one made the task impossible. “This,” he said, “is your family.”

This is the sentiment that brings Natalie and me together with others in the Bureau of Friends. Formalized over breakfast and a pinky swear in a Manhattan bistro, The Bureau of Friends is now open for business and ready to help others do the good work. We are stronger together.

The Bureau of Friends Manifesto
As entrepreneurs and artists, taste makers and otherwise creatively engaged people, we stand together as the Bureau of Friends, tightly bound by shared meaning and purpose.

We share the belief that what we all want is shifting. On the trend-spotters front, we’re told (and we know) that mindless consumption is giving way to discretion. Even “luxury” is suffering an identity crisis and searches for substance. Put simply: People want what they buy and how they spend time to be worth it and they’re looking for objects and experiences that ring true.

For the Bureau of Friends, this pursuit isn’t about a trend. This is our life’s work.

We make a living appreciating and seeking beauty. For us, this is the pursuit of a beauty that endures and enriches. The Friends understand this as the very stuff that defines quality. Each of us demonstrates—in our own way, within our separate spheres of influence—what quality is. For us, quality is authenticity. It is a future-forward focus and eco-smart thinking. It’s handcrafted, locally supportive and globally aware. First and foremost, it is beautiful, delicious and relevant.

We know a growing number of people feel this, and we have something to say to them: We are the Bureau of Friends and we’ve joined together to support each other not only in doing the good work, but in spreading the word about it.

The Bureau of Friends is open for business as the go-to-depot for tasty and nutritious content. We’re not only a speakers’ bureau, we create experiences that connect message to specific audience and inspiration and insight to desired action.

AFT COUNCIL!

Quish goes the fish

2009-07-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Jill's fish died last night. His name was Comedian. He was a good pet.

front

back

****here is how to live without moping

2009-07-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

Just got cued into the beautiful photography of Alicia Bock. My friend Emma found her on etsy. All the work is beautiful, but these few seemed worthy of a quilt!

I've been making a quilt for every week that I am here. This too is a good recipe for a mope-free existance!

freezing cold breeze blowing in my window, rain rain & more rain... good sleeping weather. (even if it does mean that I have to quilt my buns off to keep up momentum during the day!)

surprise!

2009-07-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

*** Not really sure how I came across this, but apparently there is a bakery/ children's charity in Illinois called MOLLY'S CUPCAKES. How fitting, right mom?

feeling thankful for :

- a sunny day today

- the friendly people at the Vet... even though we spent $150, it was a nice experience

- little drop in visits from Elena, Cheyanne + Rita

- Mary Calucci offering to help Cayewah and I with the Loop It Up grant proposal

- Cayewah taking my scribbling and ideas and writing a beautiful concise something or another (she always does this! I have a pile of them in my bottom desk drawer)

- A lovely burrito night with Kait

- Pamy Wiley giving me a sturdy leg to stand on when ever I lose both of my own

- my sister is coming home this weekend

- My mom and dad

- another shot,again and again every blinking blooming day

this really broke my heart a little bit

2009-07-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

just had a good long talk with Pamy. learned many things including one sad thing which is that some guys broke into the Y last week and when they couldn't find any money, they just trashed the place. I have never been sure if I believe in god or not, but anytime that I do it is because of my friends at the Y and how truly good they are and how much they work on doing the right thing.

I think that the next work will be about devotion. There is true love and devotion in a lot of places that we don't always realize. I hope that we can teach eachother and ourselves to have better eyes so that we may one day see it.

do yourself a favor and listen to "The Way I am" by ingrid michaelson. it's a sweet sweet song and it will make you fall in love all over again.

two things

2009-07-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

1. do all that you can, as well as you can for as long as you can, in the place that you are.

2. an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

july, JULY, JU-LIE-I-I-I

2009-07-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been up here for almost two weeks now!
I've been nanny-ing for some very sweet girls, Talia and Charlotte. They are seven and four and perfect. Right now we're making a quilt out of some of those STUNNING imitation Chinese silks that they sell at Joann's... you know the ones!

I've also been working a lot on my beautiful new sewing machine, which was a gift from Pamy Wiley. Every time I sew on it, my heart hums a little. And that is a good kind of heart humming. Making lots of quilts and experimenting with the million stitches that are on the machine... what a treat! up there is a little tiny thingy-ding that I made yesterday for our friend Elisabeth, her birthday is soon.

*** We're planning a winter trunkshow! stay tuned about that one. hand made for lovely you + your lovely home.

We have applied for a big grant for LOOP IT UP! I'm waiting to hear news about that. If we do get the grant, I might get to do this -- teach + coordinate the program/materials center for my JOB! which would be SPECTACULAR! fingers crossed for that one. Next week (Vacations OVER!!!) I'm going to start writing a little curriculum, mission statement/philosophy ... good stuff that will make Loop It Up more accessible and easier to pass along to other people in other parts of the community.

Very happy to be here, with my family and good friends. very excited to get back to SAV. not much is better than having good work to do, many things to make, a fabulous apartment with LYNZ + JILLY + BUB + THE WILEYS and the sun shining almost every single day when we wake up.

Ingrid Michaelson says, "I'll sew on patches to everything you tear. Cause I, love, you more that I could ever promise..."

***off we go!

2009-07-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

bub and i set out for the north tomorrow!

We've had a very busy and very love filled week.

the nields sang, "I've got everything I need to make that long journey home..."
so here we go!

tuesday

2009-06-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

****here is one of Flannery's twin nephews, snoozing with a little bird.

teaching as usual, getting ( a little) ready to leave Savannah in a few days, trying not to feel panicked.

oh my golly

2009-06-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Less than one week before I leave Savannah and head to Northampton for a while!!! I'm excited to go up, but leaving here is always hard to do. I've so far this weekend, I've been trying to finish up everything that I've started and not gotten to complete.... going okay, some what productive.

Also, getting ready for the last week of teaching at country day. this week, it's an artist book class! EXCITING!
I'm about to go supply shopping. The amazing thing is that I hardly need to buy anything! I have so many donated materials and found reusables that the list of things that need to be purchased, it quite slim!

On that note, I'm starting to work on the beginnings of a new component to LOOP IT UP. it will be called the Savannah Community Materials Co-op. We need to start some sort of center to collect, house and distribute materials. These materials can then be shared by various art programs in town.

I (remarkably enough!) started a facebook group! check it out.

also, a cool link : http://www.make-stuff.com/recycling/

House Guests!

2009-06-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

***The Wiley Boys (Goodie + Topo!) making them selves right at home.

The Boys are staying with us for a week this summer while Pamy is away with her family and then they'll be back in the fall when she goes to france with the department. lucky us!!!

Bub loves being around a couple of sweet pups who are as mellow as she is!

It was another good week at Country Day, this time teaching a paper sculpture class!

On the first day everyone made "a place" out of paper.

Wyatt's neignborhood

Shannon's Garden

Gabe's Factory

Austin's little house with a fence around it!

Evan's Playground, with swings that actually swing.

On tuesday everyone made a jack-in-the-box. the bulk of the morning was spent figuring out how to make a container that would stay closed.

Morgan decorating her box with some block printed elephants!

EGG DROP!
can you make a structure that will keep a raw egg from breaking if we drop it from the two stories up?????

STURUCTURES

Gabe got very involved with this project, he worked quietly all morning, without talking to any of the other kids.

"these round tubes are going to be the shock absorbers, they catch some of the bang when it hits and I drop it. The long wing things are like second absorbers that fly out to slow it down and then make it better when it hits. The egg goes in the bed on top of it."

Gabe and Sarah Beth getting ready to drop!

3-2-1-DROP!!!!

Did it break?? did it break?

oh yay! it worked!!!

Evan and Josecline get teady to drop!

oh bum,it broke!

Everyone looking cute, with my lovely assistant Sarah Beth!

***home

2009-06-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

in the cute little studio,

in our beautiful new house,

I've FINALLY started making some new work
this is the first piece in what I hope will be a series about knowing things by heart.

this is how you make a stranger into a loved one

I think that it might be sort of hard to see, but it's made of bamboo batting sewn seams-out with some japanese fabric and some indian fabric with apparent red stitching.

I just found this cool fabric in Jill's collection (which she very wonderfully said I could pick thru!!!)

I think this will be in the next one..... could I finish typing this and run home to work on it fast enought??? probably not!

teaching

2009-06-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

well, I've yet again become "Miss Molly"... teaching in a fun summer arts program at the wonderful Savannah Country Day School.

Last week I was assistant teaching in Lori Corbus' drawing class in the mornings. We had a very colorful group of 7-12 year olds! It was really interesting for me to be in a situation where children are given very structured projects, because I think that most of the places that I've been -- as a kid, or as a teacher, have had fewer apparent guidelines. I didn't realize that I have been living in a reggio world as much as I have been!!
***see these links to read about reggio: http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Fundamentals/
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Reggio_Emilia/

One of the projects that Lori did was to hand out line drawings traced from either Grant Wood's American Gothic or Van Gough's Starry night
The kids were encouraged to color them in their own way using oil pastels and colored pencils.

Here is Austin's American Gothic

I love the way he colored her dress. Austin has a lot of energy and is an exceptionally free thinker. it's hard for him to follow the rules. This means that he is also a pretty fabulous artist who brings his own little flare to everything that he makes!
... here he is working on it

and again with his buddy Zachery!

In the afternoons, I tought a GREEN SCULPTURE class. I sent a letter to the parents asking each child to bring a collection of found materials to the first day of camp. Also we sent out this link to a great story about working with found materials--
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/nyregion/01trash.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

On Monday my students cam in with bags and boxes bulging with stuff. we sorted everything out... here is a little bit of it:

I brought in an Alexander Calder book. Everyone was particularly interested in his CIRCUS

Zachery said, "It looks like he made this whole thing out of little stuffs that he just had. or he just found and thought, oh yeah... I could use this to make this really really amusing circus made of stuff."

We decided to make a museum, with a space departement

A zoo

Little Betty's animal house

And a worm house!!

here is Wormy himself, hanging out in the living room!

Mikayla said, "my cheeta doesn't actually look like a real cheeta." Alyssa replied, "that's okay. actually it's better because if it looked real it wouldn't be as creative." how splendid, don't you think?!?

This week I'm teaching a cute little paper sculpture class in the mornings and then I have the afternoons off to do some work in our new studio!!

Senior show, moving....UPdates!

2009-06-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

These are the postcards from the fibers senior show which was BEAUTIFUL + last week!

We're all moved in!!! Lynsey, Jill, Dom, Derrick, TJ, Inu and + spent a very HOT muggy sunday moving into our new place! I have a few things over at the old house still, but for the most part we're all done! Perhaps the very best part of the house-- aside from that it is OURS!! is that we have a studio! in which I plan to get to work, at long last!

My good friend Flannery has moved in for a few weeks while she works on a special project! GET THIS: Andre Leon Tally-- editor in chief of VOGUE came thru durring the fibers senior show and loved all the work. As it all pans out, he is taking Flannery, Lizzie, Iona and Cherise along with Cayewah to NY to meet Vera Wang, Ruben and Isabel Toledo and other fashion people..... OH MY!
I guess you really never know what is going to happen next!!

nothing but good times ahead

2009-05-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

I had an absolutely flawless birthday yesterday. Much love and thank you to everyone who was in it! Pamy sent me this little picture of Goodie and Toppo Gigo!

school is wrapping up here, we're moving to a new house this weekend! I have a lot of things to show you, anf plan to start a-posting next week!

Loop It UP!!! WHAT WHAT???

2009-05-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

so we had our little art show last week!

LOOP IT UP ART SHOW!!

2009-05-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

well, my life is flying by a little quicker every day! Much much going on, mostly making quilts and teaching art to some really awesome kids.
I have become "the art teacher"...

just look at them!

Antonio, sewing a little rhino

Michael + Alana, being a little silly

This will make your heart smile!

2009-04-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

here is a cute little video of two of my students at the YMCA. Tajee and Vandell came to the studio early last week to help me get the materials ready for the Boys and Girls Club students...
check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh4kna9oSTs

This has been one of the most busy times yet! things seem to get a little faster every day, but I love and miss you all.

AIDS QUILT

2009-04-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

Lexi and I made this 3 x 3 foot square for the Savannah AIDS quilt project. It's for Lexi's uncle.

Cay's bell tower

2009-04-02T12:05:00.001-07:00

***this is what I made for Cayewah to celebrate the beautiful NEW fibers building!
front and back.

postage stamp quilt

2009-03-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

Things that I want to tell you

2009-03-25T13:56:00.001-07:00

1. there are two old ladies who ride down Lincoln street to kroger in their wheelchairs. I see them every day.

2. Rico and Tony got adopted. They moved to Columbus Georgia. Tony was the first one that I taught to knit, his hands in mine.

Book Work

2009-02-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

*** This is a list I made to help with the concepts which will become the skeleton of my INVENTED BOOK:

I feel like putting this in print will help me to organize things in my mind. Seeing something in print makes it real. This is compiled from looking back over the list that we made on the first day of school and a few things that I’ve just thought up in my own time:

What is a book? A reference to something, a process, a collection, a product of ingredients, a compilation or organization of ideas, a story, a universe, a chronology, documentation of a period, a place to hold things, a place to sort things

What is the purpose of a book? Validation, record, influence, pressing on, a database – garden of my dreams, thoughts, ideas and wonderings

What is a page? A confined space,

What is the purpose of a page? Transmission, an organizational structure, a place in time, a place to show what you harvested, to wonder why and answer it

What is a spine? Critical?, skeleton, is it defining or not?

What is the purpose of a spine? To be influential – “small towns are the backbone of American society”, vertebrae, eggs don’t have spines—proof of existence, of having been born

What is a cover? A preview, compelling, window, projection, summary, a highlight, an excerpt—made more glorious as a consciously selected point of focus

What is the purpose of a cover? To engage, to embellish, to protect?, to be protected

What is a section or signature? A pile, a bundle, an idea, a common thread, elements, ingredient, connections

*** I think that this is more analytical and directly academic-ish than anything I have done in the past 3 years.

1. Specimens of a working heart
2. Specimens of a heart working
(a heart breaking work of staggering genius by Dave Eggers)
(How could I keep from singing – traditional folk song)
(one day you’ll see her and you’ll know what I mean. Take her or leave her, will still be the same… from a NICKEL CREEK song.
*** proof of existence, of being born. Things that I collect so that when there is nothing to feel I have a back stock, a safely blanket, a buffer against feeling nothing. )

New Books

2009-02-26T09:20:00.001-08:00

*** just look at baby Barack Obama!!

it's finally looking pretty springish around here! (A little late, but I know that I really can't complain!)
I have to make two more books for my experimental book making class.
the first is a Visually Seductive Diagramatic Novellette (what a fabulous title, right! reminds me of the Dave Eggers book that i never finished: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius)

the second is an INVENTED book.... which may take on any form, which somehow illustrates-- ever abstractly-- properties of a book.

I've become very interested in collecting and sorting. Yesterday, my teacher Karen asked me, "so what do you collect?" I listed off a bunch of things - yarn, fabric, buttons........ but really, I just collect good things.

somehow this book will be a collection of good things. why do we collect?

a good weekend

2009-02-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

***David Nields and Susan Daniels are starting a new theater company!!! FOX and FROG!
thats them alright! don't you think??

****a little grey today, in savannah ga. I've been working on the LOOP IT UP BLOG for a while today (worth a look!)

Kate left for her internship at the American Craft Council Show this morning, so I made this new Indian pea soup last night for sort of a farewell dinner. While making it I FINALLY got one of those new ideas that your mind just runs with (and thank god). It's for a new artist book which will be called Lovingkindness, a cookbook
in it will be food recipes, and also other sorts of instructions, ideas spelled out, things to make and do when such and such happens. I think that I will be a book artist becuase there is no end to that genre and I think that people want beautiful, useful things.

Diane Arbus wrote:
what's left after what one isn't is taken away is what one is.

and then my Yogi tea bag said:
the greatest art is to sit and wait and let it come.

by some act of mercy, it's thursday already!

2009-02-19T04:12:00.000-08:00

*** my Dad just sent this

WHAT???? HONG KONG???

2009-02-17T07:47:00.000-08:00

well, over green tea and toast this morning, I received the stunning news that SCAD will most likely be opening a branch in HONG KONG fall 2010. my word.
check this link, to hear it from PW herself:

http://myscad.scad.edu/scaddocs/communications/announcements/hkannouncement.html

ahh, development.

I'm feeling pretty sick today, you can only put off a cold for so long. so, today will be spent laying low and hopefully finishing my artist book!!! if all goes well, copies will be available in the next few months!

MUCH LOVE

love day continued...

2009-02-14T15:11:00.001-08:00

well, i really don't know whats wrong with this thing.
as I was saying:
it will be a button hole stitch book, with (hopefully... and if my energy holds up!) 8 signatures, each of 4 folios. this lands us with a total of 32 composed pages. I am getting close. The book will be called A YEAR IN THE GARDEN OF MY DREAMS THOUGHTS IDEAS AND WONDERINGS.... The materials that I collected were all created/found ascembled in the past year. it is important to keep records.

how will they remember us? well, by what we collect.

I've been dealing a lot with MATERIALS and COLLECTING
We've set up a Reggio style studio at the YMCA for the loop-it-up-sters. It's been amazing to see them learn + think about a studio... I've been asking them: what is a studio? what are materials? how do you use materials?

well, for more on that, you can visit the LOOP IT UP BLOG: www.loopitupsavannah.blogspot.com

much love, i must press on with the book!

love day

2009-02-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

well, I'm very frusturated because I have all sorts of pictures on my camera to show you, but blogger won't upload them. WIERD. anyway, all is well here on love day. I've been busily working on a NEW ARTIST BOOK!! here are some pages:

An Incredible Project

2009-02-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

*** My good friend Cayewah just sent me a link for a very cool project. The Holocaust Museum of Huston Texas is doing an exhibit to remember the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. The I Never saw Another Butterfly project invites artists of all ages to create a hand made butterfly in any medium and send it in to the museum by June 30th.

Way more info at this site:
http://fiberartcalls.blogspot.com/2009/02/butterfly-project.html

We're planning to do this project with the LOOP IT UP kids.

today is a sunny sunny day in Savannah GA.

"there's 15 miles til the promised land, and I promise you I'm doing the best I can..."

*** BUBBIE

2009-01-29T22:40:00.000-08:00

dignity, always dignity

2009-01-29T12:14:00.000-08:00

*** check out these INCREDIBLE new pictures of Murray Rogers!

*** The [LEATHER!!] jacket was sewn and printed by his lovely mumma, Jessica Rogers.
Jess and our good friend Becky Drayden will be performing a piece at the closing reception of the wildly successful STITCH SPECTACULAR show. Tomorrow night -- FRIDAY jan 30th at the Dimensions gallery. 5-8pm.

**** um, could we possibly be ANY cuter??

2009-01-18T21:29:00.000-08:00

a picture that my friend Andrea took on the recent FIBERS trip to CAMBODIA!

home

2009-01-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

... just look at cute little Elliot in his cute little winter jacket. oh my! he might be the only one of us who is appropriately dressed these days! It has been quite cold here in savannah, even with my northern standards... OKAY, it's not NEARLY as cold as I'm sure that it is up there in MA! but I've been wearing layers and wool socks here for the last few days. how disorienting! just last week we went to the beach! fortunately, this "cold front"-- as it is begrudgingly called here will probably be pretty short lived.

This past week has been a good one. getting settled into the swing of things again. working a fair amount at the store, doing some babysitting, making (+ selling!!) a little bit of new work, making + learning a lot about BOOK MAKING, at school. It is such a yummy treat to be taking only one class! I've been spending so much time playing with the idea of books. feeling very relaxed in my work and the general picture. Money is tight, but not so tight that we're choking. it's a relief to be able to say that. And small, but good things happen--- KROGER over stocked on meat this week. Boar's Head ham is $1.99 lb! chicken is 2/one. (I expect all you locals to run right over there!)

Some of my friends recently started a magazine. it's called RECESS. the current issue is about HOME.

Melissa, the editor in chief wrote: Our home is not our's alone. It's functionality affects others, thus it is our duty to keep it tidy and warm. And to make sure that out circle is as inclusive as possible.

Our new home on Waldburg street, is finally feeling like it belongs to us. and, like the old house, it has become a place that I love to take care of.

this is my room/studio

The girls and I have been LOVING this easy apple turn-over recipe:

you need:
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter
3 oz cream cheese

combine, roll into a ball and chill.

for the filling---
1 1/2 c. chopped apples
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

after the dough has chilled for an hour or so, break it into 6-8 pieces, roll them out flat, plop some of the apple mixture onto one side, fold over and seal using a fork.

bake at 400 for 20 minutes...... yum yum!

New Year, new air, images, places

2009-01-14T15:25:00.001-08:00

My dad just sent me the most awesome collection of images, these by Edel Rodriguez, a Cuban illustrator were among them. How totally sweet!

savannah ga continues to be the most beautiful place i have ever been.

fiber is fabulous.

LOOP IT UP news....

2008-12-29T22:07:00.000-08:00

****** 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

2008-12-26T18:38:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-12-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

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..."

2008-12-17T20:26:00.001-08:00

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!!

2008-12-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2008-12-12T19:03:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

things i have loved, i'm aloud to keep

monday

2008-12-08T22:02:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-04T17:23:00.001-08:00

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!

2008-11-30T17:14:00.000-08:00

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?

2008-11-26T21:53:00.000-08:00

**** crazy amounts!

Final Days In SAVANNAH 2008

2008-11-26T21:23:00.001-08:00

***** 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

2008-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-09-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

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