christmas in june

Ah, finals week. A backbreaking combo of marathon grading, herculean test writing, and laboring under the whip of students' demands, sob stories, and protestations.

Finals were last week at my job. This week is "vacation." I use the term loosely because I'm still grading and preparing for next quarter, which starts Monday. Alas, the life of a career college educator has its rewards, but rest periods are not among them.

To top off the usual scramble (which always comes accompanied by my declaration to find a new teaching job that at least affords me summers off and I will I tell you, I will), the end of spring quarter has brought with it the departure of both my teaching assistants. They are moving on to greener pastures at other schools. They've been invaluable to me, without them there's no way I could've managed tests and paperwork for six to eight classes per quarter. Not to mention the fact that they are great young women and plain fun to be around.

I wanted to show them how much I appreciate them, so I decided to give them last year's Christmas gifts.

When Christmas rolled around last year, I thought, Hey, I need to get out there and put my nose to the grindstone and make Heather and Ana, my TAs, some super nifty tote bags. I got this robust idea about a month before the holiday. Of course I hotfooted it to my beloved Michael Levine's to buy fabric for the projects first chance I got. I gathered everything else I needed hither and yon, including patterns and directions on how to make a tote, which I'd never done. I could've come up with two rectangles and a strap on my own, but notice I wanted to make "super nifty" totes, which meant trolling the Internet for ideas, instruction, and inspiration.

Before long I returned to a Craftster project I had bookmarked. It's one of Craftster's most all-time popular posts, The Jordy Bag. Before and since deciding to make it, I've eyed this project a zillion times. People are forever creating beautiful, inspired versions that cause my mouth to water.

My only problem with The Jordy was that the tutorial is a bit general when it comes to measurements and techniques, so I knew I'd have to put my thinking cap on (plus I can't see a couple of the details in the photos, curse these 41 year old eyes). But it's very well done, especially seeing as no one has to offer a tutorial at all (people could be like Look what I made. Eat your hearts out), but many do, out of sheer generosity.

The thinking cap part meant I was more daunted than I should have been, but you have to understand that no matter how many times I read a pattern or a tutorial, nothing means anything to me unless I'm working it with my hands. The golden rule of knitting and sewing is to read a pattern all the way through before starting, but I never do, because it's all Greek until I'm in the throes. Join that with the fact that I don't like to waste my precious time with admittedly important things like muslins and swatches and, well....

These are the totes, amid the post crafting frenzy wreckage.

Christmas came and went and these "mystery gifts" kept changing holidays. I'd joke to Heather and Ana that they'd be getting them for Dr. King's birthday, Presidents' Day, Black History Month, Valentine's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Gay Pride Month, National Yo-Yo Day -- you name it.

Their departure obviously meant it was thinking cap time now, at this most inopportune moment. But this is what happens when you're a "deadliner," as this month's Better Homes & Gardens describes people like me who tend to wait until they're in crisis mode to fire into hardcore action. If there's no crisis, we create one, by waiting.

Yesterday we went out for our last lunch before Heather and Ana go.

This is why Sunday morning found me lying in bed, having the following dialogue with myself--

Me: Get up, you, and make those infernal tote bags.
Myself: No. I can't, it's too late. Why don't I buy them something? Target opens early.
Me: If you buy something, it'll bug you forever. You know how you are about not finishing the things you start.
Myself: No, really. I've changed. I truly don't care.
Me: You do care.
Myself: I don't, seriously. Okay. What about sweater totes? I'll give them the two hanging in my closet. They never saw me carrying them.
Me: What are you, nuts? Make the totes so you can get rid of the fabric and buy more.
Myself: Well, since you put it that way...

My Jordys measure about 16" x 14". The straps are about 41" x nearly 3" (messenger style). It took me from 1pm on Sunday to 4am Monday morning, then 6:30am to 11am Monday afternoon to get them done. (Lunch was at noon, just to show you how fast and loose I like to play it). This is with lots of "think breaks" thrown in. Plus, I made a few doofless mistakes, like using the stretchy burgundy t-shirt fabric that I knew was a no no the minute I purchased. I wound up having to re-line the striped bag with a new black pillowcase.

Another thing that took time was the patches. I used iron-on transfer paper to transfer images to acrylic felt. I used a fusible adhesive to place the patches, then embroidered around them. I found both images after an extensive Internet search at the time I decided to make the totes. If I haven't mentioned it, I work at a court reporting/stenography school. I'm the grammar instructor but before I got the job I knew zilch about the field. This is the case all over the place. It wasn't easy to find CR related cartoons, photos, anything. These two are the best of what I came across.

Heather and Ana really loved them, because it is so rare to find items that promote their field. Ana liked how the steno pad has exactly the same keys as hers (who knew?). I'm partial to the mystery novel patch. I think it's pretty cool.

I got lucky because my printer prints in black and white but when you start talking about color, it hears "magenta." Only magenta. I don't know what its problem is. Thinking low ink might be it, I did an emergency run to Office Depot but they didn't carry the inks I needed. I'd dearly wanted to do the mystery novel patch in color, but looking at it now I like the graphic nature of the b&w, especially against the striated black denim. Thankfully, magenta was the magic color for the striped tote.

Here are the linings. Nothing exciting with the black, but don't my feet look like two ghosts in the distance?

Last but by absolutely no means least, here are my TAs, my friends, Ana and Heather, with their new totes.

As Mr. Mister would say, kyrie eleison down the road that they will travel.

eye candy friday -- city pond

Behind a commercial office building in the tangle of the urban jungle I call home, some kind souls had the insight and generosity to put a pond. It's about a ten minute walk from my apartment, tops, and I go there quite often. The Bubs and I used to take daily trips there. It's soothing to the point of mysticism. Cars go by. The buzz of city life surrounds it. But when you go there, sit and listen to the waterfall, watch the turtles and the fish, you forget where you are.

see the man do his thing: afrogalactic postcards

For years now, my husband has been working with a wonderful filmmaker named Cauleen Smith. Some years back, Cauleen did a feature called Drylongso. It's a narrative film, but, like most of her work, it has a supernatural bent. My husband isn't in Drylongso, but he's acted in a number Cauleen's subsequent works. The ones I've linked, Afrogalactic Postcards, are among my favorites. They tell a continuing story of an alien communicating with the only other of his kind on the planet. A metaphor for the African-American experience? Yes. Really good short-shorts that make me very proud of The Bubs as an actor? You bet. Check out the second and third ones, "Elastic Soul" and "The Other Side," first. All four are great, but I can't stop digging those two.

Afrogalactic Postcards

eye candy friday -- 3rd st laundry

Hey. It's the Saturday Night Edition.

Gracie is a tough act to follow and I really wasn't inspired by anything else enough to call it eye candy.

Until now, that is.

With Laundromats, I have a hate/hate relationship with a deep fascination chaser. I never, ever want to go but once I'm there, something about these places intrigues me.

3rd Street Laundry is probably my all-time favorite. When I lived in Harlem, Steven and I favored this place on Lenox Avenue. It was the cleanest laundry in our neighborhood and it was across the street from a cafeteria-style restaurant that had a decent buffet. Some Sundays we'd do the wash and head over for a meal during the dry cycle.

The only hitch was that we'd have to be back at the laundry the minute our clothes stopped drying or risk getting cussed out -- by other patrons and the attendant. The place was small and often very crowded and if a patron was to try to use more than, say, two machines at a time all hell could break loose. Steven and I took to taking offerings to the attendant so she'd be on our side and let us slip in an extra wash if no one was packing heat.

Laundry in Harlem required cunning, to say the least.

But 3rd Street is a bright spot in my thousand bitter years of washing my drawers in public. It's never too crowded (although yesterday was my first time there on a Friday and I think that's the day somebody declared the Hipsters' Holiday 'cause all the cool kids were washing their dungarees). Not only are there paper towel dispensers but those dispensers are invariably filled with a roll of lovely, crisp brown paper towels. The sink works. The place is old but any out-of-order machines have signs and if they don't fall in line they're replaced with newer models. The coin machine runneth over. All the washers and dryers take its old-fashioned quarters, unlike the new wave of scam-o-mats that require patrons to purchase and fill plastic cards to stick in the machines. Cards that come with a no refund policy, so if you're dying of thirst and need a little silver so you can buy a soda, tough titty. These have become the order of the day in Harlem.

At 3rd Street, there's never an attendant monitoring how many machines I'm taking up. This is good, because lately I've always got something to felt or some fabric to wash, as in some crafty business occupying extra washers. I figure I make up for this with the fact that I'm not there nearly as often as I ought to be.

Who owns 3rd Street? Who's in charge of the place? I don't know. No one ever seems to be running anything. Times I've been there right before closing I've seen a couple of cleaning people, always older Mexican women, sometimes with a kid helping out, but I don't recall seeing the same woman twice. There's also a resident homeless guy. He washes clothes from a duffel bag and folds them with precision. While his things cycle, he combs his hair and puts on deodorant. He carries a radio and plays old-school R&B. He's there a lot. But I don't suppose he's the owner.

I am left to assume it's owned by the same people who own the connected dry cleaners, whoever they might be.

Once I was there late, at closing, and all alone I felt vulnerable. That night I wanted to know these owners, wanted them to show up, to stand near the doors and protect me. Other than that night, I like 3rd Street's anonymity. I like the feeling that I've got propriety over the machines and free reign over the paper towels (which is why the hipsters bugged me. Don't they know 3rd Street is mine?). I like that no one ever tells me differently.

the purl bee and me

Everybody loves baby feet!

I thank you guys so very much for all the Gracie love. She's just the most adorable thing and I 'm glad I got a chance to see her while she's so little. Now I'll be able to use my grandmother's term and say to her when she's older, Girl, I've known you since you were a kickin' baby.

I didn't get a chance to post about it over the weekend, but on Friday, The Purl Bee featured my question as part of its "Ask Purl Bee" column. They wrote a great response that includes a fantastic tutorial. Go check it out. You just might find it useful.

eye candy friday -- gracie bea in february

Last week I wasn't much in the mood for eye or any other kind of candy and I know I have a responsibility to make up for that. Luckily, I've got the mother of all eye candy in my bag of tricks.

Feast on this:

Oh my god! It's Gracie Bea! And she's wearing her February Baby Sweater!

Seriously, who can stand it? This baby is utterly adorable and, would you believe, at only 7 months, full of personality? I was soooo happy to meet her. I wanted to steal her but my friend Sandra, who drove me from NYC to the outskirts to see Gracie and her mom, would not let her go. Every time Gracie whimpered, Sandra would bulldoze me and Deatra (the child's mother, for cryin' out loud!) to snatch her up. It was all good, though, because I'll be getting more time in ASAP. Plus, I have to admit, the two of them did have chemistry.

I kept asking D where she got such a perfect little person. You know somebody for years and then, all of a sudden, you see her in a completely different light when she becomes a mother. I loved seeing my dear, dear friend living her dream of motherhood. She's so good at it. I knew she would be, but it was nonetheless a beautiful wonder to behold.

Oh, something funny. The second you pull out a camera, Gracie gets ready. I'm told it's because her dad stalks her like a paparazzo. She wasn't the least bit fussy about posing in the sweater. She did, however, christen it with YoBaby and pureed pears. This made me very happy. When it happened, I thought, It's truly hers, and she can live in it. I love that.

Mother of God. Look at those feet.

The blue February Sweater is hanging out over in my new Etsy shop, hoping to find a home.

eye candy friday -- going in circles

Terry, my co-worker and future BFF, has a birthday the day before mine. At our school, it was birthday-o-rama last week because Terry's is the 15th, mine the 16th, and Steve, my office mate, was born on the 17th. I didn't craft for Steve because, aside from the fact that we're great office buddies but not close otherwise, he's the type of guy who's had everything he owns and wears since 1952 and is quite satisfied with it all. But Terry's got good friend potential, so I did a little get-up for her:

I usually Photoshop my eye candy but I don't have time right now (plane to catch in 3 hours, not packed, guess I'd rather be here). Just imagine vibrant, fun embroidery thread color. I got the idea for this pouch from this fantastic Craftster post. I wanted to embroider something on the front but didn't know what, so, after another design wound up in the circular file (get it, circular file? ha ha ha), I took inspiration from one of my all-time favorite fabrics, which I used for lining:

I have to say I do love me some embroidery. I'm slow at it. My stitches are the personification of wonk. But I love it.

Terry sometimes makes noise about taking up a hobby, even mentioning knitting from time to time (she got me a gift certificate from Stitch Cafe, which is near where she lives, fell in love with the place, and is thinking of going back for a class of some kind). To give her a little push but not an I-spent-a-fortune-on-this-yarn-so-you'd-better-learn-to-knit kind of shove, I went through my stash and made a little kit for her with some leftover Lion Cotton and Boye needles. I also included a couple of easy washcloth patterns. If she takes the bait, I'll let you guys know.

Well, I'm off to bite the Big Apple. I haven't been in New York in the spring since I left five years ago. It'll be great to be there and not have to worry (too much, it's only May) about freezing my cojones off.

Happy Memorial Day.

a few for the road

Oh, the things I want to do.

I feel like I've got so many loose ends going on here on the blog and in the world of bricks and mortar.

I still plan to post about Paris. I haven't shown the contest projects, one of which I'm still working on. I want to start e-mailing responses to comments because I really do appreciate when people are kind enough to leave a word or two and it was especially uplifting in response to my birthday posts. Plus, it's a good way to make new friends, and don't new friends add adventure to life? There was also that little trip to Austin, where I saw my first SuperTarget (yes, SuperTarget!), shared love with my mother-in-law, and got to spend an afternoon with a very cool and talented knitting book writer and blogger. I haven't posted about any of it. Now I'm off to New York City, where I'm bound to gather more stories and pictures that will dog my heels until I can finally post about them, too.

And guess what? It's that time of year again. The time when my laptop needs to go back to Dell for repair. I won't go into this further, lest I run the risk of snapping the monitor from its hinges and throwing the keyboard/cpu into the toilet.

At the end of this foggy night (the dawn of this foggy morning?) I'm concluding that I'll simply have to do the best I can, here on the blog, and in the world of bricks and mortar.

I wanted to share a few more b-day pics. Here they are:

The last one is an "I guess you had to be there" shot. (Girls, remember, No wrists!)

eye candy friday -- celebration

Aw. Thanks, everyone, for the birthday greetings. I really appreciate that you guys took the time to wish an ol' young gal like me a happy one. :)

Tonight's eye candy comes to you courtesy of Miss Ellen. A few shots from my b-day gathering Wednesday night. I took some photos myself, before my camera battery died, but I'm too tuckered out from all the celebrating to upload them so I'll post a few later. But it's no matter. Ellen's great at capturing the moment as it unfolds.

The spot.

I've driven past Genghis Cohen a zillion times but had never eaten there. It turned out to be the perfect spot for a birthday dinner (Valecia, I loves ya gal. You sure know what's good).

Check out these two lovelies, Natalie and Valecia.

This one was taken after I'd partaken in the cocktail menu. Isn't Tami's blouse beautiful? She made it herself. Yes she did.

The Fabtastic LA Ell and Natalie.

Pretty Darcy.

I have to say I had one of the best birthdays ever. I made out like a bandit, receiving everything from great handmade stuff (mwah, Ellen and Natalie), to delicious body products (Darcy, I'm having another birthday next week, wink wink), to gift certificates for cool stuff (Valecia, I'll be beating a path to Pulp tomorrow), to gorgeous flowers (Tami, you're the best. Next year wrap my flowers in that blouse!), to tickets to a show I'm thrilled I got a chance to see, featuring the world's most fabulous comedienne (thank you, Bubs. That was beyond sweet).

Much as I love all the loot I got (who wouldn't?), I love the time I got to spend with my friends even more. Ellen, I can't thank you enough for insisting that we go out to celebrate. I really needed that. (And thanks for these wonderful pictures too.)

they say it's my birthday

I've always had style and known how to show it.

Happy birthday to me. The big 4-1. So far, so good.

a slippery slope

I am in deep trouble and there's no one to blame but Ellen.

Ellen, this rippling thing? When you taught me how to do it, why didn't you warn me that I wouldn't be able to stop?

'tis madness, but there is method in it

So begins what will undoubtedly be an ever-changing parade of blog banners here at Purly V.

It all started with the last banner, the "Holy Rollers" one that the delightful Miss Kendra did for me. When I hired her to do the project -- at a very reasonable rate, I must say -- I tried to subtly warn her that, Hey, I’m crazy. But how do you tell someone that without scaring her off? Not that I’m a general, all-purpose sort of crazy. I’m not. I’m that very, very specific kind of crazy that comes along with secretly regarding oneself an artiste. Miss Kendra graciously listened to and implemented my 1001 suggestions for a nudge here and a crop there and ultimately produced a very nice banner that I really liked for a while. For a while. Then it just didn’t seem like me. From there, I strolled on over to Why should Archibald Motley’s work be featured on my blog?

Regarding the drive for artistic expression, I’ll go with another of my mother’s adages: Archibald, you don’t need it bad as I do.

Besides, I’ve got images. Lots and lots of images. And I’ve got myself a hearty and legal copy of Photoshop Elements that allows me to practice the layout work I’ve got such a bad case of the hots for. Yesterday I put the two together and tinkered around in Blogger, which turned out to be surprisingly easy, and did myself the banner above. More are waiting in the wings, so watch out.

Miss Kendra -- did I mention how delightful she is? She is. Miss Kendra does fantastic work and even though Archie and I didn’t form a long-term relationship, I love the stuff she’s done. In addition to her blog, check out these two blogs belonging to fellow WeHo SNBers:

That Is So Queer
Needs More Gingham

I’m sure Faith and Laurie Ann had the good sense to turn over their entire blog spaces for redesign, whereas I told Miss Kendra that I could only deal with my existing white background and my existing layout. Basically, she had only a banner to work with. Someday I’ll go the total redesign route but now I know I’m the one who has to do it. It’s too risky for me to hire anyone else. The next designer might not be as nice as Miss K and might just snatch me bald.

If you’re considering sprucing up your site and you want a great designer at a good price, drop Miss Kendra a line at drita42@hotmail.com.

eye candy friday -- everybody else is doing it

I'm thinking the answer to my mother's perpetual question, If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too? just might be, Well, um, yes .

eye candy friday -- a lovely arrangement

Tuesday night I arrived home after 12 hours in the salt mines and entered my building with the usual grumble. I ascended the stairs to my second floor apartment and found beauty sitting right outside my door.

Aren't they stunning?

They're from Gracie Bea and Gracie Bea's mom, my beloved Deatra. These tulips really made my week. My girls sent them just because they love me.

That's candy for the eyes and the spirit.

keep austin weird

I think I can help with that.

I'm heading to Austin today to hang out with my mother-in-law for the weekend. We'll be celebrating my birthday a little early (it's the 16th). Since I'm going away, I tried to be efficient by sending off some things I've made for people, including, finally, Gracie's sweater. I wasn't just hanging on to it so I could finish up the blue version and do a little photo action, though it's nice that things turned out that way. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to package it, and then to find/order the stuff I needed. I'm thrilled the sweater is finally on its way.

As for the blue one, it will be for sale in my one day soon Etsy shop, along with its partner, this little matching hat.

Tiny satin roses. Couldn't you plotz?

I've decided to do the Etsy thing because I could otherwise wind up having to use a battering ram to get inside my apartment as a result of all the stuff I'll be making to keep my spirits up.

I also mailed something that has to do with the contest (um, I'm not slow, I'm a perfectionist) but I won't show it until I know it's in the hands of its recipient.

Instead, I'll show this:

Another thing I mailed. A while back, I got on a little bonnet kick and made about six or seven of these (a couple will go on Etsy). I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd have occasion to send one off and, sure enough, one of the best people to emerge from my days as a UCLA office drone, my friend Andrea, is having a second daughter. If you're interested, you can find pattern info here.

Well, it's 3:06 (ante meridiem) and I still have to finish writing a grammar test. Gah.

Tomorrow, pretty pretty for Eye Candy Friday.

take the l out of lover and it's over

Thursday night I lay down in my apartment. Friday morning I got up in hell. I didn't go to sleep in between so I don't know how I missed the transition. But, somehow, I did.

So I have entered a time of great personal difficulty. In the coming days on this blog there will likely be blabbering. There will definitely be the making of many, many things because that is what will save my ass.

What I am going through involves my marriage and I can only conclude one thing--

Marriage: Here there be dragons.

Let us get on with the making, shall we?

On Saturday Miss Natalie threw us a little shindig, "Crafts and Cocktails" (we got right down to business and did the latter first).

Polaroids are my latest thing so I took my new used camera to the party. I've scored some gizmos and learned some tricks to go with, and here's the true Natalie, the hostess with the sure enough mostess:
There was also Tami, who had to leave fairly early because, although I gave her shit about it, she is a responsible mom and had to go do responsible mom stuff.

After she left, we got serious about working on our projects and, oops, more drinking.


Don't even be fooled by the fact that Lori's holding knitting. After this shot, she put it down and boozed it up like the rest of us.

This is Darcy, knitting after a few too many:

And Mary Jo, who can really hold her liquor knit up a storm.

At the end of the night, Darcy helped Natalie strain the joy juice and put it away for future imbibement.

The highlight of the evening was our rollicking karaoke session. I didn't get any pics of that. I was too busy performing crowd pleasers like "Total Eclipse of the Heart." (Please, Bright Eyes, just turn the fuck around.) It wasn't long before we all sang songs together. I got the pleasure of choosing our closing number. I thought Alanis's "You Oughta Know" seemed cheerful enough.

Here's a godawful shot of the project I worked on:

I embroidered a butterfly. At the time, I didn't see the symbolism. Now I'm thinking there may be something to it.