Being a Maker

 I hadn't done any bag making for awhile, focusing more on Mail Art and knitting, but during the chilly be-in-the-house-all day weather, I decided to sew.

I have lots of vintage linen dish towels with the plan to make them into little bags.

Here's what the most recent ones look like.

 I have to find some BIG colorful buttons for them.

A Maker has to make, anything, something, always. I first heard the term Maker at a ceramics gallery in London in 2011. The woman explained that it's the term that is being used now for crafts people. I loved it. It's so encompassing. When I returned home, I had a new rubber stamp made - Maker in Residence USA, replacing my Artist in Residence stamp. I'm hearing this word a lot now and am happy that it's become THE word. Maybe you'll use it, if you don't already, to describe yourself.

My sister had sent me a souvenir towel from a trip she'd made to Spain many years ago. I was able to make 3 bags from the towel, one of which went to her. This one from the center area with the figures is the one I sent her.

Here are the other two bags plus a few of my purses for change made from a vintage linen napkin. I gave my Spanish teacher friend the one that "says" ESP (on the front) and AÑA (on the reverse.) This was the only way to get the design on the bag and it makes me laugh.  My friend liked it very much.

Here's Bizoo, He love sleeping on the radiator in my studio, tucking himself under the shelf. The little figure behind him is watching him!

I have to share our grand girl with you. She looks older than her 11 months, with the fluffy jacket we got for her, and which she likes a lot. She's holding her "baby head" which was a piece of Mail Art that I received from someone. It's laminated and was sent through the mail just like that - Zinn even likes the reverse with the postage stamps on it. She says Baby very clearly. Bay-bee! Okay, so we're smitten.

A snow day off - a maker's heaven!

 I rediscoverded my merit badge! I earned it all over again for completing my third 365. I'll have to find a good place to attach this badge!
Or just display it in my studio to remind myself of my own merit! ha ha ha

Our snow didn't amount to much, maybe an inch but it is very cold and so it's VERY icy out in the world. I decided to stay home and make stuff.

My older sister had sent me a vintage tea towel awhile back and asked me to make her one of my pocket purses.

Here's my trusty old sewing machine, with one completed purse ready to send to California.

 Here are the other two purses plus two purses for change made from vintage fabric - love the fruit print. I didn't get a photo of the one I sent to my sister, as I was eager to package it so the mail carrier could pick it up at my door this afternoon.

This is the scene looking down from our bedroom window this morning. Overcast and cold.

Later, the sun came out, though it didn't help much to melt the snow, since the temperature is below freezing.

Here are a couple more of my altered vintage postcards.

It was a perfect day, staying indoors in flannel clothing and warm slippers, in my warm studio, making stuff. Bizoo would wander in and out, sometimes sleeping on the chair with the pillow, or just checking on what I was up to.

A perfect maker's day.

Sewing machine joy

I own a very old sewing machine. I've been using it a lot lately, as you know, and finally it was not working properly. The stitches were getting jammed up, thread was breaking, and finally, the needle broke by hitting the metal bobbin assembly. Fortunately, this happened after my big push to get items finished for the street festival. I wasn't able to readjust what needed realignment, and the final thread guide before the needle, dropped off and disappeared into some crevice in my studio. OH NO! I took the machine, all bazillion pounds of it (it's "portable?") to a repair place and it got a tune-up. They told me that it can't break, it's all metal (thus the weight of it) and that I shouldn't ever get rid of it. Woohoo, I liked hearing that. I stitches forwards and back and zigs and zags and also has a little drop in cam option to make fancy stitches (which I never do.) I'm so happy because it now sews smoothly and silently. I had no idea how noisy it was until I got it back yesterday. Wow! Sewing Machine Joy. I'm off to sew something. See you later!

Thinking cool thoughts!

I'm thinking cool thoughts! What are those, you may ask? Ice cream, the pool (even though the water is tepid,) ice skating, how I used to sit by Lake Michigan and enjoy the breeze, last winter's snow storms, thoughts like that. Is it helping? NO! Nope, no, not at all! 37.7C It feels cooler when I write the lower number. Enough about the temperature.

SO my fingernail polish matched the floaty noodle thing at the pool the other day. How cute is that? And the flowers are doing wonderfully around the outside of the fence. They are well cared for by a pool member.

While driving our son back to his home from a pool morning, I grabbed this image of the tennis courts near his house. This is the place, though these courts are all new since the BIG flood, that Arthur Ashe learned to play tennis on. No one was playing the other morning, and I doubt they are playing today. Did I mention that is was 100F? There are lots of courts and in good weather, they are well used.

I am still busy with sewing. Yesterday afternoon I spent a few hours cutting out items from my new fabric, having sewn up all the ones I'd cut out before. I made one item already, wanting to see how the new fabric looks as a Sunglasses Pocket. I'm pleased with the results. I think I'll do some more sewing now as it's just toooo hot to go outside for any reason. (Did I mention how hot it is?) I'm sooo grateful for A/C and the electricity to run it.  Doesn't this look like a black and white image? The fabric is actually beige with white and black. I used my cell phone and got this. Kind of old-timey quality to it.

Okay, F & F (family and friends) I'm off to my studio to sew.

Flowers, a pincushion, and Mom

I've been sewing again, as you know, making Purses for Change, Totes, and Pockets for my Etsy shop. I use straight pins and had them in a little dish but really needed a pin cushion. I found a cute one here.  It's soo helpful to have this!


Our rock garden in the front of our house is doing very well. One of the little succulents has these delicate pink flowers on them, so sweet.  While walking in the neighborhood, I saw some beautiful lilies. I have to show you one. Isn't the color wonderful?

My niece sent me this photo of Mom. She looks so elfin and check out that yarn tangle on her lap. Yikes!  Yes, mom is still making those scarves. She has remembered how to end them. We still have lots available so if you want to buy a $12 scarf (mainly acrylic) from a 96 year old, shipping included, just get my e-mail address from my profile, and send payment via paypal. We'll pop a scarf in the mail. Just say if you want a darker or lighter color. See the original post here. Yes, I'm pitching my Mom's knitwear.

Purse for Change

Okay, here's a bit of self-marketing! I just added a couple of purses for change to Fritzi, my Etsy shop. I made so many last week that my neck hurt from bending over my sewing machine, I was like obsessed with making these. I loved every part of the process from choosing from my fabric stash, cutting out the pattern, choosing the combinations (what lining with what outer fabric,) choosing the buttons, and even ironing the seams. I'm giving myself a rest from it all, focusing on the class I'm teaching at the VMFA studio school. I have a piece in the studio school faculty exhibit, with a reception this Friday; if you're in the area, come on over.

My studio, mi taller!

I thought I'd put a little español into my blog title. Here are some views of my studio as it looks right now. Space for making collages, mail art, and artist trading cards in one area and


my sewing machine set up in another for making my totes.



My knitting supplies aren't in view because I work on those projects in the adjacent tiny TV room, while watching episodes of the new Doctor Who.
I love having this studio space and feel grateful and lucky!