Saturday, February 13, 2010

Pep Talks

I really appreciate your pep talks.  Especially now that I am sitting at the machine and have totally fucked up the Swamp Thang with my hideous stitching.  I had a dream (I know, somebody else said that first) that I did all hand stitching on it a la the Slow Cloth model, so I came racing in here today at the crack of dawn to get at it, enthused and ready to go.  My thousands of embroidery threads are arranged around, the needles that will take it have been found, my green thimble on my finger...

I can't get any hand needles through the layers of fabric and fusing.  I*cannot*pull* a*needle*through!  So I got under the machine to attach the dreaded BSR thingy, read the book because last time I used it I hated it to pieces.  And away I went-  only to discover that even the machine will barely go through all my layers, and when it does, it skips and jumps and gives me almost zig zag lines.  I am ready to go home and rest my weary self the rest of the day.  Maybe nap.  Instead I took a break and screwed the caps on the pile of little bottles and vials and eyedroppers I got from American Scientific while I was gone.  I couldn't remember why I ordered so many so I looked at the catalogue they sent and the stuff I ordered all came in sets of 'many' or 'too-many'.  Guess I opted for the too-many options.  Anyway I am set for life for little bottles.  Maybe I will give them out as favors to whoever stops by here-  everybody loves free stuff, don't they?  Or maybe I am just talking about me.

Next stupid trick-  I decided to mix up a batch of gelatin for a plate, first time I've done this in the studio.  Well duh-  I don't have a bowl big enough, or even any way to heat water other than my 2 cup coffee maker.  So I must take my giant bag of gelatin home to make some and hope the cool weather continues long enough to tote it back.  Also have to make the plate a size that will fit in my teeny refrigerator-  that's after I remove all the beer that's still here.  I should have bought a CONDO instead of a storage facility-  then I could also have a washing machine to do my fabric.  Yes, the new fabric is also going to be toted home today.  This is my first glitch of having a studio away from home, not serious, but perhaps I am just in a pissy mood and looking for issues to bitch about.  Perhaps I am trying to start too many things at once.  Perhaps I need to clean out the beery refrigerator and start something concrete AT HOME.

And I am sorry about not having any pictures of my highly embarrassing stitching on Swamp Thang-  it's not that I don't want to share my defeats and downfalls, it's that my camera is beyond repair and I don't like my newer fancy bigger one.  I guess I will be forced into that learning curve before I am ready too.  Guess where it is-  AT HOME!  I am going to quit while I am only this far behind.  Again, thanks all of you, for the pep talk-  next one should be a bit more direct... maybe include threatening weapons.


 Sadly, 


LATER: I shoulda just gone home to bed.  Instead I grabbed a little something to eat to keep me from falling on my face, and ran out to Artigras, the big outdoor craft fair just down the road.  I figured that I could race through it (it's easy to spot the booths to visit by just glancing in) and locate the one guy who I need to find-  a ceramic artist who did my big white carved plate in the dining room.  I love this plate but need a second and a third one but they are expensive so I've decided to 'collect' them over time.  This year is piece #2.  What I didn't take into consideration is that it is blowing like a hurricane out there and damn cold.  Naturally on such a day I would find parking within a short distance to the entrance and lucky I did too because the wind was going right through this cotton sweater.  I raced up the main aisle looking for my guy, got to the center, turned right and raced down that aisle.  Found him near the end, and there was a beauty of a plate hanging on his wall.  Mine, all mine!  But oops, the price is higher than I remember paying for the first one so I ask about it, he gives me a deal, I pull out a card, he doesn't take cards.  I look for a check and all I can find is an old one that I am not sure is still on a working account.

Note to self, clean out that wallet.

A-ha.  There is an ATM back at the central point so back I go against the wind, turn right into the food court area and sure enough there is the ATM-  it has no bank affiliation listed, it is in a plain white trailer with just a slot and keyboard.  I am leery.  The guy ahead of me gets cash out so I suck it up and give it my card and get the cash limit out.  YEaaa, it worked.  But I don't have enough cash, need to use another card so I do.  And it asks me if I want a receipt.  No, I want my cash.  There is no cash forthcoming.  I stand back and start complaining to everyone in line and some turn away, some stand around uncomfortably.  One guy decides to give it a try and he gets a receipt, no cash.  He gets madder than I do and starts accosting people looking for someone to help.  I call the emergency number listed in the small print on the directions panel.

I wait 20 minutes listening to them tell me how valuable my call is and it will be 60 seconds until someone answers.  It was really nineteen times sixty seconds.  The guy I talk to wants me to give him my credit card number and I suddenly feel that he is perhaps INSIDE the little white van running a scam!  I don't give it to him,  and he tells me he can't see my fee on my account "so I should be OK."  I still don't have my money, I don't have my plate, I am freezing cold and a long walk away from both the plate guy and my car.  I am in the food court and have to get out immediately before I cave in and buy fried dough, which, every idiot knows, is NOT on the American Diabetes Assn diet.  Fried dough with honey and powdered sugar isn't on either.

I got back to the cute Greek potter and whine.  I give him all the money I have, he wraps up my too-expensive plate and I clutch it to my chest the long walk out.  Yes, very un-Greek like of him to trust me for the difference.  But ya see, now I HAVE to get that third plate to finish the series!  Maybe I have been Trojan Horsed.

What the hell.  I barely made it back to my car clutching my plate and dodging the crowds but got home OK.  It's waiting for a stronger wire before I hang it, and who knows, maybe by then I'll have it paid for and have my camera working.

5 comments :

Terry Grant said...

January and February are the pits. I think hibernation is a sound idea. I have found myself in a situation filled to the brim with deadlines, so I am working feverishly and making dreadful stuff. Down time is necessary. I wish I could lay on the sofa and eat chips and watch figure skating for the next few weeks, and I don't even really love figure skating. There, how was that for a pep talk?

Max said...

Dear Sandeedee . . . February sucks . . . keep an eye out on craigslist for a used apartment sized fridge,ditto washer . . . this too shall pass . . . just remember, February sucks and you could be in DC snowbound . . .

Rayna said...

Sandy - you can use hot water out of the faucet and mix it in your foil pan. Add cold water first, stir, then add hot water. Trust me on this.

As for the rest of your day - no comment

Marcia said...

Hi, am new to your blog. Enjoying reading about your "adventures". About two years ago i purchased the "bsr thingy". Didnt really use it much the first year. We moved to texas last spring & my new bernina dealer offers a class just teaching the bsr. It really opened my eyes & has given me the confidence to try new ideas on my quilts. Keep trying. It is really a neat item & has aided my creativity in quilting.

Karoda said...

Did you think to ask the plate-man if he would accept a piece of your art for the rest? Or is it in bad taste to barter?

Hangeth on!