Leprechuan Hosanna

B'gosh, I will be getting off to Dublin tomorrow with a better looking leprechaun than this, taller too.
We will be spending time in some version of this, probably traveling from place to place comparing Guinness...
Finally we will find the River Shannon, where we take a leisurely roll for a few days on a barge. It's supposed to be a very nice barge, we'll see. I am taking thirty books along just in case it rains the whole time.
And I'll see swans too, you betcha. Or not. I may be below deck making sure the rivets are all tight. I don't know what the blogging capabilities will be but you'll hear from me at my first chance. Wish me some Irish luck!

Inland Scholar Blotch

HA! The SAQA list is posting about their issues with having people call their work a 'hobby' today. This to me is funny and I no longer get my back up against it when people refer to my stuff as my artsy-craftsy interest, or start talking about their aunt who made a quilt one time. I don't do cheesy stuff, I like to think (!) however I do admit to having the sensibility of a magpie and if it glitters I love it. Shiny? Gimme gimme! Sparkles? I'll make it into something! Tacky? I bet I can use it somehow!

Anyway, I'm not going to change what I like, and when I go to Michaels or any other craft store I can disappear for hours picking over stuff to use. The trick is to not use it as it was intended, and instead to make something IRONIC out of it. I don't want to disquise the original material or 'thing' I am using, instead incorporate it. For instance, give me a tube of jungle animals and I poke holes in all their hands and join them with jump rings to make a necklace. I love these themed animal tubes and was surprised to find I've been buying so many of them- used the turtle collection in a big necklace with ping pong balls to simulate their eggs, used the snakes as an entwined lump as a package decoration (but couldn't get the jump rings through them- I know there is another use for the snakes in the future), and my favorite are the tree frogs which will be next- as soon s I find some qualifying beads for them to hold onto. And they are calling for tiny colored rhinestones. Since the two grandkids are still too young for the tiny toys, I can't give 'em away anyway so I may as well wear them!

A current interest is the wall of unpainted dollhouse furniture. A pity, but it's too big to wear. I've used a wee armoire in an artist's book and see loads of possibilities to continue that for a bit. And there are all this little wooden shapes cut out and ready to go that are calling to me. I've already attached WalMart paper mache vegetables to a few quilts but alas, they don't travel well. The doll house sized stuff is small enough that it folds nicely into a rolled quilt but the big stuff takes the knocks in unpredictable manner- after all, I don't want any show to unfurl a broken quilt.

And while at the craft shop, I also get stuck in the scrapbooking department because they have amazing decorative papers to buy by the sheet. I don't think I've ever checked out without a whole pile of these. And there are punches and clips and fancy scissors to play with too. My collection grows uncontrolled.

Galaxie Playdough! Found this over on Fairy Dust Teaching blog, and here's the recipe, can't wait to make a batch and then figure out what I want to sparkle:

2 cups of plain flour

2 cups of water with black and blue food coloring

1 Tbsp. of cooking oil

1 Tbsp. cream of tartar

1 cup of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix liquid ingredients in a large pan. (FYI: I found black food coloring in a large size at Big Lots - so I added the entire bottle! I added a small bottle of blue food coloring. It made the dough so deep and rich!) Begin to heat liquids.

In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. Add to the heating liquids. Stir until the dough gathers and thickens. Cook until it gets that sheen to it. Let it cool slightly and then knead to bring proper consistency. Store in plastic container.

I had neglected to fill out a Grant of Rights form for a book that's coming up and was informed I have made the last cut, though it's no guarantee I am 'in'. Anyway, I filled out the form and got it re-mailed last night. This morning there was an email from the gal I've been corresponding with at the publishing company, and she wanted to tell me she loved the name of my studio, Ganymede, in Jupiter, because she used to work in Astronomy! She is the first one to 'get it'. Nothing like a tiny bit of validation now and then.

And today is clean-out day to get rid of a few layers of stuff and finish up some small projects. Also have to return a sweater they didn't take the electronic tag from the other day when I bought it- what a pain. And I KNOW the alarms will go off as I walk IN the door!

Irremovable Concision

Well today was weird as hell, but I guess one can expect that on one's birthday, eh? Thanks to Facebook's automatic birthday alerts I heard from people I don't even know! I got text messages throughout the day, several of those automated birthday cards where the golden retrievers write their message by peeing in the snow, and my dear old friend from CA called from the bathroom stall from work! Usually *I* am the one in a bathroom stall when the phone rings, instead this time I was the lucky receiver of the call. Oy. Then there were all the regular Facebook hiya hiya's which I couldn't even read because my wall is blanked out. I don't know why.

But today I went up to Newburyport, a town I love, to join my daughter at her stand in the Farmers Market there to see her skin care stuff. By the time I arrived at 9, she was all set up in a nice space with a cool breeze. They have this in a little shopping center parking lot that is a wonderful place, very contained, with lovely exhibitors as well as the shops that are there permanently. And there within a foot of my shoulder was the chorica sausage guy grilling away with high smoke. He offered egg and chorica breakfast sandwiches or omlettes and the smell was driving me crazy until I finally gave in. Met lots of people, even more dogs but dogs don't have pockets for their money so we had to ignore them for the most part. OK, so you have chorica man to our right in your mind's eye now, right? Well right across from us was the band set-up, three women and a guy in a Red Sox hat with all their acoustic equipment. Actually they were pretty good but after the first three tunes the noise starts to grate- you can't hear the customer's questions and I know they can't hear our explanations. We had to go into smile-and-nod mode. The best part was watching the toddlers rock out to the music as some of them had their boogie pants on and really got down! One little girl, about two years old had been obviously doing ballet because she went into pirouettes and had darn good form for a little fat kid. It was sure fun to see them.

Produce looked wonderful at every booth, an there were two wine producers too. They also allow in a few craft people so the offerings were certainly varied. By noon the chorica man was in high gear and I was coughing up asbestos from his smoke, plus the sun went high and the wind died down and it got really hot. Several of the products melted, as did I. I was darn glad to fold the tent and move on.

TY was going to take me to the North End for a great dinner but come to find out it's Feast Day in there and shoulder to shoulder in the streets and restaurants which I just couldn't get my head around, so we bagged the great dinner in favor of another night, soon. And instead Nate came over and I cooked---- drum roll--- you might not be expecting this one--- hold on, are ya ready???

Country style pork ribs.

Stop it. I didn't have ANY pork yesterday at all, and today only a bit of chorica. It's my birthday, I can eat pork if I wanna. I just can't eat cake, drat the luck.

Pundit Doubloon

We have a bit of a Pork Problem now. Last night I made pork belly for dinner, like I haven't had pork for seven nights running. But let me tell you, pork belly is deee-vine. I had never actually made it before but happened upon most of a pig in the Whole Foods meat counter with pork belly beautifully rolled up in display. I love it. Who am I to say 'no'? I bought a slab and scurried home like a rat with it to research a good recipe. Fortunately it is easy peasy to cook and I chose a Chinese recipe with black bean sauce and 5 spice rubbed into the surface. It happened I had some leftover rice from a previous night so that became a tasty fried rice dish to eat with it. I will bet that I will be slamming my fists on the Whole Foods meat counter if they don't have this stocked next time I happen by. They had other 'parts' too that I may have to return for.

In my spam box today is this enticing offer to do my photo cutouts as well as my morphological photo editing AND my satellite photo editing too. What an offer. Thanksgod, I was so sick of those satellite trips because my battery would always crump out

"We are a China based Imaging Professionals. We offer basic and advanced digital photo Editing services and solutions like photo Cutout, morphological photo Editing, photoshop photo Editing, satellite photo Editing, color photo Editing and vector photo Editing using latest techniques. "

Can I just say no thanks? In Chinese?

If it weren't for Facebook I wouldn't even know that it's my birthday tomorrow. PLEASE do not acknowledge this statement, I am skipping it this year. It's pretty much easy to ignore because my Facebook messages page is a complete white out and unreadable. (Their crack team seems to be off... doing crack... to earn their title because I just get form letters in response. This may be the end of me+FB, which is fine, I find Google+ much more usable.) I did get cards from my dentist and Sephora's discount coupon I can use any time this month, but other than that I am pretty much able to stick it in the back of my mind in the 'DREAD' file. Today I am scheduled for breakfast/brunch/whatever with my good friend I barely see. And that will be fun according to the Horror today:

It's an absolute relief to let someone else take the lead today. Giving up control can be very exhilarating on its own, butyou're in luck now because your friends or co-workers may have something fun in mind. Processing your own resistance quickly allows you to open up some playtime in your already busy schedule. Go ahead and indulge yourself; your work will still be there when you return.

Tomorrow morning I am scheduled to work a table at the Newburyport Farmers Market where my daughter will be selling her Great Marsh skincare line. I love this stuff and plan on telling everybody I am 75 (I am NOT!) and that's what makes me look so good! First time since I was 17 that I've lied about my age, and that was in the other direction. If you go to her site to order anything, whatever you get add on the Rosehip Hydrating Serum- this stuff is unbelievable. And Amanda actually does mix it up in her kitchen! Anyway, if you're near Newburyport between 9 and 1 Sunday morning, please stop by! So far she also sells it in a few local places around Ipswich MA and of course on line.

Actually, the only other work I have right now is packing up my stuff piles to take back to Florida and a bag for Ireland. Might seem easy but the Ireland trip has me over a barrel. I have a rain jacket and a huge poncho and an umbrella to cover my top parts, but I need some rubber shoes, or something that gets wet happily. I figure that if I am dragging all this gear around that I am guaranteeing myself good weather, right? OK, that's the last you'll hear of my packing issues, I promise.

And just remember, folks, to use the damn quart plastic bag for your lotions, gels, and liquids or the ugly TSA guys get to use them and you'll be hiking around looking to replace products instead of looking at baroque defunct castles on your vacation. Which isn't a Bad Thing if you're in Paris or Milan I 'spose...

I think I'll take tomorrow off from blogging unless something fab happens on my Newburyport job. See you Monday.

Spell or Bethel

I was set to meet Beverly-the-North today in Lowell to catch the Whistler and Brush shows since I missed the festivities there last weekend. We showed up simultaneously at 10 only to see that the opening was to be at 11. I already knew the Brush wasn't open yet so instead we decided to take off to Nashua NH to see what was happening at the Mancuso show.

Forty five minutes later we pulled into the convention center and started up and down the aisles looking at all the accumulated shows. We saw some varied levels of expertise in quilting running the gamut between accomplished to rudimentary. Note here: the following are my own feelings. We did discuss a few pieces in depth, we agreed frequently, and we had different takes on quite a few. Beverly comes at it from a professional point of view giving full attention to each piece, while I simply walk down the center of the aisles glancing back and forth waiting for something to jump out and grab me. Beverly finds good in many pieces and gets to the heart of the maker. I am quickly bored and am looking mostly for something I haven't' seen before- a technique, a color system, an idea I haven't come across before. I see all the quilts made in similar classes, Beverly notes how each is different in it's own way.

We both are attracted to well designed and executed work, and I think we came up with our own show winner in spite of the ribbons already awarded. Once that was out of the way we hit some vendors. I was thrilled to find Donna, an old friend of mine from my local guild is the Aurofil rep for the area and got a bag-full of some beauties to drag home. I know, here I am getting excited about thread, how sick is that?

Se we were wandering along touching stuff and schmoozing with vendors we recognized or that seemed particularly friendly. One lady sat there with tiny scraps of little iridescent bugs and some fab inks to make them so we were talking to her- she also demo'ed foiling with fusing threads so I got all excited about that. Then I found a rubbery version of a gelatin plate which I glommed onto since I can't keep a gelatin plate in my too-warm studio. As I am hyperventilating over this booth-full of cool stuff I see her name tag. OMG, it's Jane Davila, my 'imaginary friend' for several years now! We hugged, we reminisced, we told short stories, we gossiped (yup, about our northwest friends who made lunch for Jane and didn't even invite me!) Anyway, Jane was the highlight of my day, even surpassing my new bushel of threads! And now I am elevating Jane to a new google circle- from 'friends I have never met' right on up to 'friends I know'! Congratulations Jane, you are my first circle-move!

Oh, yes, I found the button lady and she can't be in the Mancuso show in West Palm in November because it's too close to Houston time. So I was glad to unload a few of her little gems into my bag since who knows when I will find her again. Wish it was soon so I could make a trade with her for all my old tablecloths.

Sorry I don't have any pictures to illustrate all these shenanigans but if you've been to a quilt show lately, just close your eyes and imagine me there wisecracking over angelina usage and finding fault with value choices. I TRY to do it silently but sometimes I simply can't help myself...
Beverly has the patience of a saint.

One more thing before I implode, so many people I met today know me from this blog, and seem to enjoy reading it, but I get so few comments. Really folks, I love comments- even the bad ones so have at it! Tell me when you disagree, tell me when I'm off base- I probably won't do anything about it but YOU will feel better, for sure. Let me know who you are too~ it was really nice to meet all of you today.

Now I'm gonna go count my thread.

Bury to the Quivery

Hate ants, don't you? Here's a giant fire ant, just like in Florida but without his anthill army behind him. These guys will crawl up your pant leg and get you when you don't realize it. There have been occasions when golfers have stepped on a hill and had to be evacuated to the hospital by helicopter their bites were so bad. This guy could snap off my head, no helicopter involved, bye bye Sandy. Well, except he is made of rebar and sticks.

Did I tell you that the TSA in it's wisdom confiscated my son's 1.5 oz. sample size of baby shampoo, half empty, because it wasn't IN a plastic bag? He had even taken it out to show them at screening, but they stopped him and gave him the option of 'escorting' him out of the airport or confiscating it just because it wasn't IN a plastic bag. Now we don't really care a whit about losing a sample size of shampoo, but it was certainly well within range of what is allowed, clearly marked and presented properly, just missing a plastic bag. Ridiculous. They also took his sample size toothpaste while detaining him. "Ve haf zee Regulations, Herr Passenger!" Sometimes it's just the principle of the thing, sometimes it's just having to put up with idiocy, sometimes it's people taking advantage of their perceived pseudo-power just because they spent their childhood being stuffed into lockers by the big kids.

Flying Sucks. And here I go packing up for the third trip of the summer. I just don't' care any more about going anywhere, it's so difficult, uncomfortable, and demeaning. Remember when it used to be an adventure? We'd get all dressed up and wear our best travel clothes and carry our matching luggage to a porter who would handle it for us until we fetched it at the destination point. We weren't expected to clean the friggin plane back then as we disembarked either, and the flight attendants (stewardesses) were helpful and polite and accommodating. And we could smoke on the plane too and nobody complained. Matter of fact they didn't complain about the free peanuts with your drink service either. Granted the food service wasn't quite elegant, but we did have metal utensils and there was always a hot meal, sometimes tasty enough, with a dessert offered. Ha. We'll never see that again.

Here's to the long lost wild blue yonder.

Sickly It Swim

More Iowa, A Little More Pork, and a Nice Seque on to the CORN theme today:

I just can't say enough how beautiful Iowa is. We had fabulous perfect weather and the skies were endless. The straw poll was going on, a meaningless exercise I heard referred to as the Republican State Fair where they all get to come argue and eat pork and clutter the hotel lobby while posturing and being photographed with The People. TY got to meet Chris Wallace one morning and I ran smack into Steve Hayes as he was checking out. Yeah, that's me, starstruck. But back to the Iowa~
And CORN
And a quick re-mention of the iconic CORN DOGS (here is a normal sized one)

And Caramel popcorn and PORK RINDS (be still my heart)
And the prize winning corncobs~
And the prizewinning jars of corn~ with more bushels at the bottom~
And the also-rans lining the walls for blocks~ arranged by type and size and probably a few other considerations. i was mostly blown away by the pattern of it all~
And even DelMonte Niblets in CANS~ blurry from my sticky hands on the slippery camera:
Corn Fritters~
Corn Chowder (note please the intrusion of a wee bit o' pork again)
And buttered popcorn everywhere~
And corn mazes~ (scarey!)
Hmmm, didn't see any corn rows on heads because there weren't that many people of any color beyond blond~)

And our Ultimate Blonds, the BUTTER COW sculptures! Yeah, life-size. Sorry about the reflections- it was behind glass in a refrigerated room so it would keep it's shape. Now, folks, I can die happy because I have seen the BUTTER COW. Or one of 'em. This was the 100th year celebration of these sculptures. This particular one rotated slowly around so we could see all sides.
So I moved outside to the giant pumpkins- this was a prize winner at 1183#s that always had a cub scout troop posing around it and screaming Happeeee Halloweeeeen! into the cameras.
Frou frou and geegaws, diddly boppers and marabou make believe:
And back I went to the cattle barn to watch the sign-ins for hundreds of big black adolescent and furry steers being led around by little kids. This was the gathering for the weigh-ins for each contestant. I watched this for maybe an hour. These animals were beautiful.
Then went to the sheep barn where I met Loverboy, only 2 years old and 483#s of ribs and chops.
He took up most of the pen and just laid there panting in the heat, or maybe from doing his job so well- there were hundreds and hundreds of identical sheep sheered to the skin in this barn, all yelling at each other.
The main event- the agricultural building where at the lower left they are queued up to see the Butter Cow displays and at the far end the vegetable displays were arranged
And sadly, the midway where there are two kids stuck up in a bungee ride they paid $25 for. Seems that the bottom falls out...or something... but it malfunctioned and they ere trapped up there in the sky for almost 3 hours. The news crews were there and finally some firefighters climbed up with rappelling ropes and got them down one at a time. I was scared to watch so left the area and watched it all unfold on television later in the evening after I knew they were rescued. They got their money back I heard, as well as a major sunburn.
Tomorrow I have one last Iowa post, just a short one I promise. I want you to know that while I've been posting all these pictures I am also doing wash and unpacking, no wasted time! But tomorrow I have more and bigger stuff to do.

Choosy Filigree

I've solved my dilemma of too many choices! So today I am gonna only do PORK as my subject. That alone will limit my photos to a manageable number. First of all, the most amazing pork chops were prepared for us on the grill our 'opening night' by our hosts. We gobbled them down shamelessly. The second night we were at a family party and the meal consisted of the most spectacular pork loin smoked slowly in the backyard for hours. I thought I died and went to heaven having pork two nights in a row. Fortunately the same loin reappeared as sandwiches the next day and I couldn't have been happier- three days of PORK! But I didn't know what was in store for Day 4 at the Iowa State Fair! Let's just say

THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO MARKET

(Soon Headed Here!)

Pork Chop on a Stick!

(That's Romney enjoying his instead of talking to people in the Olde Folks Home) I saw some hungry guys doing the two-fisted pork-chop thing, of course sitting down so they could drink their beer chasers, a necessity.

Foot Long Corn Dogs! OMG, Delicious!

I am choosing to NOT post the hideous picture of Michelle Bachman enjoying her corn dog which might seriously derail her campaign- google it and be appalled.

BBQ Rib Remnants

and I don't even have any pulled pork images!

Piggies Checking Out the Air Supply
Pig Wrestling
This is the Swine Building at the fair- it goes on for miles and miles, and some of the pens have people families living there next to their pigs, waiting for their events and keeping me from trying to pet them. They don't take well to petting.
Pigtails
Pig Races
One tired guy after his competition
One trying to escape the judging ring, headed right at me!
Placid Piggy. Perhaps depressed? Probably hot.

And finally, The Iowa Pork Queen (I didn't get her name) as she was handing our ribbons. Please note her choice of a zebra print dress to intimidate her subjects, while wearing her Pearls-Before-Swine necklace. Is her choice maybe ironic? Let me know what you think about her costume choices! And stay tuned- tomorrow will be the CORN POST.