Friday, January 28, 2011

Estoy mas alegre que una chica con zapatos nuevos!

I am happier than a young woman with new shoes!

this is one of my favorite sayings from my college days. Remember my Spanish professor would always start the week with a great phrase to keep us going, this one stuck...I am planning to make a wall hanging with the phrase, but haven't had a chance to do so yet....and with my latest shoe purchase i am feeling the sentiment no matter how sick i am with this blasted cold!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Home, sweet home

Back from TNNA on the 11th. While there, I made my wish list of  yarns for my book.  Now all I need is to get the projects confirmed and colors chosen and ordered to get knitting. My plan of allowing 2 weeks for each project may seem abitious, but i think it should work. Plus I DO have a couple of volunteers to assist should i fall behind.

Last week was another trip to South Beach for the photoshoot. Dispite a rainy Monday, the rest of the week went without a hitch. We had a couple of models  that we love and we got everything shot within 2 days, which left us with an extra day to play...

when I say play, I mean shop...

Spent Friday shopping in South Beach, buying a couple pair of shoes and a new messenger bag. My current bag has served well for more than 5 years, it is a  Cirque du Soleil tent fabric bag, in their signature blue and yellow which always garners comments; but alas, it is finally wearing through the vinyl and into the fiberglass threads looking a little ratty. Only a viisit to a traveling show may be an opportunity to purchase a true replacement. (Can't find it on their website.) The new one is a cool canvas and leather combo with grommets and plaid lining. Quite natty with a bit of a distressed look.

Following the bag purchase, i had to look for shoes.  I love a cool shoe, and the selection at the Sioux Falls shoe stores is pretty limited. So I shop on the road.

This trip was not a disappointment— a pair of Donald Pliner tuxedo flats in a colorway of  jade, eggplant, and bronze beads.They will be perfect when I take to the stage in  Santa Clara in 3 weeks.  Now, all I need is to get the perfect shirt for my brown tux jacket. I should have done that in Sobe, but didn't have the jacket.


I also bought a pair of driving shoes that are pretty sweet, and cannot wait for the snow to melt and get them broken in. they too are in the jade family. Hmmm... a theme yet again?

My father would ask do you need another pair of shoes? Of course not, but what does need have to do wit it? I am helping the economy, and it did look like help is needed. The inventory in Barney's was the lowest I had ever seen, and the price points seem to be slightly lower as well. seemed like a pattern in all the neighboring shops, and there were quite a few vacant buildings.

Of course, I would have loved to go fabric shopping, but that would have required a taxi ride through the streets of Miami... soaking up the sun in January, makes shopping on foot more desirable. With all the walking (which felt great) I am convinced that if I didn't hibernate 4+ months a year i would be back to my pre- Knitters weight.

Now I am just depressed, I need to go look at my new shoes. Later.

Friday, January 7, 2011

And I'm off....

...to TNNA. This is the spring/summer yarn market.

Tonight is the Fashion Show, and tomorrow, Sunday and Monday is market, where I source yarns for the upcoming issues of Knitter's and books.

Of added excitement/stress.....I will author (rather then edit) my first book this year. It has been a long time coming, I am excited. I will source yarns for the 25+projects in the book.
I return home on tuesday, and then leave again on Sunday for the photo-shoot for the next issue. South beach in January, is a nice diversion....in more ways than one!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

new year's day

I started playing with the many fabrics I bought at the Heirloom Creations Sale. I needed to make a gift for a swap partner who seems to have been left out in the cold by the person who was to send her a gift.

This is what i came up with. Before (in process on the red couch cushions) and after (on the desk with the blossoms in full bloom). It was an absolute blast to create, so much so that i was up till 3:30 making it. Hand sewing the binding can be rewarding as well as time consuming though.

I especially like how the origami style blossom petals overlap the border, and YES, it was deliberate.  could easily see a  votive candle setting in each of  them. Maybe i should get over to Pier 1 and see what they have; after all, it is a gift!

 The indigo coloring of the background fabrics have an Asian feel, which is what i was striving for and achieved. The piece of rusty red was one of those serendipitous finds from one of my fat quarter bundles. it used the whole piece but lucky for me there is a second piece for another runner....I want this one!

I have been involved in  quilting bees for about 9 months now, and have made some wonderful friends and gained some great piecing experience. i have made things i would have never tried before, like paper piecing, and i do like it now, that is how i made the Pucci pillow.

But the Make Mine Modern Swap has been even more fun and rewarding, as you set a 3-month focus on one recipient, and try to get info on them to create their special package yet keep it secret.  As you volunteer information and commentary to posts and pics, you are wondering if the creation is yours and at the same time providing insight to your tastes. I must say that my partners in the last 2 swaps were spot on in their choices for me. (But i have been a very active participant... so knowing what I might like is pretty easy.) Creating for those 2 swaps was not as easy, my partners were pretty quiet, which is difficult. But i made some cool stuff!

I have a million things on the slate for 2011, starting with getting Casa Rico back in shape. I am going to start spring cleaning early— as soon as i return from TNNA in California, and the Photo Shoot in South Beach—if only i could call in sick for those events and work on MY space!  AARRGGHH!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

New years eve....

We were bombarded with snow. It wavered from crystals, to large fluffy clumps to fine little pebbly bits.It was beautiful.
I went to the fabric store for their annual inventory reduction sale, and bought fabrics for 50% off...with an added 10%if you finished the bolt. Books were 40%off.
So from 9:30 to 12:30, Sue and I planned, picked, and sorted out what we wanted, all said and done I spent $190. Came home and evaluated the package....52 yards of fabric that normally sells at $9.00 to 9.50per yard. Means that I had a minimum of $460 worth of fabric plus a $27 dollar book.(Some of the fabrics had intermediate markdowns that were split in half for the sale.)

After cashing out, I had 4 inches of snow on my car, it was a beaut. Fortunately, I had nowhere else to be so I came home garages the car and sorted through my fabric. Got the backing for my crazy curve quilt which would have been $85 bucks alone.

So, now I should get some work done....I have a substitute package to put together for one of the people in a swap....I think her partner welched on her part..Don't you hate when someone will not answer emails, even if they say I can't fulfill my part. Keeps you from feeling helpless in proceeding on the poor soul who has no package coming.