Currently: June 24, 2005 link I have been playing around with more old family photos, trying to think of something different to do with them than just slapping them in a frame. Here is one of my favorites: Glen on Smoky. Glen being my great uncle, Smoky being his horse. I really love this picture. It's so...cowboy. One of my first thoughts was to do the whole photo transfer thing on to something like watercolor paper. I would probably change it to a sepia tone for that. But I got to thinking...I just got the newest version of Illustrator (CS2 - yippee!) and damn, it's cool. It has a new live trace option that BLOWS Adobe Streamline out of the water in my opinion. I have a brand spanking new Gocco still sitting in it's box from when I bought it forever ago. (I'm scared to use it.) So using the live trace option in illustrator I came up with this image that I could possibly print on some cards: It's fun to experiment. I am not sure I like this, since I think you lose a lot of the charm of the original photo, but at least it's a start. I have been sewing like a mad woman this past week. I am making view D (the white one in the pic) from this pattern. and I am currently on my FIFTH version trying to get this sucker down. I am using my sloper pattern of course and I am finding that there is something wrong in the upper chest/arm hole region. I may have to take the pattern back to the woman who made it, but part of me wants to figure this out on my own so I have a better understanding of how garments are made. Here is my issue: It fits BEAUTIFULLY except across the upper chest. Not the bust line, but around my armpits. It's just too tight. I made the first version of this in a faux jacquard that raveled like crazy....man that was a nightmare. The rest have been out of muslin. Attempt #2 was off because I messed up on the neckline which threw my sleeves off. Number 3 had the corrected neck, but still had the tightness across the chest. Number 4 had the corrections I made to the armhole (see pattern illustration above) but was STILL too tight across the chest, and now the armhole is too small. Normally a situation like this would frustrate me to the point of insanity, but I am actually enjoying the challenge and the learning process. I put this book on hold at the library because I want to figure this out. By the time I am done it's going to fit like a dream. June 17, 2005 link Sorry mom, there will be no picture of my painting this week, or ever. We had to leave them on our last day of class so the teacher would have time to grade them. He called me on Monday asking if I had forgotten to leave it. After a few back and forth phone calls, it was discovered that security let a student into the building and they stole some of our paintings, mine included. Stolen! Bummer! I was really happy with it too. The local paper had an article on the resurgence of sewing and featured a Sewing Cafe right here in town! The classes look really cool, I especially like Destroy your Jeans. I also learned that Lady Fest is going to be happening here in Olympia again! I have always wanted to go to one. Joanns is having a pattern sale today, specifically McCall's, for two bucks each. I think I am going to run down there and stock up, now that I have my sloper and maybe do some sewing this weekend. June 10, 2005 link I can't believe it's June already! Last night was my last night of class! I am really glad I took it, I learned a lot and can't wait to take the next session (hopefully) in the fall. I was going to take a picture of my final piece to post for today, but I forgot. This project was all about color matching from a photo reference. I really enjoyed it because I felt like I was learning something. One of the most intimidating things about painting are the actual paints. I am loving the fact that I am beginning to understand what each color can do, and how to work with a slow drying paint like oil. We are not working with real oils, but water misable ones. I am now to the point where I am starting to think about what I want to paint and am finding that I really do not have any idea! I am trying to organize my magazine clippings into a binder: It's been slow going, but I am almost done. I feel like I will be able to sort of hone in on the sort of things that I am drawn to, things that influence me and such. It's also been really cool to see what the other students in the class are drawn to. Some like landscapes, some paint really crazy-funky monsters, some like flowers... I am going to try to paint more this summer from photo references to really try to get the color mixing matching down. Also just because the best way to learn something is to do it. J is at the Aspen Food and Wine festival right now being really busy and having a bunch of fun. Today is the first day of the festival and he was telling me about all of the really cool seminars going on. One of my favorites is a seminar called "Bacon Wines". I love bacon! There are also seminars on Champagne, and a lot of food seminars taught by the likes of Booby Flay and Jacques Pepin. I really hope that J gets a chance to go to one, and it's sounding like I will get to go next year! (maybe). My best friend had her baby this week and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am going to visit her and the sweet little baby in August and I can't wait! I was looking at Erika Knight's book Simple Knits for Cherished Babies the other day trying to get some inspiration. I haven't done anything crafty in a long time, so I am trying to decide what to do. Not really a lot going on. I have a book club meeting this weekend and I am trying to finish the book in time. We are reading You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers. I haven't read anything by him so we shall see if he deserves the hype. Speaking of reading...I. Cannot. Wait. I am actually going to pick it up at midnight like the rest of the HP nerds. Yes, I admit it..I am THAT far gone. I have already alerted J to the fact that I will be spending the weekend of the 16th of July with Harry. May-->