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May 31, 2005
...more robots...
Here is a picture of my second robot; I am not sure what his name is going to be...? But the yellow felt under him is for my girl robot. When I was first conceiving of the robots I didn't think of having girls, so I don't have a name for her yet either. But she is this beautiful yellow color called banana popsicle. (how much fun is that!) The felt that I am using is from Weeks Dye Works. The colors are amazing, and the variation is perfect for my pieced together robots. I am totally in love with the stuff. I have lots of colors to make lots of robots, Kacey wants twelve for herself?! I had to hold back because not only are the colors beautiful but they have great names. I let myself get Dungarees (blue), Collards (green), Merlot (red), Banana popsicle (yellow), and Gunmetal (gray). I'll take a photo of my colors....but until then here is the new guy...
unstuffed little guy
Posted by wendy at 12:25 PM | Comments (2)
May 29, 2005
...into the city I go...
One would think that having the Boy gone for a week, I would do things. All the little projects in my head. Hanging paintings on the walls, working on my robot softies, really anything besides sitting on the couch all week watching season finales. I mean normally I watch TV all the time, but I do stuff. I work on projects. I sketch, fiddle, anything from just sitting there. But the first thing I do when he is gone? Sit on the couch and eat horrible things like tater tots for dinner. Just tater tots (I did have some barbeque sauce) but mostly just the TV watching.
As soon as the Boy is home I am ready to do stuff. I am almost done with another little soft robot. And hopefully I will get my Month of Softies project done! I even went into the city today and got the work digital camera, but forgot to bring the cord to plug it in, so no pictures for you!
I am really excited because I got my Holga camera the other day and I went to B&H photo and got a bunch of film. I was most glad to be out of B&H. You would think that living in NYC I could handle lots of people. Not so much. I do a weird freeze and tense thing. I feel like I am walking through honey. I feel sticky and slow. A couple of times the Boy and I have been in or around Times Square and he has to guide me out of the crowds. I happened when I was with the Boy and my Dad we came out of a movie theatre on 42nd Street and the Boy looked back and saw my deer in headlights look and hooked arms with me and out of the crowds we went. I always feel really silly after, but it happens. So after I got out of the extremely crowed B&H I walked down the quite 9th Avenue instead of trying to wade back into the 34th street madness.
It was amazing. I never really walk over there and I saw some beautiful things.
An Indian man taking photographs of beautiful young Indian woman with a pale yellow sari and a very pregnant belly.
I turned down 28th Street and I saw the most amazing view of the Empire State Building above all these trees on a curvy street.
Back to my sewing...
Posted by wendy at 02:50 PM | Comments (2)
May 20, 2005
...meet felix...
Meet Felix. He is my first robot.
Many people have inspired him. Firstly Johanna, (I am not sure if she knows quite how much of an inspiration she really is.) Also Unsound Records has a band called The Pages. They have a really great song named Robot that always gets stuck in my head, in a good way. A couple of web people I know are making really great robots. Both Lisa and wee wonderfuls(who just posted a new Robot!) (Things slipping together.)
Felix will soon be making his way across the country to Seattle to be in a show at Schmanchy with tons of other amazing people. I first found out about the event by loobylu and all the craft greats are going to be participating. Felix is a bit nervous to be in that sort of company, but he hopes he will go to a nice home. He wears his heart on his chest instead of the sleeve, because he figures it is easier that way. He is great friends with Gilroy, even though Gilroy doesn't have all his stuffing yet and his eyes aren't stitched on. But Felix's heart belongs to May, who still remains a sketch for now, but will soon be making her debut.
Mom is flying in tonight to spend a whirlwind weekend in the city. The Boy and I are heading out to pick her up from the airport. Literally walking out the door!
Posted by wendy at 06:50 PM | Comments (3)
May 19, 2005
...in love with dessert...
Can you be in love with a dessert? I don't know but I am totally smitten with sticky toffee pudding. I was really good and I only gave the Boy and I two smallish pieces. (which actually means I will have more for later!) We don't really have dishes - we got rid of a bunch when we moved. Because of the dish issue I made a funky tin foil to heat the heaven. I totally drizzled the toffee topping over our pieces. As soon as I pulled it out I knew in my heart of hearts that no other dessert would be able to match the love I now feel for sticky toffee pudding. It just looked warm and delicious. The sauce had darkened and soaked into the pudding part. The first bite was heaven. Really and truly heaven. I almost couldn't stand it.
I just went on the website again and there are a couple of stores in the city, I don't even have to mail away for my new fix. I'll have to practice some major self-control and go to way more yoga classes. Maybe even do some morning runs.
I am looking forward to the Renegade Craft Fair. I have been checking out the vendors and figuring out all the things I want to buy. (There is really too much and I have only looked at a portion of the websites!) I can't wait. It will be a belated birthday present to myself.
Posted by wendy at 09:11 PM | Comments (2)
May 18, 2005
...oh my sweetness...
A little while ago loobylu had some computer problems and then ate sticky toffee pudding. It wasn't the main theme of the entry, but I just sort of reacted to it. I have never had that dessert. But I am never one to not give something a try - especially if it is sweet! I am a major dessert fiend-and I found the English Pudding Company after a search on the web.
Needless to say I ordered a pudding AND it came TODAY. We put it in the freezer because my mom is coming to visit this weekend and I figured that we would pull it out and have it we she was here. Plus the Boy wouldn't let me just toss it in the oven and skip dinner. Drats!
The Boy and I were talking the other day and I was flabbergasted to find out that he would prefer a meal to dessert. What?!
I love that we still don't know everything about one another. But still, I was understandably shocked. Maybe I'll order another one next week when he is recording these guys. Ideas, Ideas.
***UPDATE*** The Boy wants some of the dessert...going to have the sticky toffee pudding...I can't wait!***
Here is some more photos from Coney Island.
Posted by wendy at 06:13 PM | Comments (2)
May 16, 2005
..the new 'hood...
This image just made me feel like I walked back in time!
I totally love religious icons, something about them is quite beautiful.
All of my pictures were taken with just a point and shoot disposable camera. The ones from Coney Island too. I love the freedom not lugging my camera around gives me and there is just something about digital that I still don't love.
Posted by wendy at 08:53 PM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2005
...coney island images...
I got my film developed from my trip to Coney Island. The pictures turned out really great. The misty fog added a magical element to the day.
The rides slide into view as I neared Coney Island on the train.
It gave everything a soft edge and made the rides look like a ghost park.
I really love Coney Island, especially when they people are scarce. I think I'll take color film out there when the Mermaid Parade happens in June.
Posted by wendy at 04:34 PM | Comments (2)
May 08, 2005
...little treasures...
The Boy and I went to Barney’s yesterday. Now we are not really Barney’s kind of people, but I got a call from Janice telling me that some of Andrew's pieces were going to be sold there. Andrew is the most amazing glass blower. I have seen him work and it is like magic. He blows glass with grace and ease.
We were way under dressed, and then we met the most amazing people. Douglas Little and his business partner Moira. Douglas was dressed with a boler hat tilted to the side, looking very dashing with his early 19th century attire. He totally fit in his apothecary space. Douglas and Moira told us a couple of great stories about the sale of Andrew’s pieces. Early, day before while they were unwrapping in their display area, and a man walked by and bought one of his pieces while it was still half in the box. The most interesting purchase was later that afternoon when there was a bidding war!! I am so excited for Andrew. He is such a great guy. Mello and amazing. Totally down to earth and crazy talented. His family is unbelievable, as is his girlfriend. He always surrounds himself with good people and I am glad to see Douglas and Moira in his corner.
Douglas Little is amazing! He has created this spectacular world. Like an old apothecary shop where you can walk in and see the most amazing objects. Were you find things you never knew you needed. The DL & Company space at Barneys was a complete contrast to the surrounding clean and modern lines. The space was lush and dark. Douglas started his company making fragrances and they are amazing. I am totally jealous and inspired. Inspired visually and to continue with the fragrances that I started.
I think I am going to do some literary inspired paintings. Well not so much literary but the dark fairy tales of the Grimm brothers. I was in Books of Wonder and I got the Blue Fairy book by Andrew Lang. I remembered them from my childhood and I love those stories. They are rich with imagery. Similar to the imagery that Douglas Little created. His world is inspiring and beautiful. My world is slipping together again.
Posted by wendy at 09:43 AM | Comments (2)
May 04, 2005
...slipping together...
This weekend after I went to Coney Island, I visited the American Folk Art Museum and I felt like everyone wanted to pat me on the head. (I wanted to say I just look young, but I am really older.) I felt like I was trespassing or something while I was at the museum, like I didn’t belong there. I wanted to say have you seen what people are doing out there. The art that is being made?! But I loved it nonetheless. I love the old signage, and weathervanes. I love weathervanes. It makes me feel like I am going to my Nana’s farm when I was young. I love the pure fun people had with a useful item. They also had pieces by Henry Darger. He created these strange worlds with girls running, flying, playing, and fighting. They are intricate and highly detailed little worlds that he created. Bizarre and disturbing, but beautiful.
My world is slipping together because I have noticed the world talking about what I am noticing. (Not that they are talking about it because of me!) I had a day of art on Saturday and I haven’t done anything like that in such a long time. Simply and purely for me. Not thinking about why or making excuses not to go. It felt good.
I first noticed the slip this morning when I was watching my favorite news show, NY1. They were interviewing the Fabricon Carousel Company who made the beautiful carousel in Bryant Park. The company and the park that I am totally smitten with. The new news story that I noticed was about a clean up of Coney Island. Which makes me really sad. I love the charm it has with its rough edges and simpleness. Nightclubs and restaurants? Coney Island is about hot dogs and cotton candy. I’ll have to go again soon and take more photos before it changes. Who are the changes good for? The community will have more money coming in, but will it end up pushing out the neighborhood? The same neighborhood that has made it the beautiful and strange little community it is.
The other weird thing that slipped together in my life was from the amazingly talented Penelope. I was writing this entry on the train and I got into work and checked my email and I got her newsletter and she just way a movie about Henry Darger called “In the Realms of the Unreal”.
And something clicked in my mind. Whatever path I am headed down it is the right one.
Posted by wendy at 11:15 AM | Comments (1)